The Lu family, despite its vast wealth and extensive business empire, has never been a clan of workaholics. The founder of the Lu Corporation was a young master from an aristocratic family. Back in those turbulent times of war and chaos, he abandoned his scholarly pursuits to venture into business. Leaving behind the complex inner workings of a deep-rooted noble household, he relied on his own abilities to carve out a position for himself in the commercial world. However, even as he spent more and more time in the business realm, the innate aristocratic temperament of his upbringing remained deeply ingrained and unshakable.
To enjoy life—this could be said to be their philosophy. One generation influenced the next. Thus, the children of the Lu family lived lives of indulgence. From an early age, the way the elders around them lived instilled a mindset: work was merely a means to achieve a better life. Life itself was the foundation of all endeavors. So, no matter how busy work became, as long as it wasn’t an earth-shattering crisis, they would rather earn a little less money if it meant having more time to enjoy a meal with family.
Because of this approach, the atmosphere within the Lu family was remarkably harmonious and pleasant. Power struggles and infighting were almost nonexistent. In the eyes of outsiders, this was a kind of sophistication and depth that came with their background—such a laid-back and carefree lifestyle was not something that could be achieved without a certain level of personal cultivation and mental clarity.
Lu Chenghe, the current president of the Lu Corporation, had only ever been overwhelmingly busy during the brief period after his father’s unexpected death when he had to take over the family business. Afterward, he upheld the family’s philosophy. At work, apart from personally handling major projects that required his decisions, he would delegate all other tasks to his subordinates without interference. Overtime was rare and only happened during major undertakings. He ensured that he set aside at least one full day each week to enjoy his own time.
Compared to other corporate presidents, Lu Chenghe was practically an anomaly. But the Lu family’s ability to maintain such a lifestyle also came from their exceptional capabilities—managing subordinates effectively and having a sharp eye for people and opportunities. Otherwise, how could such a relaxed president lead the massive Lu Corporation to continued prosperity? It would have fallen apart long ago.
Food was also an indispensable part of their lives. For Lu Chenghe, such culinary luxuries had been part of his life since childhood. World-class ingredients from around the globe were a daily staple for the Lu family. When the butler wheeled in a cart of delicacies, Lu Chenghe remained utterly unfazed.
But for Zuo Ning, who was visiting the mansion’s dining hall for the first time, the scene left him dumbfounded. He only snapped out of it when two maids lifted a giant shrimp and placed it on the table. He finally realized the shrimp was indeed so enormous that it occupied half the table, not some visual illusion caused by his changing perspective.
In the past, he had seen lobsters larger than a washbasin that were already exorbitantly expensive. But this shrimp, which took up most of the table, made him wonder what species it could possibly be. For a moment, he even doubted if he had been transported to another world.
Curious about what was happening at the table, Zuo Ning took a few steps back, craned his neck, and squatted nearby. He watched as a slightly chubby man in a chef’s uniform approached after the maids had placed the shrimp on the table. The chef deftly used a knife and fork to carve out several pieces of meat from the joints, placed them on a plate, and handed them to Lu Chenghe before nodding to the butler. The butler waved his hand. “Take it away.”
Without even glancing at the massive shrimp with plenty of meat left, Lu Chenghe picked up his utensils and began eating the most tender portions carved out by the chef. Sitting to the side, Zuo Ning could barely keep his composure. Such a massive shrimp and only a couple of pieces were eaten—wasn’t this an incredible waste no matter how wealthy they were?
Unaware of the deeper workings of this household, Zuo Ning didn’t know that the leftover food would be turned into meals for all the Lu family’s staff. While the Lu family indulged in certain luxuries, they were never wantonly wasteful. Even being a servant in the Lu household was a privilege.
However, his instincts moved faster than his thoughts. By the time Zuo Ning realized it, he was already clinging to Lu Chenghe’s calf, trying to climb onto the table.
Hearing the soft whining sounds and feeling something tugging at his leg, Lu Chenghe lowered his gaze impassively. He saw the little creature that had been so well-behaved all afternoon now looking desperate and eager. He couldn’t help but chuckle internally. He had thought this dog had a naturally quiet and reserved temperament, but it turned out it just hadn’t encountered anything of interest. Now, lured by the aroma of food, it couldn’t hold back anymore?
However, seeing this little creature looking more lively was indeed more pleasing to the eye than its previously droopy and listless state. Glancing at the shrimp meat, which hadn’t been seasoned with anything, Lu Chenghe asked the butler, “Can it eat this?”
Hearing those words, Zuo Ning immediately interpreted it as a green light to eat. His eyes lit up and his tail began wagging uncontrollably. He clung to Lu Chenghe’s leg with a level of eagerness that was downright servile. Any semblance of human dignity or resistance to the imposing aura of Lu Chenghe had completely vanished.
But the butler, clearly unable to empathize with Zuo Ning’s desperation after eating bland dog food for days, poured cold water over his hopes. “It’s best not. Seafood can easily cause allergies and is naturally cold in nature. Puppies have weaker digestive systems. Though it’s been vaccinated, improper feeding could still lead to illnesses like canine distemper or parvovirus, which have a low recovery rate once contracted.”
Zuo Ning felt as if lightning had struck on a clear day. His entire body froze against Lu Chenghe’s leg. Seeing his reaction, Lu Chenghe was somewhat surprised. “Did it understand what you said?” Otherwise, how could such a crestfallen demeanor be explained?
A puppy wouldn’t be able to understand such a long string of words, so the butler thought for a moment before replying, “Perhaps it understood the word ‘no’. There were a few times when it wanted to eat the Madam’s desserts, and she said ‘no’ before having the desserts removed. It probably understands what ‘no’ means.”
Lu Chenghe had often heard about dogs being highly intelligent, but since he had never raised one himself, he couldn’t grasp just how smart they could be. Now, however, he was starting to believe it. Looking at the pitiful little thing at his feet, Lu Chenghe coldly averted his gaze and resumed eating his dinner. Though he didn’t order anyone to take the puppy away, he also paid no further attention to it as it clung to his leg, begging for food.
He wasn’t the type to spoil animals. Since the shrimp might harm the puppy’s health, he naturally wouldn’t give in to its pleas.
Zuo Ning eventually realized that he wouldn’t be getting any shrimp tonight, but he still refused to give up. He sat near Lu Chenghe’s feet, occasionally pawing at his pant leg and letting out a soft whine to remind him of his presence. But, as he had suspected, this man was utterly heartless. From start to finish, Lu Chenghe didn’t spare him a single glance, let alone a bite of food.
What was even more infuriating was that after finishing the shrimp, Lu Chenghe moved on to a steak. According to the butler, it was from a freshly slaughtered cow that had been transported over and butchered to extract only the tenderest cuts. The extravagance was truly beyond imagination!
Despite the earlier rejection, Zuo Ning realized something: Lu Chenghe hadn’t kicked him away when he clung to his leg. This discovery gave him a clue about the boundaries of what this man could tolerate. No longer bothering to keep a careful distance, Zuo Ning decided that if he had to live as a dog, he might as well figure out how to stay in this household. And to live well, he needed to learn how to win favor.
Later that evening, Lu Chenghe noticed that the little puppy was noticeably livelier than it had been during the day. Perhaps it was because all its belongings had been moved into his room, giving it a sense of security. Or maybe it was because, after spending half the day together, the puppy had grown familiar with his scent.
Sitting at his desk in the bedroom, Lu Chenghe was looking at graphs and charts on his screen, but his gaze often wandered to the small puppy running back and forth across the room as if marking its territory.
The puppy was only about the size of two palms, its fluffy white fur bouncing as it ran, resembling a flying cotton ball. Its jet-black eyes stood out starkly against its white coat. Upon closer inspection, it even had double eyelids and exceptionally long eyelashes. Its slightly open mouth, with a little pink tongue sticking out, gave it the appearance of wearing a warm, perpetual smile. It was hard not to find it endearing.
Under the soft light of the bedroom lamp, the little fluff ball quietly explored the carpeted floor. It didn’t make much noise, yet its presence made the bedroom feel more lively than ever.
Unaware that it was being watched, Zuo Ning was curiously inspecting every corner of this lavish bedroom. Compared to the room of the Madam who had cared for him for only a few days, this man’s bedroom was much simpler. The bed was clean, the sofa was clean, and even the bathroom was immaculate. It seemed like even the study was more thoughtfully arranged than this bedroom.
Though simple, the room didn’t lack luxury. The bathroom alone was larger than Zuo Ning’s entire house. The bathtub was practically the size of a swimming pool. The walk-in closet, shower, and sauna were all spacious enough to play hide-and-seek in.
After thoroughly familiarizing himself with every inch of the room, Zuo Ning flopped onto the carpet, panting slightly from exhaustion.
Lu Chenghe, who had been quietly observing the puppy’s actions, rested his chin in his hand as he leaned back comfortably in his chair. Suddenly, he called out, “Little Pudding.”
Zuo Ning, who had been resting on the carpet by the bed, immediately perked up at the sound of his name. He scrambled to his feet and faced the desk where Lu Chenghe sat. “Woof~!” What do you want?
Lu Chenghe paused for a moment. He had initially planned to give this little creature a new name. Earlier, he’d specifically looked up what adult Samoyeds looked like online. If this one grew up well, its size definitely wouldn’t be small. Calling such a large dog “Little Pudding” would feel overly cutesy and sticky.
However, seeing how it had already recognized and responded to the name, he decided to let it be. After all, when it grew that big, his mother would likely be the one walking it, not him. She’d be the one calling its name. Dismissing the idea of a name change, Lu Chenghe turned back to his computer.
Zuo Ning waited for a while but, seeing that the man didn’t follow up after calling him, he padded over to Lu Chenghe’s legs, pawing at them gently. “Arf…?” You called me, but now you’re ignoring me. What’s the deal?
Lu Chenghe lowered his head to glance at the little dog and then pointed to the small dog bed not far from the large bed. “Go to sleep.”
Zuo Ning’s warm, hopeful expression immediately disappeared. Sleep? Although he didn’t know the exact time, he was sure it wasn’t bedtime yet. He looked around the room, but other than the pile of toys near his dog bed, there wasn’t much else to occupy his time. He figured he might as well just sleep.
To Lu Chenghe’s surprise, his casual gesture—which he hadn’t even expected the puppy to understand—was met with obedience. The little fluff ball wagged its tail, swayed its hips, and walked over to its dog bed. It curled up inside and lay down.
Are dogs really this smart nowadays? Lu Chenghe thought to himself. Should I take this little one to get its IQ tested? What if it’s some kind of spirit creature?
Though Zuo Ning had initially thought he wouldn’t be able to fall asleep, the custom-made dog bed was far more comfortable than his previous human bed. Before he knew it, he was fast asleep.
Unbeknownst to Zuo Ning—and something he would never know in the future—he had just missed a golden opportunity to have a more majestic and powerful name, one far less cutesy and babyish. It was an opportunity lost forever.
