The system issued a task to go out and gather inspiration, without specifying a destination, saying anywhere would do. But this lack of restriction left Fang Ye stuck in a dilemma, unable to come up with a destination for quite a while.
It was like going out to order dishes. What to eat? Anything, anything at all!
But that was just too troublesome.
Moreover, in his past life, he was the ultimate homebody. In college, as long as there were no classes, he'd just hole up in his dorm playing computer games, and he'd have his roommates bring him meals rather than getting out of bed. Terms like "travel" and "gathering inspiration" had nothing to do with him.
After transmigrating and becoming a zoo director, he had to be active every day and couldn't be called a homebody anymore, but his recluse nature still ran deep in his bones.
"Hey, Director, do you want to go out and have fun?"
Hearing this from Fang Ye, Lan Li felt it was quite fresh.
Although Linhai Zoo was located in the suburbs, it was only a thirty to forty-minute drive to the city, which made it convenient for gathering to eat or shopping. Yet Fang Ye hardly ever went!
He always shopped online and had the items delivered; whenever there was a dinner invitation, he would decline it, using the distance as an excuse, and suggest that if it were held in the canteen he'd join. Day after day, he only stayed in the zoo as if cut off from the world.
Today, breaking the routine, he actually wanted to go out and have fun.
"Mmm, still waters run deep!" Fang Ye laughed after taking a sip of the sour soup, "Always staying in the zoo, I should also see the world! Gather some inspiration and see how I can make our zoo better. Do you have any recommended places?"
"Looking for inspiration, I see."
Lan Li thought to herself that this was indeed the Director's style; just going out to play for no reason was unlikely.
After thinking for a moment, she clapped her hands lightly: "How about visiting some other zoos?"
"Sounds good, let's do that."
Fang Ye hadn't truly visited any zoos other than Linhai Zoo in either this life or his past life. He only browsed them online, so this would be a good chance to experience the standards of other zoos firsthand.
He asked again, "Do you know any zoos that are close to Linhai? I won't go if it's too far."
"Lanhe Zoo?"
"Let's skip that one. I previously contacted them by phone looking to buy some animals, and their director was so eager to provide information. What if I can't help but criticize when I see their exhibits are poorly maintained... Name one I haven't heard of."
Could it be that the boss liked her?
She carefully observed Fang Ye's smiling face and his gentle eyes, which seemed rather handsome...
Fang Ye loved it when people complimented him on being handsome; he might not be as handsome as Yanzu, but he had a durably attractive look. The proportions of his facial features were quite fitting; at first glance, he might just seem pleasing to the eye, but the more you looked, the more appealing he became.
Lan Li, as his assistant, was always the one filming during live streams. They sat at opposite sides of the table in the cafeteria and in the office when she helped him with research. She often saw this face and the more she looked, the more handsome she found him—she genuinely thought her boss was very good-looking!
Moreover, Fang Ye possessed a magical mastery over animals, daring to make unprotected contact and bonding even with tigers.
The first time she saw Fang Ye enter the cage to pet the tigers, she was scared out of her wits, unable to dissuade him. But over time, she got used to it and even felt proud!
Often following Fang Ye around, there were times when her heart would secretly hope for something more.
But Fang Ye seemed like a robot devoid of emotions. At an age when one typically exuded the stench of puppy love, he was still single and seemingly had no interest in the female species. He always maintained a sense of propriety, polite and friendly, neither too close nor too distant.
Yet when it came to animals, he showed so much love! When he fed milk to Ice Cake or helped it pee, his patience and meticulous care, the tenderness sparkling in his eyes, made her envious for a moment.
As a result, the staff speculated in private: was their boss bound by some family marriage arrangement, already having a fiancée, or did he only like two-dimensional paper girls?
Considering his mobile ringtone from Sakura Wars, the computer wallpaper of Shiina Mashiro, the lovelive music playing every time they entered the office, his reluctance to travel far—putting together these details, it seemed quite possible...
Was the boss truly inviting her on a date?
No, that couldn't be right; maybe it was just something casually mentioned, a simple outing with no additional implications...
While Lan Li's mind raced with wild thoughts, Fang Ye noticed her startled expression. Initially confused, he quickly felt a bit embarrassed when he realized the potential misunderstanding.
Had he misspoken and caused a misunderstanding?
In his previous life, he was an entrenched homebody with little experience with girls. He had chased after a girl once and was rejected, which made him retreat even more into his shell. It wasn't that he wasn't interested in girls; he was just really bad at communicating with them, so he chose not to pursue, to avoid embarrassment.
Seeing Fang Ye's smile turn stiff and a look of disappointment (embarrassment) spread over his face, Lan Li's thoughts became an utter mush. Damn it, she wanted to go; why couldn't she just agree eagerly and be done with it!
"I..."
"I'll go! I'll go!"
Lan Li blurted out, her voice booming.