Because of Little Pudding, Lu Chenghe uncharacteristically left work much earlier than usual. The employees at the company were stunned to see their punctual and disciplined boss openly leaving early, holding the leash of a handsome, snow-white Samoyed. It was as if they had discovered a whole new world.
Their boss was widely acknowledged in the industry as being incredibly handsome—not just in looks but also in temperament—something those trendy young idols couldn’t compare to. However, he was also known for being extremely cold and unapproachable, to the point where even speaking a few words to him felt like braving a freezing blizzard. Yet, to their surprise, such a man actually owned a dog. And what was even more astonishing was that when he held the leash of that dog, he seemed… just a little bit warmer.
The female employees couldn’t help but start fantasizing. The colder a man was, the more irresistible he became when he showed warmth. Just who would be the lucky vixen capable of capturing such an outstanding man’s heart? Just thinking about it made them jealous beyond belief.
At this moment, the future “vixen” who would capture this high-quality man was gleefully playing around on him. That was until Lu Chenghe firmly pressed him into his arms and fed him a piece of jerky, finally calming him down. Looking at the fur now covering his clothes, Lu Chenghe pinched the little round face in his arms. “Starting today, you’re not allowed on the bed anymore. I don’t want to wake up covered in fur every morning.”
Zuo Ning was instantly horrified. He clung to Lu Chenghe’s shoulders with his two fluffy paws. “Awoo!!” Losing fur isn’t my fault! How can you be so cruel to me?!
Lu Chenghe’s face turned cold. “Crying won’t work. No room for negotiation.”
Zuo Ning immediately wrapped his paws around Lu Chenghe’s neck and started fake sobbing. He had heard that Samoyeds shed twice a year, and each time lasted six months. What could he do? He was desperate too! How could Lu Chenghe just kick him off the bed because of shedding? Weren’t they supposed to be each other’s little angels, never abandoning one another?!
Lu Chenghe chuckled and patted his butt. “Alright, stop pretending. You’re getting more dramatic by the day.”
As they talked, they arrived at the mall. Lu Chenghe led Zuo Ning out of the car and headed straight inside.
Zuo Ning curiously looked around, his eyes darting everywhere. He hadn’t expected Lu Chenghe to bring him to a mall. He always thought that whenever Lu Chenghe wanted to buy something, a professional would prepare a catalog for him to choose from. Yet, here he was, personally strolling through a mall like an ordinary person. This was unexpectedly down-to-earth. But… weren’t most malls pet-restricted? Was he going to be turned away at the entrance?
It wasn’t until Lu Chenghe picked him up and placed him in a shopping cart that Zuo Ning finally breathed a sigh of relief. As long as he wasn’t kicked out, it was fine. However, this was his first time sitting in such a small cart—especially one being pushed by Lu Chenghe. It felt so novel that he couldn’t help but prop his front paws on the edge, his tail wagging excitedly as he peeked around.
After passing through two automatic doors, Zuo Ning finally got a clear look at the mall. The entire place was filled with dogs—big ones, small ones, some on leashes, others running around freely. The tiniest ones were cradled in their owners’ arms. Everywhere he looked, there were pet supplies: toys, clothes, food, and even numerous pet grooming salons.
Zuo Ning had never known that Qingniao City had such a massive pet-specific shopping mall. It was an eye-opening experience. However, the constant barking all around was a bit noisy. Meanwhile, Lu Chenghe seemed completely unbothered as he pushed him straight into a toy store.
The store had a touch of luxury in its decor, and every toy was exquisitely displayed. Zuo Ning casually glanced at the price tags—everything started in the four-figure range. He couldn’t help but recall the days when he worked himself to exhaustion every month, juggling part-time jobs and tutoring, just to earn a four-figure living expense. Yet here, it seemed like he couldn’t even afford a single chew toy.
Lu Chenghe reached out and patted his head. “Pick whatever you like.”
Zuo Ning wanted to say that he already had plenty of toys. His things were scattered all over the house—so much so that even Lu Chenghe’s gym was now filled with his various playthings. Anyone visiting the Lu residence for the first time might mistakenly assume Lu Chenghe already had a child. But in this world, there was a kind of love where the owner always believed their pet was missing just one more toy.
Faced with this sweet burden, Zuo Ning could only resign himself to the task of picking something out.
The dazzling array of products left him overwhelmed—everything from tiny, colorful balls to large, sprawling slot car tracks that took up a significant amount of space. He was particularly curious about how a dog was supposed to play with a racetrack. Was he supposed to run alongside it?
Seeing Little Pudding staring intently at the racetrack, Lu Chenghe asked, “Do you like this one?”
Zuo Ning quickly averted his gaze. No way! He was just curious, that’s all. That simple track with a few toy cars cost over ten thousand yuan—was this daylight robbery? Anyone who bought it had to be insane.
The moment he looked away, Lu Chenghe picked up an interactive puzzle feeder from the counter. It seemed to be a food dispenser that required a dog to push and slide the pieces to find the hidden treats. “How about this? Do you like it?”
Zuo Ning immediately reached out with his paw and shoved it aside. What did he need that for? Did he really have to solve a puzzle just to eat? Or press random buttons like an idiot just to get a bite? That sounded like pure torment.
At some point, a store employee who had been trailing behind them suddenly spoke up. “We recently got a new motorized glide disc inspired by robotic vacuum cleaners. Since many cats and dogs love riding on those, we specially designed a larger version for big dogs. If you’re interested, sir, I can show you.”
Hearing the employee’s recommendation, Lu Chenghe nodded. “Let’s take a look.”
Since the glide disc was a custom design from the store owner, it wasn’t cheap. The employee had only suggested it because the customer seemed well-off enough to afford it. Seeing Lu Chenghe express interest, they quickly brought out a sample.
It wasn’t anything particularly fancy—just a circular metal plate. But when placed on the ground and activated via remote control, the metal disc immediately began moving around on its own.
Zuo Ning stretched his neck curiously to get a better look. Lu Chenghe reached out to place him on top of the device. Since it was custom-made for large dogs, there was plenty of extra space even with Zuo Ning sitting on it. He could easily lie down on it without a problem.
Lu Chenghe took the remote control handed to him by the store clerk and began maneuvering Little Pudding around the store.
Zuo Ning squatted on the moving disc as Lu Chenghe steered him back and forth, much like the remote-controlled cars at home. However, this small circular platform was even more compact and didn’t take up much space. Finding the toy surprisingly fun, Zuo Ning squinted his eyes in delight, sticking out a tiny bit of his tongue as he enjoyed the ride.
Seeing that Little Pudding liked it, Lu Chenghe immediately had the store clerk pack up a new one. While he was at it, he also picked out some plush toys and chew sticks. Besides Little Pudding, the two black-backed German Shepherds at home went through chew toys even faster. Since he was already here, he might as well grab something for them too.
As the store clerk was packing up the items, a beautifully dressed woman walked in, leading a small, snow-white poodle. When she spotted Lu Chenghe, she seemed a little unsure at first, but then, with a hint of surprise, she called out, “Chenghe? Is that really you?”
With that, she quickly closed the distance between them in just a few steps, looking at Lu Chenghe with a mix of shyness and infatuation. “What a coincidence! You have a dog too? I never expected to run into you here.”
Zuo Ning, who had been happily gliding around on his robotic disc, instantly had his internal alarm bells ringing. Without hesitation, he leaped off the disc and dashed straight to Lu Chenghe’s side. He tried to wedge himself between the woman and Lu Chenghe, then threw himself at Lu Chenghe, demanding to be picked up.
Lu Chenghe politely nodded at the woman before bending down to lift the squirming Little Pudding into his arms.
Unfortunately, Little Pudding had already grown quite a bit. Now, when Lu Chenghe held him, he was no longer the tiny, adorable puppy he used to be. Instead, his fluffy white fur completely engulfed most of Lu Chenghe’s face.
The woman seemed accustomed to Lu Chenghe’s cold demeanor and didn’t mind his attitude at all. When she saw Little Pudding, she even reached out, wanting to pet him.
Under normal circumstances, as a man, one would typically be more tolerant toward women, especially beautiful ones. However, this situation was anything but normal. This pretty woman was obviously coveting his Lu Chenghe, and worse, she also had a dog. If Lu Chenghe ended up with her, where would that leave him? This was a matter of urgency—he had to assert his dominance!
Seeing the woman reaching toward him, Zuo Ning shrank back, deliberately showing his rejection.
The woman, not wanting to provoke Lu Chenghe’s dog, withdrew her hand and instead suggested, “Since we ran into each other, why don’t we have a meal together later? I know a great pet-themed restaurant that allows dogs. They even have specially crafted meals for pets—I’ve heard a lot of dogs love it.”
Before Lu Chenghe could respond, Zuo Ning, sensing her ulterior motives, immediately bared his teeth in a clear display of hostility.
This was the first time Lu Chenghe had ever seen Little Pudding show aggression toward someone. Though Little Pudding was usually well-behaved and never bit anyone, Lu Chenghe was still wary of any unexpected reactions. He quickly adjusted his hold on Little Pudding, turning him around while stepping back a couple of steps. Gently patting him to soothe him, he asked, “What’s wrong? Why are you suddenly so fierce?”
“Awuuu…” You’re not allowed to look at other women! You’re not allowed to have meals with them!
Even though Lu Chenghe couldn’t understand the words, he could still hear the grievance in Little Pudding’s whine. Remembering his dog’s strong possessiveness, Lu Chenghe let out a helpless smile. When he turned back to the woman, his expression had already returned to its usual indifference. “I’m sorry, but I have things to do later. Maybe next time.”
Tang Ke’er pouted slightly. “You always say that.” She complained softly, but not wanting to seem too clingy and risk annoying Lu Chenghe, she quickly smiled again. “Then it’s a deal for next time.”
Seeing Lu Chenghe actually agree to a “next time” with that woman, Zuo Ning became furious and chomped down on Lu Chenghe’s ear. Flirting with someone else right in front of him—did he not exist anymore?!
Lu Chenghe froze instantly when he felt the sudden wet warmth enveloping his ear. A tingling sensation shot straight down his spine, nearly making him lose his composure. He barely managed to restrain himself from reacting too strongly before reaching out to grab the loose skin on Little Pudding’s neck, lifting him off. His gaze turned dangerously sharp as he stared at the mischievous dog.
Only after being pulled away did Zuo Ning realize what he had just done. He quickly tucked his paws in, eyes full of innocence, sticking out his tongue in an attempt to act cute. “Awoo~~” I’m still your favorite baby, right?
