Although his finger was bitten, Lu Chenghe could feel that the bite was not hard; in fact, it seemed more like a light hold. Even though he hadn’t spent much time with Little Pudding and their interactions had been few, this little creature had never shown such behavior before. He thought perhaps it was because the injection had hurt, so the little one was now acting spoiled.
He scratched its chin. When it squinted its round eyes in contentment, Lu Chenghe pulled his damp finger out. The maid quickly approached with a wet towel. Lu Chenghe casually wiped his finger and didn’t pay much attention to it. He then picked up the rubber ball he had tossed aside earlier and placed it between the little creature’s paws.
Seeing how much Lu Chenghe liked this little puppy, Wen Ting also felt pleased. For pet lovers, it’s always comforting to see these little creatures fortunate enough to find a good owner. After all, many pets are abandoned in society. Very few get to live out a happy life.
Hearing Lu Chenghe’s inquiry, Wen Ting said, “Little Pudding is only two months old. It’s not overweight. Although it shouldn’t eat too much, it’s okay for it to eat a little more. I’ll send a health chart to your butler later. As long as its measurements fall within the standard range, it’s healthy. But each dog’s appetite and body type, even within the same breed, can differ, so you can’t generalize. If you’re concerned, you can have a health check-up for Little Pudding every month.”
Lu Chenghe nodded. Without him saying anything, the butler stepped forward at the right moment. “Thank you for your hard work tonight, Dr. Wen. If there’s any issue, I’ll contact you.”
Wen Ting quickly replied, “Alright, please feel free to call me if anything comes up.”
Once the butler and veterinarian left, the whole hall became quiet. Lu Chenghe comfortably leaned back on the sofa, lowering his head slightly to look at Little Pudding, who was playing with the ball on his lap. The little one didn’t seem to like biting it; instead, it kept scratching the ball with its paws.
The color of its claws, hidden between the pads, was slightly reddish and transparent, looking very tender. With each paw, it quickly scratched the rubber ball with its claws. In no time, a small notch appeared in the ball.
Lu Chenghe reached out and gently grabbed its little paw, feeling the still very tender nails. They were somewhat hard, not as fragile as they seemed, but he still sternly warned, “No scratching things or people.”
Zuo Ning stuck out its tongue, panting, and tilted its head, giving Lu Chenghe an innocent look: What are you saying? I don’t understand.
Without thinking, Lu Chenghe reached out and pinched its mouth. Its little mouth hadn’t yet grown sharp; it was still slightly round, making its face appear chubby. However, its ears had already stood up, which greatly improved its appearance. Lu Chenghe studied its little face for a moment and said with a smile, “You look quite handsome.”
Upon hearing this, Zuo Ning immediately showed a Samoyed smile. Its glossy round eyes squinted. Its expression was heartwarming. Though it had turned into a dog, it still wanted to be a good-looking one. If this man said it was handsome, it must be the most handsome among the dogs!
Seeing the change in its expression, Lu Chenghe raised an eyebrow. “Did you hear me compliment you?”
Of course, Zuo Ning couldn’t respond or make a reply, so it burrowed into Lu Chenghe’s arms and nuzzled, wondering if today’s affection was a little more than yesterday’s because of how cute it was.
Lu Chenghe didn’t let Zuo Ning cling to him for too long. Usually, after dinner, he would return to his room to handle his own matters. Though he was used to having people around him since he was a child, it didn’t mean he liked being watched with every move he made.
Had it not been for waiting for the veterinarian to give the injection, he wouldn’t have stayed in the living room this long. Now that the matter was settled, he naturally carried the clingy little creature back to his room.
Back in the room, Lu Chenghe placed Zuo Ning directly on the carpet and sat down in front of his computer to handle some tasks. Bored, Zuo Ning surveyed the area and noticed that the carpet had been changed. It hadn’t been this color in the morning. His bathroom had also been cleaned and there was a faint fragrance in the air.
There was food in his bowl as well. As soon as Zuo Ning leaned in to see what it was, Lu Chenghe called out to stop him.
Zuo Ning looked up and saw Lu Chenghe glance at him as well. “You can’t eat that. That’s your midnight food.”
Puppies eat little, so they get hungry quickly. Smaller meals throughout the day are better for their health. Once they grow a bit more, feeding won’t require so much effort.
Zuo Ning was already full. He wasn’t an insatiable dog and hadn’t planned on eating. Hearing Lu Chenghe’s warning, he turned around and started nudging Lu Chenghe’s leg.
Lu Chenghe looked at the little creature standing on two legs with its tiny butt sticking out and tail wagging. He pointed at the dog bed. “Go to sleep.”
Zuo Ning whimpered. He wasn’t the new dog anymore, so the sleep trick didn’t work on him now!
Lu Chenghe squinted slightly. Was the little one starting to get comfortable in the new environment and letting its true nature show? But seeing the pitiful little eyes, Lu Chenghe paused for a moment and, after a few seconds, picked up the little creature who was clinging to his leg and refusing to sleep.
Although it had been a few days since Zuo Ning last had a bath, the housekeeper would still wipe him down every day. His white fur remained fluffy and clean, still smooth to the touch. Lu Chenghe ran his fingers through the little one’s fur again and again, gradually growing fond of the soft sensation.
When he finally snapped back to reality after focusing on his reports, he noticed that the little creature on his leg had gone quiet. Looking down, he saw that Zuo Ning had unknowingly fallen asleep.
It was fortunate that Zuo Ning was still in his puppy stage, small enough to be cradled like this. In a few months, this wouldn’t be possible. For some reason, Lu Chenghe felt a slight tinge of regret about that.
The little one was sleeping soundly, showing no signs of waking up despite Lu Chenghe’s gentle grooming or poking at his paws. Lu Chenghe gazed at him for a moment and then picked up his phone from the desk, snapping a photo of the peacefully sleeping little creature.
It wasn’t clear if it was the injection, but in the middle of the night, Zuo Ning didn’t sleep very well, tossing and turning restlessly. Eventually, his drowsiness disappeared from all the fidgeting. With his big, shiny eyes wide open, he could still make out the furniture in the dark room.
Resting his chin on his crossed paws, he could see the shape of the bed from his vantage point.
Zuo Ning was conflicted. If he climbed onto his owner’s bed, would he be thrown out as a pet the next morning? But after the past couple of days of interaction, he didn’t think the man would do that. It wasn’t a logical conclusion, just an instinctual feeling.
Probably emboldened by the night, Zuo Ning finally crawled out of his dog bed, shook out his fur, and padded around the bed. With his small size, climbing onto the bed was a bit tricky. However, at the foot of the bed, there was a small footstool, not too high. With a little push, he could make it up.
With a plan in mind, Zuo Ning found the right spot. He ran a few steps, kicked off with his hind legs, and, using his front paws for support, scrambled up. His hind legs kept pushing until, finally, he managed to get his paws on the footstool.
In the quiet of the night, Zuo Ning silently sighed with relief. Finally, he had climbed up without making a sound. His front paws were resting on the edge of the bed. He glanced down at the floor and realized there was no turning back now. If he jumped down, he would probably land on the carpet. Although it wouldn’t hurt, it was still a little scary.
As he took his first step, Zuo Ning felt a bit nervous. He carefully looked at the bed. There was no movement. Good. With one final push, he managed to get his whole body up on the bed.
When the sky began to lighten, Lu Chenghe woke up. It looked like it might rain today, as the weather seemed overcast, but that wouldn’t stop him from his morning run. After resting for a while in bed, he sat up. His first instinct was to check the kennel.
To his surprise, the kennel was empty. Furrowing his brow, Lu Chenghe glanced around the quiet room, hearing no sounds. Little Pudding wasn’t playing around the room. He scanned the area, but there was no sign of the dog. So where was it?
Just as he was about to get out of bed to search for the little dog, he caught a glimpse of something white from the corner of his eye. There, amidst the dark bedding, was a small lump. He paused for a moment, then gently lifted the corner of the blanket to find the little dog, who had quietly curled up next to him, sound asleep.
When Lu Chenghe had agreed to help his mother care for the little one, he had instructed the butler to provide a pet care guide. Dogs have poor static vision. When looking at unmoving objects, they rely more on their sense of smell. Therefore, it was best to keep the dog close to the owner while it slept, to give them a sense of security.
So, the little dog must have climbed onto his bed last night because it felt insecure after the injection and followed his scent? Lu Chenghe was always vigilant. Even while sleeping, he would wake up at the slightest sound. But last night, he hadn’t sensed a thing and didn’t know when the little one had snuck onto the bed, burrowing into his blankets.
If there had been surveillance in his room, Lu Chenghe would have seen the silly dog slowly crawl forward, pausing now and then to check if there was any movement from him. Little by little, it had managed to claim its territory!
After thinking it over briefly, Lu Chenghe decided not to wake the dog and make it get off the bed. Many people think dogs make beds dirty, but a dog’s cleanliness depends on how they are cared for. With proper care, dogs can sometimes be cleaner than many people. Moreover, his bed linens were changed every day, so Lu Chenghe wasn’t bothered by the little one climbing onto his bed.
However, today he would have the butler set up a fence around the kennel. This habit of climbing onto the bed couldn’t be encouraged.
When Zuo Ning woke up after hearing sounds from the bathroom, he was startled. He had actually gotten onto the bed? What had gotten into him last night? Why had he suddenly decided to climb onto the bed? Hadn’t he planned to behave, gradually winning the man’s heart and improving his living conditions?
Seeing that Lu Chenghe hadn’t thrown him off the bed, Zuo Ning secretly breathed a sigh of relief. He quickly tried to crawl back to the kennel. However, after reaching the foot of the bed, he realized how high it was. Jumping down would require some courage.
When Lu Chenghe finished his morning routine and came out, he saw the little one pacing back and forth at the foot of the bed, looking as though it wanted to jump but was too scared. As soon as Zuo Ning saw him, he immediately made a pitiful whining sound, asking for help.
Lu Chenghe smiled lightly and walked over, tapping the little one’s head. “Too high to jump down? Then how did you get up here last night?”
Zuo Ning froze, staring at him in disbelief. The man had actually smiled. It was such a beautiful smile! It felt like spring had arrived! Suddenly, Zuo Ning’s heart started beating uncontrollably. He seemed to have fallen in love!
Having lived as a human for twenty years, he had never felt this way. Yet in less than ten days as a dog, he felt he had encountered the one who made his heart race. But he was now a dog and this man was human. Was there any hope for a situation like this?
He fell fast. He fell hard. 😭
Thanks for the chapter!!!