Chapter 389: Little Dog Learning to Sing? Don't Make Trouble!

That night, the local news in Qincheng reported on the rescue team saving the driver and escort who had fallen off the cliff.

However, the story barely caused a ripple among the public.

On the internet, however, news of Ning Fei rescuing the South China tiger exploded. The number of views and likes was simply staggering.

People loved watching this kind of content.

That evening, Ning Fei foraged some wild strawberries for dinner and drank from a nearby stream.

The long trek had taken its toll, and exhaustion was beginning to set in.

But what truly shocked the viewers that night was that Ning Fei actually slept right next to the South China tigers.

The two adult tigers rested on a patch of green grass beneath the shade of a tree, with the little cub nestled close beside them.

Ning Fei rested his head against the tigress's flank and fell into a deep, peaceful sleep right there in the grass.

It was the height of spring. The gentle evening breeze swept through the forest, cool and incredibly soothing.

The mountain's insects and birds hadn't fully entered their active summer phase yet, making this the purest and quietest time of year in the woods.

With the South China tigers present, no other animals dared to approach.

Because of this, Ning Fei enjoyed an incredibly restful night's sleep.

The next morning, Ning Fei played with the tigers for a while longer before finally bidding them farewell. He then set off alone, heading back toward Qingfeng Temple.

Clad in his Daoist Robe, he walked alone through the deep, ancient forest.

After everything that had happened the day before, his Daoist Robe was slightly stained and rumpled, and a few loose strands of hair fell casually across his forehead.

Yet despite the disarray, he didn't look the least bit wretched. If anything, the messy state only enhanced his otherworldly aura, making him look completely detached from the mundane world.

His clean, handsome features and free, untamed temperament were on full display.

Sometimes he focused entirely on the trek, sometimes he paused to forage for wild fruit, and at other times he simply stood with his hands clasped behind his back, admiring the distant scenery. It was a carefree and leisurely journey.

In the afternoon, Ning Fei finally returned to the Daoist temple.

The little ones hadn't seen him all day and were buzzing with excitement.

Ning Fei's first order of business was to refill their food bowls.

After that, he took a hot shower, changed into clean clothes, and collapsed onto the recliner in the courtyard, letting all the tension drain from his body.

The recliner was exceptionally comfortable. Even after so many years, it still carried the faint, pleasant scent of wood.

The chair was crafted from the heartwood of a thousand-year-old tree—specifically, Qin Xiang wood. It looked entirely ordinary, but its true value was astronomically high.

Right then, Little Fox hopped lightly onto the recliner, letting out a series of soft, affectionate whimpers toward Ning Fei.

Ning Fei scooped her up into his arms, closing his eyes as he gently stroked her fur. It was a wonderful feeling.

Relaxed, he began humming an old nursery rhyme from his childhood.

"Let me tell you a myth, about a certain family. A husband and a wife, who had a strange little baby..."

Hearing him sing, many viewers in the stream immediately chimed in.

The live chat filled with cheerful comments.

"Hahaha, what an old song! I feel like I'm back in my childhood."

"That song really takes me back!"

"Looks like we all grew up watching The Legend of Nezha."

Ning Fei had a beautiful singing voice. Even though he was just softly humming, the viewers found the sound incredibly soothing to listen to.

Then, something completely unexpected happened.

Sitting off to the side, Little Dog actually began to whine along to Ning Fei's melody.

"Awooo~"

Little Dog was hitting the high notes, too, letting out a series of wolf-like howls that echoed continuously.

Ning Fei immediately opened his eyes. He sat up from the recliner and stared at Little Dog in surprise.

Little Dog wagged his tail furiously, looking extremely proud of himself, as if waiting for Ning Fei's praise.

"You rascal, don't make trouble,"

Ning Fei scolded him with an exasperated laugh.

"Awoo~"

Little Dog let out another howl, clearly still convinced that his singing voice was an absolute masterpiece.

But upon seeing the unimpressed look on Ning Fei's face, he bounded off toward the backyard to find Little Fei instead.

It looked like he was going to perform for the little chick.

Ning Fei chuckled helplessly. He wondered what on earth went through that dog's head, picking up every little thing he saw.

Little Fox was much better behaved. She wasn't nearly as mischievous.

With that thought, Ning Fei lay back down and let his body fully relax.

As for the other little guys, he just let them play and cause a ruckus.

The next morning, Ning Fei packed up the animals into his car and drove over to Wenyan Deer Enclosure.

The enclosure had officially begun its production cycle. Although their yield of deer antler velvet wasn't exceptionally high, the quality was unmatched. Demand was through the roof, and they were constantly struggling to keep up with orders.

Ning Fei required his employees to use the utmost care when harvesting the velvet. Every worker involved in the process had to undergo strict training. It was a highly humane approach.

While harvesting the velvet did affect the sika deer slightly, the impact was minimal. The antlers would simply regrow over time.

Deer farms everywhere relied on velvet harvesting for their primary income. Some even sold deer meat—the law allowed for the trade of farm-raised deer, and the meat fetched an extremely high price.

Ning Fei's Wenyan Deer Enclosure, however, would never do that. He only sold the antler velvet, using the profits to cover the enclosure's daily expenses and his employees' salaries.

And honestly, even if the enclosure operated at a loss, he wouldn't mind. He treated the place like a massive backyard, and he certainly wasn't hurting for money.

He had informed Jiang Xue of his visit ahead of time.

As a result, Jiang Xue and all the staff were waiting at the entrance to greet him.

Ning Fei didn't care for grand receptions, but he was the boss, so the staff naturally felt obligated to welcome him.

Alongside the employees, Jiang Xue had also brought Xiao Yu the Deer out to the entrance.

Ning Fei stepped out of the car and glanced over. Xiao Yu the Deer had grown quite a bit. The jade-like antlers on his head had sprouted two small, fleshy tines, making the creature look even more sacred and pure.

"Oh my god, that sika deer is way too beautiful!"

"Is that a fairy beast? What's up with its antlers?"

"Any sika deer raised by Ning Guan master is definitely no ordinary animal."

"I bet the boss who originally sold that deer is green with regret."

"What a gorgeous sika deer."

Many of the newer viewers hadn't seen Xiao Yu the Deer before. Catching sight of such an ethereal creature left them completely stunned.

Seeing Ning Fei approach, Xiao Yu the Deer immediately bounded over to him.

It was clear that, in Xiao Yu the Deer's heart, Ning Fei was still his favorite person in the world.

"Haha, you've grown quite a bit,"

Ning Fei said with a happy laugh as he stroked the deer's coat.

"Woof!"

Right on cue, Little Dog let out a bark from the sidelines.

Hearing the bark, Xiao Yu the Deer shot Little Dog a glance. The deer immediately tossed his head, craning his neck up high and shooting the pup a haughty eye-roll.

The sika deer was an incredibly proud creature. He still had a bit of a grudge against Little Dog, so the two rarely saw eye to eye.

That snooty toss of the head sent the viewers into fits of laughter.

"Why is this deer acting like that?"

"He lost a jumping contest to Little Dog a while back. I guess he's still holding a grudge."

"Good lord, he's so proud and petty. How entertaining."

Ning Fei found the exchange highly amusing.

He glanced over at Little Dog. The pup was just as silly as ever, sporting his permanent, goofy grin and looking perfectly thrilled by everything around him.

Ning Fei didn't comment further on it.

Jiang Xue and the enclosure staff stepped forward to properly welcome him. The deer farm was in immaculate condition. The staff clearly respected Jiang Xue's authority—the young woman was far more capable than her age suggested.

To top it off, Jiang Xue was remarkably beautiful. As she walked beside Ning Fei, they made a very striking pair.

Sometimes, the staff would quietly gossip about the relationship between Ning Fei and Jiang Xue.

Given that they lived together, everyone assumed it was exactly the kind of relationship you would expect.

Once inside the enclosure, Ning Fei first headed to the central manor in the residential sector. Jiang Xue handed him a neatly organized dossier detailing the enclosure's recent developments.

"Temple Master," Jiang Xue said. "We currently have one hundred and eighty-two sika deer, and we've expanded our staff to fourteen people."

"The standard capacity for an enclosure this size is around three hundred sika deer. However, as per your instructions, we've kept the numbers lower to ensure we provide the best possible care for our current herd."

"The fawns haven't suffered from any major illnesses lately. The veterinarians conduct daily health checks."

Jiang Xue stood by his side, reporting with the polished professionalism of an executive assistant.

"Thank you for the hard work." Ning Fei read through the entire report, bringing himself up to speed on the farm's operations.

With the business handled, he headed out to the garden sector to check on the sika deer.

Jiang Xue accompanied him.

Little Dog and Little Fei romped wildly around the courtyard. Little Fox and the little black cat were far more domestic; they had stayed behind in the manor, curled up fast asleep on the plush sofas.

That evening, Ning Fei settled down to rest in the manor.

Both he and Jiang Xue lived in the building. The outer perimeter served as the office space, while the interior was designated as the living quarters, complete with a large living room, kitchen, and bathrooms.

Jiang Xue deliberately changed into a slightly alluring nightgown that exposed her slender calves. She had clearly taken the time to freshen up and look her best.

After all, Ning Fei would easily catch sight of her as he moved around the house.

To be completely honest, Jiang Xue's legs were absolutely flawless. Fair and smooth, they were undoubtedly the most perfect feature of her figure.

As Ning Fei walked past, he couldn't help but steal a glance or two.

But it was just a few glances. He was a man, after all. Unless a guy had been neutered like a tomcat, a few earthly temptations were simply unavoidable.

The two of them sat in the living room, chatting comfortably. As the conversation flowed, Ning Fei let out a soft sigh.

"The deer farm is doing wonderfully," he said. "But it still feels like it's missing something."

"If we could keep a few cranes here at the enclosure, it would be absolutely perfect."

Hearing his words, a thought seemed to spark in Jiang Xue's mind. Her eyes lit up with pleasant surprise.

"Temple Master, we can actually raise those too."

"Keeping red-crowned cranes requires very specific permits. I've already checked with the Forestry Bureau; they generally don't issue those to private individuals. It requires special approval from higher-ups, which is incredibly tedious,"

Ning Fei replied.

"That's true, Temple Master. But remember how Qincheng has two zoos? There's the Qincheng International Zoo, and then there's the Qincheng Nature Zoo."

"Because the Qincheng International Zoo draws such massive crowds, and the district where the Qincheng Nature Zoo is located is being redeveloped into a new economic zone, the Nature Zoo is currently processing transfers for its wildlife."

"And the Qincheng Nature Zoo has red-crowned cranes."

Ning Fei's eyes widened in delight at the news. "Really?"

"Looks like I'll have to make a trip into Qincheng tomorrow."