Xie Ji returned to the courtyard villa with the two puppies in his arms, just as Lu Xunji came back from outside. At the sight of the puppies Xie Ji was holding, he instinctively frowned.
The two puppies picked up in the wild were skinny and tiny, and might even have had some stinking, unidentified substances stuck to them.
In short, to Lu Xunji, these two little things were no different from biological bombs.
The other three were clearly disgusted too. Mu Yao even got up from his rocking chair and backed away more than ten meters before saying, "Little Cake, did you bring back two piles of shit?"
Xie Ji smiled faintly and said to Ji Shi, "I support your idea and suggestion of sewing Mu Yao's mouth shut. Please be sure to carry it out immediately."
Ji Shi took a few steps toward Xie Ji, only to be stopped by the puppies' smell. He coughed and said, "Don't worry. I'll redeem a needle and thread from the shop tonight."
Lu Xunji sighed and said, "I'll find something to make them a bed."
With that, he turned and went into the villa.
Two minutes later, he came out carrying a cardboard box, thoughtfully lined with some hay. Originally meant for kindling, the hay was soft and dry, perfect for making a bed for the puppies.
Xie Ji put the two puppies inside, then carried the cardboard box over to the villa entrance and set it down, deliberately choosing a spot sheltered from the wind so the puppies wouldn't get frostbite.
Mu Yao frowned and said, "You're not going to keep them, are you?"
Xie Ji looked down at the puppies, then turned to look at Mu Yao and gave him an ingratiating smile. "Brother Mu Yao, you couldn't bear to see them turn into two little puppy ghosts either, could you?"
"I could," Mu Yao said heartlessly. "They're filthy, and they stink too much. I don't agree."
Shang Yan spoke up too. "Indeed. We have no plans to keep pets."
Xie Ji pressed his palms together and began wheedling. "I promise I won't let them affect anyone's lives or plans. I'll cover all their expenses and handle all the cleaning myself. Would that be all right?"
After saying that, he blinked at Mu Yao and squeezed out a pitiful tear. "Brother Mu Yao..."
Before Mu Yao could agree, Ji Shi was the first to cave. Pinching his nose, he glanced at the filthy dogs and gritted his teeth. "Count me in too! If Little Ji wants to keep them, let him!"
"..." Mu Yao gritted his teeth and sacrificed himself for love. "Fine. If you like them, keep them... Fuck, that stinks. Hurry up and wash him."
Xie Ji blinked and looked at Shang Yan.
"No," Shang Yan refused. "There are no veterinary facilities on the island. If you can't guarantee proper medical care and a good living environment for him, I don't recommend taking responsibility for a life lightly."
"I'll call my dad," Ji Shi said. "Our family business should own a few pet supply companies and large veterinary hospitals. We can just have my dad send a vet over."
Xie Ji blinked. "If there's no veterinary hospital, can't I just open one?"
Everyone fell strangely silent for a moment. Even Ji Shi's hand stopped as he was making the call, and they all looked at Xie Ji.
Did he know what he was saying?
Here on this deserted island, the six of them were living in an unfinished villa and could barely afford to eat.
Yet Xie Ji was actually making the outrageous claim that he would open a veterinary hospital.
[Oh no, he actually pulled off that flex.]
[Wait, bro, is this how rich families live? Opening a veterinary hospital just to keep two dogs?]
[These two puppies have married into a rich family too.]
[What? That loaded? Do you even know how to be a dog properly? Move over and let me! Master, master, look at me!]
[...Someone, take the dogs away and tie me up there.]
[Listen to him brag. He doesn't even have the Xie Household backing him anymore, and he's talking about opening a veterinary hospital. He really is ignorant enough to boast about anything.]
With a smack, Xie Ji whipped out a black card. "Two million."
With a click, he produced another bank card. "I just earned this today. Three hundred thousand. If that's not enough, I can earn more..."
Shang Yan was noticeably silent for a long time. He pushed up his glasses. "You mean you, personally, without any publicity, marketing, or team, brought in three hundred thousand in one morning, all by yourself, selling unlicensed products?"
"Let me reiterate," Xie Ji said solemnly. "These aren't unlicensed products. These are my Thunderbolt Invincible Spiraling Ascension Overlord Hair-Growth Pill and Thomas Flare Ascension Whitening Pill!"
Shang Yan stepped forward. "Are you certain your products contain no harmful ingredients? Will you allow testing by a research institute?"
Xie Ji nodded. "Of course."
Anything produced by the system was guaranteed quality!
Shang Yan looked extremely excited and nearly forgot that Xie Ji had just been holding puppies. He stepped forward and took Xie Ji's hand. "I think we need to make a plan for investment in and use of these products... Here, give me a sample of every pill you can sell, and I'll send them for testing. If the test reports show no problems, the value of these pills would be more than enough for not just one veterinary hospital, but even enough to cover this entire island in them if you wanted!"
Xie Ji clasped Shang Yan's hand in return, tears streaming down his face. "I have wandered adrift for half my life, regretting only that I had yet to meet an enlightened lord. If you will have me, I would take you as my adoptive father!"
Shang Yan: "..."
That wasn't quite it.
"So you agree to let me keep A-Qiang and A-Gang, right?"
Shang Yan: "..."
He'd already named them?!
"Thank you, adoptive father. Here are my Whitening Pill, Hair-Growth Pill, Rosemary, oh, and this, the Pore-Refining Pill, One-Day Quick-Completion Manga Hands Pill, Leg-Slimming Pill, Hand of the God of Cooking..."
With a clatter, Xie Ji pulled a heap of pills from his person and stuffed them into Shang Yan's arms.
Just as the two were about to head into a room as they talked, Lu Xunji hauled them back.
"It's late. Wash up and go to bed." Lu Xunji glanced at Xie Ji and gave a cold laugh. "Whatever it is, surely it can wait until tomorrow."
With that, under Shang Yan's stunned gaze, he carried Xie Ji back to his own room.