Wealthy Woof Chapter 23

Seeing Little Pudding clinging desperately to Lu Chenghe, refusing to let go for fear of being taken away, Lu Chenghan raised an eyebrow. “This dog is seriously smart. It seems like he understands what I’m saying?”

Lu Chenghe stroked his back soothingly while prying off the paws wrapped around his neck. “Little Pudding is highly intelligent. They say that the smartest dogs have the intelligence of a six- or seven-year-old human. So dogs actually understand a lot; they just can’t express themselves.”

Watching Lu Chenghe like this, Lu Chenghan became even more certain—his second brother had completely turned into a dog fanatic. He had heard that dog lovers and cat lovers always thought their pets were the most unique and intelligent in the world, and they wouldn’t allow anyone to say otherwise.

Pausing for a moment, Lu Chenghan returned to the idea that had just struck him. “My company is all set up and I’ve already selected a few scripts for production. The biggest project is a movie, and the main character is a dog. Looking at your Little Pudding, I think he’d be a perfect fit.”

So he’s not trying to take me away. Hearing this, Zuo Ning turned his head to glance at the Lu family’s eldest brother. But acting in a movie? He had no experience! And being in front of the camera just to act cute—wasn’t that a bit too humiliating? Sure, he was stuck as a dog for life, but he still had to maintain some dignity from his past human self!

Lu Chenghe shook his head at the suggestion. “If you need a dog, you can find plenty. There are so many champion dogs from competitions; you won’t have trouble finding the right one. Little Pudding is still young and timid. This kind of thing isn’t for him.”

Lu Chenghan stroked his chin and chuckled. “Just give it a try. How do you know it won’t work if you don’t? I’m giving you a backdoor opportunity here—how many dogs get the chance to star in a big movie? And when Little Pudding grows up, you’ll have something to look back on and remember his younger days. Dogs don’t live very long—twenty years at most. If you grow attached, wouldn’t you want to keep some memories?”

Hearing this, Lu Chenghe’s hand, which had been petting the dog, suddenly froze. He lowered his gaze, looking at the little furball sitting obediently in his arms.

Zuo Ning also looked up at Lu Chenghe. In that instant, an inexplicable sadness washed over him, and his eyes welled up uncontrollably. Afraid that Lu Chenghe might notice something unusual, he quickly buried his head into his chest and nuzzled against him.

Compared to humans, his lifespan was far too short—so short that he wasn’t even qualified to accompany Lu Chenghe through half of his life. The moment he realized this, panic set in, and a sudden fear gripped him. But at the same time, he found a strange sense of relief. Even though time was fleeting, at least he wouldn’t be the one left behind to endure the pain of separation.

After all, he was just a dog. In his world, there was only Lu Chenghe. Without Lu Chenghe, what would he do? But perhaps it was a blessing that he was just a dog. No matter how much Lu Chenghe liked him, he would only ever like him as a pet—it wouldn’t be love.

One day, when he grew old and died, Lu Chenghe would still have his family and his friends. He might be sad, but not for long.

Feeling a similar pang of discomfort in his heart, Lu Chenghe unconsciously tightened his arms around Little Pudding. This was precisely why he had never considered getting a pet. If his mother hadn’t forced Little Pudding on him, he would never have chosen to care for a creature with such a short life. Once emotions were involved, how could he bear the pain of parting in the future?

Looking down at the little furball snuggling against him and acting spoiled, Lu Chenghe chuckled. “Alright, let’s give it a try.”

Although the film revolved around a dog, there was no specific breed requirement, nor was it a traditional story about loyalty and devotion.

Since Lu Chenghan was investing and forming a top-tier production team, the film was clearly aiming for major awards and had even secured a renowned director. As for the lead roles, aside from the dog, the protagonist would be played by his lover and the current rising star, Chu Hang.

The film’s plot follows the male lead, who inherited everything from his late adoptive father. Meanwhile, his adoptive father’s biological children, having received nothing due to their unfilial behavior, were consumed by jealousy and greed, leading them to secretly plot against him.

As for Zuo Ning, one of the film’s main characters, his role was merely that of a pet the male lead had owned as a child. He was always by the protagonist’s side, watching over him obediently, but the protagonist could never see him. Later, when the villains made their move against the protagonist, the dog that had always followed him began interfering with their plans, secretly protecting him. It wasn’t until the villains were brought to justice and the protagonist finally married the girl he loved that the faithful dog quietly disappeared.

In other words, Zuo Ning’s role in the film was that of a dog that had actually passed away long ago.

Films featuring pets and children were always the hardest to shoot, but when done well, they had the power to move audiences deeply. That was precisely why Lu Chenghan had chosen this script as the debut project for his company.

Although this was the Lu family’s first venture into the entertainment industry, the mere weight of their surname was enough to make countless people flock to them. Aside from Chu Hang, whom Lu Chenghan had personally selected as the lead, many of the supporting roles were played by well-established actors in the industry.

For those actors, gaining further recognition through this film would be ideal, but even if that didn’t happen, they still hoped that this collaboration would allow them to establish a connection with the Lu family. After all, the Lu Group owned several luxury brands—brands whose endorsements were reserved for international superstars. If there was a shortcut to getting ahead, they certainly wouldn’t let it slip through their fingers.

As a result, on the first day of filming, almost no one dared to act like a diva or show up late. Everyone arrived early and headed straight to their assigned dressing rooms according to their schedules. While the entertainment industry was rife with scheming and status competition, those who had managed to make a name for themselves weren’t fools. In any other production, actors backed by investors might have the confidence to act high and mighty, but this was the Lu family. If there was one thing they weren’t lacking, it was money. No one here was irreplaceable—if someone didn’t cooperate, they’d simply be replaced.

The director was already seated in his chair, observing the seemingly harmonious atmosphere on set. With a smile, he turned to the assistant director beside him and said, “Choosing the right company to collaborate with really makes all the difference. Those small-time productions are always a headache. But since this movie is being shot from a dog’s perspective, I imagine we’ll have quite the challenge ahead of us.”

The assistant director chuckled and said, “President Lu has made it clear—this film is aiming for critical acclaim and awards, so take all the time you need. Budget-wise, there’s absolutely no limit.”

That was the kind of statement only the Lu family could make—such overwhelming financial confidence. After all, filmmaking was a money-burning industry. Few investors dared to promise unlimited funding.

Once all the actors had arrived, the director had yet to begin the opening ceremony. Some curiously glanced around, realizing that all the main cast members were present—except for the dog. No one knew where the dog had been sourced from, but it was already late on the first day. Unlike human actors, replacing a dog would be far easier.

Just as some people were secretly whispering about it, an unassuming black car quietly pulled up. The vehicle’s appearance wasn’t particularly striking—it was the kind that would easily blend into traffic and go unnoticed. However, in the entertainment industry, where luxury was the norm, identifying status symbols had become second nature.

Women judged by handbags, men by cars. As the car rolled to a stop, someone murmured, “You rarely see this model domestically. It looks too much like a cheap old Santana, even the license plate resembles one. If you don’t have a sharp eye, you wouldn’t recognize its value at all.”

A nearby actress overheard and curiously asked, “Is it an expensive car?”

The person who had spoken earlier replied, “Not too bad, around three million. The main reason it’s so rare is its limited audience, so production numbers were low. By the time people realized its value, it had already been discontinued. You know how it is—sometimes, the rarer something is, the more people fight over it.”

While they whispered among themselves, the car had already come to a full stop in front of the crowd. The door opened, and a middle-aged man in an impeccably tailored suit stepped out first. Then, he turned back and led out a snow-white Samoyed on a leash.

Even with everyone’s gaze focused on him, the butler remained composed as he led Little Pudding forward. He smiled politely and greeted the director, “Director Zhou, a pleasure to meet you. My surname is Zhong, and I am the butler of the Lu family’s second young master. This is my master’s dog, Little Pudding. My master said we should first test Little Pudding’s presence on camera. If he’s not suitable, we can arrange for another dog to replace him at any time.”

This had already been communicated in advance—otherwise, if the director had to wait just for a dog, he would have lost his temper long ago. Now, seeing the so-called star of the show in person, he observed that the dog stood obediently by the butler’s side. It wasn’t flustered by the crowd, nor was it excitedly running around. Its clear eyes curiously scanned the people around it. With its meticulously groomed white fur and strikingly high level of cuteness, it naturally evoked goodwill.

The director smiled and nodded. “Alright, let’s give it a try. Little Pudding, right? Come here. Let’s have the male lead hold the leash for a quick photo and offer incense before filming. Today’s scenes are fairly simple—we’ll just ease into things first.”

Chu Hang had already heard from Lu Chenghan that this Little Pudding was his second brother’s beloved pet. Although this was his first time seeing it, he instinctively felt a fondness for it due to his good relationship with Lu Chenghan. Taking the leash from the butler, he first squatted down, gently patted Little Pudding’s head, and greeted it as a way to establish familiarity before proceeding with the opening ceremony.

Lu Chenghe was concerned that Little Pudding might be nervous around strangers, or worse, that someone might mistreat him when no one was watching. After all, if Little Pudding was bullied, he wouldn’t be able to complain about it later. To prevent this, he instructed the butler to stay by his side the entire time. In addition to the butler, a part-time chauffeur who also served as a bodyguard was assigned to accompany them. Though the bodyguard’s primary role was to carry supplies—such as Little Pudding’s food and water bowls—he was also there as a precaution.

As a result, compared to the other actors who had only a single assistant by their side, this dog was undeniably the biggest star on set.

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