But it was spring now. If there were female dogs on set, they absolutely could not film together.
The person in charge had asked around early on. Given the special season, he had already made preparations. "Rest assured, all the dogs on set are male."
"Have Xiaotu act?" Chang Yu glanced at the golden retriever, who was too lazy even to stand up. "How much physical activity will there be?"
The person in charge answered honestly, "For dogs, it's just playing. We certainly won't overwork them. All the dogs on set are very happy."
Chang Yu waited for Xiaotu's response, and an excited voice soon came through.
-"Acting? Oh my god, I never even dared dream of acting when I was human. If I go to the set, doesn't that mean I can interact with celebrities?!"
-"When I was scrolling through videos yesterday, it looked like Li Yong was on this production too. If I can get Li Yong or the best actor to be my celebrity owner, what more could a dog ask for!"
"All right, I'll bring him over tomorrow." Chang Yu thought, You chose this yourself.
The night before, Yan Junye was so excited that he went to sleep a whole five minutes late.
His brain frantically ran through the few handsome celebrities he remembered, then recalled their personalities one by one. He had already started virtually shopping for a handsome, gentle owner.
Chang Yu drove to the set but did not leave immediately.
Mostly, he was afraid the director would call within an hour and ask him to pick up his dog.
The car door opened, and the dog who normally would not crouch if he could lie down, or stand if he could crouch, finally took the initiative to run.
Yan Junye had wanted to head straight for the best actor, but the set was crowded with people and clutter. Never mind the best actor-he could not spot a single handsome young man.
He returned to Chang Yu with his head drooping. Chang Yu was talking to the director. "Does Xiaotu need special training?"
"He's very smart and understands human speech, but he might not be able to do difficult moves."
The director glanced at the golden retriever with his glossy coat and bright eyes. "It's very simple. Any dog could do it, and we have a dog trainer too."
Chang Yu did not know what to say.
He really could not bring himself to say that Xiaotu was not a dog.
After all, if he said it, he might be the first one taken to the hospital for an examination.
Yan Junye stopped in his tracks. He had not expected to encounter a countdown to his death before even meeting a handsome man.
Weren't dogs usually just there to provide atmosphere?
Why did he have to spin and jump too?!
With a human body, he could just about manage it.
But with this four-legged canine body, he spent every day sleeping. He really had no idea how to coordinate and move all four limbs.
He turned pleading eyes toward Chang Yu.
-"I can't do this. How about we go home after seeing the best actor and Li Yong?"
Unfortunately, the director was right beside Chang Yu. Having already agreed, he really could not leave without a reason.
Chang Yu merely crouched and patted Xiaotu's head. "Do whatever you can manage. Go on."
Yan Junye raised his head and walked on his finally coordinated limbs, thinking:
-"Sure enough, I can only rely on myself to save my own doggy life!"
When the dog trainer first saw the golden retriever, she enthusiastically interacted with him for quite some time.
Unfortunately, she was a young woman and could not stir the interest of this dog with his advanced consciousness.
Yan Junye reluctantly cooperated, holding out a paw to shake her outstretched hand.
Then he let her instructions go in one ear and out the other. He might as well have written "I don't care" across his forehead.
The trainer stroked the golden retriever's head in encouragement, then clapped her hands, her voice confident and steady. "Go!"
Yan Junye dashed off with the same confidence as the trainer.
The initially unruffled eyes of the onlookers suddenly filled with shock, their pupils contracting.
The trainer had been working for at least ten years. What kind of dog hadn't she seen?
Yet this was indeed her first time seeing a dog like the golden retriever before her.
This, this... why was this dog different from normal dogs?
Chang Yu indicated that this was merely standard procedure.
If they also made Xiaotu spin and jump, it would not simply be a matter of him lifting his front paws and running and turning circles like a human.
He might even lie on the ground and start panting rapidly, pretending to have croaked to avoid the difficult moves.
Sure enough, after running for just a few minutes, Xiaotu tired out and returned to his side, then lay straight down on the ground under everyone's puzzled, bewildered gazes.
-"So tired. But now they should know what I'm capable of, right? I can only look pretty on camera. I can't handle these difficult action scenes."
Thinking something had gone wrong with the golden retriever, the trainer hurried over to check.
"He's fine. He's just tired from running and needs a rest." Chang Yu did not want to have to rush to the pet hospital in a moment.
After confirming that nothing was wrong, the trainer stood up and looked at the director awkwardly.
Her helpless expression said, "This dog can't act..."
The director had not taken much notice of the comfort dog Liao Mei had paid for before. Looking at him now, he really was quite different.
The crowd kept growing. Everyone had just heard that a dog who walked upright had come to the set, so they all came to watch.
The other dogs appearing in the production had also arrived.
As Xiaotu's owner, Chang Yu was forced to become the center of attention.
He gave a dry cough and explained, "It's perfectly normal. Everyone has their specialty. Xiaotu is a comfort dog."
"Comfort dogs are trained from an early age to make humans happy, so they learn these seemingly strange moves that really can distract people."
"Ohhh." Everyone expressed their sudden understanding. So that was it.
Chang Yu took the opportunity to nudge the dog still playing dead on the ground with his foot and tell him quietly, "The best actor is here."
The dog immediately rolled over and scrambled up, sitting obediently beside Chang Yu as he inspected the row of men who looked handsome just standing there.
And beside his target, the best actor, was a German shepherd on a leash.
The shepherd was tall, with powerful, resilient muscles that made the whole dog look strong and fierce.
Knowing he could not beat that dog in a fight, Yan Junye immediately lost more than half his interest in the best actor.
He would pick another male celebrity instead. They looked good too, and he could check whether Li Yong was on set while he was at it.
Whether or not they let him act, he could now wander over to the celebrities and admire the good looks he normally only saw on television.
No one could dislike a big, fluffy dog.
Sure enough, after he made a round over there, everyone fell for him.
When he wandered back, he heard Chang Yu say with utter distaste, "You're getting a bath when we get back."
Yan Junye snorted, walked a circle around Chang Yu, and rubbed his fur hard against him.
-"Master, come on, let's cuddle~"
Chang Yu: "..." Whichever one over there you've taken a fancy to, just go.
-"Actually, you're no less handsome than they are. Unfortunately, you're too controlling. We really aren't right for each other."
Yan Junye could not stop sighing.
-"I hope you get over this heartbreak soon and embrace a beautiful new romance."
Chang Yu might as well have had "speechless" written across his forehead.
He had never even been in love. What heartbreak?
And he thought Chang Yu was too controlling? If Yan Junye had met him as a human, he would have controlled him even more than he did now.
First of all, he would not let Yan Junye spend eighteen hours a day sleeping.
After serious consideration, the director still decided to keep Xiaotu. Animals that understood people were always a plus. "Then let's have Xiaotu act alongside Li Yong."
"Sure." Xiaotu had chosen Li Yong anyway. People had to spend time together before they could know what the other person was really like.
The entertainment industry was too mixed a bag, so Chang Yu firmly emphasized to the director once more,
"My dog must not get hurt. Otherwise, pulling my funding will only be the first step. The second will be exposing dirt on your leading actors."
The director now felt that the glow radiating from the golden retriever was genuine golden light. He could not afford to offend him. Absolutely not.
He had also heard several investors say that Chang Yu knew many secrets. If he exposed that dirt, the director's show would never even air.
"Rest assured, Mr. Chang. There won't be any difficult moves. We'll only have Xiaotu walk around the set."
Chang Yu turned his gaze to the dog beside him. "You mustn't eat food anyone else gives you. Otherwise, you'll be sent for stomach pumping and surgery, and you won't be able to eat for half a month. Understand?"
After hearing Chang Yu out, Yan Junye instantly felt as though he had fallen from heaven into hell.
These weren't handsome young men. They were clearly seductive demons in the Spider Cave.
Was it really that terrifying?
"Woof, woof, woof."
[Don't worry, don't worry. I absolutely won't eat any. My doggy life comes first.]
Chang Yu had a mountain of work piled up. Especially after Chang Liao ran off, his workload had multiplied.
But he was also afraid something would happen to Xiaotu. After a moment's hesitation, he chose to stay.
He would first deal with whatever work he could do on his computer.
Xiaotu was taken over to get familiar with Li Yong to make filming easier.
Yan Junye did not rub against Li Yong to ingratiate himself. After his previous lessons, he had decided not to judge people by their looks anymore.
People's hearts were hard to fathom. He had to be cautious about a new owner.
He sat down properly while Li Yong stood high above him, looking down at him haughtily.
His tone was a playful command, as though Yan Junye really was nothing more than a plaything.
"Chang Yu said you understand people. Come on, spin around. Wag your tail too."
Yan Junye realized that without comparison, there was no hurt.
Though he had complained many times about having Chang Yu as his owner, at least Chang Yu did not treat him like a plaything for his amusement.
Yan Junye pretended he had not heard and remained motionless.
Inside, he ranted furiously.
-"With that attitude, you expect me to suck up to you? Try your next life! I'd stay at Chang Yu's house forever before going to yours!"
"You're no good. Chang Yu only praised you to save face, didn't he?" Noticing the golden retriever ignoring him, Li Yong sneered,
"You're even using your owner's power to act tough with me? Don't you know the Chang Family is nothing compared to our Li Family? If I killed you and ate your meat today, Chang Yu wouldn't dare make a sound."
He found the recent rumors about Chang Yu laughable.
Those people had even hyped Chang Yu up as some chosen one.
How stupid.
Yan Junye realized that Li Yong was not just a spoiled young master, but a blind, brainless idiot too.
He even wanted to eat his dog meat.
Heh. Let's see whether you eat my meat first, or I feast on your Li Family's dirt!