Chapter 54.1 A Few Things About Dogs
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“Stay with me for now before changing back,” Zhuang Lao suggested. “It’s just you at home, so it’s more convenient.”
The logic made sense, but why did he end up like this? Would he be able to change back in the future? Lin Zhaohe rested his chin on Zhuang Lao’s leg, his ears drooping as he let out a couple of sad whimpers.
He didn’t know what he was whimpering about, but surprisingly, Zhuang Lao understood. “Don’t worry, I understand what you’re saying. Although we don’t know what’s happening yet, we should be able to change you back.”
Hearing Zhuang Lao’s uncertain response, Lin Zhaohe raised his eyelids in acknowledgement.
When they arrived home, Zhuang Lao’s butler was surprised to see his master holding a fluffy white puppy in his arms. Zhuang Lao’s black t-shirt was covered in the puppy’s white fur, but Zhuang Lao didn’t seem to mind. He even took advantage of the puppy’s distraction and gently kissed its head.
The butler found it unbelievable. He knew how much his master valued cleanliness, always maintaining a spotless home. Yet, Zhuang Lao seemed unconcerned about the dog hair covering him. He didn’t even put down the little puppy he held when they arrived home.
Lin Zhaohe felt hungry, his stomach growling. Without saying a word, he nudged Zhuang Lao’s hand with his nose, looking at him with a pitiful expression.
Zhuang Lao asked, “What does a tiny dog eat? Meat or milk?”
Lin Zhaohe opened his mouth, showing Zhuang Lao his teeth, indicating that he could eat meat.
Zhuang Lao noticed the neat row of tiny milk teeth in Lin Zhaohe’s mouth, and his heart skipped a beat. Unconsciously, a gentle smile appeared on his face. He gently touched the row of little milk teeth with his finger. They were small and perfectly aligned, looking especially adorable. There was even a tiny gap in between, which made Zhuang Lao like them even more.
Zhuang Lao couldn’t resist smiling and said, “Xiao He still has one missing tooth.” The second tooth from the left on the bottom row, it made him even cuter.
Lin Zhaohe didn’t care about his teeth. He was hungry and wanted to eat!
Finally, Zhuang Lao decided to give Lin Zhaohe some milk first, and they could discuss other food later.
After a while, the butler brought fresh goat’s milk. With his stomach growling loudly, Lin Zhaohe eagerly buried his head in the bowl and happily started drinking.
Zhuang Lao took out his phone and started earnestly searching for how to determine a puppy’s age and dog recipes. He had never owned a pet before, but the current feeling wasn’t bad. Instead, he experienced a soft emotion he had never felt before.
Lin Zhaohe drank until his belly was round. If it weren’t for the butler’s concern that he might overeat, he would have kept gulping it down. After being satiated, his mind started to slow down. Zhuang Lao held Lin Zhaohe in his arms and wiped the milk off his face, causing Lin Zhaohe to become drowsy.
“Go to sleep,” Zhuang Lao said. “I’ll look up how to turn you back. Rest for now.”
Feeling the warmth transmitted through the clothing, Lin Zhaohe fell asleep with murmurs.
Once Zhuang Lao saw Lin Zhaohe quickly drifting into slumber, he picked up a book and started reading. He couldn’t recall the content of the book, only the cute furry head of the little dog and those droopy ears… Unable to resist, Zhuang Lao lightly tapped his head with a finger.
Warm and soft, it had a great texture in Zhuang Lao’s hands. He thought to himself that he had to be careful not to apply too much pressure, as if exerting a little force would burst the delicate bubble.
While stroking Lin Zhaohe, Zhuang Lao used his phone to consult friends, inquiring if anyone had encountered a similar situation.
After asking around, he did manage to find someone who had experienced it.
“I remember there’s a S Fusion Zone,” Zhuang Lao received a message from his old friend, Mr. Li. He continued, “There’s an alchemist there who can transform animals into humans. You can try your luck by taking your little dog there.”
“Is the effect permanent? Are there any side effects?”
“Side effects? There might be a slight one,” Mr. Li said. “You might revert back when your body is weak.”
“Have you turned back?”
Mr. Li shrugged and replied, “Not personally, but I know someone who has. So, have you fallen in love with a dog? Want to turn him into a human to keep you company?”
“Perhaps.”
Mr. Li burst into a series of laughter in his messages.
Zhuang Lao put away his phone and continued researching. He was disappointed to discover that without external assistance, Lin Zhaohe would remain like this for the rest of his life. Lin Yan used a form of alchemy magic on Lin Zhaohe, which could transform a person into an animal. In the original work, this magic was rather cruel because it was irreversible. Once transformed, there was no going back, and the individual had to live as an animal for the rest of their life.
However, this was a world dominated by the realm of two dimensions, and nothing was impossible. Animals turning into humans wasn’t such a strange thing.
After pondering for a while, Zhuang Lao decided to inform Lin Zhaohe about this matter the following day.
The little dog was sprawled across his lap, sleeping soundly. It was unclear what he was dreaming about as his hind leg twitched occasionally. Zhuang Lao found it amusing and gently lifted him up, carrying him into the bedroom and placing him at his bedside.
So, that night, with his head resting on the pillow, Zhuang Lao turned to glance at the peacefully sleeping Lin Zhaohe and switched off the light.
Lin Zhaohe slept for a long time and had dreams about many past events.
On a scorching summer day, Lin Zhaohe’s friend, the one he played basketball with, had a face that was somewhat unclear. Lin Zhaohe tried to jump for a shot but found himself unable to. The more he tried, the stiffer his body felt, causing him to panic. His friend’s voice rang out, just like in countless previous conversations, asking the question that would change their lives.
He asked him, “Lin Zhaohe, could I become someone like you?”
Lin Zhaohe couldn’t hear what he said in response.
The friend continued, “I really wish I could become as talented as you. Can you help me?”
The sound of the basketball hitting the ground echoed. Finally, Lin Zhaohe’s body could move again. He jumped, and the basketball flew from his hand, creating a graceful arc. However, instead of landing in the hoop, it crashed heavily against the backboard. The glass backboard shattered, turning into countless shards in front of Lin Zhaohe. The friend’s shadow appeared on the fragments, transforming into multiple images of him.
“Lin Zhaohe, I’m sorry,” Lin Zhaohe heard someone speaking, but the words became indistinct.
Startled awake from the dream, Lin Zhaohe gasped for breath. Upon waking, he felt a wave of panic and helplessness, curling up tightly.
“What’s wrong?” Zhuang Lao’s drowsy voice came, and a warm hand gently pressed against Lin Zhaohe’s back.
Zhuang Lao’s fingers were slender, capable of enveloping his entire being. Lin Zhaohe let out a sob as Zhuang Lao lifted him up and then held him close to his chest.
“Did the tiny dog have a nightmare?” Zhuang Lao softly asked. Lin Zhaohe’s small head rested on Zhuang Lao’s chest, and he could even hear the steady rhythm of Zhuang Lao’s heartbeat. In a sleep-induced haze, Zhuang Lao’s voice carried a seductive huskiness and tenderness as he said, “Don’t be afraid, your master is here.”
Lin Zhaohe whimpered softly, pressing his little head against Zhuang Lao’s chest. It had been a long time since he had dreamt about those things… After a brief moment of muddled thoughts, his heavy head and fighting eyelids didn’t leave him much time. Lin Zhaohe fell asleep again.
The next day, Zhuang Lao was awakened by the heat.
Resting on his chest, Lin Zhaohe felt like a little furnace, heating Zhuang Lao’s body to the point where he was slightly perspiring. He opened his eyes and saw a peacefully sleeping white ball, the little dog flipping over and exposing its fluffy belly like a plush toy.
Zhuang Lao, seeing him sleep so soundly, wanted to pick up Lin Zhaohe and move him to a different place. However, as soon as he made a move, Lin Zhaohe woke up. Dazed, he opened his eyes and reflexively attempted to stand up. After struggling with his short and stout limbs for a moment, he abruptly snapped out of it, realizing that he wasn’t at home, but lying on Zhuang Lao’s chest, and that he had turned into a little dog…
At that moment, Lin Zhaohe felt immensely grateful for being a dog. Otherwise, he would have likely turned as red as a beet and died of embarrassment.
Speaking of which, Zhuang Lao’s physique was really impressive. Lin Zhaohe shamelessly thought to himself that while he usually appeared slim and slender, now that his clothes were off, it was evident that he had an impressive build. One couldn’t detect the hidden explosive power at first glance, but just by looking, one could sense the contained strength within.
Whether it was a lingering effect of transforming into a dog or not, Lin Zhaohe truly wanted to take a few bites and taste it. He made an effort to control that desire and let out a couple of barks instead.
“Awake?” Zhuang Lao said. “Then let’s have breakfast first. I’ll explain the situation while we eat.”
Lin Zhaohe nodded obediently.
Based on Zhuang Lao’s analysis from the previous day, Lin Zhaohe was now a one-month-old Samoyed puppy. His main diet consisted of milk, but he could also eat some supplementary food. Zhuang Lao, wearing glasses and flipping through a dog-raising guide he found somewhere, was giving Lin Zhaohe one-on-one instructions. “You can’t eat too much, otherwise, it will upset your stomach… Puppies are prone to getting cold, so we need to keep you warm. We should also start thinking about vaccinations… Hmm?”
Lin Zhaohe was enjoying his milk pudding when he let out a bark, stating that he was a human and didn’t need vaccinations.
“True,” Zhuang Lao agreed. “There’s something in S Fusion Zone that can turn animals into humans. Once we’re ready, we’ll go there together.”
Lin Zhaohe felt a bit confused, wondering why they had to turn animals into humans instead of simply restoring him to his original form.
Although he didn’t say a word, Zhuang Lao communicated with him seamlessly. “No, Lin Yan used alchemy on you, and it’s irreversible.” In other words, Lin Zhaohe was now an actual dog.
Lin Zhaohe shed tears, thinking that Lin Yan was truly despicable. Not only did he not kill him directly, but he also degraded him by turning him into a dog.
The butler lightly knocked on the door and said, “Master, Mr. Li is here.”
Zhuang Lao took off his glasses and replied, “Let him in.”
The butler nodded.
After a while, a handsome man walked into the room. With his long hair and vibrant attire, he looked like a person stepping out of a painting. He was so captivating that even Lin Zhaohe put down his milk pudding and couldn’t help but glance at him a few more times.
Zhuang Lao, noticing Lin Zhaohe’s distraction, tapped his head with a finger. “What’s so interesting? Focus on eating your food, little pup.”
Lin Zhaohe whimpered in a plaintive manner and continued eating his milk pudding.
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