Chen Yiyang endured the constant stench of the dog market as he walked inside.
Then he saw someone familiar.
"Hey there, haven't seen you in a few days. You still look as healthy as ever."
"Who are you?" The old man whom Chen Yiyang called out to looked at him in confusion, as if trying to recall who he was.
"I'm the one who had some emotional issues that day." Chen Yiyang hinted to the old man.
"I remember now." The old man slapped his forehead, then said, "As people age, their memory gets worse. We just saw each other a few days ago."
This was the same old man that Chen Yiyang had met when he first tried to find a bargain and was helped by him to save his first small fortune.
"What's your surname, sir, and what brings you here today?"
Chen Yiyang enthusiastically assisted the old man.
"The surname's Zhao." The old man said while walking towards the dog market with Chen Yiyang,
"When I was young, I used to run a kennel, and people would call me Brother Zhao. Now that I'm old, I just live with my son in the city.
With nothing better to do, I pick up some cardboard now and then. Sometimes when the dog market opens, I come for a look."
"This dog market isn't open every day, is it?" Chen Yiyang asked.
"No," Old man Zhao answered, "They have a small market every five days and a big one every ten. Today is a big market day, so I'm here for a stroll."
"Let me guess, got your heart broken and plan to buy a dog to keep you company?" Old man Zhao squinted at Chen Yiyang.
"Something like that." Chen Yiyang thought, recalling how the old man helped him before, and decided he needed to repay the favor today.
So he said to the old man, "Since you know this place so well, how about being my advisor today? I'll give you ten percent of whatever I spend on a dog as a commission?"
"You want me to be a pimp, huh." The old man's words nearly made Chen Yiyang choke.
But before Chen Yiyang could respond, the old man continued, "Alright, I won't claim expertise in other matters, but buying dogs is something I really know well."
The old man led Chen Yiyang into the bustling dog market, educating him along the way.
"Don't be fooled by all these lively little pups here. I'm telling you, if you dare to take one home, odds are nine out of ten will die. These vendors definitely don't vaccinate or deworm the puppies."
"So does that mean none of the dogs here are worth buying?" Chen Yiyang asked.
"Dogs from these vendors aren't worth it, but those from breeders are," the old man said, stopping with Chen Yiyang at a tricycle.
On the tricycle were three cages, all filled with pure black Doberman pinschers.
"Dogs like these, which are only Dobermans, are usually from breeders."
The old man peered into the cage, "The big ones have cropped ears, the two small ones don't."
"I also have ones with cropped ears at home," the Doberman owner said to both, "Some people don't want cropped ears. If you want smaller ones with cropped ears, you can come to my place and get them."
"Cropping ears is too cruel." Chen Yiyang grimaced and moved on with the old man.
Ahead was a large enclosure filled with various breeds of puppies.
As people approached, all the puppies rushed over for a cuddle.
Among them was a very rare Scottish Collie.
Before Chen Yiyang could take a good look, Old man Zhao pulled him away.
"These are the dog vendors. Some conscientious dog traders get good-looking pups from fixed breeders and sell them at a high price.
But more often than not, they get dogs from all sorts of questionable sources. Many puppies, lacking vaccinations and care, fall sick in a week or so after being bought.
At that time, you'll either have to watch them die or spend thousands on vet bills. So, unless you're an expert, avoid buying these dogs."
"Is this what they call a 'seven-day dog' that I've read about online?"
"Exactly." Old man Zhao nodded.
Chen Yiyang walked and listened to the old man's knowledge all the way.
Soon they arrived at the stall mentioned in the bargain tip.
"This German Shepherd is quite handsome," Old man Zhao halted before Chen Yiyang.
"Raised from a pup," said the sly-looking middle-aged man, the owner of the German Shepherd.
Unlike other traders, he had only this one dog at his stall.
"Raised it from a pup?" Old man Zhao snorted, clearly skeptical.
"How much are you selling it for?" Chen Yiyang got straight to the point.
"One." The vendor stuck out a finger.
"A thousand?"
"Ten thousand."
"Why not say a billion," the old man nearly lost his temper.
"Raised it from a pup, and it's so friendly with me. See, it doesn't bite me. If I weren't short on cash, I wouldn't sell it." The vendor said as he extended his arm to the Shepherd's mouth.
The Shepherd, unimpressed by the man, didn't bother to react.
"You're bluffing with that price, no one will buy your dog no matter how good it is." The old man waved his hand dismissively and then forcibly dragged Chen Yiyang away from the stall.
Once they were away from the dog seller, the old man whispered to Chen Yiyang.
"The dog is a good one, looks nice. Honestly, even though it's at least five or six years old, ten thousand isn't actually that much.
But you can tell from a glance that this dog wasn't raised by that guy. If we just offer to buy it, he might even ask for a higher price."
"So what should we do?" Chen Yiyang asked the old man.
"Today I'll show you young folks a good lesson, let you see my skills." The old man slapped Chen Yiyang on the shoulder and soon led him to another dog stall.
"Zhao Uncle, here again to play at the dog market?" The stall owner, with a face full of muscles, looked like a tough character.
However, in front of Old Zhao, he was all smiles.
"Sanzi, come here. I have something I need your help with." Old Zhao called him over and whispered something to him.
"Alright, alright, got it." Sanzi nodded repeatedly.
"Young man, just wait and watch the show." The old man found a spot with a good view of the previous German Shepherd stall and somehow found a small stool to sit down on.
Chen Yiyang had no choice but to wait with the old man.
Soon, Sanzi gathered five or six strong-looking young men from several stalls at the dog market and surrounded the German Shepherd seller.
"What do you want!" The dog seller panicked as soon as he saw so many tough-looking guys coming over.
He was about to run when he saw Sanzi grab him and say something.
After about ten minutes, Sanzi dismissed the others and came to report to Old Zhao.
"Zhao Uncle, it's done."
"Good." The old man nodded and then pointed at Sanzi, telling Chen Yiyang, "Transfer him a thousand yuan."
"I'll scan you." Chen Yiyang didn't ask more, just took out his phone and started the transfer.
"No need, no need, it's just a small favor, how could I take Zhao Uncle's money." Sanzi quickly declined.
Seeing Sanzi not taking out his phone, Chen Yiyang simply scanned the QR code on his stall and paid a thousand yuan.
"Brother, if you run into trouble at the dog market in the future, just come find me."
Seeing that Chen Yiyang had paid, Sanzi took out his phone and added Chen Yiyang as a friend.
Then Old Zhao waited a bit more before leading Chen Yiyang back to the German Shepherd stall.
"Five thousand, I'll sell you the dog for five thousand, what do you think?" The dog seller couldn't wait to give such an offer to Chen Yiyang as soon as they arrived.
"One thousand." Old Zhao raised a single finger.
"You're joking!" The dog seller was instantly furious. That price was outrageous.
"If you're not selling, we'll leave." After saying that, Old Zhao was about to pull Chen Yiyang away again.
"I'll sell, I'll sell!" The dog seller hurriedly stopped them.
After Chen Yiyang transferred the money to the seller, the seller handed the leash to Chen Yiyang and ran off without looking back.
"What did you have Sanzi say to him?" Chen Yiyang, holding the dog, couldn't believe he actually got the dog for a thousand yuan.
"I had Sanzi tell him that the dog in his hands looked just like a friend's. Told the dog seller to wait there for the friend's arrival to recognize the dog."
Old Zhao answered Chen Yiyang's question with pride.
"Brilliant!" Chen Yiyang admiredly gave Old Zhao a thumbs up.
The trick was simple when explained, but if Chen Yiyang were to do it, first, he couldn't be sure the German Shepherd was definitely stolen. Second, he didn't have the connections to threaten the seller into urgently selling off the dog.
"But this dog is indeed good, buying it for a thousand yuan is definitely a deal."
Old Zhao played with the German Shepherd for a while.
"Old man, want to grab a meal later?" Chen Yiyang invited.
"You don't get it, young man. It's such a rare big dog market day today, and you want me to go eat with you?" Old Zhao pretended to be angry.
"Then as we agreed before. This dog is worth ten thousand, I'll give you a ten percent finder's fee."
Chen Yiyang took out his phone intending to transfer money to the old man.
"Forget it, at my age, picking up enough cardboard boxes daily is enough for me to live on, why would I need your money." Old Zhao pushed aside Chen Yiyang's hand with the phone, and unceremoniously reached for his pocket.
"Got any cigarettes, give me a few, this old man's craving."
"I don't smoke either, wait, I'll go buy some for you."
"One pack is enough. I do want to live a few more years." The old man quickly reminded him.
Chen Yiyang, being earnest, bought exactly one pack.
He bought a soft pack of Zhonghua from where they sold sundries at the dog market, put it in his pocket, and quickly returned to hand it to Old Zhao.
"Hey, only one pack." The old man complained and then raised an expectant hand at Chen Yiyang. "Got a light?"
"Ah." Chen Yiyang was taken aback.
"You really don't smoke, do you?" The old man waved his hand in resignation. "Go find your own fun, I'll go borrow a light."