Chapter 157
The plump, round puppy delighted Lu Gu’s heart. He didn’t even bother to pour out the dish-scrubbing water, hurrying over in a few quick steps. Smiling, he picked up one of the puppies and cradled it in his arms. Already three months old, it was quite heavy.
Snow was still falling, and Shen Xuanqing’s shoulders and clothes were dusted with flakes from his trip outside. Seeing Lu Gu’s joy, a smile also appeared on his face. "Let’s go inside first," he said. "The snow’s heavy out here."
Shen Yaoqing, sweeping vigorously with a long broom, spotted the two puppies and laughed. "They’re raised well, so chubby!"
"Indeed," Shen Xuanqing nodded. The puppy in his hands was round and plump, though the mother dog had grown thin. He’d meant to bring them back days ago but had forgotten in the rush of work.
The main room had a brazier burning. Though the journey was short, the puppies’ fur had still caught some snowflakes, which soon melted into dampness. Perhaps drawn by the warmth of the fire, as soon as they were set on the ground, they toddled toward the brazier, their tiny tails perked up and wagging happily.
Yellow dogs were common in the village, and their winter coats were thick. Both puppies looked sturdy and well-fed. Lu Gu squatted beside them, watching as they waddled toward him, whimpering in the most endearing way.
Their fluffy little tails wagged incessantly. Unable to resist, Lu Gu reached out and stroked one from the base to the tip. His eyes curved with happiness.
The two earth-yellow puppies had slightly different shades of fur - one darker, one lighter. However both were soft and fluffy to the touch. Their warm, round little bodies felt wonderful in his hands.
Lu Gu felt a wet, warm lick on his wrist. The darker puppy let out a small "woof," its jet-black eyes fixed on him, its tail wagging nonstop. The other one sniffed his hand before trotting off to investigate Shen Xuanqing and Shen Yan, its tiny tail still wagging.
"So cute," Shen Yan said, scooping up the lighter-colored puppy with both hands. The moment it was lifted, it let out two little yelps and wriggled its chubby body in the air.
Puppies at this age were naturally affectionate. Since they’d been raised in the yard, and Lu Gu and Shen Yan had often visited Lin Jinhu’s house to see them, the puppies weren’t shy at all, yipping excitedly. Even Wei Lanxiang came out to look.
Shen Xuanqing had mentioned before that he wanted more dogs to guard the new house. Though Wei Lanxiang wasn’t entirely pleased because the family already had four, and two more would mean even more food to prepare, she couldn’t argue with him. Besides, the puppies were undeniably adorable, and she even reached out to pet them a couple of times.
The puppy that had been standing near Lu Gu now scampered to Shen Xuanqing’s feet, playfully biting his trouser leg. Shen Xuanqing tugged his pants and shook his leg, sending the puppy tumbling to the ground.
Shen Yan also set her puppy down and gave it a thorough petting, running her hands from its head to its tail. She was delighted. Puppies were just so fun to touch, with their round little bellies.
Lin Jinhu was skilled at raising dogs, his big yellow dog was sharp and alert as a guard.
Lu Gu stroked a puppy’s head and said with a smile, "Guaizi was even chubbier than these two when he was little."
Unlike yellow dogs, Guaizi was a wolf-blue mastiff. Niu Hong made money selling hunting dog pups, and Guaizi had been well-fed even while nursing. Dogs grew faster than humans. In just a year, Guaizi was already following Shen Xuanqing on hunts.
"Second Brother, what are their names?" Shen Yan asked, unable to put the puppy down.
Shen Xuanqing replied, "Haven’t decided yet. Any ideas?"
Shen Yan thought for a moment. "They’re both yellow, how about Dahuang (Big Yellow) and Xiaohuang (Little Yellow)?"
Country folk didn’t put much thought into naming dogs. Most yellow dogs were called Dahuang or Huang’er, while black dogs were called Dahei or Hei’er.
Shen Yaoqing, who had just finished clearing a path through the snow, walked in and burst out laughing at her suggestion. "Their mom’s already called Dahuang. If you shout ‘Dahuang’ outside, half the dogs in the village will come running."
Shen Yan had just blurted out the first names that came to mind and had forgotten this detail. "Then, Big Brother, what do you think they should be called?"
"Xiaohuang works," Shen Yaoqing said after a pause. Then he added, "The other one can be Erhuang (Second Yellow)."
This made even Shen Yan laugh. She looked up and said, "I thought you’d have some grand names in mind, but you’re just as bad as me!"
Shen Yaoqing grinned. "You don’t get it. Names like these are easy to say and distinguish from the older dogs. If country folk gave their dogs some fancy literary name, no one would even know how to pronounce it, let alone call it."
Ji Qiuyue came out carrying the now-awake Zhao’er. Hearing him defend himself, she rolled her eyes and teased, "Oh, so you’re the expert now, huh?"
Whenever Ji Qiuyue scolded Shen Yaoqing, Shen Yan was always delighted. Though she was the youngest in the family, her brothers often teased her, making them occasionally annoying.
Shen Yaoqing scratched his cheek and laughed, not daring to argue further. He took Zhao’er and played with him, making the baby giggle uncontrollably.
Lu Gu had learned a few characters by now, but naming things still felt difficult to him. Besides, Erhuang and Xiaohuang were perfectly fine names for dogs, so he stayed quiet.
Shen Xuanqing bent down, grabbed the two puppies by the scruff of their necks, and placed them in front of Lu Gu. "The darker one is bigger, let's call it Erhuang. The other one is Xiaohuang."
"Erhuang, Xiaohuang," Lu Gu murmured softly, stroking their heads with a smile. But then, suddenly, he looked up at Shen Xuanqing and said, "Erqing."
Shen Xuanqing froze. Shen Yan and Ji Qiuyue were the first to react, bursting into laughter.
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