Chapter 182: Chapter 182: The Donations Just Won’t Stop

After dinner, Xu Ye sent over the third set of pictures. This time, the content was something no one had expected. Hah’Er was sitting on a red brick, a safety helmet perched askew on his head, his paws clutching a boxed lunch as he prepared to eat. The caption read: After a hard morning’s work, it’s time to treat myself to a nice meal. I want to eat more, but the zoo is really out of money.

Inside the lunch box were just a few slices of stir-fried pork with bamboo shoots and white rice, and nothing else at all. It was the kind of takeout that cost less than ten yuan. This sight completely broke the netizens’ hearts.

"Damn it, after all that work, this is the kind of food he gets? Does the foreman have any humanity left?" Even though they knew it was all staged, every netizen who saw it was filled with righteous indignation.

"BOOHOO... Thinking about how much I ate for lunch makes me feel so guilty. I’ve decided not to eat dinner. I’ll use the money I save to buy Hah’Er two more boxed lunches." The national treasure’s meal cost so little; how could you have the nerve to eat more?

"Uh, by the way, don’t pandas eat bamboo? Why is he eating rice?" an earnest netizen asked, and was immediately flamed to hell and back by the others.

"Have you got no humanity? Hah’Er is completely exhausted, and you have a problem with him eating a boxed lunch?"

"Moving bricks is hard manual labor! How is he supposed to get enough nutrients just by gnawing on bamboo? Why don’t you leave your address? I’ll mail you forty pounds of bamboo, and you can livestream yourself gnawing on it for us."

’Hey, I was just concerned about a panda’s diet, that’s all. Why are you all telling me to gnaw on bamboo? What’s the logic in that?’

"Sigh, enough said. I just donated a thousand yuan to the zoo. Buy Hah’Er something nice to eat. My heart just aches for him." Someone posted a screenshot of their donation.

Someone else quickly followed. "I’m donating five hundred. Buy some meat for Hah’Er! I feel like he’s gotten thinner from hunger."

And so, waves of donations rapidly poured into the zoo’s account. Every time the zoo’s accountant refreshed the page, he could see the amount increasing. The total was growing even faster than housing prices in the Capital City.

Of course, some people’s attention was drawn elsewhere. Soon, someone posted a photo of themselves in camouflage clothes and a safety helmet, sitting on a pile of bricks at a construction site eating a boxed lunch. The caption read, "Do I look like Hah’Er now? Also asking for donations." 𝙛𝓻𝒆𝓮𝒘𝙚𝙗𝒏𝙤𝙫𝓮𝒍.𝓬𝒐𝙢

"It’s not a question of whether you look like Hah’Er. I think you’re just an idiot!" a netizen from Sichuan retorted sarcastically.

"You don’t. Compared to Hah’Er, your face is too clean. You’re missing those two spots of cement. The cool factor is completely gone. OP, smear some cement on your face and try again."

"Foreman, someone isn’t focusing on their work and is secretly surfing the net! Come and dock his pay!" This was just depressing. ’We’re both doing the same job moving bricks, so why is the difference in treatment so huge? Hah’Er gets endless sympathy, but when it comes to me, these people not only don’t sympathize, they even want to report me. Is there any humanity left?’

"BWAHAHAHA!" Shen Yibin looked at the comments under the guy’s post and started rolling on the sofa with laughter. After a long while, he wiped a tear from his eye and tipped the poster 8.8 yuan. "Hey, you’ve had it rough, brother. I’ll split my dinner with you!"

"Holy crap, Hah’Er tipped me!" The netizen was so happy he nearly went insane. He quickly posted a screenshot to show it off. "Thanks, Hah’Er! When the foreman pays me, I’ll donate half to you."

Losing half a month’s salary was painful, but the psychological satisfaction this tip brought him was far greater than a few thousand yuan. The brick-moving bro felt it was worth it.

"Hello, I’m the foreman. This action is truly admirable. I’ll tell finance to give you a raise right away." Other netizens also began to praise his decision.

"Hello, I’m the property developer. You’ve got a future, young man. I’m putting you in charge of this whole project. Go to the foreman’s office now and tell him he can get lost." This one had ulterior motives.

"Hello, this is Imperial Court Television. We are notifying you that you have been shortlisted as one of this year’s ’Ten People Who Moved China.’ Please buy a plane ticket to the Capital City immediately to record the program."

"Hello, I’m Ivanka. I think you’re so kind-hearted. May I ask if you’re looking for a girlfriend? If not, would you mind having one more?" You had to admit, the netizens were just too creative. Shen Yibin couldn’t stop laughing.

Shen Yibin couldn’t stop laughing, and the netizens’ donations showed no sign of stopping either. On Hah’Er’s and Xu Ye’s social media pages, the amount of tips kept increasing. The zoo accountant’s phone buzzed nonstop with text message notifications, almost filling the inbox of his old-fashioned mobile phone.

"You’re an absolute genius." Shen Yibin sent Xu Ye a string of thumbs-up emojis. A few mere photos had solved a problem that had plagued the zoo for years. From the looks of it, this campaign would definitely raise enough funds to get the zoo through its difficulties and maybe even take it to the next level.

"Sigh, if they had you shoot the promotional video for Yunzhong City, I bet you’d do a much better job than that Director Kong Riguang from Xiangjiang," Shen Yibin said.

"That’s not for us to decide." Xu Ye was also a bit disappointed. He knew that Yunzhong City valued Director Kong’s fame. Although he was interested in the project, he figured he wouldn’t be able to get involved.

Shen Yibin sighed softly. ’Oh well.’ He was already satisfied with having secured the right to film Hah’Er on his own terms. They could worry about everything else once filming actually started.

"I’m heading to bed. I haven’t been sleeping well these past few days. Remember to post the fifth set of photos on time tomorrow." ’Right, the fifth set would be the photos of Hah’Er mending the guardrail on Xiong Mountain.’

"Okay. Come over for a drink when you have time," Shen Yibin offered.

’Sigh, it’s getting late. I should probably get some rest, too.’ Shen Yibin looked toward the door. ’Considering the time, Egg, Sakai Kaori, and the others should be back by now, right?’

Just as he was thinking this, he saw someone push open the main gate. "Egg... uh, Secretary Qin, what brings you here so late at night?" But it wasn’t Egg, Sylvie, and Sakai Kaori who had returned; it was Mayor Wang’s secretary, Qin Qing.

’Seeing how anxious he looks, could something have happened?’ Shen Yibin couldn’t help but worry. He quickly invited Qin Qing to sit on the sofa. "I’ll go make you some tea."

"No, no, Mr. Shen. I just came from a meeting at city hall. I was originally going to call you, but then I thought it would be better to make a special trip." Qin Qing quickly stopped Shen Yibin from getting up.

’What on earth could it be? It sounds pretty serious.’ Shen Yibin grew even more concerned. He stared blankly at Qin Qing. Qin Qing gathered his thoughts, then began to speak, "Mr. Shen, it’s like this..."