Wealthy Woof Chapter 63

Zuo Ning’s once-beloved toys—like the disembowelable dolls, the limited-edition luxury cars, and the pancake-shaped robot that could glide freely on the ground—have now become relics of the past. His new favorite is the VR machine in the game room.

It’s no surprise, given the full setup he’s got. The thrill of using it is simply exhilarating. So far, Zuo Ning has only dared to watch popcorn movies with it, avoiding horror films for fear of accidentally scaring himself to death. Compared to this, those 3D, 4D, or even 5D giant screens seem utterly unimpressive.

Aside from movies, Zuo Ning’s favorite is racing games. The graphics are so realistic that he often forgets he’s sitting in a chair—it feels like he’s actually in a car. The adrenaline rush makes him involuntarily shout, and the panic during crashes causes him to fling the steering wheel, often tumbling out of the gaming chair. This has led Lu Chenghe to place a thick cushion underneath him and limit his gaming time.

A piercing howl suddenly echoed. Lu Chenghe calmly tilted his head slightly and saw Little Pudding, sitting in the semi-circular chair with a helmet on, flailing his four paws in the air as if someone were choking him. The pitiful cries were even more intense than a dog-slaughtering scene.

After a particularly thrilling scene passed, Little Pudding quieted down, lying there as if his soul had been drained. But the peace didn’t last long before another round of terrifying screams erupted.

The butler knocked on the door and entered with a tray of tea and snacks. Catching a glimpse of Little Pudding watching a movie in VR, he silently stifled his laughter. Though it was rather unkind, he couldn’t help but chuckle whenever he heard Little Pudding’s frightened cries. His young master was truly carefree, not even worried about scaring the dog into a bad state.

Perhaps drawn by the aroma, Zuo Ning, who hadn’t finished the movie, tore off the helmet. The dog let out a big sigh, as if he had narrowly escaped death. He climbed down from the chair and shakily crawled over to Lu Chenghe’s side on his four paws.

Lu Chenghe sipped his tea and looked down at him. “Done playing?”

Zuo Ning rested his paws on the sofa and eyed the plate of snacks. “Woof.” Not yet. I paused it; I’ll continue later.

Unfortunately, current high-tech setups haven’t been widely adopted, so the viewing experience isn’t all that great—just a bit more realistic than 3D. Some movies, converted in post-production, even feel less convincing than video game effects. And this is with the high-end setup he’s got. If he had gone with his original plan of just buying a few-thousand-yuan headset, who knows how poor the experience would’ve been?

Still, the games are really fun. It’s just a pity he only has a pair of paws. Being able to control the steering wheel is already impressive enough for him; trying to play shooting games that require more dexterous hands is probably out of the question.

Lu Chenghe picked up a piece of cake and fed it to him. In the past, Lu Chenghe never allowed such foods, strictly controlling sugar and salt intake. However, as he gradually loosened Little Pudding’s diet, the weekly check-ups still showed good results. Apart from a slight weight increase within the normal range, his overall development was very healthy. Over time, Lu Chenghe became less strict with his dietary controls.

At the very least, Little Pudding had completely bid farewell to dog food this past week. He now ate whatever Lu Chenghe ate. Of course, to ease the transition, Lu Chenghe had been eating lighter meals during this period, almost entirely avoiding heavily flavored dishes.

Zuo Ning opened his mouth and gave a lick, curling his tongue around Lu Chenghe’s fingertips. In just two bites, the delicately sweet osmanthus-flavored cake disappeared into his belly. His eyes then darted toward the plate again.

Lu Chenghe turned his head away. “You can only have one piece today. Remember the mischief you caused yesterday?”

Zuo Ning licked his lips, his gaze starting to wander. Who told Lu Chenghe to leave the laptop on the bed? He only accidentally stepped on it. Who knew the screen would shatter so easily?

Lu Chenghe held his head still. “It’s broken, so be it. But you even tried to hide the laptop. Did you think I wouldn’t know it was you?”

Zuo Ning patted Lu Chenghe’s thigh, deploying his ultimate cuteness attack in an attempt to make Lu Chenghe let it slide. However, before he could get his wish and snag a second piece of cake, the butler, who had just left, knocked on the door again.

“Young Master,” the butler said.

Both Zuo Ning and Lu Chenghe turned to look at him.

The butler smiled warmly. “Fu Na has given birth—five puppies.”

Clinging to Lu Chenghe, Zuo Ning immediately sprang up. He had noticed Fu Na’s belly growing larger from a distance before, but while Fu Na herself seemed unfazed, Lang Ya grew more anxious by the day. Zuo Ning didn’t dare go near her—he couldn’t risk provoking a soon-to-be father dog and had chosen to steer clear.

Although he had estimated it would be within a day or two, he hadn’t expected it to happen so suddenly today.

Lu Chenghe, however, didn’t share Zuo Ning’s excitement. He simply asked, “Did you call the vet?”

The butler nodded. “When the signs started, we had already called. The vet should be arriving soon. Although it’s Fu Na’s first time giving birth, everything went smoothly. The five puppies seem to be in good condition and should all survive.”

Lu Chenghe nodded and looked at Little Pudding. “Do you want to go take a look?”

Of course, Zuo Ning wanted to go. He had grown up without ever seeing newborn puppies. However, he was also worried that approaching might trigger the protective instincts of the mother dog. He’d heard that if a newborn puppy was touched by someone, the mother might even bite the puppy to death.

Seeing Little Pudding looking a bit conflicted, Lu Chenghe naturally understood what was on his mind and picked him up. “We’ll just observe from a distance. If Fu Na and Lang Ya don’t allow us near, we’ll leave.”

Zuo Ning couldn’t help but wag his tail in excitement—five puppies! The courtyard was certainly going to be lively in the future.

When Lu Chenghe carried Little Pudding over, Wen Ting had already arrived. Since Wen Ting had only interacted with Fu Na and Lang Ya during monthly check-ups, he was essentially a stranger to them, and they refused to let him come closer.

But when they saw Lu Chenghe approaching, Lang Ya didn’t show much resistance. Although still somewhat cautious, he was noticeably more receptive.

Worried that Lang Ya might act protectively, Zuo Ning hurriedly said to him, “Lang Ya, don’t be afraid. We’re just here to check on Fu Na and see if everything is fine or if she needs anything. Don’t be hostile. If you don’t want us near, we’ll leave immediately.”

Lang Ya gave a disdainful look to Zuo Ning, who was being held in Lu Chenghe’s arms, and replied, “Of course I know. Do you really need to explain?”

Zuo Ning’s mouth twitched in silence. He had just been looked down upon by a dog—how amusing. If you already understand, then why were you so aggressive earlier?

Zuo Ning had mastered the art of quietly conversing with Lang Ya—a soft murmuring sound that to Lu Chenghe’s ears seemed like typical meaningless noises dogs make. In the past, Lu Chenghe might not have paid much attention to it, but now he looked down at Little Pudding and asked, “Are you talking to Lang Ya?”

Zuo Ning replied, “Woof!”

Lu Chenghe nodded and didn’t ask further. Zuo Ning tugged at his clothes. “Woof woof?” Why aren’t you even a little curious? Don’t you want to know what we’re talking about?

“You’re asking me why I didn’t ask about your conversation with Lang Ya?”

“Woof!”

Lu Chenghe replied, “Because I have no interest in knowing how dogs communicate.”

Zuo Ning instantly pouted. What’s that supposed to mean? Why isn’t dog-to-dog communication worth being curious about? Countless pet owners dream of understanding their dogs’ daily thoughts and would love to communicate with them. This guy truly doesn’t appreciate what he has!

While Zuo Ning silently grumbled to himself, Wen Ting emerged from the small room. Seeing Lu Chenghe waiting outside, he walked over and said, “The mother dog and puppies are all fine, healthy, and safe. However, Fu Na is a bit older now, so it’s not recommended that she have any more litter after this one.”

Lu Chenghe nodded. “Alright. Is there anything we should be mindful of moving forward?”

Wen Ting smiled. “Just make sure to enhance her nutrition. If the mother dog’s milk supply is insufficient, she may instinctively avoid feeding the weakest puppy or even drive it away. So, strengthen her nutrition. During this period, give her more soups and broths.”

The butler, standing nearby, jotted down Wen Ting’s suggestions for foods that could supplement the dogs’ nutrition and milk supply. The nutritionist who had been idle ever since the young master let Little Pudding eat human food would now finally have work to do.

After the butler communicated with Wen Ting, Lu Chenghe carried Little Pudding and stood at the doorway, looking inside. Since Little Pudding was a dog, and even Lang Ya was being excluded by Fu Na, Little Pudding would likely face even stronger rejection. Keeping a safe distance was the best choice.

However, to Lu Chenghe’s surprise, Fu Na, despite being somewhat weakened from giving birth, didn’t show any signs of hostility toward them. In fact, when she saw him approaching, she even wagged her tail.

Zuo Ning stretched his neck to peek inside and saw a nest of tiny black creatures that looked like little mice. He frowned—they were so ugly! A litter of tiny things, constantly squeaking, made them look even more like mice.

After watching for a while, Lu Chenghe carried Little Pudding away. Noticing that Little Pudding was still lying on his shoulder, looking toward the small room, Lu Chenghe said, “You like the puppies so much—how about keeping them all here to accompany you?”

Zuo Ning immediately turned to Lu Chenghe to confirm if he was joking. However, if all the puppies could stay with Fu Na, both Fu Na and Lang Ya would probably be happy. He didn’t really understand what family bonds meant to dogs or whether they cared about lineage like humans did. After all, many dogs end up being sold or sent away after giving birth, which sadly has always been the case for them without any canine rights.

But for the Lu family, raising seven or eight German Shepherds—let alone ten Tibetan Mastiffs—was no big deal. Keeping all the puppies would simply mean having a reserve team of guard dogs, and it wouldn’t go to waste.

Once he confirmed that Lu Chenghe wasn’t just casually saying it, Zuo Ning immediately barked, “Woof!”

With the arrival of the puppies, Zuo Ning had been kept quite busy. Every day, he would go see them, witnessing their gradual growth as they started to grow fur, slowly opened their eyes, and continued to spend every day doing just one thing—eating.

Fu Na was clearly much gentler than Lang Ya. When Zuo Ning cautiously approached her, she showed no resistance at all. Zuo Ning shared Lu Chenghe’s decision with Fu Na, letting her know that all the puppies would stay and be raised by her side.

Having worked as a service dog for humans for so many years, Fu Na didn’t understand humans as deeply as Zuo Ning did, but she had a general sense. She had already known that once the puppies grew up, they would likely be sent away by their owner. Hearing Zuo Ning say otherwise naturally made her happy. Even if their intelligence wasn’t as high as a human’s, the instinct to preserve their lineage was part of their nature—no one wanted to be separated from their children.

Besides his daily visits to check on the puppies, Zuo Ning’s TV preferences had evolved from cheesy domestic dramas to American shows. Sometimes, Lu Chenghe would see him watching an American drama while making strange noises.

One time, Lu Chenghe couldn’t resist and walked over, looking at Little Pudding intensely focused on the TV. “Are you learning English now?”

Zuo Ning was at a critical moment, about to deduce who the culprit was. He quickly stretched out a paw to push Lu Chenghe, who was blocking his view. “Awoo!” Don’t block my view—it’s getting exciting!

Lu Chenghe simply sat next to him and gently patted his little head. “Do you understand what you’re watching? You seem so serious.”

Zuo Ning unconsciously replied, “Woof.” With the help of subtitles, he could understand some parts after thinking for a bit. After all, he hadn’t spent all those years studying for nothing, although his English wasn’t particularly good.

Seeing how focused he was, Lu Chenghe couldn’t help but tease him. “Want to learn English? Should I teach you?”

Zuo Ning tilted his head and glanced at Lu Chenghe. Never mind, he thought—it’s better to self-study.

Lu Chenghe thought Little Pudding’s earlier glance carried a hint of disdain and burst into amused laughter. He scooped him up and said, “You’re rejecting my offer to teach you English? Do you really think you can master it just by watching TV shows? Or do you spirits have some special learning ability—like photographic memory?”

Zuo Ning let out a small whimper. Oh, how he wished! But alas, fate hadn’t blessed him with such a grand cheat skill!

It wasn’t that he doubted Lu Chenghe’s ability to teach. Knowing Lu Chenghe—an all-rounder capable of anything—teaching English was hardly a challenge. If he wanted, Lu Chenghe could probably build airplanes and cannons! Okay, maybe that was Zuo Ning’s admiration making him see him through rose-colored glasses, but teaching English? Definitely not a problem. The real issue was himself—he worried he wouldn’t be able to focus and might lose his composure. After all, as the old saying goes, beauty can be a distraction!

Seeing that Little Pudding wasn’t responding, Lu Chenghe grabbed him off the sofa and began combing his fur. Once, a single stroke would yield a handful of loose hair, but now just a few strands came off. The shedding seemed to have improved significantly.

In retaliation, Zuo Ning pounced on Lu Chenghe, pressing against him. He hadn’t provoked him—he[mfn]Zuo Ning[/mfn] just wanted him[mfn]Lu Chenghe[/mfn] to quietly read his[mfn]Lu Chenghe[/mfn] book. Yet here Lu Chenghe was, coming after him. Truly awful!

Lu Chenghe tilted Zuo Ning’s chin and examined him closely. “Little Pudding, the fur on your face has grown back.”

Zuo Ning froze, then shot up from Lu Chenghe and scurried into the walk-in closet. He ran to the full-length mirror, inspecting himself from every angle. Oh wow, it was true! The fur on his face had unknowingly become thick and lush again—it no longer looked embarrassingly patchy as before.

Feeling proud, he admired himself left and right. This irresistible, radiant beauty—it was truly stunning.

Seeing Lu Chenghe leaning against the door and watching him, Zuo Ning wagged his tail and turned to look at him. “Woof?” Am I the best in your heart?

Zuo Ning didn’t actually expect a reply. He didn’t think Lu Chenghe could understand what he meant. Yet, to his surprise, Lu Chenghe responded, “Yes, you look good. You’re the best-looking.”

Zuo Ning’s eyes widened in shock as he stared at Lu Chenghe in disbelief. “Woof woof woof?” Have you unlocked the skill to understand dog language?

Looking at the stunned, silly expression on Zuo Ning’s face, Lu Chenghe couldn’t help but laugh. “When you turn around and look in the mirror, even if you don’t speak, it’s bound to revolve around the question of whether you look good or not. So, I don’t understand your woofs; I simply know what you’re trying to say.”

Zuo Ning suddenly threw himself onto Lu Chenghe, wrapping his paws around his waist in a bid for a hug. They were really becoming more in sync—Lu Chenghe could understand his meaning so effortlessly. Truly, only Lu Chenghe in this world could manage such a thing.

But Lu Chenghe mercilessly pushed him away, speaking coldly, “You were so dismissive of me earlier, pushing me aside for blocking your TV. Now you want a hug? Not happening.”

Zuo Ning’s mouth twitched as he looked at Lu Chenghe, feeling like he had just unlocked some hidden aspect of Lu Chenghe’s personality.

After nearly two months of work, a massive oil painting was finally completed. Compared to a thin photograph, the painted figure appeared much more substantial, exuding elegance and grandeur. Lu Chenghe’s mother loved it at first sight and had it framed and hung in the main hall.

At the same time, the refined photos from the later stages of processing were delivered. Zuo Ning alone had enough for a thick album, and there was another album featuring shots of him and Lu Chenghe together.

Initially, Zuo Ning thought that even with a master’s touch, the photos taken during such an awkward phase would surely turn out poorly. But to his surprise, he was thoroughly satisfied when he saw them. Truly, a master is a master—completely highlighting strengths and avoiding weaknesses, worlds apart from those flashy, cheap studio productions!

One photo, in particular, had been specially enlarged by the master—a shot of Zuo Ning and Lu Chenghe clasping hands and paws while gazing at each other. Zuo Ning could even sense the flavor of love emanating from the photo, like chocolate-filled candy—so sweet it could melt anyone. That evening, when Lu Chenghe returned home, Zuo Ning insisted that this photo be hung above their bed. Standing upright at the bedside, he pointed at the wall, his intentions crystal clear.

Lu Chenghe silently looked at him for a few seconds. “Do you know what hanging a photo above the bed means to humans?”

Zuo Ning tilted his head, pondering for a moment, then immediately looked at Lu Chenghe with sparkling eyes. Whether it was customary or not didn’t matter—now that Lu Chenghe had mentioned it, it absolutely had to be hung there!

Lu Chenghe assumed Zuo Ning didn’t understand, as no one had likely explained such things to Little Pudding before. It was only natural for him to be unaware, so Lu Chenghe clarified, “Although many families don’t follow this tradition, hanging a photo above the bed is mostly something couples do.”

Zuo Ning looked at Lu Chenghe with eager anticipation.

Lu Chenghe continued, “So ours can’t be hung here.”

Zuo Ning immediately flopped onto the bed, rolling back and forth. “Woof woof woof!” I want it here—I want it!

Lu Chenghe stared at the mischievous furball, feeling the veins on his forehead twitch. “Little Pudding.”

Zuo Ning stopped. He clutched a pillow and lay flat on his back with his paws in the air as he tilted his head to look at Lu Chenghe. “Awoo…” Let’s hang one up—it looks so good.

Lu Chenghe glanced at him, then turned to get changed. When he came back out, he saw Little Pudding curled up into a ball, quietly crouching in the corner of the room. His rounded and bouncy figure was adorable, but the sadness he was trying to convey was far from convincing—in fact, it almost made Lu Chenghe want to laugh.

“Little Pudding.”

Zuo Ning quietly shrank further into the corner. On this matter, he was determined to stand firm. While he’d always given in to Lu Chenghe before, when it came to hanging the photo above the bed, there was no room for negotiation!

Lu Chenghe sat down on the bed and grabbed a toy randomly tossed there, throwing it toward the stubborn furball. “You think I have no temper and will let you throw tantrums, huh? You’re even trying to act spoiled now.”

Zuo Ning sniffled softly but stayed silent.

“Are you coming over or not?”

Zuo Ning whimpered in defiance—he had a temper, too, you know.

“Fine, then stay there. I’m going to eat.”

After saying this, Lu Chenghe noticed that Zuo Ning remained motionless, not even reacting to the mention of food. Without another word, he simply got up and walked out.

Zuo Ning crouched in the corner, never expecting Lu Chenghe to actually leave. Saddened, he pressed his head against the wall, feeling as if his whole body were shrouded in shadow. Now that even his photo wasn’t allowed to be hung in the room, how could he possibly hope to one day become human and pounce on Lu Chenghe? The future seemed bleak, and his heart sank into despair.

Lost in his own sorrow, Zuo Ning’s sharp hearing completely failed him. He didn’t even notice when Lu Chenghe returned. Startled by Lu Chenghe suddenly speaking, Zuo Ning, who assumed the room was empty, flinched in surprise. Having been pressing his head against the wall, he ended up knocking himself backward, rolling over in an awkward tumble.

He quickly buried his face in his paws. Ugh… His head hurt, and it was so embarrassing.

Witnessing this scene, Lu Chenghe burst into laughter. Seeing the little furball still covering his face and refusing to look at him, he finally relented with a sigh. “Alright, alright. Fine, I’ll hang it up. You tell me where, and I’ll hang it there.”

Hearing this, Zuo Ning’s embarrassment vanished in an instant. He scrambled up and pounced onto Lu Chenghe, barking excitedly. “Woof woof woof!” I knew you loved me the most, ha ha ha!

Lu Chenghe scooped him up with one arm, letting out a cold huff. “What a stubborn little temper you have.”

Zuo Ning couldn’t care less about Lu Chenghe’s scolding. Watching as Lu Chenghe directed someone to come in and hang the photo—so full of style, elegance, and love—above the bed, Zuo Ning’s eyes crinkled with joy, his smile beaming.

Ah, this omen—it definitely means he has to turn this dog into a human someday!

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