"Your brother said you're really good at taking photos, so we're planning to make a promotional video," Brother Li casually prepared his bowl and chopsticks, then ordered a pot of iron skillet lamb chops.
"Don't worry about anything else, just the photos and video. Ali will drive, I'll handle the data recording and animal rescues along the way. If you're not comfortable with just us, you can bring Brother Ying along."
"No need." Ji Xin was young and had yet to learn how to manage his expressions.
"My brother is very busy; I don't want to hold up his work."
"Hold up what? He's so idle he's practically growing long hair. By the way, you know about your brother and Xiao Song, right? Xiao Song has gone to our place, and I bet your brother just wants to use the excuse of accompanying you to go sweet-talk Xiao Song."
"How is Sister Song doing now?"
At the ntion of Xiao Song, Ji Xin's expression softened considerably.
Brother Li lifted his eyes, his smile revealing a row of Great Bai teeth.
"She's doing great. Without your brother and all that ssy business, she spends her days treating the animals and petting the furry ones, feeling much better."
"Then can I go live with Sister Song?"
Chen Ying and Brother Li exchanged glances, shrugging, "I can't promise that. First, Sister Song has to agree, and second, your elders at ho also have to agree. The conditions over there are tough; you might not be able to handle it."
Ji Xin's face showed his displeasure, but he didn't rush to argue. After thinking for a mont, he asked, "What if I go out with you guys, and later can you help talk to Sister Song about my performance?"
"Of course! As long as you listen and follow orders, I won't say a bad word about you."
"What do you an 'follow orders?' Do I have to listen to you in everything?"
"Of course not." Brother Li gave a look as if struck by lightning, "I'm not unreasonable. To 'follow orders' ans if we tell you there's danger, you can't stubbornly risk your life anyway."
Chen Ying added from the side.
"For photography, you're the professional. You can make your requests, but we'll only proceed if we feel there's no danger. After all, we're going to a no-man's land where accidents can happen at any ti, so following directions is the most basic principle."
"No problem, I promise to follow orders."
Brother Li and Chen Ying looked at each other again, feeling that this kid wasn't as difficult as Duanmu had said.
"Okay, join a group chat, I'll send the route for this operation and the schedule to the group, along with a list of personal items you need to prepare. Take advantage of the afternoon to get ready, we're leaving at five in the morning tomorrow."
Ji Xin smiled broadly and nodded emphatically.
The following ti was spent with him asking questions and Brother Li answering.
It was clear the kid had done his howork, though it was just so superficial knowledge he found online.
After being transferred here as the station chief, Brother Li felt much more talkative.
The ti afterwards was spent with him telling Ji Xin about all the problems and difficulties they had encountered.
Chen Ying took the opportunity to secretly snap a photo for Duanmu. Not daring to shoot his face, he just took a picture of the tabletop with the dishes and cutlery, to assure him that his little brother was eating with them.
When Duanmu received the photo and ssage from Chen Ying, he looked up at his uncle and gave a wry smile.
"Thank goodness for Brother Ying and Brother Li, otherwise it would be quite difficult to handle Xiao Xin."
His uncle chuckled, "What's there to handle? I'm not one to gossip, but this was really your aunt's problem to begin with. The kid has his own personality, doesn't harm society, respects teachers, treats classmates equally. Even if he's a bit stubborn, have his roommates complained?"
His classmates haven't said anything, and their disagreent hasn't escalated to the point of being unable to live together.
Ji Xin wanted to move out because he needed more space for his figurines and photography equipnt.
Just for this trivial matter, mother and son had a falling out, becoming an oddity at school.
The counselor said he could rent a place to store his belongings and still stay in the dorm on days with morning and evening classes. His dorm mates tried to persuade Ji Xin's mother, but she insisted they were siding with him because he was being ostracized.
"Your aunt, seriously, she's got a problem!"
Duanmu could only smile.
With elders on both sides, he couldn't afford to offend anyone.
However, personally, he agreed with his uncle's words; his auntie was a bit too sensitive.
In the evening, Duanmu and Yin Li invited a few close friends to dinner and took the opportunity to introduce Chen Ying to the two veterinarians at the center.
Since they were all in the sa profession, there were plenty of common topics.
The two veterinarians were very curious about Chen Ying, especially about the orthopedic treatnt thods of Traditional Veterinary dicine he advocated. They explicitly expressed their desire to learn.
"No problem, I have to go out with Ali first, and when we co back, we'll exchange ideas."
Professional technical knowledge isn't about teaching a discipline and starving the master.
Technology is always about innovation and being replaced; whoever can master the latest cutting-edge technology will remain invincible.
Chen Ying didn't mind teaching others. The more people who know, the more the animals benefit.
"Brother Ying, you can give the prairie dogs a good petting this ti."
Dr. Xiao Lin loved this very much. When he was on vacation and had nothing to do, he enjoyed driving out to pet prairie dogs and even zoning out with them.
In his phone, all he had were photos of prairie dogs, fat and endearing with a wisdom hidden in their eyes.
"And sand foxes," another rescuer added, insisting that Chen Ying look at the sand fox photos on his phone.
(Let think, which mouse should I dine on tonight)
"Sand foxes are much more beautiful than red foxes. The wasteland you guys are going to has them, and there should be a good number."
"Enough already," Dr. Xiao Lin grabbed a sheep's hoof and aid at the rescuer, "Let's duel, kid."
Chen Ying held back his laughter and explained to Ji Xin.
"Sand foxes are natural enemies of prairie dogs. They not only eat prairie dogs but also take over their burrows."
Ji Xin couldn't hold back and almost laughed out loud, quickly lowering his head and pretending to drink water.
"Alright, you two cut it out. You need to be careful this ti around. It's almost the peak birthing season for the Tibetan antelopes, and it's not rare to see wolf packs and brown bears."
This is also a link in the cruel food chain of nature.
Tibetan antelope mothers travel thousands of miles to give birth, and then they have to bring their young back across thousands of miles to their holand.
During this period, they have to avoid wolves and brown bears, as well as birds of prey in the sky.
The birthing season for Tibetan antelopes is also a ti of feasting for these predators on the grasslands.
At ten o'clock, everyone dispersed.
So had to work the night shift, while others planned to hang out with friends for a few rounds.
Chen Ying and his team had to pack and rest early, waking up at four-thirty and setting off promptly at five o'clock.
Ji Xin sent a ssage to his parents and then removed his SIM card, replacing it with a new one.
The contact information he left on the list he gave to Yin Li was the new number.
Having changed his number, he managed to sleep quietly through the night.
On the other hand, Duanmu was bombarded all night by his auntie in the family group chat, and it only quieted down after Duanmu's mother got angry and scolded her sister.
At three in the morning, a convoy arrived at the grasslands behind the reserve.
Five modified off-road desert vehicles, along with ten people, swiftly entered the reserve under the moonlight.
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