Although Zuo Ning had some acting experience and had observed actors performing on set, there were aspects of acting he couldn’t grasp without systematic learning and guidance from a teacher. He had previously participated in films, but nobody would teach a dog how to use camera angles properly. Most of the time, someone would guide him step by step, using toys or treats to prompt him into performing as expected. But now, as a human, he had to learn how to interpret and distinguish things independently. At the very least, he needed to understand the scripts handed to him by the director.
Zuo Ning had anticipated that every profession involved hardships that outsiders couldn’t comprehend. But as the lessons progressed, he found himself under immense pressure, reminiscent of the intense competitiveness of a life-or-death scenario. Constantly holding a book was already routine, so much so that even when sleeping in his dog form, he’d dream of pawing at something. In human form, he even started talking in his sleep.
And this was only private in-house training provided by the company, where he could focus solely on studying without worrying about other matters. Zuo Ning could hardly imagine how young actors in the industry managed to balance their academics with their careers in showbiz. Truly impressive!
Lu Chenghe observed all of this but said nothing. This path was something Little Pudding had chosen for himself. If he ever told Lu Chenghe that he couldn’t continue, Lu Chenghe would definitely not force him to. However, seeing Zuo Ning persevering, Lu Chenghe felt a mix of emotions—pleased with Little Pudding’s determination, but also somewhat annoyed. Of all things, why did he choose this path when there were so many other options?
When Lu Chenghe handed him a script, Zuo Ning, who had been learning how to read and understand scripts, instinctively took it and started jotting down notes as if it were an assignment from his teacher. It was only after a moment that he realized this wasn’t a sample script from his teacher but something from Lu Chenghe. Staring blankly, he looked up and asked, “Why are you giving me this? You don’t expect me to start acting already, do you? I haven’t learned anything yet!”
Seeing his bewildered expression, Lu Chenghe couldn’t help but laugh. “I think you’ve been studying so much that it’s made you silly. Some things can’t be learned just by studying. If you keep thinking you’re not ready and just bury yourself in others’ materials, no amount of learning will help.”
Zuo Ning stared at him for a while. Seeing that Lu Chenghe wasn’t joking, he glanced down at the script. The cover read «Thousand Years». It sounded like a period drama. “Have you read the script? What’s it about?”
“You read it yourself. Let me know within three days if you want to take it.”
Zuo Ning stared at the script, his fingers lightly brushing along its edges for a moment before letting out a soft grunt, “No need for three days. I’ll decide now. I’ll take it!”
Lu Chenghe frowned slightly. “I gave you the script so you could try it out and combine it with your learning. It wasn’t meant as a test to see if you’re fit to stay on this path. You need to learn how to evaluate things for yourself.”
After finishing his words, Lu Chenghe looked at him again. “Little Pudding, now that you can transform into a human, there’s a saying for humans: ‘Live for yourself’. While living in this society, you can’t entirely escape others’ judgment, but there’s no need to let their opinions weigh so heavily on you. Do you understand?”
Seeing that Little Pudding just kept looking at him without replying, Lu Chenghe reached out and tapped him on the forehead. “Are you pretending to be clueless?”
Zuo Ning rubbed his forehead and let out a small huff. “That’s because it’s you. Whatever you give me is definitely the best and most suitable for me. Since it won’t harm me, why should I waste my brain cells thinking it through? In this world, I only care about how you see me. As for others, I couldn’t care less!” After all, he’d even been a dog, doing countless things without shame or limits. If he cared about others’ opinions and had thin skin, he would’ve died of embarrassment long ago!
Hearing Little Pudding’s words, Lu Chenghe didn’t know how to respond. For the first time, he felt the tangible weight of being responsible for someone else’s life. It was a feeling he’d never experienced before—part satisfaction, part helplessness. Satisfied with this sense of complete ownership, yet helpless with Little Pudding’s seemingly unreliable nature.
For Lu Chenghe, in his nearly thirty years of life, this was the first time he’d felt this kind of belonging. A person entirely and independently his own, this reliance felt even more intimate than a spousal relationship. In today’s society, even spouses are two separate individuals, but Little Pudding was completely his, fully and utterly.
Seeing the little one already engrossed in the script, Lu Chenghe ruffled his hair. “I’ve already found a manager for you. Over the past few days, he’s been familiarizing himself with your profile. I’ll have him meet you in three days. In the meantime, carefully read the script. If you have any thoughts, you can discuss them with me first or talk to your manager when he arrives.”
Zuo Ning looked up at him. “Profile? What kind of profile about me?” His identity was so simple and clean that it couldn’t be any simpler. Since Lu Chenghe was worried he might not remember things, the fabricated backstory was extremely straightforward, barely enough to fill a single page. What kind of profile would require three days to digest?
Lu Chenghe glanced at him and replied, “Samoyed Care Manual.”
Zuo Ning: “???”
Since he had taken on this drama, Zuo Ning naturally needed to understand what it was about. While the agent was spending three days digesting his profile, Zuo Ning used the time to go through the script.
He had assumed that the script Lu Chenghe chose for him must involve the lead role. With Lu Chenghe’s taste, anything he picked would not only have the potential to make a splash but also wouldn’t be some lackluster project that left no impression after airing. Getting familiar with audiences was probably achievable. Before reading the script, Zuo Ning was determined to take on the responsibility and not embarrass Lu Chenghe, who had paved the way for him.
However, halfway through the script, Zuo Ning realized something shocking. He wasn’t the lead, not even the second male lead! He was the third male lead at best!
Staring at the script with a blank expression, Zuo Ning’s gaze appeared dazed. Lu Chenghe raised an eyebrow. “What? Thinking of backing out now?”
Zuo Ning turned to look at Lu Chenghe, his face devoid of emotion. “I thought I was the lead.”
Hearing this, Lu Chenghe chuckled softly. “It’s not much money, but I don’t want to lose all of it either. None of my investments have ever gone bad, and I don’t plan to break that record now.”
Zuo Ning bared his teeth and held back his frustration as best as he could, but in the end, he couldn’t resist. He lunged at Lu Chenghe, who was sitting on the couch reading, pinning him down. Staring down at him with a fierce expression, Zuo Ning growled, “You underestimated me! Do you know that by underestimating me, you’re missing out on a global superstar—your future golden goose!”
Lu Chenghe grabbed the soft flesh of his cheeks with one hand. His cheeks were soft and didn’t have the toughness they did when he turned into a dog. They felt dry and smooth to the touch, with a texture that made Lu Chenghe a little addicted. Seeing how the soft flesh on his face was being stretched out with such elasticity that it completely deformed, he finally laughed and said, “So your face really is big.”
Zuo Ning tilted his head and, like he always used to, habitually opened his mouth to bite down on Lu Chenghe’s fingers, rubbing them between his teeth. Lu Chenghe didn’t smoke. His fingernails were always trimmed just right—fair, slender, and beautiful—and they carried a faint, fresh scent. So, instinctively, Zuo Ning gave them a little lick with his tongue.
A human tongue was different from a dog’s. Naturally, the feeling of it on skin was also completely different—warmer, softer. The instant his finger was licked, Lu Chenghe felt a tingling numbness shoot through his whole body. He reflexively slapped Zuo Ning’s butt. “What kind of habit is that?! Don’t you know human hands are actually really dirty? If you don’t break this habit, I swear I will start hitting you for real!”
Zuo Ning looked at Lu Chenghe for a moment, then dove straight into his arms, rubbing against him over and over. “I’m grown up now, you’re not allowed to hit me anymore. Otherwise, I’ll accuse you of domestic violence!”
Lu Chenghe couldn’t help laughing at that. “You even know about domestic violence now? Want me to let you really experience what that feels like?”
Zuo Ning laughed mischievously on top of him, but just then, a knock at the door interrupted him. A moment ago, he’d still been horsing around on Lu Chenghe’s body, but now he immediately sat upright, posture elegant, holding a script in hand like a picture-perfect young gentleman.
The person who entered was Zuo Ning’s manager, arriving right on schedule. Although this manager wasn’t one of those famous, top-tier agents in the industry, his connections and social standing carried real weight. He had once been the top assistant to the CEO of a multinational corporation. Later, due to some personal reasons, he returned to the country to develop his career here. Wanting a change of industry, he eventually ended up with Lu Chenghe and was assigned to manage Little Pudding.
Bei Xiao wasn’t particularly close to Lu Chenghe, but he’d known Lu Chenghe’s assistant for many years. That’s how he got this role as a manager in the first place. So the moment he walked into the office and saw a boy in a crisp white tracksuit who seemed to be fully engrossed in his script, while the ever-impeccable President Lu, known throughout the industry for always presenting his best side, appeared to be casually straightening his clothes, Bei Xiao narrowed his eyes slightly. His gaze swept over the young man’s slightly tousled hair, then he immediately put on his trademark smile. “President Lu.”
He turned to the side, looking curiously at the young boy next to him, and said, “So, this is Lu Ning, right? Hello, I’m Bei Xiao. I’m probably much older than you, but I have a very young heart, so the age gap doesn’t matter. You can call me Brother Bei Xiao.”
Lu Ning stood up, reached out for a handshake, and said with a graceful smile, “Hello, I’m Lu Ning. I’ll be counting on your guidance in the future.”
A polite and refined boy with such good looks was truly a delightful sight to behold. Bei Xiao had a very positive first impression of him.
Lu Chenghe said, “You two get to know each other. Let’s have lunch together later. I’ll go to a meeting first.”
Bei Xiao naturally nodded with a smile. As soon as Lu Chenghe left, the boy named Lu Ning got up casually, walked into a small room inside, and returned with two bottles of juice. He smiled and said, “This flavor is really good. It’s not sour at all, just very sweet and refreshing. Give it a try?”
Bei Xiao nodded. “Sure, thanks.”
Taking the chance to grab an extra bottle for himself, Lu Ning smiled cheerfully and said, “You’re welcome.”
After they sat down again, Bei Xiao asked directly, “What are your expectations for the future? Or do you have any personal plans? I need to consider your thoughts to organize the steps for our work.”
Lu Ning took a big gulp of juice, licked his lips, and thought for a moment. “I don’t need to be wildly famous. It’s fine to just act occasionally. I don’t mind working hard, but I’d prefer not to travel everywhere. I’d like to stay here as much as possible.”
Bei Xiao nodded at his words. “In other words, you want to be an actor, not necessarily a celebrity?”
Lu Ning smiled a bit sheepishly. “If I could become an international star, of course, I’d want that. But I understand the principle of not having it all. So, I just want a job that brings social recognition and status, but I don’t want to dedicate myself to it entirely. I want to spend more time with the people I want to be with.”
Bei Xiao nodded in understanding. If he had nothing at all and purely followed Lu Chenghe, the relationship wouldn’t last long. But if he had some social status, it would be a different story. What surprised Bei Xiao, though, was that this impeccably clean and self-disciplined Mr. Lu actually had a little lover. It seemed that he would have to plan carefully for Lu Ning’s development.
