Wealthy Woof Chapter 48

Zuo Ning didn’t really intend to complain. That He Cheng was different from the person who kicked him last time. Maybe he didn’t like dogs much, but he hadn’t done anything too outrageous. Apart from several sarcastic remarks in the morning and tugging his tail twice during a game, he didn’t pull any other stunts all day. So now, Zuo Ning was just being dramatic, wanting Lu Chenghe to pamper him with kisses and hugs.

When he realized what he had done, he suddenly flipped over and sat up, staring blankly at a spot with a serious expression. He actually acted spoiled? How could he do something so unmanly with such ease and skill?

Lu Chenghe, seeing his usual antics, didn’t pay him any attention. Who knew what went on in that little head of his every day? He’d act up occasionally, but it would pass after a while.

Sure enough, after sitting seriously for a while, Little Pudding went limp like he had no bones and collapsed back onto Lu Chenghe. Lu Chenghe raised his hand, and the little guy automatically snuggled in, resting on his chest and continuing to watch videos with him.

Lu Chenghe, for once, set aside his work and books to watch what he considered a purely time-wasting entertainment show. But watching it wasn’t entirely unproductive. He had seen the two movies Little Pudding acted in before, but those were performances guided by the director’s vision, not Little Pudding’s own personality. However, while there might have been some guidance in this reality show, it was mostly Little Pudding’s improvisation. This was the first time Lu Chenghe saw how Little Pudding interacted with others when he wasn’t around.

He knew his own dog well. Little Pudding was smart but occasionally had moments of low IQ. He was a bit spoiled, loved acting cute, and was very alert. Unlike other dogs that would enthusiastically pounce on people at the slightest call, Little Pudding clearly distinguished between family and outsiders. Even within the family, there were levels of closeness. Lu Chenghe was very satisfied with this. Who wouldn’t want the pup they raised to be closest to them?

He had never raised a pet before. When he got Little Pudding, he specifically searched for posts about raising Samoyeds and read numerous incredible stories about extraordinarily intelligent pets. There was even a dog named Saihu[mfn]a Chinese dog named Saihu, who ate food and died to demonstrate it was poisoned after trying to warn people by barking at the chef. The dog was buried in a human graveyard with a memorial statue.[/mfn] who saved someone’s life and had a monument erected in its honor. So no matter how clever and quick-witted Little Pudding acted around him, it didn’t feel particularly remarkable to him—without a point of comparison, it just seemed natural.

But now, in contrast to this group of dogs, his Little Pudding’s intelligence and self-discipline were astonishing, especially given that he hadn’t undergone any special training. It was almost as if he truly understood every word people said.

When someone brought out snacks to feed the dogs, all of them rushed over at the smell, except for Little Pudding, who lazily glanced over and showed no interest in begging for treats. If it were a matter of preference, perhaps the snack didn’t appeal to him. But when the celebrities were eating, all the other dogs clung to their legs, begging greedily, while his little foodie, who usually couldn’t wait to snatch food from his mouth during mealtimes, lay still on the side, resting with his eyes closed.

It felt like a rambunctious child at home revealing a surprisingly polite and well-behaved side in public, which truly amazed Lu Chenghe.

In the video, Little Pudding was also the first to calmly and smoothly navigate out of a small maze, while the other dogs were still stumbling and wandering in confusion. Hearing the celebrities calling their names, the other dogs desperately wanted to escape but were dazed and disoriented by the mirrors in the maze, bumping around aimlessly. The contrast became even starker—it was as if their IQs were on completely different levels.

【Kneel to the mighty Little Pudding! Is this the high-class, handsome, academic genius of the dog world? While the struggling slackers are still lost in the maze, my genius is already coolly observing from the outside!】

【While other dogs clumsily charge forward headfirst, crashing into walls out of frustration, Little Pudding knows to use his paws to feel the way. If he can’t go one way, he simply changes direction. He’s absolutely a spirit in disguise!】

【Hahaha, I can’t stop laughing! This episode is so good—I feel like the show is about to reach its peak ratings again!】

【My poor Husky, it’s practically questioning its dog life, seeing itself reflected from all directions and being too scared to move—hilarious!】

【Major props to the scriptwriters for coming up with the idea of letting the dogs navigate a maze. I laughed so hard I feel like I’ve gained abs!】

Zuo Ning, lying on Lu Chenghe’s body, wagged his tail proudly. A tiny maze? Nothing to it—just a piece of cake!

After the entire day’s games, he had accumulated twelve points for Chu Hang, while the next best was Lai Yang’s Border Collie with four points. As for the others, most of them had zero points, and one point was already quite impressive.

As the video transitioned to nighttime, everyone, along with their dogs, was locked in an elementary school classroom. Clues for unlocking combination locks were on the blackboard and various desks. This part would test the celebrities’ intelligence.

In the entertainment industry, there are academic geniuses with high IQs and others who can’t even grasp simple linear equations. The family variety show’s most captivating escape room segment truly showcased each celebrity’s skills. Sometimes, watching them struggle with seemingly easy questions made fans laugh out loud at their idols’ intelligence. Other times, when they cracked puzzles in a flash with exceptional IQ, fans couldn’t help but cheer and root for them.

Zuo Ning used to love this segment the most, but when it was his turn, staring at the chaotic numbers on the blackboard, he felt completely lost. He had once mocked some celebrities for failing such simple math problems. Thinking back now, he realized that as a bystander, everything seemed easy. But being immersed in it himself… what the heck were those clues supposed to mean?!

Anyway, no one expected him to solve those complex problems. Even if he understood and solved them, he definitely couldn’t give Chu Hang any hints; otherwise, the whole nation would know he was practically a genius in disguise. So, he turned his head and leisurely strolled around the classroom.

Looking at the individual desks, the familiar blackboard and chalk, and even the trash can in the corner of the back row, Zuo Ning suddenly felt like he was back in his senior year of high school. When he wandered to the door, he noticed that the gap in the locked iron door was quite large. Turning back to glance at Chu Hang, who was still frowning at the blackboard, Zuo Ning simply slipped through the gap in the iron door and out.

【Every chubby dog is actually just fake chubby!】

【Get out of here, chubby dogs! My Little Pudding isn’t fat at all—his figure is perfect!】

【Even an anti-theft door can’t stop this dog, hahahaha! What now? The dog escaped, but the human is still locked in—how are they going to catch him?】

【When Chu Hang turns around, he’ll be stunned—where’s the dog? Hahahaha, I can’t stop laughing!】

The camera followed the escaping Little Pudding, who casually wandered around the floor. Dogs without leashes began escaping through the iron bars as well. Some lucky dogs with leashes attached sat quietly with their owners at the door, silently exchanging looks with the group outside.

As for those who realized their dogs had escaped, they dramatically rushed to the door, clutching the iron bars and putting on a teary-eyed act. Stretching their arms out to call their dogs back, they were left with the sight of their dogs strolling leisurely away.

【A real-life prison break, hahaha! Tremble, foolish humans!】

【Boss Pudding is leading a gang of little brothers to take over the world, 233333.】

【This is what happens when you don’t firmly hold onto the leash—rebellious dogs are rising up!】

The production crew acted quickly and smartly, setting up barriers on both sides of the staircases so that the dogs could only roam on this floor. Otherwise, if they really ran off, how would they ever find them in such a huge school?

In the edited footage, there was a hilarious contrast: the celebrities were miserably trapped in a room, racking their brains to solve puzzles, while a group of dogs was gleefully running wild in the corridors. On one side, a melancholic scene with “Little Bai Cai” music, and on the other, an exuberant “Can-Can Dance”, leaving viewers laughing uncontrollably.

As for the culprit, Little Pudding, he leisurely fetched his mat from a security guard following the production team, laid it on the floor, and watched the other dogs romp around, casually wagging his tail.

【At this moment, Little Pudding, looking at the humans clutching the bars and shouting “Come back!” was probably thinking: MDZZ[mfn]an abbreviation for the Chinese phrase 妈的智障 (mā de zhì zhàng), which roughly translates to “Damn idiot” or “Damn fool.” It’s a slang term often used online to express frustration or ridicule, but it can be offensive depending on the context[/mfn]!】

【Oh dear, poor Tang-ge can’t even calculate the change for groceries, and now he’s expected to solve such hard puzzles? They might as well lock him up forever. Judging by the longing look he gave the free dogs, he probably wanted to go frolic with them too.】

【Pfft… my Lele broke out of “prison” like the dogs! How did such a small figure face no obstacles at all?】

【Hahaha, no obstacles for Lele either—adding that to the tally. I wonder if Lele will cry in the bathroom after reading this comment.】

【So pitiful—caught and dragged back again. Look at those dogs running wild without anyone bothering to catch them. Humans really don’t compare to dogs, huh.】

The first to escape was naturally Chu Hang, who had received the most clues. But not even a minute later, Lai Yang, famously called a “textbook example” in the entertainment industry, also successfully solved the puzzles and broke out. Escapees were given a route map by the production team, but there was only one path that would be unlocked during a specific time window. Participants could only escape through this path, but roaming “black-clad enforcers” would patrol the area every few minutes to recapture escapees, making timing and strategy crucial.

However, there was a catch—they had to bring their dogs along. If they escaped without their canine companions, they would still face penalties.

As soon as Chu Hang got out, he dashed toward Little Pudding, exclaiming, “You disloyal little rascal! How could you leave me behind and run off alone?”

Little Pudding responded with a bark, seemingly acknowledging him, which instantly triggered another round of joyful bullet-screen “dog-speak” translations:

【Little Pudding says: Foolish human, you’re too slow.】

【No, no, I didn’t abandon you—I was scouting the enemy for you!】

【Little Pudding: How dare you! Is that any way to talk to your master?】

While Chu Hang put a leash on the obediently still Little Pudding, Lai Yang, who had just emerged, hurried to find his Border Collie. But the collie was having too much fun and ignored his calls, darting around wildly whenever he tried to catch it. As a result, Lai Yang ended up chasing his dog back and forth in the hallway.

Meanwhile, those who had given up on solving puzzles were leaning against the iron gate, laughing like carefree children weighing 250 pounds. Their loud, echoing guffaws filled the entire school building.

Having already escaped once, Tian Lele didn’t receive the route map from the production team since he didn’t solve the puzzle himself. But that didn’t matter. Seeing Lai Yang and Chu Hang successfully escape, and noticing there were no black-clad enforcers nearby, he slipped out through the iron bars again, picked up his dog, and sneakily followed the two of them like a little mouse who had just stolen a pot of sesame oil.

The others, seeing that the three had already escaped, started panicking. Those trying to solve puzzles worked harder, while those planning to break out began scouting the surroundings. Many chose to escape through the vent windows. However, those who escaped this way also didn’t get the route map, leaving them pitifully trying to catch up with the small group ahead. Some unlucky ones didn’t even make it to the safe zone before being captured and dragged back by the patrolling enforcers.

When Lai Yang and the others reached the mission endpoint, Tian Lele stood there, clueless, thinking he had completed the escape and started cheering joyously. Then he saw Lai Yang and Chu Hang urging their dogs to use their paws to touch a screen marked within a red line. Realizing this was part of the task, he quickly followed their lead.

However, such an untrained command was really difficult for the dogs. Zuo Ning remained unbothered, watching Chu Hang sweat nervously, wildly gesturing with his hands and feet. With a calm wag of his tail, Zuo Ning waited. Only after everyone had escaped, and even those without mission cards started copying what others were doing, did Zuo Ning leisurely step into the red line zone. He lifted his paw, slapped the screen, and instantly lit it up. A giant “WIN” flashed across the screen.

【2333333 Witnessing the rise of a scheming dog—is this about waiting for his little brothers to escape before claiming the ultimate victory himself?】

【Oh my, that tsundere expression! Puffed-out chest, wagging tail, and that smug little look as he touched the screen—it’s unbearably adorable!】

【So… did Little Pudding really understand? Are Samoyeds this smart? I thought they were the household-destroying goofballs!】

【Tsk, I’ve watched the whole episode, and the production team has been conning me into buying a dog!】

As the biggest winners of the day, Chu Hang and Little Pudding were naturally awarded prizes by the production team. Chu Hang received an adorably designed pure gold dog-shaped brooch, which held significant sentimental value. Little Pudding’s prize was a pure gold dog tag. Since no one could know in advance who the final winner would be, the dog tag featured only a simple and elegant cartoon dog design.

The tag now hung on a special shelf in one corner of the bedroom, displayed on a soft plush stand next to a glass wind chime filled with dog teeth. Beside it was a delicate box, intricately designed with cutouts and adorned with colorful gemstones, radiating an air of luxury. However, the box contained nothing but a small, worthless heart-shaped stone.

Knowing Lu Chenghe’s personality, these arrangements were obviously not his doing. While he had indeed commissioned the glass box for the dog teeth as a commemorative display, it was meant simply as a decorative memento for the room.

But after Mother Lu learned that Little Pudding had won a keepsake on the reality show, she specially set up this display wall in Lu Chenghe’s bedroom. She said that Little Pudding’s belongings would be placed there from now on. Although a dog’s life is short to humans, the wall would eventually be filled, leaving behind traces of his presence—a meaningful tribute.

After finishing the episode, Lu Chenghe checked the time, closed his laptop, and looked down at Little Pudding lying in his arms. Little Pudding, with his bright, round eyes wide open, gazed back at him. Their shared glance made Lu Chenghe smile, and he gently pinched one of Little Pudding’s small ears. “Alright, that’s enough. Time for bed.”

Zuo Ning climbed onto his chest, poking Lu Chenghe’s mouth with his paw. “Awoo!” I was so amazing—don’t I deserve a reward?

Lu Chenghe raised his hand to move him off, as the weight of such a big dog pressing on his chest was a bit much. But as soon as he moved, the little rascal hooked his paw onto Lu Chenghe’s clothes, holding on stubbornly.

Lu Chenghe held him up in mid-air, looking at him. “Let go, or I’ll chop off your paws.”

Zuo Ning whimpered, “Woof!” Kiss me.

Lu Chenghe shook him gently. “Really not letting go?”

Zuo Ning: “Woof!” Really not kissing me?

With a swift move, Lu Chenghe flipped him over, pinning the chubby dog beneath him. He grabbed both of Zuo Ning’s paws and carefully removed the long claws hooked onto his clothes. “You little rascal, getting bold now. A cowardly dog with too much to say, and you even dare to talk back. Spoiled, aren’t you!”

Zuo Ning grinned foolishly, tilting his head up to nuzzle Lu Chenghe’s lips. Then he stuck out his tongue and licked his cheek. He had intended to kiss his lips, but under Lu Chenghe’s steady gaze, he chickened out at the last moment.

Lu Chenghe pinched his mouth. “So, you don’t want your paws anymore? And now you don’t want your tongue either, huh?”

Zuo Ning squirmed and whimpered softly.

Lu Chenghe picked up the remote from the bedside table, turned off the lights and curtains, and lay on his side, pulling Little Pudding into his arms. “Sleep. If you don’t, I’ll turn you into braised dog meat.”

Zuo Ning let out a small whimper, placing his two paws on Lu Chenghe’s arm. Only then did he reluctantly close his eyes and start to sleep.

While this episode of the family show gave Little Pudding countless fans, one person watching the video couldn’t bring themselves to laugh.

When facing that dog, she felt guilt and regret in her heart. But even though she knew it was her fault, she couldn’t help but harbor blame. If she hadn’t spotted that lone dog that day, if the dog tag hadn’t contained a tracking system, things would never have turned out this way.

Xue Lu deeply regretted her impulsive actions back then, yet the way her former lover broke up with her so decisively, without leaving even the slightest room for reconciliation, still left her heart cold. Back when he pursued her, he treated her like a princess, but now, one mistake was all it took for him to sever ties completely.

It was impossible for Xue Lu not to feel resentment. If he loved her, why wouldn’t he give her a chance to change? Was this really love if one mistake meant a death sentence for their relationship?

Thinking of the now-strangely-unfamiliar Nie Yong, Xue Lu’s heart tightened slightly. The way he had silently stared at her seemed to lay bare all her insecurities and every unseemly part of herself she tried to hide.

When they first started dating, Nie Yong had treated her so well. While he had a bit of a roguish charm, he had many friends and loved to have fun. At the same time, he was ambitious, never squandering opportunities just because he came from a well-off family. He was exactly the kind of man she wanted—she had no interest in those so-called second-generation rich kids, whose fleeting affections never lasted. She didn’t believe that pouring her youth into such people would ever bring her anything in return.

But in the end, after carefully selecting and thinking she had chosen the right person, it turned out to be an even greater disappointment.

Xue Lu looked at the magazine on the table before her. On its cover was Nie Feng, the CEO of a renowned international electronics company, thirty-two years old, a sought-after bachelor, and bearing a seven-out-of-ten resemblance to Nie Yong.

Looking again at the friends Nie Yong had once specifically introduced her to—Lu Chenghe, the president of Lu’s chain of resort hotels, a man worth billions.

Someone who could befriend a man worth billions and potentially have a brother like that could hardly have come from an ordinary family.

Xue Lu gazed at the camera’s focus on the exceptionally composed and intelligent Samoyed. Compared to the other dogs, who couldn’t sit still even while leashed, this one always sat quietly, exuding refinement and grace. That was the dog owned by Lu Chenghe, the president of the Lu Corporation. She had foolishly stolen something—and that something had led her straight to the president’s dog.

Was this why her shallow greed left her with no chance for redemption? She believed Nie Yong had once truly loved her. She had told him she didn’t want to have a physical relationship before marriage, as she wanted to save the most beautiful moment for their wedding night. Nie Yong had respected her wishes and restrained himself. If he hadn’t intended to marry her, he wouldn’t have made such efforts. The more she thought about what she had lost, the deeper her regret grew.

Looking once more at the screen, showing the dog being adored by everyone, a flicker of resentment arose in her heart.

The reality show’s feedback soared at a phenomenal rate. Since the show’s airing, Little Pudding’s Weibo account had surpassed five million followers and was still climbing rapidly. In just a few months, he had overtaken many pet bloggers who had spent years building their presence.

Because some small advertisers didn’t know who his owner was, they constantly sent private messages offering money to collaborate. Sometimes, when Zuo Ning checked the phone himself, he couldn’t help but marvel. As a human, he had once worried endlessly about his future livelihood after graduation. Now that he had become a dog, he lacked nothing—and people were constantly scrambling to throw money his way.

Just as Zuo Ning was countless times lamenting how a dog’s life could be better than a human’s, while counting down the days to the Lunar New Year, he was suddenly packed up by Lu Chenghe and taken along on a business trip. Sitting on the plane, staring at the blue skies and white clouds, Zuo Ning was still a bit dazed. Lu Chenghe had never mentioned this trip before, so Zuo Ning had thought that early in the morning, Lu Chenghe was just taking him out for another fun outing. Instead, they headed straight to the airport. In his lifetime, this was his first time on a private jet. What a life as a dog—it was absolutely worth it!

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