Chapter 17: No Matter How You Look at It, They Are Still My Employee

The number of people scrolling through Weibo increased gradually throughout the evening.

However, looking at the consecutive "Lin Xiao" entries on the trending search list, many were quite confused.

Lin Xiao?

It didn't seem like a name one had heard much of.

Xihai Zoo?

And where on earth was that?

Out of curiosity, many people clicked on the trending topics, inadvertently committing these two names to memory.

At that very moment, an account that had just registered today posted the exact same content under all three trending topics.

[Xihai Zoo: We welcome everyone to follow Xihai Zoo. Our zoo has long-term cooperation with animal protection centers, and we have adopted various kinds of wild animals on both a short-term and long-term basis.

Do you want to see what the temperament of animals raised in the wild is like? Do you want to see the fierce and domineering Siberian tigers? Do you want to see the thousand-gold Macaws?

Please look for Xihai Zoo.]

Seeing this advertisement-style message, people finally began to have a vague impression of Xihai.

Meanwhile, the anti-fans who had been provoked by Lin Xiao in the livestream had finally found a place to lodge their complaints.

The number of follows and comments began to grow as if they cost nothing.

Looking at the account, which had gained nearly a hundred thousand followers overnight, Lin Xiao tossed her phone onto the table with great satisfaction.

"See? I told you this group of anti-fans would be useful."

She swiped her phone screen, staring at the account's status with immense satisfaction.

Truth be told, she really had to thank these anti-fans.

Because in the beginning, Xihai Zoo was just a bare official account with zero followers, looking far too much like a fake or a scam.

If it hadn't been for the anti-fans' comments and follows coming in like a tiger, the follower count wouldn't have surged so suddenly.

Watching Lin Xiao look so happy, Wang Xuan silently lit a candle in his heart for the previously enraged anti-fans.

Who could have imagined that one day, a celebrity's anti-fans could be used against them like this?

Moreover, he had a premonition that today's incident... definitely wouldn't be the last.

After finishing up with the online news, Lin Xiao was just about to head back to her dormitory when she received a video call from Chu Lian.

As soon as the call connected, Chu Lian's hearty laughter came through the phone screen.

"Little girl, you did a great job today."

"The reputation of our Xihai Zoo has finally spread a little bit."

"But you have to keep up the good work; you must make sure to increase our own salary and benefits."

Lin Xiao's lip twitched, and she couldn't help but let out a cold laugh.

He actually had the nerve to say that?

Shouldn't salary and benefits be something the Director considers?

Why should she, the Deputy Director...

At this thought, she suddenly paused.

As Deputy Director, managing financial expenditures didn't seem to be a problem, did it?

She immediately shook her head in disdain.

What kind of "Deputy Director" was she in a two-person zoo?

She was just a worker!

Seeing Lin Xiao's cold expression, looking as if she might quit at any moment, Chu Lian tactfully changed the subject.

"I'm telling you, this trip to Kyoto was definitely not for nothing!"

"I'll tell you a secret: the things I said to you before I came might actually come true."

Hearing this, Lin Xiao sat up straight instantly.

Leaning forward, she looked at the person on the screen with burning eyes. "Really?"

"Of course!" Chu Lian rubbed the black-and-white beard on his chin with great pride. "Look at who I am!"

The words Lin Xiao had on the tip of her tongue were instantly choked back. She could only nod perfunctorily and push the matter to the back of her mind.

If the zoo could truly be placed under the Bureau of Forestry and Grassland, and she could continue being the Deputy Director... it wouldn't be a bad thing.

Suddenly, a clean, low male voice came from the screen.

"Elder Chu, why are you staying here? Everyone is waiting for you to enter the meeting."

Lin Xiao immediately looked up.

That voice... did she hear it somewhere before?

Just then, half of a man's face, with sharp lines and exquisite features, appeared in the camera frame.

Is that... Lu Chengshin?

It made sense; if Elder Chu went to Kyoto for a meeting, running into Minister Lu was within the realm of possibility.

Before she could even say hello, Chu Lian ostentatiously thrust the phone toward him.

"Xiao Lu, Xiao Lu, look! This is the girl I just hired. She's incredibly capable."

"Not only did she train that incredibly naughty parrot in our zoo to be very well-behaved, but she even helped us solve the problem with the Siberian tigers."

His tone was full of pride and his movements were boastful, as if he had obtained some peerless treasure, acting incredibly showy.

Lu Chengshin froze for a moment on the screen, appearing quite surprised.

But when he looked up again, the depth of his eyes had returned to their usual calm.

It was as if the fleeting emotion from a moment ago had been a hallucination of Lin Xiao's.

"Hello, Lin Xiao!"

Lin Xiao nodded hurriedly. "Hello, Minister Lu! Last time you drove me back, I didn't have time to thank you before you left."

"It was just a small favor, nothing to mention."

Lu Chengshin's voice was distant, and his smile was plain.

Just when Lin Xiao thought their conversation was about to end, Lu Chengshin suddenly looked up toward the camera.

"However, I thought you would contact me first?"

Lin Xiao looked up in a daze, seeing only the man's deep features and his resolute, dark eyes on the screen.

Even through the screen, she could feel the focus and solemnity in his gaze.

Lin Xiao instinctively averted her eyes, pulling at the corners of her mouth awkwardly.

*Give me a break, who is he? And who is she?*

How could she have thought that a Minister giving her a business card meant he was trying to poach her?

Anyone who didn't know would think he was trying to engage in some "unspoken rules."

Plus, he looked so dignified and proper that he immediately gave off an "unsafe" vibe.

Lin Xiao shook her head in disdain; her Director Chu looked much cuter.

Even though the old man hadn't acted like a decent human being since she started working there, who could refuse a cute little old man?

Hearing Lu Chengshin's words just now, Chu Lian's eyebrow twitched twice.

The phone he had been holding out was suddenly pulled back to his chest in a flash, and he specifically turned the screen away from Lu Chengshin, fearing the man would snatch away the employee he had worked so hard to recruit.

"Stop looking! Even if you look, she's already joined my zoo."

He shielded the phone as if protecting a treasure, specifically sidestepping around Lu Chengshin.

From a distance, Lu Chengshin could even hear Chu Lian badmouthing him just to keep his employee.

"Xiao Lin, let me tell you, you must stay away from that guy Lu Chengshin."

"Not only is he a workaholic, but he's also extremely strict with his subordinates; you often can't go home for ten days or half a month."

"And besides, the salary under him is very low; you won't even get a bonus for a whole year..."

Lu Chengshin rubbed his brow, feeling both helpless and amused, and followed silently.

*Forget it!*

Since Elder Chu was his senior, what could he do?

Besides, staying at Xihai Zoo wasn't much different from staying in his department.

However...

Lin Xiao had finally managed to coax the old man, but just as she hung up the video call, she received a WeChat message.

[Lu Chengshin: There is a result regarding that poaching case where you saved the snow leopard. Do you need us to release the details to the public to help turn the tide of public opinion for you?]

*Now?*

*Now is not a good time...*

Looking at the message on the screen, Lin Xiao fell into deep thought.

(End of Chapter)