With the Universal Array Plate in hand, the urge to set up the Five Elements Spirit Gathering Array grew uncontrollably. 𝒇𝒓𝒆𝒆𝙬𝒆𝒃𝓷𝒐𝓿𝙚𝙡.𝒄𝓸𝒎

But setting up an array required caution, and cultivation was best done in a quiet environment.

He had to work during the day, and with occasional interruptions, it was ultimately not a good time.

Yang Qi suppressed the impulse and put the Array Plate away safely.

He prepared cat food and dog food for Xiaojiu, Bai Wan, and Overlord, respectively.

He changed into his work uniform and went out to start a new day of animal care.

...

A little after ten in the morning, Yang Qi was cleaning the lynx enclosure. As he bent over to rinse the floor, his phone vibrated.

He took it out and saw it was a call from Mei Ying.

"Xiao Yang, put aside your work for a moment." Mei Ying’s voice was unusually formal. "Come to the administration building, to the director’s office."

Yang Qi was confused. "Now?"

"Yes, now." Mei Ying paused, then lowered her voice. "We have an important guest."

After hanging up, Yang Qi put away his tools, washed his hands, and hurried to the administration building, arriving at the director’s office.

He knocked and went inside, finding the room surprisingly full.

Huang Zhongmu, Mei Ying, Jiang Kai... several of the Zoo’s top executives were present.

There were also five strangers.

In the center, surrounded by the others, was a man of about sixty.

He wore a simple, dark-blue jacket. His skin was dark and weathered, and his hands were coarse. At first glance, he looked like an old farmer who had spent his life working the fields.

But his eyes were exceptionally bright, his gaze steady and powerful, revealing the kind of shrewdness and insight that only comes from years of navigating the turbulent seas of the business world.

Yang Qi looked at him, feeling he was somewhat familiar, but couldn’t quite place where he had seen him before.

"Xiao Yang is here."

Mei Ying smiled, breaking the short silence. She stepped forward to make the introduction. "President Pang, this is our zoo’s outstanding employee, Yang Qi. He’s also the special advisor for the Hongshu Branch."

She then turned to Yang Qi, her tone gentle. "Xiao Yang, this is the chairman of the Dazhuang Group, Pang Jianlie—President Pang. President Pang came here today specifically to thank you."

’Dazhuang Group? Pang Jianlie?’

Something stirred in Yang Qi’s mind.

Of course he knew the name. The founder and chairman of the Dazhuang Food and Beverage Group, a famous local enterprise in Donghua City, and a private entrepreneur so renowned he was recognized at the provincial level.

’But to thank me?’

Before Yang Qi could give it much thought, Pang Jianlie strode forward, extended his large, coarse hands, and firmly gripped Yang Qi’s.

"Advisor Yang!"

Pang Jianlie’s voice trembled, and the rims of his eyes reddened. "Thank you. Thank you for saving Dazhuang! If it weren’t for you, he would be gone! Even if he had survived, he would have been severely disfigured. His life would have been ruined."

His grip was powerful, possessing the distinct roughness and strength of a farmer, yet it also conveyed his heartfelt emotion.

’Disfigured? Dazhuang?’

Yang Qi was rather baffled by this sudden show of gratitude.

But the nickname "Dazhuang," combined with the surname "Pang," and the faintly familiar contours of the dark, weathered face before him...

In a flash, a memory suddenly surfaced.

On the overpass, the crashed sedan, the heavyset, unconscious man in the driver’s seat with his face covered in blood.

He had thought the man looked familiar at the time, but the situation was too critical to dwell on it.

Now, prompted by Pang Jianlie, the man’s face instantly became clear, overlapping with another face from his memory.

Pang Yunrui!

A senior from two years above him in university.

Chubby, always smiling, as if he never got angry.

During his four years of university, this senior had been famous for two things.

First, his incredibly good temper. Second, his love of treating people to meals.

Whenever a new restaurant opened on the backstreet by the university, he would always drag a few friends along to "test the food."

If a classmate was short on cash, he would "coincidentally" feel like treating everyone.

Even a junior like Yang Qi, two years his junior, had tagged along for hot pot twice because of him.

Once to celebrate a successful student council event, and another time just because "the weather’s nice today."

When it was time to pay the bill, he would always chuckle and wave his hand. "It’s fine, it’s fine. I have plenty of pocket money."

Back then, everyone just knew that Senior Brother Pang came from a well-off family, but no one delved into what they actually did.

It wasn’t until after he graduated that someone "spilled the beans" in the alumni group chat.

Pang Yunrui was the young heir of the Dazhuang Group, Pang Jianlie’s only son.

Dazhuang was Pang Yunrui’s nickname!

Yang Qi had been stunned when he saw the news. Thinking back on that chubby, unpretentious senior, he couldn’t possibly connect him with the "heir to a ten-billion-yuan conglomerate."

Although the Dazhuang Group’s market value hadn’t reached the ten-billion-yuan mark, it had been deeply entrenched in the food and beverage industry for over two decades and had recently expanded into logistics.

It had over ten thousand full-time employees, and its supply chain, both upstream and downstream, impacted three to four hundred thousand families.

Pang Jianlie was not only a delegate to the Donghua City People’s Congress but also a Provincial Outstanding Entrepreneur, holding a slew of other titles and honors.

Yang Qi never imagined that the person he had rescued from the overpass that day was actually Pang Yunrui...

...

"You’re too kind, President Pang."

Suppressing his surprise, Yang Qi replied, "In a situation like that, anyone would have lent a hand. Besides, the firefighters and paramedics deserve most of the credit."

He paused, then asked with concern, "How is my senior doing now?"

"He’s recovering very well."

Pang Jianlie released his hand, his eyes filled with relief. "The doctors said that thanks to the timely rescue, he only has a broken left arm and some scrapes. Nothing life-threatening."

He took a deep breath to compose himself. "I came here today in my capacity as a father to thank you for saving my son. As for that boy, Dazhuang—he said he wants to deliver his thanks in person."

’In person?’

Just as Yang Qi was feeling puzzled, Huang Zhongmu, standing nearby, spoke up with a smile. "Xiao Yang, President Pang has donated five million yuan to our zoo, specifically earmarked for improving the animals’ meals."

He sighed to himself. ’It’s a good thing Yang Qi is an official employee. Otherwise, Pang Jianlie would have given this five million directly to him. It was just like with Yang Pan from the Xianzi Group. She donated one million to the Zoo, then gave Yang Qi eight hundred thousand after taxes, plus a share of future profits, all under the guise of hiring Xiaojiu for a commercial. A position within the system could be a form of protection, but it also came with limitations.’

’A five-million-yuan donation...’

Yang Qi was secretly dumbfounded.

’So generous!’

’And from the sound of it, this was just Pang Jianlie’s thanks as a father.’

’Pang Yunrui’s own gift of thanks would be a separate matter.’

’What would his chubby senior give him?’

Yang Qi suddenly felt a pang of curiosity.

"Yang Tongxue."

Pang Jianlie spoke again, his tone earnest as he changed his form of address. "After Dazhuang is discharged from the hospital, he will pay you a formal visit to express his gratitude. When he does, I implore you to give him that chance."

"You’re being too formal, President Pang," Yang Qi replied. "I’m just glad my senior is all right."

"Since you’re calling Dazhuang your senior, you can just call me Uncle," Pang Jianlie said with a laugh.

"Uncle Pang!"

Yang Qi replied readily.

"Haha, that’s more like it," Pang Jianlie laughed heartily.

After a few more pleasantries, Pang Jianlie had to rush off to a city government meeting. He exchanged contact information with Yang Qi and then took his leave.

Yang Qi and the others personally escorted him downstairs to his car.

Watching the car drive out the Zoo gates, Mei Ying turned with a smile. "Xiao Yang, you’re becoming our zoo’s lucky star! Two large donations in a row—you’ve helped us solve so many of our urgent problems."

Jiang Kai also patted Yang Qi’s shoulder. "You’ve really done well, Xiao Yang."

Yang Qi just smiled.

On the way back to his work area, his phone vibrated. He opened it to find a text message from an unknown number.

[Junior Brother Yang Qi, I’m Pang Yunrui. Words can’t express my gratitude. When I get out of the hospital, I’m treating you to a great meal! —Your Fatty Senior Brother]