Wealthy Woof Chapter 51

Zuo Ning sat in his exclusive hanging chair, the gentle swaying carrying the damp, salty sea breeze as his gaze drifted toward the distant horizon where the sea met the sky.

Over the past few days, he had practically tried everything he could think of. He secretly held his breath in Lu Chenghe’s bathtub, nearly passing out in the process. In the end, he ended up like a drowned rat in front of Lu Chenghe, only to be grabbed by the ear and tossed into the dryer.

When Lu Chenghe was busy, he attempted to sneak into the pool again, only to be caught by the bodyguards, tied up, and delivered straight to Lu Chenghe. After that, he was locked in a room for an entire day.

He even tried lying on the bed, meditating with all his might, but that only made Lu Chenghe think he had suddenly developed excessive sleepiness, nearly sending him off for an injection.

After all his antics, they finally arrived at this newlywed couple’s wedding, and Lu Chenghe’s patience had been completely worn out. Looking at the man in front of him, who had now taken out a rattan cane, Zuo Ning shrank back timidly, his paws pulling close as he stood up straight under duress. The embarrassment was overwhelming—he couldn’t even cover his little JJ. At that moment, he suddenly missed all those fancy outfits Mother Lu used to dress him in.

Lu Chenghe saw him turning his head, his eyes darting evasively. With a sharp crack, the cane struck the ground. “The moment we step outside, you start making trouble. Do you not want to come out with me anymore?”

Zuo Ning’s little eyes were full of grievance. “Wuwu…” Standing like this was so exhausting, and his waist was sore. Couldn’t they balance a plate instead?

Lu Chenghe lightly tapped his nose with the cane. “And you still dare to act aggrieved? Don’t you know how dangerous that pool is? Last time, you almost drowned in it. How come you can remember things so clearly when you want to, but the moment you don’t, you forget them completely?”

Zuo Ning swatted away the rattan cane that touched his nose. “Awoo!” Maybe that’s the key to me becoming a human—how will I know if I don’t try?

Lu Chenghe raised an eyebrow. “Are you arguing with me?”

Zuo Ning immediately shrank back again, lowering his head slightly to avoid looking at Lu Chenghe.

If this had happened before, he would have been thrilled that Lu Chenghe was so worried about him. But now, it just felt like a sweet burden.

He still didn’t know whether his transformation into a human was triggered by something in this place or if it was simply a natural evolution after reaching a certain level of growth. So, he planned to observe himself for a while. If this place really played a bigger role in his change, then even if it meant exposing himself, he might have to come clean with Lu Chenghe eventually.

Of course, it was a huge risk. A dog with a human soul—scientifically, that was an incredible research subject. But he believed that even if Lu Chenghe discovered his secret, he wouldn’t harm him. Still, unless he had no other choice, Zuo Ning really didn’t want to take that gamble.

Seeing that Lu Chenghe still had no intention of letting him off the hook, he quickly pushed the cane aside and threw himself onto Lu Chenghe. “Woo woo wooo!”

Lu Chenghe pinched his ear but didn’t push him away. “Fake crying won’t work. Are you still going to play in the water?”

Zuo Ning looked up at him, then stuck out his tongue and licked his fingers. “Woof~”

“Acting cute won’t work either. Do you know how dangerous it is? If no one’s watching and you fall in, you’ll drown. Do you understand how serious drowning is?”

Zuo Ning lowered his head and rested it on Lu Chenghe’s thigh. Of course, he knew. Among all the living souls, no one understood better than him just how serious drowning was. Look at him—wasn’t he now enduring the consequences of dying that way?

Lu Chenghe stroked his head. “If you drown, you’ll never see me again.”

Zuo Ning lifted his head to look at Lu Chenghe, but what he was really thinking was—if one day he truly turned back into a human, would that mean he’d have to part ways with Lu Chenghe? He wouldn’t be able to go on morning runs with him anymore, wouldn’t be able to play around, steal his food, or be spoiled by him.

If he became human, he would be nothing more than an undocumented nobody. Just figuring out how to survive and get legal status would be difficult enough—getting close to Lu Chenghe would be completely impossible. By then, there would be no connection between them at all. Maybe Lu Chenghe would be sad for a while about the sudden disappearance of his Little Pudding, but as for him, as a human… Lu Chenghe wouldn’t even know he existed.

Thinking of this, Zuo Ning stretched out his paws and hugged Lu Chenghe tightly. He had finally met someone he liked this much—whether he was expressionless, smiling, angry, or happy, he liked him all the same. Every moment, every second, he liked him so much. But he could only be a dog if he wanted to stay by his side. And yet… he didn’t want to be a dog.

Lu Chenghe assumed that little Pudding was just acting spoiled to avoid punishment. This little thing was way too good at it—who knew where he had learned such tricks? But as he held him, he suddenly heard soft sobbing, and he could feel warm, damp breath against his neck.

When he pulled little Pudding away to take a look, the tiny thing was actually crying for real this time. Not just the usual fake crying without tears—his fur was wet and matted from his tears, and he let out small, pitiful sobs, looking heartbreakingly miserable.

Amused, Lu Chenghe took out his phone and snapped a picture. It was rare to see him crying this tragically—such a moment was definitely worth capturing. Only then did he pull out a couple of tissues to wipe his tears. “Alright, alright, don’t cry anymore. As long as you behave, you won’t have to worry about not seeing me. If you listen and behave, I’ll take you out to play often. Look at you, all aggrieved—did you actually understand what I said, or did I just scare you by being too stern?”

Zuo Ning sniffled. “Wu…” Men really could spout sweet words so easily—if he had the guts, he should say that again after he turned into a human!

Seeing that Little Pudding was still sniffling, Lu Chenghe chuckled and scooped him up. “No more crying. If you stop, I’ll take you to the beach to play, okay?”

Zuo Ning wiped his eyes with his paws and then looked at him eagerly. As long as he didn’t have to stand at attention as punishment, that was fine. Standing like that was way worse than balancing a plate.

Downstairs, the bodyguards witnessed their boss marching up with his precious dog’s ear pinched and a cold face, only to return moments later, looking as warm and gentle as a spring breeze, leash in hand, announcing a walk. The change in expression was so fast that it was almost surreal. Maybe this dog had already maxed out its skill in coaxing people—no wonder it had managed to monopolize the boss’s affection.

Lucas’s wedding was scheduled just two days before New Year’s Eve. After attending the wedding, Lu Chenghe could rush back home just in time to celebrate with his mother. If the timing hadn’t been so perfectly convenient, he probably wouldn’t have made the trip before the New Year. Instead, he would have just sent a wedding gift and let Qi Wei attend in his place.

It wasn’t until the day of the wedding that Zuo Ning, tagging along with Lu Chenghe, finally met the bride. She was an incredibly beautiful Russian woman—tall, fair-skinned, with big eyes and long lashes, the very definition of a goddess. Word had it that she was the treasured princess of a powerful Russian financial family, making this couple a perfect match in both looks and status.

As for why Zuo Ning got to meet the bride in advance—it was because Lucas felt that having a beautiful bridesmaid deliver the rings was too cliché. When he saw that Lu Chenghe had brought a dog, and not just any dog but such a stunningly beautiful and obedient Samoyed, inspiration struck. On a whim, he decided that the Samoyed should carry a flower basket and deliver the rings instead.

For such a joyous occasion, Lu Chenghe naturally had no objections. However, he wasn’t sure if Little Pudding could handle the task, so he took him into the newlyweds’ lounge to practice a few times. Maybe it was because Little Pudding was naturally smart and obedient—after just one or two tries, the little guy was already walking perfectly.

When the wedding ceremony began, Lu Chenghe deliberately sat on the outer seats, holding a pure white Samoyed, instantly drawing attention. Some guests who had come with their female companions couldn’t resist coming over to pet him. Even more unexpectedly, a white-haired lady in her sixties was absolutely smitten with Little Pudding. She reached into her bag and pulled out a gift box, revealing a teardrop-shaped, emerald-green jade pendant. Without hesitation, she placed it around his neck and asked her husband to take a picture of them together.

Zuo Ning didn’t understand the ways of the wealthy—did they always carry spare jewelry just to hand out? And the most baffling part was that Lu Chenghe simply accepted it without even a polite refusal! More importantly, he was a dog—a little male dog, at that! What did he need a jade pendant for?!

What Zuo Ning didn’t know was that there was an ongoing business competition in Europe, with several major companies vying for a project. Because of this small pendant, Lu Chenghe’s company had just gained a slight advantage over the others. Sometimes, even gifts required a certain level of skill and tact.

A few minutes passed, and although the ceremony was supposed to start on time, it still hadn’t begun. Some guests started whispering among themselves. Soon, the groom’s emcee came out to smooth things over, lightening the mood with humor. The atmosphere relaxed slightly, but he spoke so quickly that Zuo Ning had no idea what jokes were being told.

When the wedding march finally began to play, someone came over to fetch Little Pudding for preparation. Lu Chenghe patted his head. “Be good. If you perform well, I’ll give you two extra pieces of meat tonight.”

Zuo Ning licked Lu Chenghe’s hand, rubbed against him, then jumped to the ground and followed the person backstage to get ready.

A long floral aisle stretched ahead, leading straight to a white statue of the Virgin Mary, her gaze full of kindness as she looked over the gathered guests. A piece of pure, ethereal music began to play. Lacking any artistic sensibility, Zuo Ning simply found it pleasant to listen to, though he had no idea what it was called.

Moments later, a young woman dressed in a white wedding gown walked forward, surrounded by a group of bridesmaids. Zuo Ning looked up and instantly thought—what the hell?! That wasn’t the bride he had seen before! A last-minute bride swap? This was the kind of drama one could only hope to witness once in a lifetime.

Everyone attending the wedding knew that Lucas was marrying the cherished daughter of a Russian financial magnate. However, the bride had always been very low-profile, rarely making public appearances. In the past few days, she had never stepped out to meet guests. While a small portion of attendees had seen her before, the majority had no idea what she looked like.

Thus, when those in the know saw that the bride had been replaced, they were momentarily stunned. Their gazes quickly shifted to Lucas, who stood waiting for his bride. Seeing the faint smile on his lips, his strikingly handsome mixed-race features exuding the same aristocratic elegance as always, with not a single trace of embarrassment, they all wisely chose to stay silent.

After a round of vows, it was finally Zuo Ning’s turn. Someone handed him a small, lightweight flower basket to carry in his mouth, with two wedding rings inside. Zuo Ning lifted his head high and walked forward with steady steps toward the newlyweds. However, his mind was occupied with another thought—those diamond rings were massive, practically pigeon-egg-sized. They must be worth a fortune. How tempting it was to grab them and stash them away as a future savings fund!

When he reached the couple, the groom bent down to take the basket, patted Little Pudding’s head with a smile, and thanked him. The dog immediately turned and trotted back to his owner. Only then did Lucas turn to face his bride.

Looking at the girl before him, veiled in white lace—she wasn’t his originally chosen bride. But that didn’t matter. The previous one, though selected by him, had only been the best option from a pre-determined pool of candidates.

Lucas gently took the hand of the girl who bowed her head slightly. Though she was not as beautiful as the heiress, she had a more graceful and gentle demeanor. Lucas smiled faintly and declared, “I, Lucas Anderson, swear to my Lord that I will accompany and cherish this girl before me for a lifetime, making her my wife and the happiest woman in the world.” As for the woman who betrayed him, he hoped she wouldn’t regret her decision.

Zuo Ning leaned against Lu Chenghe, resting his head on Lu Chenghe’s chest, while watching the newlyweds exchange rings. The bride’s veil was lifted, and the groom tenderly kissed her forehead. Surrounding them, joyous laughter filled the air as guests tossed flowers in celebration, offering their blessings. But Zuo Ning’s mind was brimming with curiosity—what exactly was going on? This unresolved gossip was absolutely maddening.

According to the original schedule, Lu Chenghe was set to leave the private island that afternoon after the wedding. Lucas personally came to see him off but remained tight-lipped about the bride. He jokingly mentioned that someday, he must visit China to experience its culture and customs.

As they departed from the private island where they had stayed for several days, Zuo Ning stared silently out the window, sighing softly. Until their departure, the mysterious phenomenon of turning human never happened again, leaving him to question whether it was merely his imagination.

Once the plane took off, Qi Wei began reporting his accomplishments over the past few days to Lu Chenghe. In such a short time, he had managed to establish a new route in Europe. If a few projects came to fruition, the Lu Corporation’s stock value could potentially double in a few years.

Zuo Ning sat quietly listening. Over the past days, all he’d seen was Lu Chenghe either reading books or playing with his dog at the villa. Qi Wei, on the other hand, was never around, busy working diligently. Truly a golden assistant, his professional prowess was unmatched. In comparison, Lu Chenghe seemed to be genuinely enjoying a vacation.

After reporting on official matters, Qi Wei sighed, “Unwise decisions in the business world aren’t too frightening; at worst, you just lose some money. But unwise decisions in marriage—that’s truly terrifying. Manier orchestrated this marriage, only to have a lovestruck and headstrong daughter ruin it. It seems the situation might undergo some changes. Fortunately, we at Lu Corporation don’t have deeper ties with them, or we’d have to rack our brains to resolve more trouble.”

Hearing this, Zuo Ning instinctively glanced at Qi Wei. Putting everything together, he seemed to piece together the juicy gossip. But on a private island, could the bride have possibly run away? If she did, then who ended up marrying the man? Did they just pull a random substitute? That would be so unfair to the other girl!

So, the crying he heard that night—could it have been from the runaway bride? Zuo Ning was instantly shocked. No way. Their villa was some distance from the main house on the island. For him to hear it from so far away… does this mean he’s evolved into having super hearing?

Although, he chuckled to himself—it was so dark that night, what a perfect setting for an affair. Hehehe.

Lu Chenghe, however, showed little interest in the gossip. He took the nail clippers handed to him by a bodyguard, grabbed a paw, and began trimming its nails.

Trimming nails on the plane? Seriously? Couldn’t this wait until they got home?

Lu Chenghe firmly held the retreating paw. “Don’t move.”

Seeing the furry paw, Qi Wei’s hands itched to take over. “Boss, how about I do it? I’ve trimmed my son’s nails plenty of times. I’m very experienced and definitely won’t hurt.”

Lu Chenghe cast him a frosty glance. Qi Wei immediately withdrew his eager hands and quietly went back to sorting documents.

This was already the second time Lu Chenghe trimmed his nails. Practice makes perfect, and this time was noticeably more comfortable than the last. He was no longer overly cautious about cutting too deep. After trimming them, he even carefully filed them smoothly.

Zuo Ning lay lazily on Lu Chenghe’s lap, yawning as he looked at Lu Chenghe’s serious expression while working. The more he looked, the more attractive Lu Chenghe seemed—it made him almost want to give him a lick or two.

Seeing the little creature looking drowsy but not fully asleep, Lu Chenghe pinched his fluffy cheek and said, “Sleep now. When you wake up, we’ll be home.”

Home—what a wonderful thought. A grand manor, something he could never have even dreamed of before, had now become his home. Just thinking about it gave him the same warmth, comfort, and sense of safety he once felt in the little house he grew up in, even though it was less than 100 square meters.

Before Lu Chenghe had finished trimming all four paws, the dog on his lap fell asleep almost instantly. It made him wonder if there was some kind of sleep switch in his body that, once pressed, sent him straight into slumber.

But life is always full of surprises. Just as their flight entered domestic airspace, they encountered severe weather with a blizzard. They had two choices: coordinate with ground control to reroute or land temporarily at the nearest airport. Since they couldn’t go home, it didn’t matter where they landed. When Zuo Ning woke up, they had already disembarked in Andu.

Andu had a large amusement park, one Zuo Ning had long dreamed of visiting as a child. Unfortunately, his mother couldn’t take him out alone when he was little. By the time his parents were free, he had already grown up. So, when Lu Chenghe carried him off the plane, Zuo Ning felt a bit dazed but had already started wondering if he could persuade Lu Chenghe to take him to the park. But then he remembered his current form—at best, he could only look around. Who would take a dog on a roller coaster? Not even special privileges could make that happen.

After getting off the plane, although it was only afternoon, the sky was as dark as night. Snowflakes whipped around in the raging wind, and Zuo Ning felt chilled to the bone despite his thick fur.

Lu Chenghe originally planned to set him down to walk on his own, but the little thing clung tightly to him. Whenever he tried to loosen his grip, Zuo Ning whimpered pitifully. It was unclear when this spoiled behavior had started—his fussiness was truly over the top.

Zuo Ning wrapped his paws around Lu Chenghe’s neck, using his broad back to shield him from the wind and snow. He felt like the most considerate dog in the world!

Meanwhile, He Cheng was also stranded in Andu due to the weather. His manager had gone to negotiate with airport staff about flight arrangements, leaving him seated in the empty terminal, wearing a mask and hat, with earphones plugged in. He was feeling rather irritable.

The reason for his trip to Andu was for a drama project. Preliminary discussions had gone well, and he had even passed the audition. While it wasn’t clear if the drama would become a hit, it was at least a big IP production and a valuable step in his cross-industry experience. However, just as he thought everything was in place and only the contract needed to be signed, he was informed upon arriving in Andu that the role had already been given to someone else.

Such occurrences were common in the entertainment industry. As long as someone had connections, even signed contracts could be overturned. But in this case, there had been no warning signs—it was abruptly decided. After some investigation by his manager, He Cheng learned that the role had been taken by a young rookie from the same company. Although the newcomer was young and attractive, it was shocking that his own company had acted so blatantly against him.

When He Cheng asked his manager to investigate the situation further, he was told to accept it silently, with no further explanation. While he felt anger boiling inside, he had no choice but to swallow it down and prepare to leave Andu for other opportunities. Yet now, due to the weather, he was stuck in Andu, feeling like his recent streak of bad luck was never-ending.

He turned his head and saw a group of people walking by in the distance. Leading them was a tall, handsome man whose extraordinary looks stood out, even in an entertainment industry teeming with attractive individuals. However, there was something familiar about him, though He Cheng couldn’t recall who he was.

The man was carrying a Samoyed, seemingly fresh off the plane, and was followed by a group of people who looked like bodyguards. As He Cheng stared at them, one of the bodyguards shot a sharp gaze in his direction. Startled, He Cheng quickly averted his eyes.

Zuo Ning rested his head on Lu Chenghe’s shoulder and glanced in He Cheng’s direction. However, all he saw was someone with their head lowered, wearing a hat, so he didn’t recognize who it was. Unable to help himself, he opened his mouth and yawned, rubbing against Lu Chenghe’s shoulder. The cold weather constantly made him feel drowsy.

Although it seemed like they might not spend the New Year at home this year, as long as he could stay with Lu Chenghe, it didn’t matter where they celebrated. Thankfully, Lu Chenghe had brought him along this time; otherwise, it would’ve been such a pity.

As they exited the airport, the blizzard winds, mixed with snowflakes, howled fiercely, plastering faces with icy cold. Instinctively, Zuo Ning burrowed closer to Lu Chenghe. Glancing down at him, Lu Chenghe unbuttoned his coat. While he couldn’t wrap the entire dog in his coat, at least it provided some wind protection.

But needing to shield a snow dog from the wind? Lu Chenghe looked down at the furry little creature nestled in his arms, meeting its gaze. “Cold?”

Zuo Ning let out a bark: “Woof!” Cold.

Lu Chenghe shifted his gaze away, thinking to himself that he must have raised a fake Samoyed.

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