"We've known each other for a long time, but I still don't know your name."
Jiang Hai glanced at the girl sitting next to him, teasing Jiujiu, and thought for a moment before speaking with a stiff upper lip. After all, he couldn't continue without knowing her name.
In fact, he and this girl had known each other for a long time and had met several times, but he still didn't know her name. It felt a bit awkward. Hearing Jiang Hai's words, the girl reacted. She knew his name, of course—after all, his reputation in town was quite loud. But she had never paid much attention to the fact that Jiang Hai didn't know hers.
"Well then, let me introduce myself. My name is Dominica Ceci. I'm 26 years old and currently working as a doctor at the Winthrop Town Stray Pet Rescue Center," she said, looking at him seriously.
Jiang Hai smiled. "Oh, my name is Jiang Hai, a nouveau riche."
Dominica couldn't help but roll her eyes. "Heh, who says you're a nouveau riche?"
"Well, I've heard people call me that a lot. But honestly, I don't mind it. To me, 'nouveau riche' is a compliment. The phrase I love to hear most is: 'What else do you have besides money?' If you want to make a friend, you don't need to look at his net worth, because no one is as rich as me." Jiang Hai shrugged with a smile.
Dominica laughed out loud at his half-humorous, half-self-deprecating words.
"You make me so happy. Do you want me to pick you up?" Dominica said with a teasing smile after her laughter subsided.
Jiang Hai raised an eyebrow, curling his lips. Honestly, he didn't have that intention. But now that she'd said it, if he denied it, wouldn't it seem fake?
"Well, let me tell you, it's not easy to flirt with me. Okay, we're almost there!" Dominica smiled and patted Jiang Hai's shoulder, signaling that they had arrived.
When the car reached the gate of the exhibition hall, Jiang Hai bought the tickets, then drove into the parking lot. After parking, he and Dominica, along with Jiujiu, got out of the car. As soon as Jiang Hai stepped out, he immediately attracted a lot of attention. After all, a bald eagle was perched on his arm, drawing the gaze of everyone nearby.
However, no one said anything. They weren't sure what to make of Jiang Hai and his bird.
Before the crowd could gather, Dominica quickly pulled Jiang Hai into the zoo. She found an administrator and inquired about the person she had come to meet.
Yes, Dominica was here to find someone—a teacher for Jiujiu.
Although Dominica was a veterinarian in Winthrop Town, she had little influence at the Franklin Zoo. So, she had come to seek the help of an old college classmate who worked as a veterinarian there.
Soon enough, they found him. In front of a building called the Rare Animal Research Hall, a white man had been waiting. When he saw Dominica, excitement flashed across his face. But when his eyes landed on Jiang Hai, a hint of hostility emerged. It seemed that Jiang Hai was a potential rival in the man's eyes. He must've felt like the cool guy in the room, and Jiang Hai was a thorn in his side. Jiang Hai was used to such reactions, but Dominica didn't notice anything amiss as she smiled and greeted him.
"Hi, John. How have you been?" she asked warmly, pulling the man into a hug.
Jiang Hai just silently complained to himself. There were so many Johns and Georges in the U.S. that he couldn't keep track.
"Oh, I'm doing okay. Right now, I'm studying life engineering to add DNA chromosomes. It's going well and could change the habits of certain animals. But now that my old classmate is here, I have to come keep him company," John said, his tone a little exaggerated.
Dominica was impressed, clearly awed by the technical jargon, but Jiang Hai had no clue what it meant. He realized that much of what he'd learned in high school and college had little value to him now. Things like calculus and advanced mathematics seemed so far removed from his life.
"I know what you're here for. Is this the bald eagle named Jiujiu? Wow, it looks pretty strong. But I don't think birds of prey should be kept by humans." John admired the eagle before adding with a chuckle, "Okay, man, don't be sad. I'm not targeting you. Let's go inside."
After that, John led the way into the hall, not giving Jiang Hai much of a chance to respond. Jiang Hai smiled but didn't take offense. Sometimes his mind was small, but he could let things go when necessary.
As they entered the Rare Animal Research Hall, Jiang Hai couldn't help but gasp in awe. It wasn't a particularly large space, but the variety of animals was impressive. Not only were there sections for birds, fish, and mammals, but the diversity of species far exceeded that of the zoo outside.
The first area they entered featured amphibians, and Jiang Hai was immediately captivated by the large number of crocodiles on display.
"This is the largest rare animal area on the East Coast. All of the animals here are listed in the Washington Convention," John said, noticing Jiang Hai's amazement. His vanity seemed to swell as he slowed down his pace to talk more. "There are some species that aren't here because they're unique to certain countries, but otherwise, we have nearly everything…"
Jiang Hai's eyes followed as John pointed out various species: the Sino-American short-nosed alligator, the southern short-nosed alligator, the black caiman, and more. Most of these crocodiles were protected under international conventions, but Jiang Hai noted that the Yangtze alligator, unique to China, was missing.
They moved on, and soon, they entered the lizard exhibit, filled with species like chameleons, geckos, and venomous lizards. Jiang Hai was particularly fascinated by the monitor lizards, including the Komodo dragons.
Jiang Hai couldn't help but imagine what it would be like to raise a Komodo dragon or even a mountain lion. Would he be able to raise a dinosaur? He wasn't sure, but he liked the idea.
After walking through the lizard area, they entered the snake exhibit, which featured anacondas, pythons, and other species, all protected by law. Next were the turtles—sea turtles, snapping turtles, and even soft-shelled turtles, all of which were also protected.
Jiang Hai was surprised by how many species were protected that he had never realized before. His visit to the zoo felt like an eye-opening experience.
John, now less hostile toward Jiang Hai after learning of his wealth, happily continued to guide him through the exhibits.
After touring the amphibians and reptiles, they entered an aquatic section. For some reason, Jiang Hai felt a natural connection to water. He couldn't explain why, but the cool, soothing atmosphere of the ocean world made him feel at ease.
As they walked through the fish exhibits, Jiang Hai was amazed. So many fish species were protected, including the rippled lip fish he had learned about before. He even wondered if some of the fish he saw were also protected species.