Chapter 337: Your phone call

"If you want to take a photo, stand still."

Lin Zhao took out her camera, directed the four children—big and small—to stand in line, posed them, and clicked a few times.

She directed them well; the four children's expressions and movements were all very natural, and the zoo's entrance plaque was also captured in the photo.

"Alright."

Gu Hangbao's face beamed with a smile. He grabbed Xiang Yubao's hand, not forgetting to remind Gu Lan and Shi Tou to hold hands too, so they wouldn't get separated.

"If you accidentally get separated, go find an uncle wearing that kind of uniform..." Lin Zhao pointed to a man wearing work clothes and said to the four children, "The zoo staff will help you, understand?"

The children nodded one after another, their joined hands gripping slightly tighter, afraid of falling out of formation.

While talking, the one adult and four children entered the zoo.

It had been a year since they last came, and there were new changes here.

At the tiger enclosure, a zookeeper stood to the side. A bold, mischievous child touched the tiger's tail. Seeing the legendary man-eating big cat obediently letting itself be touched, the child was so happy they grinned from ear to ear.

"It really doesn't eat people!!" The mischievous child's face was full of excitement.

The zookeeper was helpless. "If it ate people... the zoo wouldn't dare let you touch it."

The mischievous child asked again, "Can I touch its head?"

The zookeeper hesitated, afraid the child would cry and make a scene, so they came up with an idea. "I'll hold your hand while you touch it, okay?"

The exceptionally bold boy nodded like a chicken pecking at rice. "Okay, okay."

His hand was grabbed by the zookeeper and guided toward the spotted big cat lying on the ground sunning itself. The tiger slowly opened its beastly eyes and glanced at him with an unprovoked majesty.

This glance was extremely intimidating.

Truly worthy of being the King of Beasts.

The boy looked at his own hand, smiling brighter than the sunshine.

He exclaimed, "I touched the tiger's head!!"

His face was full of excitement and happiness.

The zookeeper said, "Alright, time's up."

The child was pulled away by his father, looking back with reluctance.

Afterward, the iron gate was closed.

This scene was seen by Xiang Yubao and the others. Their eyes went round, shining amazingly, filled with eagerness to try.

"Big Sister, can anyone touch the big kitty?" Gu Hangbao clung to the iron mesh and asked the zookeeper who was feeding water to the tiger.

The female zookeeper looked toward the sound and saw two identical little boys, a delicate young girl beside them, and a sturdy little fellow.

Big business.

"That's right, anyone can touch it, fifty cents per person."

Xiang Yubao said, "It costs money too."

"Yes, the zoo needs money to operate. Fifty cents doesn't just let you touch the tiger; you can also touch the giant python, the lion, and the giant panda. If you want, you can even feed the giraffe." The female zookeeper saw Lin Zhao bringing four children and tried her best to sell the service with a smile.

It wasn't easy for the zoo to reopen. The little funding allocated from above was a drop in the bucket, nowhere near enough to keep the park running well. Their director came up with the idea of interacting with animals to increase revenue, which would be used for the zoo's construction.

It wasn't easy to have a job, and the zookeeper didn't want to lose this work of dealing with animals. Whenever they saw someone with a bulging purse, they would diligently promote the services.

The twins looked at Lin Zhao.

Lin Zhao immediately knew what her sons were thinking. Looking at Shi Tou again, his eyes were also shining.

"Is there a guarantee of safety?" she asked the zookeeper.

The zookeeper hurriedly said, "We are all here. Once there is any sign of the animals acting up, we will immediately take measures."

Afraid this would make Lin Zhao back out, they hurriedly added, "This service has been open for almost a year, and there has never been an incident of an animal hurting anyone. The animals in our zoo were all artificially raised from a young age and have gentle temperaments. You can rest assured."

Lin Zhao looked toward the tiger enclosure. There were indeed several people dressed as staff inside. She figured the giant python and lion she mentioned were also in the zoo.

With safety guarantees and close-range contact, it wasn't impossible.

"What do you all think?" Lin Zhao asked the children.

Xiang Yubao was bold and couldn't hold back anymore. "I want to touch the big kitty."

"I want to too!" This excited, loud voice was clearly Gu Hangbao.

Shi Tou made two 'mm' sounds, so excited he only knew how to nod.

Gu Lan hesitated, afraid her younger brothers would get into trouble, but she overcame her fear and decided to go with them.

"I'll go too."

Lin Zhao saw her unease and smiled. "Don't be afraid, artificially raised animals aren't that fierce."

She clenched her fists; she wasn't a pushover either.

"Let's go, I'll take some great photos for you while I'm at it." Lin Zhao decisively paid the money.

"Yay!" Gu Hangbao jumped on the spot, urging the zookeeper to take them in.

The zookeeper made some preparations and led them inside.

Seeing that there were many people coming in this time, other staff members moved a few steps closer, ready to respond to any sudden situation at any time.

Lin Zhao sighed with emotion; everyone was so dedicated. No wonder the country was flourishing, with people in every industry working silently.

"How old is this tiger?" she asked the zookeeper.

"One and a half years old." The zookeeper answered, looking at the tiger with eyes like they were looking at the most perfect work of art. "It's a female tiger baby. It was rescued by a villager. When it was sent here, its eyes hadn't even opened. I fed it and raised it bit by bit. It's very naughty, but its temperament is very good."

While they were talking, the four children were also listening very carefully.

"To be this big at only one and a half years old, truly worthy of being the King of Beasts. It looks really majestic." Lin Zhao looked at the tiger baby sunning itself comfortably at close range, her eyes full of affection.

"Comrade, can I take photos?"

The zookeeper nodded. "Yes."

For a big spender who spent two whole yuan, this service was a must.

"Thank you." Lin Zhao smiled and thanked them.

"Big Sister, I want to take a group photo with the big kitty to show my grandpa, grandma, and younger siblings back home." Gu Hangbao put his hands together and made a request.

"How do you want to take it?" The zookeeper was very easy to talk to.

"I want to stand next to the big kitty." Gu Hangbao made the request without hesitation.

"Okay." The zookeeper satisfied his idea.

Lin Zhao was only responsible for taking photos.

As she took photos, she could clearly perceive that the three boys were becoming more and more mischievous, and the requests they made were becoming more and more excessive. This one wanted to touch the tiger's head, that one wanted to touch the tiger's paw pads... truly, newborn calves are not afraid of tigers.

"Hold back a bit, don't go too far."

Boys are just mischievous! Look at Gu Lan, sitting quietly on the rock where the big cat was sunning itself, taking a photo with a smile on her face—that was enough.

After touching the tiger, the group immediately went to the giant python enclosure. The staff followed them the whole time, making Lin Zhao sigh that the two yuan was well spent.

The giant python was coiled on a tree. Its length was impossible to estimate with the naked eye. It was thicker than an adult's thigh, black, and its snake scales emitted a cold light.

It was rare for the zookeeper to receive such young children. They hesitated for a moment and said, "Big Black looks quite scary. If you're afraid, don't get close."

Gu Lan only took one look, and her heart thumped wildly. She was so scared her face turned pale, and she couldn't help but take two steps back.

"If A-Lan is afraid, go outside." Lin Zhao saw she was scared and let her go outside to wait. "Don't run around, call me if anything happens."

Gu Lan was truly scared and didn't try to be brave. She hurriedly left. Even in a safe area, she still felt lingering fear, patting her chest. Xiang Yubao and the others were truly bold; they weren't afraid at all and even asked if they could touch that python.

Too scary!

Xiang Yubao and the three others didn't get their wish and only gained a group photo with the black python.

The three mischievous boys left satisfied.

Afterward, she played with a lion cub less than a year old for a while; her happy little face was flushed, and finally, the last thing she saw up close was the adorable giant panda.

When the four children saw the giant panda, they forgot everything, cupping their faces and floating in happiness.

They couldn't bear to leave at all.

It wasn't until the giant panda got impatient and waddled away that they left with unfinished business.

When they left, they looked back every three steps, their faces full of reluctance.

"So cute." Even Gu Lan was mesmerized by the little national treasure.

Lin Zhao looked at the other three cubs; they were all in a daze.

She was the only one left with her reason intact.

The charm of the national treasure was indescribable in words.

Because of Lin Zhao's group, quite a few children made a fuss about seeing the big cats up close. The adults couldn't refuse and had to pay. The zoo earned several more yuan, and the zookeeper was overjoyed, giving Lin Zhao a white peacock feather as a souvenir.

Lin Zhao didn't expect an unexpected harvest and was very happy. "Thank you, the feather is very beautiful, I like it very much."

"Today's experience was not bad. Compared to the last time we came, I can feel your dedication. Thank you for your hard work."

The zookeeper was slightly stunned, a thousand emotions swirling in their heart.

"... You really think so?"

Many people said their work was meaningless, that they were parasites of the country, that raising them was purely a waste of food, and that raising so many animals was also a waste of food.

This was the first person who understood their work and knew their hardships.

"Of course." Lin Zhao nodded and said seriously, "The animals are well taken care of by you. They look healthy and spirited. The places they live are clean, and the water they drink is not murky at all. I also saw people cleaning constantly. Your dedication can be seen by anyone."

She pondered slightly and could guess why the zookeeper had such an expression. It was the same situation as her family—her family raised four little animals, and there were those who said nasty things.

The less food there was and the less people had to eat, the more criticism the zoo would face. This was inevitable.

After hearing Lin Zhao's words, the zookeeper was very happy. "Thank you."

This made them feel that their persistence was meaningful.

After the visit, Lin Zhao first sent Shi Tou back to the base, had a reluctant farewell, stuffed the food she had specially bought for Long Ge and the others to the few teenagers, asked them to take care of her own child, and left her contact address before taking Gu Lan and the twins to take a car home.

As the car drove away from the spot, Xiang Yubao looked back at the training base, sighed, and frowned. "Shi Tou will definitely cry tonight."

"Long Ge will coax him." Gu Hangbao said, "I just told Long Ge to coax Shi Tou at night. Next time we come, I'll give him all my glass marbles."

Long Ge: Thanks for the invite, at his age, he doesn't play with glass marbles anymore.

Lin Zhao looked at her son in surprise. "Aren't those glass marbles your most precious things? Even when Tie Dan asked to borrow them, you wouldn't give them up. How did you suddenly become so generous that you're willing to give them to someone else?"

Gu Hangbao said crisply, "The situation is different."

He didn't say much, but Lin Zhao could guess his thoughts. One was borrowing to play, the other was begging for help. The weight of each was clear at a glance. On matters of principle, he was willing to give.

Lin Zhao tapped Gu Hangbao's nose, her expression proud. "You thought it through so comprehensively. I didn't even think of it. Gu Hangbao is becoming more and more thoughtful, just like his brother."

Gu Hangbao lifted his chin slightly, his face full of self-satisfaction.

Gu Lan smiled until her cheeks felt sour.

How was Third Aunt not thinking comprehensively? What did the meat she bought for those boys count as? Wasn't it just hoping they would take care of Shi Tou for the sake of the food?

The bus drove along with the sunset. The children were tired from playing and temporarily lost the strength to talk, sitting quietly in their seats, watching the streetscape constantly receding, letting their thoughts fly.

Half an hour later, Lin Zhao brought the three children back to the guesthouse.

Back in the room, the four of them—one adult and three children—sighed in unison.

Finally, they were back.

The first thing to do after sitting down was to change shoes. She was wearing leather shoes; they were good-looking, but after walking for a long time, her feet inevitably hurt.

Gu Lan put down her crossbody bag, went to the bathroom to get hot water, and brought it to Lin Zhao.

"Third Aunt, soaking your feet will be more comfortable."

Lin Zhao's eyes were surprised, and her heart felt warm. "Thank you, A-Lan. You should sit and rest for a while too. You must be exhausted today, right?"

Gu Lan sat down. "I think it's okay, quite fulfilling."

"I'm exhausted." Gu Hangbao sprawled on the bed, making a 'big' shape.

"Lying on the bed without changing your clothes, it's so dirty." Lin Zhao spoke up.

Xiang Yubao pulled his younger brother up, patted the place where he had been lying, and smoothed the bedsheet by the way.

"It's clean now." After saying that, he pulled his younger brother to the bathroom to wash up.

Lin Zhao: "..."

Just at this moment, the door was knocked.

"Who is it?" Lin Zhao asked aloud.

"It's me, the front desk of the guesthouse. There's a phone call for you." A female voice came from outside the door, speaking pleasant Mandarin.

Lin Zhao was suspicious.

She wiped her feet dry, put on cloth shoes, walked over to open the door, and it was indeed the front desk clerk she had seen.

"Who is calling?"

The female comrade said, "He said his surname is Song, called something like Yun Jin. He seems quite anxious. You should return the call when you have time."

"Okay, I know, thank you." Lin Zhao said politely.

"It's my duty." After saying that, she turned and left.

Lin Zhao told the three children to stay in the room obediently and didn't delay, hurrying to return the call.

It was likely that something had happened; otherwise, Yun Jin wouldn't have made such a call to her.

Arriving at the place to make the call, she told the operator her request. The other party asked her to wait a moment. Before long, the phone was delivered to Lin Zhao's hand.

Song Yunjin had waited at the post office for an entire afternoon, hoping his sister would return early and call him back.

Seeing the sun setting and the post office about to close, but the phone still hadn't come, he was in despair. He irritably grabbed a handful of his hair, his eyes red, and planned to leave.

He hadn't walked a few steps when someone called out to him.

"... Hey! Your phone call!!"

Song Yunjin's eyes lit up. He ran back frantically, holding the receiver, and hearing the voice coming into his ears, his eye sockets felt hot.

"Sister, something happened to my dad." His voice trembled.

Lin Zhao's gaze paused, and her fingers holding the receiver tightened. "... What?!! What happened to Uncle?!!"

Her tone was urgent and worried.

Song Yunjin sniffed, his eyes full of fear for the unknown result. "It's the news from the factory. They said my dad's entire arm was mangled by a machine. The injury is very serious. The hospital here can't treat it, so he can only be sent to the provincial hospital..."

"My mom and my brother bought the earliest tickets to the provincial capital, but they won't arrive until tomorrow morning. Sister, can you go to the provincial hospital and see if my dad has arrived and how he is? We can't receive any news about him, and I'm scared, Sister." By the end, his voice was tinged with a sob.

"Okay, I'll go right now." Lin Zhao agreed without a second thought. "Is Aunt okay?"

"My mom is fine, just very worried." Song Yunjin said.

Lin Zhao: "Tell Aunt not to worry. I'll be there for Uncle. Alright, I won't say more. I'll arrange for Xiang Yubao and Gu Hangbao and then set off." ===== CHAPTER 338 =====