Chapter 42: Adoption is Also a Responsibility

“This actually comes from the protection of wild animals. Some people, after adopting these animals, do not take good care of them. Sometimes there are even cases of abuse,” George explained, seeing Liu Heming’s confused expression.

“But I think we should still be able to adopt them. I’ll contact them right away and ask them to send someone over to handle the procedures. I will try my best to help you out.”

“Alright, George, I’ll leave this matter to you. As you can see, the two little ones are very attached to me. Even though we’ve only spent one night together, I already feel reluctant to part with them,” Liu Heming said with a bitter smile.

These two bear cubs were not something you could just decide to keep—you had to wait for approval, and it worried him to death. Although they were a bit mischievous, life here was usually too lonely. With them around, the whole house seemed to come alive.

“Dexter, don’t worry, I will definitely do my best to help you. Don’t forget, our Xiangshui Town was originally called Bear Town,” George said, winking, before stepping aside to make a phone call.

“You two poor little things, say a prayer. I hope they will allow you to live here with me,” Liu Heming said, stroking the heads of the two little ones.

The two bear cubs rubbed against his legs a few more times, as if responding to his words.

“OK, the people from the Wildlife Management Bureau will come this afternoon for an assessment. But when I spoke to them on the phone, they seemed quite relaxed. You can rest easy now. Let’s go take care of your other issues,” George said, walking over after finishing his call.

“Alright, I’ll take them back inside first and prepare some food for them. You can go inside and rest for a bit,” Liu Heming said, picking up the two bear cubs and carrying them inside.

George found it quite amusing, but he did not go inside. Instead, he stayed outside and made another phone call.

Just as Liu Heming finished preparing breakfast for the two little ones, he saw a car driving toward the ranch. He recognized the owner—it was Anderson, the boss of the local supermarket.

Anderson was not alone when he got out of the car. With him were Lewis, the inn boss, and John, the boss of the repair shop. Liu Heming knew right away that George must have informed them.

“Dexter, where are the bear cubs?” Anderson asked anxiously as soon as he stepped out of the car.

“They’re eating. Everyone, come on in. Please try to walk quietly, or they might get scared,” Liu Heming said, coming out with a smile.

Hearing his words, everyone moved very carefully, almost tiptoeing. The two little ones were happily drinking milk and eating beef. When they saw the newcomers, they merely adjusted their positions slightly and continued eating.

“See, this is a sign of Xiangshui Town’s revival. God sent us Dexter, and he brought water and bear cubs,” George said proudly.

“George, please don’t say that anymore. If you keep saying it, I’ll start to feel like I’ve become God’s messenger,” Liu Heming said helplessly.

He did not want George’s exaggerations to give him too much of a mysterious image. This wasn’t a fight for power where he needed to build himself up to attract followers. Quietly making money was the real goal.

“Dexter, we’re all here to help you today. I think we can finish cutting those wooden boards in the morning and help you set up the frames in the afternoon,” George said with a smile.

“Won’t this affect your businesses?” Liu Heming asked, looking at Anderson and the others.

“It’s no problem. Our daily earnings are pretty modest anyway, and I only have guests checking in during the evenings,” Lewis said with a smile.

Liu Heming nodded and did not stand on ceremony with them. These people had straightforward personalities. If he were to be overly polite in the Chinese manner, it might easily lead to misunderstandings.

Besides, his time was very tight. He still had to receive the people from the Wildlife Management Bureau in the afternoon. Whether he could keep the two bear cubs would depend on their decision.

The uncertainty of the situation made Liu Heming quite anxious. Even while cutting the wooden boards, he was distracted, and he had no appetite during lunch.

When the Wildlife Management Bureau’s car arrived at his ranch, he stood to the side obediently, like an elementary school student.

A man and a woman in uniforms stepped out of the car. Their expressions were not very stern, which put Liu Heming slightly at ease.

“Hello, these two bear cubs came to my ranch. I really like them and want to raise them,” Liu Heming said directly as he approached the two.

“Mr. Dexter, let us take a look at the bear cubs first, okay? We need to make sure they are healthy and don’t require any medical treatment,” the male staff member said with a nod.

“They’re inside the house. They just finished their lunch,” Liu Heming quickly led the two into the house.

The two bear cubs had indeed just finished eating. When the group entered, they were exercising and rolling around on the floor. At first, they tried to crawl toward Liu Heming, but when they saw the two staff members, they twisted their little bodies and tried to find a place to hide.

“They’re a bit shy, but they’re very well-behaved,” Liu Heming explained from the side.

“Yes, our Xiangshui Town was originally called Bear Town. These two must be gifts from God,” George added in support.

“Let me introduce ourselves. I’m Bill, and this is Jenny,” the male staff member said.

“Actually, you can apply to adopt them, but there are some things I need to tell you in advance. Adopting wild animals is not just about taking care of them. You also need to pay attention to their growth. Some wild animals can easily hurt people. If that happens when they grow up, it will be hard to handle.”

“Adoption is also a responsibility. So in the future, you must always keep an eye on them and make sure they get regular check-ups. This is not just for your sake, but for theirs as well.”

“Bill, does that mean I can adopt them?” Liu Heming asked, his face lighting up with joy.

The issues Bill mentioned were not problems for him at all.

“Not quite yet,” Bill shook his head. “We need to run some basic checks to make sure they are healthy first.”

“Hahaha, no problem. I’ll bring them over right away,” Liu Heming said, unable to hide his delight.

When Bill and Jenny saw Liu Heming carrying a bear cub in each arm, they smiled. The scene was truly heartwarming.

After checking the bear cubs’ health, taking photos with them, and signing an application form, the whole process was completed. The two little ones officially became Liu Heming’s bear kids.

Before leaving, Bill reminded Liu Heming again that if he ever found he could no longer care for them, he should notify them immediately so they could make appropriate arrangements.

They had seen too many people impulsively adopt wild animals, only to realize they couldn’t handle them when they grew up. But since Liu Heming met all the application requirements, just like others, they could not stop him.