Lin Chen was completely unaware of this little incident; he still thought Parker was going to lick his fingers.
The lion he’d never been able to touch at the zoo before was finally his; no macho man would dislike this.
If its owner hadn’t been there, Lin Chen would have wanted to pin the lion down and start stroking its belly.
Si Ang raised an eyebrow: “Looks like you really do have some skill.”
Lin Chen had shown off this skill, and Si Ang had basically accepted the young man, but he was also wary.
He worried that Lin Chen had ulterior motives.
“Mr. Si, you flatter me,” Lin Chen wasn’t stupid; he naturally understood Si Ang’s concerns. He stroked the lion’s head and ears while sincerely saying, “It’s nothing special, just a natural affinity with animals. Perhaps animals can judge people and know I have no ill intentions.”
“I’m just an ordinary poor student. If I weren’t so poor I couldn’t afford food, I wouldn’t have thought of using this talent to earn a living. I always felt I was letting them down.”
These weren’t lies, and Lin Chen wasn’t guilty. He faced Si Ang’s scrutiny openly and honestly.
Si Ang said calmly, “That’s for the best.”
He knew Lin Chen’s background and was sure the young man wouldn’t dare harbor any ill intentions.
“Man Di, go arrange for people to send Parker and Mr. Lin off.”
Man Di replied, “Yes, sir.”
Lin Chen smiled slightly.
As for payment, he didn’t mention it at all. Would the planet’s richest man treat him unfairly?
Lin Chen: “Mr. Si, how long will this trip take? Do I need to pack my luggage?”
Si Ang: “No need, Man Di will prepare everything for you. As for the duration, it depends on Parker’s situation.”
“Okay, thank you, Mr. Si.”
Lin Chen finished speaking. He gasped the lion’s thick paw, and continued to focus on playing with it.
Si Ang watched this scene, and raised an eyebrow. He had seen too much deceit and scheming since childhood, and considered himself good at judging people.
But now, he narrowed his eyes, filled with doubt. Was Lin Chen too good at pretending and deceiving him, or was he truly innocent and simply focused on earning a living?
If anyone else possessed such talent, and faced with the Si family’s wealth, they would probably be eagerly planning for the future.
But this young man before him—Si Ang trusted his judgment—hadn’t shown any interest in him from the beginning; in fact, the man seemed somewhat reserved and fearful.
However, the moment he saw Parker, his eyes lit up, and his whole body became lively and at ease…
Perhaps this was some kind of animal affinity?
This was the first time in Si Ang’s life that his companion beast had been more popular than him, and he felt a strange sense of unease.
“Awoo…” Without its master’s restraint, the lion, disregarding its image, lay down on the ground with its massive front paws reaching for Lin Chen’s hand, pulling it to its mouth and pretending to bite.
Clearly, it was having a great time playing with Lin Chen.
Si Ang clicked his tongue. Embarrassing.
But since Parker was unusually happy, he didn’t stop it.
Lin Chen felt that immediately stroking the lion’s belly seemed a bit disrespectful… but since the lion had started it, he figured he might as well comply.
He sensed that Si Ang didn’t intend to stop him. Of course, the richest man’s heir was busy with work and wouldn’t have time for such things.
Lin Chen used both hands to vigorously stroke the lion’s belly, from neck to abdomen, and then back again.
With a sudden, abrupt sound, the pen fell from Si Ang’s fingers.
Si Ang had only felt a slight pain in his forehead and wanted to use his synesthetic connection with Parker for some pleasure, but Lin Chen’s sudden action made him quickly cut off the connection.
Thanks to Parker, the pain in his forehead had subsided, leaving only a strong sense of shame—the spot where he had been stroked was burning hot.
Si Ang opened his mouth, wanting to warn Lin Chen not to do such an offensive thing to his companion beast.
But thinking of Parker’s unprecedented joy at being petted, he couldn’t bear to take it away…
“Mr. Lin…”
“Just call me Lin Chen.”
Lin Chen had played with the lion for a while. He worked up a light sweat, and his eyes were sparkling. He was no longer as reserved as before with Si Ang: “What can I do for you?”
Si Ang: “Add me on WeChat. Parker might get a bit wild in the wild, and I’m worried you won’t be able to control him. Let me know if anything happens.”
Lin Chen: “Okay.”
When Si Ang’s personal contact number appeared in his contact list, Lin Chen, this poor college student, still felt a sense of unreality.
Man Di quickly prepared for the trip and returned to Si Ang’s office: “Mr. Lin Chen, we can go now.”
Lin Chen quickly got up and patted the lion’s head: “Parker, go say goodbye to your master.”
Man Di’s eyes were filled with shock. He had only been gone for a short while but when he returned, Parker seemed to have a completely different master.
The lion, however, was incredibly obedient to Lin Chen. As soon as he told it to go, it wagged its large head and trotted towards Si Ang.
“Behave yourself! My office can’t handle you running around like that!” Si Ang crossed his long legs, and forcefully pressed the lion’s head down with a faint smile playing on his lips. “Behave yourself once you’re out there. If you cause any trouble, I’ll teach you a lesson!”
“Roar…” Parker lowered its head. He nuzzled against Si Ang’s body while growling softly, seemingly displeased with its master’s harshness.
“Alright, enough with the mushy stuff, go on.” Si Ang said, then looked up and instructed Lin Chen, “Parker is in your care.”
Lin Chen nodded solemnly, “Please rest assured, Mr. Si, it will have a lot of fun.”
As soon as Si Ang looked up, the lion excitedly ran towards Lin Chen again, looking like a child about to go on a trip.
Man Di was utterly astonished. This time not by the lion’s affection for Lin Chen, but by the seemingly rapid progress in Lin Chen’s relationship with their Mr. Si Ang.
Since the internal strife within the Si family began, Si Ang hadn’t been completely overwhelmed, but he was certainly living a very tense life. Man Di hadn’t seen his master smile in a long time.
Perhaps Parker’s improved condition today had also helped his master relax.
Lin Chen led the large lion, which reached his waist, out the door. Their mode of transport this time was a super-large RV. The spaciousness and luxurious amenities inside stunned Lin Chen. Was this the extravagance of a billionaire?
Parker jumped on. It was familiar with this vehicle; its owner had used it to take it out for the past two times.
“Mr. Lin Chen, your luggage is ready and placed in the master bedroom.” Having confirmed that Lin Chen was useful, Man Di’s attitude towards him changed 180 degrees, and became much more respectful.
“Thank you.” Lin Chen was grateful to Man Di for giving him the interview opportunity, and of course, he wasn’t dissatisfied; it was only natural. “Mr. Man Di, are you going too?”
“No, I’m not going. Master has sent two bodyguards and a driver to accompany you. If you need any help on the way, just tell them,” Man Di said.
Although he was a little worried and really wanted to go, after all, Lin Chen was someone he brought along, and he couldn’t bear the responsibility if anything happened.
But his master rejected his application.
Probably because he’d been too busy lately, and as Si Ang’s capable assistant, he really couldn’t leave.
“Okay, Mr. Man Di, don’t worry, I will definitely take good care of Parker,” Lin Chen promised.
The big lion, hearing its name called, turned around and happily bumped into Lin Chen, exuding a roguish air.
Lin Chen was knocked onto the sofa, grimacing and clutching his back in protest: “Brother Parker, please be careful! We humans are fragile; we can’t withstand your hundreds of pounds of impact.”
Man Di, seeing how happily they were getting along, couldn’t help but smile: “Parker is very respectful of you, sir. He’s usually very composed, but around you… he’s like a mischievous child.”
Lin Chen understood and said to Man Di, “Because we’re equals, he’s relaxed around me and can let loose.”
Man Di thought about it and agreed.
After saying goodbye, the driver drove off.
Two burly bodyguards, both over 1.9 meters tall and highly professional, greeted Lin Chen. One remained in the common area on standby, while the other went to rest.
Lin Chen entered the RV’s bedroom and took off his bulky coat. While he was adjusting his clothes, Parker suddenly pounced from behind. Luckily, the attack wasn’t hard; Lin Chen fell face-first onto the bed, and only experienced a slight chest tightness.
He knew Parker was playing a prank, but he felt embarrassed. He was exhausted as soon as he hit the bed; he’d gone to bed late last night with something on his mind and had gotten up early this morning, feeling incredibly sleepy.
But he couldn’t ignore the lion. Thinking it over, Lin Chen took off his long-sleeved shirt, rolled it up into a ball, and threw it forcefully down the aisle. Then he leisurely went back to find new clothes.
The bodyguard in the common area saw an unidentified object suddenly fly out, followed by a large lion rushing out excitedly picking up the…ball of rolled-up clothes, and carrying it away.
This scene wasn’t accidental; it repeated itself several times.
The Nth time, the bodyguard couldn’t resist recording it. The N+1th time, he couldn’t resist rolling up a toy and teasing the lion…
Unfortunately, Parker didn’t even look at it, his attention solely focused on the bundle of clothes with his favorite scent.
The bodyguard immediately sent the video to the ever-concerned Man Di, reporting, “Look, Parker’s very happy.”
Man Di’s lips twitched: “…”
This wasn’t just happy; it was practically… a complete collapse of the lion’s persona.
Parker was either listless or as excited as a dog—two extremes. Man Di didn’t dare guess what the master thought, and could only send the message with his eyes closed.
“Sir, should I remind Mr. Lin Chen?”
Parker is, after all, Mr. Lin’s companion beast, a symbol and a matter of face. How could Lin Chen tease Parker like a dog? It’s so disrespectful…
Si Ang: “…”
Si Ang had already guessed this would happen…
Since he wasn’t around, Si Ang’s sense of shame wasn’t as strong, so he simply ignored it: “Never mind, as long as it’s happy.”
“That’s true.” Man Di, being a trusted confidante, thought for a moment and relayed Lin Chen’s words to Si Ang: “Mr. Lin Chen treats Parker as a friend, and a playmate.”
“Parker might be the first companion beast to have a playmate.”
In truth, the fate of companion beasts is very lonely. When they choose a master, they give up a lot; they can’t accept any relationship other than their master.
Lin Chen is special. He and Parker have eliminated everything else—status, species, contract—they simply play together.
This is too precious for a companion beast.
Si Ang suddenly remembered that Lin Chen hadn’t even discussed payment with him, yet he had mistakenly assumed Lin Chen had grand ambitions. The other party clearly thought: working for the heir of a billionaire family would guarantee a comfortable life.
Lin Chen spent over half an hour with the lion before he was finally unable to stay awake any longer. He crawled into bed and fell asleep.
Parker, having retrieved his clothes one last time, found Lin Chen asleep and was visibly disappointed. A moment later, he lay down beside the bed with his chin resting on Lin Chen’s clothes.
The bodyguard, noticing the man and lion had finally calmed down, peeked out curiously and witnessed this scene. He couldn’t help but admire Lin Chen; who was this young man? Anyone who didn’t know better would think he was Parker’s master.
Lin Chen slept very comfortably, experiencing a sense of relaxation after the anxiety. When he first transmigrated, he truly thought he wouldn’t survive in this world.
The pressure of survival, the pressure of studying—despite retaining the original owner’s memories, he was still very worried. He didn’t know if he could keep up with the school when it started.
Fortunately, now that the pressure of survival was over, and he’d even managed to pet the lion he’d been longing for, Lin Chen finally breathed a sigh of relief.
At three in the afternoon, Lin Chen got up, and nearly stepped on the lion. Startled, he quickly patted his chest and said, “My goodness, don’t sleep here next time! I’m afraid I might accidentally step on you, or even worse, you might bite my leg off!”
“…” Parker yawned and rolled over, seemingly wanting to continue sleeping.
Lin Chen ignored him and went to the bathroom.
Afterwards, bodyguard A asked him, “Mr. Lin, what would you like for lunch?”
Lin Chen hadn’t expected his bodyguard to also be a cook: “What are you having for lunch?”
Bodyguard B: “Chicken burgers and meat sauce noodles, or would you like a beef burger? These are the only ones I can make.”
After all, his main job was bodyguarding; cooking was just a side job. Having something to eat was already a blessing.
Lin Chen: “…”
Good heavens, wasn’t this the menu this poor guy had been preparing for days?
“No way,” Lin Chen thought. He’d finally managed to hook up with a billionaire boss; he absolutely didn’t want to eat this stuff again.
“Do you have any ingredients? I want to cook myself.”
The two bodyguards were surprised. “You can cook?”
“Yes.”
Lin Chen told the driver to find a place to park the car and have a proper meal before continuing.
He could cook. His roommate said it was pretty good; the guy often brought his girlfriend over to enjoy his cooking, so it probably wasn’t just polite talk.
It’s a Chinese workplace tradition that, if you can afford it, a new employee can treat their colleagues to a meal.
Lin Chen figured the bodyguards, with their burly builds, must be starving by noon.
The driver hadn’t eaten much at noon either. To be honest, the bodyguards’ cooking wasn’t anything special but he readily agreed when he heard Lin Chen could cook.
There happened to be a campervan campsite ahead where they could park.
Arriving at camp at four in the afternoon, Lin Chen was starving. He quickly asked his colleagues to set up tables and chairs, then opened the window in front of the kitchen. He gazed at the blue sky and white clouds outside, hurriedly began chopping potatoes into shreds.
For this meal, he would treat his colleagues to the most popular and appetizing dishes on Chinese tables: hot and sour shredded potatoes, scrambled eggs with tomatoes, and some blanched lettuce.
Lin Chen added beef to the stir-fried potato shreds, used less chili sauce, and, not having time to cook rice, cooked a pot of round noodles instead.
The aroma was so enticing that his colleagues’ eyes widened in surprise.
“It smells so good, Mr. Lin, you’re amazing!”
They hadn’t expected Lin Chen to be such a skilled cook; he was incredibly good.
“Don’t call me Mr. Lin, my name is Lin Chen.”
Lin Chen could cook for them, had a friendly personality, and possessed a mysterious talent; everyone’s goodwill towards him skyrocketed.
“Okay, Lin Chen.”
“I can tell you’re a professional at a glance.”
The bodyguard and driver both grabbed their utensils, eager to try it.
It smelled so good that even the travelers in the next RV peeked out: “What are you making that smells so good?”
Just as she was about to get closer to the window to see better, suddenly a lion emerged, roared at her, and blocked her path between herself and the young man cooking.
“Hey! Parker!” Lin Chen reacted quickly, and immediately put down the spatula to stop him.
The hiker, a young girl, was instantly terrified, her face turning pale: “Ahhh! There’s a lion here!”
It’s rare to see a lion as a companion beast, and even knowing that a lion appearing in a crowd is most likely a companion beast, people are still afraid!
Fortunately, Parker only warned strangers not to approach; it didn’t intend to harm anyone.
Lin Chen breathed a sigh of relief and patted the lion’s back: “Don’t be so agitated. What’s wrong with someone getting close? Bullying a young girl, aren’t you ashamed?”
Bodyguard A said, “Don’t worry, Parker won’t hurt anyone; it has no record of harming anyone.”
Indeed, companion beasts don’t attack people unprovoked unless ordered to do so by their owner. However, ordering a companion beast to harm someone without cause is a very serious crime.
Lin Chen nodded, “I’m sorry I scared them. I’ll go apologize.”
He divided some shredded potatoes and scrambled eggs with tomatoes onto a plate and took it to the RV next door, sincerely apologizing, “Hello, I’m so sorry, our lion scared you just now.”
The little girl peeked out, her expression still shaken.
Lin Chen asked, “Are you interested in this dish? Would you like to try some?”
The little girl’s eyes lit up when she saw the food, “Thank you, it looks delicious.”
She took the plate with both hands and asked again, “Is that lion your companion beast? It’s so cool.”
Lin Chen wanted to say no, but explaining would involve too much trouble, so he simply admitted it, “Yes, it’s mine.”
The little girl said, “I knew it! It’s so protective of its owner!”
Lin Chen smiled. Parker only treated him as a playmate; he wouldn’t dare to be so disrespectful to his owner.