Chapter 278: Free Labor
Translator: Nyoi-Bo Studio Editor: Nyoi-Bo Studio
The last time he went to the Pets’ Home Breeding Base to purchase pets, Zhang Zian bought an American Cocker Spaniel. The only reason was that it was cheap. After importing the Cocker Spaniels to his breeding base, Sun Yinian found them hard to sell and could only sell them at cheap prices, basically equal to the cost prices. Zhang Zian did not mind taking the risks and bought one, and he had been prepared himself that, if no one came to purchase it within two months, he would have to take it for surgery, though he hadn’t informed Sun Xiaomeng yet.
In general, customers who bought small-sized dogs were attracted by their plenty of advantages, such as they didn’t take much space, needed little exercise, would not shed a lot, and didn’t cost much to raise them. However, Cocker Spaniels didn’t possess any of these advantages of small-sized dogs. Instead, they were more like medium-sized dogs—active and energetic, with good appetites (their amounts of food intake was staggering), having severe fur loss due to their long furs, and they cost much more to raise... Besides, they also had two very significant drawbacks: their ear canals were susceptible to mites and they may have inherited cataracts.
Under these various factors, few people found Cocker Spaniels attractive. Only a person who had leisure time and was rich, responsible and caring would consider buying a Cocker Spaniel—and of course, under the premise that such a person was not cheated or fooled by unscrupulous owners of pet shops or kennels.
As long as the owner met the conditions of being rich, responsible, caring and having leisure time, then the clever, gentle and loyal Cocker Spaniel would be an excellent pet dog that would definitely bring great value to the owner in return.
Zhang Zian stated the advantages and especially its shortcomings of the Cocker Spaniel frankly to Meng Li, so that Meng Li could decide whether he wanted to buy the dog or not. Even if he couldn’t sell the dog temporarily, Zhang Zian decided to keep it in its own shop, and one day this little guy would meet the right owner. If that person didn’t appear in the future, at least the customers visiting his pet shop could learn about the existence of such a rare dog breed.
That’s why Zhang Zian didn’t care much if he could sell the dog or not—after all, he was just a damn single, so he didn’t need to earn big money to support a whole family!
Meng Li silently listened to Zhang Zian while he was introducing all aspects of Cocker Spaniels, and his admiration and respect for Zhang Zian grew even more. It was noteworthy that Cocker Spaniels only appealed to a very niche market, and before they met, Zhang Zian did not know that Meng Li want to buy a Cocker Spaniel, which meant that Zhang Zian had borne the characteristics of all dog breeds in mind, and was ready to talk about them at any time.
As a serious scholar, Meng Li could easily tell who was truly knowledgeable and who was merely playing trickery.
When Zhang Zian paused, Meng Li asked again: "I have only one last question, is there any way to prevent this genetic disease?"
"Yes. Through sound prenatal and postnatal care, the possibility of morbidity can be reduced." Zhang Zian gave an affirmative response. He stroked the long, soft furs of the Cocker Spaniel. "Neither of its parents have cataracts, so it is less likely to have cataracts than other Cocker Spaniels. If you are still concerned, you can wait and come back in two months. "
He was positive about that because he personally observed the puppy's parents. Both of them were healthy Cocker Spaniels at the breeding base, and this was one of the reasons he was confident in this puppy and bought it from the breeding base.
Meng Li said without hesitation, "No need. Let’s move on to the purchasing process. I want this dog."
"Are you sure?" Zhang Zian could not believe his ears.
"Yes," Meng Li nodded. "I went to other pet shops and couldn’t find this kind of dog, the only one I’m going to have. No matter where I get a Cocker Spaniel ultimately, I will have to face that it might have genetic disease—but after conversing with you, I think it’s best to buy from you."
Zhang Zian was a bit shy hearing this, but he was still very happy to close a deal.
"Do you need other stuffs? A dog house, collar, leash, food bowl, or water basin? Besides, the dog has long fur, so it’s better to prepare a special comb, and the necessary ear cleansing solution, and most importantly a cage... " He spared no efforts in promoting the lucrative essential items for raising a dog.
"OK. I want all of them." Meng Li waved his hand to stop Zhang Zian. He pulled out a credit card from his wallet, "Do you take credit card?"
"This is not my shop, and I prefer online transfer. By the way, you need to come with me to my pet shop to get your invoices and pet sales agreement."
"Are those important?" Meng Li did not know what the pet sales agreement was for.
"The invoices can be reimbursed, and the agreement serves as evidence in case of disputes," Zhang Zian explained seriously, although he was not clear whether there were companies or organizations that would reimburse pet purchasing invoices.. unless the organization was a zoo, but staff of a zoo would not buy pets from him anyway.
"Then there’s no hurry for that. You can keep those documents for me. I will take the dog back regularly to do physical examinations, and will ask you for them sometime." Meng Li also knew that pet industry was very chaotic, so the so-called agreement was nothing more than a piece of paper that basically had no binding. Even if something happened to the pets, the sellers would find excuses to shuffle off their responsibilities. So he went to Professor Wei Kang for his opinions, and now he was very satisfied with Professor Wei Kang's recommendation. Since Meng Li trusted Zhang Zian, he didn’t care if there was any agreement.
Zhang Zian thought about it, and decided he should uphold to his own principles. Even though customers might not need the documents, he should prepare and give them to them. It didn’t matter whether the customers would throw away the agreements and invoices — Zhang Zian at least must go through the formal procedure.
"You’ve bought plenty of pet supplies, and they are very heavy. I don’t think you can take them with you right now... How about this? I will send you the invoices and the agreement together with the supplies you bought. Please leave your address to receive delivery. And you will pay for the postage. All right?" he asked.
"Yes," Meng Li wrote his address on the back of his business card, "Just mail it here."
Zhang Zian took over the business card and glanced at it. It turned out the address was the faculty quarters of Binhai University, which was very close to the pet shop, so it seemed like a waste of money to mail it...
He thought for a moment and said, "There are customers that have bought complete sets of pet products from my shop before, so I know the standard postage for mailing within the city is about 50 to 60 Yuan... you can transfer me 50 Yuan now, and I’ll deliver for you, so you don’t have to pay the mailing service company. "
Meng Li didn’t understand why he did that, Maybe it was troublesome to ask a mailing service company to deliver those pet supplies? So, he did not say anything, and transferred 50 Yuan to Zhang Zian.
After confirming the receipt of money, Zhang Zian quickly sent a message to Wang Qian and Li Kun—"If you guys are not busy, come to the clinic. Remember where the tricycle was borrowed from last time? Find another one!"
He thought, Although I might not have graduates working for me, I can use these free laborers!
While Zhang Zian was talking with Meng Li within the clinic, Sun Xiaomeng was making her way quickly to the Amazing Fate Pet Shop in the autumn wind.