Miniature pigs were considered rare animals.
Wang Cheng had originally planned to trouble his little sister with looking after the miniature pig for a while, but one casual remark from his boss made him hesitate.
Rare wild animals were under state protection. Whether hunting or keeping one, a person had to apply to the relevant authorities for a special hunting permit or hold the appropriate license for keeping one. Otherwise, it would be illegal.
That made things even more troublesome.
“Boss, can I ask you for a favor?” Wang Cheng hesitated the entire way before finally speaking up. After thinking it over again and again, he still had no choice but to ask his little sister to look after the miniature pig for a while. But he could not exactly ask her to do something illegal. If Mama Wang found out, she would probably butcher him. So he needed someone to help apply for those two permits, and among the people he knew, his boss seemed to be the only one with that kind of ability.
“You seem to have forgotten something.”
“What?”
“Fengxia Mountain is my territory now.”
Wang Cheng immediately understood what he meant. In other words, the miniature pig technically belonged to him too. Wang Cheng promptly seized the opening with shameless ease. “Then Boss has even more reason to help. This is your pig. I’m helping your pig right now, so shouldn’t you make sure we’re covered?”
He climbed that pole so smoothly that Chu Yifeng was getting his first real taste of just how thick-skinned Wang Cheng could be. Especially after hearing him repeat “your pig” over and over, he froze for a moment. After a while, the faintest trace of a smile that was not quite a smile seemed to appear on his face.
Wang Cheng could not tell whether that expression meant he agreed or not.
“I suppose you have a point.”
Wang Cheng thought, If I didn’t have a point, would I dare say it?
By the time they returned to Guanjia Village, it was already noon. Mama Wang had prepared lunch long ago, and even from outside the house, the aroma of food drifted through the air.
Wang Cheng got out of the car holding the miniature pig, then bent down and solemnly said to Chu Yifeng inside, “Boss, drive safely. I’ll have to trouble you with that matter.” He was only missing the words, I won’t keep you for lunch.
His boss was probably used to delicacies from land and sea and would hardly want ordinary country home cooking, so Wang Cheng had never even considered inviting him to stay for lunch. Besides, he had not told Mama Wang in advance that they would have a guest, so she had not prepared an extra portion. Under those circumstances, keeping him for the meal was even less possible.
“Remember to be on time for work tomorrow.” Leaving those words behind, Chu Yifeng drove away.
A capitalist really was a capitalist, always thinking about squeezing labor out of his employees. Only after the rear of the sports car disappeared from sight did Wang Cheng turn and head inside.
The miniature pig he had brought home immediately caught his family’s attention, especially his little sister’s. She was used to seeing big, fat domestic pigs, so the sight of such a tiny one instantly melted her. Right after lunch, she eagerly carried the miniature pig off to give it a bath, only for a full-scale bathroom battle to break out. The pig hated bathing and started running everywhere the moment it touched water. Fortunately, Little Sister had the habit of shutting the door behind her, and with one injured leg, the miniature pig could not run very fast. Every time it tried to escape, she caught it again before it got far.
Only after the two of them had finished wrestling with each other did Wang Cheng take his clothes and go shower. When he came out, he happened to run into Papa Wang.
Papa Wang asked where the miniature pig had come from. Wang Cheng told him he had picked it up on Fengxia Mountain. It was unusual, but it was not some dangerous animal, and their family had raised pigs before, so Papa Wang did not think much of it. One more pig or one less made little difference to the household. Still, there were some things he needed to remind his son about.
“In a little over a month, your sister will be leaving for university. She won’t have time to help you take care of this pig then. You’ll have to figure it out yourself. Your mom and I won’t have time either.”
“I know, Dad. Don’t worry about it. Since I brought it home, I’ll take responsibility for it to the end.”
“I wonder when your sister’s college entrance exam results will come out.” Speaking of university reminded Papa Wang of his daughter’s gaokao results. He was probably even more anxious than the person who had actually taken the exam. After all, she was another one of his great sources of pride.
“It should be soon. I heard the results come out around the twenty-seventh. Today’s the twenty-first, so there aren’t many days left. Oh, right. Dad, happy holiday.” Wang Cheng understood how Papa Wang felt. His little sister was the best student in the family. She often ranked first in exams and had never dropped from that position. The only exception was once when she was sick and could not take the test. Even Eldest Brother was faintly outdone by her in that respect.
Papa Wang froze. “Today isn’t my birthday.”
“I know it isn’t your birthday. It’s Father’s Day.” Wang Cheng did not know whether to laugh or cry, though Papa Wang’s reaction was understandable. This was the first time he had ever said those words to him face-to-face.
Papa Wang clearly realized that too. Hearing his second son say those words had always been one of his and Mama Wang’s wishes. His eyes had barely begun to grow moist when Wang Cheng’s next sentence left him confused instead.
“Dad, I got a gift for you and Mom.”
“Where is it?” Papa Wang looked around but could not see anything in his hands.
“You’ll find out later.” Wang Cheng deliberately kept him in suspense, then continued before Papa Wang could respond, “I’m tired. You and Mom should get some rest early too. Good night.”
The door closed, leaving Papa Wang just as puzzled as before. He went back to his room and discussed it with Mama Wang for ages, but the two of them still could not figure out what Wang Cheng meant.
Wang Cheng turned on his older brother’s computer. It had been bought five or six years ago, and the tower was like an old man with one foot in the grave, liable to kick the bucket at any moment. But since it still worked, no one had thrown it out as scrap.
Wang Cheng searched online for information about miniature pigs and only then learned that people did keep this kind of pig. Most called them fragrant pigs. Thinking about it, perhaps some kind of possession permit was not necessarily required after all. Still, he did not regret asking. Having one was better than not having one. Better safe than sorry.