Chapter 53.2 - Declaring The Elite Dog

Zuo Ning saw Lu Chenghe smiling at him and smiled back with meat hanging from his mouth. Then he lowered his head and continued to enjoy his gourmet feast.

After eating and drinking his fill, Zuo Ning snuggled into Lu Chenghe’s arms and had a nap. When he opened his eyes, Lu Chenghe was no longer in bed. Zuo Ning was wrapped in a blanket, curled on the bedside. He used a paw to pat the laptop and rolled back around when he saw the time. After finally waking up, he dawdled downstairs to find someone.

When he went to the living room, he saw Lu Chenghe eating dumplings. Zuo Ning hurriedly trotted down and immediately pounced on Lu Chenghe.

Lu Chenghe carried him onto a chair and had someone bring out a plate of dumplings that had been kept warm. It was specially made for Little Pudding. The filling was beef and the dumpling skin was very thin. There were only five little dumplings on the plate. They were only to be eaten symbolically so the little starch intake would not pose a problem.

“Eat. After you finish this, go eat your dog food. It’s already been a few days since and you’ve been eating too much random food. After we go back, I will take you for a full-body examination.”

Zuo Ning silently ridiculed him. What ‘too much’, it was only twice, ok? Can twice be called too much? Once was even during New Year’s Eve! However, his inner complaints didn’t slow down his speed of eating the dumplings. With a few bites, the plate of five small dumplings vanished into his stomach in an instant.

Lu Chenghe patted his head. “Since you’ve finished, go eat your dog food. Be good. Today I’ll stay at home and play with you.”

What ‘play with you’? Clearly, it’s your New Year holiday alright? But Lu Chenghe who coaxed this seriously was very cute. Zuo Ning couldn't help but pounce over to kill him.

Lu Chenghe dodged backwards. He hugged the pouncing dog but he was sitting on a chair. He could only dodge back so much so in the end, he was still kissed by Little Pudding. When he saw that little rascal grinning triumphantly, Lu Chenghe shook him with a dark face. “If you don’t get food you’ll just charge ahead and snatch it. Looks like you’ve been spoiled too much these few days. Wait until we get home and see how I take care of you.”

Zuo Ning’s tail that had been wagging drooped down. This distance between us is called, I am kissing you, but you say that I was snatching food from you. I’ll choose to go away.

After the last day of the lunar new year, it was time for the relatives to visit each other. However as one generation replaces the other, the new year customs faded with time. In the early years, the Lu family also maintained this kind of tradition, however, after a few years, when the older generation departed, the younger members of the family became less and less cohesive.

Although the Lu family did not fight and scheme against each other like in other wealthy aristocratic families with a harmonious exterior hiding an ugly interior. But they were not completely unified together with one mind. People inevitably will have their own little thoughts.

So after old Mr Lu left, the boss of the Lu family said that the New Year’s in the future will be done separately. It was fine if those who were close got together, but there was no need for those living far away to run back home.

There was an old saying that which is long divided must unify, and that which is long unified must divide. There was another saying that children and grandchildren would have their own children and grandchildren. These two sayings were always spoken by the older generation to them. So even if the Lu family was scattered one day, it was enough to have existed. It was fine as long as every person lived well. If they could leave descendants then they would, but if they couldn’t, it didn’t need to be forced.

The men of the Lu family rarely held that kind of thriving ambition with the desire to monopolise power and authority, they were all satisfied to just muddle through life and enjoy the present. Otherwise the current old boss Lu and Lu the third would not both take their wives to travel around the world. They were both in the prime of their life and if they wanted to do something, they could continue until their grandson was an adult.

So even though Lu Chenghe could have flown home the moment the snow stopped falling, he stayed in An city for a few more days. His mother had returned to her family for the new year. His material family was a bit complicated. It was different from their business-oriented Lu family. As long as there was power, they would not have the freedom to act independently. At the very least, it was impossible to have a quiet new year at his maternal grandfather’s house. He guessed that from the 30th to the 15th of the new year, there would be people waiting in line to present gifts.

Lu Chenghe didn’t join in the excitement. His excuse was that he had been trapped in An city due to the heavy snow, so he simply decided to take a good vacation whilst tidying up the branch office.

So they unexpectedly began to star in a cohabitation drama.

The household staff and chef were also people and since it was the new year, they also wanted to go back home and celebrate with their family. Lu Chenghe was not unkind, so he gave them a big red envelope and sent them on vacation. When the roads were open and the airlines returned to normal, Lu Chenghe had the bodyguards and assistant go back first. He planned to take Little Pudding with him and live in An city until the New Year celebrations were over.

Zuo Ning almost flew from happiness when he heard of Lu Chenghe’s plans. Cohabitation. No longer will there be people in the house who can stare at him at all times. Except for Lu Chenghe, he was the only one left.

After everyone left, Little Pudding ran wildly all over the house. Lu Chenghe couldn’t help but laugh. “So happy?”

Zuo Ning’s strong and healthy body stopped and he turned his head towards Lu Chenghe. “Woof!” With his tongue hanging out and that ever-smiling face, he could almost participate in a beauty pageant.

Lu Chenghe sat on the sofa and patted the seat next to him, motioning him to come over. “You’re not afraid that you’ll go hungry if you follow me? There’s no one to cook for you now.”

Zuo Ning trotted over in a few steps and jumped easily onto the sofa. He then placed his two paws on Lu Chenghe’s thighs and his whole body fell straight down. “Woof!” Actually, I can cook for you. My egg and ham fried rice with a little bit of chilli beef sauce is super delicious!

Lu Chenghe turned on the TV and handed him the remote control. “Choose whatever you want. You know how to press the buttons right?” This dog who sits in front of the TV every day was probably the most familiar with the remote control.

Zuo Ning put a paw on the remote and changed the channel. Then he looked up at Lu Chenghe.

Lu Chenghe smiled and patted his head while giving him a compliment. “So smart.” After saying so, he picked up a book from the coffee table, changed direction so he leant on the armrest of the sofa and stretched out his legs to occupy most of it.

Zuo Ning saw that he had been squeezed to the side by Lu Chenghe’s legs and changed the channel to an internet drama. He then squeezed in the gap between the back of the sofa and Lu Chenghe.

Lu Chenghe just watched as he panted and squeezed himself into a dog pancake. Seeing that the dog was so pitiful, he gave in a little bit and Little Pudding was able to lay in that gap with his head resting on Lu Chenghe’s chest as he watched TV.

Lu Chenghe scratched his chin. “Aren’t you uncomfortable?”

Zuo Ning comfortably replied, “Awoo.” Not uncomfortable. Being squished like this is very warm.

Lu Chenghe rubbed the fur on his neck and suddenly said, “Little Pudding.”

Zuo Ning cocked his ears and turned his eyes towards him. “Awoo?”

Lu Chenghe turned to look at him. “I can’t cook. We’re going to go hungry.”

Zuo Ning quietly examined him for a few seconds then looked at his dog paws. “Woof…” I can cook but it is already in the past.

When he saw Little Pudding's sad appearance he once again said, “Why don’t you cry. You never know, if you cry, maybe I’ll be able to cook.”

If Zuo Ning couldn’t tell at this point that he was being teased, then he would really be dumb. So the dead dog looked at Lu Chenghe. “Woof!” Do you believe that I will bite you to death?

That little expression of dissatisfaction was so human that Lu Chenghe couldn’t stop his laughter. He patted the dog’s head and asked, “Then if one day I have no money, can’t raise you, and can only buy those disgusting cheap dog food for you. Will you still stick to me?”

Zuo Ning glanced at him, got up from the very comfortable position that he had tried so hard to get into, jumped off the sofa and ran upstairs.

Lu Chenghe was a little dumbfounded. What did this mean?

After a while, he saw Little Pudding running over with his phone in his mouth. Then he put the phone on his body and sat by the sofa, looking at him. “Woof!” I can make money to support you!

Lu Chenghe looked at the phone, unable to understand Little Pudding’s meaning. What was on the phone?

Seeing that Lu Chenghe didn’t understand, Zuo Ning turned on the phone and then opened the Weibo icon. “Woof!”

Lu Chenghe held the mobile phone which was open to Weibo. He thought of before, when his mother wanted to take pictures of Little Pudding, she would tell him to look into the camera. She said that if they took beautiful pictures, he could earn money and buy delicious food. The hand holding the phone paused slightly, then he looked at Little Pudding. “You mean, when I have no money, you will make money to support me?”

Zuo Ning wagged his tail happily. “Woof!” That’s right, that’s right. I can raise you. Although I can’t give you the wealthy aristocratic life, adequate food and clothing is not a problem!

Lu Chenghe was originally just teasing Little Pudding. He didn’t expect that Little Pudding would have that kind of reaction. When he realised what the actions of Little Pudding meant, a strange feeling surged in Lu Chenghe’s heart.

It is said that dog’s don’t care for your wealth. When he heard this before, he just sighed for a dog’s loyalty. Only now, he realised that it wasn’t a baseless sigh, but he truly understands what that sentence means.

When he thought about it, it seemed that no matter what he said now, it was a bit unnecessary. So Lu Chenghe only laughingly scolded him. “You silly thing. Dog’s really are of a higher class, huh?”

Zuo Ning poked out his tongue and looked at Lu Chenghe with a serious face. He was being very sincere right now, ok?!

Lu Chenghe used his fingers to fiddle with the tip of that small tongue before it was retracted back into his mouth. As he watched that silly little face, Lu Chenghe flicked his forehead. Then he watched that little rascal retract his paws and fall onto the thick carpet with his tongue askew.

Lu Chenghe didn’t continue to watch him. He leant back on the sofa and continued to read. However, he did stretch one long leg off the sofa and step on Little Pudding’s belly. He gently rubbed and stepped. The fat all over his body was quite comfortable to step on.

Naz's note: >< Please let me know if you spot any errors, I shall fix them asap!