Who gave you the right—these words undoubtedly struck like a heavy hammer against Lu Nianqi’s chest. Even after returning home, these words still lingered persistently in his ears. Lu Chenghe didn’t say any more threatening words to him; not even an angry scolding was uttered. It was as if it were simply a straightforward question and a command for him to shut up and not say more. But Lu Nianqi knew that Lu Chenghe was angry because he had touched his reverse scale and bottom line. This time, he was truly furious.
What he hadn’t told Lu Chenghe was that he had once seen that woman in the mountains. He also didn’t say that the woman’s fate was pitiful, and the one left behind suffered even more, which was probably Lu Ning’s future. Looking at the empty, spacious big house, looking at these things that a year ago still didn’t belong to him, Lu Nianqi just sat there the whole night. At dawn’s faint light, Lu Nianqi revealed a bitter smile: “Yeah, who gave the right?”
Lu Nianqi’s situation was a wake-up call for Zuo Ning. After repeated careful consideration, he solemnly said to Lu Chenghe: “Let Little Pudding disappear!”
Lu Chenghe, leaning on the sofa reading a book, glanced sideways at him and said, “What nonsense are you spouting now?”
Zuo Ning counted on his fingers and explained: “I can turn into a dog for an hour or two, which lets me keep a human form for two or three days. So I can completely appear as a person without revealing myself. Before, I thought changing into a person and coming home with you every day was inconvenient, but compared to the inconvenience, I think being exposed is far more dangerous. Look, we’ve overlooked so many little details. Every time I wear dirty clothes that need washing, the servants clean your room—obviously signs of two people living together. Unless they’re blind, no one could miss that. What if one day someone catches me in your room, but no one saw me enter the estate? That’d be too strange. Over time, someone will get suspicious. Once suspicion arises, none of these things can stand up to scrutiny!”
Lu Chenghe leisurely flipped a page of his book and asked casually, “So, how do you want to disappear?”
“That dog, well, there are lots of reasons for it to disappear—running away by itself, being taken by someone. This Samoyed is exactly the kind of breed that just disappears. Running off is pretty normal.”
Lu Chenghe smiled lightly at him: “You know you’re a breed that just runs off.”
Zuo Ning threw down his book, shook his shoulder, and said, “I’m seriously discussing this with you!” Then suddenly, a wave of grievance surged up: “You don’t care at all, do you? Whether I’m discovered or not, it doesn’t matter to you. So many servants at home, there’s surveillance, and a butler—yet you never tell me to be careful or pay attention. You act like it’s completely indifferent. I’m the one who’s scared and never dares to go out casually. To you, even if I’m found and taken away, I’m just one less burden, right?”
Zuo Ning felt extremely wronged just from saying it. After thinking carefully back and forth, he realized that Lu Chenghe really had never hidden anything. Before, he thought that as long as he was careful before going out, and changed back into human form either outside or in the bedroom, he wouldn’t be discovered. But after Lu Nianqi found out, he realized that, in fact, many little details had already exposed him. Yet Lu Chenghe had never done anything about it. He always acted casually, as if he just didn’t care at all.
Thinking about this, Zuo Ning’s eyes reddened with grievance. If Lu Chenghe cared about him, with his mindset, he could have arranged everything perfectly seamless—nothing would be so full of flaws like it is now. If he cared, he would definitely worry constantly about his identity being exposed and fear that he might fall into danger because of it. But Lu Chenghe never did!
Zuo Ning sniffled, no longer sticking close to Lu Chenghe, and ran back to his kennel. Hugging a stuffed toy, he started scratching at it. He didn’t want to quarrel with Lu Chenghe, but realizing Lu Chenghe didn’t care about him made him feel very wronged. Yet he was afraid that if he really made a fuss, Lu Chenghe would get annoyed and dislike him even more.
He liked Lu Chenghe. He didn’t want Lu Chenghe to hate him. But people really are greedy creatures, always unable to stop wanting more and more. Lu Nianqi had said something he thought was very true: unequal feelings are really hard to be happy with. But this inequality wasn’t about race or status—it was about the level of importance placed on the relationship.
He felt Lu Chenghe liked him, otherwise, he wouldn’t be so tolerant of him. But at the same time, he felt Lu Chenghe probably still treated him like a pet; otherwise, how could he be so indifferent? But he had liked Lu Chenghe so much already, he couldn’t take it back.
Zuo Ning fought hard to hold back tears, pressing the stuffed toy in his hands even harder. He felt like he was becoming more and more sensitive the older he got—a grown man feeling wronged at the slightest thing, wanting to cry at the slightest thing. Even he found himself annoying. But he couldn’t control his emotions.
“Dropping golden beans again?”
Hearing Lu Chenghe’s voice behind him, Zuo Ning lowered his head without turning around: “No.” But as soon as he said it, he felt a big hand land on his head.
Zuo Ning twisted his head and kept lowering it, continuing to pick at the stuffed toy, ripping out the stuffing strand by strand. The once plump toy was visibly deflating—almost cruel.
Lu Chenghe chuckled softly, “Does the doll have a grudge against you? Your little paws have to scratch something every day, or else they get itchy, right?”
Zuo Ning shifted to the side. He didn’t want to talk to Lu Chenghe right now—he’d just let him drown in his own sadness and figure things out on his own!
Lu Chenghe said helplessly, “This is your home. If you have to hide and cover up this and that even at home, then this wouldn’t be called home anymore.”
Zuo Ning lowered his head and muttered, “But if you don’t cover up, what if someone finds out?”
Lu Chenghe poked his head and said, “Haven’t you noticed I don’t let the servants wander around the house anymore? I clean the rooms every day myself. They only come in to vacuum and change the sheets and bedding. You just focus on playing games.”
Zuo Ning looked at him with red eyes and asked, “Really?”
Seeing that pitiful little look, Lu Chenghe smiled and lifted his chin to look at him, clicking his tongue lightly: “Such a little crybaby, tears come so easily. What will you do if you keep crying like this all the time?”
Zuo Ning slapped his hand away: “You’re the crybaby! Who’s crying!” Only around Lu Chenghe did he lose control of his emotions; otherwise, even if bleeding, he wouldn’t shed a tear!
“Oh, then who is this little crying ghost in front of me?”
Zuo Ning bared his teeth and pounced straight onto Lu Chenghe. Lu Chenghe fell back onto the bed with him on top. Zuo Ning pressed down on him and grabbed his neck: “Since you saw what you shouldn’t have, I have to kill you to keep it a secret! Tell me, do you have any last words?”
Lu Chenghe jabbed his waist, and the guy who was just so arrogant instantly toppled to the side.
Seeing Lu Chenghe get up to leave, Zuo Ning quickly scrambled up to pin him down and grabbed his hand: “Y-you haven’t said yet—do you care about me or not?”
Looking at this silly guy, Lu Chenghe once again felt that familiar helplessness. Lying on the bed, he raised his hand to rub the little head resting on him: “Maybe next time I should send you to take a short literature course.”
“Don’t change the subject!”
Lu Chenghe smiled and, with a little effort, sat up. Those little arms and legs couldn’t hold him down. Seeing Little Pudding pounce again, Lu Chenghe grabbed him in a hug: “I worry myself sick about you, this little thing. And you say I don’t care about you—where’s your little conscience?”
Zuo Ning instantly blushed, looking at him expectantly: “How much do you care?” He made gestures with his hands, “This much? This much? Or this much?”
Lu Chenghe smiled softly, holding his hand. His eyes reflected Little Pudding’s image as he looked at him and said quietly, “A lot. More than the length you’re showing with your hands.”
Zuo Ning felt the hand Lu Chenghe held was like boiling hot water, burning him so much he couldn’t help but jump away from Lu Chenghe’s body: “I’m going to play games!” Saying that, he tried to escape, but Lu Chenghe pulled him back with a firm grip.
Zuo Ning looked at Lu Chenghe puzzled: “What, what are you doing?” Was he going to kiss him, hug him, or…?
While his mind ran wild with guesses, Lu Chenghe placed a crystal key in his hand.
Zuo Ning looked at the object in his palm, confused: “What is this?”
Lu Chenghe laughed: “A key, but just a decorative piece.”
Zuo Ning held the key and looked it over: “Is this an expensive thing? But it looks pretty ordinary.”
Although he probably didn’t have much ability to appreciate luxury goods, after following Lu Chenghe for so long, he could still tell some things about quality. This crystal key was just an ordinary crystal, nothing particularly special-looking.
“Not exactly expensive. It’s worth about a whole house.”
Zuo Ning’s eyes instantly widened. A whole house? That’s not cheap at all!
Seeing Little Pudding acting like a little treasure hunter, planning to find a box to carefully store the key, Lu Chenghe laughed and stopped him: “Let’s move out. I’ve prepared a house—it’s very close to where you film and also close to my company. The house isn’t big, but it’s just right for the two of us. Then at home, you can do whatever you want without worrying about being discovered. If you get hungry in the middle of the night, you can go to the kitchen yourself. You can play games or watch TV in the living room anytime you want.”
Thump thump thump—Zuo Ning felt his heartbeat pounding so loudly it seemed deafening. Is this… considered living together?
Lu Chenghe looked at the stunned Little Pudding and pinched his cheek: “So, how about it? Moving into the little house—are you willing?”
Zuo Ning nodded vigorously: “Yes, yes, definitely!” Saying that, he pounced on Lu Chenghe again. Living together—basically, that’s the same as… well, you know! Hahaha!
