Wealthy Woof Chapter 64

Zuo Ning lay sprawled on the grass, resting on a huge air cushion, his fur almost glowing white in the sunlight. He was trying to absorb the essence of the sun, trying to empty his mind in hopes of finding a chance to transform into a human. However, a group of little black fluff balls insisted on crawling all over him, whether it was pouncing on his ears or attempting to burrow under his belly.

With a swipe of his paw, Zuo Ning sent one of the black fluff balls tumbling three times, only for it to dizzyingly crawl back towards him. Zuo Ning let out a helpless sigh, lamenting that being too popular with puppies wasn’t necessarily a blessing. Apart from nursing them, these little creatures clung to him all day. Whenever he went into the yard, the little fluff balls would immediately scurry over, squeaking nonstop.

These little pups were less than a month old, so communication was impossible for now. Zuo Ning could only interpret their squeaks to guess whether they were hungry or needed to relieve themselves. Hunger was easier to discern; if it was a need to urinate, by the time Zuo Ning figured it out, it was usually too late.

As a result, Lang Ya had “harshly disciplined” these little ones more than once. Being descendants of a military dog, how could they lack control over such basic bodily functions? It was an embarrassment to their dad. But these black fluff balls paid no attention to their father, either chasing his tail or snuggling up to their mom to nurse.

So now, the usual scene in the yard was a snow-white Samoyed followed by a string of black fluff balls.

If it weren’t for knowing that Fu Na could only have contact with Lang Ya and no other outside dogs, Zuo Ning would seriously question their breed—how could they be so pitch black? If not for their paws being dark brown and the slight lightening of color on their eyebrows resembling Lang Ya’s fur on his belly, Zuo Ning might have wondered if Fu Na had secretly brought home a little wolfdog.

Since the pups looked so alike, it was almost impossible to tell them apart unless you cared for them daily. So the butler bought five small dog collars, with the collar colors corresponding to their names, which, of course, were in English.

When naming, the butler consulted Lu Chenghe for his opinion. While Zuo Ning was frowning and racking his brains nearby—thinking that these five black-backed puppies would look incredibly stylish when taken out for a walk, so their names had to be cool—Lu Chenghe, without a second thought, simply named them based on their colors.

As Zuo Ning felt the little pups kneading on his back as if nursing, he couldn’t help but sigh again. He had only heard of cats doing this, not dogs. But these little creatures were so light that kneading on him felt weightless, useless even as a massage.

Yawning lazily, he reflected on how, since Ren Shishi left, he no longer had anyone to spend idle time spying on. Watching American dramas had become mind-numbing. Lu Chenghe had also started limiting his daily gaming time, leaving him with no chance to play. Morning and evening, he absorbed the essence of the sun and moon, pondering deeply every day, yet there was no sign of him transforming, driving this dog to despair.

After finishing her oil painting, Ren Shishi naturally didn’t stay here. Then Lu Chenghan seized the moment and confessed his feelings, and the two naturally ended up together.

Lu Chenghan was the kind of catch you’d be hard-pressed to find even with a lantern in hand. Good looks, wealth, and seemingly a bit of talent—Ren Shishi, unsurprisingly, did not refuse. According to the script, what followed should’ve been a sweet pairing of a handsome man and a beautiful woman, perfectly matched, radiating the aura of love and feeding everyone around with endless dog food. Yet, for some inexplicable reason, Lu Chenghan, in a stroke of baffling thoughtlessness, bought Ren Shishi a plane ticket back to Italy.

Ren Shishi’s aunt hoped she would stay in the country, find a good family to marry into, and ensure she wouldn’t have to struggle alone in the future. Since Lu Chenghe’s mother had brought Ren Shishi back, it was clear that some agreement had been reached. After all, if Ren Shishi were to really end up with Lu Chenghe and then immediately return abroad for further studies, it would seem somewhat inappropriate.

So when Lu Chenghan approached her with the plane ticket, the always composed and elegant goddess, whose smile never went beyond a slight lift of her lips, actually started crying.

Zuo Ning recalled the scene from that day and quietly shook his head. If it had been him, he would have done everything to keep the person he liked from leaving—or, at the very least, followed them. In these changing times, all those vows of eternal love paled in comparison to simply spending every moment together. Yet, Lu Chenghan was actually willing to let his newly-acquired girlfriend study abroad—it seemed his feelings weren’t just superficial.

Zuo Ning rose from the cushion, causing the few little black fluff balls sprawled on him to tumble unceremoniously to the ground. He had barely taken a few steps when one of the bodyguards, who often accompanied Lu Chenghe, came running toward him.

Standing there motionless, Zuo Ning watched the bodyguard run over, shouting, “Little Pudding, hurry up! Your master is looking for you!”

Before Zuo Ning could react, the bodyguard swiftly scooped him up and headed toward the main gate. A chorus of wailing erupted behind him as the little black fluff balls tried to chase after them. However, their short legs could only carry them a few steps before they flopped onto the grass and rolled over. When they managed to get up again, the two-legged human had disappeared out of sight.

Cradled in the bodyguard’s arms, Zuo Ning didn’t resist but let out a continuous stream of howls. As Lu Chenghe’s treasured companion, Zuo Ning knew he was worth a lot if kidnapped, especially in an age when most abduction cases were committed by acquaintances, like bodyguards. He felt it necessary to howl loudly enough for the butler to notice he was being taken away.

But Zuo Ning’s concerns seemed unnecessary. The butler was already waiting at the gate, holding a phone connected to a video call with Lu Chenghe. Upon seeing the butler extend the phone toward him, Zuo Ning quickly leaned closer and let out a “Woof!” What’s going on? You’re making it look like a ransom situation!

On the other end of the video call, Lu Chenghe said, “Be good. I’m waiting for you at the company.”

Zuo Ning, now resembling a giant baby cradled in the bodyguard’s arms, turned toward the camera and let out a loud “Woof!”

Upon hearing the response, which sounded somewhat like agreement, Lu Chenghe chuckled softly and ended the video call. Zuo Ning was then packed into the car. Being specifically fetched by the bodyguard who followed Lu Chenghe to work and taken to find him—did Lu Chenghe miss him while at work?

Zuo Ning inwardly clicked his tongue. Just how dependent on him could Lu Chenghe be? It was only a few days without accompanying him to work. Truly unbelievable.

Upon arriving at Lu Chenghe’s company, Lu Chenghe was waiting downstairs. Zuo Ning hadn’t even stepped out of the car when Lu Chenghe got in. The driver, apparently aware of their destination, didn’t even ask and just drove off directly.

Zuo Ning glanced at Lu Chenghe, who patted his head and asked, “Do you still remember the big brother who once cooked noodles for you?”

Zuo Ning let out a bark—Lou Jiu, right? That especially handsome man—he definitely remembered.

Lu Chenghe continued, “He went missing in the mountains. Rescue efforts are already underway, but no one has found him yet. So, if we’re lucky and find him quickly, we might return soon. But if we don’t, we could be there for quite some time.”

Zuo Ning stared blankly at Lu Chenghe, his eyes filled with confusion: “Woof?” He was supposed to help search? But he hadn’t received any training for such things. How was he supposed to search? Wouldn’t it be better to bring Lang Ya instead?

Understanding his thoughts, Lu Chenghe chuckled, “I’m not asking you to search. With your brain, don’t end up getting lost yourself. I’ll probably be gone for several days. Rather than having someone send you over later, it’s better if I just take you along. But remember, it’s a mountain area—no gourmet food, no soft beds, and even the signal is intermittent. There’s not even any television to watch. If you’re unwilling to go, I’ll have the bodyguard send you home later.”

Zuo Ning couldn’t help but inwardly roll his eyes. Why didn’t he ask him earlier? Having the bodyguard fetch him first and now asking felt redundant. Though the environment sounded awful, considering his past where he wouldn’t step out without keys, money, or even a phone—now he had nothing yet managed just fine. Lu Chenghe was underestimating him.

Lu Chenghe chuckled when he saw Zuo Ning let out a dismissive snort, then playfully ruffled his head before scooping Little Pudding up into his arms. He didn’t know exactly when it began, but whenever he encountered something troubling, having this little one close by seemed to make everything feel less bleak. He could only hope that Lou Jiu was merely trapped somewhere, awaiting their rescue, and not facing anything more serious.

Lou Jiu had gone missing in a remote mountainous area near Qingniao City. Although still within the city’s limits, the location was notoriously rugged. Due to the challenging terrain, the villagers there lived almost in semi-isolation. While they didn’t have to rely on ziplines for access, the mountain roads required nearly half a day to traverse, and the slopes were exceptionally steep. It was precisely because of this terrain that the mountains held many treasures, drawing Lou Jiu back there repeatedly with plans to eventually develop the area.

Zuo Ning traveled alongside Lu Chenghe by helicopter; otherwise, climbing the mountain would’ve taken until nightfall. Upon their arrival, Nie Yong and Shen Tao were already there, having brought along some extra hands to help. Since the ground was muddy, Lu Chenghe kept Little Pudding in his arms rather than putting him down. Fortunately, the butler had anticipated the mountain setting and packed an entire suitcase of clothes for Little Pudding. Once they were back in their room, he’d have to be dressed properly; otherwise, he wouldn’t last a day in this environment.

Nie Yong hurried over upon seeing them. Noticing that Lu Chenghe had brought Little Pudding along, he joked, “Not relying on search and rescue dogs, huh? Banking on your Little Pudding instead?”

Lu Chenghe ignored the teasing and scanned the area, asking, “Where’s Shang Fan?”

Nie Yong sneered, “He’s abroad negotiating a deal. Apparently, he’s already booked a flight and will return as soon as possible.”

Meanwhile, Zuo Ning spotted several children of various ages, dressed in tattered and dirty clothes, hiding in a corner and staring at them with wide eyes. It was his first time truly seeing mountain children up close, their pitch-black eyes brimming with pure curiosity.

Zuo Ning remembered seeing a pair of eyes once, eyes that left such a deep impression on him that he could never forget them. They belonged to a boy—a deaf and mute boy—who, though simply dressed, radiated a kind of purity. His gaze was so utterly clean and untainted that it made anyone with even a shadow of darkness in their heart feel a pang of shame, unable to meet those eyes directly.

At the time, Zuo Ning had been amazed. He had thought such descriptions in books were exaggerated, but to his surprise, there truly were people with eyes like that in the world.

Today, however, he saw such eyes once again among these children—their unpolluted and pure gaze.

Noticing Little Pudding staring at the group of children, Lu Chenghe patted his head. “Don’t go running off. Let’s get you dressed first. If you get dirty here, there’s not even a hairdryer, so you’ll have to air dry.”

At that moment, an elderly man, who seemed to be the village chief, walked out. When he began speaking, it turned out to be in Mandarin. Though heavily accented and somewhat unpolished, they could still understand him.

Without any pleasantries, the village chief directly addressed Lu Chenghe, “Keep a close watch on your dog. Though we’re deep in the mountains here, it’s mostly the elderly, women, and children around. Few are bold enough to venture into the mountains to hunt. Some of these kids have barely had any meat in their lives.”

The implication in his words was unmistakable, and it frightened Zuo Ning so much that he clung tightly to Lu Chenghe’s neck. Where exactly had Lu Chenghe brought him? Why did it feel like he might not make it back alive!