Chapter 138: Desperation and What Right?

Chapter 138: Desperation and What Right?

After receiving Director Li's order, Liu Shan set off from the provincial capital early the next morning, heading to Liyuan Farm.

Panda Yuan Yuan's potential was just too great; they had to get her back. He was responsible for delivering her to Liyuan Farm, and if anything went wrong, he would likely be the one to take the fall. In their public zoo, once someone took the blame, it was the end of the line.

Zhang Lin also arrived early at Liyuan Farm, checking the profits. In just one day, they had surpassed 30 million yuan, recouping the cost of purchasing the panda.

Lin Muxue entered his office with a broad smile, followed by a woman in a white lab coat.

She said as soon as she sat down, "Mr. Zhang, let me introduce you to Dr. Tang Wan. She's Dr. Chen's assistant and has agreed to stay and work at Liyuan Farm. I've also offered her the position of Chief Veterinarian, and we plan to hire three more veterinarians to take care of Xiao Hei, Bai Long, and Yuan Yuan's health."

"Welcome, Dr. Tang. It's great to have you on board," Zhang Lin said with a smile.

Despite being just Dr. Chen's assistant, Dr. Tang was a panda medical expert, and her skills far surpassed those of ordinary veterinarians. Zhang Lin couldn't help but give a big thumbs up to his senior classmate's talent scouting.

With Dr. Tang on board, hiring more veterinarians would be much easier. As an assistant to a renowned panda veterinarian like Dr. Chen, she surely knew many other skilled veterinarians.

This would solve their veterinary issues, as they had no idea how to handle the animals if they fell ill.

"I'll do my best, Mr. Zhang!" Dr. Tang responded immediately.

In truth, she wasn't sure why she had agreed to stay at Liyuan Farm. Director Lin had simply chatted her into it and then roped Dr. Chen into making it a done deal.

However, the salary and the position of Chief Veterinarian were highly tempting.

Since it was already a done deal, she might as well go with the flow.

As they were chatting, Zhang Lin's phone rang, and his face showed a mix of surprise and amusement when he saw the number.

It was Liu Shan from the Min Province zoo, the one who had delivered the panda.

He must be regretting it, Zhang Lin thought.

He answered the call, and Liu Shan's voice came through: "Mr. Zhang, this is Liu Shan from the Min province zoo. I'm outside your office center, but the security guards won't let me in. I need to speak with you."

These days, the Liyuan Farm office center wasn't so easy to enter.

Lin Mengyao had implemented a clock-in, card-swipe system, and only farm employees could enter. There were also security guards at the entrance.

"Mr. Liu, please wait a moment!" Zhang Lin said with a smile, then instructed Zhong Miaoying, "Miaoying, go to the entrance and bring Mr. Liu from the Min province zoo inside."

"Sure, Mr. Zhang," Zhong Miaoying replied.

Lin Muxue immediately asked, "Mr. Zhang, why is someone from the Min province zoo here? Do they want Yuan Yuan back?"

"What else could it be?" Zhang Lin teased.

Lin Muxue responded, "They must be dreaming. They were so eager to offload Yuan Yuan when she was sick, and now that she's well and popular, they want her back. No way that's happening."

"Seems they are just dreaming," Zhang Lin agreed.

Zhong Miaoying soon returned with Liu Shan, "Mr. Zhang, Mr. Liu is here."

"Mr. Liu, it's good to see you again. Please, have a seat," Zhang Lin invited.

Liu Shan sat down and immediately said, "Mr. Zhang, I came to talk about Yuan Yuan."

Zhang Lin smiled, "Mr. Liu, it seems your zoo is quite concerned about Yuan Yuan."

Liu Shan continued, "Of course, we care about Yuan Yuan. And regarding panda breeding, your farm lacks experience and facilities. In comparison, our zoo has a lot of experience and better facilities, so..."

"Yet you couldn't cure Yuan Yuan's illness," Lin Muxue interjected, leaving Liu Shan speechless and embarrassed.

Zhang Lin then said with a smile, "Mr. Liu, you're right. We do need support from your zoo, such as experienced panda keepers and related equipment. I'm sure you came here to offer that support, given how much your zoo cares about Yuan Yuan."

"Ah??" Liu Shan was stunned.

He had been trying to lay the groundwork for taking Yuan Yuan back, not to offer support.

He quickly stood up, waving his hands, "Mr. Zhang, please, let me explain..."

Lin Muxue smiled and immediately took Liu Shan's hand, "Mr. Liu, we understand your intentions. We accept your support. Mr. Zhang, take a photo of us shaking hands and post it to the farm's account to thank your zoo for their support."

Zhang Lin instantly understood Lin Muxue's plan and took out his phone, capturing the handshake.

"???" Liu Shan was stunned, then quickly reacted, "Mr. Zhang, no, please, let me explain..."

"Mr. Liu, I have other matters to attend to. I'm very busy, so I'll have to leave you now," Zhang Lin said, walking out of the office.

Liu Shan was at a loss, looking at Lin Muxue.

"Mr. Liu, I need to go back to the operations department to post a video thanking your zoo for their support!" Lin Muxue said, also hurrying out of the office.

Inside the office, only Tang Wan and Liu Shan were left.

Liu Shan looked at Tang Wan with a helpless expression.

"Mr. Liu, I'm just a veterinarian!" Tang Wan smiled at Liu Shan, though she had already figured out what was going on.

It seemed that when Yuan Yuan showed signs of illness, the provincial zoo had passed the problem to Liyuan Farm. When Yuan Yuan suddenly recovered at the farm, the zoo had a change of heart and wanted to take her back, now that she was becoming an internet sensation.

But clearly, Mr. Zhang and Mr. Lin weren't fools. They had set a trap for Mr. Liu, playing along with the charade.

With that thought, she slowly walked out of the office.

"???" Liu Shan stared at the empty office, completely stunned.

At the operations department, Lin Muxue returned and saw Zhang Lin. "You reacted quickly, Mr. Zhang."

"They were trying to fool me," Zhang Lin said with a cold laugh. "Senior, it's up to you now."

Lin Muxue nodded and immediately started working with Liu Qian and the others. Moments later, a video was uploaded to Linyuan Farm's social media.

At the provincial zoo, Director Li had been waiting for Liu Shan's report. He also went to check on the panda breeding area, where their few pandas were leisurely munching on bamboo shoots.

Seeing the pandas, his mood darkened.

Together, they didn't measure up to Yuan Yuan. Once she was back, he would need to create a special area for her, so these dimwitted pandas wouldn't affect her.

Thinking about this, he waved over a zookeeper.

"Director!" The zookeeper quickly ran over.

Director Li instructed, "Prepare a separate area for Yuan Yuan to play in once she returns. Tourists will surge, and most will come to see her."

The zookeeper was taken aback. "Director, wasn't Yuan Yuan given to Linyuan Farm? Our zoo even promised to support Linyuan Farm with keepers and equipment!"

"Nonsense, who told you that?" Director Li's brows furrowed.

How could he have offered support when he was trying to get Yuan Yuan back?

The zookeeper replied hesitantly, "Linyuan Farm posted a video, and Director Liu shook hands and took a photo with them."

"???" Director Li was stunned. He quickly pulled out his phone to check Linyuan Farm's social media.

Seeing their latest video, he was speechless.

Thank you to the provincial zoo for providing keepers and equipment. We appreciate your concern for Linyuan Farm and Yuan Yuan!

He clicked on the video, which began with a photo of Liu Shan shaking hands with the farm's beautiful director.

The scene looked like a friendly negotiation.

When he opened the comments, he nearly fainted.

"The person in the photo is a director from the provincial zoo. It seems they truly care about Yuan Yuan!"

"Haha, I heard Yuan Yuan came from the provincial zoo. I thought they would try to take her back once she became famous. I was wrong!"

"The zoo is generous. Please provide the support as soon as possible!"

"..."

Director Li's face darkened as he read the comments.

There must be a traitor. He had sent Liu Shan to retrieve Yuan Yuan, but he had gone to give them warm support instead?

He angrily called Liu Shan. As soon as it connected, he yelled, "Liu Shan, what are you doing? I sent you to pressure Linyuan Farm, not to give them support!"

Liu Shan, who had seen the video, replied dejectedly, "Director, they tricked me. Linyuan Farm has no intention of returning Yuan Yuan. We need to follow your plan and pressure them through Youcheng."

"Idiot!" Director Li was deeply disappointed in Liu Shan, but he had to admit that Liu Shan was right. They needed to use official channels to pressure Linyuan Farm.

He immediately called his brother and said, "Brother, I need your help with something..."

Soon, in a famous restaurant in the province, Director Li met with his brother, Li Yi, and a middle-aged man.

"This is Director Fu!" Li Yi introduced.

Director Li greeted him warmly, "Director Fu, I really need your help with something. It's about a panda. This panda is crucial to our zoo!"

(500 words deleted as requested!)



...

At Linyuan Farm, Zhang Lin welcomed two visitors in his office: Zhao Han and County Liu. "County Liu, Director Zhao, please sit!"

Zhong Miaoying also took the initiative to make tea for them.

As soon as they sat down, Zhao Han asked, "Mr. Zhang, we saw Linyuan Farm's latest video. The provincial zoo seems so generous, offering you keepers and equipment?"

Zhang Lin shook his head. "They're not that generous. They sent someone to try to take Yuan Yuan back. I handled it and posted the video to annoy them."

Zhao Han nodded. "I knew they had ulterior motives. Mr. Zhang, don't let up on the Yuan Yuan issue."

"Rest assured, Director Zhao," Zhang Lin smiled and nodded.

County Liu then handed Zhang Lin a document. "Mr. Zhang, please take a look at this. We need your help with this plan."

Zhang Lin was surprised by County Liu's serious tone and immediately took the document.

When he read the contents, his face showed astonishment. The county was making a big move.

A large zoo, a panda research lab, panda breeding...

All of these would require enormous funds, especially the research lab and breeding program, which would cost hundreds of millions.

If Zhang Lin were to use the 30 million yuan from his own Liyuan Farm, it would barely make a ripple.

But now, the county government is willing to fund the development of Liyuan Farm, and they will cover all the costs, with the repayment coming from the future profits of the panda research and breeding facilities.

In other words, if Liyuan Farm fails to deliver on this project, the county will have wasted their investment.

"County Secretary Liu, this..." Zhang Lin felt that this decision might be a bit impulsive.

County Secretary Liu, seeing Zhang Lin's hesitation, explained, "Mr. Zhang, you must know about Shuixian County in Minsheng, right?"

"Ah, I see." Zhang Lin knew about it and had even visited before, so he understood Liu's intentions. "County Secretary Liu, this is a tough task, especially considering that Liyuan Farm only has one panda!"

County Secretary Liu quickly said, "Mr. Zhang, I only ask that you do your best to make the project a success. The county will handle everything else, especially the panda issue. I've used not only my own reputation but also my family's to make this happen!"

Zhang Lin understood and nodded. "County Secretary Liu, rest assured. If you trust me, I will do my best."

If this project succeeds, it will bring enormous benefits to Liyuan Farm. Turning Youcheng into a panda breeding hub would bring immeasurable prestige.

He hadn't expected that buying a panda from the game system would lead to such a significant project.

The allure of the national treasure was indeed great.

However, this project did involve a significant risk, as it was extremely challenging. Currently, there were only about 1,900 wild pandas in China, and around 700 in captivity, distributed across various locations. Even the provincial zoo didn't have many.

But if the game system could sell pandas, it might also introduce other panda-related items in the future.

This gamble might not be a loss; it could even be a significant win.

"Then I'll leave it to you, Mr. Zhang." County Secretary Liu was very serious, as he could only trust Zhang Lin with this plan. Moreover, Zhang Lin was the only one in Youcheng capable of executing it.

At that moment, County Secretary Liu's phone rang, and he looked puzzled when he saw the number.

"County Secretary Liu, what's wrong?" Zhao Han asked, noticing the odd expression.

"It's Fu, from the provincial capital. I wonder why he's calling!" Liu explained, then pressed the answer button and said, "Fu, this is Liu Sheng!"

On the other end, Fu said, "County Secretary Liu, I'm sorry to disturb you. I'm calling on behalf of the provincial zoo to discuss the panda, Yuan Yuan. From what I understand, Liyuan Farm doesn't have experience in panda breeding, nor the necessary equipment and facilities. So, I was hoping you could—"

County Secretary Liu's brow furrowed, and he quickly interrupted, "Fu, you're right. Liyuan Farm indeed lacks experience and equipment. Therefore, we are grateful for the provincial zoo's support in providing experienced keepers and equipment."

"Moreover, Youcheng plans to support the panda research and breeding project. We will need the provincial zoo to provide two more pandas. Our proposal has already been submitted to the provincial government, and I expect the approval to come soon!"

"Is that so!"

On the other end, Fu was clearly taken aback.

If Youcheng had a real plan, they should have sent it to the municipal government, not the provincial government.

Now, County Secretary Liu's words suggested that they had already used their connections within the provincial government, and those connections were strong enough to succeed.

This was definitely not something Fu could interfere with, or he would risk offending someone.

After hanging up, Fu looked sympathetically at the zoo director, Li, who was waiting for news. Li had hoped to pressure Liyuan Farm through official channels to get Yuan Yuan back, but now it seemed that the Youcheng government was already planning to secure two more pandas from the provincial zoo.

Seeing Fu hang up, Director Li immediately asked, "Fu, how did it go? What did Youcheng say?"

Fu replied awkwardly, "Director Li, it's possible that your zoo will need to provide two more pandas to Youcheng."

"Ah?" Director Li was stunned.

Was this a joke?

He had wanted Fu to help pressure Youcheng to return Yuan Yuan, but now they were supposed to provide two more pandas?

How many pandas did their zoo even have?

Just as he was thinking, his phone rang urgently. It was another department head from the zoo. He quickly answered and heard the other end say, "Director Li, something big has happened. The provincial government has issued a new directive. I've already sent it to your WeChat. Check it now!"

Director Li immediately opened WeChat and saw the directive, which came from a high-level authority.

But when he read the content, his face turned pale with despair.

"Why is this happening?" Director Li slumped into his chair.

The directive, as Fu had said, required their zoo to provide two pandas to Youcheng for the panda research and breeding project, aiming to create another Shuixian County.

This was a joke, right?

How easy was it to create another Shuixian County? Many counties had tried and failed, ending up with a mess of problems.

What did Youcheng have that made them think they could succeed?

More importantly, why did it have to be their zoo providing the pandas?

But seeing the authority behind the directive, he felt a mix of frustration and helplessness. He couldn't afford to ignore this order.

What a mess.

(End of Chapter)

Chapter end