Panda Cub – Chapter 12

Feel

Hu Tu felt a mix of irritation and amusement, deeply regretting that she had not taken Jing Dan out more in the previous years. Now she felt like a country bumpkin, totally out of her element!

He Ying was initially taken aback, but then burst into laughter, nodding and saying, “Exactly, you’re doing great. It’s good you can tell them apart so well; this way, I won’t accidentally eat your portion without realizing it.”

Hearing this, Hu Tu’s face went numb; she felt she could finally be at ease. The person before her was really just treating Jing Dan like a child!

Surely He Ying wouldn’t be so twisted as to harbor any thoughts towards a child, right?

Hearing this, Jing Dan saw He Ying in a new light and thought that maybe she wasn’t so bad after all?

She twisted a piece of mochi into her mouth, squinting her eyes with a gentle smile—indeed, it was gourmet food that brought the greatest joy to a spirit.

He Ying watched Jing Dan, who was oblivious to her crumbling persona, with a curled lip and a light chuckle, finding her increasingly interesting and adorable. Many of her actions just couldn’t be understood through common sense.

After chatting with them for a while, He Ying spoke up when she heard people calling for her outside, “You can stay here and wait for a bit, I’ll take you back to the hotel after the event is over.”

“Alright, go ahead with your commitments,” replied Hu Tu with a nod.

And Jing Dan just casually nodded without even lifting her head, her gaze remained fixed on her own portion of food.

Suddenly, a fair and slender hand appeared in her field of vision, looking exceptionally graceful.

That hand piled a heap of food onto her plate, and a gentle, amused voice followed into her ear. “As you can see, I’m needed for recording the show and won’t be able to eat this. By the time I return, it won’t taste as good, and it would be wasteful. Could you help me finish it, so it doesn’t go to waste?”

Jing Dan blinked in surprise, then remembered what Hu Tu had mentioned— He Ying was currently short on money. If she was in need, then surely she couldn’t stand to waste anything, right?

She nodded, indicating her agreement!

He Ying chuckled softly, then walked out of the resting room, gently closing the door behind her.

Upon exiting, she encountered another judge from the show. Looking at He Ying’s smile playing about her lips, she expressed her surprise, “Teacher He, what’s made you so happy?”

Though usually a paragon of gentleness and magnanimity, always wearing a comforting smile, this time it was different. The joy in her smile was palpable, clearly felt by others.

“Oh? Is it that obvious?” He Ying’s eyebrows arched, her smile growing more pronounced.

“Could it be any clearer? Tell me, is it because a friend came to visit the set that you’re so delighted?” the other judge chuckled.

He Ying pursed her lips in a soft laugh, thinking of that person who must be diligently tucking into their food at the moment, her eyes crinkled with even deeper mirth, “Yes, the little friend came by. How could I not be happy?”

Even she didn’t know what had made her so cheerful, but she just felt in a very good mood.

Afterward, the two judges left, chatting and laughing. Meanwhile, the pair in the resting room were watching the live broadcast on the big screen inside.

Looking at He Ying, who still appeared flawlessly beautiful despite the close-up shot, Hu Tu sighed regretfully, “What a pity she won’t hang out with me; otherwise, with her looks, what would it matter if I stayed chaste for a hundred years?”

Being with He Ying and then starting her own colorful life after her death.

Jing Dan turned to look at her, frowning seriously, “You should stop always thinking about playing around. Auntie said that the one who’s always hunting geese might eventually get pecked blind by one. Be careful not to let the geese peck out your eyes.”

Hu Tu: “…”

Is this some kind of spirit talk?

“Just shut it! All day it’s ‘my auntie says this, my auntie says that.’ With you being such an ‘auntie’s girl,’ will you ever be able to find a partner?”

She rolled her eyes dramatically. Hu Tu had been playing the field for many years; what kind of people hadn’t she seen? Could she possibly wreck her ship now?

Not long after, Hu Tu, pinned firmly under someone on the bed, deeply regretted not having heeded Jing Dan’s words that day, resulting in herself being pressed down with no escape.

Jing Dan, who had been called an “auntie’s girl,” gave her a cold glare. Although she was indeed an auntie’s girl, she firmly believed she was nothing like those mama’s boys depicted in TV dramas. She had her own opinions and a sense of right and wrong!

The two of them ended up watching all of today’s recordings in the lounge. Just watching made it clear that these dance competition shows were exhausting, with each contestant performing their dance, being evaluated and scored, and then possible recruitment to a team. By the end, Jing Dan was dozing off.

Indeed, she was more suited to watching those edited programs.

As Jing Dan grew sleepy, Hu Tu also felt the strain. Having barely made it to the end of today’s shoot, she felt a sense of relief wash over her.

Earning money was indeed not so easy.

When He Ying came back, she found Jing Dan already asleep on the couch, while Hu Tu appeared to be utterly spent, looking as if she had endured a great deal of suffering.

“…”

She couldn’t help but smile at the sight. She approached and squatted in front of Jing Dan, bowing her head to gaze at her face. The superb contours outlined a stunning beauty, making He Ying marvel at what a natural beauty Jing Dan was.

“Wake up, if you want to sleep, go back to the hotel,” she said to Jing Dan. At the same time, she glanced at the table and noticed that Jing Dan had indeed finished everything very cleanly, not leaving a bit behind.

As she gazed down at Jing Dan’s sleeping face, she felt as if she had come to understand something.

She may seem cool and distant, but in private, she’s just a foodie who loves to eat!

She chuckled softly, her voice growing more gentle as she began to wake Jing Dan, watching her slowly open her eyes, still somewhat dazed and confused, which made He Ying’s heart skip a beat.

This bewildered, unguarded look really resembled that of a newborn cub, striking directly at the softest part of the heart.

Jing Dan rubbed her eyes, then smelled that familiar and pleasant faint scent. As she opened her eyes and looked towards He Ying, their close proximity greatly magnified He Ying’s face.

Jing Dan: “Why are you so close? Your face looks so big.”

He Ying’s face stiffened as she saw the serious expression on Jing Dan’s face and found herself at a loss for words.

Hearing Jing Dan’s comment, Hu Tu burst into laughter nearby. “He Ying, even you have your moments!”

Go and ask around; who wouldn’t want He Ying to stay close to them? And there goes Jing Dan actually complaining about someone’s face being too big! Hahaha!

He Ying shot her a sidelong glance and then tenderly took out two tissues, handing them to Jing Dan, “Wipe your face; it’s all oily from sleep.”

Hu Tu just lost it, bursting into roaring laughter and pounding on the floor.

Jing Dan’s face suddenly took on the look of someone struck by lightning, staring at He Ying in utter disbelief.

She had an oily face from sleeping?!

Seeing her reaction, He Ying couldn’t help but suppress a smile, taking it upon herself to wipe her face, explaining as she did so, “It’s perfectly normal. Skin unconsciously secretes oil during sleep – that’s the real culprit behind an oily face.”

Jing Dan was speechless…

But she’s a spirit, not even human!

After He Ying helped her clean her face, she tossed the tissue into the trash can and turned back to see that she still had the look of someone struck by lightning, seemingly unable to accept that her face could produce oil.

Seeing her like this, He Ying let out a gentle laugh and eventually couldn’t bear to tease her any longer, “Alright, alright, I was just playing with you. Your face is clean, not oily at all.”

Pure and clean – when she had pretended to wipe her face earlier, she had even taken the opportunity to give her cheek a pinch, finding the texture surprisingly pleasant to the touch.

The author has something to say:

He Ying: It felt so wonderful, it rivals the sensation of the first time I encountered that little panda!