This far exceeded Zhuang Rui's expectations before opening the museum. According to his plan, he would be lucky if he didn't lose money in the first few months.
"Mr. Zhuang, I understand. We're only open for half a day today. If it were a full day, I believe we could reach 6,000 customers..."
When the topic of work came up, Huangfuyun became serious and changed how he addressed Zhuang Rui.
Considering Beijing's daily tourist throughput, 6,000 people is not a very high target. Huangfuyun's goal for the museum is to strive to reach 10,000 visitors per day in the future.
"Yes, we also need to develop some souvenirs, such as our most distinctive Dingguang Sword and Shang and Zhou Dynasty bronze tripods, which are very attractive. We can use these as prototypes, scale them down, and make them into handicrafts to sell. I think this can also create a profit growth point..."
Zhuang Rui visited museums in Paris and London and found that those museums sold replicas of their own collections.
However, in China, most museums are state-owned, and many are open to the public free of charge, relying on government funding for survival. There is relatively little development in this area.
Don't underestimate these small items. If done well, they can not only generate profits but also provide intangible advertising for the museum, enhancing its brand image.
"Mr. Zhuang, I've noted it down. These items can also have our museum's name printed on them. I'll contact the craft manufacturer tomorrow and try to get them on the shelves as soon as possible..."
Huangfu Yun's eyes lit up, and he quickly took out paper and pen to write down Zhuang Rui's words.
Chapter 714 News about the Snow Mastiff
"Okay, don't hold onto the travel agency's commission. Settle it with them as soon as possible and try to get them to bring more tour groups. If there are any problems, call me and I'll have someone talk to them..."
The museum's main income still comes from ticket sales. The museum is located on the edge of the Third Ring Road, which is a pretty good location. It wouldn't be too out of place for it to be included in some travel agency group tours.
Tourists come to Beijing to travel and spend money. Instead of spending that money in shopping stores, they should use their own museums to promote traditional Chinese culture.
Zhuang Rui thought to himself that although the Dingguang Museum was not as good as the Palace Museum, its few national treasures were not undeserved, and visitors should feel that they were worth the money.
"I understand, Mr. Zhuang. I'll settle the accounts and transfer the payment to them tomorrow..."
Yunman nodded. She understood Zhuang Rui's meaning. According to the contract signed between the museum and the travel agency, they were supposed to settle accounts monthly. Zhuang Rui was paying them in advance so that they would bring more visitors to the museum.
"Alright, it's getting late, everyone should go back and rest. Brother Huangfu, I'll have to keep an eye on things these next few days, I need to entertain the guests who have come to the capital..."
Zhuang Rui glanced at his watch; it was almost 10 p.m. He quickly finished the rice in his bowl, stood up, and breathed a sigh of relief at the museum's grand opening.
However, Zhuang Rui still had to take care of Uncle De and the others himself, while Huangfu Yun had to handle the museum matters.
After ordering dozens of takeout meals from the hotel staff to be delivered to the museum, Zhuang Rui dropped Huangfu Yun and Yun Man off at the museum's parking lot before driving home.
When will we be able to live a life where spring is in full bloom and we can face the sea?
Driving to the alley near his own courtyard house, Zhuang Rui saw many people living in courtyard houses playing cards and cooling off under the streetlights outside, which made Zhuang Rui feel quite envious.
Once upon a time, Zhuang Rui and Liu Chuan, along with a group of friends, played cards and upgraded games on the sidewalks of Pengcheng. Those days seemed to be quite happy.
Now he has more money, but much less time. Even the time to take wedding photos with his wife is squeezed out, which makes Zhuang Rui a little confused.
Zhuang Rui wondered where people who built such large businesses got so much time.
I'm just doing my part at a museum, and I'm already jumping around like a rabbit. What about a tycoon like Li Ka-shing, who manages hundreds of billions? He wouldn't even have time to eat or sleep!
"Hey, how can you live in such a big house if you don't have money..."
After Zhuang Rui raised the garage door, he felt better. There are gains and losses in everything. No one can have all the good things in this world.
"Darling, don't fight over it! Everyone gets a share! You little rascal, you've even learned to tattle now..."
As soon as Zhuang Rui entered the backyard from the garage, he heard a commotion coming from the middle yard, especially Liu Chuan's loud voice, which made Zhuang Rui feel very familiar with him. He quickly quickened his pace, and as soon as he entered the middle yard, he was pounced on by the white lion.
The white lion is getting bigger and bigger, and when it stands on all fours, it has reached a height of about 1.1 meters.
Zhuang Rui weighed it once, and it was found to be 180 kilograms, which is more than the weight of many adult male lions, and even heavier than some Indochinese tigers and Sumatran tigers.
In the past, when playing with the white lion, Zhuang Rui could wrap his arms around its neck and pin it to the ground. But now, he could only be tormented. After the white lion washed his face, Zhuang Rui finally got up. His disheveled appearance made everyone in the courtyard burst into laughter.
In summer, people tend to sleep late, and staying in air-conditioned rooms for too long isn't good either. So right now, Ouyang Jun's family, along with Liu Chuan, Lei Lei, Peng Fei, and others, are chatting and enjoying the cool air in the courtyard. Several children are running all over the yard.
"White Lion, could you try a different way of greeting me next time?"
Zhuang Rui was a little annoyed. No matter when he entered the yard, as long as the white lion caught him, his clothes would have to be sent to the laundry. If the white lion hadn't been so sensible, he probably would have ended up looking like a beggar.
"Honey, this is a special privilege for you. White Lion won't be this affectionate with anyone but you..."
Qin Xuanbing greeted him with a smile, handed Zhuang Rui a towel, and then helped him straighten his wrinkled clothes. Since the two got their marriage certificate, Qin Xuanbing was able to be affectionate with Zhuang Rui in front of everyone.
"The white lion is willing, but do you dare?"
As the white lion grew larger, everyone in the courtyard, except for Ouyang Wan, Nannan, and Qin Xuanbing, was afraid of it. Peng Fei and Zhou Rui used to be able to fight the white lion, but now they probably didn't have the guts.
Zhuang Rui rubbed the white lion's big head. No matter how busy he was, he would bathe the white lion every day as long as he was at home. This big guy used more shampoo than all the people living in the entire courtyard.
"Brother, I think you need to lock up your white lion. Otherwise, if it goes berserk one day, I'm afraid no one will be able to control it..."
Ouyang Jun was currently fanning his wife, who was sitting on a recliner, with a fan. Xu, the famous actress, was due to give birth in early August. She felt that her home was too quiet and that no one was there to talk to, so she had been staying at Zhuang Rui's courtyard house for some time.
"Waaaaah..."
The white lion seemed to understand Ouyang Jun's words and growled at him a few times in annoyance. This startled Ouyang Jun, who took several steps back and accidentally tripped over the platform of the flower bed behind him, falling down on his bottom. When he got up, he still had some kind of flower on his head, making him look even more comical than Zhuang Rui, who had just fallen.
"Fourth Brother, if you want to stay here, don't offend the White Lion, no matter who you offend. If you provoke the White Lion again, it might throw you into the pond, believe it or not?"
As if to verify Zhuang Rui's words, the white lion leaned forward slightly, startling Ouyang Jun so much that he quickly hid behind his wife and refused to show his face again.
"Brother Zhou, why are you getting involved with Da Chuan? We're all on the same side, why bother with all this formalities? It's pointless. You scoundrel, are you bullying Nannan again? Lei Lei, aren't you going to do anything about it..."
Zhuang Rui ignored Ouyang Jun, smiled and greeted Liu Chuan and Zhou Rui, then took the stool that Ouyang Jun had been sitting on and sat down next to Qin Xuanbing.
The white lion lay obediently at Zhuang Rui's feet, its clear eyes looking innocently at Fourth Brother Ouyang.
"Uncle, you rascal uncle! You bought things for Sister Yaya, but not for me..."
As soon as I sat down, the little girl came running to complain. She wasn't afraid of the white lion at all; she simply sat on its lap with her little bottom and even scratched its fur with her little hands.
"Little girl, I've spoiled you for nothing. I bought you so many toys, and you still complain about me..."
Liu Chuan was furious and glared at Nannan, but after Bai Shi tilted his head and glanced at him, the guy immediately calmed down and sat back down dejectedly.
Zhuang Rui chuckled and patted the white lion, saying, "Da Chuan, Lei Lei, since you're here, why don't you stay a few more days? My mom always says I'm never home, so you, my godson, should do your part to be filial..."
Zhuang Rui was just thinking that he might have neglected his family and friends, so he really wanted Liu Chuan to stay for a while longer. This courtyard house is so big, it will be more lively with more people.
“No problem, I came here to escape the summer heat. I’ll go back after this summer. Godmother, your goddaughter-in-law has a godchild now…”
Upon hearing Zhuang Rui's words, Liu Chuan immediately straightened his chest, as if afraid others wouldn't know his wife was pregnant, and started shouting loudly.
"You silly child, you can't talk like that! Is Xiao Lei really pregnant?"
Ouyang Wan watched Liu Chuan grow up and always treated him and her own son the same. When Liu Chuan was a child, he was often punished by Ouyang Wan by being made to stand in the corner.
"Godmother, how could it be fake? Don't you know who your godson is... Hey, hey, stop... don't pinch me..."
Just as Liu Chuan was about to boast a few words, a sharp pain suddenly shot through his lower back. He turned around and immediately shrank his neck, which caused another burst of laughter.
"Husband, I...I..."
"Wood, let me tell you something important. A while ago, Brother Renqing Cuomu called to say that some herders found a Tibetan Mastiff near the Great Snow Mountain. Judging from its size, it should be a female..."
Qin Xuanbing gently tugged at Zhuang Rui's sleeve, as if she had something to say, but was interrupted by Liu Chuan.
"What? A snow mastiff, and a female at that?"
Upon hearing this, Zhuang Rui stood up abruptly, not noticing what Qin Xuanbing seemed to be trying to say to him. His attention was completely drawn to Liu Chuan's words.
The white lion is almost two years old. Nourished by his spiritual energy every day, its bones are even larger than those of a four- or five-year-old adult mastiff. Zhuang Rui had been worried about how to find it a mate, and now that he heard this news, he was immediately excited.
Liu Chuan nodded and said, "The herdsman who saw that Tibetan Mastiff is very experienced. Female Tibetan Mastiffs have short fur, so he shouldn't mistake it for a dog..."
From the time the white lion was tiny, he had raised it to this size. Plus, the white lion had once saved his life. Zhuang Rui's feelings for the white lion couldn't be measured in money. Hearing Liu Chuan's words, he quickly said, "Then why didn't you bring it? I'd buy it no matter the cost..."
“Brother, this isn’t about the money. That Tibetan Mastiff wasn’t domesticated; it was a wild, untamed beast, capable of tearing apart tigers and leopards. How could those herders dare to catch it…”
Zhuang Rui was taken aback when he heard this. If that was the case, it would be quite troublesome. Although wild Tibetan mastiffs do not attack humans, they are extremely difficult to tame. They often hunt wolves and tigers on the grasslands and are the true kings of the grasslands and snow-capped mountains.
Chapter 715 A Series of Happy Events
In recent years, due to the popularity of purebred Tibetan mastiffs among wealthy people, many people have gone to Tibetan areas to buy them. However, there is very little news about wild Tibetan mastiffs in any area, let alone lone wild Tibetan mastiffs.
The white lion was very intelligent and seemed to know that the issue Zhuang Rui and Liu Chuan were discussing was related to it. It stood up from its lying position and kept rubbing its big head against Zhuang Rui.
"Dachuan, please contact Brother Renqing Cuomu and ask him to find that herdsman. I need to go to Tibet again..."
Zhuang Rui rubbed the white lion's big head to comfort it. It seemed that this guy was really in love. Thinking that he could find another purebred snow mastiff to keep the white lion company, Zhuang Rui was also a little excited.
"Wood, don't get agitated, let me finish..."
Seeing Zhuang Rui's posture, as if he wanted to run to Tibet right now, Liu Chuan said, "I already had Brother Renqing Cuomu find that herdsman, but this happened back in February, and now that Tibetan mastiff is nowhere to be found..."
The herders in the Tibetan area still maintain the traditions of the grasslands. Every winter, they hibernate, and many herders set up their tents together to form a gathering place. The herder who saw the snow mastiff was hiding near the camp when he hibernated.
However, Tibetan mastiffs are naturally fond of cold weather. When it is cold, they may roam the grasslands in search of food, but when the weather gets hot, they are very likely to go deep into the snow-capped mountains and places where people rarely go.
"Da Chuan, do you mean I should go in winter?"
After patiently listening to Liu Chuan's words, Zhuang Rui asked, "I don't want to go to the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau in winter anymore. It's so cold that your urine freezes instantly. Even in this month, the temperature difference between day and night is very uncomfortable."
"Wood, I advise you not to rush this. The Qinghai-Tibet Plateau is so vast, who knows where that snow mastiff we saw half a year ago might have gone now?"
Liu Chuan paused for a moment, then continued, "I discussed it with Brother Renqing Cuomu. He didn't go to the pastoral area last year and is still a bit unaccustomed to it. He plans to go herding again this year and also look for some good Tibetan mastiffs to see if we can find that snow mastiff again. If we do, we'll let you know and bring the white lion. That way, we'll be more targeted..."
Actually, when Liu Chuan said this, he himself didn't believe that Renqing Cuomu could encounter that Tibetan Mastiff. Although Tibetan Mastiffs also have territoriality, that is in relation to the pack. Mastiffs that don't join the pack usually go wherever they hunt and won't stay in one place for a long time.
"Let me think about it, old buddy. Don't be disappointed, I'll definitely find you a bride..."
Zhuang Rui knew that Liu Chuan was telling the truth. If he went to Tibet now, he would be like a headless fly, and wouldn't be able to achieve anything.
Zhuang Rui got a little annoyed as he spoke, patted the white lion's big head, and said, "I'm telling you, you're being way too picky. There are so many female mastiffs in the kennel, can't you just find one...?"
"Waaah..."
The white lion seemed to understand Zhuang Rui's words. Whether intentionally or not, it lay down again, but this time facing Zhuang Rui, its massive body pressing him to the ground.
The white lion's display of intelligence left everyone except Ouyang Wan and Qin Xuanbing speechless; it was like a child throwing a tantrum at an adult.
"Damn it, you're still not happy..."
Zhuang Rui was speechless. After pushing the white lion away, he said to the gloating crowd, "That's enough, everyone go home and go to sleep. We've been working hard all day and we still got bullied. This is outrageous..."
It was getting late, and amidst laughter, everyone returned to their rooms. However, Zhuang Rui and Qin Xuanbing were followed by the large white lion. The white lion was sensitive to heat, so Zhuang Rui had prepared a special room for it in the backyard, with air conditioning, for it to sleep in. ...