Super Zoo

"Him again?"

As Zhou Jin watched the television program, his eyelids twitched involuntarily when he saw the segment on the donation ceremony. Suming had been appearing on screen far too frequently lately, which, although not a direct threat to Zhou Jin, was certainly not a good thing.

Since learning from Mr. He that Yangchuan City Zoo would undergo restructuring next year, Zhou Jin had prepared to go all out this year, saving up some money and leveraging connections to annex Shuijun Lake within the zoo as well.

He was a man with ambition, or rather, aspirations. The fishing company was just the start of his career. In his view, fish farming at Shuijun Lake was not particularly profitable, but the lake's prime location, echoing the far-off Huating Reservoir, was like an enclave nestled within the zoo.

If he could get his hands on Shuijun Lake, he would have a reason to slowly encroach on the zoo's land once it restructured.

The zoo was truly a treasure trove of feng shui, with mountains behind and water in front, and once he attracted sufficient funds at the right time, Zhou Jin could transform into a real estate developer overnight!

No matter how big the fish farming industry grew, it was hard-earned money for life. However, real estate, or rather, land trading, was commonly known for its exorbitant profits. No one has heard of anyone becoming the richest in the country through aquaculture—it's at best the richest in the village, but real estate in Huaxia held boundless possibilities. With the right operations, one could ascend to the top echelons of the national wealth hierarchy in just a few years.

If Suming really became a celebrity, taking over his Shuijun Lake business in the future would be fraught with difficulties.

Baldy watched the television alongside Zhou Jin, but his thoughts were completely different from his boss's.

Baldy had no grand ambitions. His greatest dream was to follow a rich and powerful boss, live carefree, and throw his weight around. He had once joined the most influential 'group' in the country, reveling in his days as an urban management officer, but was soon purged from the revolutionary ranks. Afterward, he joined Zhou Jin, and just as he was enjoying some good years, Suming came along.

Seeing Suming taking photos with city leaders, Baldy gasped, thinking to himself that the kid truly had connections up high, and he was lucky he hadn't offended him too badly!

...

While everyone at Huating Reservoir had their own concerns, Suming was quite at ease, having been allotted a private office in the zoo where he spent his days fishing, sleeping, and reading newspapers.

As the planning team had anticipated, Jacky's special concert coupled with the news of animal adoption dominated the headlines of major entertainment media for an extended period of a fortnight, only to be replaced by the marriage news of a famous domestic male star after more than two weeks.

Being replaced didn't mean being forgotten. Due to a series of animal-related reports, it actually sparked an 'animal craze'; celebrities, especially from the entertainment industry, seemed to have found a new way to increase their fame, with the current trend on social media being to show off pets.

In the midst of the widespread pet-showing craze, some 'out-of-tune' scenes emerged. A female star from Singapore, now a mother, posted her baby's photos as usual, immediately drawing a torrent of criticism and abuse, accusing her of lacking compassion...

"God damn it, these people must have lost their minds. Is it that, now that living conditions are better, the number of psychos has also increased?" After seeing this message, Suming got the same impression as Jacky initially did, wondering whether he was out of touch. What on earth are these young people thinking nowadays? Is it wrong for a mother to post a picture of her own son now?

After Jacky's move, it quickly became fashionable to adopt pets. It wasn't just Yangchuan City Zoo; there were several zoos in Xiangjiang alone, as well as Disney Parks, and major cities in the mainland also had their own zoos, many with facilities and animal species numbers surpassing those of Yangchuan City Zoo. Following suit, there were endless announcements about some star adopting some animal, some big name getting a new animal son or daughter, some comedian becoming sworn brothers with a Northeast tiger...

The same trick, brilliant the first time, smart the second, but merely commonplace the third... If it was used thirty times, it was simply nauseating. Despite the increasing number of similar announcements, Suming noticed that none matched the fame of that day Jacky adopted a finless porpoise in Yangchuan—far from it. Furthermore, every time a new adoption was publicized, it would inevitably mention the original adoption event in Yangchuan City, amounting to another round of free promotion.

Animals are everywhere in the world, and one doesn't need to come specifically to Yangchuan City Zoo to adopt any. But if you want to tame animals to help with a performance, especially a live show like a concert without special effects, then Suming's place is the only option, with no alternatives.

There are no secrets under the sun, and besides, Suming didn't want to keep it a secret. As soon as Jacky made the headlines, it quickly became known among the entertainment industry that Yangchuan City Zoo had a talent!

Lately, Suming had received quite a few invitations hoping he could bring animals to assist with performances. Even Jacky himself had phoned once, as he had a friend in the Xiangjiang entertainment circle who hoped to get Suming's help.

However, Suming turned them all down. First, the number of animals suitable for performing was limited. Actually bringing a tiger on stage would involve a complicated procedure and could easily attract criticism from animal protection organizations. Second, the animal concert's appeal lay in its novelty. If it happened as frequently as every other day, it would gradually be degraded to a mere circus act, which would be far too lowbrow.

So now, Yangchuan City Zoo's reputation could almost be described as resoundingly successful. At least within the national zoological community, it seemed no other zoo could match Yangchuan City Zoo's fame, which could almost stand shoulder to shoulder with places like Xiangjiang Disney and other world-renowned entertainment spots.

Mr. Song had recently been applying to the higher-ups to designate Yangchuan City Zoo as a 5A national tourist spot.

This appraisal wasn't something that could be decided by Yangchuan City's municipal government alone; it had to be reported up the chain, and whether it could be approved was up to the higher authorities.

In truth, everyone from the zoo staff to Suming, from Wang Jian She to Deputy Mayor Mr. Sun, were all too clear about the outcome in their hearts: it was simply impossible! No matter how famous Yangchuan City Zoo had become, there were still many substantial gaps before it could meet the criteria for a 5A tourist attraction due to issues like the venue and hardware facilities.

A 5A tourist area is usually granted to large-scale travel locations with numerous sights. The only theme park-like venue with limited space that had been classified as a 5A attraction nationwide was the Forbidden City.

But just because the higher-ups might not approve it, didn't mean one couldn't apply. The squeaky wheel gets the grease. With the zoo's fame currently at its peak, making a frequent impression on the authorities was the real objective.

The intention behind the move was not in the proposal itself. When the response for the 5A scenic area application came, it was shrouded in a barrage of bureaucratic jargon, concluding that it didn't meet the requirements for a 5A tourist site. Your next journey awaits at M-V-L

"Great, great!" Suming and Mr. Song were both extremely pleased with the outcome!