Prologue: A Good Start

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Prologue: A Good Start

This story is about a certain miserable man and a series of miserable events that took place in his life, which had already reached the absolute pinnacle of misery. Alas, let us all pray for his misery!

This was a small European city built among seven hills. Because of its long history, the old buildings constructed along the hillsides had been preserved, while brand-new buildings surrounded the old town, encircling the ancient city.

Although the architects had deliberately maintained a unified architectural style, the new buildings, constructed from steel and reinforced concrete, had gleaming exteriors and attractively varied designs. Carefully spaced flowers and greenery, along with beautiful, tall, antique-style streetlamps, made everything seem full of life. The city’s residents naturally preferred living in houses where they could bask in the sunshine and smell the flowers.

The old quarter, however, had weathered both the passage of time and the ravages of war. Its irregular layout, cluttered maze of narrow streets and alleys, and crumbling old houses seemed to give off the musty smell of history, like specimens on the verge of death. Aside from tourists visiting the city and students who had chosen the city’s history as the subject of their dissertations, hardly anyone would eagerly set foot in the patchwork-like lanes of the old quarter.

A young man walked past the tourists excitedly taking photographs, a rolled-up newspaper tucked beneath his arm and a large paper bag filled with canned goods and long loaves of bread in his hands.

Compared with the city’s residents, who always seemed to live at a leisurely pace, his steps appeared somewhat hurried. His black hair and light yellowish complexion, so different from the fair skin of Europeans, marked him as Asian.

The complicated alleys of the old quarter could be as confusing as a maze. Even with a map, one might not necessarily find the right direction. Yet beneath the young man’s feet, they seemed like a road he had travelled countless times, with every turn already clearly marked.

He stopped in front of a building whose age was impossible to determine. The house, with its distinctly Victorian air, might once have been very beautiful. There was even an old black-bronze oil lamp beside the entrance. Unfortunately, over the long course of history, it had gradually grown old and decrepit. Its crumbling brick walls, moss growing between the cracks, and creeping vines resembled the wrinkles on an old woman’s face.

The young man took out his key and inserted it into the lock. He twisted it several times, but it wouldn’t open. Then he tried again, repeatedly twisting it with greater force. Clearly, the rust inside had made the lock extremely stiff.

Remembering that he had hired a locksmith to repair it not long ago, only for it to stop working again before even a week had passed, the young man couldn’t help regretting that he hadn’t simply spent another two or three pounds to replace the lock altogether…

Although he dearly wanted to kick the door open, he considered the fact that doing so would probably cost him another twenty pounds to repair it afterward. So he could only continue pulling, pushing, and wrenching at the door and lock. After nearly ten minutes, he finally managed to get it open.

As the young man disappeared into the darkness beyond the doorway, the glass door swung heavily shut behind him of its own accord. The impact caused the sign hanging from a black-bronze bracket not far above the doorframe to tilt slightly.

Copper wire had been bent into artfully scrawled English letters:

“Noah’s Animal Clinic”

Well then, before we pray for him, let’s first introduce this young man who lived all alone in a foreign country!

His name was Luo Sai. He didn’t have some tragic background filled with deep-seated hatred and misery, nor did he come from a powerful or wealthy family. His parents, both ordinary civil servants, were alive and well, and all four of his grandparents were still hale and hearty. He had three older sisters and two older brothers. As the youngest child in an already overcrowded family, he really had very little status to speak of.

During the fashionable wave of studying abroad, his family held a closed-door meeting. Since he was living at school and unable to attend, Luo Sai was soon informed that the family had unanimously decided to send him overseas to study. Before he even had time to react, he had already been packed up and thrown onto a plane.

After crossing the Eurasian continent, he finally came to his senses and opened his eyes to see nothing but heads of gold, brown, and fiery red.

That was when he realized—

He had gone abroad!!

Luo had never had much opportunity to demonstrate any extraordinary talent during his years at school. In fact, he didn’t have any extraordinary talent to demonstrate. Nor had he ever enjoyed the sort of campus life where he could turn the world upside down with a wave of his hand, regard his lecturers and professors as idiots, and wield absolute power over the student union. He certainly had never been surrounded by noble princesses and wealthy young masters, embarking on some earth-shattering, tear-jerking international romance.

Of course, as an Asian, he hadn’t gone entirely unnoticed. But as a very traditional Chinese person, he found it difficult to adapt to that kind of extravagant party lifestyle. Besides, he knew perfectly well that his family wasn’t wealthy. His father might thump his chest and boast loudly, but Luo Sai knew exactly how much money his mother had in her bank account.

So, like countless other international students, he spent his university years studying as diligently as a monk in cultivation. Over three years, he barely managed to pass his courses and earn enough credits before choosing a major. Luo knew himself well enough to understand that he wasn’t cut out for a career as some high-ranking white-collar professional in finance, economics, human resources, or business administration.

There was a Chinese saying: “Work should be combined with pleasure.” Since he liked small animals, he gritted his teeth and chose veterinary medicine, a field that was neither particularly popular nor particularly obscure. He studied for another four years and finally made it through university, obtained his veterinary license, and, after sending out his resume, was fortunate enough to work at a proper animal clinic for several years.

He had been living a pretty comfortable, simple life, but unfortunately, when his boss packed up and took his wife and children off to the romantic embrace of France, Dr. Luo found himself out of a job.

After learning that the number of veterinarians at every animal hospital in the new part of the city, within a hundred miles in every direction, had already reached saturation point—so saturated that there wasn’t even the slightest crack left for him to squeeze into—he stared at the balance in his bank account for quite some time.

Then, suddenly, he made up his mind.

He was going to open a clinic!!

Unfortunately, he had clearly overlooked one thing: when you were alone in a foreign land, you absolutely couldn’t act on nothing but hot-blooded enthusiasm and impulse. With a body as small as his, he was clearly the textbook example of someone whose HP was insufficient.

After finding a place whose rent he could afford, he signed a ten-year lease in one go. Then he spent nearly all his savings renovating the interior until it looked every bit as professional as a hospital and purchasing enough medical supplies.

When he finally pushed open the doors, full of excitement and ready to celebrate his grand opening, he made a horrifying discovery.

The place he had rented was incredibly remote!

It was practically like Ollivanders in Diagon Alley!

Not only was it in the middle of nowhere, but most fatally of all, before entering the secluded alley where his clinic was located, he had completely failed to notice that there was already an animal hospital there. Its exterior was freshly painted and gleaming, looking as though the entire building had been transplanted straight from the new part of the city!!

Although it was completely out of place amid the atmosphere of the old quarter, that did nothing to diminish its appeal to the city’s pet owners. After all, anyone would rather trust a hospital that looked professional than some shabby little clinic hidden away in a corner!

He had once excitedly reported to his parents back home that he had opened his own business and become his own boss. His parents had then enthusiastically spread the news throughout the family, turning him into a model success story among their relatives.

After all that, there was no way he could simply close down. If he broke his ten-year lease, the compensation alone would bankrupt him. Moving was even less of an option.

And so, under these thoroughly miserable circumstances, our thoroughly miserable Dr. Luo began his thoroughly miserable career as a veterinarian.

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