Moonlit: Thank you, aki, for the ko-fi~
Lu Chenghan’s purpose for coming this time was Little Pudding. How could he possibly back down just because Lu Chenghe refused once? After dinner, they finalized Little Pudding’s schedule, and only then did he leave, satisfied.
After dinner, Zuo Ning followed Lu Chenghe upstairs. As they passed by Lu Nianqi, Zuo Ning noticed his hesitant expression, as if he had something to say but held back. He paused and glanced at him. However, Lu Nianqi merely smiled at him without saying a word before turning around and heading back to his room.
Zuo Ning didn’t quite understand Lu Nianqi. If it were him, he would have moved out long ago. Having the freedom to roam around and enjoy himself in his own space—why insist on staying in someone else’s home while feeling awkward about it? But everyone thinks differently, and ultimately, it wasn’t his business. Things always look different from an outsider’s perspective. He flicked his tail, dismissing the thought. It had nothing to do with him, after all. In life, every banquet must come to an end at some point.
The day of the reality show recording turned out to be bright and sunny. Though the roadside was still piled with thick snow, the ample sunlight bathed everything in warmth, dispelling the chill left behind by the past few days of blizzards.
Just before they left, Mother Lu was still trying to dress him up. She had bought a whole pile of fluffy outfits in all sorts of styles. The funniest part? Among them was a Samoyed costume. But the problem was—he was already a Samoyed! Why on earth would he need to wear a Samoyed costume?
As Zuo Ning frantically dashed around the house in protest while Mother Lu kept calling after him, Lu Chenghe finally emerged—freshly showered, dressed, and ready for breakfast before heading to work.
The moment Zuo Ning saw Lu Chenghe, he practically treated him like a savior, launching himself into his arms like a missile. “Awoo woo woo!” Hurry up and stop your mom! She’s completely lost her mind!
Lu Chenghe glanced at his mother, who was holding up two small outfits, seemingly trying to decide which one to put on him. Without much thought, he casually said, “The panda one.”
Zuo Ning stared at Lu Chenghe in utter shock.
Mother Lu nodded in agreement. “This one is indeed cuter than the little yellow duck outfit. Come on, Little Pudding! Once you’re dressed, we can head out. We’re well-mannered and polite children—we can’t go out undressed, that would be so improper! Come, come, my little darling.”
Like a lifeless dog, Zuo Ning was dragged over to Mother Lu’s side, completely devoid of hope. He was then forced into the panda outfit, and to top it off, a small, delicate, bling-bling black backpack was strapped onto his back. After dressing him up, Mother Lu happily took several pictures and posted them on Weibo: “Little Pudding off to work! Looking as adorable as ever today~”
In no time, the post was flooded with likes and comments:
【Aww, my hardworking Little Pudding is still as cute as ever today!】
【Claiming dibs on Little Pudding’s godly beauty! lick lick lick】
【So young yet already earning a living… Meanwhile, I still can’t support myself. cries bitter tears】
【Ding ding ding, checking in for my daily dose of Little Pudding! That little backpack is adorable! But I didn’t manage to grab the limited edition one. Little Pudding must’ve taken my spot! Hmph!】
【A tiny national treasure! Such an unbelievably cute face—beautiful since birth!】
Seeing the overwhelming praise, Mother Lu nodded in satisfaction and finally put her phone away.
Lu Chenghe chuckled and patted Little Pudding’s head. “You look great. Very cute.”
Zuo Ning looked up at Lu Chenghe, eyes full of grievance. He was a boy. He wanted to be handsome, not cute.
Since the filming location was quite far away, Zuo Ning had to leave even earlier than Lu Chenghe. Watching Lu Chenghe personally escort him to the car and see him off, Zuo Ning was suddenly filled with a sense of achievement! The feeling of earning money and supporting the family—what a thrill!
The reality show was being filmed at an amusement park that was about to open. In a way, this was also free advertising for the park. “Special No.1 Family” was a variety show that had burst onto the scene three years ago and became a milestone in domestic entertainment. When it first aired, it swept across the country, becoming a household sensation. Watching glamorous celebrities on screen get schemed against, struggle through absurdly difficult games, and engage in hilarious antics—it was the kind of show that had audiences laughing nonstop from the very first minute to the final second, sometimes even to the point of collapsing from laughter.
Back then, Zuo Ning had been just a high school senior buried in exam prep, unable to follow the hype in real time. But when summer vacation began, he binge-watched the entire first season in one go. Then, over the course of the summer, he rewatched it three more times. So when he heard he’d be appearing on the show this time, he couldn’t help but be excited.
“Special No.1 Family” had five permanent cast members—four men and one woman. Three years ago, aside from a veteran host, the rest were only slightly above third-tier status, hanging onto the edge of the second tier. But after the show’s success, endorsement deals poured in, and they were flooded with offers for movies and dramas. They practically dominated screens for three whole years. Now, aside from the host and one member who had won a prestigious Best Actor award and solidified his status in the industry, the remaining three had all become top-tier stars with massive fan followings.
Seeing a crowd of people and a bunch of filming equipment ahead, Zuo Ning knew this had to be the set. He pressed his paws against the car window, peering out curiously. Even though he was technically a celebrity dog himself, he hadn’t actually met that many stars. Now that he had the chance to get up close to the ones he admired, it was hard not to feel excited.
For outdoor reality shows like this, most of the rest areas are individual RVs. By now, the regular cast members of this show are all major celebrities, and it’s already standard for the company to provide them with a nanny car. So, when Zuo Ning arrived, he was a bit disappointed not to see a lively scene of the group chatting together, as they were all resting in their respective RVs.
Although Zuo Ning regretted not being able to see his favorite cast members right away, his arrival did cause a bit of a stir among them. Even while resting in their RVs, assistants often kept an eye on the outside activity; otherwise, it would be inconvenient if the director had to call everyone individually when it was time to gather for filming.
So, when a low-profile black Maybach arrived, a few assistants couldn’t help gossiping with the stars they were with: “Did the show invite some mysterious heavyweight guest today? A Maybach, no less! If it’s one of the invited guests today, that’s really over the top.”
In the industry, aside from flaunting wealth in private lives, there’s an unspoken rule about matching one’s status with their vehicle at events like this. For instance, if a top-tier movie star arrived in a million-dollar car and a rookie showed up in a ten-million-dollar car, the headlines would be about how the movie star is modest and the rookie is overly flashy.
So, the assistant went over the list of today’s guests and couldn’t think of anyone who’d be so clueless as to bring a Maybach. Upon hearing this, some lively personalities rolled down the window to take a look, only to see the program’s director personally walking over to greet the vehicle. Subconsciously, they started straightening their clothes, wondering if they should get out to say hello.
However, before they even got up from their seats, they saw a man in black sunglasses step out of the car. His outfit and demeanor exuded the aura of a bodyguard. After getting out, he walked to the rear door of the vehicle and opened it.
Several individuals who were observing the situation outside decided to first take a look and figure out which heavyweight personality had arrived before heading down to greet them. To their surprise, what stepped out of the car was a Samoyed dressed in a panda-themed outfit and carrying a limited-edition winter black bag that was newly released this year. Bringing a dog to a show recording? Wait, this episode’s theme is about dogs. But a dog decked out in such luxury? Unless it’s a counterfeit, that bag would cost at least six figures. However, for someone who can afford to drive a Maybach, a six-figure bag is nothing—it’s unlikely they’d carry a fake one and risk embarrassment.
As they craned their necks to see who would step out next, the bodyguard simply shut the car door, and the car drove off to the side.
???
Where is the person? Were their eyes playing tricks on them?
By now, some of them had already figured things out and stepped out of their RVs. With smiles on their faces, they approached and crouched slightly, saying, “This must be Little Pudding! So adorable and so well-dressed in that little panda outfit—absolutely adorable!”
Zuo Ning was delighted to see the person approaching. It was his favorite domestic host, someone he’d been watching since childhood. He’d been a fan since he was seven or eight years old. Back then, the host was still young, only in his early twenties. Now, the host was in their thirties. Seeing this living memory of his childhood, Zuo Ning couldn’t help but throw himself onto the host.
His childhood idol—alive, thinner than they appeared on TV, smelling lovely, with a warm smile. Truly deserving of their reputation as a host with zero negative reviews in the industry!
Lai Yang gently patted the dog’s head with a warm smile. Though his busy work schedule had prevented him from owning a pet, he found himself utterly defenseless against these adorable creatures. However, he had heard that Little Pudding was unlike most dogs, being very aloof toward strangers. On previous filming sets, it only showed closeness to Chu Hang and avoided everyone else. Lai Yang had originally come over out of courtesy to say hello, knowing that while Little Pudding’s owner wasn’t present, it would be unwise to risk offending the dog—who knew if the owner might hold a grudge in their heart if their pet was neglected?
Unexpectedly, he seemed to have a natural affinity for pets, as Little Pudding appeared to take a liking to him.
When Chu Hang, seated in another nanny van, noticed Little Pudding’s arrival, he quickly came over as well. Seeing how close Little Pudding was to Lai Yang, he was somewhat surprised. “Looks like Little Pudding really likes Teacher Lai. I’ve never seen it act so friendly toward a stranger.”
Lai Yang, clearly delighted, chuckled, “What a sweet little one. It seems we have a connection.”
Soon, others from the nearby vehicles also began gathering, as the director had announced that filming could begin. Chu Hang took hold of Little Pudding’s leash and moved outside the camera’s view, waiting for his cue to appear. He wasn’t part of the regular cast, merely a special guest for this episode.
Joining him were two other members from different productions—a man and a woman—each also walking a dog. Zuo Ning glanced at them: one was a bold and energetic Poodle, and the other was a Shiba Inu that resembled a walking meme. Both dogs tried to approach him for a sniff. Zuo Ning, disliking such a greeting style, growled at them fiercely, “No sniffing allowed!”
The Shiba Inu tilted its head and looked at him as if thinking, “So fierce and unfriendly.”
Meanwhile, the silly Poodle kept trying to get closer. “You smell so nice. Such a lovely scent.”
Zuo Ning dodged the persistent Poodle and snapped, “I said no sniffing! Go away, or I’ll bite you!”
Noticing that Little Pudding didn’t seem to like the approaching Poodle, Chu Hang crouched down, pulled Little Pudding into his arms to soothe it, and gently pushed the Poodle away. “Go back to your owner, good dog.”
The Poodle was being walked by a young celebrity, a rising star with significant online popularity. This time, he played a relatively important role in a movie and was personally requested by the reality show production team. Seeing how much Little Pudding disdained the Poodle, he pulled his dog back and joked, “Alright, come back here quickly. Look at how much they dislike you—keep approaching, and you might get bitten!”
Zuo Ning turned to look at the young man. He was a singer-turned-actor who recently starred in a TV series and a movie, amassing a massive fanbase. He had a particularly delicate, handsome appearance with sweet dimples when he smiled, attracting an army of fans ranging from “mom” fans to “wife” and “girlfriend” fans and even some obsessive admirers. Originally, Zuo Ning felt neutral about him—not a fan nor a detractor—but hearing his comment now, for some reason, it rubbed him the wrong way.
Chu Hang stayed crouched, half-hugging Little Pudding and gently stroking it, while a female celebrity walking the Shiba Inu laughed to mediate. “Who knows what activities we’ll have today? None of us own these dogs, so if they get rowdy and we can’t handle them, it’ll be tough.”
He Cheng chuckled. “Don’t worry, the program provided these dogs. Their owners are in the workroom over there, so there shouldn’t be any major problems.”
The woman smiled and then crouched down to bond with the little Shiba Inu. She rarely disliked pets like this and was immediately drawn to the furry bundle. She wanted nothing more than to hold and cuddle it. Looking at how obedient these little ones were, she couldn’t help but wish she could own one herself—if only her hectic work schedule, with endless travel year-round, didn’t make it impossible.
After finishing his reassurance, He Cheng casually remarked to Chu Hang, “But Brother Hang, your dog wasn’t provided by the program, and its owner isn’t here. You’d better be careful—it seems to have a rather feisty temperament.”
Chu Hang stood up, looked at He Cheng, and curved his lips into a smile. “Don’t worry. If this little one really causes any trouble, the entire production team might have to apologize to its owner.”
The female celebrity, who had only debuted a few years ago and had only recently started gaining popularity, was far less well-known than the two before her. So, she simply stood to the side, pretending not to hear anything. He Cheng, on the other hand, maintained his smile as though he didn’t catch the underlying meaning in Chu Hang’s words. What he truly thought, though, was something only he would know.
Hearing Chu Hang’s comment, Zuo Ning finally understood why the earlier remark had sounded a bit off—there had been subtle jabs hidden in the words. However, Zuo Ning couldn’t help but wonder why Chu Hang always seemed to attract such tension. In the past, he’d already been dragged into some drama while on set, and now it seemed someone else was also not too fond of him.
However, Zuo Ning didn’t know the whole story; in this case, he unfairly blamed Chu Hang. The matter actually stemmed from Zuo Ning himself. He Cheng, after all, was a top-tier star, the type who could make headlines just by changing his hairstyle. In the industry, he was used to being flattered and was part of a leading talent agency—a powerhouse company. As one of their most profitable artists, He Cheng received the lion’s share of resources. The company could provide most of the things he wanted.
For a reality show as popular as this one, He Cheng naturally wanted to generate more buzz and attention. When he heard that the production team had specifically invited a dog that had starred in two movies, He Cheng assumed it wouldn’t be a problem to pair himself with that dog. After all, it was just a dog, and given his influence in the industry, he thought the production team would have no objections to his request.
However, at the last moment, his agent informed him that the dog had already been assigned to Chu Hang.
Though He Cheng had made a couple of veiled remarks, he wasn’t foolish enough to push further. He knew exactly who the dog belonged to, and he had heard some rumors within the industry. Allegedly, Chu Hang had a very good relationship with the prominent Lu family’s young master. It was said that the first major production under the Lu family’s newly established entertainment company featured Chu Hang as the lead actor. Even though He Cheng knew that certain actions were unwise, he sometimes couldn’t control his temper. Still, he managed not to overstep—knowing when to stop was enough.
Chu Hang decided not to argue further. After all, they had a full day of filming ahead together. However, young people these days are truly something else. No wonder people said that, in the past, the entertainment industry was about actors and singers, but now it is about celebrities.
When the music started, it was their cue to enter. According to their ranking, Chu Hang was naturally positioned in the middle. However, since there was a girl among them, the arrangement had the two guys flanking her on either side as they walked in together.
Zuo Ning noticed the well-behaved Poodle walking alongside He Cheng and suddenly said, “Qiu Qiu, run! There’s meat ahead!”
The Poodle, named Qiu Qiu, immediately bolted forward, almost soaring through the air. Yet, what Zuo Ning had expected to happen didn’t occur. He had thought He Cheng would be caught off guard and stumble as the dog pulled on the leash. But to his surprise, He Cheng seemed to be perpetually alert to the dog’s potential misbehavior, keeping the leash tightly in hand.
As the Poodle lunged forward, He Cheng instinctively tightened his grip on the leash, attempting to reel it back. However, the dog’s momentum was so strong that it almost seemed to be flying before it was abruptly yanked back mid-air, landing with a splat on the ground.
Zuo Ning winced, feeling pain on behalf of the dog from the fall. He looked up at He Cheng and noticed his completely indifferent reaction, which instantly turned Zuo Ning’s gaze cold. Clearly, He Cheng wasn’t a dog lover.
Watching the dazed Poodle struggle back to its feet, half-shake its fur, and then be pulled forward again, Zuo Ning felt a bit guilty. He had only intended to mess with He Cheng but had ended up causing the dog to take an innocent tumble. Never mind—he resolved to share some of his lunch with the dog later as compensation.
Seeing Qiu Qiu get up and attempt to dash forward again, Zuo Ning quickly called out, “Don’t run anymore, the meat’s gone.”
The Poodle looked at Zuo Ning in confusion, standing there blankly as if it had forgotten to move, before being dragged forward again by He Cheng holding the leash. “Huh…” it seemed to wonder, “Where’s the meat? Who ate it?”
Zuo Ning couldn’t help but twitch his lips. “No idea. Maybe it’s the humans up ahead.”
As they moved forward, the group began exchanging pleasantries, but the Poodle and Shiba Inu became uncontrollable, rubbing up against everyone in turn. This, in turn, prompted the other dogs to follow suit, jumping onto people one after another, despite their handlers trying to hold them back. The scene quickly descended into chaos. By contrast, standing quietly to the side, Zuo Ning appeared especially aloof and composed.
A few people laughed and commented on how much the dogs seemed to like them. Zuo Ning silently turned his head, thinking that the intelligence of dogs truly varies greatly. Compared to this chaos, Lang Ya and Fu Na—two military dogs he had interacted with before—were by far the smartest. Military dogs really deserve praise!
Filming a reality show with a group of dogs was undoubtedly a challenge, but if executed well, it could certainly deliver plenty of laughs. There were many rumors claiming that modern reality shows were scripted and featured manufactured personas. Zuo Ning believed the part about personas. Maybe at first, the celebrities were allowed to act naturally, but as their charming quirks gained fans, they started carefully cultivating their personas.
However, as for scripted content, Zuo Ning—who enjoyed shows simply for their entertainment—could never notice it. Only when netizens later exposed details with screenshots did he realize. Oh, so that’s how it was. Wow, it actually works like this.
Now that it was his turn to be on the show, he kept his eyes wide open, curious to see what a reality show script was really like.
To his surprise, there was a script, but it only outlined the general flow. The specific content of each segment was left to the participants to work out themselves. However, there were plenty of retakes, so even though the final broadcast was only an hour and a half, the filming process was an all-day ordeal.
By the time Zuo Ning finished recording the show, the sky was completely dark. Not just the celebrities, even their dogs were utterly exhausted. It was no wonder that when watching the edited versions of some reality shows, it often seemed like the stars were performing more than genuinely having fun. If they weren’t putting on a show, they’d probably just want to collapse and rest—after all, staying energetic all day long is truly a feat.
When Zuo Ning was led out of the park by Chu Hang, a bodyguard immediately stepped forward to take the dog. It was then that Zuo Ning found out that Lu Chenghe had come straight from work and had been waiting in the car for over two hours. In an instant, Zuo Ning transformed into a little cannonball, dashing toward Lu Chenghe’s car like a whirlwind. The bodyguard barely grabbed hold of the leash before it was yanked free.
Seeing the white figure sprinting toward him, Lu Chenghe opened the car door, only to be greeted by a little cannonball that leaped right into his arms.
Stroking Little Pudding, whose tail was wagging so vigorously it was almost a blur, Lu Chenghe smiled faintly. “Had fun today?”
Zuo Ning let out a soft whimper, prompting Lu Chenghe to raise an eyebrow. “Not happy?”
Zuo Ning clung to Lu Chenghe, kicking his legs as he tried to climb higher up.
With practiced ease, Lu Chenghe scooped him up and placed him on his lap, carefully examining his four paws. Aside from being a bit dirty, they were fine—no injuries. It seemed that the clothes and backpack had been taken off for convenience during the games. His fur had been groomed to some extent; while slightly dusty, it wasn’t too bad.
Zuo Ning rested his head on Lu Chenghe’s shoulder and let out a deep sigh. Finally, he could go home. Supporting the family was just too exhausting.
Lu Chenghe chuckled as he patted Little Pudding in his arms. How much fun had he been having to end up this tired?
Seeing Chu Hang standing not far away, Lu Chenghe patted Little Pudding’s head and placed him on a nearby chair before getting out of the car to greet him personally.
To be honest, Chu Hang was a bit flattered. No matter how Lu Chenghan felt about him, Chu Hang couldn’t be certain that the entire Lu family would accept him. Now that Lu Chenghe was approaching, he didn’t need to worry about whether taking the initiative to greet him would seem too presumptuous.
As the man approached under the moonlight, Chu Hang couldn’t help but marvel inwardly. The genes of the Lu family were truly something else—each member was so handsome it was hard not to feel inadequate in comparison. “Mr. Lu, hello. Thank you so much for Little Pudding’s guest appearance today; it was a great help. It must have been tiring.”
Lu Chenghe smiled, his slightly deep voice carrying a unique magnetism. “No need to be so formal. Just call me Chenghe. When you have time, feel free to come to our home with my elder brother for a meal.”
Hearing this, Chu Hang understood that the Lu family’s second young master had accepted him, and his smile deepened even further. “Sure, I’ll take you up on that invitation.”
Lu Chenghe nodded and, noticing Chu Hang’s nanny van pulling up, said, “Then I’ll take Little Pudding home now. See you.”
Chu Hang smiled. “Alright, take care on the way. This episode will air next weekend—you should watch it. Little Pudding performed exceptionally well today.”
After bidding each other farewell, Lu Chenghe got back into the car, and the little rascal with dirty paws immediately climbed onto him. Lu Chenghe unbuttoned his coat, and the little one instantly cozied up to him, insisting on snuggling in his arms before settling down.
As he petted Little Pudding’s fur, Lu Chenghe asked in a soft voice, “Did you eat anything you weren’t supposed to outside today?”
When filming shows involving dogs, small treats are often used to encourage obedience. However, Lu Chenghe didn’t like letting Little Pudding eat random snacks from outside. Today, he had even instructed the bodyguard to bring a box of specially made dried meat treats, just in case. Despite these preparations, he still worried that Little Pudding might eat something he shouldn’t.
Zuo Ning let out a soft whimper, as if to say that he hadn’t eaten anything inappropriate—he was a very disciplined dog.
Lu Chenghe chuckled. “Really that well-behaved?”
“Woof!” Zuo Ning responded enthusiastically, indicating he was especially good!
Lu Chenghe continued, “Since you’ve been so good, what kind of reward would you like?”
Hearing this, Zuo Ning immediately turned over, lying on his back and gazing up at Lu Chenghe with a slightly shy expression. He raised his paws to his face—clearly asking for a kiss.
Amused by the gesture, Lu Chenghe pinched one of his paws. He had no idea where this little thing had learned such behavior. If he kissed the spot the paw had touched, Little Pudding would likely explode with joy.
Tapping the dog’s nose, Lu Chenghe said, “You little dirty dog. I’ll reward you after we go home and clean you up.”
Zuo Ning let out an excited bark, as if to say, “A bath together? That sounds good to me!”
So cute! Thank you for the chapter!