There's a chat group for pets in my neighborhood.

Zhong Yue froze on the spot, and the beer bottle in his hand slipped and fell to the ground.

"Ten thousand?"

"Lu Fang, tell me the truth, did you go to work at the pet store or rob it?"

It's no wonder Zhong Yue reacted so strongly. The average salary in Yanling City is only a little over four thousand yuan, and the salaries of graduates in his batch are basically around four thousand yuan. For him, earning six thousand yuan a month is already quite good.

Now that someone has suddenly appeared earning 10,000 yuan a month, even Zhong Yue feels a little envious.

"Of course I'm going to work. My situation is a bit special." Lu Fang picked up the wine bottle that had fallen on the ground and briefly explained his experiences over the past few days.

Of course, he didn't mention the pet chat group in Tiancheng Community.

"You mean, you set up some kind of Ark Selection at that pet store, and most of that 10,000 yuan was commission?" Zhong Yue was a little dazed, still somewhat incredulous.

"Yes." Lu Fang nodded: "But this is also cyclical. There are only so many pet owners in Tiancheng Community. The bulk of Fangzhou Yanxuan's commission is still on cat and dog food. They will stock up on several months' worth of these things at once. The commission on snacks is not much. If you want to get such a high salary next time, you have to wait for the pet owners to stock up again."

"That's pretty good too." Zhong Yue was genuinely happy for his good friend. "Then I won't fight you for this meal."

Lu Fang patted him on the shoulder: "I came to see you, it wouldn't be right for me to ask you to treat me."

The two men clinked glasses and drank, and before they knew it, it was eleven o'clock.

Seeing that the groundwork had been laid, Lu Fang subtly inquired, "Old Zhong, are you interested in returning to the pet industry?"

Zhong Yue was taken aback, then shook his head: "Me? Forget it. So much time has passed, I've almost forgotten how to hold a scalpel. My job is pretty good, and it's stable. If I can close a big deal, I might be able to earn ten thousand yuan a month."

"Besides, what could I possibly do at a pet store? Hand out flyers? Don't make fun of me."

He casually picked up his beer glass and clinked glasses with Lu Fang.

"It's not a pet shop, it's a pet hospital."

"I have a good grasp on the funding and the venue, but now besides myself, we still need a trustworthy chief surgeon. Do you want to change jobs and come back to help me?" Lu Fang didn't drink, but stared straight at him.

Zhong Yue didn't dare look into Lu Fang's burning gaze. He remained silent for a long time, then took out a crumpled pack of Liqun cigarettes from his pocket, lit one, and took a deep breath.

"Lu Fang, I'm really happy for you. We've only been out of school for a short time, and you're already starting your own business. But I can't agree to you becoming a veterinarian."

"Is it because of money? Don't worry, I'll give you the highest salary I can offer." Lu Fang asked somewhat anxiously.

"It's not about how much money you make, it's about stability." Zhong Yue's hand holding the cigarette trembled slightly. "We all know what starting a business means. It's a gamble with a high chance of failure. For the first six months or even a year, you might be burning money and losing money."

"Under these circumstances, if I were to go to your company for a high salary, would I even be considered a human being?" He raised his head, his eyes bloodshot. "If my father hadn't been in this situation, I would have gone through fire and water for you without hesitation."

"But you know my family's situation. My dad needs dialysis three times a week, which is an unavoidable expense."

"The six thousand yuan I receive each month is not for living expenses; it is my father's life-saving money. I have no capital to gamble with you on an unknown future. If the hospital is unable to pay salaries due to losses, even if it is only a month's delay, my family will completely collapse."

Zhong Yue took a deep drag on his cigarette, then stubbed it out on the table with a wry smile.

"Look, this skewer is getting cold. Let's not talk about this anymore, let's eat. I have to work overtime tomorrow."

Having said all that, Lu Fang could no longer offer any further advice.

After a hearty meal and drinks, it was already past midnight. Zhong Yue refused to let Lu Fang drive him home, saying his electric scooter was still parked downstairs at the company.

But he had drunk quite a bit tonight, and Lu Fang was really worried about him, so he insisted on calling a taxi to take him home.

Inside a pale yellow taxi on a neon-lit street.

Zhong Yue curled up in the back seat, sobbing like a child.

"How is it?"

Lu Fang had just returned when he saw Qin Zhuyan sitting on the sofa, a stack of documents and a steaming cup of hangover tea in front of her: "Would your good brother like to come over?"

"It looks like it's going to be tough." Looking at the hangover tea in front of him, a warm feeling washed over him. He drank the tea and felt much better.

"It's alright, let's take it one step at a time," Qin Zhuyan comforted gently. "By the way, I've basically finalized the deal with Pet Love Pet Hospital."

"When Qian Yan saw the evidence in my hand, he looked like he'd seen a ghost in broad daylight, sweating profusely. We have the trump card, so he can't disagree even if he wants to." Qin Zhuyan's lips curled slightly.

"The 120,000 yuan includes the rent for Pet Love Pet Hospital for the next year, all the equipment in the store, and I have also reached an agreement with the other party on the leased equipment. The previous debt has nothing to do with us. We can just pay the subsequent rental fees. As for the previous medical dispute, since we only took the premises, Qian Yan will ultimately be responsible for it. We need to re-register the pet hospital."

"You've really been a huge help!" Lu Fang was overjoyed. Things were going so smoothly thanks to Tanuki and the police chief. He would definitely treat the two little ones well once the pet hospital officially opened.

"We're business partners." Qin Zhuyan frowned slightly. "But what about the vet?"

Lu Fang's mind flashed back to Zhong Yue's hunched figure: "Let's ignore him for now. Now that we've secured the location, let's start recruiting. Registering the pet hospital and the renovations will take some time, so let's see if we can find one or two good candidates."

"This is the only way." Qin Zhuyan nodded. Now that the contract has been signed, wasting time means wasting money. Zhong Yue has no intention of coming over for the time being, so the pet hospital can't be closed.

It's always good to have two options.

"I'll post the job openings in the next few days and get the pet hospital approved. You'll have to handle the renovations. I'm not very familiar with the hospital's functional areas, but you know them inside and out."

Qin Zhuyan immediately began making arrangements with practiced ease.

"No problem," Lu Fang readily agreed.

"By the way, have you decided on the name of the pet hospital? Is it still that one?" Qin Zhuyan suddenly remembered something and asked.

"Do I have any other choice?" Lu Fang smiled, his expression resolute.

"Understood."

"Our pet hospital."

"Let's call it Ark Pet Hospital!"