"Нmm?" Luаn Niаn аnswered thе рhоnе whilе sitting on the sofа, аnd Luke jumpеd up to sit bеsidе him.
"Yоu'vе bееn leaving еarly for three daуs strаight."
"Is therе a рrоblеm with mе going hоmе аftеr wоrk?"
"...This dоesn't seem likе уour stуle."
Luan Nian lаughed. "Seniоr, you'rе bеing оvеrlу саutious. I quite likе Dоny."
"I dоn't bеliеve уou."
"Dоn't wоrry. I've bееn going hоme earlу these daуs bесausе I need to wаlk thе dоg."
"You hаvе а dоg?"
Luаn Niаn thought fоr а momеnt. "Yes, I hаve a vеry gооd-lоoking dоg. I'll bring it fоr уоu to plaу with another day." Нearing Luan Niаn call it gоod-lооking, Luke tiltеd its head and whimpered. Luan Nian covered the receiver with his hand and said to it, "Just kidding."
"Never mind. The dog you raise probably has a temper just like yours." Tracy laughed. "Dony plans to open up the Planning Department's headcount. He said he'll discuss it with you at next week's management meeting. I'm asking for your thoughts in advance. If you agree, as per usual practice, we'll need to allocate 30% of the headcount for internal company competition."
"Open it all to external candidates," Luan Nian said. "From what I can see, no one in the company currently meets the Planning Department's hiring standards."
"Alright."
Luan Nian hung up the phone, turned to look at Luke, and said to it, "Your owner missed this opportunity. But I think she can catch the next one. What do you think?"
Luke: Woof!
"Woof my ass!" Luan Nian pinched its dog face, then went upstairs to work out. Just as he stepped onto the treadmill, he received a call from Jiang Lan. "Hello."
"Hello."
"The new Planning Department manager at your company is quite good. You have a sharp eye." Jiang Lan was clever enough to understand at a glance.
"As long as Manager Jiang is satisfied."
Jiang Lan stopped beating around the bush with Luan Nian. "He's coming on strong."
"That's good. Without boldness, he wouldn't be appointed. If he's aggressive, I can relax a bit."
"You're being too formal."
"I just think people take workplace competition too seriously."
"If you need my help, just say the word."
"Alright. Thank you." Luan Nian hung up the phone and got on the treadmill. Isn't retreating when the enemy advances also a strategy?
After running just two kilometers, he received a call from Zang Yao. "I'm leaving. Do you want to meet?"
"Didn't you say you'd stay in Beijing for a couple more years?"
"Not anymore. I'll wait for you by Houhai. I'll send you the location later."
"Alright."
Luan Nian got ready to go out. Luke followed him down to the garage. Luan Nian told it several times to stay home, but it acted as if it didn't understand. Helpless, he brought it along. It sat in the back seat, seized an opportunity to jump into the passenger seat, and stuck its little nose out through the slightly open window to breathe in the free air.
At red lights, people in neighboring cars, finding it adorable, would greet it. Then, seeing the dog's owner—such a handsome and stylish man—they felt the car, the person, and the dog were all impressive enough. They made quite the striking impression all the way to Houhai. Luan Nian led Luke to find Zang Yao. Luke seemed to know it was good-looking, holding its head high the whole way, giving off a bit of a "dog relying on its master's influence" vibe.
Zang Yao was very surprised to see Luan Nian with a dog, and such a cute one at that. She looked at Luke, then at him, her expression quite meaningful.
"What's wrong?"
"This isn't your dog."
"Whose is it then?"
"I'd guess it belongs to a woman." Zang Yao knew Luan Nian too well. He wouldn't raise a dog, and if he did, it would be a fierce breed, like a Pitbull or a Tibetan Mastiff.Luan Nian found a bottle of water, crouched down to give Luke a drink, then tied him to a chair before looking at Zang Yao. “You guessed right.”
Zang Yao smiled and turned to look at Luke. The dog was truly handsome, even in its awkward phase—its small eyes were bright, and it stuck out its tongue, grinning carefree at you. They say dogs resemble their owners, and Zang Yao tried to imagine what the owner might look like—probably a harmless, clean, fresh, and adorable girl.
“When are you leaving?” Luan Nian asked her.
“The day after tomorrow.”
“Why so soon?”
“I broke up.” Zang Yao extended her arm, revealing purple marks. “He drank too much and lost control. I cut his arm with a knife, so he didn’t get off easy either. That’s it—I’m going back to the States.”
Luan Nian looked at her arm, his brow furrowing. “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 wouldn’t be able to stop myself from telling you I love you.” Zang Yao looked at Luan Nian. “This is probably the first and last time I’ll ever be this direct with you, Luan Nian. You know me—I can’t hide my feelings. The only thing I’ve kept hidden all these years is that I love you. I suppose I fell in love with your happy, complete family and your forever untamed spirit. I never expected to be with you—not everyone gets what they want.”
Luan Nian stayed silent, but Luke suddenly barked at Zang Yao, placing his front paws on Luan Nian’s leg before barking at her again.
Zang Yao laughed, her smile as fleeting as a startled swan. “The dog’s keeping an eye on you for its owner!”
Luan Nian glanced down at Luke. “Him? He’s a silly dog.”
Luke barked at Luan Nian again, clearly displeased.
Zang Yao was amused by Luke. She stopped laughing and looked at Luan Nian. “Come see me in New York when you’re back.”
“Okay. Is he really gone?”
“Really gone. He couldn’t make it here—what he earned wasn’t even enough for his drinking.”
“Alright. Have a safe trip.” Luan Nian checked his watch and went to untie Luke’s leash. Zang Yao watched him crouch there—his hair always neat, his clothes always appropriate, his demeanor always rational. She felt a pang of regret; after all these years of knowing him, she’d never seen another side of Luan Nian.
Luan Nian stood up, and Zang Yao reached out to him. “Want a hug?”
“Sure.” Luan Nian took a step forward, but as he extended his arms, Luke positioned himself between them, even sitting down with a grin. Zang Yao shrugged, gave him a symbolic hug, then quickly stepped back, leaning down to tell Luke, “You’re so clever.”
Luke suddenly stuck out his tongue: Of course.
Zang Yao turned and walked away. She had always been a decisive person, drifting through the world for years, never stopping despite wind and rain—a truly cool woman. Luan Nian didn’t have many female friends, and Zang Yao was probably the only one. Luan Nian remembered the day they met—someone had nudged his shoulder and said, “Go for it!”
He shook his head. “From the moment I saw her, I knew nothing would happen between us.” But they could be friends.
Luan Nian walked along the shore of Houhai with Luke. A young girl, blushing, came up to play with Luke. And Luke? He basked in the attention, showing off all his tricks one by one for the girls.There was just one thing: if any girl tried to talk to Luan Nian—like asking how old the dog was, what its name was, or saying how cute his dog was—Luke would bark immediately, not allowing anyone to speak to Luan Nian.
When Zang Yao said Luke was keeping an eye on his owner for him, Luan Nian thought it was just a coincidence. But by now, he didn’t think it was a coincidence anymore. He pinched Luke’s furry face and asked, "Are you keeping an eye on me for your master?" Seeing it bark back with righteous confidence, he scolded it, "What’s our relationship that you’re watching over me?"
He gave Luke’s head a firm pat. "Let’s go home!"
Luan Nian spent a week peacefully as a dog dad, arriving at the office at nine in the morning and leaving at six in the evening. Tracy was starting to feel uneasy, and the colleagues were a bit worried too. In the workplace, if someone’s work habits change drastically—like going from diligent to lazy, or from easygoing to suddenly confrontational—it usually means they’re dissatisfied with the company or planning to leave.
On Friday, as Luan Nian was packing up to leave as usual, Tracy walked into his office.
"Let’s talk on Monday. I need to go home and walk the dog."
"No." Tracy sat down in the chair. "Let’s talk now."
"Is it so urgent it can’t wait until Monday?" Luan Nian retorted, glancing at his watch. If he went home late, Luke would tear the place apart. He really should have listened to that big fool Shang Zhi Tao and put Luke in a cage.
Tracy didn’t bother arguing with Luan Nian and went straight to the point. "What do you think of Dony?"
"He’s fine."
"Based on what?"
"He visited all the key clients right after taking over, actively prepared new strategies, and gets along well with colleagues. Everything’s fine."
Tracy nodded. "That’s good."
"What do you think?" Luan Nian asked her.
"I think he’s fine too." Having worked in human resources for so many years, Tracy’s intuition told her Dony wasn’t simple.
Luan Nian smiled. "Then why haven’t I received Dony’s background check documents?"
"They just came in today. The board hired him directly, so the background check didn’t go through us," Tracy explained.
"But you definitely arranged a separate background check." After years of working together, Luan Nian knew Tracy well. She might seem gentle, but she didn’t allow anyone to challenge her authority. If the board brought someone in without her involvement in the background check, she’d first feel the situation was out of her control and then take the initiative to act. So, when it came to office politics, patience was key. Given enough time, with everyone’s interests laid out, their true positions would emerge. Like Tracy. If the board dared to bring in a Dony without her today, they might bring in a human resources director without her tomorrow.
Tracy smiled meaningfully. "It wasn’t done through our company’s background check agency, so Luke will have to find a way to approve the expense for me."
Luan Nian’s lips curled into a smile. "Fine." He stood up and said to Tracy, "I really have to go walk the dog now."
"You really got a dog?"
"Why would I lie?" Luan Nian took out his phone and pulled up a photo. It was taken of him and Luke by Houhai Lake, snapped by a girl who had offered to send it to his email. But Luke barked at the right moment, so Luan Nian apologized and said, "Just post it on Weibo, and I’ll download it from there."
The photo was really nice—both Luke and Luan Nian looked quite handsome.Tracy let out a surprised "Oh": "The dog's fine, can't you hire someone to walk it?"
"No." Luan Nian replied with a half-smile before turning and walking away.
Tracy picked up her phone and made a call: "That background check I mentioned last time—keep going. The money's settled." Returning to her desk, she forwarded the background investigation document on Dony sent by headquarters to Luan Nian.
When Luan Nian got home, he saw that Shang Zhi Tao had already returned from her business trip and was in a meeting with suppliers, discussing the bidding for the August event. Luke was lying at her feet, clearly already walked. Luan Nian sat on the sofa, opened his laptop, and reviewed the file Tracy had sent him.
The resume was truly impressive—a blend of consulting and artistic background. Luan Nian skimmed through it, though there wasn’t much to see. Anything sent by the board was likely sanitized for everyone’s eyes, and he had little interest in such accolades. After Shang Zhi Tao finished her meeting and closed her laptop, he asked her: "How much of the marketing department’s reserve budget is still unused?"
"Over 600,000 for this quarter."
"Human Resources is starting a project. An approval email will go out tonight. Have Finance allocate the funds to them."
"Okay."
"Special approval," Luan Nian added. "Keep it confidential."
"Sure."
Shang Zhi Tao felt as though she and Luan Nian were now in the same boat—a strangely comforting sensation. She didn’t press further about what special project Human Resources was undertaking or why it required special approval. There was no need to ask. But she could inquire about Luke. She’d asked once during her business trip, and Luan Nian had simply said, "Fine. If you don’t trust me, I can help you send him to a kennel today." She hadn’t dared to ask again.
"Is Luke behaving?"
"Mhm."
"He hasn’t gotten sick or anything, right? He’s still young and especially prone to illness. That’s partly why I didn’t want to send him to a kennel."
Instead of answering directly, Luan Nian pointed at Luke: "Doesn’t he look perfectly fine?"
Suddenly, Luke stood up, ran over to Shang Zhi Tao, and started barking loudly, as if he’d been wronged in some way.
Dogs can’t talk, after all. Luan Nian leaned back on the sofa, looking relaxed, and couldn’t resist complaining: "That dog you’re raising barks all the time. It’s really annoying."
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