MTLNOVEL Chapter 352: Buy Small, Get Large Free
It's not uncommon for animals to have ticks on them, especially in rural areas, it's not just animals that can carry them, but people too.
And the viruses carried by ticks can cause very serious infections.
Chen Ying's discovery sent the staff at the Young Beast Garden into a frenzy.
All hands were immediately on deck, checking the animals to ensure none of them carried these deadly little creatures.
Chen Ying, who worked in the mountains all year round, found dealing with these troublesome critters much easier than the average person.
He applied medical alcohol and then used pointed tweezers to grip the head of the tick at the skin's surface, slowly backing it out.
The process couldn't be too quick, nor could the force be too great, otherwise the head would break off and get stuck in the flesh.
Once the tick was completely removed, he would then apply medicine to disinfect.
"These next two weeks, we need to observe them closely, and if there's anything off, immediately consult a doctor."
There were two veterinary assistants in the medical team responsible for daily monitoring in the young animal area, and they were completely capable of handling these issues.
The earlier a tick is found and treated, the sooner the recovery.
But if found late, by the time infection symptoms appear, treatment becomes troublesome. In particular, some viruses can cause respiratory failure in the host, leading to death.
However, with medical advances, both humans and animals bitten by ticks can fully recover with timely treatment.
To be on the safe side, the Young Beast Garden decided to cage the little animals first, to disinfect and de-bug the outdoors, letting them out to play after a few days.
Logically speaking, the weather in Northeast this April is still quite cold, which is not the peak season for ticks, so it was bad luck that the Little White Tiger got infested.
No other animals in the Beast Garden were found to have been bitten by ticks yet, but it served as a reminder to everyone, and a notice about tick bites was issued.
The Tiger Cub was very upset, having just met a little friend, and they had to part ways in less than half an hour.
It trailed behind Chen Ying with a heavy heart, small in size but overwhelmed with sorrow.
Chen Ying was amused but thought for a moment and then decided to take it back to see Big Tiger.
As they reached the door, Chen Ying's phone chimed with a message from the work group at the Tiger and Leopard Park.
This year's new tiger cubs had all been named, and no one had forgotten about the disabled tiger cub. The vote was in, and his name would be "Dong Sheng," meaning "rising sun," with hopes that he could shine brightly like the dawn.
"Dong Sheng, that's a nice name," Chen Ying put away his phone, crouched down, and looked into Dong Sheng's eyes, "Next to your shed, Big Tiger has a little courtyard. Do you want to go play with him?"
Dong Sheng cocked his head to think and then agreed.
The adolescent tiger lay on the platform, limbs dangling, tail listlessly hanging down.
Seeing Tiger Cub Dong Sheng and Chen Ying enter its shed, it slightly moved and let out a soft roar.
Dong Sheng halted in his steps and let out a roar of his own.
His comparatively youthful voice was full of vigor, making the adolescent tiger feel it was being challenged.
Big Tiger: Can't you see I'm still emo? Why are you so lively?
Dong Sheng, seeing Big Tiger remain still, ran over and bit down on its front paw, giving it a tug.
"Roar, wow! Let's go, play!"
Big Tiger wanted to bare his teeth, but before he could react, Chen Ying pressed down on his head.
What was this supposed to be? A blind tiger wasn't just some common cat; did they think a blind eye made him as harmless as one?
Big Tiger's long-suppressed anger suddenly surged, and with a roll, he lunged to bite Chen Ying's hand.
Chen Ying, who was ready, managed to dodge in time.
Dong Sheng was taken aback for a moment but immediately filled with rage and leapt at Big Tiger, his milk teeth viciously biting Big Tiger's front limb.
Chen Ying's expression abruptly changed, and he called for help towards the camera.
The keeper was next door cleaning and upon seeing this scene, immediately rushed over, trying to separate the two tigers.
Chen Ying took a closer look but stopped the keeper.
"They're not biting hard, let's watch a bit longer."
They both stepped back a bit and saw Big Tiger nuzzling Dong Sheng, who was not to be outdone and nuzzled back.
There would be moments when one would cry out from a nip, but the atmosphere was more one of playful frolic than combat.
After about fifteen minutes of roughhousing, both tigers were tired.
Big Tiger let go of Dong Cheng, walked up to the water trough, gulped down a drink, then leapt onto the wooden bed on the other side and lay down.
This time, it didn't intentionally cover its blinded eye.
Dong Sheng stood in place, took a few deep breaths, then also went to drink some water and followed, attempting to climb onto the wooden bed but failing to hoist the wheelchair up too.
He whined desperately and let out several continuous low growls in frustration.
Big Tiger seemed to have had enough of the commotion, bit the scruff of his neck, and with a concerted effort, hauled both tiger and wheelchair onto the wooden bed.
Little Tiger wanted to lie down too, but the wheelchair attached to him made his movements awkward, and after trying to settle for quite some time, he remained uncomfortable and started whining again.
But this time, he directed his calls towards Chen Ying, seemingly understanding that only Chen Ying could help remove this contraption.
After checking to ensure Big Tiger had calmed down, Chen Ying cautiously approached and then unfastened the restraining belt.
Once released from the wheelchair's support, Little Tiger's hind legs collapsed onto the wooden bed.
At first, Big Tiger didn't seem to mind much; it rolled to the side, making room for Dong Sheng.
But then it noticed that Dong Sheng didn't stand up to walk. Instead, with much effort, it used its front limbs to drag its hindquarters closer to it, prompting a surprised tilt of its head to look at Dong Sheng's body.
It even reached out a tiger paw to touch.
When Dong Sheng got close, it pounced on it with a roar.
Big Tiger embraced Dong Sheng, rollover in tow. Its limp lower half slid across the tiger's belly and fell to the other side of its body.
"Ao'er!" Big Tiger emitted a strange cry, pinned Dong Sheng with a paw, and bent its head down to sniff the lower half of its body.
"Uh, roar. Your paw..."
Dong Sheng, with pinned-back ears, obediently looked at Big Tiger.
Big Tiger sniffed again and suddenly fell silent.
It released Dong Sheng and squeezed through the small door.
Chen Ying gave the keeper a look, and he immediately ran outside to the safety barrier to see what Big Tiger was up to.
Chen Ying walked over, picked up Dong Sheng, "Do you just want to play here, or do you want to take the wheels and find it?"
Dong Sheng hadn't decided yet when the Big Tiger came back.
And as soon as it returned, it embraced Dong Sheng and began to lick its head fur.
What sort of problem was this?
Chen Ying watched the panting keeper, who had just run in from outside, with a puzzled face.
Without speaking, the keeper gestured for him to go out.
After locking the door, Chen Ying followed the keeper to the outside gate.
"Dr. Chen, it seems that Big Tiger has had some sort of realization, it started marking its territory outside."
No matter how big the territory is, the act of marking it signifies that the animals have the will to live.
Previously, Big Tiger had shown no tendency to mark territory and refused to eat, which was the keeper's biggest concern.
His gaze shifted to the two tigers, could it be out of empathy for shared afflictions?
Both were disabled tigers; neither had the right to loathe the other. Compared to the mobility-impaired tiger cub, Big Tiger was blind in one eye and its voice was a bit hoarse—what was that? What could that be?
Therefore, happiness is realized through comparison.
Over the next few days, the outdoor area underwent pest control and weed removal to check for dangers, leaving the animals confined to the animal shed. Big Tiger and Dong Sheng could only be active inside the animal shed as well.
However, starting from that day, Big Tiger accepted Dong Sheng.
With the indoor shed inconvenient for a wheelchair, occasionally it would bite Dong Sheng's scruff to drag it around, and during sleep, it would hold Dong Sheng together in its embrace.
After about a week, when the outdoor area had been cleared, the animals could go out and enjoy the warm spring sun again.
Big Tiger had become good buddies with Dong Sheng.
The wooden structures outdoors had also become their favorite nap spot.
But Dong Sheng hadn't forgotten those three Little Brain Tigers from that day.
One morning after breakfast, Dong Sheng bit the keeper's hand wanting its little wheelchair.
While Big Tiger chewed on bones, it watched the neighboring cage where Dong Sheng was being fitted into its little wheelchair.
After getting ready, Dong Sheng called out twice to Big Tiger, then stepped away from the indoor shed.
As it disappeared into the corridor, Big Tiger found the meat in its mouth had lost its flavor.
It finished eating reluctantly, as if chewing wax. After drinking some water, Big Tiger jumped onto a stone platform to lie down. Its remaining eye looked out the window, lost in thought.
The Little Brain Tiger strutted confidently along the path; its small steps were light and joyful.
When Chen Ying received the message from the keeper, he was in the central leadership's office discussing the transportation of the two tigers with several group leaders and two directors.
Indeed, Chen Ying couldn't stay long; he planned to take Dong Sheng back to Jiamu Gully in a few days to continue treatment.
Unexpectedly, Group Leader Jin and Group Leader Qi sought him out, hoping he would take the sub-adult tiger with the blinded eye with him when he left.
Group Leader Jin felt that Big Tiger's entire demeanor improved when it was with Dong Sheng, but without Dong Sheng, no one could guarantee it would maintain this state.
To talk frankly, it was difficult for this tiger to be fed in the same area as other tigers; if it stayed here, it would have to live a lonely life as a solitary tiger.
Chen Ying wanted to retort, but ultimately held back.
He contacted the rescue center, and while the director was rather reluctant to take it in, the final agreement was that the Tiger and Leopard Breeding Center would bear all the treatment costs for the tiger, and only after its recovery would they decide its final destination.
At this point, Chen Ying didn't care to say more.
As long as it didn't cost him personally, it wouldn't matter; he already had an elderly one-eyed tiger, one more wouldn't make a difference. After all, in Jiamu Gully, the true master was him, and a tiger was just a larger slow loris.
Having nearly finished the meeting, he seized the update of Dong Sheng playing outside as an opportunity to excuse himself, asking them to discuss the specific transportation matters with the Jiamu Gully rescue center.
Just a few steps out, Group Leader Qi caught up with him.
"Uncle Qi, why are you out here?"
"Let them hash it out themselves; I want to join you to see Little Dong Sheng."
A few more steps and Group Leader Qi spoke carefully.
"Dr. Chen, don't be upset about this. Old Jin didn't have a choice. He couldn't just watch Big Tiger wither away and starve. With you, at least it will survive."
Chen Ying was silent, sensing that Group Leader Qi hadn't told the whole truth.
But the affairs of the center had nothing to do with him, and he preferred not to get involved. If he was told to take the tiger, he would take it; just another tiger, and perhaps a playmate for Dong Sheng after all.