"You handled it very quickly. Both puppies are quite healthy and don't have any serious problems."
The pet shop owner came out carrying Barbecue and a puppy, September, in each hand. "However, this little dog with more white fur is a bit weak from birth, so we'll need to pay more attention to supplementing its nutrition."
"Okay." Duan Chan'er nodded, then asked curiously, "Boss, can you tell what breed they are?"
"Judging from its coat color, it has Border Collie characteristics," the shop manager said.
"Oh, a brand-name dog after all." Zhang Zhaomu clicked his tongue.
"But judging from its appearance, it clearly looks more like a Chinese rural dog," the shop manager added.
"So what exactly is it?" Duan Chan'er was taken aback.
"It's most likely a mix of a Border Collie and a Chinese Rural Dog." The shop manager sighed. "This type of puppy is the most likely to be abandoned, so I always remind my customers to remember to have their pets spayed or neutered."
"Otherwise, it will be particularly troublesome during their heat cycle, and it's impossible to prevent. If they get mixed up, you won't want to keep them, you won't be able to sell them, and no one will want them for adoption."
Duan Chan'er said earnestly, "I don't mind at all!"
"That's right." Zhang Zhaomu nodded. "Moreover, to put it another way, they are hybrids! Doesn't that sound much more powerful?"
"It's wonderful that you think that way." The shop manager said with some relief, "Actually, looking on the bright side, these two puppies have some good qualities. The Chinese rural dog goes without saying; it's famous for its loyalty, not only lively but also protective of its owner. And the Border Collie is known for its intelligence."
"More importantly, the two breeds are quite similar in size, and they don't have the short legs that sometimes result from mixing a Corgi with another breed. So, they can be considered top-quality mixed breeds."
"I believe they can definitely combine the best qualities of both Border Collies and Chinese Rural Dogs!" Duan Chan'er said happily.
Because the store manager was so persuasive, Duan Chan'er ended up spending a lot of money, even discarding the cardboard box and replacing it with a more portable and comfortable doghouse.
When they returned to their rented apartment, they even had to make two trips to move all the things they had bought into Duan Chan'er's house.
"Squad leader, why don't you have lunch at my house?"
Duan Chan'er tied on an apron and said with a smile, "You didn't make plans with Chen Zhenzhen this time, so you won't refuse me again, right?"
"Of course," Zhang Zhaomu quickly replied, "Do you need me to help out?"
"No need, how can we let guests into the kitchen?" Duan Chan'er waved her hand. "Class monitor, if you have some free time, could you help organize the Barbecue and the things we'll need in September?"
"Alright."
Zhang Zhaomu was just being polite; if he actually went to help, he'd probably just make things worse.
His greatest skill in cooking is being able to cook rice properly, a skill he developed from his childhood.
Putting away pet supplies didn't take long, and soon Zhang Zhaomu had nothing to do. He sat on the sofa and looked at Duan Chan'er, who was busy in the semi-open kitchen.
At this moment, she casually tied her hair into a ponytail, and the apron clung to her body, outlining her well-developed curves.
Her expression was gentle and focused, and she surprisingly exuded the air of a devoted and virtuous wife.
Zhang Zhaomu was momentarily lost in thought.
Most guys probably dream of spending their lives with a girl like Duan Chan'er, right? Imagine two people nestled together in such a shared space, him sitting on the sofa while she bustles in the kitchen, the aroma of food filling the air, even the sunlight seeming warm...
Perhaps this is the definition of "happiness"?
Then have a child together, live a simple and peaceful life, until you sit in the twilight with your hair turned white, still holding hands, your eyes looking at each other with the same youthful gaze.
"What a boring, saccharine fantasy."
Zhang Zhaomu banished the images from her mind, silently complaining, "There aren't that many beautiful love stories in the real world. Let alone marriage, when two people are together for a long time, there will always be emotional disconnection, imbalance of responsibility, collapse of trust, economic friction, and eventually, physical and mental exhaustion, resentment erupting, and they break up."
This is the norm for the vast majority of people.
Having successfully suppressed that lingering romantic feeling, Zhang Zhaomu felt much better.
Then I started to feel sleepy and unknowingly fell asleep on the sofa.
It seems like I had a dream.
In his dream, he was still young, and had just returned home from school. He saw his father sitting on the sofa, his mother busy in the kitchen, and the air was filled with the tempting aroma of food.
The atmosphere was so good it was almost unreal; there were no arguments, no cold wars, and his parents even exchanged knowing, happy smiles, which made him instinctively feel that something was wrong.
He had never seen such a scene in his entire life.
He was terrified, feeling like he had entered the wrong house, and was about to flee in panic when he saw his reflection in the mirror.
Black fur, golden vertical pupils, slender body, and on all fours.
"Oh, so I'm a cat. Never mind then."
He accepted this fact instantly.
If I were a cat, Dad wouldn't have to work day and night to earn money for baby formula, and Mom wouldn't have to go to another city to work. They wouldn't have to bear such a huge responsibility because of a new life, and they wouldn't have to argue.
That makes sense.
He lightly jumped onto the stove and saw his mother pour a large bowl of green peppers into the pot and stir-fry them quickly. The pungent smell of the peppers immediately spread and he inhaled it.
He couldn't help but yawn suddenly, and sprang up as if in response.
Bang!
The pain of hitting his head on the ceiling instantly woke Zhang Zhaomu up.
In that instant, he realized two things.
First, I must have been dreaming.
Secondly, I overreacted and jumped up from the sofa, crashing into the ceiling.
As his body continued to fall, he realized something even more important.
It seems I'm sleeping on Duan Chan'er's sofa, while Duan Chan'er should still be in the kitchen.
Once she saw this scene—
" Xinxi Special Pet Park opens today..."
Zhang Zhaomu dared not think any further, and in a flash, she looked in the direction of Duan Chan'er.
The other person was facing away from them, but had already heard the noise and was turning their head in their direction.
There's still a chance!
He struggled to twist his posture, adjusting himself into a sitting position in mid-air.
Boom!
Her body finally settled back onto the sofa, and Duan Chan'er turned her head at the same time.
She glanced at Zhang Zhaomu, who was sitting upright on the sofa, and asked with a puzzled expression, "Class monitor, what was that noise just now?"
"Oh, your cooking smells so good, it woke me up and I accidentally bumped into something." Zhang Zhaomu tried hard to keep a straight face.
"That's an exaggeration!" Duan Chan'er burst out laughing. "Where did you bump into? Are you alright?"
"It's okay, I'm tough as nails." Zhang Zhaomu changed the subject. "I'm so hungry, how much longer?"
"Almost done! I'll just stir-fry one more vegetable dish and then we can eat!"