Wealthy Woof Chapter 137

This wasn’t the first time Zuo Ning had been on a reality show. Back when he was still a dog, he had already appeared on what was then the most popular reality show in the country. So many years had passed since then, and when he looked back at those who had once appeared on the show with him, aside from Chu Hang, who was still fighting on the frontlines, that senior host he had liked the most had already become a major figure in the industry—an old, seasoned artist.

As for that young idol who had secretly tugged his tail back then, he was no longer a fresh-faced youth either. But after some time of lying low, he exploded back into popularity last year with an online drama that went viral, regaining a bit of his fame. Unfortunately, his looks leaned toward the “creamy” type—those soft, delicate features, which made it difficult for him to successfully shift his image. To truly bring a role to life, he would have to rely on solid acting skills. Sadly, having debuted as a singer, his acting hadn’t yet reached that level. Still, perhaps due to good luck, after that wildly successful online drama that happened to suit him well, he had started to become active again on various variety shows.

As for the others, after that reality show failed to survive more than a few years and completely faded away, they still had some name recognition left. After all, they had been very popular for several years. But as the fame brought by the show was gradually overconsumed, although you could still see them in the industry now and then, they were no longer the kind of people who would be chased and adored wherever they went.

Witnessing this rapid turnover in the entertainment industry, Zuo Ning would always sigh like an old man, “The waves of the Yangtze River push the ones before forward,” only to earn an eye roll from whoever was next to him.

This time, he was participating in a travel-themed reality show. In its early days, this type of show wasn’t nearly as explosive as the more entertainment-heavy ones. But in recent years, as people’s living standards have improved, more and more started traveling abroad. The world was so vast—everyone wanted a chance to go out and see it. For those who didn’t have the means but still wanted a glimpse of foreign scenery, travel reality shows naturally became an option. And if the guests invited on the show happened to be their favorites, then of course, it was even better.

Although Zuo Ning knew he had been on a reality show before, other people didn’t know that, so of course, publicly, it had to be presented as his first reality show appearance. Over the years, Zuo Ning had steadily and solidly advanced in his career, and his level of low profile couldn’t even be described as simply “low-key” anymore. Other than filming, whether it was promotions, award ceremonies, charity dinners, or even the Spring Festival Gala, he refused them all. Fans who wanted to see their idol had no other way than to support his movies and dramas or scroll through his Weibo posts. That was it. There were literally no other channels.

And even with that, his fanbase remained rock solid and continued to grow steadily. So, one could imagine—if his fans found out Zuo Ning was going on a reality show, wouldn’t they go crazy?

Originally, the production team hadn’t even considered inviting him. Who in the industry didn’t know that this Young Master Lu wouldn’t accept any activities outside of acting? He even refused endorsements because he didn’t want to run around doing promotions and attending events. The only endorsements he took were products from his own company. There were still some who didn’t want to give up and tried, but after he even rejected programs from the national TV station, people eventually understood that he was someone you simply couldn’t book.

If it weren’t for Chu Hang saying he could help reach out, the production team wouldn’t have even dared to dream of it. Yet unbelievably, Young Master Lu actually agreed. It was easy to imagine just how explosive this season would be once the cast list was announced.

And just as the production team expected, once the guest list for this episode was made public, the entire entertainment industry blew up. The show was trending on social media almost daily. The other stars who joined the filming benefited from it as well. Since it was a youth-themed travel reality show, there were four men and four women in total—all handsome and beautiful, with good reputations and likable personalities within the industry—so everyone was really looking forward to it.

The format of this kind of travel reality show usually includes a segment where they filmed each celebrity at home packing their luggage before departure. These scenes that felt like peeking into a celebrity’s private life were hugely popular with the public. After all, ordinary people were still curious about how celebrities lived. They could see what their homes looked like, what kinds of things they packed in their suitcases—that in itself was a major attraction of the show.

Originally, Zuo Ning had wanted to film at the house where he used to live with Lu Chenghe. That house was empty most of the year anyway. Only when Lu Chenghe wasn’t busy and Zuo Ning happened to not be filming would the two of them go there to spend time completely alone together. It seemed like the perfect place to shoot.

But Lu Chenghe shot the idea down flat: “They’re probably only filming you packing your luggage. The filming locations will barely go beyond the bedroom and the walk-in closet. There’s no need to go through all that trouble.”

Zuo Ning thought about it and agreed. If they were going to film over there, in order to create the impression that he’d always been living in that house, they’d definitely need someone to go set things up. And going through all that trouble just for a few minutes of footage really was too much hassle.

Seeing that his Little Pudding had given up on the idea, Lu Chenghe let out a subtle sigh of relief. With his Little Pudding’s bizarre sense of aesthetics, it was better to keep that locked away at home for personal enjoyment.

Zuo Ning had never filmed this kind of reality show before, so everything felt fresh and interesting. When the crew arrived, he personally came out to greet them and led them toward the bedroom, asking curiously, “So during filming, will it always be a group of people following like this? Even when I’m sleeping?”

A crew member explained, “Each artist will have one dedicated cameraman and one assistant. The living space will also be pre-installed with cameras, so when the time comes, the cameramen won’t go in and follow you around. But yes, you will be under the camera twenty-four hours a day.”

Just as they were talking, a snow-white Samoyed suddenly ran out of one of the rooms. This Samoyed had already grown to the size of a large dog. Just standing on all fours, its height reached an adult’s waist, far exceeding the average size for its breed. It looked quite majestic.

Even when faced with a group of strangers, the dog didn’t bark or get overly curious. Instead, it stuck close to Zuo Ning and kept snuggling against him affectionately. Zuo Ning squatted down in front of the camera and wrapped the chubby dog in his arms, speaking to the lens: “This is Little Pudding’s pup. Do you guys know who Little Pudding is? He’s that movie star—super handsome, super cool, and with tons of fans. Come on, Feifei, say hello to the camera.”

Feifei obediently turned to face the camera, then raised one paw and waved it like a beckoning cat, followed by a bark, just like it was really greeting the audience.

The crew exclaimed, “Such a smart dog!”

Zuo Ning gave a slightly smug smile. “Of course. Like father, like son!”

Filming went extremely smoothly. A few days later, early in the morning, the crew came back carrying their equipment. Lu Chenghe hadn’t even left for the office yet. Zuo Ning told the butler to take care of everyone, then clung to Lu Chenghe and refused to let go.

“I don’t want to go anymore.”

Lu Chenghe chuckled and ruffled his hair. “A real man keeps his word. You agreed in the beginning, so going back on it now isn’t good.”

Zuo Ning looked at him with big, pitiful eyes. “But the shoot will last nearly a whole month. That means you won’t see me for a whole month. Won’t you miss me?”

Lu Chenghe kissed him on the lips. “We can video call. Be good.”

Zuo Ning suddenly looked at him suspiciously. “Did you get involved in some messy romantic affair out there?”

Lu Chenghe stared at him in confusion and laughed. “What are you talking about? What wild idea are you imagining now?”

Zuo Ning huffed. “Just now, a thought suddenly hit me. Back when I was hesitating whether to take the show or not, it was you who told me to go out and have some fun. Normally, you’d say it’s up to me and let me decide. But this time, you subtly pushed me to do it. And just now, when I said I didn’t want to go anymore, if it were the old you, you definitely would’ve said, ‘Then don’t go.’ But now you’re encouraging me to go? Confess! Did you stir up some romantic trouble and want to send me away for a while so you can clean it up?!”

Lu Chenghe was instantly torn between laughter and tears. “With an imagination like yours, it’s a shame you’re not a novelist.”

“So it’s really not true?”

Lu Chenghe pinched his cheeks. “Tone down that wild imagination of yours. Come on, everyone’s waiting for you.”

Zuo Ning clung to his shirt buttons, reluctant to leave, looking back every few steps.

Lu Chenghe sighed, stood up, pulled him in, and kissed him deeply. But since the filming would begin soon, he kept it measured and didn’t go too far. Then he smoothed Zuo Ning’s ruffled hair and straightened his clothes. “Be good out there. The assistant who’ll be following you was arranged by me. If anything comes up, you can talk to him in private. Be careful and alert while you’re outside. Stick close to Da-ge most of the time. If you’re unsure or can’t make a decision, just ask him.”

No matter how reluctant he was, it was a job he had personally agreed to. Zuo Ning had no choice but to drag a large suitcase downstairs. The crew members, who had been enjoying snacks and drinks served by the butler, quickly wiped their mouths when they saw him coming down. After confirming they could start filming, they hoisted up their gear and got to work. Even though they would’ve loved to lounge a bit longer—after all, the pastries and drinks in the Lu household seemed to carry some sort of “elite family magic”, making them taste better than anything outside—they still had to do their job.

From the moment Zuo Ning stepped out the door, he officially began living entirely under the lens. Having never filmed this kind of reality show before, it was inevitable that he felt a bit out of place at first. After all, facing a camera head-on like that, it was natural to feel a hint of awkwardness. But once he joined up with the main group, he gradually got used to the filming style.

Meanwhile, back at home, Lu Chenghe, who was supposed to have gone to the office, remained in his study. Staring at the address on the desk, his gaze grew increasingly cold and dark.

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