When Zuo Ning opened his eyes, the first thing he saw was Lu Chenghe sitting by the bed, staring at him. Instinctively, he greeted him with a smile. Then, the sensation of his body touching the blanket startled him. He sat up immediately. Seeing his perfectly fine arms and legs, he was so excited that he almost jumped up.
He touched his face and, after a night had passed, was still maintaining human form. Overjoyed, Zuo Ning pounced on Lu Chenghe. “I’m still human! Hahaha, this is great! I’m staying human for longer and longer!”
Lu Chenghe calmly pushed him away, saying, “Take a look in the mirror first.”
Zuo Ning didn’t think much of it and quickly rolled out of bed and rushed to the bathroom. He froze when he saw himself in the mirror.
Amidst his jet-black hair, a pair of snowy white, fluffy ears stood upright. They twitched instinctively, and the ones in the mirror twitched along. Subconsciously, he glanced down at his rear. Seeing no tail, he finally heaved a sigh of relief.
When Lu Chenghe walked over, Zuo Ning touched his own ears and looked at him pleadingly. “How did I end up like this? What should I do? If they’re exposed outside, will people think I’m a monster and burn me at the stake?”
“That’s a thing of the last century. Nowadays, you’d be sent to a research institute for dissection and study.”
Zuo Ning stared at himself in the mirror, feeling around his head. He used his hair to cover the ears, but he couldn’t feel where his human ears should have been. Pinching the pair of upright white ears, he held the tips and pulled them downward, then turned to Lu Chenghe. “Can I wear a hat?”
Lu Chenghe turned around and found a casual-looking hat for him, but no ears were visible on the sides, and it looked strange. They tried several styles of hats. While the ears on top of his head could be covered, the sides had only hair. At first glance, it might not seem like much, but up close, the difference was apparent.
Zuo Ning crouched on the ground in frustration, “Will I stay like this forever? How did I end up like this? Lu Chenghe, what if I can’t turn back into a human or return to normal? What am I supposed to do?”
Lu Chenghe reached out and touched the pair of white ears standing upright amidst the black hair. “They actually look pretty cute.”
Zuo Ning stared at Lu Chenghe, clearly aggrieved.
Seeing that Little Pudding was nearly on the verge of tears, Lu Chenghe decided to stop teasing him. He brought out several knitted hats that had been delivered earlier in the morning and helped Zuo Ning put one on. Luckily, the weather was still a bit chilly, so the hat could cover the ears on both sides. After tucking the white ears to the sides, only a dark-haired head could be seen.
When he woke up early in the morning, Lu Chenghe noticed the black-haired head beside him, adorned with a pair of dog ears. His first reaction wasn’t to find it strange, but rather amusing. He felt that an incomplete transformation with one or two dog-like traits showing was typical of Little Pudding. Fortunately, it was just the ears. If it had been a human body with a dog’s head, now that would have been truly shocking.
Knowing this possibility, he had sent for a pile of hats earlier in the morning. Just in case Little Pudding hadn’t fully transformed into a human or reverted back to a dog when he woke up, the hats would come in handy. And now, they were proving their worth.
Wearing the clothes Lu Chenghe had prepared for him and a hat on his head, Zuo Ning looked like a youthful and vibrant teenager, almost irresistibly charming. Satisfied, Zuo Ning looked at his reflection in the mirror. Thankfully, it was only the ears. If it had been a tail, going outside would have meant literally walking with his tail between his legs.
However, Zuo Ning still hesitated to go out looking like that. Tugging on Lu Chenghe’s sleeve nervously, he asked, “Am I really supposed to go out like this? If they ask who I am, what should I say? And what about the missing dog? How am I supposed to explain that?”
Without turning around, Lu Chenghe replied, “Just follow me; you don’t need to say anything.”
And so, Zuo Ning stepped outside, hiding his dog ears under the hat, appearing before the people.
Following Lu Chenghe to the dining room, the butler promptly came forward to greet them. Lu Chenghe said, “This is Lu Ning. Serve him the same breakfast as mine.”
Although surprised at the sudden appearance of a new guest in the house, especially since the young master seemed to have gone out briefly before dawn but didn’t appear to have brought anyone back, the butler wouldn’t pry unnecessarily. Bowing slightly to Zuo Ning, he said, “Understood, young master. Good morning, young master Lu Ning.”
Hearing Lu Chenghe address him in this way, Zuo Ning’s heart skipped a beat. He had no intention of revealing his past to Lu Chenghe, perhaps someday in the future, but certainly not now. So, upon hearing Lu Chenghe call him by that name, he instantly felt guilty and panicked.
Had Lu Chenghe already found out? After keeping it from him for so long and always telling him he was a spirit, Zuo Ning suddenly felt cold and numb all over. While it seemed true that he might now technically count as a spirit, the fact remained that he had been dishonest. The thought of being exposed for lying sent chills through him.
When the butler greeted him, Zuo Ning instinctively replied, “Hello, good morning to you, too.”
Lu Chenghe noticed Little Pudding giving him a surprised glance before lowering his head guiltily. Assuming it was because he was interacting with someone other than himself for the first time and nervous about revealing his identity, Lu Chenghe didn’t dwell on it. Instead, he led Zuo Ning to the backyard, saying, “Remember, when you’re in human form, your name is Lu Ning. I chose that name for you. ‘Ning’ symbolizes peace and harmony.”
Realizing that he hadn’t been exposed and that Lu Chenghe coincidentally gave him his original name, Zuo Ning unconsciously let out a sigh of relief. He couldn’t help but ask, “How did you come up with this name? I thought you’d keep calling me Little Pudding.”
Lu Chenghe glanced back at him and said, “‘Ning’ represents quietness and serenity. Don’t you understand?”
Blinking in confusion, Zuo Ning instinctively asked, “Are you trying to make me be quiet?”
Zuo Ning saw Lu Chenghe nod in response to his question, and his eyes widened in disbelief. When had he ever been noisy? When had he ever caused a racket? Still, being able to keep his original name made Zuo Ning happy. He felt that his connection with Lu Chenghe must be destined by fate. How else could things align so perfectly?
As a dog, following Lu Chenghe for a full lap was effortless and seamless, but as a human, he was already panting halfway through.
Lu Chenghe had stopped midway to let him rest. Watching Zuo Ning gasp for air, he commented in surprise, “Are human bodies really so different from dog bodies? Your stamina is terrible.”
Zuo Ning was too exhausted to even roll his eyes. Then he heard Lu Chenghe continue, “But your appetite remains just as big.”
Zuo Ning couldn’t take it anymore. Glaring at Lu Chenghe, he barked, “Woof!”
Lu Chenghe let out a laugh, his face illuminated by the soft morning light. That radiant smile made Zuo Ning feel as though he might explode on the spot. If it weren’t for his sheer restraint, he would have pounced and taken a bite right then and there. Today, Lu Chenghe was as irresistibly handsome as ever, so much so that Zuo Ning’s knees felt weak!
Worried about something happening to Little Pudding in his absence, Lu Chenghe decided to take him along to work. However, unexpectedly, while Lu Chenghe was in a meeting, Lu Chenghan showed up.
Finding that his brother wasn’t in the office, Lu Chenghan went directly to the small room to wait. Upon opening the door, he saw a teenager sitting on the bed in the small room, engrossed in a video game.
This small room was entirely his brother’s private space. No matter how important a guest might be, his brother would never let anyone into such a personal domain. Looking around the small room, he noticed a half-empty drink bottle casually placed on the bed, several opened snack bags scattered across the bed, and a young-looking boy sitting cross-legged on the bed, barefoot, focused on his game.
The casualness with which someone was allowed on his brother’s bed—what did that imply?
In that instant, Lu Chenghan’s mind raced. Could it be that his second brother was about to come out, just like their eldest brother? And why was he always the first to discover these things?
Feeling a bit weak, he raised his hand and greeted the boy staring blankly at him, “Hi…hello, I’m Lu Chenghan, Lu Chenghe’s fourth brother. May I ask who you are?”
Zuo Ning hadn’t expected to encounter Lu Chenghan and quickly pretended not to know him, smiling politely, “I’m Lu Ning. Nice to meet you.”
Lu Chenghan nodded at him, glanced awkwardly at the TV screen, and tried to make conversation, “Playing games?”
Zuo Ning handed him the game controller. “Want to play together?”
Lu Chenghan coughed lightly. Not knowing the boy’s identity and suspecting he might be his future sister-in-law, he decided it was best to establish a good relationship first. Following Zuo Ning’s lead, he took the controller, “Sure, though I’m not very good at it. I might be a bit of a noob.”
Zuo Ning chuckled, “No worries, I’m not great at it either.”
And so, the two awkwardly started playing a racing game together.
During the game, Lu Chenghan casually asked, “You look pretty young. Are you good friends with my second brother? I don’t think I’ve seen you before.”
Zuo Ning replied, “Yes, good friends. Now you’ve met me, and you’ll be seeing me often in the future.”
Lu Chenghan was instantly shocked. That statement was clearly loaded with meaning! No wonder his second brother, despite his age, had never been in a relationship. Turns out this was his preference! The problem was, this person looked really young. He couldn’t tell if it was just youthful looks or if the boy was actually in his teens or early twenties. Suddenly, Lu Chenghan felt like he couldn’t look at his second brother the same way anymore. What was he supposed to do?
After finishing the game, albeit with shaky hands, Lu Chenghan smiled at Zuo Ning and said, “I’m going to the restroom.”
Zuo Ning nodded and replied, “Go ahead, feel free.”
As soon as he entered the restroom, Lu Chenghan[mfn]fourth brother[/mfn] rushed to the window and called their eldest brother.
Lu Chenghan[mfn]eldest brother[/mfn] was in the middle of a meeting. He declined the first call but picked up the second, thinking it might be urgent. The moment he answered, he heard Lu Chenghan[mfn]fourth brother[/mfn], sounding as though he was holding back his voice, exclaim, “Big brother, big news! Second brother is coming out of the closet! And his partner seems to be a barely-of-age teenager! I accidentally walked in on them. What should I do? Should I pretend I don’t know and leave now?”
For a moment, Lu Chenghan[mfn]eldest brother[/mfn]’s face showed a strange expression before he replied, “Clean yourself up and prepare to meet your end.”
After hearing that and having the call abruptly ended, Lu Chenghan[mfn]fourth brother[/mfn] felt like crying as he bit down on his phone. Why was it always him who stumbled into these situations?
![Don’t run, its not marked yet! [Entertainment circle]](https://www.freenovels.net/wp-content/uploads/2021/07/d0ed5cbffda6d3c0e77d4bdf8824237a.jpg "Don’t run, its not marked yet! [Entertainment circle]")
