Wealthy Woof Chapter 34

The security team captain patted the sleeve guard on his arm. “Little Pudding, bite!”

Sitting on a clean rock, Zuo Ning lazily glanced at the captain and the tattered protective glove on his hand, already chewed up by Lang Ya and Fu Na. Under the warm early winter sun, he squinted comfortably and let out a big yawn.

Nearby, Lang Ya, who was sitting obediently on the grass, noticed that Little Pudding hadn’t followed the human’s command. Unable to hold back, he reminded him, “Hurry up and bite that glove! Hold on tight and don’t let go until the human pats the sleeve. There will be jerky as a reward later!”

Zuo Ning lazily scratched his face with a paw and looked at Lang Ya. “If you want jerky, I’ll treat you next time. I have plenty.” What was jerky to him? The only person he ever begged for food from was Lu Chenghe. Who else was even worth his attention? Besides, how was he supposed to eat something that had been handled by others? Even when Mother Lu fed him jerky outside, she would tear open the packaging without touching the food directly.

Lang Ya let out a low whimper. After thinking for a moment, he felt that Little Pudding’s reasoning made sense—if he already had a lot of jerky, there was no need to take what humans offered. But something still felt off about that logic.

Just then, the usually quiet Fu Na looked at him and said, “Humans like obedient ones. If you don’t listen, they won’t like you.”

Zuo Ning smugly flicked his tail. “Not a problem. My Chenghe likes me a lot.”

Seeing that Little Pudding wouldn’t follow orders, the security team captain called out to Lang Ya instead. The moment he heard the command, Lang Ya leaped up and sank his teeth into the glove. His fierce fangs gleamed menacingly in the sunlight, and his entire body tensed with taut, powerful muscles, radiating explosive strength. Zuo Ning couldn’t help swallowing. So cool.

The security team captain waited for a moment before finally giving the signal to release. As soon as Lang Ya landed, he took out a small treat and fed it, then turned his gaze toward Little Pudding. However, Little Pudding remained seated, looking utterly uninterested. Whether it was Lang Ya and Fu Na playing around or the treats in the captain’s hand, it all seemed to hold no appeal to him.

The security captain couldn’t help but feel frustrated. Lang Ya and Fu Na had both undergone professional training before, so training them was effortless—he just followed their previous training methods. But Little Pudding was a pet dog, and not just any pet dog, but one that had been pampered and spoiled by its owner. And as someone who had never trained a dog before, how was he supposed to train this one?

Days had passed, yet the little fellow did nothing more than come over, sit prettily for a while, bask in the sun, enjoy the breeze, and then leave when he got bored.

Just as the security captain was lost in thought, he saw Little Pudding stand up, shake its fur lazily, and then saunter away without looking back, no matter how much he called.

Helpless, the security captain glanced at Lang Ya and Fu Na, who were both staring at him in confusion. A wave of exasperation washed over him—he had never seen a dog so indifferent to food, nor one that completely ignored being called.

Lu Chenghe never expected any real training results. That day, he had merely mentioned offhandedly that they could bring Little Pudding along while training the black-backed dogs. So when he heard the butler relaying the security captain’s complaints, he simply lowered his gaze to the little thing clinging to him. “Why are you so disobedient, hmm?”

Zuo Ning rested his head on Lu Chenghe’s stomach, letting him tug at his ears while he rambled on. Thinking back to their first meeting—when Lu Chenghe had looked so distant as if even saying one extra word was a waste—and then looking at him now, Zuo Ning couldn’t help but sigh. Indeed, men just couldn’t withstand getting to know someone too well.

Hearing the dog’s sigh, Lu Chenghe chuckled. “Sighing now, huh? Following a bit of training is such a grievance for you, is it?”

“Aoo…” Of course it was! Making him bite someone—how was that even possible? That was so dirty! At most, he could bare his teeth and look fierce, but even that didn’t seem very effective.

“If you really dislike training that much, then forget it. It’s not like I ever expected you to guard the house anyway.”

Zuo Ning unhappily slapped Lu Chenghe with his paw. What did he mean by ‘not expecting him to guard the house’? He was reliable, okay? It was just that in a society governed by law, it was always better to use words instead of violence. But if something really happened, he would definitely step up!

Lu Chenghe grabbed his paw and gave it a little shake. “You’re great at hitting me, but the moment you’re outside, you turn into a coward? When someone else hits you, you don’t even know to dodge.”

“Woof woof woof!” I did dodge, okay?! That guy was just crazy! Can we not bring up this embarrassing history?!

Seeing Little Pudding barking at him in protest, Lu Chenghe pinched his ear and warned, “Yes, yes, you’re the toughest one. Just stay home and behave for the next few days. I’ll have the butler keep an eye on you. But if I come back and find you’ve gained weight again, I’ll put you on a strict diet.”

Zuo Ning immediately sat up. “Awoo?” Where are you going?

Maybe noticing the confusion in his eyes, Lu Chenghe replied, “I’m going on a business trip for a few days. I’ll be back soon, so you have to be good, okay?”

Hearing this, Zuo Ning immediately buried his head into Lu Chenghe’s chest, rubbing against him. A few days on a business trip? That meant they wouldn’t see each other for several days. Several days! That was such a long time.

Lu Chenghe could only let this oversized baby cling to him and act spoiled. Although there were still people at home, he couldn’t help but wonder if this little thing would end up hiding under the blankets and crying because he wouldn’t see him for a while.

Time passed quickly, and despite Zuo Ning’s reluctance, the day of Lu Chenghe’s departure arrived. Supposedly, this trip was for the grand opening of a hot spring resort project, a development that had been under construction for years and was finally completed. Lu Chenghe was going to attend the opening ceremony and ribbon-cutting.

When the butler brought Lu Chenghe’s luggage downstairs, Zuo Ning, who had mentally prepared himself for this moment, still couldn’t help but lie on top of the suitcase, gazing up at Lu Chenghe with pitiful eyes. Even though he knew Lu Chenghe would only be gone for a few days and would be back soon, his entire life now revolved around him. With Lu Chenghe leaving, Zuo Ning suddenly felt like his doggy life was about to become unbearably lonely.

In the past, whenever Lu Chenghe went on trips, the most he got was a reminder from his parents to stay safe. He had never been held back like this before. Looking at the clingy little thing in front of him, Lu Chenghe started wondering if it might be time to get his own private jet for convenience.

Something as extravagant and impractical as a private jet—aside from the one owned by the Lu family for business purposes, only Old Fourth had one. Lu Chenghe had always thought it unnecessary, especially since he rarely traveled. If he ever really needed one, he could always find a way, so he had never been interested in maintaining one himself.

But now, seeing this little thing sticking to him so desperately, maybe… just maybe… it was worth considering.

Just as Lu Chenghe was hesitating over whether to bring Little Pudding along—after all, it was just a ribbon-cutting, not some major international business negotiation—he saw the little thing had already obediently gotten up and was now sitting quietly to the side, no longer clinging to him.

Lu Chenghe chuckled, crouching down to pat the dog’s head. “Be good and listen. Next time, I’ll take you with me.”

Zuo Ning’s eyes lit up instantly. “Woof!” It’s a deal!

When Mother Lu arrived, she was greeted by the sight of her son and their little darling saying their reluctant goodbyes. She couldn’t help but feel a bit exasperated. Her son had always been independent, never even going through a rebellious phase. In all these years, she had never seen him like this… so indescribably soft. Why did she suddenly feel like she had led her son down a never-ending road of dog parenthood?

Zuo Ning watched as Lu Chenghe’s car drove out of the estate, then drooped his head and let out a long sigh. He just left, and I already miss him. What do I do? Being this caught up in love wasn’t right. Even as a dog, he should strive to be a dog with a career!

Of everyone, Mother Lu was probably the happiest about Lu Chenghe’s business trip. That son of hers spent all his time either at the company or at home, never going out to socialize. How was he supposed to meet a beautiful girl like that? What she really wanted was a Cinderella romance for him, and she promised she would never be the wicked mother-in-law!

Besides, this was her chance to finally monopolize Little Pudding. Hugging a fluffy ball of fur to sleep at night had to be the most comfortable thing ever.

But the reality was cruel. When nighttime came, Little Pudding automatically ran off, completely ignoring her attempts to hold him back. No matter how much she coaxed or pulled, he stubbornly insisted on returning to her son’s room. It didn’t matter how many times she explained that Chenghe wasn’t there and wouldn’t be back for days—he refused to listen. Normally, he was so smart and able to understand so much. But now? He was acting completely deaf. Sigh. Stubborn kids always only hear what they want to hear.

Watching Little Pudding happily trot away without even looking back no matter how she called him, Mother Lu’s expression was slightly sorrowful. “I still remember when he was just a tiny thing I brought home, timid and shy, trembling in my arms and whimpering. And now? His whole heart and mind are fixated on that brat. Is this even my dog anymore?”

The young maid beside her pursed her lips, suppressing a smile. While it was true that Madam had brought Little Pudding home, it was also true that the young master was the one who had raised him. It was only natural for him to be so attached to the young master.

Of course, Zuo Ning would never stay in Mother Lu’s room to sleep. Even if he had to guard an empty bed, he had to sleep in Lu Chenghe’s bed. Sharing a bed with his “mother-in-law”? Just the thought alone was terrifying! Besides, men and women should have boundaries! As a little male dog, he had to maintain some propriety!

However, after being attended to by the butler—his face washed, teeth brushed, and paws wiped clean—Zuo Ning obediently lay down on the bed, preparing to watch a movie. Yet, something felt off. The whole room seemed different as if someone was watching him.

Before leaving, the butler had left the lights on, probably to prevent him from climbing somewhere dangerous. The doors and windows were all securely shut, so aside from him, there shouldn’t be a second living soul in this room. But that eerie feeling of being watched just wouldn’t go away.

Far away on the other side of the city, it was only around five in the evening for Lu Chenghe. He had just finished dinner and was flipping through some documents. On his desk, a laptop and a tablet were neatly placed. The laptop displayed his work files while the tablet… was streaming a live feed of his own bedroom.

Originally, Lu Chenghe’s bedroom didn’t have any surveillance, but just before boarding his flight today, he suddenly wanted to see what Little Pudding did when he wasn’t home. So, he had the butler install a camera.

The local time in China was now around eight or nine in the evening. Lu Chenghe watched as the butler finished washing up Little Pudding, leaving him alone in the room to enjoy himself.

Without getting tired of it, the little guy repeatedly tossed all the plush toys from his kennel onto the big bed. Then, as if following a practiced routine, he dragged over the tablet the butler had set up for him, placing it in the center of the bed. Leaning against the pile of plush toys, he even tucked himself under the blanket, getting all snug while watching TV. His head was comfortably resting on a stuffed animal’s belly, looking as cozy as could be.

Seeing this whole process unfold, Lu Chenghe couldn’t help but chuckle. This little guy really knows how to enjoy life.

But after only a few moments of peaceful movie-watching, Little Pudding suddenly started looking around, glancing left and right.

Lu Chenghe raised an eyebrow. Is he looking for me?

That thought made him smile, but then he noticed something even more amusing. A few minutes later, Little Pudding jumped off the bed, ran to the balcony, and looked outside. Then, he crawled behind the curtains, pressing his paws against the window to peer out. What is he doing?

After circling the entire room, the little guy finally plopped down on the carpet, looking a bit lost. Then, all of a sudden, he turned his gaze directly toward the bookshelf where the camera was hidden and let out two sharp barks.

An empty room gave off a watched feeling—everyone said dogs could see things humans couldn’t. Zuo Ning had been a dog for so long and had never encountered anything supernatural, so he always thought those were just myths. But today? Today felt really eerie. No matter how hard he tried to dismiss the thought, he couldn’t help but lean toward ghostly explanations.

Lu Chenghe wasn’t around, making the already large and eerie room feel even emptier. Zuo Ning sat blankly on the carpet for a while, ears perked up, listening intently. But he didn’t hear any movement inside the room. Outside, however, the wind howled past the windows, making the night seem even more terrifying.

In the end, Zuo Ning decided he wasn’t going to catch any ghosts. He leaped back onto the bed in one swift motion, burying himself completely under the blanket.

Lu Chenghe saw Little Pudding calling out toward the camera and thought he had been discovered. But to his surprise, the little thing simply returned to bed, leaving only his nose and eyes exposed, glancing left and right from time to time before hiding away again.

Seeing that timid display, Lu Chenghe couldn’t help but chuckle softly.

And so, as he worked, he occasionally glanced at the screen, witnessing the little ball’s various sleeping positions.

At first, he had been sleeping obediently on his stomach. But somehow, he ended up lying on his back, the blanket tucked beneath his neck, making him look like a tiny human. He tossed and turned, kicked off the blanket, and rolled from the head of the bed to the foot. If Lu Chenghe hadn’t been watching, he wouldn’t have known that Little Pudding could be such a restless sleeper.

When they slept together, the most he ever did was cling to him like an octopus. If he started the night sleeping beside him, by morning, he would be sprawled on top of him. Other than that, he had never seen him toss and turn like this.

By the time Lu Chenghe woke up, it was already daylight on the other end of the screen. A maid was tidying up the sheets, and that little thing had probably run off to play. Sitting by the bed, he stared at the tablet for a while before glancing around the exotically decorated room. Without that little guy, it really did feel a bit empty.

Early in the morning, Zuo Ning ran to the backyard and squatted there for a while, silently locking eyes with the butler. Without Lu Chenghe around, going for a solo morning run felt so lonely. He didn’t want to run.

Seeing that Little Pudding was about to head toward the dining room, the butler pulled out his phone and pointed it at him. “Go for a run. Young Master is watching.”

Zuo Ning turned his head away in silence. What were you talking about? He didn’t understand a word.

When he refused to listen, the butler called over the head of security to have him run with Little Pudding. But a dog that didn’t want to understand would never understand, no matter how much they spoke. A whole group of people struggled for a long time before ultimately giving up. If they really wanted to force him, they could just leash him up and make him run, but knowing Young Master, he’d feel bad if he found out.

Not long after Lu Chenghe woke up, he received a message from the butler with the subject line: Morning Run Failed. Attached was a video of Little Pudding, post-breakfast, joyfully running around the yard with two black-backed shepherds.

In the video, he was enthusiastically digging a hole with Lang Ya. The once snow-white dog had, within minutes, turned completely unrecognizable. Lu Chenghe’s forehead twitched. He had only been gone for one day, and it wasn’t like there was no one at home to watch him. So why did Little Pudding already look like an unsupervised wild child?

Zuo Ning dug with Lang Ya for a while and unearthed several small hard-shelled bugs from the hole. He watched as Lang Ya excitedly batted them around, then glanced down at his own now-filthy white fur. With a helpless sigh, he realized he was in for another bath.

Lang Ya, still full of enthusiasm, called out, “Come on, play with me!”

Zuo Ning silently took two steps back. Digging holes together was fine, but playing with bugs? No thanks. He wasn’t afraid of bugs, but right now, he was covered in fur. If one accidentally crawled into it… Ugh. Just the thought made his whole body itch.

“Little Pudding! Come here, quick!”

Zuo Ning lifted his head and saw Mother Lu standing under the corridor, calling out to him. Without hesitation, he bolted toward her at full speed. “Woof!”

Looking at the filthy Little Pudding, Mother Lu gasped in distress. “How did you get so dirty in such a short time?!” She quickly summoned two people to take him upstairs for a bath.

When the freshly washed, clean, and fragrant Little Pudding was carried back to the living room by a strong young maid, Mother Lu couldn’t resist hugging and rubbing him all over before finally asking, “Little Pudding, do you like acting?”

Acting? Another shoot? That sounded promising. He was already so bored that he ended up digging holes with Lang Ya. He might as well go out and earn some money to support the family.

Seeing Little Pudding wag his tail excitedly, clearly in favor of the idea, Mother Lu said, “Then let’s go try it out first. If you don’t like it, we’ll come back.”

This whole thing started because of a blockbuster movie currently showing in theaters. While the general audience was captivated by the excitement, industry professionals were analyzing the craft. One director, in the middle of shooting a large-scale disaster film, had been particularly drawn to the soulful expression of a dog featured in that movie. That gaze—it was exactly what he felt his own film was missing.

However, after some inquiries, he discovered that this wasn’t just any ordinary dog. His owner had no need for the standard film paycheck, which left the director in distress. But he was unwilling to give up just like that. He kept persistently messaging the dog’s Weibo account. Finally, after much effort, he received a reply.

And so, Zuo Ning smoothly found himself a career. At last, he didn’t have to place all his hopes for his dog life on romance alone.

Although this movie wasn’t centered around a dog, there was a segment that used a dog to amplify the emotional weight of the story. In the film, a supporting female character has a dog she had raised since childhood. When an earthquake struck the region, the dog protected the girl and ultimately rescued her from the rubble.

One particular scene was something the director was determined to capture—a dirt-covered little girl sitting numbly on the ground, clutching her battered and scarred dog, staring blankly at the ruins of her home, her eyes filled with confusion and despair. Though it was just a single shot, the director wanted a long take, which meant exceptionally high demands on both the actress and the dog.

The actress was a talented ten-year-old with extensive acting experience—far superior to some of the twenty-something fresh-faced actors in the industry. However, the role of the dog had remained unfilled for some time. Now that the director had finally found one that fit his vision, there was no way he was letting it slip away.

But when Mother Lu arrived on set with Zuo Ning in tow, the director and producer exchanged a look and immediately felt that things weren’t looking good.

Mother Lu rarely made public appearances, but her son was a household name. Since the director had done his research, he naturally knew which family Little Pudding belonged to. If it had been the Lu family’s butler handling this matter, there might still have been hope. But with Lu Chenghe’s mother showing up in person and considering the intense scenes the dog would have to film, the director and producer couldn’t help but feel a wave of despair.

This was Mother Lu’s first time visiting a film set. Behind her sunglasses, she found everything fascinating. Dressed in luxurious yet understated attire—not excessively adorned but with just a single pair of earrings and a ring that alone was worth a fortune—she immediately drew envious gazes from those around her.

And after the last unfortunate incident, she had come prepared this time. She had brought several attendants, and even Little Pudding was being carried by a bodyguard behind her. The level of grandeur was unmistakable.

Seeing this kind of entourage, the young director—who had yet to make a name for himself in the industry—hurriedly stepped forward with extra caution to greet her.

Lu Chenghe stayed at the resort for a few days beyond the opening ceremony to review its operations. However, compared to the resort’s business model, he was far more concerned with what his dog was up to each day. Because of this, he barely socialized during his trip—leaving most engagements to his assistant. Every evening, he would open the screen to watch Little Pudding playing around in the room. No matter how mischievous the pup was, he couldn’t help but smile.

The butler had already reported to him about the new film Little Pudding had taken on. While Lu Chenghe wasn’t particularly supportive of it, seeing how enthusiastic his mother was and how Little Pudding had no objections—often enjoying himself on set, even more relaxed than last time—he decided to let them be.

After finally wrapping up his work, he took the earliest flight home. Upon learning that his mother and Little Pudding were at a nearby outdoor filming location, he instructed the driver to take a detour to pick them up.

But when Lu Chenghe’s car arrived at the set, he could hardly believe his eyes.

As soon as he opened the car door, Little Pudding, as if sensing something, turned his head and spotted him. Instantly, the pup broke into a joyful sprint, happily dashing toward him.

Lu Chenghe, without hesitation, slammed the car door shut.

The muddy, wild-looking creature outside? That was definitely not his adorable Little Pudding.

 

Author’s Note:
Today’s a day for all the lonely souls—single folks, go home and cuddle your dogs instead of suffering outside.

Also, here are some answers to common questions.

In this story, two-thirds of the content revolves around the dog. After Zuo Ning becomes Lu Chenghe’s one and only beloved pup, Lu Chenghe will gradually realize that his dog has truly gained intelligence. From there, the transition to becoming human will happen naturally.

In other words, there won’t be any heart-wrenching tropes like dying, having the soul return to a human body, or anything dramatic like that—he will simply transform into a human.

Since the story is called Daily Life of a Wealthy Woof, the dog is, of course, the main focus!~

---