Chapter 328 - 326: A New Family Member

This was also one of Mina’s regular clients. The woman’s tone was certainly unpleasant, but they were in the service industry; it was never a good idea to antagonize a customer.

So, Mina quickly turned to Jasmine Sterling to explain. "Honey, you can tell this little dog is a fancy breed. You can’t just take it home and feed it leftovers every day. It has to eat special dog food."

The owner let out a contemptuous "hmph." "My Yoda’s dog food costs several cents a pound. Every month, he also needs professional grooming and trimming, plus baths. His treats are from a specific brand, too. Just those miscellaneous expenses add up to several dimes a month."

Mina nodded emphatically, adding, "And that’s just the small stuff. The real trouble is if this little thing gets sick. Vet bills are outrageously expensive nowadays. You should really just forget about it!"

But Jasmine Sterling was already aware of all this. It wasn’t as if she’d never seen a fancy dog breed before. Back when she worked at the hotel, she often saw wealthy guests checking in with their pets and had picked up a few things about them while on duty.

"I know," Jasmine Sterling said softly. "I just overheard you saying you wanted to sell him online. Since you’re going to sell him anyway, I thought you might as well sell him to me. Please, name a price. If I can afford it, please let me buy him. He’s so adorable, and I’ve truly taken a liking to him."

’I had assumed this cleaning lady only wanted to buy the dog because she was clueless about how valuable he was, speaking without thinking.’

’But even after being explicitly told about the expenses, she’s not backing down? She still wants me to name a price?’

The owner couldn’t help but size Jasmine Sterling up. Seeing nothing particularly remarkable about her, she said impatiently, "If you really want him, then... two dollars."

"Okay, I’ll buy him." Jasmine Sterling had already unlocked her phone as she spoke. "I’ll transfer the money to you right now. Add me as a friend, and you can check up on him on my social media feed from time to time. Send me the brands of food and treats he likes, too. I’ll buy him the exact same things; I promise I won’t mistreat him."

Mina’s eyes widened in disbelief. "Jasmine, are you insane? A dog like that isn’t for people like us! Two dollars is so much money! How long would you have to work to earn that!"

And on top of that, his monthly food and expenses would cost several dimes—more than what an average person spends in a month.

The owner was also taken aback. ’Did this woman really agree just like that, without a second thought?’

"Ma’am, you’re not joking, are you? I wasn’t actually planning to sell him to you. You don’t need to pretend you can afford it. No one’s going to laugh at you if you back out."

"Not at all. Look, I’ve already got my phone out. Do I look like I’m joking?" Jasmine Sterling held up her phone. "Let me scan your payment code!"

And just like that, in a daze, the owner sold the dog to Jasmine Sterling. For her part, Jasmine transferred the money without a hint of hesitation.

The owner was still in a stupor. It wasn’t until the money was in her account that she fully came to her senses. Looking at Jasmine Sterling, she said, "Ma’am, follow me. I’ll give you some of Yoda’s things for free. There’s some dog food and treats left, too. From now on, just buy those same brands."

Seeing that Jasmine had actually paid, and without any issue, the owner’s attitude softened considerably.

"I really had no other choice," she explained. "If I didn’t find him a new home soon, my mother-in-law might have secretly tossed him out one of these days."

"Ma’am, you have to treat him well. He’s a very good boy. He loves to sunbathe, so take him out for walks often when you have the time."

"Maltese are a hardy breed, but he still needs his annual vaccinations."

’Just a moment ago, when I heard her on the phone talking about giving away or selling the dog, she didn’t sound very attached. Now that he’s actually sold, she’s getting all sentimental.’

"Don’t worry," Jasmine said. "I’ll take great care of him."

Jasmine Sterling felt no hesitation. The money was paid. This little guy was now a new member of her family.

As they left the client’s home, Mina was still in disbelief. Jasmine Sterling had actually spent two dollars on a dog!

"Jasmine, if you wanted a puppy, you could have just gone to a pet market. They’re so much cheaper there." Mina still couldn’t wrap her head around it, convinced Jasmine had made an impulse purchase. "These rich people’s dogs are all about pure bloodlines and perfect appearances. They sell for more than a person’s worth, and they’re so high-maintenance! You can’t feed them this, can’t feed them that."

Jasmine Sterling just offered a faint smile. "I wasn’t really planning on getting a puppy or a kitten, but it was just a coincidence today, wasn’t it? Besides, he’s so adorable. His fine features really make a difference—you can’t help but love him at first sight."

Mina shook her head, speechless. The dog was undeniably cute, but the thought of the price made her heart ache for Jasmine.

That evening, Ethan Sterling, Renee Reid, and Jameson Stone went to Mama’s Fiery Skewers together.

They were lucky to have a night off from their evening self-study session, but the restaurant was so popular that even though they arrived early, they still had to wait in line for over an hour before finally getting seated.

"I’m starving to death! My mouth was watering just from sitting at the entrance smelling everything inside," Jameson Stone said, grinning at Ethan Sterling. "Ethan, I’m not holding back tonight. Get ready to empty your pockets!"

"No problem. Don’t hold back. This is my treat to thank you guys anyway. The important thing is to have a good time, so order whatever you want."

Renee Reid declared, "In that case, I want the ’scalded tripe,’ ’pork aorta,’ and ’pig brain’!"

Jameson Stone winced at the two words "pig brain." "You’re the only one who likes that stuff. It’s so... bloody."

"It’s delicious! You have terrible taste!"

Then, Ethan Sterling spoke up quietly, "I’ll have a ’pig brain’ too!"

Jameson Stone stared at Ethan Sterling, his eyes wide with shock. Renee Reid, on the other hand, raised an eyebrow smugly. "There’s no point talking to people who don’t eat ’pig brain’."

"Fine! Now I get why you two do so well in school. You’ve been supplementing with ’pig brains’!"

The three of them ordered a mountain of food. It was Ethan Sterling’s first time trying this style of fiery skewers, where all the skewers were cooked and then stood upright in a metal basin filled with fragrant, glistening red chili oil. The sight alone was incredibly appetizing.

They were all too hungry to even speak. As soon as the massive basin was served, the three of them immediately dug in.

It wasn’t until he had devoured a dozen skewers and satisfied the worst of his hunger that Jameson Stone looked at Ethan Sterling curiously. "Aren’t you a Veridian? How can you handle spice so well?"

They had ordered the medium-spicy level, but it was still quite potent. Someone who couldn’t handle spice would find even the mild version unbearable.

Ethan Sterling grinned smugly. "Surprised, huh? I can really handle my spice. My mom and my oldest sister love spicy food too, but my second-oldest sister can’t. She loves sour flavors instead."