"Hey, sharp eyes!"

Pang Yunrui offered a word of praise, then turned to a young woman on his team with black-framed glasses and a neat ponytail. "Xiao Ya, you answer the Director’s question. You studied environmental ecology, and you were the most thorough during the inspection."

Xiao Ya, having been called upon, immediately took a step forward, pushed up her glasses, and began her report in a clear and fluid voice.

"Yes, Director. We’ve done a preliminary survey. This body of water covers about fifteen acres, and we estimate its deepest point exceeds five meters."

"We ran a quick water quality test. The pH value, dissolved oxygen, ammonia nitrogen, and other indicators are all quite good, with no significant signs of eutrophication."

"In the rock crevices on the western bank and in the silt layer at the bottom, there are indeed signs of seepage from more than one active spring. This ensures the water’s circulation and self-purifying capabilities."

"Additionally, two seasonal streams flow down from the northern slopes into the pond, and their volume will increase during the rainy season."

"Overall, this body of water has a very solid ecological foundation. With proper planning and maintenance of its current state, it could easily support a fine aquatic or wetland animal exhibit. We could even consider introducing some native fish and benthic organisms to form a small-scale food chain."

Her report was well-organized, blending data with analysis and revealing her solid professional expertise.

"Very good."

Yang Qi nodded in approval after listening. "We must preserve this pond. In the future, it will be more than just a landscape feature; it will be a home for many aquatic and semi-aquatic animals, and it could even serve as a crucial node in the entire zoo’s ecological cycle."

"Great minds think alike!"

Pang Yunrui clapped his hands and laughed. "That’s what I was thinking, too! If we just tidy up the shoreline a bit and clear out some of the silt, it wouldn’t be an exaggeration to call it a small natural lake. It’ll definitely be a highlight in our zoo!"

Just as they were discussing the future plans for the pond, the sound of another car engine approached from a distance.

A gray, dust-covered SUV with sharp, rugged lines appeared, driving down the same bumpy dirt road they had taken. It came to a stop next to the Wrangler.

The doors opened, and two men and two women got out.

The woman leading them looked to be about thirty-four or thirty-five. She wore well-tailored khaki cargo pants and a light gray outdoor shirt, the cuffs casually rolled up to reveal a pair of slender forearms.

She possessed a unique disposition that blended a scholarly air with the competence of a woman of action. Standing on the wild, grassy slope, she didn’t seem out of place at all; on the contrary, she had a strange sense of harmony with the environment.

"Well, look who it is! Perfect timing!"

Pang Yunrui’s eyes lit up. He immediately waved them over, then turned to Yang Qi and said, "Junior, let me introduce you to a key player."

He led Yang Qi forward a few steps and smiled at the leading woman. "Engineer Ye, it must have been a long journey. This is the man I’ve told you about so many times, the future director of the Xianlai Zoo, Yang Qi—Director Yang."

"The zoo’s animal welfare and exhibit designs will depend on your close collaboration from now on."

With that, he turned back to Yang Qi and made a formal introduction. "Junior, this is Ye Jiatong, Designer Ye. She’s the head of the landscape and ecological design team I specially invited from the Provincial Capital. She has a wealth of experience in planning wildlife parks and ecological conservation areas."

"As for our Xianlai property—how we’ll implement the functional zones, venue layouts, visitor routes, and ecological integration—it’ll all be up to Engineer Ye and her team to draw up the blueprints."

"If you have any wild, imaginative ideas or specific, minute details in mind, now’s the time to talk to her about them."

Ye Jiatong’s gaze had already fallen on Yang Qi. She sized him up calmly before proactively extending her right hand. Her voice was clear. "Director Yang, hello. President Pang has mentioned you many times; I’ve heard a lot about you. I’m Ye Jiatong, and I’m in charge of the overall planning and design for the Xianlai project. I look forward to working with you."

"Engineer Ye, hello."

Yang Qi reached out and shook her hand, replying with equal calm, "The pleasure is all mine. I’m a layman when it comes to design, but we can certainly have plenty of discussions regarding animal needs and ecological integration."

He paused, then continued under the astonished and curious gazes of the others. "I actually came here today with more than just a site visit in mind. I have a specific idea I’d like to discuss with Engineer Ye and everyone else."

Hearing this, Ye Jiatong’s expression didn’t change. She simply gave a slight nod and made a "go on" gesture.

"Please, Director Yang, go ahead."

"It’s like this." Yang Qi’s gaze swept over the open slope, the clear pond, and the rolling hills in the distance as he began to speak. "I’ve personally done a bit of research into the traditional study of Feng Shui."

"My idea is to incorporate a Feng Shui Array into the overall plan and layout of the future Xianlai Zoo. The hope is to better harmonize the environment’s *qi*, allowing the animals who live here to be healthier and more peaceful, while visitors can also feel relaxed and comfortable in both body and mind."

"Huh?"

The moment the words were out, everyone present reacted differently.

Pang Yunrui’s chubby face clearly went slack for a moment. He blinked, obviously not expecting Yang Qi to suddenly bring up such a topic.

"Junior, you know about Feng Shui, too?"

His tone was filled with surprise, but not doubt.

Xiao Ya, Zhang Xin, and the other younger team members also exchanged glances, their faces showing a mixture of surprise and curiosity.

After all, for the term "Feng Shui" to appear in a formal discussion about planning an ecological park was, to say the least, interdisciplinary.

"I know a little."

Yang Qi’s expression was as calm as ever.

Ye Jiatong, however, just nodded calmly. "This Feng Shui Array, Director Yang, how exactly do you envision arranging it? Are there any special requirements for the site or the layout? Do you hope to integrate it into the overall landscape, or for it to be a separate, distinct area?"