The personnel from the Forestry Bureau quickly took the tiger away, and with the subsequent coordination from the arriving traffic police, the road began to clear up smoothly.
Xu Lin walked over to Qin Yunhe, who seemed lost in thought, and patted her shoulder.
"What's wrong?" asked Qin Yunhe.
"What are you doing, Sister Qin?"
"Sigh~ The tiger has been taken away."
"Why, from your expression, do you still want to keep the tiger? It's highly likely it'll be sent to the zoo. Without a permit for the circus and letting animals run loose, those people might end up in jail."
"The zoo... How is our city's zoo?" Qin Yunhe seemed to regain some vitality.
"Our zoo isn't too big, but it has mostly small herbivores. The most prominent is probably an old elephant; we don't have tigers or lions."
Xu Lin remembered that when he was young, the zoo in Linshui had those animals, and it's still the same now, just that they have gone from young social animals to elderly residents.
"So, can we keep tigers and lions?"
"We're just a county-level city. Can we even get approval for that?" Xu Lin expressed doubt, knowing that often, it's not just about the money but also about obtaining approval.
"Let's give it a try."
"I hope our zoo here is willing to accept it."
"My old man is the director of the zoo."
"?" Xu Lin looked at the other party, Qin Yunhe nodded seriously, implying she isn't lying.
"The people around me are all hidden dragon or crouching tigers."
"This is also called hidden dragon or crouching tigers? I come from an ordinary family, the zoo is public, and he just manages it."
"That's impressive too. I hope you succeed. But what happened to you just now? Why did you suddenly rush out?"
"I don't know, maybe I had a hysterical episode."
Qin Yunhe recalled her state just now, being attracted by the tiger, forgetting it's danger, and also forgetting the ordinary people behind her.
But at the moment she hugged the tiger, she did feel a special energy and many unclear memory fragments.
But there's no need to tell Xu Lin about these, maybe he'll think she has developed some kind of mental illness.
Half an hour later, Xu Lin and a few others settled the bill and left the hotpot restaurant. Most of the customers had also left.
After all, just experiencing such a thing, there was no mood to eat, and even some took advantage of the chaos to dine and dash for 200 or 300 yuan, which was really something.
"I'm going home now. If you want to go shopping, go ahead. I need to rest and also visit the zoo. I still have the evening shift at work." Qin Yunhe said to them.
Su Qingwan nodded, guessing what her friend wanted to do. She's probably going to ask her dad to adopt another small animal again. This time, though, the animal seems quite big.
"Alright, go rest."
"Hmm, Xu Lin, if you want to work out, find Hong Lei. He's free all day, he can train you. Once you improve your basics, with your skills, I'll have a rival in martial arts."
"Okay, I'll come when I have time." Ji Yun glanced at Xu Lin, wondering what martial arts he knows.
Just a few days ago, he was still just jogging to keep fit. It seems there are many things she doesn't know about him. If she had agreed to Xu Lin's confession back then... secretly dating, would things be different? She found herself caught in an unchangeable dilemma, but Xu Lin interrupted her thoughts.
"Aren't you going with them?" Following Xu Lin's gaze, she saw her dad and Aunt Yao planning to leave and continue shopping.
"Why should I go with them? Since I've believed their words, I trust them completely. These days, let my dad follow Aunt Yao. She's indeed a pitiful person."
"Xu Lin, I'm going back too. You and Ji Yun should go home early too."
Su Qingwan also chimed in at this moment, and Xu Lin looked at her, implying "you shouldn't linger too long." Then she discreetly lifted her phone, and Xu Lin smiled.
"Alright, goodbye, teacher."
"Goodbye, teacher," Xu Lin replied as well.
Su Qingwan glanced back at him with a hint of disdain—what kind of student clung to their teacher all the time? But she knew it was for her own issue.
"Take care and drive safely," the Su Qingwan reminded.
"Okay," Xu Lin nodded, feeling a bit puzzled by the remark.
"Xu Lin, do you have any plans? Aren't you coming to study at my place?"
"Um... right, I have to visit a patient this afternoon." Xu Lin was never keen on studying, even with Ji Yun accompanying him, it would still be dull.
"Is it senior sister Bai Xiaoxiao's place you mentioned?"
"Yes, will you come with me?"
Ji Yun usually studied every weekend afternoon, so she probably wouldn't go with him.
"Sure!"
"You don't even know them, why would you go? And the air in hospitals isn't good."
"Don't you want me to come?" Jiyun raised her eyebrow, and Xu Lin waved his hand.
"No, let's go."
If he is asked among the currently appearing girls who has the purest relationship with him, then it must be with Bai Xiaoxiao.
At first, it was truly out of his kindness, intending to help her, but he didn't expect her to be someone certified by the system.
Sometimes, he can't help but wonder why he encounters these girls. Clearly, he's just an ordinary person, except for being a bit handsome. Is it the system bringing them to him, creating some kind of fate, or is it the fate between them drawing them closer to him?
Initially, Xu Lin would think that only beautiful girls would be recognized by the system and trigger the favorability system. But now, with the two strange flashes of the system code, and the memories of past lives with Chu Fengyi, he feels like this twelve zodiac love system isn't so simple.
However, once the system reaches 400 favorability, it will upgrade and gain intelligent voice, then perhaps he will learn some inside information. Currently, Chu Fengyi and Chu Qingchan have both exceeded 40 favorability values, and Ji Yun has just passed 40 favorability value.
Next are Su Qingwan and Bai Xiaoxiao, both of whom he helped and gained a considerable amount of favorability, now both's favorability is around 30. The remaining three are Liu Qinnuan, Ye Fanleng, and Qin Yunhe, with Liu Qinnuan at 25, Ye Fanleng at 20, and Qin Yunhe at 15.
But looking at it this way, he wonders if the upper limit isn't 100, otherwise, it would be too outrageous.
However, when the favorability is high, even if everyone speaks openly together, there won't be any quarrels, just a harmonious family.
But even so, we can't all be together, why do I always think it's achievable? Clearly, it's just a delusional daydream...
As for others, Liu Qinnuan, and Ms. Ye, they're not around anymore, so don't even think about increasing the favorability. Ah, I am really greedy in this life!
"Xu Lin!"
"Ah? Sorry, Ji Yun, I tend to zone out."
"It's okay, it's just that you don't look too good."
"It's nothing, it's just... Ji Yun, if I really am a playboy..."
But before he could finish, a finger pressed against his lips, and a pair of clear eyes stared at him. "No need to tell me. Tell me when you become my boyfriend!"
After saying that, she rolled her eyes at him, adjusted her little book bag, and walked away into the distance.
Xu Lin hurriedly followed, taking the bag from her arms and smiling at her. "So Ji Yun, I like you. Will you be my girlfriend?"
Xu Lin joked as usual, but Ji Yun gave a special response this time.
"Will you cut ties with big sister Chu and the others?"
Ji Yun didn't look at him, her tone becoming serious, and Xu Lin also took a deep breath, giving an answer that might hurt the other party.
"No, I won't."
"Then I'll be your girlfriend."
"Hmm?"
Ji Yun's words left him stunned, what did she mean?
"I said, will you be my boyfriend?"
She stood in the midst of the passing crowd, turned towards him, arms open, sweetly smiling. But his fist clenched tightly, as if gripping his heart. Wasn't this the scenario he had hoped for the most when he first crossed over? A simple yet sweet relationship.
But because of the system, he had met many people, gained many bonds. He is no longer the innocent Xu Lin he once was. But if he refused her now, he knows he might lose her. Yet, if he embraced her, it meant he couldn't continue his ambition, he had to give up others because he couldn't be a scumbag. That would be unfair to Ji Yun and to all the others, but it might hurt the others involved.
It was like a train dilemma, or perhaps he brought it upon himself! Should he sacrifice many for one person? But he doesn't want to lose any of them!
"Ji Yun, I..."