NOVPUB"Catch?" Suming rolled his eyes, "It’s a panda bear, not some stray cat that you can just catch at will. Besides, even though your husband works at the zoo, he’s not invincible enough to just grab a panda whenever he fancies—it’s against the law!" Unless a panda was injured, then it might make sense for the zoo to bring it back for treatment and protection.
"So what do we do? There are hundreds of thousands of people signing a petition, all of whom are customers of the zoo and your company. You can’t just ignore them, can you?" Nangong said.
"What do we do, just deal with it!" Suming said this, but he still took the matter seriously and gave it some thought.
The panda issue was neither insignificant nor trivial; it was the kind of problem that, even if it couldn’t be solved right away, had to be taken to heart and dealt with as much as possible.
A zoo is also a ’business’ in essence, much like running a restaurant. To be successful, customer feedback is crucial. If customers like to eat braised pork knuckle and you insist on serving them plain white steamed buns, you’re just asking for trouble.
Even from the zoo’s own standpoint, having a few panda bears as the star attractions is quite necessary. Which top-tier zoo in the country doesn’t have pandas? Yangchuan City Zoo is renowned nationwide, and it would be quite embarrassing to admit that we don’t even have a panda.
When it comes to other Grade I protected animals like the Yangtze alligator and the golden monkey, they’re popular too, but they’re simply not in the same league as the giant panda. In this regard, pandas have really given all the chubbies around the world something to be proud of.
After thinking for a while and still not coming up with a good solution, he considered that if worst came to worst, they could temporarily borrow the two chubbies from Xiangjiang Ocean Park.
It’s just that he didn’t know if Xiangjiang Ocean Park would be willing to lend them. After all, if other organizations wanted to borrow Suming’s pandas, he would definitely object. Not to speak of such treasures as panda bears—even a big-chested cat would be too precious to lend out!
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"What are you rambling about, what big-chested cat?!" Nangong touched Suming’s forehead to check for fever. No fever.
Suming’s gaze drifted slowly downward from her neck, "What’s far in the horizon is actually right before your eyes!"
"Again?" Nangong quickly retracted, hugged her chest protectively, and took on the appearance of a startled little bird, her big eyes fluttering in feigned innocence.
"I wasn’t planning on doing this again, but you’re tempting me now, aren’t you?" Suming squinted his eyes, radiating a domineering aura.
"You’re so cheeky..." Nangong bit her lip, her voice sappy, her eyes watery as she looked at Suming.
"Courting death!" Suming muttered through clenched teeth as he lunged at her.
...
Fighting is a real drain on one’s energy. After getting up, feeling ravenously hungry, he put the issue of pandas on the back burner. Leaving the hotel, the two hailed a taxi and headed straight for the snack street in Mong Kok. They ate their way from one end of the street to the other, indulging in everything on offer, until their stomachs were perfectly round.
In the meantime, Mrs. Tong called to inquire about the plans ahead. The zoo’s group trip was only five days long, and considering the time, they’d have to head back tomorrow.
"Here’s what we’ll do, you take everyone back first. I can’t leave yet, since I have to attend a press conference with the Xiangjiang Police. I also need to discuss borrowing pandas with Ocean Park, so I expect I’ll be delayed for another week before I can return," Suming explained while munching on a skewer of beef offal.
"Okay. Mr. Su, several media outlets from back home have called asking about the hostage rescue incident, hoping for interviews. How should I respond?"
Wang Hao had also mentioned this to Suming. After the video broadcast, domestic media would certainly want to verify its authenticity. Wang Hao’s phone had been exploding with calls from various outlets, and the zoo’s on-duty office had been receiving many calls as well, with some media even going directly to the Xiangjiang Police for confirmation.
The governments and police forces on both sides of the strait shared a similar view: they could proceed with widespread publicity. The situation was not just about cracking a kidnapping case; it had acquired an extra layer of positive energy because of the involvement of Suming, a tourist from the mainland. It was a perfect example of harmony in society, promoting positive cross-strait relations.
Wang Hao had specifically set up a live broadcast room, where the video of the hostage rescue was being replayed, along with various related materials that the media had dug up.
"If the media ask for an interview, just tell the truth since most of the details are in the video. Oh, and don’t make me out to be too much of a hero; it would be embarrassing to be put on too high a pedestal," Suming specifically cautioned, knowing Mrs. Tong well enough to realize that if she spoke off the cuff, he might return to the mainland to find that he had been portrayed as a reincarnated deity.
"There’s no need for me to exaggerate!" Mrs. Tong said proudly on the phone: "The facts speak for themselves, you are indeed a living hero, Mr. Su!"
"Those are good words, but why do they sound so awkward to me?" Suming was speechless. A living hero? Was he implying that he was close to death, or that if he did die, he’d be an even greater hero?
"Anyway, you deal with it as you see fit. Oh, and there’s another important matter I need you to attend to," Suming said earnestly.
"What? What is it?!" Mrs. Tong was startled. Was there something more important than a kidnapping case? Had something unexpected happened?
"Before you head back, you and the accountant should visit the department store to buy some gifts for Mr. Song. Get plenty of health and wellness products, and since he has a grandson, buy something that children like too. I’m not sure about these things, so just handle it. Don’t worry about the cost—if the zoo’s accounts are too tight, I’ll pay for it myself," Suming instructed.
Mrs. Tong was silent for several seconds before responding, her voice tinged with emotion, "You always think of everything, Mr. Su. I’ll make sure it’s taken care of, don’t worry."
After hanging up the phone, Nangong clung to Suming’s arm and suddenly hummed twice.
"What’s up with you now?" Suming asked curiously.
"You’re quite attentive. This time they’ll definitely say, ’Mr. Su is grateful for old ties and knows how to repay favors, never forgetting the one who dug the well when drinking water...’"
"I knew you had all sorts of little womanly thoughts!" Suming rubbed her head. "What do you think we’re going to do next?"
"Do what?" Nangong asked in surprise.
"Up ahead is the shopping street. I, your leader, will personally accompany you to buy gifts for your parents, my mother, oh, and that whole gang of your girlfriends!" Suming pointed to the brightly lit street ahead.
"Really? Hehe! I thought you had forgotten..." Nangong said coquettishly as she shook his arm.
"I can remember the old zoo director; how could I forget the elders at home? Let’s go!" 𝘯𝑜𝘷𝘱𝘶𝘣.𝘤𝘰𝑚
"I knew you were the best!"
...
The shopping force from the zoo split into two groups, sweeping through the major shopping centers in the north and south of Xiangjiang. Mrs. Tong’s shopping style leaned toward domestic and old-age, while Suming’s was thoroughly luxurious, all about high-end cosmetics, gold and jade jewelry, and the like.
Nangong was thrilled when shopping, wanted everything she saw, but after she finished, she looked at her pile of spoils and asked with a pout, "Isn’t this a bit impractical?"
"New money should look like new money!" Suming said grandly with a wave of his hand. "We only buy what’s expensive, not what’s right. These days no one lacks the necessities; since it’s gift-giving, it’s the thought that counts for family, and the face it gives to friends. I think your choices are quite discerning, absolutely fantastic!"
"Really?" Nangong asked uncertainly.
"Truer than 18-karat gold!" Suming swore confidently. Shopping was all about the mood; what was practical or not was a secondary concern. It was no fun to spend money and then be filled with regret. All those bags piled on top of each other didn’t add up to more than a few hundred thousand, not even as much as the last two sets of gowns.
Nangong had also drunk quite a bit of the local homemade brew along the way, which tasted like rice wine. It was sweet at first and didn’t seem alcoholic, so she guzzled several cans as if it were water. However, she soon realized that the brew had quite a kick, and halfway through the mall, Nangong’s steps in her high heels began to wobble.
There’s no reasoning with a woman, and even less with a drunk woman. At this moment, as long as she’s happy, it’s clear skies.
He casually picked out a Graff necklace for Nangong to wear, grinned, and said, "Sincerity and love can’t beat diamonds and gold! Come on, let’s get another one!"
"My neck is going to be full!" Nangong laughed, her eyes nearly squinting shut.
It wasn’t just her neck; her ten fingers were almost full too. Suming noticed she had a particular way of buying gifts for her girlfriends: Anything that could be tested, worn, or tried on, she had to try it herself first. She had gone through seven or eight different cosmetics in one evening alone, applying makeup, removing it, and then applying it again. And she didn’t miss a chance to try on every piece of gold and silver jewelry. Now, Nangong was glistening with gold all over her body and, with the effects of alcohol, her cheeks were flushed, making her look like the daughter of a Fujian tycoon about to be married off.
The nearby sales assistant looked at the couple with a smile, her expression a little complicated. The thrill of a big commission, envy of Nangong, and a touch of contempt for the mainlanders’ crazy gold buying, mixed with the sourness of the grapes one can’t reach, mingled and fermented in her eyes, quite intimidating...
Suming turned his head to look at her, leaned in, and shamelessly asked, "So, how’s that for opulence?"
"Great, really great!" The sales assistant couldn’t hold back and burst into laughter.
Nangong glared, "Hey, what are you laughing at?"
The sales assistant tried to contain her laughter, "I just think your husband is really good to you."
"Hehe... jealous, aren’t you?" Nangong asked with wide eyes.
"Ah? Uh..." the sales assistant stammered.
"Jealousy won’t help; what’s mine is mine! The boyfriend is mine, the rings and necklaces are also mine..." Nangong wrapped one arm around Suming’s neck, hanging on him, smiling foolishly like some female hooligan, causing many tourists around to turn their heads and look their way.
Suming slapped his forehead; she was thoroughly drunk. Under his own guidance, the unreliable girlfriend development plan had finally succeeded. Nangong was beginning to show signs of evolving towards a nonsensical and silly character, and today, emboldened by alcohol, she took the first step into an inescapable abyss.
