Chapter 64: Returning to the Center, Laden with Rewards

Hearing his mother's call for dinner, the animals in the castle instinctively hurried toward her direction. All the unfamiliar pups who had just arrived at their new home and had been sleeping were either carried or dragged inside earlier. When they tried to go out, seeing a suspended arm in front, they howled, and a few lively pups behind pushed one of them forward.

That pup, bumped out, struggled desperately to avoid falling, scrambling back. Later, the trembling puppy watched the adult dogs successfully block the way. Big cats in the glass corridor at the back returned, curious, staring at it, and its peers opened wide dog eyes and watched as well.

The mother dog saw it and picked it up, placing it on the transparent arm corridor. The little pup was terrified, trembling nonstop, whimpering, “Oooh oooh.” The mother encouraged it. The brave but still shivering pup saw siblings of the same size nearby, curiously stepping forward then retreating, sniffing the glass, and with immature hunting motions, leaped ten centimeters high, landing ‘fiercely,’ then slowly... slid to the end.

During the slide: some lay flat, lifting their heads to look around curiously; others crouched, wagging their tails, spinning or rolling down either clockwise or counterclockwise. They returned, plump and playful, and the initially scared pup joined the group. After playing and tiring themselves out, they finally remembered their purpose—to eat—and followed the adult dog pack to the rocket slide.

Upon seeing it, the pudgy troop rushed ahead. Since the slide couldn’t be used—it would suck them in—all the pups and even the big dogs crowded and blocked the way again. They stared at each other, big eyes glaring at small, small at squinting, faces and paws, tails wagging, puzzled at why they couldn’t slide down.

At the rocket’s entrance, their father, Tian, watched this mountain of yellow, black, and white animal flesh, losing his appetite for dinner. After finally coming down, they reached the spot, only to find there was still no dog food.

They remembered: they were supposed to buy dog food, so why did they end up buying a house? After finishing dinner, Hua Tian, unaware of what his father had thought earlier, assumed they’d bought pet supplies. It was only after his mother explained that he realized they had originally intended to buy dog food—how did it turn into buying a doghouse?

He had been pulled away earlier, not knowing the whole story, but now it was clear. All because he’d said, “Buy whatever you want.” What a mess he’d caused!

Later, he and his father drove back to the pet center. They couldn’t find Han Nineteen, and when it was time to pay, Tian’s father was bewildered, “Wasn’t it supposed to be permanent?”

The female staff member was stunned, thinking for a moment, and checked the package he mentioned. Indeed, someone had bought one earlier, and the purchaser’s identity matched his. Her casual attitude changed to one of familial warmth, as if she were chatting with her own father, and when she mentioned her son, she blushed slightly.

Hua Tian’s forehead darkened; he interrupted their conversation. If he hadn’t, it would have turned into a matchmaking session, and they would have forgotten why they were there.

“My premium dog food package—where do I pick it up? Could you tell me?” Dog-loving Tian’s father finally remembered his purpose, his face stern and intimidating as he looked at her.

“I don’t know!” she said. “But I do know this is the food area, not the package area. The package area is where you made your purchase!”

Hua Tian dragged his father, who was on the brink of losing his temper, and retraced their steps. Arriving at the sparsely visited area, they found it quiet—after all, this was an area measured in billions. Just as they were at a loss, Tian’s father remembered he had Han Nineteen’s number.

“Han, this is Hua Tian’s dad. Where do I get the dog food you mentioned? Oh, it’s delivered free on the first of each month, and today’s already after hours. The earliest will be tomorrow morning. But I’m already at the pet center. Okay, you said I can just take a ton from the food area for free. I just came from there—oh, I need to find the district manager. Thanks! If I don’t get it, I’ll call you again!”

After the call, Tian’s father was in a foul mood. “Damn that charming service woman—she tricked me!”

Hua Tian listened to his father’s rant and finally couldn’t take it. “If you’re going to curse her, do it alone! Go over there and have at it!”

Tian’s father, full of fury, went to the area only to find the woman was gone. They found a bored staff member and explained the situation.

“You need to find our district manager, but I don’t know if she's still here.”

Hua Tian quickly replied, “It’s alright!”

They reached a pitch-black area with no lights. The staff said, “From here, there’s an office—district manager should be there!”

They thanked him and, like thieves, searched room by room, knocking and skipping those without a response. Finally, after much searching, Hua Tian shouted, “Damn it, couldn’t he just say it was the last room? Why say ‘there’s an office’? What a jerk! We’ve been looking until two in the morning—damn!”

The woman inside opened the door, looking at the shouting Hua Tian. Suddenly, she remembered who he was.

“Big brother, please spare me!” She immediately knelt, her expression terrified.

Hua Tian and his father were stunned. “Little girl, I don’t think my son did anything to you. Also, are you the district manager?”

The woman replied fearfully, “Yes, I am the district manager. Please don’t fire me, I beg you!” Tears streamed down her face, worried for her future.

Hearing “fire,” Tian’s father was shocked—did his son have such authority in the past six months?

Hua Tian, recalling seeing her before ten o’clock that night, realized what must have happened. Someone who’d dragged her away must have said something, making her afraid of him now.

“Get up. If you keep kneeling, you really won’t be far from getting fired!”

Hua Tian put on airs, but after hearing his words, she slowly stood, not daring to meet his gaze.

Tian’s father said nothing, annoyed by the atmosphere, giving his son no face at all.

“We’re here because Han Nineteen asked us to find you. Just give us a ton of dog food and we’ll be good.”

The woman looked at him, then at Hua Tian, who nodded. “Alright, please follow me, gentlemen.”

At the warehouse, Hua Tian saw the car loaded with nineteen tons—more than planned. If not for the car’s limit, it would have been twenty tons. Was she trying to empty the warehouse onto their vehicle?

After they drove away, the woman breathed a sigh of relief—not being kicked out was good enough.

Back in her office, she felt something was off. The place was so large, without guidance, they couldn’t have found it. Comparing surveillance footage, she promptly fired the staff member who had led them there.

The reason for dismissal: if you’re leading the way, do it properly. Why stop halfway? Customers complained, which is bad for the company.

The previous staffer, minutes from finishing his shift and interrupted by Hua Tian, was annoyed and deliberately took the long route, then left them to search among a hundred offices, despite knowing exactly where the district manager’s office was—his own payroll office was right next door.

On the way home, Hua Tian had no idea what consequences his earlier outburst might bring. But since it had nothing to do with him, he didn’t care.