Landlord in the Arctic

Chapter 283 - 240: Adoption

However, as soon as Feng Mountain got out of the car, his gaze was drawn to a conspicuous warning sign on the chain-link fence. He pointed at it, a little confused. "Why does the shelter have dangerous animals?"

Hearing this, the black-haired girl, Dana, sighed softly, a resigned look on her face.

"That’s because the shelter doesn’t just take in pets, but also some wild animals abandoned by private owners. Alaska doesn’t prohibit keeping large animals, so some people adopt or illegally purchase them."

"But these people often aren’t responsible enough and end up abandoning them. Those poor animals, raised by humans since they were young, have nowhere else to go and can’t survive in the wild. Ultimately, the shelter is the only place that can take them in."

"Dana, don’t talk about such depressing things. Mr. Feng, I’ll take you to see the Little Harry I sponsored."

As Tuney spoke, she was secretly annoyed. ’Why on earth did I bring Dana out today?’

’If I hadn’t brought Dana, this would have been a wonderful time for just Feng Mountain and me.’

’I might have even been able to get closer to Feng Mountain, but with Dana here, I feel a bit constrained.’

Dana heard the hint of dissatisfaction in her companion’s tone and wisely shut her mouth, saying no more.

Feng Mountain had little interest in the subtle dynamic between the two girls. His attention was completely captivated by the shelter’s wild animals.

After registering with the guard, the three of them walked inside the animal shelter.

They crossed a spacious lawn and arrived in front of a building. The whole structure was a single story and square-shaped, and they could hear a cacophony of animal sounds coming from inside.

As they walked up the steps and entered the building, a peculiar odor washed over them—a mixture of animal musk, feed, and disinfectant.

The space inside the shelter was very spacious. A long corridor ran through the middle, flanked by rooms and enclosures of varying sizes.

The floors were swept spotlessly clean. It was clear the staff put a lot of effort into hygiene.

The walls were lined with colorful posters, filled with pictures and text, about animal rescue facts and the stories of the animals that had been saved. They gave you a general understanding of the shelter’s work at a single glance.

Tuney excitedly led the way, occasionally looking back to say a few words to Feng Mountain. Her eyes were full of anticipation, eager to take him to see her sponsored pet, Little Harry.

Feng Mountain stopped in front of a row of neat animal enclosures.

The enclosures were lined up one after another, each with a sturdy fence and a cozy little den.

Some of the enclosures held a few lively puppies, who were excitedly running back and forth. Seeing people approach, they immediately rushed to the edge of their fences.

"Tuney, Dana, you’re late," a voice called out from the corridor.

The three of them turned to see a man wearing glasses and a long white coat.

The glasses rested on a high-bridged nose, and his eyes behind the lenses held a serious, focused expression. His white coat was spotless, giving him a professional and capable air.

"Mr. Snow, we were delayed on the way." Seeing him, Dana quickly stepped forward and explained apologetically.

Tuney, however, looked thoroughly displeased.

’I was so looking forward to spending some time alone with Feng Mountain at the shelter.’

’I can’t believe we got caught for being late and were immediately assigned tasks. Such a buzzkill.’

"Hurry up and get changed. Enclosure B13 needs to be prepped. A reindeer that was hit by a car is coming in soon."

The man in glasses didn’t give the two girls any time to dawdle, quickly assigning their tasks.

After saying that, his gaze swept over to Feng Mountain, sizing him up. "You’re a new volunteer, right? Come with me. It’s time to feed the tigers. You can help push the food cart."

’Feed the tigers?’

The moment Feng Mountain heard that, he perked up, his eyes brightening.

Without a moment’s hesitation, he left the dumbfounded Tuney behind and strode off after the man in glasses.

Tuney stood frozen in place, watching Feng Mountain’s departing figure, feeling both annoyed and helpless.

’My Prince Charming has flown the coop!’

Feng Mountain followed the man in glasses through the small animal enclosure area and out a back door into a fenced-in clearing. The chain-link fence here was taller and thicker.

However, to Feng Mountain’s greater surprise, the tigers in the enclosure were not the majestic, fierce beasts he had imagined.

Instead, he saw several tigers lounging adorably on the ground. Their round bodies were like giant, furry pom-poms, their signature striped coats stretched so tight they looked ready to split.

Some tigers were lying on their backs with all four paws in the air, revealing their round bellies. They would occasionally give a lazy swipe with a paw, looking exactly like giant, cuddly orange tabby cats seeking attention.

When these tigers saw the man in glasses appear, they all came to life. Shedding their previous languor, they began to lumber toward the fence, crowding together and letting out low rumbles.

’These are tigers?’

These were nothing like the tigers Feng Mountain had seen on television—the kind that could climb trees to catch monkeys and take down wild boars.

"Ever fed a tiger, buddy?" the man in glasses asked as he unhurriedly wheeled a meat-filled cart out from a corner. He walked slowly toward the fence, glancing back to look at Feng Mountain with a scrutinizing gaze.

Feng Mountain shook his head.

"Don’t be scared. These tigers are very obedient; they don’t bite. You push the cart, I’ll open the gate," the man in glasses said with a smile. He handed the cart to Feng Mountain and went to pull open the iron gate in the fence.

As the iron gate opened, the tigers smartly moved back and lay down off to the side, as if it were a long-ingrained habit.