165: The adoption event concluded warmly, and the little universe awaits its return.

At the Xihong City Stray Animal Charity Foundation's adoption event, the early morning sun had just hit the colored balloons when the quiet was broken by a commotion. Big Smart, wearing a red vest with 'Adoption Ambassador' printed on it, was walking toward the adoption area carrying a pure white Samoyed. He had a bag of imported dog food tucked in his arms, but after just a few steps, the bag suddenly tore. Kibble scattered all over the path, attracting several puppies waiting for adoption to chase after him. Even a button on his vest was pulled off, revealing a T-shirt with a kitten pattern underneath.

"Big Smart! You're spilling more dog food than you're feeding!" Aunt Zhang, a caretaker, chased after him with a broom. Looking at the dog food all over the ground, she was both angry and amused. "This bag of dog food costs 150 yuan. You've spilled three bags this morning. If you keep this up, we won't have enough for our adoption gift packs!"

Big Smart squatted down and carefully moved the puppies away, his face turning bright red. "I... I just wanted to give them a little snack first. I didn't notice the bag was torn... Oh, Aunt Zhang, I saw two people in black clothes earlier, acting suspiciously around the supplies area. It looked like they wanted to steal our adoption gift packs!"

Xie Hui had just arrived at the event with Xia Zhu, holding some sugar-free yogurt prepared for the adoptive families (specifically kept for Xia Zhu). Hearing this, his eyes flickered. He silently thought "Time Stop"—the barking of dogs and the laughter of children around him instantly ceased, and even the balloons floating in the air froze in place. He quickly circled behind the supplies area and indeed saw two Men in Black taking photos of the adoption gift packs, attempting to stuff low-quality snacks inside. Their phone was still connected to a call with Wang Duoyu in the detention center, his voice coming through intermittently: "Put... put the low-quality snacks in... let the adoptive families complain... ruin Xie Hui's reputation..."

"Still the same old tricks." Xie Hui took out his phone to record the evidence and noted their escape route—it was an old warehouse where Wang Duoyu's subordinates had hidden before. After releasing Time Stop, he said to the security captain: "Take two men to guard the warehouse entrance. Wait for them to move the goods there, then seize both the people and the snacks. Also, add anti-counterfeit stickers to all adoption gift packs. Each sticker costs five yuan; two thousand stickers will be ten thousand. Order another three thousand portions of imported snacks at twenty yuan each, which is another sixty thousand in expenses. Don't let the gift packs run out."

The captain immediately left to carry out the order. Xia Zhu helped tidy up the rummaged gift packs and looked up to ask, "This should be the last of Wang Duoyu's trouble-making, right? Almost all his subordinates have been caught."

"Pretty much. This is all he's capable of." Xie Hui handed her a cup of warm yogurt, his fingertips brushing against the back of her hand, making Xia Zhu's face flush slightly. "The final cooperation fee from the overseas company arrived yesterday—300 million. We'll invest it all into the adoption event. Renting the city center plaza for promotion costs 500,000 a day, so 1.5 million for three days. Hiring ten influencers to livestream the adoption process at 50,000 each is 500,000. Giving each adoptive family a 'Love Gift Pack' with a year's supply of imported food and pet supplies costs 500 each, so two million for two thousand families. That adds up to over three million. The rest will be kept for follow-up visits with the adoptive families. We'll hire twenty follow-up specialists with a monthly salary of 8,000, which comes to another 1.6 million. This way, the 300 million is clearly accounted for."

Xia Zhu quickly recorded everything in the ledger, the sound of her pen gliding across the paper blending with the laughter at the scene. "1.5 million for plaza promotion, 500,000 for influencer livestreams, one million for adoption gift packs, and 1.6 million for follow-up specialists. This 300 million is being used exactly where it's needed! And since these are all compliant expenses, Mr. Wang Zongyao will certainly have nothing to say. Oh, a special family just came to the adoption area. It's Sister Li from the rescue station in the poverty-stricken area. She wants to adopt our Calico Cat, the one that always acts spoiled with you."

Xie Hui looked in the direction she pointed. Sister Li was squatting in front of the Calico Cat, holding a cat teaser, while the cat obediently rubbed against her hand. "This cat is fated to be with her." Xie Hui walked over with a smile and took a small jade pendant from his pocket—it was made from leftover Hetian Jade scraps he brought back from the condor heroes world, carved with a little cat. "Hang this on the cat. This jade can calm the mind. I've also mixed some powdered peach blossom island elixir into the food; it will boost its immunity."

Sister Li took the jade pendant, her eyes lighting up. "CEO Xie, this jade pendant is so exquisite! And peach blossom island elixirs? You are truly thoughtful! I will definitely take good care of it."

The surrounding adoptive families heard "peach blossom island elixir" and gathered around to ask about it. Xie Hui simply had the caretakers package the powdered Medicinal Pills into small bags and gave one to each family, saying with a smile, "This is something I brought back from elsewhere. It's good for pets' health, so use it with confidence." Xia Zhu stood by and watched, her heart full of curiosity—she had long wanted to know what Xie Hui's 'elsewhere' was really like, but she felt too shy to ask.

At noon, the security team sent news that they had caught the Men in Black who were swapping the snacks. They also found a note written by Wang Duoyu in their bag, which said in crooked handwriting: 'As long as you ruin the adoption event, I'll buy you luxury cars when I get out.' Xie Hui took a photo of the note and sent it to Wang Zongyao's assistant. Not long after, the assistant sent back a video—after seeing the note in the detention center, Wang Duoyu was so angry he smashed his enamel bowl on the floor, only to be reprimanded by the prison guard. Finally, he squatted in the corner, not even daring to lift his head.

"He should finally accept his defeat now." After watching the video, Xia Zhu couldn't help but laugh. "I heard that although he also spent the one billion, the inheritance he gets is only ten million. Compared to our charity foundation, it's far too little."

"He only thinks of himself, unlike us, where the money spent can help so many small animals." Xie Hui led Xia Zhu to the event's backstage, where a pile of packaged adoption gift packs and several boxes of items retrieved from his "inner universe" were stored. There were healing Medicinal Pills brought from the legend of the condor heroes (which could be powdered for injured stray animals) and modern smart pet collars. "These are all things I collected during my previous Transmigrations. Once we're ready, I'll take you inside to see. There are even more interesting things, like an hourglass that can store time and talismans for instant teleportation, all brought back from different worlds."

Xia Zhu's eyes instantly lit up. She reached out to gently touch the box of smart collars, her voice filled with anticipation. "Are there... things from the 'Harry Potter' world you mentioned? Like magic wands?"

"Of course, but I can't take them out yet. We'll go in and look at them slowly once we leave this world." Xie Hui smiled and rubbed her hair. "Besides, I've gained the financial authority of this world. In the future, whenever we want, we can come back to see these small animals, Big Smart, and the others."

The adoption event became even more lively in the afternoon. Many citizens came specifically, some bringing children to pick out a favorite pet, some donating money and supplies, and others volunteering on the spot. Big Smart finally stopped spilling dog food; he was learning how to groom a puppy from the caretaker aunt. Although the grooming was a bit crooked, the puppy lay obediently on his lap, creating an exceptionally heartwarming scene. Looking at the scene before him, Xie Hui felt a sense of peace—this 2-billion-yuan bet had not only won him authority and skills but also a field full of warmth.

Xia Zhu was helping register information for the adoptive families when she suddenly noticed a familiar name—it was a former colleague from Wang Duoyu's company, who had now brought a child to adopt a ginger cat. She walked over with a smile. "Sister Li, you're here to adopt too?"

"Yes, I've felt uneasy ever since I helped Wang Duoyu with the fake accounts. Adopting a cat now feels like doing something real." Sister Li held the ginger cat, her eyes full of tenderness. "And your charity foundation is doing so well. I want to be a volunteer in the future and help small animals with you."

Xia Zhu felt a surge of emotion and turned to Xie Hui. "It turns out that doing good really can influence so many people. It's a hundred times better than helping someone like Wang Duoyu."

"There will be more opportunities to do real things in the future." Xie Hui handed her a bottle of mineral water. "Once we finish up here, we'll go to the next world. For example, the 'Harry Potter' world you want to see. We can set up a stray animal rescue station next to Hogwarts and use magic to heal small animals. That would be very interesting."

Xia Zhu's face instantly turned red. She looked down to unscrew the water bottle, but the corners of her mouth couldn't help but turn up. She had never imagined that her future would be linked to something as magical as 'transmigrating through worlds,' let alone that someone would be willing to take her along and make every journey so meaningful.

As evening approached, the adoption event drew to a close. The last Calico Cat was taken away by Sister Li, leaving only colored balloons on the ground and the sound of warm laughter. Xie Hui calculated today's expenses: 10,000 for stickers, 60,000 for snacks, 1.5 million for plaza promotion, 500,000 for influencer livestreams, one million for adoption gift packs, and 1.6 million for follow-up specialists. This totaled 3.67 million, which, added to previous expenses, exactly spent the 500 million cooperation fee.

"Finally, the money is all spent." Xia Zhu leaned against Xie Hui, watching the setting sun. "Next... are we about to leave?"

"Soon, once I finish wrapping things up here." Xie Hui took a small jade bottle from his pocket, containing peach blossom island elixirs. "Leave this for Aunt Zhang. Grinding it into powder can help sick stray animals recover. And these smart collars, have Big Smart and the others distribute them to the adoptive families. It's good to know we didn't come here for nothing."

As they were talking, Big Smart ran over holding a crooked paper airplane with a little cat drawn on it. "CEO Xie! Accountant Xia! I drew this for you. If you miss us in the future, just look at this!"

Xie Hui took the paper airplane, his heart full of warmth. "We will miss you, and we'll come back to visit in the future."

That night, Xie Hui drove Xia Zhu home. Passing the pancake stand they often visited, Xia Zhu suddenly said, "I want another one with double eggs and double sausages, and extra cilantro."

Xie Hui smiled and parked the car, running over to join the queue. Watching the vendor skillfully spread the batter, he suddenly felt that this journey in Xihong City, though it began with a bet, had ultimately become a most cherished memory. When he returned with the pancake, Xia Zhu was staring blankly at the jade pendant in her hand—the one Xie Hui had given her earlier, carved with a kitten in Hetian Jade.

"What are you thinking about?" Xie Hui handed her the pancake.

"Thinking about... what the next world will be like." Xia Zhu took a bite of the pancake, the scent of cilantro spreading in her mouth. "Will there be flying kittens? Will there be talking puppies?"

"There will be everything, as long as you want it." Xie Hui reached out and held her hand, feeling the warmth from her fingertips. "When we enter the 'inner universe,' I'll show you all the treasures I've collected—from the manuscript of the Nine Yin Manual from the Condor Heroes to Su Mingyu's signed photo from the all is well world, and many things you've never seen before."

Xia Zhu's eyes shone like stars as she nodded vigorously. "Okay! I'll go with you!"

The car drove on the way home, the neon lights outside flickering and reflecting on their joined hands. Xie Hui knew that this adventure in Xihong City had come to a Perfection, and a new journey—one where he would take Xia Zhu through even more worlds—was just beginning.

Meanwhile, in the detention center, Wang Duoyu was staring blankly at the iron bars, holding a steamed bun given by the guard but having no appetite to eat. He had heard about the grand success of Xie Hui's adoption event and about the small inheritance he would receive, which wasn't even enough to cover the pocket change of Xie Hui's charity foundation. He threw the bun on the floor in anger, but could only sigh at the empty cell. He finally understood that what he had lost was never money, but a love for life, kindness toward others, and most importantly, the person willing to stay by his side to make every cent meaningful.

Back at the bottom of Xia Zhu's apartment building, Xie Hui watched her walking upstairs and suddenly shouted, "Xia Zhu!"

Xia Zhu turned back, her eyes full of confusion.

"The next world, we'll go together!" Xie Hui waved with a smile.

A brilliant smile instantly bloomed on Xia Zhu's face as she nodded vigorously. "Okay! Be there or be square!"

Watching Xia Zhu enter the hallway, Xie Hui took out his phone and sent a message to Wang Zongyao's assistant: "The charity foundation will be managed by Aunt Zhang and Sister Li in the future. Please look after them."

Xie Hui put away his phone and looked up at the night sky—the stars were twinkling, looking just like the light in Xia Zhu's eyes. He knew that the Transmigration journey belonging to him and Xia Zhu had only just begun, and every world in the future would be more exciting and warmer than Xihong City.