For a man with hotels and resorts scattered across the globe, the last thing he lacks is a place to stay. Zuo Ning thought that Lu Chenghe would undoubtedly head straight to one of his hotels at this hour. Unexpectedly, the car that came to pick them up drove directly to a villa area. Looking at the brightly lit house before them, Zuo Ning initially assumed Lu Chenghe planned to stay at a friend’s place, but it turned out this was one of Lu Chenghe’s properties in Andu.
Presumably, when Lu Chenghe decided to stay in Andu, the bodyguards contacted someone to tidy up the house. Upon entering, the air was filled with a faint, pleasant fragrance. The floor heating system was turned on entirely. Once the door was shut, it blocked out the harsh, cold wind and snowstorm outside, making the house incredibly warm.
Lu Chenghe placed Little Pudding on the floor, watching him run straight to the carpet, stomp a few times, and then lie down to warm up as if he were at home. Smiling, Lu Chenghe instructed someone to prepare dinner.
Qi Wei had already thoughtfully helped the bodyguards carry the luggage upstairs and chosen a guest room for himself. He hoped this snowstorm would stop soon since his dog son was still waiting for him to return home.
Watching everyone busy themselves, Zuo Ning sprawled on the warm carpet with a big yawn. When he saw Lu Chenghe walking toward him, he instinctively wagged his tail but showed no intention of getting up.
Lu Chenghe lightly tapped his forehead twice with his index finger. “Lazy thing.”
Knowing this was Lu Chenghe’s territory, Zuo Ning evidently relaxed significantly, twisting his posture on the carpet into various shapes. However, the carpet here wasn’t as comfortable as the one at home. The carpet at home had long fibers; when he stepped on it, the fluff could completely cover his paw. Unlike here, the fibers were short and looked far less cozy than at home.
Seeing Little Pudding’s paws itching to fiddle with the carpet again, Lu Chenghe slapped the back of his paw. “I just trimmed your nails—do you want me to chop off your paws?”
Zuo Ning slapped the carpet with his paw, baring his teeth at Lu Chenghe: “Awoo!” He hadn’t broken anything, so why was Lu Chenghe being so fierce?
Lu Chenghe gently pinched Zuo Ning’s mouth and shook it side to side: “Why are you yelling? Can’t I say anything to you?”
Zuo Ning placed his paws on Lu Chenghe’s hand, freeing his head from the grip, and then fiercely pounced on him, pinning Lu Chenghe down on the sofa: “Woof!” If you keep being fierce, I’ll bite you!
Lu Chenghe lay there, casually grabbing a toy from the side to tease him.
But the toy was no match for the allure of the person beneath him. Zuo Ning ignored the toy entirely, sprawling on top of Lu Chenghe, rubbing his head against Lu Chenghe’s chin, occasionally lifting his head for a kiss.
Lu Chenghe held the oversized “baby” Zuo Ning, who had just been fierce enough to seem like he could bite someone, but now transformed into a cuddly bundle of joy. He kneaded the chubby little body, uncharacteristically letting loose and playing around.
Although Lu Chenghe couldn’t make it home as planned, the lively little companion by his side made things less lonely. It didn’t seem so bad if he couldn’t make it back in time for the New Year this year.
Initially, he thought the snowstorm would ease the next day, making the weather less harsh. Even if flights were grounded, other modes of transportation might still work. However, the persistent heavy snow completely blocked the roads, making air and ground travel impossible. They could only wait for the weather to improve.
Meanwhile, a large-scale snow disaster broke out across the country, with casualties continuing to rise. The Lu Corporation had already initiated rescue measures, with aid supplies promptly sent to the frontlines. However, since Lu Chenghe was also stranded in Andu and couldn’t return to the headquarters, he had to manage affairs from the local branch office.
In the villa in Andu, apart from a chef temporarily assigned and a housekeeper for cleaning, the house was mostly empty during the day, with only Zuo Ning and a bodyguard left behind by Lu Chenghe. Everyone else accompanied Lu Chenghe on his daily commutes to the company, as the severe snowstorm had greatly impacted his hotels and resorts.
While Lu Chenghe was out working, Zuo Ning could only lie idly in the room, pondering life. The snow had briefly stopped in the morning but resumed in the afternoon. Zuo Ning lay on the warm carpet, gazing at the snowflakes dancing outside the floor-to-ceiling windows.
The TV embedded in the wall opposite the bed was broadcasting news about the snowstorm. Zuo Ning couldn’t help but sigh. While he was cozy inside, countless people outside were likely suffering. Thinking this, he rolled over, warming his back after his belly had soaked up the heat.
Out of the corner of his eye, he noticed the tablet lying quietly on the carpet. His paw twitched slightly.
He still remembered the first time he received the tablet from the butler. The feeling of bewilderment, emptiness, and even despair was overwhelming. Even though he longed for it, he was too timid to touch it, constantly telling himself not to do anything futile that would further disrupt his already chaotic life. But now, could he finally touch it?
With this thought, Zuo Ning slowly got up and dragged the tablet over with his paw. He gently tapped the small home button twice, and the tablet, which had no password set, unlocked instantly. This wasn’t the tablet from home but a new one Lu Chenghe had arranged for him after they arrived in Andu. Knowing he would be busy and worried about leaving Zuo Ning alone in an unfamiliar environment, Lu Chenghe had specially prepared it.
Looking at the brand-new tablet in front of him, Zuo Ning’s paw trembled slightly. Finally, he opened the browser. However, when faced with the input method, he was a bit puzzled. Glancing at his dog paws, he realized that pressing down resulted in a mess of characters. He tried hard to separate his paw pads, attempting for a long time but failing to isolate a single “finger” to type. In the end, he had to slowly use the soft pads of his paw tips to press the keys.
Zuo Ning struggled with the 26-key input method on the keyboard, finding it challenging to use his paw pads. After much effort, he finally adjusted to the 9-key layout, which made things a bit easier.
After painstakingly typing in the area where he had lived and his name, he saw the two familiar characters appear on the screen. His nose tingled with emotion. Staring at the magnifying glass icon beside the search bar, Zuo Ning paused for a moment, exhaling slowly before pressing it.
The web page loaded incredibly quickly, yet to Zuo Ning, the less-than-a-second process felt agonizingly long. His heart raced violently, nearly pounding out of his chest, and his entire body trembled slightly in rhythm with its beats.
When a long-outdated news article popped up on the screen, Zuo Ning felt as if his blood froze solid. Despite the warmth of the underfloor heating beneath him, he felt no trace of heat—only coldness, an all-encompassing chill that made him shiver uncontrollably.
“College Student Sacrifices Life Saving Drowning Child.” The scarlet headline pierced him like a knife, causing his heart to twist in excruciating pain, making it almost impossible to breathe.
With trembling paws, Zuo Ning clicked on the article. Two large images immediately loaded: one showing his student portrait, and the other depicting his schoolteacher and the mourning parents of the drowned child.
As Zuo Ning stared at his own familiar face now rendered in black and white, the world spun around him. The awareness that he might be dead had already been distressing, but to confirm his own death with his own eyes—it was an entirely different, more visceral and devastating experience.
Later, Lu Chenghe received a call from the household bodyguard, reporting that Little Pudding had stayed in the room all day, refusing to eat and aggressively keeping anyone from approaching. Lu Chenghe immediately delegated his current work to Qi Wei. While the snow disaster was indeed serious and some matters were troublesome to handle, Qi Wei’s abilities were sufficient to manage the situation effectively.
After finishing work early and returning home, Lu Chenghe opened the door to find Little Pudding sitting by the floor-to-ceiling window, staring blankly outside. Normally, regardless of what Little Pudding was doing, he would dash over excitedly whenever Lu Chenghe came back. But today, he didn’t even glance back.
Seeing that Little Pudding didn’t seem physically unwell, Lu Chenghe relaxed slightly. “Little Pudding,” he called out.
Zuo Ning turned to look at him briefly. Today, he was in no mood to act cute or silly; he just wanted to be alone, to fully and thoroughly come to terms with the fact that he was truly dead. So, after taking a quick look at Lu Chenghe, Zuo Ning ignored him entirely.
Lu Chenghe walked over to the carpet by the window and sat down, at a distance where he could reach out and touch Zuo Ning’s head. Even being this close, Little Pudding didn’t react, so Lu Chenghe gently stroked his fur. “What’s wrong? I’m back—won’t you come give me a hug?”
Zuo Ning silently shuffled forward a bit, just far enough out of reach to avoid being touched.
Lu Chenghe assumed this behavior meant Zuo Ning was upset about being left alone in the house. After all, to Little Pudding, this place wasn’t home and he had to face unfamiliar strangers every day. Perhaps he was constantly worried he might be abandoned. Thinking this, Lu Chenghe found the suddenly sulking Little Pudding adorably silly, though he also felt a pang of sympathy.
When Zuo Ning still refused to let him touch, Lu Chenghe scooped him up and held him in his arms. “Alright, it’s my fault—I shouldn’t have left you alone here. Don’t be mad, okay?”
Zuo Ning leaned against Lu Chenghe’s chest, staring absentmindedly at the buttons on his coat. According to Lu Chenghe’s usual habits, he liked to change into something casual when he got home. Even if he didn’t change, he would at least remove his jacket. But today, Lu Chenghe came straight up to find him without even removing his coat.
Zuo Ning stretched out his paw to toy with the buttons that were now right in front of him, but Lu Chenghe grabbed his paw and held it tightly. Then he picked Zuo Ning up, preparing to leave the room. “You haven’t eaten all day—aren’t you hungry? Let’s go have some food, alright?”
Zuo Ning struggled free from Lu Chenghe and jumped down, returning to his previous spot. Today, he didn’t want to see the dog bowl, nor did he want to eat dog food—not even the gourmet dog food that was more finely crafted than human food!
Seeing Little Pudding acting so unusually, Lu Chenghe took off his coat and threw it onto the bed, then sat on the edge of the bed, watching him. “Are you throwing a little tantrum? Did you even growl at someone today?”
Zuo Ning turned his head away, avoiding his gaze. He simply didn’t want to be disturbed and would never actually bite anyone. As a dog, if he wanted some peace and quiet, he couldn’t just say so. What else could he do but growl?
“Little Pudding, come here. Let’s talk it out properly. At least let me know why you’re upset.”
Zuo Ning hung his head, scratching at the carpet. Talk it out—he wanted to talk, too, but their worlds never aligned. It was always Lu Chenghe speaking his language and Zuo Ning speaking his own. Overcoming a language barrier was one thing, but crossing the divide of an entirely different species—how could they possibly communicate?
Seeing the little thing sitting there motionless, with an “I’m ignoring you and there’s nothing you can do about it” attitude, Lu Chenghe felt a headache coming on. It was like raising a mischievous, uncooperative child.
“Little Pudding, I know you can understand me. Come here. Let’s take it slow. Be good.”
Zuo Ning lifted his head to glance at him, then slowly shuffled over to Lu Chenghe.
Satisfied that he was at least cooperating, Lu Chenghe patted his head. “Are you upset because I left you here alone? If yes, bark once. If not, bark twice.”
Zuo Ning hesitated, debating what to do next—should he reveal something unusual about himself or continue playing dumb? Watching Lu Chenghe patiently waiting for his response, an impulsive thought surged through Zuo Ning. Why not show a little? Regardless of whether he could successfully turn back into a human, what was the harm in taking a gamble? Who knows—perhaps he’d win. Besides, he wanted to believe in Lu Chenghe. If he couldn’t trust Lu Chenghe, then who could he trust?
Looking at Lu Chenghe, Zuo Ning softly barked, “Woof, woof.”
Seeing Lu Chenghe remain entirely unfazed, it truly seemed as if he had known all along that Zuo Ning could understand his words. This eased the tension that Zuo Ning had been carrying in his heart.
Of course, it wasn’t that Lu Chenghe felt no surprise at all. He’d always known that Little Pudding was exceptionally clever. Even when he was very young, he had already shown sensitivity to language. Back then, as long as Lu Chenghe explained something to him a few times, he could understand and execute it smoothly. Although most of the time, Little Pudding would selectively listen to only what he liked or wanted to hear, pretending not to understand the rest. But this was proof that he genuinely comprehended and could distinguish meanings.
However, this marked the first time Little Pudding had so precisely demonstrated his ability to understand and interpret Lu Chenghe’s words, responding exactly as instructed.
Lu Chenghe had long believed there were pets in the world that were intelligent enough to transcend expectations. With inherent intelligence paired with training, they could accomplish remarkable things beyond human anticipation. What surprised him was that Little Pudding had always been raised freely, without any deliberate training. Since Lu Chenghe hadn’t expected much in terms of intelligence, he’d never specifically taught him anything. Yet now, Little Pudding had directly responded to his question, suggesting that his linguistic abilities were far beyond ordinary.
Ultimately, this was the furry child he had raised himself. While Little Pudding’s intelligence exceeded his expectations, Lu Chenghe was more pleased than shocked. Perhaps all those TV dramas Little Pudding watched every day weren’t wasted—maybe he truly understood them.
When Little Pudding expressed that his unhappiness wasn’t for the reason Lu Chenghe had assumed, Lu Chenghe pondered for a moment. “Then, is it because you don’t like it here and want to go home?”
Zuo Ning couldn’t possibly admit that his mood stemmed from confirming his own death, so he barked once, going along with Lu Chenghe’s explanation.
Lu Chenghe, unable to guess his dog’s inner thoughts, naturally believed him when Little Pudding responded that way. Holding the pitiful little creature in his arms, Lu Chenghe walked to the window. “Once the snow stops, we’ll go home. Look at how heavy the snow is outside—we can’t leave yet. Just be patient for another couple of days, alright?”
Zuo Ning lay on Lu Chenghe’s shoulder and responded with a single bark.
Lu Chenghe smiled. “Alright, let’s go downstairs and eat.”
Zuo Ning barked twice, “Woof, woof.”
Lu Chenghe thought their communication had cleared things up and assumed Little Pudding would eat properly now. But even then, he still refused to eat. “Why won’t you eat? Is it not tasty?”
“Woof.” It’s terrible.
Recalling how Little Pudding had once enthusiastically devoured noodles cooked by Lou Jiu, Lu Chenghe asked, “Do you want noodles?”
“Woof, woof.” No, they’re tasteless and just as bad.
Lu Chenghe was utterly defeated, not knowing what to do. He casually said, “Then what do you want to eat? My food?”
Hearing this, Zuo Ning immediately perked up. He transformed from lying limp like a soft noodle on Lu Chenghe into sitting upright excitedly. “Woof!” There’s nothing that good food can’t solve! If one meal isn’t enough, then let’s have another!
Lu Chenghe was both amused and exasperated by his reaction. He picked him up and tossed him onto the bed. “If you’re not eating, then just keep sleeping. I’m done with you.”
Zuo Ning quickly jumped down from the bed and clung to Lu Chenghe’s leg. “Woof, woof, woof, woof!” How can you go back on your word? A man must stand by what he says!
Lu Chenghe pinched his ears and said, “I think the only reason you’re acting up like this is because I’ve spoiled you rotten. If I keep this up, you’ll think you can climb to the heavens! Other people’s dogs eat whatever they’re given, but you? You expect everything to be done your way, and if it’s not to your liking, you won’t eat? Such a picky little creature.”
Despite his words of complaint, Lu Chenghe still let Little Pudding cling to his leg and dragged him downstairs. He instructed the kitchen to prepare steak for tonight’s dinner.
Satisfied, Zuo Ning sat obediently by Lu Chenghe’s side. When two steaming plates of steak were finally served, Zuo Ning’s eyes lit up instantly. Although the plate only had a simple piece of steak, without the pepper sauce or fancy presentation of Western dishes he used to eat, it was more than enough to make Zuo Ning happy.
Watching Lu Chenghe pick up his knife and fork to cut the steak, Zuo Ning scooted closer to the plate. He looked at his paw, then at the steak on the plate. It was such a big and thick piece that he definitely couldn’t finish it in one bite. He couldn’t possibly press it down with his paw to tear it apart, right? Just as he was about to try biting directly into it, Lu Chenghe stopped him.
Zuo Ning quickly looked up at Lu Chenghe, whining softly, “Awoo?” You’re not planning to go back on your word, giving me delicious food but then punishing me by not letting me eat it, are you?
Lu Chenghe tapped Zuo Ning on the head. “What’s the rush? I’m cutting it for you.”
Oh, so that plate was for him! Zuo Ning immediately sat obediently, occasionally licking his lips. He couldn’t help it—the aroma was too enticing, and his body instinctively produced saliva. He didn’t want to look so undignified, but he couldn’t control it.
When the first bite of meat entered his mouth, it was as if he had rediscovered the joy of eating human food after an eternity. How could it taste so good? The steak didn’t seem to have any additional sauces, yet it tasted better than anything he’d ever had before. The tender, springy texture and the burst of rich juices with every bite—it was so delicious it felt like he was soaring!
Having regressed to a state of limited language, Zuo Ning simply rolled his tongue around the neatly cut piece of meat. After finishing one bite, he licked his lips and gave Lu Chenghe a bright, satisfied smile.
Seeing that blissful expression, Lu Chenghe shook his head helplessly. He suddenly felt that feeding Little Pudding dog food in the past was practically a form of cruelty.
For an average human, one steak, along with some side dishes, would be enough. But this was clearly not enough for Zuo Ning’s current appetite. Even though his soul was human, his body wasn’t. That small amount of meat was barely a snack for him.
Zuo Ning patted the now-empty plate and looked at Lu Chenghe hopefully.
Lu Chenghe, however, had the kitchen bring out his dog food. The moment Zuo Ning saw it, he turned his head away and even pushed the bowl aside.
It didn’t matter how many bits of meat, vegetables, or fruit were mixed in—bad food was bad food, no matter how prettily it was presented! Seeing that Lu Chenghe didn’t seem inclined to give him anything else, Zuo Ning immediately began to howl.
“Awwoo!” Zuo Ning howled. You said you’d share your dinner with me. I’m still hungry!
Lu Chenghe continued eating from his own plate, completely unfazed.
“Aw-awwoo!” Zuo Ning whined again. Your baby is still hungry! Are you going to let your baby starve?!
Lu Chenghe pretended not to hear him, not even sparing a glance in his direction.
Realizing his howling wasn’t working, Zuo Ning rested his head on Lu Chenghe’s hand and pitifully whimpered, “Ao ao aooo…”
Lu Chenghe glanced at him sideways and asked, “How much more do you want to eat?”
Zuo Ning quickly sat up and raised his paw, trying his best to open it wide to show all five fingers. But no matter how hard he tried, he could only slightly spread his paw pads, which still just looked like a furry paw upon closer inspection.
Lu Chenghe said, “One more piece? Alright, but after this, no more fussing, okay?”
Zuo Ning panicked. One more piece? That tiny amount wouldn’t even fill the gaps between his teeth! Desperate, he held up both paws, then lifted a hind leg and pressed it on Lu Chenghe’s leg. This counts as four, right? One less plate is better than nothing.
Lu Chenghe easily understood what he meant. Seeing Zuo Ning go as far as doing math for food, he couldn’t help but chuckle. Seems like he’ll do anything when it comes to eating. He smiled and instructed the kitchen to prepare two more steaks. “Only two more. If you act up again, you won’t get even these.”
Although he didn’t manage to eat his fill, Zuo Ning was satisfied enough to stop whining. He obediently waited for the kitchen to prepare his extra steaks.
After a satisfying dinner, Zuo Ning walked with an exaggerated sway to his hips, radiating newfound energy. Although the confirmation of today’s news had left his spirits somewhat deflated, Lu Chenghe’s delicious food had healed him. After all, no matter how much sadness or regret lingered over the past, there was no turning back; better to focus on living well in the present. Besides, it seemed there might still be a chance for him to turn back into a human someday. He just didn’t know when that moment would come.
Watching the little creature walk along, bouncing like a large, fluffy marshmallow, Lu Chenghe couldn’t help but smile helplessly. Not long ago, Little Pudding had been pitifully sorrowful, as though abandoned by the whole world. Yet now, his mood had dramatically lifted, thanks to a good meal. As always, a dog’s thoughts remained inscrutable—an endless mystery.
