Working in a Zoo with Beast Taming System

...

The central plaza of Ningshan County.

Yang Qi parked his car and glanced at the low-resolution photo of a girl his grandma had forwarded him.

It was a girl in a floral dress with a gentle smile. The note attached had her name: Liu Ting.

After looking at the photo, Yang Qi found the coffee shop and pushed the door open. The rich aroma of coffee mixed with soothing music washed over him.

His eyes swept across the shop, and he quickly spotted a fashionably dressed young woman by the window, staring down at her phone.

Yang Qi walked over and tapped lightly on the table. "Hello, are you Liu Ting?"

Liu Ting looked up, and her eyes visibly widened for a moment when they landed on Yang Qi’s face.

She had a photo of Yang Qi on her phone, too.

But the Yang Qi in the photo was from his university days—a slightly green-looking ID picture of him in a plain t-shirt.

The man standing before her, however, was tall and well-proportioned, with fair skin that seemed to glow. His features were distinct, especially his eyes, which were serene and clear, carrying an indescribable air of calm composure.

Even his simple casual clothes gave him an ineffable air of sharp tidiness, which seemed at odds with his supposed identity as a "zookeeper."

...

Liu Ting felt the tips of her ears grow slightly warm. She subconsciously tucked her hair back, stood up, and offered a smile that was much more natural than before.

"Yes, that’s me! You’re Yang Qi? You... you look completely different from your photo. Much more handsome!"

Her tone carried a genuine surprise and a hint of shyness that was almost imperceptible.

"Thanks. You’re prettier in person than in your photo, too."

Yang Qi replied with a smile and took a seat.

He wasn’t just being polite. Liu Ting was genuinely a pretty girl. Although her makeup made her look a bit more mature than her actual age, she had good features.

First impressions on a blind date are crucial.

Liu Ting, who had originally just been going through the motions to appease her family, clearly started taking things more seriously after seeing Yang Qi’s unexpectedly good looks and refined demeanor.

The two started by chatting about their respective hometowns. They were both from Ningshan County, just different towns, and they reminisced about what the county seat was like when they were children. The atmosphere was relaxed.

Next, they talked about university. Yang Qi mentioned he had studied computer science in the city, while Liu Ting had studied business English at a second-tier university, also in the city. They found some common ground there.

Then, inevitably, the conversation turned to work.

"My family told me you work at the Donghua Wildlife Park now?" Liu Ting asked, picking up her coffee in a seemingly casual manner.

"That’s right. I’m a zookeeper there," Yang Qi confirmed with a nod.

"Oh... that sounds interesting, working with animals every day."

Liu Ting smiled, but her smile now held a hint of scrutiny. "My family also said you live in company housing. Your salary... um, how’s the pay? I heard it’s hard to get a permanent position at a public institution these days. You’re on a contract, right?"

Her questions were direct and pragmatic—the most common kind of "hard specs" inspection on the blind date market.

"I was on a contract before, but I have a permanent position now."

Yang Qi answered frankly. "The salary isn’t very high, that’s true, but the benefits are decent. I like the work environment, and it’s stable."

He didn’t exaggerate, nor did he feel the need to hide anything.

A zookeeper’s income in Donghua City was indeed on the lower-middle end of the scale.

As for benefits, the Zoo’s cafeteria, housing, and other hidden perks weren’t obvious to outsiders, and he didn’t feel it was appropriate to elaborate.

But when Liu Ting heard this, her expression shifted slightly.

’He was on a contract just over a month ago, and now he has a permanent position?’

’Who is he trying to fool?’

’If you’re going to make yourself look good, at least come up with a better excuse.’

At this thought, the smile on her face faded a little.

"I work at a foreign trade company in the city. My salary... is probably a bit higher than yours, and the promotion track is fairly clear. My boss thinks highly of me, too."

Her tone held the confidence of a professional woman, but it also revealed her concern for financial matters.

Soft jazz music flowed through the coffee shop, yet a brief silence fell between the two for a few seconds.

Liu Ting’s fingers unconsciously traced the side of her coffee cup as if she were making up her mind.

She looked up at Yang Qi, her eyes holding a trace of apology, but mostly the clarity of a realist.

"Yang Qi, you’re a really nice person, you have a great disposition, and talking with you is very pleasant."

She paused, took a breath, and said bluntly, "But... I don’t think we’re a good match. It’s not that I think some jobs are better than others, it’s just that I have certain plans for my future life. I hope... well, I hope that when two people are together, their current quality of life won’t decline, and will hopefully even improve."

"Your job... probably doesn’t meet my expectations at the moment. Sorry about that."

Having said her piece, Liu Ting let out a breath of relief, then looked at Yang Qi nervously, waiting for his reaction.

Her choice to be direct, rather than being vague or leading him on, was a relatively honest approach in the world of blind dates.

After listening, Yang Qi actually felt a sense of relief.

He hadn’t felt anything for this blind date from the start; he was purely doing it to put his grandma’s mind at ease.

Liu Ting’s directness, though her reasons were pragmatic, was far better than those blind dates who weren’t interested but still wasted both people’s time, or even tried to get something out of it.

His opinion of Liu Ting actually improved slightly because of it.

’At least she isn’t hypocritical or indecisive.’

"It’s okay, I understand."

Yang Qi smiled, his tone calm. "Everyone has their own plans and standards for life. It’s better for everyone to be direct. Thank you for being so honest. I hope you find someone who’s truly suitable and can meet your expectations soon."

His reaction was so calm and magnanimous, carrying a kind of detached understanding, that it actually made Liu Ting pause for a moment. The guilt she felt lessened considerably, and her impression of him improved even more.

’This man is really composed.’

Now that everything was out in the open, the awkward atmosphere that had been present earlier dissipated.

The two chatted casually for a bit longer about the changes in the county seat and complained about their families’ eagerness to see them married. The mood was much more relaxed and harmonious than when they were discussing "practical matters."

After about ten more minutes, Yang Qi checked the time and suggested, "It’s getting late. Why don’t we call it a day? You should be getting back for dinner."

"Okay," Liu Ting agreed, also standing up.

The two of them walked out of the coffee shop together. 𝚏𝐫𝚎𝗲𝕨𝐞𝐛𝕟𝚘𝐯𝚎𝗹.𝕔𝐨𝗺

"How are you getting back? Need a ride part of the way? I came on my electric scooter," Liu Ting said politely, pointing to a white electric scooter in a nearby parking shelter.

"No need, thanks. I drove."

Yang Qi politely declined, casually pointing to a parking spot on the side of the road across the plaza.

Liu Ting followed his finger and saw a Jeep Wrangler parked there—an SUV with tough lines and an imposing design. It was the latest model, and its paint job was impeccably maintained, reflecting a cool gleam in the sunlight.

She froze.