“Miss Su, I knew I wasn’t wrong about you. You’re smart—you really made a wise choice!”
Zheng Tengshi couldn’t help laughing as he looked at Su Muzhi standing at the entrance of Wish Animal Park, carrying several bulky bags. He gestured invitingly.
“Let’s go. Our boss is waiting for you in the office.”
As he spoke, he reached out to take the birdcage wrapped in black cloth from her hand, but she dodged it.
Zheng Tengshi’s fake polite expression faltered. He stared at her coldly.
“What? Don’t trust me anymore, Miss Su?”
Su Muzhi tossed her luggage to him but held the birdcage even tighter, replying in a cold voice.
“This is my bargaining chip for negotiating salary. Of course I have to hold onto it carefully.”
Zheng Tengshi clenched his fist behind her as he watched her walk ahead. Just a woman—how dare she act so high and mighty in front of him. Once she officially joined, he would make sure she learned her place.
Su Muzhi casually observed the zoo.
Compared to the rescue station, this place was well-decorated, large in scale, and looked almost flawless at first glance.
But on closer inspection, something was wrong.
The animals’ fur lacked any sheen. The water in their drinking pools was so murky you couldn’t see the bottom. There were no sounds of animals communicating—only faint breathing.
The boss’s office, as described by Zheng Tengshi, sat at the center of the zoo. It was even more luxurious—almost extravagant to the point of excess.
A man stood with his back to them. Su Muzhi couldn’t see his face, but she immediately noticed his shoes.
They were identical to the ones worn by the suspect captured in the rescue station’s surveillance footage.
She held her breath.
The man slowly turned around.
Gold-rimmed glasses. A black tailored suit. The kind of appearance designed to project the image of an elegant, refined elite.
But in Su Muzhi’s eyes, there was only one word:
Pretentious.
She rolled her eyes and didn’t even give him a chance to speak, instead turning to Zheng Tengshi.
“Bring your real boss out. I don’t talk to fakes.”
“You’re getting too full of yourself. Who do you think you are?”
Zheng Tengshi exploded in anger. Exposed, he felt humiliated and furious.
Su Muzhi shrugged and pretended to leave.
“I don’t care. If you’re not sincere, I’m going back.”
“Wait.”
A man in casual clothes walked in from the entrance.
He was tall, slender, and smiled gently—but it made Su Muzhi feel uncomfortable.
She immediately noticed his outfit wasn’t ordinary. It was custom-made.
This man was the real boss.
With a glance, he dismissed Zheng Tengshi and the other man, who obediently left the room.
He sat down in the office chair and introduced himself.
“Miss Su, hello. My name is Zhang Wentao. I’m curious—how did you figure out that the previous man wasn’t me?”
Su Muzhi didn’t stand on ceremony. She sat directly across from him and scanned him once.
“Simple. Suits are usually custom-made, so they don’t fit like that man’s did—his trouser legs were too long. Also, no one wears a suit with limited-edition sneakers.”
“Miss Su is very knowledgeable. It seems the Su family treated you well.”
The word “Su family” made her expression shift instantly. Her fists tightened.
“You investigated me?”
Zhang Wentao didn’t mind her anger. He even smiled more broadly.
“You’re not important enough for me to investigate. I merely met you once years ago when I visited the Su family. Back then, you were bright and confident. I didn’t expect you to end up like this.”
Su Muzhi searched her memory but found no one named Zhang Wentao in that circle.
His attention shifted to the birdcage covered in black cloth. He lifted it with interest.
Blackie was asleep inside.
He looked at Su Muzhi with approval.
“Miss Su is decisive. I like that.”
He pushed a contract toward her and tapped the table.
“If there are no issues, sign it.”
The contract terms were attractive.
After reading it, she didn’t sign immediately and instead raised conditions.
“Two things. First, Blackie is used to being free—it stays with me. Second, the livestream account remains under my control. No one else can use it.”
Zhang Wentao agreed quickly. That was exactly what he wanted: her influence.
She was assigned to a private room. Far better than the rescue station.
Zheng Tengshi brought her there reluctantly.
“You have two days to adjust and get familiar with the zoo.”
But Su Muzhi wasn’t paying attention.
She was focused entirely on Blackie.
Once alone, she heard its voice.
【Mmm… that sleep was great!】
Blackie woke up.
Then it froze.
【Where is this?】
Realizing something, it immediately flew up and accused her loudly:
【Damn it, Su Su! You really switched sides! Not only that—you kidnapped me! What about Old Chen?! You’re heartless!】
Su Muzhi sneered.
“Yes. I switched sides. Mr. Zheng is right—birds choose the better tree to roost in. They pay more here. I just want a better life.”
“You better behave. There are cameras everywhere. If you try to escape, you’ll be caught immediately.”
Blackie was stunned into silence.
Outside, Zheng Tengshi reported to Zhang Wentao.
“I still think something is off. Could this be their trap?”
Zhang Wentao didn’t care.
A suddenly fallen rich girl wouldn’t resist comfort for long. Still, he ordered caution.
“Don’t act yet. Watch her closely.”
Neither of them noticed the sparrow in the tree outside, which had heard everything.