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Shi Wen was surprised that he would extend an invitation. "This works too?"

Zhou Hongzhong: "What's wrong with that? You're practically an unofficial member of our team now. Besides, it's just a release of animals; we're only taking you along."

Shi Wen agreed, "Then send me a meeting time and place, and I'll come find you next Monday."

Zhou Hongzhong and his group would only go for about half a day to release the cats. They would go in the morning, have lunch in the county town, and return in the afternoon.

Shi Wen people asking on social media, "Who's free next Monday to check on his ranch?"

Zhu Ji called and volunteered, "It's been a while since I've visited your ranch. I'll come over next Monday and give your little ones a check-up."

Shi Wen, "If you're willing, that would be great. Then come early, and Yan Kexing make you breakfast."

Zhu Ji ordered, "Can I have custard buns? Your custard buns made with salted goose eggs are especially delicious, I want to have those."

Shi Wen covered his phone and called out to Yan Kexing, "Old Yan, Brother Zhu said he wants to eat custard buns, can we make them next week?"

Yan Kexing loudly, "Okay, I'll make some and freeze it in advance. Ask him what else he'd like to eat, and we can have him stay for dinner."

"Okay, I'll tell him now." After Shi Wen that, Shi Wen removed his hand from the microphone hole. "Brother Zhu..."

"I heard you," Zhu Ji answered quickly. "Can I have some pickled goose? The pickled goose you made last time was especially delicious; I've been craving it for so long."

At this Shi Wen didn't even need to ask Yan Kexing's opinion, "Eat, eat, eat! Our freshly pickled peppers should be almost ready. We can try them next Monday."

Zhu Ji: "With your words, I'll definitely be there on time next Monday. Wait for me!"

On Monday, Zhu Ji arrived very early in the morning.

When he arrived at the ranch, it was still dark.

Shi Wen looked at him in surprise. "Why are you up so early?"

"The thought of delicious food today is making my mouth water," Zhu Ji, parking the car at the ranch entrance. "Speaking of which, you guys really should build a proper garage."

Shi Wen, "Let's do it together this fall. We want to build an underground storage room; the building permit has already been approved."

Zhu Ji: "That's fine. Build a bigger one. It seems your ranch is getting more and more popular, and you need to store more and more things."

"Definitely! We'll also be drying cheese then, so our cheese harvest this year will be exceptionally plentiful," Shi Wen said with a smile. "We have over a thousand pregnant sheep; we definitely won't be able to use all the milk."

Zhu Ji: "Your sheep was born in September, right? Should we build a factory or something?"

"There's not much need. Milk and other byproducts aren't available every season. We can talk to the factories in town later and place orders when needed." Shi Wen and Zhu Ji walked side by side towards the main courtyard. "We still insist on starting a ranch, and don't have many other plans for the time being."

They went inside, Yan Kexing came out of the kitchen and said, "The custard buns aren't ready yet, wait a little longer."

Zhu Ji: "It's alright, chatting with you guys is quite nice."

After chatting for a while, Shi Wen that it was almost time, so he drove to Zhou Hongzhong's team's location.

They had finished packing; the desert cat was curled up asleep in its cage.

Shi Wen looked at the small desert cat and asked, "Didn't you put a tracking device on it?"

Zhou Hongzhong: "We implanted a subcutaneous positioning chip in it, which will make it easier for it to move around."

"The price of the tracking chip has come down?" Shi Wen in surprise, reaching in to touch the desert cat and finding the tracking chip on its back. "It's so small, I could barely feel it."

Zhou Hongzhong: "That's the only way to minimize its impact on the Pallas's cat. Come on, let's get going. You can ride in our car; you don't need to drive another one. Our car has a higher chassis, so it's better for mountain roads."

Shi Wen had no objections whatsoever.

Zhou Hongzhong and his group had already determined the location for the release in advance, and this time they went straight to their destination.

Shi Wen arriving at the destination, Shi Wen got out of the car first and remarked, "This doesn't seem to be the territory of the Desert Cats."

Zhou Hongzhong: "What's wrong?"

Shi Wen, "I think I saw an Asian wildcat in the bushes behind me. Did you see it?"

Zhou Hongzhong looked in the direction he was pointing, but couldn't see it after several glances. So he deliberately walked over to his side and looked over there from behind his shoulder.

Shi Wen sighed, "Why don't you just use binoculars to look?"

Zhou Hongzhong said somewhat embarrassedly, "I'm getting old; my eyesight can't compare to yours, you young people."

Shi Wen at him and said, "Your eyesight probably wasn't as good as mine when you were young."

Zhou Hongzhong: "That's not necessarily true. I was a famous sharpshooter when I was young."

Shi Wen, "You're just bragging. I have no way of verifying it anyway."

"Wow, you!" Zhou Hongzhong said, "You're quite..."

Sharp tongue

Ah."

Shi Wen hadn't really noticed it, but after he finished speaking, she reflected on it briefly and realized that she had indeed been a bit too relaxed. So she smiled and said, "Maybe I learned it from Yan Kexing."

Zhou Hongzhong nodded in deep agreement. "Your Professor Yan is also sharp-tongued, but she doesn't usually use it on people."

As he spoke, Zhou Hongzhong took out his binoculars and looked around, and sure enough, he spotted an Asian wildcat.

Several of his team members also saw it.

Since this is the territory of Asian wildcats, we definitely can't put desert cats here.

If you leave a lone desert cat here, it is very likely that it will be bitten, or even killed.

Zhou Hongzhong and his group took photos and made notes, then said, "Now it's time to head to the next release site."

Shi Wen, "Let's go, there's still plenty of time."

They got back into the car and drove to their next destination.

Upon arriving at the next location, Shi Wen could say anything, the desert cat in its cage bristled and howled loudly.