Chapter 143: This Feels Really Good!

The next morning, Zhong Di woke up early, skipping his usual habit of lingering in bed. Having only made simple arrangements for the Pallas's cats the night before, he now needed to build them a proper den. Pallas's cats dislike noisy environments, and with his farm receiving tourists and children, this presented a significant challenge. Zhong Di had spent his final waking moments the previous night pondering how to perfectly resolve this, researching extensively and watching numerous care videos before deciding to construct a dedicated living space for them.

After some careful thought, Zhong Di began working on the matter. Before the permanent enclosure was finished, he first converted one of the guesthouse rooms into a temporary home, selecting the one with the best sunlight. After setting up a simple nest, he reported the situation to Director Xing, including details about how the adult Pallas's cat had brought the kittens to him, and sent over several photographs.

Shortly after sending the message, Director Xing replied: "I'll be there in a moment." He said nothing more. It was clear he attached great importance to such protected animals. Zhong Di had chosen not to keep it a secret because hiding such a discovery would only lead to trouble if it were later uncovered.

About twenty minutes later, a vehicle pulled up to the farm gate—it was the car Director Xing usually rode in. The speed was truly impressive.

"Zhong Di! Where are the Pallas's cats? Let me see them!" Director Xing shouted anxiously before he had even stepped out of the car.

"Uncle Xing, don't worry. They are right there; they aren't going anywhere," Zhong Di said, trying to soothe him while leading the way to the guesthouse.

"I have never seen wild Pallas's cats voluntarily approach humans, let alone entrust their young to them for care," Xing remarked. "This isn't as simple as it looks; it means that humans and animals may one day coexist peacefully. This is one of the core principles of our fight against poachers."

As they reached the room, Zhong Di cautioned, "Go slowly. They seem easily startled."

"Ah, right, slow," Director Xing agreed. As Zhong Di opened the door, a series of hisses and high-pitched cries erupted. The three kittens huddled together, one of them clutching a mouse, all of them staring at the door and wailing. They had already begun to hunt.

As Zhong Di and the Director stepped closer, the kittens became increasingly aggressive. "This... they might not let us get any closer," Zhong Di said, feeling rather embarrassed.

"I understand, I understand. It's fine. They were likely spooked by poachers before. Let's move back," Director Xing said, signaling his companions to clear out and eventually stepping away himself to watch through the window. Despite their ferocity, they looked incredibly adorable. Xing Aiguo suppressed his excitement; he was too old to act so childishly.

"Zhong Di, since they brought their young to you voluntarily, I will process the legal custody for you. There will be some agreements to sign," Xing continued. "And regarding quarantine, I will contact the department to assist you fully, so we don't have any accidents."

After discussing the specifics, Director Xing and his team departed, leaving Zhong Di to coordinate with Wu Qi on the follow-up.

As they left, Zhong Di’s parents, Zhong Tian and Di Chunhua, arrived. Seeing the official-looking men leaving, they were confused. "Zhong Di, who were those people? They looked very serious."

"The Deputy Director of the Forestry Bureau."

"What? Did we do something wrong? Why is the Forestry Bureau here? Is it about our building renovations? If there's a problem, we need to fix it immediately; we must not break the rules!" his parents panicked, fearing that their recent construction projects had invited trouble.

"Mom, Dad, don't worry. All our permits are in order. They were here for something else." Zhong Di then explained the story of the Pallas's cats and took them to see the animals.

"This is it? Isn't this just a wild cat? What's with the 'Pallas's' business?" Di Chunhua asked, unconvinced.

"What do you know about it? If there's no problem, then let it be. The boy knows what he's doing," Zhong Tian said, having realized that as long as it wasn't a violation, there was nothing to fear.

Once his parents left, Zhong Di returned to his work. He realized he had underestimated the gravity of the situation, so he decided to put more effort into the enclosure. The kittens, already lacking hostility toward him, became even more docile after a few days of care—especially after eating the chicken he provided. Within half a day, they had warmed up to him completely.

"Damao, Ermao, Sanmao," Zhong Di called them, having named them based on their unique traits. They were simple, catchy names. Damao was male, while Ermao and Sanmao were female. After a few tests, he realized that only he and Shao Hong could get close to them. It seemed he would be playing the role of a surrogate parent for a long time.

Though he initially felt reluctant, the sight of their "fierce but cute" expressions made him fold. It's easy to pet a house cat, but petting a Pallas's cat? That was truly a unique experience.