The mother of the era is reborn to support her cannon fodder children!

Chapter 339 "Your Phone Call"

"Stand still if you want to take a picture."

Lin Zhao took out her camera, instructed the four children, both older and younger, to stand in line and pose, and snapped a few photos.

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

"All right."

Hengbao smiled broadly, took Yubao's hand, and reminded Gu Lan and Xiaoshitou to hold hands as well so they wouldn't get separated.

“If you accidentally get separated, go find the uncle in that uniform…” Lin Zhao pointed to a man in work clothes and said to the four children, “The zoo staff will help you, okay?”

The children nodded, tightening their grip on each other's hands slightly, as if afraid of being separated from the troops.

As they were talking, one adult and four children entered the zoo.

It's been a year since I last visited, and there have been some changes here.

In the tiger enclosure, a zookeeper stood nearby, and a daring child touched the tiger's tail. Seeing the legendary man-eating cat obediently allowing itself to be touched, the child grinned with delight.

"They really don't eat people!!" the mischievous child exclaimed excitedly.

The zookeeper said helplessly, "If it eats people... we wouldn't dare let you touch it in the park."

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

The zookeeper hesitated, worried that the baby would cry, but then came up with an idea: "Can I hold your hand and touch it?"

The incredibly bold boy nodded vigorously, "Great, great!"

His hand was held by the zookeeper and touched by the spotted big cat lying on the ground sunbathing. The tiger slowly opened its beastly eyes and glanced at him with an imposing air.

That one glance was extremely intimidating.

It truly deserves to be called the king of beasts.

The boy looked at his hands and smiled more brightly than the sun.

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

His face was filled with excitement and happiness.

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

The child was reluctantly pulled away by his father.

The iron gate was then closed.

Yu Bao and the others witnessed this scene, and their eyes widened in astonishing brightness, filled with eager anticipation.

"Sister, can anyone touch the big cat?" Hengbao asked the zookeeper who was feeding the tiger water, while clinging to the wire mesh.

The female zookeeper looked in the direction of the sound and saw two identical little boys, a pretty girl, and a chubby little fellow.

Big business!

"Yes, you can touch them, it's 50 cents per person."

Yu Bao said, "You still want money?"

"Yes, the zoo needs money to operate. For five cents, you can not only pet the tiger, but also the python, lion, and panda. If you want, you can even feed the giraffes." The female zookeeper smiled and tried her best to promote the product to Lin Zhao, who had four children with her.

Reopening the zoo was no easy feat; the meager funding allocated by higher authorities was far from sufficient to ensure its smooth operation. The zoo director devised a method involving interaction with the animals to generate revenue for the zoo's future development.

Having a job isn't easy, and zookeepers don't want to lose this job of dealing with animals. They'll diligently try to sell to anyone with a bulging wallet.

The twins looked at Lin Zhao.

Lin Zhao immediately understood what her son was thinking, and when she looked at Xiao Shitou, her eyes lit up.

"Is it safe?" she asked the zookeeper.

The zookeeper hurriedly said, "We're all here. We'll take immediate action if the animals show any signs of a disturbance."

Fearing that these words might discourage Lin Zhao, she quickly added, "This service has been open for almost a year, and there has never been an incident of animals injuring people. The animals in our zoo are all hand-trained from a young age and have gentle temperaments, so you can rest assured."

Lin Zhao looked towards the tiger enclosure and saw several people dressed as staff members. She figured that the giant python and lion enclosures she mentioned were also there.

With safety guarantees, close contact is not out of the question.

"What are your thoughts?" Lin Zhao asked the children.

Yu Bao, being bold, couldn't contain himself any longer and said, "I want to pet the big cat."

"I want to too!" That excited, loud voice was definitely Hengbao's.

Little Stone grunted twice, nodding excitedly.

Gu Lan hesitated, fearing something might happen to her younger brothers, but overcame her fear and decided to go with them.

"I'll come too."

Lin Zhao noticed her unease and smiled, "Don't be afraid, animals raised in captivity aren't that fierce."

She clenched her fists; she wasn't one to be trifled with.

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

"Yay!" Hengbao jumped up and down, urging the zookeeper to take them inside.

The zookeeper made some preparations and led them inside.

Seeing that there were many people coming in this time, the other staff members moved a few steps closer to be ready to deal with any unexpected situations.

Lin Zhao remarked with emotion, "Everyone is so dedicated and responsible. No wonder the country is thriving; it's all thanks to the silent hard work of people from all walks of life."

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

“It’s a year and a half old,” the keeper replied, looking at the tiger as if it were the most perfect work of art. “It’s a female tiger cub. A villager rescued her; her eyes weren’t even open when she was brought here. I raised her little by little. She’s very playful, but has a very good temperament.”

The four children listened attentively as she spoke.

"At only a year and a half old, it's already this big. No wonder it's the king of beasts. It looks so majestic." Lin Zhao looked at the tiger cub basking in the sun up close, his eyes full of affection.

"Comrade, may I take a picture?"

The zookeeper nodded. "Okay."

For big spenders who spend two huge sums of money, this service is a must.

"Thank you," Lin Zhao said with a smile.

"Sister, I want to take a picture with the big cat so I can show it to my grandparents and younger siblings when I get back," Hengbao pleaded, clasping her hands together.

"How would you like to film this?" The zookeeper was very easy to talk to.

"I want to stand next to the big cat," Hengbao said bluntly.

"Okay," the zookeeper agreed to his request.

Lin Zhao was only responsible for taking photos.

As they continued to pat each other, it became clear that the three boys were getting more and more mischievous, and their demands were becoming increasingly outrageous. One wanted to touch the tiger's head, and the other wanted to touch the tiger's paws... They were truly fearless young calves.

"Take it easy, don't go too far."

Boys are just mischievous! Look at Gu Lan, sitting quietly on the rock where the big cat is sunbathing, taking a picture with a smile on his face, and that's it.

After touching the tiger, the group went to the python enclosure. Staff followed them the whole time, making Lin Zhao exclaim that the two yuan was well spent.

The giant python was coiled on the tree, its length impossible to estimate with the naked eye. It was thicker than an adult's thigh, black in color, and its scales gleamed coldly.

The zookeeper, who rarely takes on such a young child, hesitated for a moment before saying, "Big Black looks rather scary. If you're afraid, don't come near."

Gu Lan's heart pounded as soon as she saw it, her face turned pale with fright, and she involuntarily took two steps back.

"If you're scared, Alan, go outside." Seeing her frightened, Lin Zhao told her to go outside and wait. "Don't wander around. Call me if anything happens."

Gu Lan was really scared and didn't try to be brave. She quickly left, and even after reaching a safe area, she was still terrified. She patted her chest and said, "Yu Bao and the others are really brave. They're not afraid at all. They even asked if they could touch the python."

That was terrifying! Yu Bao and his two companions didn't get what they wanted; all they got was a photo with the black python.

The three mischievous boys left, satisfied.

Next, we played with a lion cub that was less than a year old for a while. The little lion's face was flushed with happiness. Finally, we got a close look at the adorable giant panda.

The four children, both adults and children, forgot everything when they saw the giant panda, and happily floated around with their faces in their hands.

I really don't want to leave.

They only left reluctantly after the giant panda got impatient and trotted back.

As they left, they looked back every few steps, their faces full of reluctance.

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

Lin Zhao looked at the other three children, who were all in a daze.

She was the only one left who still had a sanity.

The charm of national treasures is so great that it cannot be described in words.

Because of Lin Zhao's group, many children insisted on seeing the big cats up close, and the adults had no choice but to pay. The zoo earned several extra dollars, and the zookeeper was overjoyed, giving Lin Zhao a white peacock feather as a souvenir.

Lin Zhao was overjoyed at the unexpected reward. "Thank you, the feathers are beautiful, I like them very much."

"Today's experience was great. Compared to our last visit, I can feel your dedication. Thank you for your hard work."

The zookeeper was slightly taken aback, a thousand thoughts swirling in his mind.

"...Do you really think so?"

Many people say their work is meaningless, that they are parasites on the country, and that raising them is a waste of food, just like raising so many animals.

This is the first person who understands their work and appreciates their hard work.

"Of course." Lin Zhao nodded and said earnestly, "The animals are well taken care of by you. They look healthy and energetic. Their living area is clean, and their drinking water is not dirty at all. I also saw someone cleaning it. Everyone can see your dedication."

After a moment's thought, she could guess why the pet owner had that expression, just like her own family—she had four pets, and there were always some who said unpleasant things.

The more food is scarce and people go hungry, the greater the criticism zoos will inevitably face.

The zookeeper was very pleased after hearing Lin Zhao's words. "Thank you."

This made her feel that their persistence was meaningful.

After the trip, Lin Zhao first sent Xiao Shitou back to the base. After a few reluctant farewells, he stuffed the food he had specially bought for Brother Long and the others into the hands of the teenagers, asking them to take good care of his child. He also left his contact address before taking Gu Lan and the twins home by car.

As the car drove away, Yu Bao looked back at the training base, sighed, and frowned, saying, "Little Stone will definitely cry tonight."

“Brother Long will coax him,” Hengbao said. “I just told Brother Long to coax Xiaoshitou tonight, and I’ll give him all my glass beads next time he comes.”

Brother Long: Thanks for the invitation. He's too old to play with marbles anymore.

Lin Zhao looked at her son in surprise, "Aren't those glass beads your most treasured possessions? You wouldn't even lend them to Tie Dan when he asked to borrow them, so why are you suddenly so generous as to give them away?"

Hengbao said crisply, "The situation is different."

He didn't say much, but Lin Zhao could guess his thoughts: one was to have fun, the other was to ask for a favor; it was clear which was more important. When it came to matters of principle, he was willing to make the sacrifice.

Lin Zhao tapped Hengbao's nose with a proud expression, "You've thought of everything. I never expected that Hengbao would become more and more thoughtful, just like his brother."

Hengbao slightly raised his chin, his face full of self-satisfaction.

Gu Lan's cheeks ached from laughing so much.

Auntie San's thinking is far from incomplete. What about the meat she bought for those boys? Wasn't it just so they would take good care of Little Stone because of the food?

The bus travels along with the setting sun. The children, tired from playing, temporarily lose the energy to speak, sit quietly in their seats, watching the street scene recede into the distance, letting their thoughts wander.

Half an hour later, Lin Zhao returned to the guesthouse with the three children.

Back in the room, the four of them—one adult and three children—all let out a long sigh of relief.

Finally home.

The first thing she did after sitting down was to change her shoes. She was wearing leather shoes, which were nice, but her feet would inevitably hurt after walking for a long time.

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 make you feel better."

Lin Zhao's eyes showed surprise, but her heart warmed. "Thank you, Alan. You should sit down and rest for a while. You must be exhausted today."

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

"I'm exhausted." Hengbao sprawled out on the bed, spreading out in a wide arc.

"You lay down on the bed without changing your clothes, it's filthy," Lin Zhao said.

Yu Bao pulled her younger brother up, patted the spot where he was lying, and smoothed out the sheets.

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

Lin Zhao: "..."

Just then, there was a knock on the door.

"Who is it?" Lin Zhao asked loudly.

"It's me, the receptionist at the guesthouse. I have your phone number." A woman's voice came from outside the door; it was pleasant Mandarin.

Lin Zhao was suspicious.

I dried my feet, casually put on some cloth shoes, went to open the door, and there was indeed the receptionist I had seen before.

"Who's calling?"

The woman said, "He said his surname is Song and his given name is Yun Jin. He seemed to be in a hurry. Could you call him back when you have time?"

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

"Of course." With that, she turned and left.

Lin Zhao told the three children to stay in their room and didn't linger before rushing off to return the call.

Something must have happened, otherwise Yun Jin wouldn't have made such a call to her.

When she arrived at the phone station, she told the operator her request. The operator asked her to wait a moment, and soon the phone was handed to Lin Zhao.

Song Yunjin waited at the post office all afternoon, hoping his sister would come back soon and call him.

As the sun began to set and the post office was about to close, and the phone still hadn't come, he was filled with despair. Frustrated, he ran a hand through his hair, his eyes bloodshot, and prepared to leave.

I hadn't walked more than a few steps when someone called out to me.

"...Hey! Your phone!!"

Song Yunjin's eyes lit up, and she ran back, holding the microphone. When she heard the voice coming into her ears, her eyes welled up with tears.

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

Lin Zhao's eyes widened, and her fingers tightened around the microphone. "...What?! What happened to Uncle?!"

Her tone was urgent and worried.

Song Yunjin sniffed, her eyes filled with fear of the unknown outcome. "It was the factory that gave me the news. They said my dad's entire arm was caught in the machine, and the injury is very serious. The hospitals here can't treat him, so they have to send him to a hospital in the provincial capital..."

“My mom and brother bought tickets for the earliest departure to the provincial capital, but they won’t arrive until tomorrow morning. Sister, could you go to the provincial hospital to see if my dad has arrived and how he is? We haven’t received any news from him, and I’m scared, sister.” His voice trembled with sobs as he finished speaking.

"Okay, I'll go right now." Lin Zhao agreed without hesitation. "Is Auntie alright?"

“My mom is fine, she’s just very worried,” Song Yunjin said.

Lin Zhao: "Tell Aunt not to worry, I'll take care of Uncle. Okay, I won't say anymore. I'll set off after I've made arrangements for Yu Bao and Heng Bao."

(End of this chapter)