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“Hmm?” Luan Nian answered the call while sitting on the couch, with Luke jumping onto the sofa to sit beside him.
“You’ve left early for three consecutive days.”
“Is there a problem with me going home after work?”
“... This doesn’t seem like your style.”
Luan Nian chuckled: “Senior seems a bit overly cautious. I quite like Dony.”
“I don’t believe you.”
“Don’t worry. The reason I’ve been going home early these few days is to walk the dog.”
“You got a dog?”
Luan Nian thought for a moment: “Hmm, I got a very handsome dog. I’ll bring it over for you to play with sometime.” Upon hearing Luan Nian compliment its looks, Luke tilted its head and made a soft sound. Luan Nian covered the receiver with his hand and said to it, “Fake.”
“No need. The dog you’re raising probably has a temper like yours.” Tracy laughed: “Dony plans to open up job positions in the planning department and said he’d discuss it with you at next week’s management meeting. I wanted to ask your thoughts in advance. If you agree, as per usual, we also need to allocate 30% of the positions for internal competition.”
“Open them all to external candidates,” Luan Nian said: “As far as I can see, no one in the company currently meets the standards required for the planning department.”
“Alright.”
After hanging up, Luan Nian turned to look at Luke and said, “Your owner missed this train. But I think she can catch the next one. What do you think?”
Luke: Woof!
“Bark nonsense!” Luan Nian pinched the dog’s face and then went upstairs to exercise. Just as he stepped onto the treadmill, he received a call from Jiang Lan: “Hello.”
“Hello.”
“The new manager of your company’s planning department is impressive. You have good taste.” Jiang Lan was sharp and understood the situation at a glance.
“I’m glad Senior Jiang is satisfied.”
Jiang Lan stopped beating around the bush: “He’s coming on strong.”
“That’s fine. Without ambition, he wouldn’t be appointed. Since he’s coming on strong, I can take it easy.”
“You’re being distant.”
“I just think people make too much of workplace competition.”
“If you need help, just let me know.”
“Okay. Thanks.” Luan Nian hung up and got on the treadmill. Retreat when the enemy advances—wasn’t that also a strategy?
After running just two kilometers, he received a call from Zang Yao: “I’m leaving. Want to meet?”
“I thought you were planning to stay in Beijing for two more years?”
“Nope. I’ll wait for you by Houhai. I’ll send you the location later.”
“Alright.”
Luan Nian got ready to leave. Luke followed him down to the garage. Despite Luan Nian telling it several times to stay at home, it acted as if it didn’t understand. With no other choice, he took it along. It sat in the back seat but quickly jumped into the front passenger seat, sticking its little nose out through the slightly open window to breathe the free air.
While waiting at traffic lights, people in the car next to them found it adorable and greeted it. Then they looked at the dog’s owner—such a handsome and stylish man—and thought the car, the man, and the dog were all attention-grabbing, staying cool all the way to Houhai. Luan Nian walked Luke to find Zang Yao. Luke seemed to know it was handsome and held its neck high, exuding a certain air of confidence backed by its owner.
Zang Yao was quite surprised to see Luan Nian walking a dog, especially such a cute one. She looked at Luke and then at him, her expression intriguing.
“What’s wrong?”
“This isn’t your dog.”
“Then whose is it?”
“I guess... it belongs to a woman.” Zang Yao knew Luan Nian well. He wouldn’t raise a dog; if he did, he would choose fierce breeds like Pitbulls or Tibetan Mastiffs.
Luan Nian found a bottle of water, squatted down to feed Luke, tied it to a chair, and then looked at Zang Yao: “You guessed right.”
Zang Yao smiled and also looked at Luke. The dog was truly beautiful. Even though it was in an awkward phase, its little eyes were bright, and it stuck out its tongue happily, looking carefree. They say that dogs resemble their owners. Zang Yao imagined the dog’s owner—a clean, fresh, and lovely girl who was harmless.
“When are you leaving?” Luan Nian asked her.
“The day after tomorrow.”
“Why so soon?”
“I broke up.” Zang Yao extended her arm, showing purple marks: “He got drunk and lost control. I cut his arm with a knife, but he didn’t gain anything. That’s it—I’m returning to the U.S.”
Luan Nian looked at her arm, frowning: “That’s it?”
“That’s it.”
“Where does he sing?”
“He’s gone.”
“Why didn’t you tell me?”
“I was afraid you’d fight for me, and I’d end up telling you I love you.” Zang Yao looked at Luan Nian: “This is probably the first and last time I directly express my feelings to you, Luan Nian. You know, I’m not someone who hides emotions well. The only secret I’ve kept all these years is that I love you. I probably fell in love with your happy family and your forever untamed demeanor. I never expected to be with you—not everyone gets what they wish for.”
Luan Nian remained silent. Beside him, Luke suddenly barked at Zang Yao, putting its front paw on Luan Nian’s leg and barking again.
Zang Yao smiled, her beauty striking: “This dog is guarding you on behalf of its master!”
Luan Nian glanced down at Luke: “It? It’s just a silly dog.”
Luke barked at him again, clearly displeased.
Zang Yao was amused by Luke and, after her laughter subsided, looked at Luan Nian: “Remember to visit me when you return to New York.”
“Alright. Is he really gone?”
“Really gone. He couldn’t make ends meet; the money he earned wasn’t enough for his drinking.”
“Alright. Then I wish you a safe journey.” Luan Nian checked his watch, untying Luke’s leash. Zang Yao watched him squatting there, his hair always neat and clean, his attire always proper, and his demeanor always rational. She felt regretful. After knowing him for so many years, she had never seen another side of Luan Nian.
Luan Nian stood up, and Zang Yao extended her hand: “Want a hug?”
“Sure.” Luan Nian took a step forward, but just as he reached out, Luke positioned itself between them and even sat down cheerfully. Zang Yao shrugged, gave him a symbolic hug, then quickly stepped back, bending down to say to Luke: “You’re so smart.”
Luke suddenly stuck out its tongue: Of course.
Zang Yao turned and walked away. She had always been a decisive person, wandering through life for so many years without stopping, a very cool woman. Luan Nian didn’t have many female friends, and Zang Yao was probably the only one. Luan Nian remembered the day he met Zang Yao—someone pushed his shoulder: “Go for it!”
He shook his head: “I knew the moment I saw her that nothing would happen between us.” But they could be friends.
Luan Nian walked Luke by Houhai. Young girls approached, blushing, to play with Luke. How did Luke feel? It enjoyed being the center of attention and showed off its tricks one by one.
There was just one thing—if any girl spoke to Luan Nian, asking things like how old the dog was, what its name was, or how cute his dog was... As soon as they opened their mouths, Luke would bark, forbidding anyone from talking to Luan Nian.
When Zang Yao said Luke was guarding him on behalf of its master, Luan Nian thought it was just a coincidence. But now, he didn’t think it was a coincidence anymore. Pinching Luke’s face, he asked it: “Are you guarding me on behalf of your master?” Seeing it bark confidently, he scolded it: “What’s our relationship that you’re guarding me?”
He slapped Luke’s head hard: “Let’s go home!”
Luan Nian spent a week peacefully being a dog dad, arriving at the office at 9 a.m. and leaving at 6 p.m. Tracy grew restless, and colleagues in the company also became a bit afraid. In the workplace, if someone’s work habits change drastically—for example, from being diligent to becoming lazy, or from being easygoing to suddenly becoming confrontational—it means either the person is dissatisfied with the company or they’re about to leave.
On Friday, as usual, Luan Nian packed up and prepared to leave when Tracy entered his office.
“Let’s talk Monday. I need to go home and walk the dog.”
“No.” Tracy sat down: “Let’s talk now.”
“Can’t live until Monday?” Luan Nian retorted, checking his watch. If he returned late, Luke would tear the house apart. He should’ve listened to Shang Zhitao’s advice and locked Luke in a cage.
Tracy didn’t argue with Luan Nian but went straight to the point: “What do you think of Dony?”
“Not bad.”
“On what basis?”
“After taking office, he quickly visited core clients, actively prepared new strategies, and got along well with colleagues. All good.”
Tracy nodded: “That’s good.”
“What about you?” Luan Nian asked her.
“I think it’s good too.” Having worked in human resources for so many years, Tracy’s intuition told her Dony wasn’t simple.
Luan Nian smiled: “So why hasn’t the background check document for Dony been sent to me?”
“It arrived today. The board directly hired him, bypassing our side for the background check.” Tracy explained.
“But you definitely arranged a separate background check.” After years of cooperation, Luan Nian understood Tracy. Though she appeared gentle, she didn’t allow others to challenge her authority. When the board arranged someone without going through her, she would first feel that the matter was uncontrollable, and then she’d take the initiative. Thus, fighting with people couldn’t be rushed. Over time, when various interests were laid out, everyone’s stance would emerge. Take Tracy, for instance. If the board dared to arrange a Dony without her today, tomorrow they might arrange a new HR director without her.
Tracy smiled meaningfully: “We didn’t use our company’s background check agency. You’ll need to approve the funds for this.”
Luan Nian’s lips curled up: “Alright.” Standing up, he said to Tracy: “I really need to go home and walk the dog.”
“Did you really get a dog?”
“Why would I lie to you?” Luan Nian took out his phone and pulled up a photo. He and Luke were by Houhai, taken by a young girl who initially offered to email it to him. But when Luke barked on cue, Luan Nian politely said, “Just post it on Weibo, and I’ll download it.”
The photo turned out great—both Luke and Luan Nian looked handsome.
Tracy exclaimed: “The dog looks good. Can’t you hire someone to walk it?”
“No.” Luan Nian smirked and turned to leave.
Tracy picked up her phone to make a call: “Continue with the background check I mentioned last time. The funds are settled.” Returning to her desk, she forwarded the background check document of Dony, sent by headquarters, to Luan Nian.
When Luan Nian got home, he saw that Shang Zhitao had already returned from her business trip and was in a meeting with suppliers discussing the August event bidding. Luke lay by her feet, obviously already walked. He sat on the couch, opened his laptop, and read the file Tracy had sent him.
The resume was impressive—consulting and art background. Luan Nian skimmed through it. There wasn’t much to see. Whatever the board sent must be something everyone could access. Luan Nian wasn’t interested in those accolades. After Shang Zhitao finished her meeting and closed her laptop, he asked her: “How much unused backup budget is left in the marketing department?”
“For this quarter, there’s still over 600,000 yuan.”
“HR is working on a project. Tonight, they’ll send an approval email. Have finance transfer the funds to them.”
“Alright.”
“Special approval.” Luan Nian added: “Keep it confidential.”
“Got it.”
Shang Zhitao felt like she and Luan Nian were on the same boat—an interesting feeling. She didn’t ask further about what special project HR was doing or why it needed special approval. Nothing to ask about. But she could inquire about Luke’s situation. She had asked once during her trip, and Luan Nian said it was fine. If she didn’t trust him, he joked about sending it to a kennel today. So she didn’t dare ask further.
“Has Luke been good?”
“Mm.”
“No illnesses or anything? It’s still young and can easily get sick. That’s also why I didn’t want to send it to a kennel.”
Luan Nian didn’t answer her directly but pointed to Luke: “Isn’t it perfectly fine?”
Luke suddenly stood up, ran to Shang Zhitao’s side, and barked as if it had been wronged.
?
Dogs can’t talk. Luan Nian leaned back on the couch, relaxed, and didn’t forget to complain: “This dog you raised keeps barking all day. Quite annoying.”
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