Chapter 2436: Sonia (XIII)

"This gentleman's idea is quite good," Sonia said. "A small zoo for collecting rare animals. An excellent idea!"

Collecting rare animals had been a modest hobby among European upper-class society from the seventeenth to nineteenth centuries. However, raising animals proved even more challenging than making specimens. Rare birds and exotic beasts, obtained with great difficulty and transported through countless hardships to nobles' courts and mansions, often died soon after arrival. At the time, there was no zoo science or systematic veterinary medicine—no experience whatsoever in artificially raising wild animals. Mortality rates ran very high. Even African lions, now standard equipment for modern zoos, were difficult to keep alive in this era.

After arriving in Lingao and witnessing all manner of Australian "miracles," Sonia naturally assumed the Australians must possess unique expertise in animal husbandry as well.

The letter went on to mention that Senator Du had already "privately commissioned" VOC and BEIC merchants to collect rare birds and beasts from their trading destinations during commerce. After they arrived, the purchase funds would come from his own pocket, but he needed the museum's help with making specimens and raising them.

"Such generous donations we naturally accept with utmost gratitude..."

Ju Wenyi couldn't help interjecting: "Making specimens is straightforward enough, but raising animals—doesn't that require Senate approval? Where would we get the budget?"

"Oh, right, right, I forgot." Only then did Sonia remember she was just a researcher. The executive director was Cui Yunhong.

"Xiaowen, help me draft a reply. The gist: thank him for his letter. I think this proposal has great merit. But it requires Senate approval. Otherwise we cannot accept animal husbandry—we also lack dedicated animal keepers. All this needs to be submitted to the Senate. Making specimens is no problem, as long as the animals he sends are suitable."

Ju Wenyi acknowledged the request, noting the key points in her pocket notebook. Sonia stretched. "I'm heading home. The wrap-up work is yours."

"Go ahead. The baby is waiting."

"She—she's not waiting for me at all. She's already weaned." Though Sonia said this, she still quickly packed up her bag and left.

Ju Wenyi and Ju Wenjing began tidying up the research room. Since no work had been done there that day, cleaning was easy. The two finished quickly. The wall clock had already passed 6:30.

"Let's go eat."

The Natural History Museum had a very small establishment with no cafeteria. Naturalized citizen staff received meal subsidies to eat outside on their own. Fortunately, there were many naturalized citizens earning wages locally, forming a substantial salaried class. A thriving tertiary industry had developed to serve them. The food service industry, satisfying the most basic need of eating, was rich and diverse in Lingao—the world's best, one could say.

These two apprentices at the Natural History Museum, on the Senate's payroll, held an official rank of Administrative Level 14 Staff—the lowest level—receiving the minimum Level 29 salary. But as single women with no parents to support and no children to raise, living in "civil servant collective dormitories" without paying rent, every penny they earned was theirs to spend. Naturally, they wouldn't shortchange themselves on food.

"Today I want to eat something good. Go to the usual place?"

"Let's go to the usual place. But I want a different set meal—not grilled fish, I want meat!"

"I can't afford meat."

"My treat. Braised pork belly set meal!"

...

Though they had no blood relation, having been given these twin-style names and working, studying, and living together, they had naturally formed a close friendship. If the Senate didn't prohibit sworn kinship, they would probably have sworn sisterhood.

Chatting and laughing while packing their things and about to leave together, Cuixi appeared.

"Where are you... going?" Cuixi had been in Lingao for quite a while, but his Mandarin remained halting.

"To eat. Why—you coming too?" Ju Wenjing teased. "Chief Cui gives you lots of pocket money, right?"

"Pocket money? Not little." Cuixi scratched his head, not understanding why she'd mention his pocket money. He still couldn't parse the joking tone. "But I'm not going to eat, and I'm not treating."

"Who asked you to treat, miser!" Ju Wenyi said.

"Senator Cui is calling you over."

The two exchanged glances. What could Chief Cui suddenly want with them?

With anxious hearts, they made their way to Cui Yunhong's office. Inside they found not only Chief Cui but also an unfamiliar man.

"This is Senator Wang," Cui Yunhong introduced. "He currently works at the Nanyang Company. Do you know about the Nanyang Company?"

They nodded. Of course they knew. People from that company had visited the Natural History Museum just a few days ago, requesting access to examine some mineral specimens.

But this person was actually a Chief? Looking at his clothes, he seemed no different from ordinary cadre staff.

"Senator Wang plans to transfer some people from our Natural History Museum to work at the Nanyang Company—he wants to understand some situations from you. This is a routine 'background check.' You may answer truthfully without any concerns. The interview records are confidential. Understand?"

"Yes, Chief." The sisters nodded immediately.

Wang Kai greeted them with a smile. "My name is Wang Kai. I've already learned about your situations from Comrade Cui Yunhong. Both young and promising, I must say." He glanced at his watch. "It's quite late—I've delayed your dinner. How about this: my treat for dinner, and we can talk while we eat."

A Senator wanted to treat them to dinner! Ju Wenyi and Ju Wenjing couldn't help feeling flattered. It wasn't that they harbored any wild ambitions about being selected as a Senator's life secretary—simply having eaten with a Senator was an honor naturalized citizen staff could brag about for a long time.

"We'll follow the Chief's arrangements," Ju Wenjing said.

Wang Kai had put considerable thought into how to investigate Sonia. He didn't want to ask the Political Security Bureau for help. Xiong Sang would certainly provide comprehensive, thorough materials. But favors from the Political Security Bureau weren't to be casually incurred. Just hearing Xiong Sang's single sentence—"We'll discuss these matters later"—was enough to leave one puzzling for three or four days over what exactly it meant.

After much deliberation, he decided to handle it himself. Fortunately, the Nanyang Company was currently recruiting. As a company executive, conducting background checks on future employees was at least justifiable. Using dinner as cover for investigation would reduce suspicion.

The most common dining establishments for Senate cadres and staff were the "Public Cafeterias" found throughout the streets and alleys. Their grade was roughly equivalent to old-timeline box lunch shops: meat dishes paired with vegetables, served with soup and rice or steamed buns. Lavish or frugal as you pleased. Affordable and filling.

The place Ju Wenyi and Ju Wenjing frequented wasn't a public cafeteria but a slightly higher-grade "set meal shop." The shop wasn't large. Besides fixed set meals, it also offered various drinking snacks, allowing for a few drinks.

Wang Kai followed their directions to this set meal shop. The shop wasn't crowded. He requested a booth-style private enclosure. Hearing they wanted meat, he generously ordered three double-combination roast meat set meals.

The sisters felt somewhat uneasy—the double roast meat set meal was one of the shop's highest-grade options. Ju Wenjing said: "Chief, this is too extravagant."

"Not at all," Wang Kai said. "I'm taking up your dinner time. I won't be giving overtime pay—at least let me feed you well."

"The Chief jokes," Ju Wenjing, being older and more experienced, replied. "Chief, just ask whatever you want to know. Whatever we know, we'll tell you."

"Good. Let's talk after the food arrives." Wang Kai was fairly satisfied with this place. He had deliberately worn clothes commonly worn by naturalized citizen staff to avoid attracting attention.

The roast meat set meal arrived quickly. Roast goose and char siu double combination, served with white rice, a dish of vegetables, and a bowl of soup. Both delicious and good value.

"Eat, eat," Wang Kai said with a smile, while taking out a stack of documents from his bag. These were all Nanyang Company background check forms bearing many naturalized citizen staff names—decoys, of course. The one he really wanted to investigate was only Sonia.

Taking advantage of the two girls starting to eat and drink, their guard gradually relaxing, he ate a few bites casually and began his questioning.

At first, he didn't ask about Sonia but about several ordinary museum staff. His attitude remained very casual—truly "talking while eating." The atmosphere was relaxed. Sometimes he'd crack small jokes, making the two girls giggle.

Seeing the mood was right, he began shifting the conversation toward Senators' maids, asking about Valentina's situation.

"Her—her Chinese speaking is okay; reading and writing Chinese characters is basically impossible," Ju Wenjing said. "Very good at painting."

"The person's a bit neurotic!" Ju Wenyi said.

Ju Wenjing glared at her. Ju Wenyi shrank her neck and said nothing more.

"It's fine, it's fine," Wang Kai noted that the older one's vigilance was quite high. "As I said earlier, these materials are all confidential. Besides, you as naturalized citizen staff honestly reporting issues to Senators is part of your duty. Nothing to be embarrassed about."

"Yes," Ju Wenyi hesitated for a moment, then said: "She, well, it's hard to explain exactly what's off about her. She's just especially lively, making a fuss about everything all day long, making faces when she talks. When she's happy she laughs loudly; when she's unhappy she yells loudly—like having a mental episode."

"I think she's just too lively," Ju Wenjing quickly added. "She's actually quite nice. Once you get used to her way of communicating, there's nothing strange about it. And when she's painting, she's not noisy at all."

Wang Kai pretended to scribble a few notes on the paper, then asked:

"Has she ever said anything at the museum expressing dissatisfaction with the Senate or Senators?"

(End of Chapter)