Chapter 11: The CEO and the Ragdoll
The New Year was approaching, and the streets and alleys were decked out in festive decorations, the atmosphere growing thicker with each passing day.
However, the temperature didn’t match people’s enthusiasm; the closer it got to the New Year, the colder it became.
Early in the morning, Lin Xia put a down jacket on the little hamster. The scarf Chen Mingzong had given him came in handy; the little hamster wore it, looking incredibly lively and spirited.
“Let’s go.” After breakfast, it was time for Lin Xia and the others to go out.
Some of the college students who worked part-time at the shop had already gone home for the New Year’s holiday yesterday. Lin Xia gave them large red envelopes as a bonus for the holidays. There were two local college students who still worked part-time during the break, so Lin Xia could manage.
Not long after the shop opened, Chen Mingzong arrived. He saw the little hamster wearing the scarf he had given him, and his usually serious face actually softened.
“You look very good in that.” Chen Mingzong said to the little hamster.
“Tha…thank…you…” Saying he looked good was a compliment, the little hamster thought. He considered Chen Mingzong a very nice person; not only did he give him gifts, but he also complimented him.
“Little Hamster, you’ll stay with Mingzong Ge later.” Chen Mingzong’s purpose was to examine the little hamster; Lin Xia had them go to the quieter second floor.
After Lin Xia told the little hamster, he readily accepted being alone with Chen Mingzong. Lin Xia was truly amazed that the little hamster wasn’t afraid of Chen Mingzong at all. The truth was, the little hamster didn’t know how scary Chen Mingzong could be.
After the two went upstairs, Lin Xia, taking advantage of the lack of customers, began to check on the shop’s animals.
The first animal to be checked was Gloves, an 18-month-old ragdoll cat. Gloves wasn’t purebred, being a mix of ragdoll and longhair. Lin Xia had found Gloves in a dumpster, apparently abandoned.
“6.5 kg, normal weight.” Lin Xia weighed Gloves; for an 18-month-old male ragdoll cat, 6.5 kg was within the normal range.
When Lin Xia first brought Gloves home, it was a tiny ball of fluff; now, it had grown into a large ball. Gloves had been at the pet shop for a year and a half; many people wanted to adopt him, but Lin Xia had refused them all.
Lin Xia was very cautious about choosing owners for the animals. Besides understanding the potential owners’ character and financial capacity, he also considered the animals’ wishes. Lin Xia firmly believed that animals were sentient and could choose suitable owners for themselves. If an animal didn’t want to go with someone who wanted to adopt it, he wouldn’t force it.
Gloves had always refused to go with people who wanted to adopt him, so Lin Xia had kept him. Currently, Gloves the ragdoll cat was the most attractive animal in the pet shop, the shop’s top looker.
“Meow~” Gloves affectionately licked Lin Xia’s palm.
“Gloves is a good boy.” Lin Xia laughed, tickled by the licking, and the two played together.
“Hello, do you have any ragdoll cats?” A young man came in and asked.
“Hello, sir. Are you looking to adopt?” Lin Xia walked over holding Gloves.
“Is adoption the only option?” the young man asked.
“Yes, all the animals here are available only for adoption.” Lin Xia smiled.
“Can I adopt a ragdoll cat here?” The young man, though perplexed, quickly accepted this.
“Certainly, but we have conditions for adoption here.” Lin Xia said.
“What conditions?” The young man was eager for a ragdoll cat; as long as the conditions were acceptable, he was willing to try, although given his status, he didn’t have to go to such lengths.
“First, we need to understand your situation. Second, we need to see if the pet is willing to choose you as its owner. Finally, you need to volunteer at our shop for a week.” These were Lin Xia’s conditions; they weren’t difficult to meet, but many people immediately gave up after hearing them, and Lin Xia generally didn’t consider those people further.
“Anything else?” the young man asked. Seeing Lin Xia shake his head, he asked to see the cats first.
“We currently only have one ragdoll cat, the one I’m holding.” Lin Xia let the young man see Gloves.
“Very cute.” The man was clearly very satisfied with Gloves. “It’s him.”
“Please show identification.” Lin Xia led the man to the sofa. “I’ll ask some questions; please answer truthfully.”
“Okay.” The man took out his ID card and business card.
“Mr. Zhao.” Lin Xia looked at the man’s ID card and business card. The man’s name was Zhao Yuhao, 26 years old, the CEO of a technology company—a young and successful man.
“Mr. Zhao, why do you want to adopt a ragdoll cat?” Lin Xia could tell that Zhao Yuhao wasn’t particularly fond of animals.
“Because the person I like has always wanted to adopt a ragdoll cat; it’s his New Year’s wish.” Mentioning the person he liked, Zhao Yuhao’s entire demeanor softened. “I only found out recently; it’s too late to buy one from a cattery, so a friend recommended I try my luck here.”
Author’s Note: Gloves: Meow meow meow~
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