After much deliberation, Zuo Ning ultimately chose a television drama. Although films tend to carry more prestige and offer greater opportunities to hone one’s acting skills, the roles Bei Xiao had previously recommended to him were quite heavy, unlike the simpler character he had played in his last movie, where just his looks had been enough. Those more nuanced roles were still beyond what he could confidently handle right now. Rather than risk having his acting torn apart by critics, it was better to progress slowly and steadily.
More importantly, filming a TV drama was relatively easier. Although it wasn’t exactly a nine-to-five job, the schedule was far more flexible. And, just as Bei Xiao had said, resources were never going to be a problem for him. If anything was lacking, Lu Chenghe would never allow it to remain lacking. What he lacked was popularity. While he wasn’t aiming to become wildly famous, since he’d already entered this industry, having some popularity was certainly better than having none at all.
The new drama Zuo Ning took on still followed the fantasy genre. It was a dual male lead story. Zuo Ning played one of the leads, while the other was portrayed by a highly popular young celebrity, someone comparable to top-tier stars. That popular idol had originally debuted as a singer and had an enormous fan base. His very first foray into acting had already landed him a male lead role. Though Zuo Ning had gained some recognition thanks to Director Tang’s film, he still didn’t match up to that celebrity in terms of fame. So, even though Zuo Ning’s role was also that of a main character, in terms of billing order, he was the second lead.
Bei Xiao had initially worried that this would bother Zuo Ning. After all, he was still young and had someone like Lu Chenghe supporting him behind the scenes. Even if he wasn’t arrogant or dismissive of others, being outshone might still stir up some feelings. But when he saw how cheerfully Zuo Ning accepted the script, completely unconcerned about billing disputes, Bei Xiao could only shake his head helplessly. His artist had absolutely no ambition. His worries had all been unnecessary.
After settling on the script, Zuo Ning let his heart rest easy and waited for Bei Xiao to take care of the follow-up arrangements. At the same time, he began counting the days in eager anticipation of Lu Chenghe’s birthday banquet. With Lu Chenghe’s kind of status, his birthday banquet was sure to be extremely grand.
The Lu family rarely hosted banquets or gatherings. Since Zuo Ning had arrived at the Lu household, the only one they’d ever held was the dinner introducing Lu Nianqi. Unfortunately, at the time, he hadn’t yet transformed into a human. Lu Chenghe had even locked him in a room, so he couldn’t even sneak a peek. This time, if Lu Chenghe really hosted a birthday banquet, he definitely wanted to attend as Lu Chenghe’s friend and experience firsthand what a high-society banquet was truly like. Who knows? It might even come in handy someday during a film shoot.
But unfortunately, even up until the day before Lu Chenghe’s birthday, the house remained completely quiet, with no signs of preparation or decorating. Zuo Ning couldn’t help but ask, “You’re not throwing a birthday banquet? Or are you holding it elsewhere?”
Of course, Lu Chenghe had noticed how Little Pudding had been eagerly anticipating something these past few days. He just kept it to himself, secretly enjoying the mischief of keeping quiet. He didn’t like occasions where people had to wear masks and socialize. The networking at work was already insincere enough; if even a birthday—a day meant for celebration—had to be spent pretending, that would be too pitiful. So aside from his grand eighteenth birthday celebration, Lu Chenghe’s birthdays had always been simple affairs with just a few close family members having a meal and cake together.
Seeing that Little Pudding couldn’t hold back anymore and had finally asked, Lu Chenghe cast him a faint glance. “It’s just a birthday. Why would I throw a banquet and invite a bunch of strangers to celebrate?”
Zuo Ning immediately exclaimed, “But isn’t that what all wealthy families do? No matter the occasion, they’ll throw a banquet—build connections, discuss partnerships. And if there’s a charity auction or something, they’ll even show off wealth through the bids and items on display.”
Lu Chenghe chuckled lightly at that. “Which of those projects isn’t finalized only after careful consideration? What use is an empty, baseless conversation at a party? You’ve been with me long enough. Have you seen me attend even one of those kinds of gatherings you just described?”
As he finished speaking, Lu Chenghe flicked Little Pudding’s forehead. “Stop thinking about all that nonsense. Tomorrow afternoon, my big brother and Chenghan will be coming over for dinner. So tell me, are you joining as Little Pudding or as Lu Ning?”
Zuo Ning didn’t even hesitate. “Little Pudding.”
He still hadn’t met Lu Chenghe’s eldest brother as a human. As for Mother Lu, he hadn’t yet adjusted his mindset or figured out how to win over his future mother-in-law. What if he didn’t make a good impression? Better to show up in his dog form. It was more comfortable, and most importantly, he could eat a lot without feeling guilty about it!
Lu Chenghe chuckled softly. “Not afraid of Xuanyuan anymore?”
Zuo Ning snorted. “Xuanxuan and I are good friends now. She doesn’t pull my fur anymore.”
However, on the day of the birthday celebration, little Xuanxuan didn’t come. A couple of days earlier, she’d gone with her mother to visit her dad and hadn’t returned yet. But she did send Lu Chenghe a video call. Her soft, milky voice wishing “Uncle” a happy birthday was so cute that it made Zuo Ning want to have a daughter of his own.
Noticing a pair of white ears on Lu Chenghe’s chest, little Xuanxuan started talking to Little Pudding. She’d say a sentence from over there, and Zuo Ning would respond from this side—one girl, one dog, having what seemed like a very proper, serious conversation. The adults watching nearby couldn’t stop laughing at the adorable sight.
As for the matter of the Lu family’s eldest son coming out, the Lu family had already reached the point where they couldn’t stop it even if they wanted to. Seeing that Chu Hang was a good person, not the kind of messy character from the outside world, they gradually came to accept it. To give the eldest aunt some time to adjust, the eldest uncle took her traveling abroad, saying that broadening her horizons might help her become more open-minded.
Anyway, it was clear as day that Lu Chenghe’s older brother was determined to spend the rest of his life with Chu Hang. So, for this kind of small family gathering, he made no effort to hide it and openly brought Chu Hang along.
It was Chu Hang’s first time visiting his partner’s relatives, and he still felt a bit awkward. Even though he was a celebrity, occasions like this didn’t come with a script, and he was worried that his presence might put Chenghan in a difficult spot. So he couldn’t help feeling a little tense.
But the moment Lu Chenghan arrived, he broke the slightly awkward atmosphere by immediately calling out “sister-in-law” with zero hesitation. When he saw Chu Hang freeze for a second at the title and even blush, he smiled and stretched out his hand. “Since this is our first meeting, sister-in-law, where’s my meeting gift?”
Mother Lu smacked Lu Chenghan’s palm. “Today is your second brother’s birthday, what meeting gift do you want!”
Lu Chenghan had already heard from his big brother that Chu Hang had prepared gifts for everyone, even Lu Nianqi. Otherwise, he wouldn’t have been so bold to ask. Imagine how awkward it would’ve been if Chu Hang hadn’t prepared anything.
Carrying the gifts and still wondering when would be the right moment to bring them out, Chu Hang quickly handed out the presents he had prepared earlier. Everyone, including Mother Lu, received one. He had even prepared a gift for Little Pudding.
Lu Nianqi had been quietly sitting off to the side and was slightly surprised when he received a present. He softly said as well, “Thank you, sister-in-law.”
Zuo Ning lay quietly on top of Lu Chenghe, telling himself that tonight his character setting was: noble, elegant, and full of poise… woof!
In any case, he absolutely couldn’t act dumb and embarrass Lu Chenghe!
Lu Chenghe reached out and accepted the gift, thanking Chu Hang politely. Then he handed over the one meant for Little Pudding. “Should I hold on to it for you, or do you want to keep it yourself?”
Zuo Ning stretched out his paw and pushed the gift back toward Lu Chenghe, signaling for him to hold onto it for now.
Lu Chenghan crouched beside his second brother and leaned in close to Little Pudding. “Second Brother, what are you feeding him? How did he grow this big? And the weirdest thing is, he seems to understand what you’re saying?”
Mother Lu chimed in from the side, “Whatever your second brother eats, Little Pudding eats, too. If they eat different things, Little Pudding throws a tantrum. And once he throws a tantrum, your second brother always gives in. That little guy’s got a mind of his own. He’s crafty!”
Zuo Ning quickly wagged his tail at Mother Lu in a flattering manner. Seeing Little Pudding grinning at her with squinting eyes, Mother Lu couldn’t help herself and scooped him off her son’s lap. “He used to be such a tiny ball of fluff, and now, in what feels like no time, he’s already grown so big I can barely carry him!”
Seeing that dinner was about to start and still not spotting Lu Ning, Lu Chenghan couldn’t help but quietly ask his second brother, “Where’s Lu Ning? He’s not coming?”
Lu Chenghe replied coolly, “Filming.”
Lu Chenghan frowned slightly. “It’s your birthday. How could filming be more important?”
Lu Chenghe gave him a puzzled look. “Why should my birthday be more important than filming? Besides, he already celebrated with me earlier.”
Lu Chenghan finally let out an “Ohh” of sudden understanding, wearing an expression that said I knew it. No matter how busy filming gets, it couldn’t possibly be more important than celebrating your lover’s birthday.
Then he suddenly remembered that Chu Hang was also part of the entertainment industry, and turned to ask, “Sister-in-law, are you familiar with Lu Ning?”
Chu Hang thought for a moment, then asked uncertainly, “You mean Lu Ning, the actor from that film currently in theaters?”
The ever-dedicated younger brother, who was constantly worried about his older brothers’ love lives, nodded eagerly. “Yes, yes, that’s the one!”
Chu Hang shook his head. “I’ve never interacted with him. Why?”
Lu Chenghan grinned. “Well, if you two ever run into each other in the future, make sure to have a proper chat! You’re his senior in the industry. Look out for him a bit, alright? He’s family, after all!”
Lu Chenghe shot a glance in their direction, and Mother Lu, who was always sensitive to any undercurrents among her sons, also looked over. But seeing her son sitting there calm and immovable as a mountain, she couldn’t make out anything from his expression. Only Zuo Ning, who had been carried off by Mother Lu and was now wagging his tail contentedly, was quietly agreeing in his heart—yes, yes, aren’t we all family?
With Lu Chenghan, the nonstop chatterbox, around, the entire dinner carried on in a lively and joyful atmosphere. Considering Little Pudding’s small tantrum last time, Lu Chenghe didn’t let him eat at the small table this time. Instead, he placed a chair beside him specially for Little Pudding. Of course, the food was prepared separately. He knew Little Pudding could turn into a human, but the others didn’t, and they might mind if they saw the dog eating from their plates.
Mother Lu stayed for dinner and had a few bites of cake before excusing herself. With a room full of young people, she figured they wouldn’t have as much fun with an elder sticking around.
Lu Chenghan then dragged Lu Nianqi and Chu Hang off to the game room. That room was set up with top-tier gaming equipment on his request, and upon discovering many new games installed, he didn’t even need to ask. He already knew it was because Lu Ning came over often to play.
Chu Hang was decent at games, at least on the same level as Lu Chenghan. But Lu Nianqi just couldn’t keep up. He was the same kind of hopeless player as Zuo Ning. After losing two rounds, he gave up and went outside to play with the dogs. He’d had his eye on those German Shepherds at the door for a while. Now that he lived alone, he was seriously considering getting one—loyal, protective, and easy to take care of.
Meanwhile, in the living room, Lu Chenghe and his older brother were discussing business matters. After Zuo Ning had wolfed down three pieces of cake in one go, he began to doze off, listening to their business talk. He reached out and patted Lu Chenghe’s hand, lifting his head to look up at him.
Lu Chenghan gently squeezed his paw. “Go on upstairs.”
Zuo Ning quickly responded, “Woof!” and then dashed up the stairs with quick taps. He had plans to play online games with friends later. If he had time in the evening, they’d team up. Listening to their business talk here was far less fun than playing a few rounds.
The much-anticipated Lu Chenghe birthday dinner ended up passing quietly and simply. This kind of family gathering was no different from any ordinary family visiting relatives or friends, giving Zuo Ning another chance to realize that what people called “wealthy families” were really just ordinary people. It was only that their outer image was artificially wrapped in such a dazzling halo, so only after getting close could one see their true nature.
Zuo Ning had thought it would be just a very normal day, with the only difference being that the gathering was under the name of Lu Chenghe’s birthday. But unexpectedly, two days later, Lu Nianqi’s sudden appearance made everything explode.
Looking at Lu Nianqi’s unfamiliar face, Zuo Ning could hardly believe it. “What did you say?”
Lu Nianqi stared at him for a moment, almost pleading, “Leave my second brother alone, please.”
