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

"Let's look at it this way: the funding and venue issues are temporarily resolved."

Lu crossed out the words about venue and funding on the paper: "As long as we can acquire Pet Love Pet Hospital at a reasonable price, we'll have the foundation, but there's still a tricky problem."

"What's the problem?" Qin Zhuyan asked, puzzled.

"Veterinarian."

According to regulations, a legitimate pet hospital must have at least two licensed veterinarians to register and operate.

"For a major surgery, the surgeon and the anesthesiologist cannot be the same person." Lu Fang sighed, "Including me, we are still missing a veterinarian who can perform surgery."

"Can't we just hire one from the market? There should be quite a few veterinary graduates looking for jobs right now," Qin Zhuyan asked.

"No, graduates can only work as assistants. The experienced and mature veterinarians who can actually perform surgeries are mostly already working at major pet hospitals. Unless there are special circumstances, they generally won't switch jobs, so they are very difficult to poach."

Lu Fang rubbed his temples with a worried look: "We've taken over a mess from Pet Love Pet Hospital, so the veterinarians' skills absolutely have to be top-notch. If even the slightest mistake occurs, the brand trust we've worked so hard to build will crumble instantly."

"And Cui Ding will definitely come with a magnifying glass to cause trouble."

"Before, we ran a pet shop, so there wasn't a direct conflict of interest with Cui Ding. But opening a pet hospital is different. We're now competing directly in the same market. Given Bald Cui's vengeful nature, he definitely won't let this go."

Hearing Lu Fang's analysis, Qin Zhuyan also looked worried: "With our current funds, we can't offer high prices to poach talent. So what do we do now?"

"I do have someone in mind, but I don't know if he'd be willing to come." Lu Fang pictured a figure who always wore sneakers and laughed carefree.

"Who is it?" Qin Zhuyan asked curiously.

"My college roommate was also the undisputed master surgeon in our veterinary practical course. Back then, even the professor said that he was born to do this job, especially in dissection and suturing."

"That's great! Where is he now?" Qin Zhuyan's face lit up with joy. As long as the veterinarian matter could be settled, opening a hospital would be just around the corner.

Unexpectedly, Lu Fang shook his head: "I'm not too sure either. We've lost touch since graduation." Lu Fang pondered for a moment: "Let's split up. Sister Qin, you keep an eye on the negotiations with Pet Love Pet Hospital. I'll figure out a way to handle the veterinarian side."

"No problem." Qin Zhuyan looked at the densely packed plans for the future on the draft paper, and couldn't help but feel a little excited.

"Keep it up!" Lu Fang echoed the sentiment.

Back in his room, he closed the door and collapsed onto the soft bed, letting out a long sigh of relief.

Unexpectedly, the funding problem was solved just like that.

The next most important thing is Zhong Yue.

Thinking of this, he took out his phone, opened his university address book which he hadn't used in a long time, and quickly swiped his finger across the screen, finally stopping at a name called Zhong Yue.

"Beep... Hello, the number you dialed is not in service. Please check and dial again. Sorry..."

Is the number invalid?

Lu Fang frowned slightly. When did Zhong Yue change his number? He had no idea.

After thinking for a moment, he found another roommate, Wang Hao's, WeChat in his contacts.

This guy is a know-it-all. After graduating, he took the exam to become a veterinarian in his hometown. He's usually very free, so he knows exactly what everyone is up to.

"Old Wang, do you know what Zhong Yue has been up to lately? I just called him and the number is not in service. Do you have his new number?" Lu Fang sent Wang Hao a voice message.

The message had barely been sent when the other party called back.

"Oh, what a rare guest! What brings my dear son to me today?" Wang Hao's voice was somewhat deep, but he couldn't shake his habit of being sarcastic.

"Let's get down to business. Do you have any news about Zhong Yue?" Lu Fang's tone was much more relaxed when talking to his good brother.

"Zhong Yidao, that kid's in Yanling City too. I heard his dad's kidney disease has gotten worse again. There's no way around it, dialysis is a bottomless pit." As expected of a know-it-all, Wang Hao knew everything about Zhong Yue: "Veterinarians' salaries are low at first, and they couldn't cover their family's financial hole at all, so he changed jobs and went into sales, saying it's a quick way to make money. I think he lost his phone a couple of days ago, so he changed his number. You probably haven't seen his WeChat Moments, have you?"

While rambling on and on, Wang Hao sent Zhong Yue's number.

"It's been a long time since we brothers have gotten together. If you happen to meet Zhong Yue, let's arrange a time to have dinner together."

"No problem." Lu Fang hung up the phone and stared blankly at the phone number on the screen.

Back in school, Zhong Yue was such a proud and arrogant person. He could wield a scalpel with incredible skill, and the professor even wanted to recommend him for graduate school.

However, things are unpredictable.

He eventually gave up his beloved veterinary career and chose to become a salesperson.

Lu Fang composed himself and dialed the number.

"Hello, who is this?" Zhong Yue's voice sounded tired and hoarse on the other end of the phone.

"Brother Zhong, it's me, Lu Fang," he replied.

"It's you, Xiao Fang. What made you think of calling me?" Zhong Yue raised his voice a few notches, as if Lu Fang had misheard his earlier tiredness.

"We haven't seen each other for a long time, and you're also in Yanling City, so I was thinking of getting together." Lu Fang didn't directly state his purpose, but instead hinted at it indirectly.

"Sure, it's been a long time! When are you going to see me?"

"How about this weekend? Is that convenient?" Lu Fang glanced at the calendar and asked.

"How about Monday?" Zhong Yue suggested. "I don't get weekends off, so I'll only have time on Monday."

"Okay, Monday then." Lu Fang readily agreed.

......

Time flies.

Qian Yan was really patient. Lu Fang didn't contact him, and he didn't hear from him either. Qin Zhuyan, on the other hand, took some time to go for a stroll.

As usual, he exaggerated the merits of his pet hospital to the skies. If Qin Zhuyan hadn't known about his shady dealings, she might have been fooled by him.

Tanuki was still the same as always, lingering in the gentle embrace of love, especially after the sheriff returned, it handed over most of its affairs to the sheriff.

The leg-length 1.8-meter-long creature, which lost the last monthly competition, was very dissatisfied. It planned to further improve its ability to break into the bathroom and broadcast it live in the group every day. Lu Fang would sometimes take a look, but unfortunately, it was always the same. He could only see the legs. Lu Fang wished he could attach a leg to the creature.

Before we knew it, it was Monday.

Following the location sent by Zhong Yue, Lu Fang arrived at the foot of an office building in the Yanling High-tech Industrial Park.