"Xinghai, how about you go back into the game and take a nap? I will release you when we arrive, okay?" said Zhang Zian to Xinghai. "Okay!" Xinghai agreed.
Zhang Zian put Xinghai back in his cell phone.
"I can follow you in the invisible mode," said Old Time Tea.
As for Fina, there was no doubt that she would walk normally, so Zhang Zian didn’t even ask her. Though her appearance was eye-catching, she was the most normal one among the three cats, since Xinghai was terrified of people, and Old Time Tea dressed herself up in a peculiar way.
Zhang Zian aimed his phone at Jeff, but then put the phone down, "Wipe those millets from your mouth. Gosh, you are such a mess."
Jeff wiped his mouth casually using its feathers, and said, "You are wrong. I’m a thrift bird and those millets are for my meal on the road."
When the millet grains finally fell to the ground, Zhang Zian once again raised his cell phone to aim at Jeff.
"Wait!" Jeff lifted his wings in front of itself.
"What now?" Zhang Zian reluctantly put down his hands.
"Do you have a comb? I want to part my hair down the middle." said the bird shamelessly.
"You must be kidding me, right? Just put down your wings!"
"Quack! You are not funny at all. At least let me have a pose before going into the game. Look at me! I’m the Discobolus! " It was imitating that famous sculpture of Discobolus by putting one wing front and the other back, and turning its head to look backward—the imitation was quite impressive!
Zhang Zian put it back into the phone before its pose had completed.
"Young Ye Wen’s Foshan Wing Chun Cat – Invisible!"
Old Time Tea’s body became blurry and hazy when he spoke of its real name. Zhang Zian had seen him transform before, so he remained calm this time. But Fina was a little shocked with her mouth opened. "What happened?"
"The invisibility effect, so that no one can see him." Zhang Zian explained, "Do you want to try?"
"Why would I want that!" Fina reject, "How can others show their respect to me if they cannot see me?"
"Whatever you say." Zhang Zian shrugged. Invisibility was unnecessary for Fina anyway.
Fina and Old Time Tea followed Zhang Zian and left the shop together.
Zhang Zian put down the shutter door, locked it, and pasted a piece of paper on it - "The shop manager is going out for a field trip temporarily. For urgent issues, customers may contact the Spirit Curing Pet Clinic by adding the Wechat ID x.x.xx.x.xx."
"Zian, what does field trip mean? I’ve never heard of this word before." Old Time Tea asked curiously.
Zhang Zian sounded very seriously, "Grandpa Tea. Field trip…is actually like taking a day off from your work. It’s subtler than asking a day off directly, and it is more easily acceptable."
"Oh," Old Time Tea nodded, "If I remember correctly, that secret code you put on the paper belonged to Dr. Sun, right?"
What secret code… Zhang Ziaan looked at the Wechat ID on his note.
"Uh-huh." He replied, "She is the working partner of this shop. Isn’t it her job to sell pets when I go out to have a field trip?"
What he didn’t tell Old Time Tea was that he once left his number on the door, and later received calls from strange men asking whether he was interested in being b.u.t.t buddies. Then he went out to find who had revealed his number, and he found his number posted on the wall inside the men’s washroom on the street. Some moron even added that the owner of that phone number was flexible in bromance relationship. Since then, he swore he would never leave his number on the door again.
Making sure that he had taken care of everything, he began to dial the phone number of Captain Sheng.
The phone was picked up after the ring rang three times.
"h.e.l.lo, Mr. Zhang." Sheng Ke sounded like he was expecting something.
"Captain Sheng, about that thing you have told me. I decided to go see for myself. I’m not sure whether I can fix the problem, but for the sake of the happiness and wellbeing of residents in Binhai City, I will try my best!" Zhang Zian said pa.s.sionately, "As the poetry goes…"
"Just skip the poetry!" Sheng Ke just wanted him to get things done quickly.
"Okay. Where should we meet? See you at the Public Security Bureau?" Zhang Zian asked. He looked forward to this trip since he seldom visited the Public Security Bureau except for taking ID card photos there.
"Wait a minute, let me check." Said Sheng Ke.
Zhang Zian heard pages turning from the other side of the phone.
Old Time Tea nodded its head frequently as appraisal of Zian’s performance.
Fina made a "pfft" sound and her face went blank.
"Well, I"m free now, so let"s meet at the scene." Said Sheng Ke.
"The scene where people lost their watches?" Zhang Zian was confirming with him.
"Yes. In the Yuanhua Building. Let"s meet at the gate of Yuanhua Building." Sheng Ke was going to hang up the phone.
"Wait!" Zhang Zian quickly stopped him.
Sheng Ke put the phone back to his ear, "Yes?"
"This is the thing." Zhang Zian considered his wording, "I’m helping the police with a case, right?"
"Of course!" Sheng Ke sounded a bit surprised, and then suddenly he raised his tone as if he had remembered something, "Oh! Right… please allow me…on behalf of the police station, we are extending our sincere grat.i.tude to Mr. Zhang for your generous help…"
Zhang Zian interrupted him, "No, that’s not what I meant."
"No?" Sheng Ke was getting more confused.
Zhang Zian looked at the traffic. "I mean, if I take a taxi there, can I get reimbursed for that?"
The other side of the phone remained silent.
"So, no reimburs.e.m.e.nt?" Zhang Zian tried to confirm.
Sheng Ke replied, "If I tell you there’s no reimburs.e.m.e.nt, then you will not come to the scene?"
"I will be there, for sure, but by walking if you can’t cover my taxi fare." Said Zhang Zian.
Silence again.
For quite a while.
"Mr. Zhang, your pet shop is about ten kilometers away from the Yuanhua Building, right?"
Zhang Zian looked at Fina, "It’s not a huge deal, walking is good for my weight loss."
Silence.
"Mr. Zhang, take a taxi to come over, and I will reimburse your fare." Sheng Ke sounded exhausted and frustrated.
"Really?"
"Really."
Zhang Zian reinforced, "It’s not that I can’t afford the taxi fare. I am doing something good for my city by sacrificing my time at my pet shop. I can’t make money today, but at least I shouldn’t lose money, right?"
"You are right, my mistake." Sheng Ke gave up, "Our police station will be responsible for your taxi fares back and forth, and today’s lunch."
"Great!" Zhang Zian said excitedly, "Oh, right, I’m also bringing some cats with me. You know, an eye for an eye, a cat for a cat…"
"Money for cat food will also be reimbursed." Sheng Ke knew what he wanted now.
"No, no, no. My cats don’t eat cat food. They just eat barbecue meat and grilled fish with no seasoning."
A long sigh from over the phone.
"Got it. Barbecue meat and grilled fish, no seasoning. This will be prepared for you."
Sheng Ke felt that he had never felt so exhausted before. Not even days of investigation without rest could compare.
"Captain Sheng, thank you so much. See you soon!" Zhang Zian hang up the phone.