As the temperature grew hotter day by day, the summer break that students had been looking forward to also arrived. The newsfeeds were flooded daily, either by stories of top scorers in the college entrance exams or by high-temperature alerts from various places. And amid all this heat, the very first movie that Zuo Ning participated in as a human was released.
Although the summer box office season might seem like a peak traffic period, in reality, it sometimes wasn’t as good as regular weekends or short holidays. The weather was simply too hot, and many people were unwilling to go out. But for those who did have plans, the movie theater was undoubtedly a great choice. It was cool enough.
The director of «Thousand Years», this grand fantasy drama, was considered a renowned figure in the industry, having won countless awards. Unfortunately, he always just narrowly missed international acclaim. Perhaps it was because he specialized more in commercial films, while those major international awards tended to favor those hazy, half-understood, artsy films. During the filming of this movie, everything was kept strictly confidential, with no promotion whatsoever. So when the first trailer suddenly exploded across all channels, the public was shocked. No one expected that the director had secretly completed such a major production, only releasing any information when it was already about to hit theaters.
Then people looked at the cast list. Oh! Both the male and female leads were powerful actors with both good looks and talent. As for the supporting roles, some faces were familiar, others unfamiliar. But this big-name director had always liked to use newcomers. Sometimes, a whole project would be filled entirely with fresh faces. Yet every newcomer he chose had their own unique quality, and nearly all of them ended up becoming famous.
Unfortunately, some who became wildly popular at the time failed to seize the opportunity and faded into obscurity again. Others who managed to hold onto their resources gradually rose to become A-list stars.
The trailer was impressive. A magical theme, and what made it touching was that this director’s aesthetics had always leaned toward mainstream tastes. There were no bizarre costumes or ridiculous designs. Immortals looked like immortals—pure, cool, dressed in clean white robes with simple hair accessories. Unlike some fantasy dramas where the wardrobe was simply outrageous, here you didn’t even need the plot—just looking at the characters’ visuals was already a feast for the eyes.
As the first drama Zuo Ning filmed after transforming from Little Pudding into a human, Lu Chenghe had gotten his hands on the premiere tickets long ago. He didn’t even need to ask. So many people had already taken the initiative to place the tickets directly into his hands. But Zuo Ning didn’t know any of this. He kept asking again and again if Lu Chenghe was free that day and whether he could come watch the premiere.
Although Lu Chenghe had seen the movie Zuo Ning acted in before, that was back when he was still a dog. To humans, most dogs look more or less the same—only those raised in your own home show subtle differences that you’d notice. But with all that fur covering him, Zuo Ning didn’t feel as embarrassed. Now, just the thought of letting Lu Chenghe watch him act in a film as a human made Zuo Ning feel conflicted. He wanted it, but he also didn’t. Watching himself act on the big screen… he felt like it might be a little awkward.
Still, it was his first time. Naturally, he hoped Lu Chenghe would watch it with him. Even if it was embarrassing, he’d endure it.
Unfortunately, Lu Chenghe hadn’t given him a clear answer, only saying it depended on how his schedule looked that day.
It wasn’t until the day before the premiere that Lu Chenghe handed him his itinerary. Seeing the page filled with back-to-back meetings, Zuo Ning sat with his back to him, angrily tearing apart a plush toy.
Seeing that small, sulky back, Lu Chenghe chuckled and said, “Someone already sent me a copy of the film. It’s in the home theater. How about I watch it with you tonight and we treat it like the premiere?”
Zuo Ning turned around in frustration. “How is that the same! Watching at home just doesn’t have that feeling! This is my screen debut. We’re talking about a rare and precious memory here!”
Leaning back in his chair, Lu Chenghe propped up his chin with one hand and looked at Little Pudding. “Then what should I do? Cancel all my meetings?”
Zuo Ning turned around hopefully and looked at him without saying a word.
Lu Chenghe added, “But tomorrow there’s an important negotiation. If it goes well, Lu Corporation’s net profit could increase by ten percent.”
Zuo Ning didn’t quite understand. “How much is that?”
Lu Chenghe replied, “Enough to fund a dozen films of this scale.”
Zuo Ning knew that, even without counting the extra funds he had invested himself, the initial investment for this film alone had already been in the tens of millions. And that didn’t even include money from other investors. Thinking about what it meant to fund a dozen films of this scale, Zuo Ning instantly deflated. “Then you’d better go to your meeting. That’s a lot of money… it’d be such a shame to lose it.”
Lu Chenghe raised an eyebrow slightly. “Really? You’re sure? I’m asking you now, so don’t hold it against me later for not going to the premiere with you.”
Zuo Ning rolled his eyes dramatically. “Am I that unreasonable?!”
Lu Chenghe chuckled. “You’re right, you’re not. You were never human to begin with.”
Zuo Ning pounced on Lu Chenghe in frustration, pretending he was about to bite him. But before he could sink his teeth in, Lu Chenghe gently patted his head and said, “Little Pudding has grown up. You know how to be considerate now.”
With that one sentence, Zuo Ning’s face turned red instantly. Lu Chenghe had never praised him like that before. All his previous fires fizzled out, and he lay limply on Lu Chenghe, grabbing at his collar and demanding, “Then you have to make it up to me! This is such an important moment in my life, and you’re not even going to be there. You have to compensate me!”
Lu Chenghe smiled and asked, “So, what kind of compensation do you want?”
Zuo Ning’s eyes sparkled with mischief. Sitting on top of him, he narrowed his eyes in a sly grin. “Not telling you. I’ll collect it myself!”
Lu Chenghe let out a low laugh and gave him a playful look, as if some cheeky thought had just occurred to him. He wriggled out from under Zuo Ning with a smug expression, sweeping away all his earlier grievances. He picked up a game console and began tapping away with impressive speed. But no matter how fierce he looked while playing, he still couldn’t escape the curse of being a noob who kept getting himself killed.
Late at night, in the stillness, Zuo Ning suddenly woke up with something on his mind. The room was silent and pitch black. The dim glow of the streetlights in the estate seeped faintly through the drawn curtains. Zuo Ning figured it was still early, though he didn’t know the exact time; at the very least, the sky hadn’t lightened yet.
Next to his ear was the sound of steady breathing. He lay still in bed, not daring to move, because right now, he was curled up in Lu Chenghe’s arms. He hadn’t realized he slept like this. Every night before falling asleep, he either went to bed alone or tried to snuggle up to Lu Chenghe, only to be pushed away with complaints of it being too hot. By the time he woke up in the morning, Lu Chenghe was already out of bed, so he rarely got to see what he looked like while sleeping. In winter, he could justify cuddling up. But in summer, even with the air conditioning on, it really was a bit warm. Still, it seemed that once he fell asleep, his instincts overruled everything. He’d crawl over anyway, heat be damned.
Zuo Ning lay quietly for a while, confirming that Lu Chenghe was sleeping deeply and showed no signs of waking. Then, like a little thief, he began to move slowly, bit by bit, pausing after each shift to check for a reaction. When Lu Chenghe didn’t stir, he kept going. Finally, he changed from being curled up in his arms to lying on his side. Though the room was dark, it wasn’t pitch black. Zuo Ning could still make out Lu Chenghe’s facial features when he looked up.
Lu Chenghe had always been a well-behaved sleeper. Unlike Zuo Ning, who liked to roll all over the bed at night, he rarely moved around. While he wouldn’t wake up in the exact position he fell asleep in, he certainly didn’t toss and turn. Right now, Lu Chenghe was lying on his back with one hand stretched out, and Zuo Ning was lying right on top of it. He had slowly shifted from being curled up into lying face down, staring at Lu Chenghe’s peaceful sleeping face with a look that could only be described as that of a hopeless, lovestruck fool.
As he stared, he gradually leaned his head closer. This was the compensation he wanted. But he knew Lu Chenghe would never offer it voluntarily, so he might as well claim it for himself. When he was close enough to feel Lu Chenghe’s breath brushing against his face, Zuo Ning swallowed nervously, his heart practically leaping into his throat.
In the end, he simply shut his eyes and steeled himself, then pressed his lips onto Lu Chenghe’s.
It wasn’t the first time they had kissed, but those moments had always been fleeting. This time, gathering all his courage, Zuo Ning held his breath and stayed there for at least five full seconds before pulling away. As he withdrew, he even stuck out his tongue to lightly lick Lu Chenghe’s lips, smiling like a cat that had just stolen some cream. Now, Lu Chenghe’s first real kiss was his—completely, utterly his.
Afraid of waking him, Zuo Ning slowly lay back down, casually draping his arm across Lu Chenghe’s chest. After a while, when there was still no reaction, he breathed a sigh of relief. It seemed Lu Chenghe was truly fast asleep. With his eyes closed, he replayed the kiss in his mind again and again, and eventually drifted off with a silly little smile on his face.
But the one who had been kissed… the moment that little troublemaker stopped moving, Lu Chenghe slowly opened his eyes. That arm on his chest wasn’t heavy, but it had a striking presence. And there was still the lingering warmth on his lips—especially that final, cheeky lick. Until the streetlights outside finally dimmed, Lu Chenghe couldn’t fall asleep.
Looking at the guy beside him, who had no idea when he’d fallen asleep again like nothing had happened, Lu Chenghe couldn’t help but reach over and pinch his cheek. He didn’t use much force—just gave it a little rub before letting go. What a little rascal.
Having successfully stolen a kiss in the middle of the night, Zuo Ning was in high spirits all day long. Even though he was sitting alone in the very last row at the premiere, wearing a mask with an empty seat deliberately left next to him, he still couldn’t help but feel like he was floating.
Although he was only the third male lead, since the premiere was local, he could’ve attended officially. But since he hadn’t yet made any public media appearances, both his assistant and manager hoped he would gradually start getting familiar with the entertainment scene. His manager, after confirming that he’d obediently stay seated the whole time, placed a bucket of popcorn and a cup of cola into his hands. “Once the movie ends, put your mask on right away. If you remember where the car’s parked, go wait inside. If you don’t, just wait here and I’ll come get you.”
Zuo Ning quickly nodded repeatedly. After watching his manager head backstage, he adjusted his mask upward to reveal his mouth and began eating popcorn. One by one, the main actors appeared on stage. With the host’s guidance and some questions from the reporters in the front row, they shared some amusing stories from filming and expressed their hopes for the movie.
There was no sharp confrontation as Zuo Ning had expected. Most of it seemed rehearsed, with only a few fan questions being less restricted, but overall, the atmosphere was harmonious. Zuo Ning quietly observed the Q&A, soaking up experience. For example, how he might answer if a question were directed at him.
After a brief round of interaction, the lead actors and director all took a bow to the audience and then retreated backstage. The lights in the screening hall gradually dimmed. Zuo Ning knew the movie was about to start, so he quickly took a sip of cola and sat properly. His first movie—so nerve-wracking!
As the prologue played, Zuo Ning caught a familiar scent of perfume. He sniffed carefully—so familiar, it seemed just like the scent Lu Chenghe wore. Just as he was thinking this, someone suddenly appeared beside him. Zuo Ning instinctively turned his head and nearly jumped up in surprise.
Lu Chenghe firmly pressed Zuo Ning’s head down, holding him in the seat, then glanced at the large bucket of popcorn in his hand and sat down next to him.
Zuo Ning pushed the popcorn aside and pulled Lu Chenghe’s hand close to whisper into his ear, “Don’t you have a lot of important meetings and a very valuable negotiation? Why did you come?”
Looking into those bright, sparkling eyes, Lu Chenghe smiled faintly. “I was afraid if I didn’t come, you’d cry.”
Zuo Ning snorted. “How’s that possible?” Then he handed the popcorn to Lu Chenghe. “Here, eat some. It’s especially sweet. Bei Xiao knows I like popcorn covered in cream and specially got a freshly popped batch for me.”
Lu Chenghe took one from the bucket. It was too sweet for his taste, so he didn’t really enjoy it. But seeing how happily delighted little Zuo Ning was, he didn’t stop him. Occasionally, eating junk food wasn’t a big deal.
As the story began playing, Zuo Ning couldn’t help but quietly ask Lu Chenghe, “Are you really okay not going to that negotiation? Since you’re here, I’ll just count it as us watching together. If you’re busy, you should go handle it.”
Lu Chenghe turned his head away from him and said, “Watch your movie.”
Zuo Ning happily rested his head on Lu Chenghe’s shoulder. After all, they were sitting in the last row with no one behind them. Thinking about how he had stolen a kiss from Lu Chenghe last night and now Lu Chenghe had come to accompany him to the premiere—it was truly a huge win! Zuo Ning’s smiling face was almost stretched all the way behind his ears, unstoppable.
Today was simply a day so happy it could go down in history!
