Chapter 250

"Did you remember everything we need to watch out for?"

"Got it. But boss, do we really need to make it this complicated? Even though a lot of people were shouting about wanting to take photos this morning, many were just saying so; probably not many will come in the afternoon, right?" The work team took a notebook, wrote down the few points Xiao Guo had just mentioned as things to watch out for, and also voiced their own concerns.

"You don't have to worry about that; whatever boss there is, I'll take responsibility." Xiao Guo didn't seem worried; he patted the employee's shoulder and told them to set up the venue for the afternoon photo session.

After the staff left, Xiao Guo finally relaxed and ate a few slices of watermelon. Though he'd been busy since yesterday, his body and mind were exhausted, the payoff was considerable, especially the morning performance. He hadn't gone to watch it himself, but from what Charlie and others said, among the ten cats, the black cat from their side was the most popular.

Thinking back to Charlie's description made Xiao Guo laugh. At that time, there were too many people clamoring to go take photos; the lucky audience members drawn to pose, and after the shoot they didn't expect the cat to cooperate so well. That sparked a new idea, wanting to take a few more shots while the opportunity lasted, so the time spent stretched out. Normally, once the previous act finished, the next group would quickly set up props while the previous group was being photographed, but Zheng Tan's group had their props set up for ages, and the nearby photo session hadn't even ended, leaving the people behind so frustrated they gulped down several bottles of mineral water.

Yes, it refers to the remaining time in the afternoon for photos, specifically letting everyone go find the celebrity cats for a picture. None of the cats that won on Saturday left; the organizers set up a spot for people to take souvenir photos, and there were plenty of opportunities. However, the on‑site shots are free; the afternoon sessions require payment. Some people don't mind the fee, but inevitably there are those who love a cheap deal.

Xiao Guo had someone tally the people who proactively contacted this side to book afternoon photos; there were about ten or so, plus a few who were still hesitating and hadn't confirmed, but Xiao Guo wouldn't let this great publicity chance slip away.

But...

Xiao Guo glanced at his phone; earlier he had received a call from Associate Professor Jiao, saying he had already returned to the country. If the cat dad is back, getting that cat's help in the future will probably face greater obstacles. In any case, seize this chance to scoop up more popularity.

After Zheng Tan took a nap in the lounge, he was pulled over to help with the photo session. Xiao Guo had just told him that Jiao Ba was back and would come over this afternoon. On New Year's Eve, Jiao Ba had called saying that, if all went well, he wouldn't be back until the second half of the year. No one expected him to return now. Apparently he bought a flight from the capital to Linzhou at 1 p. m., a two‑hour journey, arriving at 3 p. m. The only unknown was when Jiao Ba would actually reach the venue.

Learning that Jiao Ba was coming lifted Zheng Tan's already good mood even higher, and his attitude toward the people requesting photos improved as well. Many people had taken pictures in the morning, including some children; fortunately the kids didn't tug at Zheng Tan's beard and behaved fairly well. He hoped the afternoon would go smoothly too.

The morning competition didn't rank participants, but the afternoon group photos directly showed who was more popular. Xiao Guo had people set up the venue at noon; now the shooting spot looked quite professional, and the photographer in charge was a veteran professional from the team who had collaborated with Zheng Tan many times, so they were familiar with each other.

At first, a few young people who came to take photos, especially several young men, asked to pose with Jin Ling, and Jin Ling didn't refuse. That made the other youngsters lingering outside itch to join, so they hurriedly queued up to pay for a photo. As a result, the number of people in line swelled, combining those who wanted the cat and those who wanted Jin Ling.

That is Xiao Guo's brilliance.

We're not outdone by the cats, nor by the girls; we have to grab with both hands and keep both hands strong.

However, for every person who came to take a photo with the cat, Xiao Guo had someone tell them that the cat must not be handled carelessly, especially its head; if they touch it recklessly and get scratched or bitten, they are fully responsible. As long as they follow the arrangements, everything will be safe.

Many cat enthusiasts think a cat should be petted and scratched on the chin to get close, but the people on site told them this black cat is different; it's hard to explain why. Still, those who have taken photos know the cat looks hard to get along with and has a black face, yet it is actually quite friendly for pictures, willingly cooperating with poses.

The photos cost twenty yuan each; although the pictures aren't large, they are produced with fine quality, and the back side bears the name "Green Wing" along with the pet center's name and address. Xiao Guo wouldn't give up any promotional opportunity.

People have that mindset: when everyone rushes to do something, even if they're not particularly interested, they want to join the fun. Some who only wanted to photo with the champion cat also came to queue when they had spare time.

There were some costume props nearby; those whose turn was coming could go pick a costume. A six‑ or seven‑year‑old boy ran over, chose one, then stood in front of the fitting mirror admiring himself, apparently thinking he looked so cool he wet himself.

Yes, he really peed.

When Zheng Tan heard the surrounding laughter and looked over, he saw the little Xiao Pihai in front of the fitting mirror pouting, then bursting into a "wah" cry; his pants were already wet, and the costume was also soaked with a large wet urine stain.

Sometimes Zheng Tan feels that children's minds are quite odd; if they don't speak up, you can't necessarily guess what they're really thinking.

There were many people taking photos; for Zheng Tan this wasn't much trouble—just pose there. He even received a few ladies' sweet kisses, but the age range of these "ladies" was huge, from eight to sixty‑eight years old; Zheng Tan accidentally felt a "peck" on his forehead. Also, a two‑ or three‑year-old child, after "pecking" Zheng Tan's forehead, left a spray of drool on his head. He had no idea what that little Xiao Pihai was thinking at the time.

Charlie saw this, hurried over, wiped it with a tissue, then dabbed it several times with a wet towel. Seeing that Zheng Tan didn't lose his temper on the spot, Charlie breathed a sigh of relief.

During the event, some organizers and photographers came to watch the photo scene. The organizers contacted Xiao Guo, asking him to bring the cat for a group photo at the closing ceremony; the cats in the group photo were all the award‑winning cats. Zheng Tan was the only non‑award‑winning house cat; the other three house cats were first, second, and third in the house‑cat division, but in terms of venue popularity, Zheng Tan still outshone them by a wide margin.

Around four‑something in the afternoon, the event was winding down, and fewer people were taking photos. Apart from those who had already paid and queued, anyone arriving later was told it was over.

"Excuse me, sir. The photo session has ended. If you're interested, you can visit our shop later; if you have a cat at home, you can also check out our own brand—quality is guaranteed!" the staff beside the photo area called out to the passerby. Before he could finish, a member of the work team stepped forward.

"Huh? Professor Jiao. What are you doing here? Coming to pick up the cat?" The person who came over was an old acquaintance of Xiao Guo's pet center and one of the few who knew that Zheng Tan was at the Jiao family.

The previous person, seeing that everyone recognized each other, fell silent and let Associate Professor Jiao go straight in.

While Zheng Tan was posing for a photo with someone, he caught a glimpse of Jiao Ba standing off to the side, but Jiao Ba gestured for him to continue "working," so Zheng Tan didn't approach, and his mind was no longer much focused on the photo.

After the last shot, Jiao Ba came over, lifted Zheng Tan like a child, tossed him into the air twice, and said, "You've gotten fat."

Zheng Tan: "…" True to a researcher, a slight tremor could be measured to three decimal places, but after gaining a layer of weight over the New Year, Zheng Tan hadn't fully shed it.

Jiao Ba didn't take Zheng Tan away right then; he already knew that Zheng Tan would later go up on stage at the closing ceremony to pose with the award‑winning cats, and the photos would be placed in the event records of the relevant organization as a keepsake.

Fewer people attended the closing ceremony than the opening; only a few representatives of related units and the cats' owners were present inside the venue.

Zheng Tan stood on the stage, where a tiered arrangement held the award‑winning cats. Cats aren't as obedient as dogs, so you have to seize the moment; otherwise, when they become impatient or start fighting, it becomes troublesome.

Zheng Tan's spot was in the rear rows, slightly toward the center; beside him crouched a long‑haired, big‑headed cat. It had intended to squeeze toward the middle, but when it met Zheng Tan's gaze, it involuntarily shifted the opposite way, seeming to think it wasn't safe enough, and moved a bit further.

Jiao Ba watched from below, amused, and took out his camera to snap photos.

The cat owners in the audience felt the same way as parents whose own children have performed or won a competition and are standing on the podium receiving the award.

The person standing next to Jiao Ba, seeing his action, asked, "Is your cat up there too?" Before Jiao Ba could answer, the person continued, "My son is up there, the champion of the kitten division—hehe, this little guy showed champion temperament even before getting big!"

Jiao Ba looked in the direction the person indicated; there were only three kittens on stage, and he couldn't tell which one the person meant.

Just as Jiao Ba was speculating on stage, he heard the person beside him shout toward the stage, "Huang Shang, look over here, I'm dad!"

Jiao Ba: "…"

Among the three kittens, one was ginger‑colored, likely the little fellow. The kitten named "Huang Shang" may not have heard; it had the typical flat‑faced, slightly solemn Garfield look, but its eyes darted around, indeed quite spirited.

After the closing ceremony, Jiao Ba first took Zheng Tan out, and that night they would meet at the hotel booked by Xiao Guo's group, then return together to Chu Hua Shi the next morning.

The reason Jiao Ba took Zheng Tan away alone was that before entering the venue, he ran into Fang Shaokang outside, who was with a child and a pet. Fang Mengmeng wanted to take a photo with Zheng Tan, but Fang Shaokang didn't want to interact with the pet center staff, so he asked Jiao Ba, if he had time, to take Zheng Tan out for a while, after which everyone could have a meal together.

While Fang Mengmeng was holding Fang Shaokang's DSLR to photograph Zheng Tan and Da Mi, Jiao Ba chatted with Fang Shaokang nearby.

"This time you'll be able to drop the 'Vice' title soon, right? Congratulations in advance," Fang Shaokang said.

"Thanks. But after the 'Vice' is removed, the challenges will be greater; now there are more capable people," Jiao Ba said with a smile, shaking his head.

"That's true; even at prestigious universities in the country now, many are 'strategic scientists.'"

When Fang Shaokang used the term "strategic scientist," his tone was clearly sarcastic, and Jiao Ba understood that. Fang Shaokang's sarcastic "strategic scientist" didn't refer to the kind of visionary strategists like Qian Xuesen, but mocked the growing number of people who only talk strategy, not research, and make a fortune by pulling government projects from behind the scenes. (To be continued…)

ps: (5.8)