On this day, the sun shone brightly, and the autumn breeze was crisp. After accompanying Lu Chenghe on his morning run and having breakfast together, Zuo Ning very dutifully watched him leave for work before lazily curling up in his private two-story nest for a long nap. When he finally woke up, stretching his body before heading out for food, he was startled to find two large black dogs lying beside the sofa in the living room.
Perhaps hearing his movement, the two dogs immediately sat up halfway, their sharp eyes fixed on him. Zuo Ning instinctively shrank back his paws.
They were two black-backed—giant German Shepherds—and from their appearance, they were already quite grown. Judging by their size, if they stood on all fours, they would probably reach an adult’s waist. Their physiques were sleek, their muscles well-defined—just one look and you could tell they were no pushovers.
Zuo Ning cautiously observed them from inside his kennel for a long time and finally noticed that they were chained up. Feeling a bit braver, he then escaped from his kennel and carefully approached them.
The two German Shepherds were equally intrigued by him, watching him with a gaze that even carried a hint of scrutiny. If they weren’t restrained, Zuo Ning wouldn’t have dared to come near them at all. When he reached what he considered a safe distance, he decided to greet them politely: “Woof.”—Hey, buddies, how’s it going?
This was the first time Zuo Ning had encountered other dogs. He wasn’t sure if dog language was universal.
The two German Shepherds didn’t disappoint and responded immediately: “Woof woof.”—Little pup, are you the pet of this house?
Zuo Ning was utterly stunned. So dogs really could communicate with each other! He always knew dogs were quite smart, but since they couldn’t speak, he had assumed their thoughts were fairly simple. However, from the way these German Shepherds spoke, it seemed dogs were far more intelligent than he had imagined. Even so, he still needed to establish his dominance: “Awoo!”—That’s right! This is my home. Why are you here?
Could it be that Lu Chenghe had developed an interest in raising dogs and decided to bring in two ferocious beasts? Just looking at how well-built these two German Shepherds were, it was clear they weren’t ordinary dogs. If Lu Chenghe took them out together, they’d definitely look imposing—far more impressive than him.
Although Zuo Ning was reluctant to admit it, he knew that compared to a Samoyed, men probably preferred German Shepherds—they were protective, loyal, and cool-looking.
Glancing at the two Shepherds, then lowering his gaze to his own fluffy white self, Zuo Ning nearly wanted to cover his face in shame. There was simply no comparison.
One of the Shepherds quickly lost interest in Zuo Ning, deciding that he posed no threat, and lay back down again. The other, however, remained friendly: “Woof.”—Not sure. Maybe we’re here to settle in.
A bad premonition settled in Zuo Ning’s heart. There was no way these dogs could be here without Lu Chenghe’s approval. Could it be that Mother Lu was coming back, and he was about to be sent away—replaced by two dogs that were more fitting to a man’s aesthetic?
The butler, watching the scene of his family’s Little Pudding and the two German Shepherds barking at each other like they were chatting, chuckled. Carrying Little Pudding’s lunch, he walked over, patted the little fluffball’s head, and said, “You sneaked out again. The family has two new little companions now. You’ll have other dogs to play with—are you happy?”
Zuo Ning stared at the butler with grief and indignation. He only wanted to be the one and only in this household! He had already become a dog, and yet he still had to compete with other dogs for Lu Chenghe’s attention?! Could he roll around and throw a tantrum to reject these two big guys?
Seeing how his little brows furrowed and his eyes filled with utter grievance, the butler couldn’t help but secretly laugh. But he understood. Many cats and dogs have strong territorial instincts. Some were so possessive that they wouldn’t even allow their owners to pet other animals—let alone introduce two new ones into the family.
Clearly, Little Pudding’s territorial instinct had kicked in. He wasn’t very welcoming toward the new arrivals.
Still, the butler didn’t say much. He doubted Little Pudding would actually understand even if he explained. They’d get used to each other over time. So, after giving Little Pudding’s head another pat, he placed the food bowl in front of him: “Time to eat. Today, we have your favorite—beef. And after this, there’s apple for dessert.”
A large bowl of food was placed in front of Zuo Ning. Across from him, the two black-backed German Shepherds caught the scent of the meal. Their eyes followed it, but they made no move to snatch it away.
Looks like these two are really well-trained, Zuo Ning thought to himself before starting to eat, taking mouthful after mouthful.
As he ate, he kept an eye on the two big guys, noticing how they swallowed their saliva repeatedly, their tongues licking their lips more and more frequently. Finally, he asked, “Woof woof?”—Have you guys eaten yet? Do you want some?
The friendlier of the two German Shepherds responded immediately: “Woof!”—No, we haven’t. Is it good? It smells delicious.
Even the lazier one couldn’t help but join in: “Woof woof!”—What are you eating? Don’t pets usually just eat dog food?
Zuo Ning licked his lips and replied, “Woof.”—I don’t eat dog food. They make special meals just for me.
After thinking it over, he figured that, whether he welcomed them or not, they were still fellow dogs. Since he was enjoying a delicious meal, he couldn’t just let the two of them go hungry, could he? More importantly, they were going to be living under the same roof from now on. If these two big guys ended up becoming Lu Chenghe’s favorites and held grudges, what would he do?
So, he nudged his food bowl toward them. “Woof.”—Here, you guys can have some too.
To his surprise, though they stared at the food with longing eyes, they didn’t make a move to eat. Instead, they pushed the bowl back toward Zuo Ning and let out a low whimper. “Woo…”—You eat it. We can’t eat without a command.
How pitiful.
Zuo Ning looked at them in silence. They really were highly trained—compared to them, he suddenly felt so useless. But what worried him even more was—these two were so smart they might as well be human. Would there even be a place for him in this house anymore?
Yet, no matter how reluctant he was, he couldn’t stop reality from unfolding. So, as he tried to force himself to accept it, he silently wallowed in self-pity.
After Zuo Ning had almost finished eating, the butler had someone bring out two massive bowls of meat—raw meat. The large chunks were still glistening with fresh blood, though it was unclear what kind of animal the meat belonged to. The bowls were set down in front of the two German Shepherds.
Sensing that this was their meal, the two Shepherds immediately sat up straight, their gazes locked on the butler.
The butler, evidently pleased with their discipline, nodded and said, “Eat.”
The moment the command was given, the two German Shepherds lunged at their food, tearing into the raw meat. The sound of bones cracking echoed in the room. Their sharp fangs were terrifying to look at—as if their sheer presence hadn’t been intimidating enough, their ferocious eating habits pushed the fear factor off the charts.
Zuo Ning instinctively backed away, step by step. He was suddenly so grateful he hadn’t openly shown hostility toward them earlier. Otherwise, wouldn’t it take them just a few seconds to tear apart a three-month-old Samoyed like him?!
Another bone-crunching sound exploded in his ears. Zuo Ning immediately backed up again, retreating all the way to his kennel before finally letting out a sigh of relief. That was terrifying.
The butler had been observing the two new dogs the whole time. After serving them their food, he simply stood aside and watched. Then, seeing Zuo Ning staring dumbfoundedly at the two Shepherds as they devoured their meal, he took out his phone and started recording a video.
Meanwhile, Lu Chenghe was having lunch in his office. Though the company cafeteria had a great atmosphere, he preferred not to eat there—after all, if the boss was present, the employees might feel pressured. Plus, he simply didn’t like being watched while he ate.
Halfway through his meal, his phone vibrated. The butler had sent him a video.
In the footage, the two German Shepherds were busy ripping into their raw meat, while his family’s Little Pudding stood stupidly in front of his almost-empty food bowl, staring at them. Then, one of the Shepherds briefly lifted its gaze toward him.
The moment their eyes met, Little Pudding’s survival instincts seemed to kick in. Without a word, he started backing away, step by step, until he retreated all the way to his kennel, where he plopped down with a relieved sigh—all while continuing to watch the German Shepherds eat.
After watching the video, Lu Chenghe couldn’t help but laugh. The little guy was probably scared out of his wits—he had never encountered another dog before. His first meeting just had to be with two elite-level black-backed German Shepherds. The fact that he didn’t tuck his tail between his legs and run away was already impressive.
Feeling amused, Lu Chenghe decided to head home early today to comfort his frightened little furball.
As soon as he stepped through the front door, a small white cannonball launched itself at him—just as expected. But unlike before, it didn’t wag its tail excitedly as if they had been separated for a hundred years. Instead, it kept pressing against him while whimpering pitifully, full of grievances.
Lu Chenghe chuckled and scooped him up, stroking his back. “Feeling this wronged? Did the two new friends scare you that badly? Why is your courage so tiny?”
Zuo Ning: “Awoo woo woo woo…”—You’re bringing home new dogs! Am I not allowed to feel upset?!
Lu Chenghe carried Zuo Ning over to the sofa and sat down. Then, he signaled for the butler to bring the two German Shepherds over. “How did they get along this afternoon? They should be familiar with each other by now, right?”
The butler chuckled. “Little Pudding didn’t dare go near them at all. I was also worried something might happen, so I never let go of their leashes. They haven’t actually interacted yet.”
Zuo Ning protested indignantly, “Awooo!”—I wasn’t scared! Dogs just need to keep a safe distance from each other! That’s basic survival instinct!
Lu Chenghe lightly patted his fluffy butt and teased, “Oh, so you only act tough at home? Why didn’t I hear you barking at those two?”
Zuo Ning placed his front paws on Lu Chenghe’s shoulders, looking heartbroken. “Awoo awooo…”—Are you really abandoning me? Am I no longer your favorite?!
Seeing that grievance-filled little face, Lu Chenghe seriously doubted whether this little guy was just a regular dog. He was way too expressive and smart! Smiling, he rubbed Zuo Ning’s head before instructing the butler to bring the two Shepherds over.
As expected of former military working dogs, the two big German Shepherds looked imposing but were incredibly well-behaved. They didn’t bark unnecessarily, nor did they glance around randomly—they carried themselves with strict discipline.
Lu Chenghe then looked down at the little white ball clinging to him like an octopus.
The more he compared them, the sadder it got.
Was Zuo Ning scared? Of course not! He knew these two dogs were highly trained—as long as he didn’t do anything stupid to provoke them, they definitely wouldn’t bite him. Right now, clinging to Lu Chenghe was just his way of asserting dominance and demanding attention. He was afraid Lu Chenghe would fall for the Shepherds and forget about him.
Because if it were up to him, he would also choose a German Shepherd over a Samoyed.
And that was a painful truth to swallow.
Lu Chenghe peeled his stubborn little octopus off his body, then leaned forward to observe the two Shepherds for a moment before extending his hand.
“Shake.”
The two German Shepherds immediately lifted a paw each and placed them in his hands—obedient and disciplined.
Then, Lu Chenghe grabbed one of Zuo Ning’s little paws and placed it on top of theirs.
“You guys need to get along. No fighting.”
Zuo Ning’s tail drooped instantly.
It was over. The decision was final. There was no saving the situation.
Since these two dogs were retired military working dogs, they wouldn’t attack without a command. So, even though his little fluffball was still just a puppy, Lu Chenghe wasn’t worried about them hurting him. He gave them one last glance, feeling quite satisfied, before telling the butler to take them outside.
Zuo Ning saw the butler leading the two Shepherds toward the front door and immediately scrambled onto Lu Chenghe, perching on the backrest of the sofa to stare after them.
Wait, they’re leaving?!
But I already mentally prepared myself to share my dog bed with them and get along peacefully!
Noticing his little Samoyed’s reluctance(?), Lu Chenghe chuckled and said, “They’re really amazing dogs. They used to help humans catch lots of bad guys. Now they’ve retired and will be staying here to guard the house. Their kennel is outside—you can visit them whenever you want.”
Oh! They were retired military dogs?!
No wonder they were so well-trained!
And here he was, being all petty and insecure, worried they’d steal Lu Chenghe’s affection.
If he had known they were military dogs, he would have welcomed them with open arms!
After all, they had dedicated half their lives to serving humans—how could they be neglected the moment they arrived at their new home?!
The more he thought about it, the guiltier he felt.
Zuo Ning made a decision—tomorrow, he would share half of his toys with them!
