"This gentleman's idea is very good." Sonia said, "A small zoo to collect those rare animals. This is a great idea!"
Collecting rare animals was also a hobby among the upper classes in Europe from the 17th to 19th centuries. However, breeding animals is more difficult than making specimens. The rare birds and animals that are finally obtained and sent to the nobles' palaces after going through many difficulties and dangers often die within a short time of being raised. There was no zoology or systematic veterinary medicine at that time, and there was no experience in raising wild animals in captivity. The mortality rate was very high. Even African lions, which are standard in modern zoos, are difficult to maintain in this era.
After Sonia arrived in Lingao, she was used to seeing the various "miracles" of the Australians, so she naturally felt that the Australians must be unique in raising animals.
Then Du Yuanlao mentioned in the letter that he had "privately entrusted" merchants from VOC and EPIC to collect rare birds and animals in the trading areas during trade. He will be responsible for the purchase expenses required after shipment, but he will need help from the museum for specimen preparation and raising.
"We are of course extremely grateful for such a generous donation..."
Ju Wenyi couldn't help but remind her: "It's easy to make specimens, but raising animals requires approval from the Senate. How can we get the budget?"
"Oh, yes, I forgot." Sonia then remembered that she was just a researcher and the executive director was Cui Yunhong.
"Xiao Wen, please help me draft a reply letter, which means thanking him for his letter. I think this is a good thing. But it needs the approval of the Senate. Otherwise we cannot accept animal breeding, and we do not have a full-time breeder. This They all need to apply to the Senate. There is no problem with making specimens, as long as the animals he sends are suitable."
Ju Wenyi agreed and wrote down the key points in his notebook. Sonia stretched her body: "I'm going home, and it's your job to clean up."
"Go back. The child is still waiting."
"She, she won't wait for me. She doesn't want to breastfeed anymore." Although Sonia said this, she packed her bag and left.
Ju Wenyi and Ju Wenjing began to clean up the research room. Since I didn't do much work in the laboratory today, cleaning was easy. The two finished their work quickly, and the clock on the wall had already passed six-thirty.
"Let's go and eat."
The Natural History Museum has a small establishment and does not have a canteen. Naturalized citizen staff are given meal stamps to eat out on their own. Fortunately, there are many naturalized citizens who receive wages locally, forming a large salaried class. A very developed tertiary industry has developed around them. The catering industry that meets the most basic need of eating is rich and colorful in Lingao and is the best in the world.
The official rank of these two "apprentices" who work at the Museum of Natural History on the Senate's salaried job list is administrative level 14 staff - the lowest level of staff, and receive the lowest level of salary of level 29. But as single women, they have no parents or children, and they live in a "public dormitory" where they don't have to pay rent. This means that they can spend whatever money they earn on their own, so they will not be treated badly when it comes to eating.
"Should I eat something good today, or go to the same place?"
"Let's go to the old place. But we have to change the food. Instead of eating salt-grilled fish, eat meat!"
"I can't afford meat."
"I'm here to treat you. Braised pork belly set meal!"
…
Although they are not related by blood, they were given such twin-like names, and they worked, studied and stayed together, which naturally formed a relationship of best friends. If the Senate had not allowed sworn sworn vows, it would have been a sworn knot with Jinlan.
After talking and laughing, they packed up their belongings and were about to leave together, but Cui Xi appeared.
"Where are you going...?" Cui Xi has been in Gao for a long time, but her Mandarin is still stumbling.
"Going to eat, what? Are you coming too?" Ju Wenjing joked, "Head Cui gave you a lot of pocket money, right?"
"Pocket money? Quite a lot." Cui Xi scratched his head. He didn't know why he mentioned his pocket money. He still couldn't understand the joking tone, "But I won't go to dinner, and I won't treat guests."
"Who wants you to treat me, you miser!" Ju Wenyi said.
"Cui Yuanlao, I want you to come over."
The two looked at each other, and what would happen if Chief Cui suddenly called them over?
The two of them came to Cui Yunhong's office with anxiety. There was not only Chief Cui in the office, but also a man they didn't know.
"This is Mr. Wang Yuan." Cui Yunhong introduced, "He is currently working at Nanyang Company. Do you know Nanyang Company?"
The two nodded. Of course they knew that people from this company had visited the Natural History Museum a few days ago and asked for some mineral specimens.
But this person is actually the chief? Judging from his clothes, he is no different from ordinary cadres and workers.
"Mr. Wang plans to transfer some people from our Natural History Museum to work at Nanyang Company - I want to find out some information from you. This is a normal 'background check'. You can answer truthfully without any worries. The conversation record is confidential. do you understand?"
"Yes, Chief." The two sisters nodded immediately.
Wang Kai greeted with a smile: "My name is Wang Kai. I have learned about you two from Comrade Cui Yunhong. You are both young and promising." He looked at his watch and said, "Today's time is very late. There is no delay. You have eaten - then, I'll treat you to dinner, and we'll talk while we eat."
One of the senators wanted to treat them to dinner alone! Ju Wenyi Ju Wenjing couldn't help but feel flattered. It's not that they have the ambition to be "selected by the elders to be life secretaries". Just the honor of having dinner with the elders is enough for the naturalized workers to brag about for a long time.
"Everything is at the discretion of the chief," Ju Wenjing said.
Wang Kai thought a lot about how to investigate Sonia. He didn't want to ask the Political and Security Bureau for advice. Needless to say, Xiong Sang would definitely give him a comprehensive and complete material. However, favors from the Political Security Bureau cannot be owed casually. Just hearing Xiong Sang's words: "We will talk about these things later" is enough to make people go back and wonder what three or four days means.
After much thought, he decided to do it himself. Fortunately, Nanyang Company is currently recruiting troops. As an executive of Nanyang Company, it is at least reasonable to carry out background checks on future employees. Investigating in the name of eating will reduce your vigilance.
The most frequent restaurants for cadres and workers of the Senate are the "public canteens" located throughout the streets and alleys. The quality is roughly equivalent to that of a box lunch restaurant in the old days: meat and vegetables paired with a few dishes, soup, rice, and steamed buns. Rich and thrifty at will. You can eat well without spending a lot of money.
The place where Ju Wenyi and Ju Wenjing often go is not a public canteen, but a more upscale "fixed food restaurant". The store is not big. In addition to selling fixed set meals, there are also various dishes to go with drinks, so you can have a drink.
Wang Kai followed the place they told him and came to this restaurant. There were not many people in the restaurant, so he asked for a booth-style closed box. After hearing that they wanted to eat meat, he generously ordered three double roasted pork set meals.
The sisters were a little uneasy. The double roasted pork set meal was one of the most high-end set meals in the restaurant. Ju Wenjing said: "Chief, this is too expensive for you."
"Not at all," Wang Kai said, "It's just taking up your meal time. I won't pay overtime. Let you eat better."
"Chief, you are joking." Ju Wenjing was older and more experienced. "Chief, just ask whatever you want. As long as we know, we will tell you."
"Okay, let's wait until the food is served." Wang Kai was quite satisfied with this place. Today he deliberately wore the clothes that naturalized workers often wear so as not to attract attention.
The barbecue set meal was delivered quickly. Roasted goose and barbecued pork paired with rice, a plate of vegetables and a bowl of soup. Both delicious and affordable.
"Eat, eat." Wang Kai greeted with a smile while taking out a stack of documents from his purse. These were all Nanyang Company's background investigation forms. He wrote down the names of many naturalized workers. Of course, these were all a cover-up. The only one he really wanted to investigate was Sonia.
Taking advantage of the opportunity when the two girls began to eat and drink, and their guard gradually relaxed, he took a few bites and began to ask.
At the beginning, he did not ask Sonia, but several ordinary museum staff. When he asked, his attitude was very casual. It was really like "talking while eating". The atmosphere was very relaxed, and sometimes he would even have a few small conversations with her. The joke made the two girls giggle.
Seeing that the atmosphere was in place, he began to turn the target of the conversation to the senator's maid and asked about Valentina's situation.
"She can speak Chinese quite well, and she is almost blind when reading and writing Chinese characters," Ju Wenjing said. "She is very good at drawing."
"People are a bit neurotic!" Ju Wenyi said.
Ju Wenjing glared at her, and Ju Wenyi shrank his neck and became silent.
"It doesn't matter, it doesn't matter," Wang Kai thought to himself that the vigilance of this boss was quite high, and said, "As I said before, these materials are confidential. Besides, as naturalized workers, you should honestly report the problem to the elders. It’s just a matter of duty. There’s nothing to be embarrassed about.”
"Yes," Ju Wenyi hesitated and said, "I guess she, I can't tell what's wrong with her. She is just very lively. She makes fuss all day long, winks when talking, laughs when she's happy, and yells when she's unhappy. Screaming - it's like being mentally ill."
"I think she's just too lively." Ju Wenjing quickly added, "She's actually quite nice. If you get used to the way she talks, it won't be surprising. And she doesn't make a fuss at all when she's painting."
Wang Kai pretended to smear a few strokes on the paper and asked again:
"Did she say anything dissatisfied with the Senate and the senators in the museum?"
(End of chapter)
