"Officer, someone is trafficking a panda! Aren't you going to do anything about it?" The reality of seeing a panda somewhere other than the Giant Panda Base or a zoo was a bit much for the mother to accept. She looked at Bai Yanni and spoke anxiously.
"Mommy, Tuanzi is so cute! Please don't let the nice policeman send him back to the zoo to be locked up, okay?" Before Bai Yanni could even reply, Nuomituan grew upset, tugging on her mother's skirt and pleading.
"Ma'am, we already investigated this matter yesterday. We can't disclose the specific details, but I can assure you that this panda has not been trafficked. This gentleman also possesses all the required legal paperwork." Bai Yanni finally had a chance to explain.
'Someone can privately own a panda?' The mother felt like her brain was short-circuiting. 'What in the world is going on?' But after a moment of confusion, she couldn't be bothered to think about it anymore. As long as the person her daughter was interacting with wasn't a bad guy, that was all that mattered. She didn't feel like worrying about the rest. The panda looked adorable and didn't seem dangerous, so she might as well let her daughter play with it a little longer.
"I'm so sorry. Nuomituan must have been a bother," the mother apologized politely.
"Not at all. Your daughter is so cute, and Hah'Er really likes her," Shen Yibin said truthfully. If it had been one of those unruly brats who would run up and start pulling its fur, he wouldn't have bothered.
"Bin, hey." Bai Yanni subtly sidled up to Shen Yibin and jerked her chin toward the crowd of seniors, mothers, and children who had heard the commotion and were starting to gather. "More people are showing up. Shouldn't we head back?"
"Nnngh~" Hearing her speak, Hah'Er immediately lifted its head and gave Shen Yibin a pitiful look. It had finally gotten a chance to come out and hadn't even explored much yet. It didn't want to go back.
"Uhh, let's wait a little longer." Shen Yibin scanned the approaching crowd and saw no apparent troublemakers. He hesitated for a moment before speaking, not having the heart to take Hah'Er back just like that.
"You're raising this panda?" In the time it took to speak, the crowd had surrounded them. Fortunately, they were polite and understood the significance of a panda, so no one tried to reach out and touch it. This was a great relief to Bai Yanni.
"That's right. Hah'Er, come say hello to everyone." Shen Yibin appeared calm, but inwardly he was ecstatic. 'Hahahaha, you can be as jealous as you want, but all you can do is watch! I'm the only person in the entire world with the right to privately own a panda!'
"Hmph!" Hah'Er seemed to enjoy the lively atmosphere. It mimicked a move it had seen Po do in the movies, cupping one paw over the other in a martial arts salute to the crowd.
"Whoa!" The crowd gasped in amazement again. This Panda was just too smart! Seeing such an adorable creature, they found themselves rooted to the spot, all wondering how they could curry favor with this cute little thing.
"Huh? I think there's a bamboo grove up ahead. Should I go break some off for you?" 'Hey now, grandpa, is it really okay to be destroying public property like that?'
"Old Liu, you can get fined for breaking off branches," an old lady nearby said, shooting him a contemptuous look. Then she pulled a few bills from her pocket and slapped them into his hand. "Here, I'll pay your fine for you. Go on, hurry back!" PFFT. The crowd collectively face-faulted. 'Grandma, am I supposed to praise you for being law-abiding or criticize you?'
"Don't be ridiculous. Pandas don't just eat any kind of bamboo," an old man with glasses and a scholarly air quickly stopped the unreliable duo. "I believe they only eat a few specific types, like certain species of arrow bamboo and their shoots. The bamboo in this park is mostly mottled bamboo, which is old and tough. The panda probably won't eat it. If it gets a stomachache, could you even afford to compensate for that?"
"Thank you all for your kindness, but Hah'Er just had breakfast and isn't hungry right now." Shen Yibin was getting worn out by this group of old rascals and hurried to intervene. They were already starting to discuss bamboo groves in Yunzhong City. If he didn't stop them, someone might actually drive off to find bamboo. 'And when they bring it back, is Hah'Er supposed to eat it or not?'
"Are you taking it for a walk to help it digest? Good habit! 'A hundred steps after a meal, you'll live to ninety-nine,' right?" a ruddy-faced old man said, giving him a thumbs-up.
'I may not be the most educated guy, but don't try to fool me. I seem to recall a different version of that saying: "An ugly wife at home, you'll live to ninety-nine."' Shen Yibin decided to play along. "That's right. I brought it to the park for some fresh air and exercise. It's the only way to stay healthy. Uh, everyone? Could you please make way? I'd like to take Hah'Er for a walk by the lake."
The seniors were very cooperative, immediately parting with a WHOOSH to clear a path to the lake. But they weren't about to leave. Instead, they followed close behind. This was a panda! How could they pass up such a rare opportunity to watch one up close? They had to get a better look and take more pictures to show off to their friends and family later.
"Nnngh~" Hah'Er held onto Shen Yibin's right hand, looking all around. Then, it extended its left paw toward Nuomituan, as if inviting her to play along.
"Giggle! Tuanzi, I knew you were the best!" Nuomituan was so happy she couldn't stop grinning. She quickly ran up and hugged Hah'Er's arm tightly. The three of them strolled slowly toward the lake.
"Don't worry, I just gave Hah'Er a bath. I guarantee it doesn't have any fleas or anything," Shen Yibin's words reassured the mother. She and Bai Yanni followed behind them, and even further back was the procession of morning-exercising seniors, mothers, and children. The other kids watched Nuomituan with faces full of jealousy, wishing they were the ones holding the panda's arm.
Having finally gotten a chance to be out, Hah'Er completely let loose once they reached the lake. It lay on the grass and rolled around nonstop, muttering happy grunts and growls. Whatever it was saying, it was clearly having an amazing time.
'Sigh, you poor baby. I should have brought you out for a walk long ago.' At that moment, Shen Yibin forgot all about his credit card debt, the shop's business, and the various threats from the Future Pet Shop. All he could remember to do was raise his camera and snap picture after picture of Hah'Er's adorable antics. Nearby, the many onlookers also took out their phones, tablets, and cameras, all aimed at Hah'Er in a flurry of shutters.
Before long, photos of Hah'Er would surely be spreading like wildfire across social media. There was nothing Shen Yibin could do about it. 'This is just the price I have to pay for taking Hah'Er out for a walk.'
Suddenly, the walkie-talkie on Bai Yanni's shoulder crackled to life. She listened for a few moments, then her brow furrowed. She hurried over to Shen Yibin and said, "Bin, my colleagues just spotted some reporters heading this way. What do you think we should do?"
'Reporters?' Shen Yibin's head began to throb. He really did not enjoy dealing with those people.