Zuo Ning carefully opened each of his red envelopes, looking at the bed covered in festive red packets, his eyes squinting with joy. He used his paws to feel the thickness of each one—some were thin, while others were so thick they could barely fit in the envelope. These were his spoils of war. He hadn’t expected Lu Chenghe’s extended family to be so numerous and generous.
That day, Lu Chenghe took him to visit his grandfather. To Zuo Ning’s surprise, Lu Chenghe directly held his paw and had him give New Year’s greetings to his grandfather. Overjoyed, the elderly man with a head full of white hair immediately handed over a large red envelope, saying it was for him. Seeing this, the other elders and younger relatives in Lu Chenghe’s grandfather’s family also took out red envelopes for him. By the end of the day, the small bag he had brought was overflowing.
Satisfied, Zuo Ning rolled around on the bed full of red envelopes. Then, he pushed a beautifully crafted small box from his kennel to the bedside and began tossing the red envelopes into it one by one.
The small box was specially bought for him by Lu Chenghe. It was silver-white, with intricate floral patterns carved into it, perfectly square in shape, and equipped with a delicate little lock. Once all the red envelopes were inside, the box was already half full. Although Zuo Ning really wanted to open each one to see how much money was inside, his paws made it inconvenient. However, Lu Chenghe had said that all of it belonged to him, so he was determined to store it properly.
The key point was that even Lu Chenghe didn’t know how much was in there. Zuo Ning thought that if he ever managed to fulfill his wish of becoming human, this stash of red envelope money might just become his new life fund. For now, he had to keep it safe and couldn’t let Lu Chenghe organize it for him.
So, Zuo Ning painstakingly pushed aside the mountain of toys, shoved the box of red envelopes into the innermost part, and piled the toys back on top. After finishing all this, he was utterly exhausted, like a dog.
Glancing at the time, he saw that there was still a while before Lu Chenghe got off work. Zuo Ning thought for a moment and decided to investigate the girl named Ren Shishi. After all, as the saying goes, “Know your enemy, and you’ll never lose a battle.”
Perhaps because Lu Chenghe had gone to work, that Ren Shishi stayed obediently by Mother Lu’s side without coming over. It could also be that, as someone new, she felt it would be too abrupt to do anything excessive right away, so she was simply waiting for the right moment.
Zuo Ning decided to take a closer look at what kind of person this girl was, both in public and behind closed doors. Wearing his dog disguise, who knows—he might uncover a few hidden secrets.
Zuo Ning trotted down the back corridor. Having lived in this house for half a year now, he was thoroughly familiar with all the routes, whether it was places he should or shouldn’t visit. The only place in the entire house he hadn’t set foot in was likely the underground wine cellar. It was locked by the butler. The last time he tried to sneak in after the butler, he was coldly blocked at the door.
But that didn’t matter. One day, every nook and cranny of this house would bear his pawprints!
As he wandered over to where Mother Lu was, he saw her sitting in the living room chatting with the girl. Zuo Ning carefully crawled forward, trying to eavesdrop in case they were plotting some elaborate scheme to seduce Lu Chenghe.
After all, he was all too familiar with this kind of scene. During the time when the scandal about Eldest brother Lu’s broke out, Mother Lu and the eldest brother’s mother had spent their days discussing how to straighten out her son or force Chu Hang to give up. Though those plans had proved completely ineffective, and now they seemed to have reached a state of mutual non-interference.
Still, Zuo Ning’s alarm bells went off immediately. He had to listen closely. Sure enough, he heard Mother Lu talking about Lu Chenghe.
“And here’s this one—this is a photo of him skiing when he was seven. That was the first time we took him to the slopes. He was such a serious little boy, like a miniature adult. It was only because his father unceremoniously pushed him down the slope that we managed to get this kind of photo.”
As soon as Zuo Ning heard about the photos, he stopped hiding and darted out, jumping onto the sofa and seating himself right between the two women. He looked at the photos spread across the sofa. In the photo was a boy wearing ski gear and goggles, sprawled awkwardly in the snow. Although it was impossible to tell it was Lu Chenghe, since his face was completely covered, the thought that Lu Chenghe had once been set up by his dad to have such an embarrassing photo taken made Zuo Ning want to laugh.
Mother Lu saw that Little Pudding had run over unexpectedly, so she scooped him up in her arms and stroked his fur. “Little darling, why are you coming over today? Usually, you don’t want to come over even when I try to pull you. Is it because you know there’s a young lady here and you want to play with her?”
As she spoke, she turned to Ren Shishi, who was quietly looking at the photos, and said, “I haven’t introduced you yet—this is Little Pudding. I adopted him previously, but later Chenghe took over caring for him. This is Chenghe’s first pet, so he’s especially attached to it.”
The underlying meaning of her words was clear—she hoped Ren Shishi would like Little Pudding as well. After all, if the two of them ended up together in the future, it wouldn’t be ideal for disagreements to arise over a pet. With Chenghe’s personality, unless he encountered a true love who could make him compromise and repeatedly adjust his boundaries, he would never abandon Little Pudding for a merely suitable partner.
Mother Lu also understood how difficult it was to find true love these days, especially with her son’s picky nature. It might even be hard for him to find a woman he thought was “just okay”. Her son had such excellent qualities—handsome from a young age—and yet, for all these years, she hadn’t seen him experience any early romances.
Back then, she used to worry endlessly about the possibility of a pregnant woman showing up at her doorstep one day, demanding her son take responsibility and causing chaos in the household. But as the years passed, she realized that such household chaos would actually be a blessing.
Ren Shishi, of course, caught the subtext of Mother Lu’s words, but she merely smiled softly and replied, “Little Pudding is very cute.”
The more Mother Lu looked at this girl, the more she liked her—graceful, composed, and not at all restless. Nowadays, there are very few young women in their twenties who could remain so grounded. Her son needed a virtuous companion, not the kind of troublemaker seen in those melodramatic TV dramas. However, if her son were to truly fall for someone—even a troublemaker—she would accept it. But alas, he hadn’t, so she had no choice but to personally select a suitable match for him.
As Zuo Ning perked up his ears to listen to their conversation, he busied himself with flipping through Lu Chenghe’s childhood photos using his paws. Truly, young Lu Chenghe looked so fresh and adorable that he seemed almost irresistible—like someone you’d want to take a playful bite out of.
Mother Lu, seeing Little Pudding seriously looking through the album, couldn’t help but chuckle. “Little Pudding, have you recognized your master in these photos? Look at your master as a child—wasn’t he just as handsome as he is now?”
Zuo Ning barked happily at Mother Lu, “Woof!”—exceptionally handsome.
Lu Chenghe’s childhood photos were abundant, but Mother Lu didn’t bring out too many albums. She only took out two and flipped through them with Ren Shishi, while sharing anecdotes about Lu Chenghe’s various preferences. At that moment, Mother Lu no longer resembled a wealthy matriarch but simply a regular mother, worrying about her son’s future and significant life choices.
As Zuo Ning listened, his initial joy from seeing Lu Chenghe’s childhood photos gradually gave way to melancholy. Mother Lu held high expectations for a daughter-in-law and grandchildren, which meant that even if Zuo Ning did someday transform into a human, he and Lu Chenghe would still be impossible. The thought tugged painfully at his heart. Why did fate lead him to Lu Chenghe? Just as he had fully embraced his new identity, why did it have to show him that he might have the chance to become human again? It was as if the heavens were cruelly playing with him.
Lost in these bittersweet thoughts, Zuo Ning suddenly snapped back when Mother Lu stood up. “The desserts I made should be ready soon. Let me go check. I made them myself, so you two should eat plenty later.”
Ren Shishi smiled and nodded.
Seeing Mother Lu heading to the kitchen, Zuo Ning finally looked at the girl. He deliberately paced back and forth beside her, playfully swiping his tail against her arm. If this girl dared to mistreat him while the hosts were absent, Zuo Ning swore he’d report her to Lu Chenghe the moment he returned!
After all, isn’t this exactly how villains in TV dramas behave? The malicious supporting actress sneaking in—oh, come on, here’s your chance, the living room is empty. Do whatever you want—pull his tail, tug his fur, or even kick his belly—Zuo Ning could endure it all. But if she did absolutely nothing, how could he have anything to complain about to Lu Chenghe?
Ren Shishi glanced at the Samoyed pacing on the sofa beside her. Its thick white fur gleamed beautifully, and its elegant posture almost exuded a noble aura. It was easy to tell this dog was Lu Chenghe’s treasured companion, lovingly cared for and allowed to roam the entire house unconfined by any restrictions.
However, Ren Shishi didn’t like dogs. She disliked these creatures that wag their tails in submission before humans. Although both cats and dogs are fragile pets dependent on humans for survival, cats possess a prideful demeanor—one that compels their owners to bow down before their feet in reverence.
Dogs, on the other hand, will beg for affection just for a bit of food, enthusiastically wagging their tails at their benefactors. With mere scraps, they’ll offer loyalty, even dedicating their entire being to humans. It was pitiful—too humbling, too sorrowful.
Despite her dislike, Ren Shishi merely felt indifferent toward dogs, not outright aversion. So when the little one named Little Pudding brushed against her, she didn’t bother paying it much attention and continued focusing on the photo albums Mother Lu had brought out.
Regarding this matchmaking maneuver by elders, Ren Shishi felt a deep sense of rejection. But in life, many things aren’t up to her to decide. As someone who lived under another’s roof, she could only comply with and follow the wishes of the elders. If fate granted her the opportunity to marry a good man—even if they weren’t deeply in love—so long as mutual respect prevailed, she would be content. If fate wasn’t in her favor, she could only accept that outcome.
Fortunately, Lu Chenghe seemed like a good person, at least very gentlemanly. Mother Lu, too, was kind and easygoing, not difficult to get along with. However, none of these choices were up to her.
Soon, Mother Lu came back, followed by a servant carrying a tray of small cakes. She immediately scooped Little Pudding into her arms and handed one cake to Ren Shishi. “Try this. Don’t worry; all the ingredients were specially prepared by Chenghe. Little Pudding loves sweets, but he’s worried that eating too much might harm its health, so even the ingredients we use for desserts at home are very healthy. You can eat as much as you like without gaining weight.”
Ren Shishi smiled and thanked her, then used a spoon to take a bite of the fluffy cake. The sweet, soft texture melted in her mouth, carrying the natural fragrance of real ingredients that surpassed anything store-bought. “It’s delicious, Auntie. Your cooking is truly amazing.”
Nothing pleased Mother Lu more than having her cooking appreciated, and hearing this, her smile grew even brighter. She liked girls who ate heartily and enjoyed their food. Nowadays, too many young women avoid eating this or that to stay in shape, which just takes away her own appetite when watching them.
Only at Mother Lu’s could Zuo Ning eat more of the treats that Lu Chenghe usually wouldn’t let him touch. He’d even have to do so behind Lu Chenghe’s back—otherwise, he’d inevitably get scolded. By the time Ren Shishi finished her first serving, Zuo Ning had already eaten three. When his gaze once again landed on the tray, Mother Lu ordered the servant to take it away. “That’s enough for you. If I let you eat any more, I’ll have to take the blame for it later.”
Zuo Ning licked his lips and sat with composed dignity—he refused to embarrass himself in front of this girl.
Mother Lu, having expected the little rascal to throw a fuss, was pleasantly surprised by his good behavior. She patted his head and praised, “Little Pudding has grown up—getting more and more sensible.”
After finishing afternoon tea, Mother Lu decided to go upstairs to rest for a while. Ren Shishi mentioned she wanted to go out to the yard to do some painting. Naturally, Zuo Ning felt it was his duty to supervise her—he couldn’t risk giving her any chance to act suspiciously. The estate was so large that no one knew which part of the yard she meant.
Initially, Zuo Ning assumed Ren Shishi was just making an excuse to gradually approach Lu Chenghe’s side of the house. To his surprise, she really did take her easel and head even farther away from Lu Chenghe, moving toward the area closer to the conservatory. That spot indeed had beautiful scenery and was perfect for painting.
Watching Ren Shishi sitting in front of her canvas, mixing colors, Zuo Ning circled around her several times. The more he looked, the more he felt Mother Lu’s judgment was spot-on. This girl was truly beautiful—someone who, back in his school days, would definitely have been a “campus goddess”. Though Zuo Ning himself had been fairly handsome at the time, he only reached the level of a “department heartthrob”, far from a “school heartthrob”. Consequently, he hadn’t encountered many stunning girls back then.
Who would have thought that now, as a transformed human surrounded by beauties, every girl he met would be breathtaking? But unfortunately, before all of this, Lu Chenghe had already turned his preferences, leaving Zuo Ning sighing over the missed opportunity.
Her upright posture and her focused gaze while sketching on the canvas made Zuo Ning feel truly captivated. Even though the girl wasn’t enthusiastic toward him, she hadn’t done anything sneaky behind anyone’s back either, leaving Zuo Ning feeling rather defeated. He couldn’t find any faults to report to Lu Chenghe. He couldn’t falsely accuse her of anything, could he?
Noticing a bag behind Ren Shishi with several canvases fixed to a board-like structure, Zuo Ning ran over. Seeing that Ren Shishi remained fully immersed in painting and oblivious to him, Zuo Ning dragged out one of the canvases from the bag. Even the rustling sound didn’t make Ren Shishi turn around. Zuo Ning hesitated, debating whether he should cause some trouble.
Most people’s temperaments can be concealed. As long as there’s no trigger, everyone appears to have a great temper. Like in the posts and videos Zuo Ning had seen, where pet owners sweetly called their dogs “baby” and “darling”. But when their dogs destroyed something at home, those same owners were ready to stew them in a pot out of frustration. After all, Zuo Ning was only messing up a few blank canvases—not completed artworks. If Ren Shishi lost her temper over that, it would prove her bad temperament, making her entirely unsuitable for Lu Chenghe.
After a moment of hesitation, Zuo Ning decided to take the initiative and act.
When Lu Chenghe returned home, he didn’t see the little cannonball that usually came charging at him from inside the house. Frowning slightly, he asked the butler, “Where’s Little Pudding?”
The butler replied, “He went to play with Madam this afternoon and hasn’t come back yet. Earlier, some of the staff saw him with Miss Ren over by the conservatory.”
Lu Chenghe’s hand froze mid-motion as he unfastened his shirt button. With a slight furrow of his brow, he turned and headed toward the conservatory. He didn’t know much about Ren Shishi, only that she was a niece from his aunt’s side of the family. Due to some issues in her family, she had been living at his uncle’s house for the past few years.
He had no idea what kind of person she was. Allowing her to stay at the Lu household was merely to keep his mother happy, but that didn’t mean he was okay with her getting close to Little Pudding.
However, when Lu Chenghe arrived at the conservatory, he realized he hadn’t been worried enough. While he knew that, within the house, a sensible person wouldn’t do anything openly harmful, it was still possible for someone to feed Little Pudding unhealthy treats in an attempt to win his affection.
However, when Lu Chenghe arrived at the conservatory and saw Little Pudding, he found the dog covered in paint, enthusiastically stamping paw prints all over a canvas. Lu Chenghe could barely contain his anger. “Little Pudding!”
Hearing the voice, Ren Shishi snapped out of her painting trance. Upon seeing him, she immediately stood up. “Mr. Lu.”
Though furious, Lu Chenghe held back his temper and glanced at her before stepping forward to grab the mischievously frolicking Little Pudding.
Following his gaze, Ren Shishi saw the scene clearly—the ground was scattered with canvases, the spare paint in her bag had been opened and squeezed everywhere, and the canvases were covered in an array of dog paw prints. The Samoyed itself was filthy, its once-pristine white fur now a mess.
Ren Shishi’s heart sank. Since she frequently painted outdoors, often with onlookers around her, she had gotten used to focusing entirely on her work, tuning out any distractions. As long as no one directly spoke to her, she could immerse herself in her art, oblivious to everything around her. Thus, she hadn’t noticed Little Pudding playing with her paint and canvases behind her.
Zuo Ning, upon seeing Lu Chenghe arrive, was initially excited and ready to run over to him. Time had flown so quickly—he hadn’t realized Lu Chenghe had already finished work. But when he saw the sheer fury in Lu Chenghe’s gaze, one that seemed to promise dire consequences, Zuo Ning immediately shrank back. Out of the corner of his eye, he took in the chaotic mess he had made—the ruined ground, disordered canvases, and his own disastrous appearance—and finally realized what he had done.
Just as Zuo Ning was about to extend a paw and put on a pitiful act of fake crying, he glanced at his own paw and felt immediate regret, wishing he could cut it off. He quickly pulled it back, whining softly: “Aoo woo woo…” Don’t be mad. This is paint, not oil—it’s easy to clean.
Ren Shishi also sensed Lu Chenghe’s anger and nervously said, “I’m sorry. I didn’t notice. From now on, I’ll make sure to pack everything away so Little Pudding won’t get to it again.”
Lu Chenghe’s icy gaze fell on the woman. He knew it wasn’t entirely her fault, but could he blame a dog that didn’t understand anything? Now wasn’t the time to argue about it. He simply said coldly, “Miss Ren, please take better care of your belongings in the future.”
Without another word, he scooped up the paint-covered Little Pudding and strode off. His long legs carried him quickly toward the house, where he immediately instructed the butler to call Dr. Wen. Without pausing, he headed upstairs to the bathroom, tossed Little Pudding into the tub, and turned on the water to rinse him off.
Zuo Ning obediently let him wash him, but he couldn’t help wondering—why call a doctor? Was Lu Chenghe worried he’d eaten something? Impossible. He wasn’t that foolish.
But Lu Chenghe seemed to think otherwise. As he ran the water, he pried open Zuo Ning’s mouth. “Open up. Let me see if you’ve eaten anything you shouldn’t.”
Zuo Ning quickly opened his mouth wide for Lu Chenghe to inspect. It was clean—no trace of paint whatsoever.
Even so, Lu Chenghe, still furious, smacked Zuo Ning’s rear hard. This time, it wasn’t a light tap meant to scare him—it was a real, forceful slap. Zuo Ning stared at Lu Chenghe in stunned disbelief.
“You’ll play with anything, won’t you? Your courage is getting out of hand! Do you know how dangerous that stuff is? If you’d eaten the paint, do you realize how serious it could’ve been?”
Feeling wronged, Zuo Ning slumped against the edge of the tub. Of course, he hadn’t eaten the paint. He’d even used his claws to open it, ensuring none of it got near his mouth.
Lu Chenghe grabbed his face and made him look directly at him. “You really didn’t eat any of it?”
Zuo Ning let out a soft whimper, insisting he hadn’t eaten anything.
Lu Chenghe felt a wave of relief. Although Little Pudding loved food, he wasn’t the type to bite into everything indiscriminately. Even with his toys, he preferred using his paws to play rather than chewing on them like other dogs. So when Lu Chenghe saw Little Pudding messing with paint, he was genuinely alarmed. He feared the dog might have bitten open the paint tubes with his mouth. If that had been the case, he wouldn’t have gotten so angry.
To ensure Little Pudding learned his lesson, Lu Chenghe grabbed his ear and threatened, “If you dare touch those things again, I’ll give you a proper spanking—hard enough to make you remember!”
Zuo Ning looked at Lu Chenghe with a defeated expression, not even daring to struggle against the grip on his ear. All he had wanted was to test Ren Shishi’s temper and boundaries, yet somehow he had triggered Lu Chenghe’s fiery temper instead. This wasn’t how his script was supposed to play out. Woo woo wooo.
