Lost
Puppy Xing instinctively bared its teeth at him, its cheerful little tail stopping its wagging. Its slightly pink ears flattened back like airplane wings.
Of all people, he never expected to run into the one he least wanted to see here. And judging by the man’s expression, he had completely forgotten about him.
That was normal, of course—but Lu Congxing was still annoyed.
In his cub form, his thoughts were simpler, and his emotions were far more straightforward.
The driver, holding the little pup, felt at a complete loss. His instinct was to tuck away the fearless little white dog, hoping to keep it from angering his boss.
Wouldn’t it be a disaster if he accidentally angered the boss?
But He Zhouyan moved faster. Without hesitation, he reached out and lifted Lu Congxing by the scruff of his soft neck, holding him up in front of his face. He extended a finger, teasing him slightly.
A deep, magnetic voice carried a trace of amusement. “Not afraid of me?”
As the only Bai Ze1 in the world, even low-level supernatural beings would tremble at the sight of him, let alone animal cubs.
Since ancient times, no creature had ever laid eyes on him without cowering. His affinity with animals was practically nonexistent—yet now, here was a foolish little white dog, baring its teeth at him.
Even though the palm-sized pup’s tiny, rice-sized fangs held no real threat, his attempt at fierceness only made him look more adorably naive.
Lu Congxing quickly grew tired of baring his teeth. Then, it suddenly hit him—right now, to everyone else, he was just an ordinary puppy. Whenever he transformed into his cub form, all traces of his spiritual energy and demonic power would vanish completely. It was likely a self-protection mechanism of his body, shielding him from the attention of vengeful ghosts.
With that realization, he began wriggling in an attempt to escape from the oppressive presence of this man.
He Zhouyan chuckled lightly and set him down, letting the foolish little pup scrabble at the door. His tiny paws left one dusty paw print after another on the luxurious black leather seat.
The driver, watching this scene, was shocked—he had never seen his boss smile like that before. But he was quick-witted enough to understand that his boss intended to take the little white dog with him. Without asking any unnecessary questions, he got back into the driver’s seat and restarted the car.
Lu Congxing was still fuming, but as he lay against the car window, he suddenly spotted the number 302—the exact place that Di Jiang had mentioned.
So this bad Bai Ze was headed to the same destination as him?
He Zhouyan glanced at the little pup, who had abruptly gone quiet, pawing at the window as he stared outside. With a slight motion of his fingers, he rubbed his index finger, as if still recalling the lingering warmth of the fluffy creature he’d just held.
It was the first time he had ever touched something so small and fragile.
Realizing they were headed to the same place, Lu Congxing decided to stop struggling. In a complete reversal from earlier, he became obedient, as if he were an entirely different dog. The moment He Zhouyan stepped out of the car, Lu Congxing quickly trotted after him, tail wagging.
Well, it’s not like he knows who I am, Lu Congxing thought to himself. Might as well pretend to be an innocent little puppy.
A flicker of surprise crossed He Zhouyan’s eyes. Just a moment ago, the pup had been all fierce and feisty—why was he suddenly acting so clingy?
His long, slender fingers rubbed the little pup’s scruff absentmindedly. “You want to come with me?”
“Woof!” Lu Congxing let out a soft, puppyish bark.
He Zhouyan lightly tapped his head and met his round, glossy eyes. “Don’t run off.”
“Woof…” Lu Congxing felt an inexplicable sense of pressure from the ancient divine beast’s command.
Before he could react, he was scooped up again.
Meanwhile, the house butler of the Xiang family had been waiting at the entrance, expecting today’s exorcist.
But instead of the exorcist, he was greeted by He Zhouyan.
Anyone who kept up with financial news would recognize this man’s face.
The butler was no exception. Practically bending at the waist, he hurried over, his wrinkled face nearly splitting into a wide grin.
“President He! What brings you here?” He quickly straightened up.
The driver answered for He Zhouyan, “The contract from last time still hasn’t been finalized. Since President He was passing by, he decided to drop in and handle it.”
“Please come in quickly.” The butler welcomed them inside while pulling out his phone to send a message to Boss Xiang.
Boss Xiang, who had been leisurely sipping tea at home, waiting for the exorcist to arrive, suddenly jumped up as if his eyebrows were on fire.
In a hurry, he rushed out to greet them.
“President He! What brings you here today?” His voice instantly grew louder, completely forgetting his appointment with the exorcist.
He shot a glance at the butler, signaling that no other guests would be received today.
The butler nodded in understanding.
Nestled in He Zhouyan’s arms, Lu Congxing sat obediently like a small stuffed toy, secretly observing Boss Xiang.
Although the man was grinning obsequiously, dark swollen patches were visible under his eyes. His neck was tense, and his steps were unsteady—clear signs that he had recently been terrified by something sinister.
Other supernatural beings might not be well-versed in dealing with vengeful ghosts, but ancient texts describing Bai Ze clearly stated that Bai Ze knew all exorcism techniques in the world. It wasn’t just an empty boast.
Lu Congxing wasn’t sure if He Zhouyan had noticed that Boss Xiang was being haunted, but the man showed no intention of pointing it out.
Boss Xiang also noticed Lu Congxing. As he racked his brain to flatter He Zhouyan, he blurted out without thinking, “That dog has excellent features!”
Lu Congxing, unsure of his own breed, instinctively shook his head.
Above him, a man’s amused voice responded, “Just a stray pup I picked up.”
Lu Congxing was immediately displeased. He ground his tiny, grain-sized teeth against He Zhouyan’s wrist, but despite his efforts, he couldn’t leave a single mark.
Witnessing the scene from behind, the driver and assistant, Xiao Liu, broke out in a cold sweat, fearing that the unpredictable President He might fling the little dog away in anger.
Unexpectedly, He Zhouyan allowed the small creature to do as it pleased.
Realizing he couldn’t bite through or break free, Lu Congxing gave up struggling and resigned himself to playing the role of a silent plush toy. While the others talked, he kept a keen eye on the house.
The decor was excessively lavish, with gaudy golden accents revealing the tacky taste of a nouveau riche. Instead of aesthetic appeal, it was clear that expensive antiques and paintings were randomly displayed to create an air of wealth. However, the placement of larger furniture showed clear consultation with a feng shui master—the house’s layout was excellent. It faced south, and the potted plants inside were Buddha’s Hand, known for warding off evil ghosts.
Lu Congxing didn’t notice anything unusual about the house itself, yet the yin energy surrounding Boss Xiang was undeniable.
As the group began discussing the contract, Lu Congxing seized the moment while He Zhouyan wasn’t paying attention. First, he discreetly wiggled his tiny butt.
When he remained unnoticed, he grew bolder, inching little by little toward the door.
Then he dashed out excitedly.
But with his short legs, it took him quite a bit of effort to find someone in the Xiang family’s garden. Along the way, he stumbled a few times and nearly fell.
“Woof?” Lu Congxing tilted his head, sticking out a soft pink tongue.
He hid in the bushes, his fluffy triangular ears perked up, eavesdropping on the gardener trimming the plants and the housekeeper who had just returned from grocery shopping.
Luck was on his side—the two were discussing the very thing he wanted to know: the ghostly occurrences in the house.
Standing under the shade of a tree, the housekeeper didn’t look well. She shifted the grocery basket to her other hand and muttered, “You have no idea how eerie the sound of a baby crying in the middle of the night is. And that servant—he just disappeared! How does someone vanish into thin air? I tell you, a ghost must’ve taken him. I don’t know what kind of bad luck this house ran into, but if my son didn’t need tuition money for college, I would’ve quit long ago.”
The gardener, however, wasn’t convinced. “A baby crying? Sounds more like some stray cat in heat.”
Seeing that he didn’t believe her, the housekeeper’s face darkened. “Then what about the missing servant? His family said he never came home!”
“He only worked here for a month. Maybe he stole something and ran off. Probably even messed with the security cameras before leaving.” The gardener continued trimming the plants without much concern.
But the housekeeper was adamant. “I’m telling you, the boss must’ve done something to attract ghosts. Haven’t you noticed how awful the lady of the house looks lately? And I heard the boss even hired an exorcist today!”
The word exorcist finally made the gardener hesitate. He snipped a branch and let out a relieved sigh. “Good thing I don’t stay here overnight. I go straight home after work—no ghosts for me!”
Lu Congxing wanted to hear more, but just then, the housekeeper glanced at the sky and suddenly gasped, “Oh no! I need to get to the kitchen!”
She hurried off, and after a moment of thought, Lu Congxing decided to follow her.
The housekeeper walked quickly, and by the time Lu Congxing scrambled into the kitchen on his stubby legs, the place was already bustling.
Inside, besides the housekeeper, there was also a chef. The two of them were in the middle of a heated argument.
Lu Congxing quickly hid behind the grocery basket, using a bunch of fresh greens as camouflage.
As their quarrel escalated, he pieced together the story—recently, meat had been going missing from the kitchen. The chef suspected the housekeeper, who often came in to clean, of stealing it.
But the housekeeper wasn’t one to take accusations lightly, and soon, their shouting grew more intense.
When their argument shifted to petty past grievances, Lu Congxing gave up on getting any useful information. He turned to leave but accidentally bumped into a cabinet.
A precariously placed stack of plates on top wobbled—then crashed to the floor, shattering into pieces.
Lu Congxing froze, startled. Thinking quickly, he darted into the cabinet.
The chef’s expression darkened as he stood up, gripping a spatula. “What was that noise?”
The housekeeper got up too. “Probably a rat! I told you, the missing meat must’ve been stolen by rats!”
The chef snorted. “What kind of rat steals that much meat from the fridge? I’m checking right now.”
Lu Congxing shrank further into the cabinet, his round, beady eyes nervously watching the two approach.
Pairs of feet kept passing back and forth in front of him, but fortunately, neither of them seemed inclined to crouch down and peek into the cabinet.
The housekeeper complained, “With all the noise you’re making, even if there were a mouse, it would’ve run away by now.”
The two started arguing again, and the chef swore that he wouldn’t sleep tonight—he’d stay in the kitchen and catch the thief no matter what.
Taking advantage of the commotion, Lu Congxing slipped away. He could feel the spiritual energy within him awakening.
The sensation was surreal. It was the first time he had experienced such a distinct resurgence of spiritual energy. Normally, when he reverted to animal cub form, he would have to sleep it off before naturally changing back.
Lu Congxing uneasily licked his small nose. The only difference between today and the past was that he had come into close contact with that bad Bai Ze.
As the Bureau Director once said, the stronger the demon, the better they could stabilize the chaotic spiritual energy in his body.
Realizing this, Lu Congxing hesitated. He had two options: he could slip away now and reunite with Di Jiang, putting an end to today’s episode of seeking comfort in He Zhouyan’s arms. Or, he could return to He Zhouyan’s side and absorb more of his spiritual energy, which might help him maintain his human form for the next three days.
He glanced forward, then back, unable to make up his mind—unaware that inside, the atmosphere had already grown tense due to his disappearance.
. . . . .
He Zhouyan took a sip of tea and, in a compulsive habit, placed the cup back exactly where it had been.
The heavy clock in the hall ticked forward once more, but no one dared to speak.
Even with the air conditioning on, sweat dripped from Xiao Liu’s forehead. He kept his head down, reported that he hadn’t found the little pup, and didn’t even dare to breathe too loudly.
The man’s presence was simply too oppressive. Even Boss Xiang, who wasn’t particularly good at reading people’s moods, kept his mouth shut.
He Zhouyan stretched out his long legs, breaking the suffocating silence. “It’s just a dog. If it’s gone, then it’s gone.”
He had thought it was rare to come across a creature that wasn’t afraid of him. Turns out, it ran away after all.
Suppressing the slight displeasure in his heart, the shadow in his expression faded, returning to a blank, emotionless state.
Only then did Boss Xiang dare to continue the conversation. “Hahaha, exactly, just a dog. I’ll send you a few more another day, all purebred, guaranteed.”
He Zhouyan gave him a cold glance and remained silent.
The flattery had completely missed the mark.
Sensing the danger, Xiao Liu quickly grabbed the contract from the table and handed it over. “If everything looks good, please sign here.”
“Ah—yes, of course.” Boss Xiang didn’t dare to say anything else and hurriedly signed the contract.
At the same time, he secretly thought to himself: It’s just a white dog. I’ll just find another one that looks the same. There’s no way President He would be able to tell the difference, right?
Author’s Note:
Lost Xing Cub right at the beginning =v=
- 白泽 (Bái zé)
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