Chapter 63: Hello, Luke

Shang Zhitao was a woman of action.

During the last week before the Lunar New Year, many colleagues were either on vacation or had returned home. There were only a few people left in the office. Shang Zhitao’s efficiency improvement project model had passed testing and approval and was set to officially launch after the holiday.

Suddenly, with little else to do, she found herself browsing other websites at her desk. Lumi returned with water and noticed her looking at dogs online.

“Do you like dogs?”

“Yes, I do. I want to get one,” Shang Zhitao nodded. She had read that dogs loved to be around people, often lying by their feet. She imagined how comforting it would be to have such a cute companion during snowy or rainy days, or just when feeling bored alone.

“I happen to have a friend who runs a dog kennel in Tongzhou. Want me to take you there to pick one out?”

“Huh? Now?”

Shang Zhitao truly admired her mentor for knowing all kinds of people. It seemed there wasn’t anything she couldn’t handle or anyone she couldn’t reach in Beijing.

“Of course now!” Lumi put on her coat. “This is the perfect time to skip work before the holidays. Why wait?”

Shang Zhitao also got dressed. She saw Kitty stand up from her desk. Today, Kitty wore a black short dress and knee-high boots, and unusually, smiled at them. “Where are you going to look at dogs?”

Before Lumi could say, “None of your business,” Shang Zhitao quickly interjected, “To Tongzhou.” This nipped any potential conflict in the bud.

They got dressed and headed out. Kitty followed them.

In the elevator, no one spoke. Shang Zhitao’s phone rang, and she answered, “Hello, Mr. Wang.”

It was one of this year’s newly onboarded suppliers, the same company she worked with during an event in Suzhou.

“I’m at the office,” Shang Zhitao said with a smile.

“You’re in our building?”

“Sure, I’ll be right down.”

After hanging up, Shang Zhitao told Lumi, “Old Wang is here. He said he’s passing by and wants to see us.”

When they exited the elevator, they saw Mr. Wang sitting on the first floor with two red New Year gift boxes. Kitty entered the café through the back door, glanced at the gift box, then at Shang Zhitao, and went inside.

“It’s the New Year. Our company prepared Spring Festival couplets for clients, and we’ve also prepared some for you both.”

“No, thank you. The gift is small, but the work is important,” Lumi directly refused. “Mr. Wang, don’t be so polite. Let’s have dinner together sometime instead of exchanging gifts.”

“Yes,” Shang Zhitao nodded, telling Mr. Wang, “No need to be so polite.”

The three exchanged a few casual words and bid farewell.

Lumi took Shang Zhitao to the underground garage to get the car. Once in the car, she said, “There will be more of these situations in the future. Trust me, don’t accept anything. Of course, you’re not that kind of person anyway.”

Shang Zhitao nodded, “I’m too scared. What if I end up in prison at a young age? My parents would have to take the high-speed train to visit me—how tiring would that be?” She spoke casually, but her sense of justice wouldn’t allow her to accept such things. How could she face the public if she accepted even a needle or thread from them?

“There are many such situations in our industry. People in marketing are always on the edge. Today it’s a gift box, tomorrow a scarf, the day after a bag—it’s how people slowly ruin themselves.” As Lumi spoke, she suddenly remembered the four untouched bags at home. Were those bags bought by Luan Nian or given by clients? The thought crossed her mind, but she quickly shook her head. Luan Nian wasn’t that kind of person—he lacked nothing and had a certain air of pride.

Shang Zhitao couldn’t grasp how Luan Nian developed the habit of giving bags so casually. His way of giving gifts was so light-hearted. When leaving his place, he’d casually hand over a gift on the sofa, or tell you to take something from the back seat when you got out of the car.

It took up so much space. How many things did she really own? During her recent move, those bags occupied an entire box. Unaware people might have thought she was dealing in luxury packaging!

As she was thinking about it, Lumi handed her a small box from the backseat. “It’s the New Year. This isn’t for you—it’s for your parents.”

“Why are you giving my parents something?” Shang Zhitao felt uneasy.

“Just take it! It’s not for you. It’s belts—one for each of them. Thank your parents for making those delicious pickles. Hope you bring more back next time.”

The last time Shang Zhitao went home, she brought back pickles made by Da Zhai, filling half a suitcase with jars and bottles—it was quite a sight. She gave Lumi two jars, and Lumi fell in love with them, eating them all.

“If you like them, I’ll bring more next time, but why are you giving gifts…” Shang Zhitao felt a bit embarrassed.

“Does it matter? Just take it. Don’t make me mad.”

The two bickered all the way to the kennel. The person running the kennel looked a bit punkish. Seeing Lumi, he slapped her shoulder hard. “You getting a dog?” They seemed to know each other well.

“My sister wants one,” Lumi told Shang Zhitao. “Tell him what kind you want. He knows all the kennels around here. If he doesn’t have it, he can take us to another place.”

“I want a Samoyed or a Golden Retriever,” Shang Zhitao said earnestly. She liked Samoyeds—they were like snowballs—and Golden Retrievers were obedient and smart. She was fine with either.

“Coincidentally, we just had a litter of top-tier show-quality Samoyeds born. Their fur, bone structure, and body length are all top-notch. Want to take a look?”

“Sure.”

Shang Zhitao followed him inside and saw a group of little snowballs.

He taught her, “When buying a dog, it’s all about fate. Call them. The one that comes to you first is definitely the smartest and most compatible with you.”

Oh.

Shang Zhitao squatted down and called, “How should I call? Woof!” She imitated a dog bark. The kennel owner laughed heartily—it was the first time he’d seen someone call like that. “That’s funny, girl.”

Lumi laughed beside her, “She’s like that—seems a bit absent-minded.”

Sure enough, one puppy came over after hearing Shang Zhitao’s call. It rubbed against her feet, its fluffy fur tickling her. It playfully bit her finger. Shang Zhitao’s heart melted, and she picked up the puppy, who happily rolled over in her arms to let her rub its belly. Was this what the dog owner meant by fate?

Shang Zhitao didn’t want to put the little snowball down and looked up to ask the kennel owner, “How much?”

“For free.”

“Huh?” Before coming, Shang Zhitao had checked—show-quality Samoyeds weren’t cheap, ranging from several thousand to tens of thousands of yuan. Free? What was going on? But Lumi bent down, picked up the puppy by the neck, and started walking out. “If it’s free, why aren’t you leaving? Waiting for the boss to change his mind?” The puppy obediently let Lumi carry it away, its four legs dangling stupidly.

“Take good care of it. When it grows up, bring it back to see its parents. It’s already had one shot; you’ll need to finish the rest at home. Are you taking the cage or carrying it?”

“Carrying, carrying. But I still want to give you some money. Online, it says show-quality dogs cost several thousand yuan—I feel awkward accepting it for free.”

“Are you crazy? What’s there to feel awkward about? That’s my brother!” Lumi pushed Shang Zhitao toward the exit. “Let’s have dinner another time! Hurry up—you still need to buy a cage, dog food, and maybe a new outfit for it!”

The two got into the car, and the puppy nestled in Shang Zhitao’s arms. Lumi looked at the dog, then at Shang Zhitao, and exclaimed, “Shang Zhitao, why does the dog you picked look so much like you?”

“Where?” Shang Zhitao lifted it to eye level. Their eyes met, and the puppy barked.

“Just look at that expression! That face!” Lumi laughed until her stomach hurt. “Clumsy and dim-witted—just like you!”

Huh?

Am I clumsy?

Shang Zhitao held the puppy and asked it, “Am I clumsy? Luke?” The puppy tilted its head—clumsy.

“What did you call it?” Lumi thought she misheard and asked again.

“Luke.” Shang Zhitao replied earnestly. “It’s a great name. It feels satisfying.”

Shang Zhitao had always wanted a dog named Luke. “Luke, come here! Luke, sit down! Luke, stop! Luke, good boy!” How cool was that? She chuckled, “Calling it Luke feels so powerful. After being upset at work, I’ll go home and scold Luke. ‘Luke, how dare you mess up? You’re fired!’ ‘Luke, why did you pee indoors? Get out!’ ‘Luke, look at other dogs and then look at yourself.’” Shang Zhitao imitated Luan Nian’s tone perfectly, with the same stern expression and a face that seemed asking for trouble. Lumi burst out laughing, leaning on the steering wheel for a long time. “That does sound satisfying. Then I’ll rename my lizard son Lu An.” Lu, An, Luan: “Lu An, you little brat! Who are you glaring at, Lu An? Glare one more time, and I’ll starve you!”

The two laughed together. In Shang Zhitao’s arms, Luke pondered his new name. After a while, perhaps he also felt it was impressive. Suddenly, he stood up and let out a cute but fierce bark, “Woof!”

“Good Luke, bark once more for your sister.”

With Luke, Shang Zhitao felt this year was truly complete. Holding him, she entered the house and told Sun Yu and Sun Yuanzhu, “Come see my little snowball.”

The three adults surrounded Luke, fondly petting him. Luke was adorable and lovable. If you touched him, he’d open his little mouth and pretend to bite you. A while later, he’d roll over on the ground, showing off everything he knew. Unlike Luke, he was much more fun. Shang Zhitao thought.

She didn’t want to lock Luke in a cage, fearing he’d feel wronged. Sun Yuanzhu found leftover materials from assembling the bookshelf and enclosed a space on the balcony. He also bought dog snacks online, worried Luke might lack nutrition. Sun Yu, fearing Luke would catch a cold, tore apart a quilt and sewed a dog bed by hand, muttering, “Don’t chew it—it’s not easy to sew.” Luke, sensing he was highly favored in this home, rubbed against one leg, scratched another pant leg, and kept himself busy.

Seeing Luke’s endearing behavior, Sun Yu told Shang Zhitao, “You know, Luke has a really good temperament.”

Of course! Much better than Luan Nian.

At night, as Shang Zhitao slept, she heard Luke whimpering under the bed and pacing on the floor, seemingly restless. She turned on the bedside lamp and sat up. Luke immediately sat on the floor. After a few seconds, he stood up, placing his fluffy little front paws on the bedpost and letting out a low, somewhat dejected whine.

“Do you want to sleep with me?” Shang Zhitao asked.

“Woof!” Luke barked, probably meaning, “Yes! Sleep with you! Right now!”

Shang Zhitao picked him up and placed him on the bed. “Then don’t pee on the bed, okay? I know you don’t understand me since you’re too young to hold it in yet!” Little Luke sat on the bed, tilting his head, his round eyes staring at Shang Zhitao as if deep in thought. Then he barked again.

Perhaps he was saying, “I’ll try not to pee.”

Shang Zhitao chuckled, turned off the light, and in the darkness, little Luke found a spot near her hand. His fluffy body pressed tightly against her arm, his head resting on her wrist, letting out a soft “mew.” Shang Zhitao’s heart felt indescribably soft—a Luke that belonged solely to her, who insisted on sleeping by her side every night. She gently placed her hand on his head and whispered, “Luke, be a good boy. Don’t be like Luke.”

Having Luke filled the void in her heart. It seemed she didn’t need Luan Nian to fill it anymore.

Luke was perfect in every way except that he was too young. He needed to go outside to pee in the middle of the night. If she didn’t take him out, he’d whimper in the house. So Shang Zhitao wrapped herself in her down jacket, disheveled, and took him downstairs to pee. There was snow in the small garden below. Luke didn’t know how to lift his leg yet, so he bent his hind legs and peed on the snow, making a rustling sound. His legs were short, so after peeing, the fur on his butt got wet. When they went back upstairs, Shang Zhitao had to use a warm towel to wipe his bottom.

Seeing her exhausted, Sun Yu teased her, “When will Luke be able to help you take care of Luke? Then you’ll be complete.”

Shang Zhitao paused while wiping the dog’s bottom, then continued.

Since getting the dog, she woke up even earlier. Lack of sleep gave her dark circles under her eyes.

Two days before the New Year, she bumped into Luan Nian at the company. Surprisingly, he asked her, “Coming so early?”

“Ah…”

Luan Nian glanced at her and asked, “Should I pick you up tonight?”

“No, I can’t… I’m not free tonight…” Shang Zhitao said seriously.

?

“I have to go home and walk the dog.”

“You got a dog?”

“Mhm. If I don’t walk him, he’ll pee indoors. Plus, he needs to go downstairs to pee in the middle of the night…”

“What about your roommates?”

“My roommates are all on vacation and have gone home.” Shang Zhitao waved her hand. “Nope, I can’t go to your place!”

The elevator opened, and she stepped in before Luan Nian. She thought how strange it was—having Luke made her lose all her lustful thoughts!