Living together
The atmosphere froze for a moment before Hu Tu quickly turned to her with a beaming smile, “Jing Dan just felt a bit under the weather and her aunt has picked her up.”
“Feeling sick, and picked up by her aunt?” He Ying, holding the panda cub in her arms, furrowed her brows tightly together. From Jing Dan feeling unwell to Jing Shiyue coming to pick her up, could it happen that fast?
She looked down at the soft ball in her arms and with raised eyebrows, asked, “What about this one then? What’s the story here?”
This little guy is a spirit, and its sudden appearance here was unavoidably suspicious.
Hu Tu pondered for a brief moment, her brain whirring at full speed to patch up any holes in her story, before replying with a somewhat agitated demeanor, “Oh, her? She was brought by Jing Dan’s aunt! We planned to give the audience a surprise, so we had Jing Dan’s aunt go to the panda base to rent this little panda cub. It’ll come with us on the show to give our program a boost in viewership!”
“Because it was supposed to be a surprise, we didn’t make a big deal about it earlier. We just had Jing Dan’s aunt quietly bring it over. Then, coincidentally, Jing Dan felt unwell, so her aunt handed the panda over to me and took Jing Dan back home.”
Having finished explaining, Hu Tu mentally gave herself a thumbs-up, feeling confident that she had covered all the bases in her logic. She believed there weren’t any loose ends for He Ying to latch onto.
He Ying: “…”
She looked down at the panda cub in her arms. The panda base? Borrowed for a show?
She fell silent. The cub in her arms was indeed a spirit, but why would it be at the panda base of all places? Does this creature have such unique tastes?
“Which base are you talking about?” In Huaqing City, there are two big panda bases.
Hu Tu’s eyes shifted, “The one on the outskirts.”
He Ying: “…”
That actually matches up. Didn’t she encounter this little panda in the bamboo forest on the outskirts? And indeed, there is a panda base not too far from there…
So this panda really is from that base? She still found it somewhat unbelievable. Does she really have such unusual tastes? To actively choose to stay there, or could it be that all the pandas in that base are actually spirits…
She wasn’t sure, so she temporarily set aside her thoughts and turned to care about Jing Dan’s health, “You said Jing Dan is feeling unwell, what’s wrong with her? How is she now?”
Jing Dan, nestled in her arms, seemed a bit awkward as her own name was mentioned and wiggled about, the little panda face buried so firmly, determined not to let her see any expression on her own face.
However, she didn’t know that even if He Ying could see her face, she couldn’t make out the awkwardness through that furry face.
“Oh, she might have eaten something bad, her stomach hurts,” Hu Tu said casually, then took out her phone to continue, “Let me call her aunt to ask about the situation; she seemed pretty bad when she left.”
Hearing that Jing Dan might have eaten something bad, He Ying slightly opened her eyes, somewhat in disbelief. Jing Dan, that guy, would get a stomachache? She had always thought her stomach was made of iron… eating so much without any trouble…
But as she watched Hu Tu genuinely making the phone call, worry started to creep into her heart. What if it was true? After all, Jing Dan ate a lot, which also meant she ate a variety of things. Getting a stomachache seemed reasonable…
The call connected, and before the person on the other end could speak, Hu Tu anxiously asked, “Aunt Jing, how is Jing Dan feeling? Did she really get a bad stomach from something she ate?”
There was a moment of silence from Jing Shiyue on the other end before she naturally continued, “It might be, she has fallen asleep now, I am taking her to the hospital. Don’t worry, there’s nothing serious.”
Hearing this, Hu Tu breathed a sigh of relief and said, “We will take good care of the panda cub that you brought over just now. You can also assure the people at the base; we will definitely take excellent care of their precious one!”
When Jing Shiyue heard this, it was as if a bolt from the blue struck her. What does she mean by the panda cub she brought over? What’s this about making the base staff rest easy?!
So, what on earth is going on with Jing Dan now?!
However, no matter the turmoil in her heart, the words she spoke were as calm and natural as ever, “Hmm, take good care.”
Hu Tu’s face broke into a smile, as cunning as a fox spirit, with a subtle self-satisfaction, “Good, if there’s nothing else, I’m going to hang up now, Aunt Jing, goodbye!”
After hanging up the phone, she turned to He Ying, who was holding Jing Dan, and smiled: “Do you feel relieved now? Jing Dan is fine, with her Auntie by her side, she’s treasured like a precious pearl.”
Jing Dan: “…”
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He Ying glanced at her smiling face and nodded, then looked down at the panda cub in her arms and raised an eyebrow, “You can’t run away this time, can you?”
She thought about how she’d painstakingly fed it for most of the night, only for it to run away after eating its fill!
“What are you talking about? Why are you talking to her, what’s this about running away or not?” Hu Tu looked at her curiously, then shifted her skeptical gaze to Jing Dan.
Did the two of them have some secret that she didn’t know about?
He Ying smiled, “It’s nothing. I was just talking to myself.”
Hu Tu: “…” Do you really think I would believe that?
However, whether she believed it or not, He Ying didn’t plan on giving her an explanation. Holding the panda cub in her arms, she raised an eyebrow, “So, this little panda cub will be joining us for our show recordings in the future?”
Hu Tu: “…Yes.” Don’t blame me; at that moment, that was the only excuse I could think of.
Jing Dan: “…”
Incredulous, she lifted her head to look at Hu Tu, letting out an impatient hum.
Hu Tu: “…” Your unwillingness doesn’t matter; it’s not up to you anymore.
He Ying leisurely flicked at the tuft of hair sticking up on her head, “So, what’s its name then?”
Trying hard to ignore Jing Dan’s gaze, Hu Tu gave a sheepish smile: “Daidai, her name is Daidai.” She even pointed at the tuft of hair on He Ying’s head, indicating the inspiration for the name.
Jing Dan: “…”
He Ying chuckled lightly: “It’s quite fitting.”
At this point, Jing Dan could not utter a sound, her shiny black eyes staring blankly into space. She deeply felt no desire to deal with the two who were completely ignoring her.
Hu Tu’s expression grew even more sheepish; she didn’t even dare to look in Jing Dan’s direction. In her heart, though, she felt a bit of regret. After Jing Dan had turned into Daidai, Hu Tu hadn’t held her for long before He Ying came in.
Watching He Ying nonchalantly kneading the cub, she felt enviously hungry for a cuddle.
“Let me take her, I’ll hold her and go out,” Hu Tu said.
Although her previous excuse had dug a hole for Jing Dan, it didn’t hinder her desire to hold Daidai!
He Ying tightened her hold on the cub, and while walking out, she said, “It’s better if I hold it. Later it has to join us for the shooting of the program, getting familiar ahead of time is good too.”
Hu Tu: “…” What a lame excuse!
“By the way, is it male or female?”
Hu Tu choked: “…Female.”
He Ying nodded, holding the panda cub as they appeared in the lounge.
As she suddenly appeared, everyone who noticed her was stunned, all freezing in place with a blank stare.
If they weren’t mistaken, the panda cub in He Ying’s arms didn’t look like just a fluffy stuffed toy?
“Um!”
A loud and somewhat babyish sound echoed in the lounge.
Jing Dan noticed that everyone’s gaze had fallen on her, and couldn’t help feeling a bit annoyed as she let out a sound.
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Then that sound, as if a heavenly chime had awakened their senses, suddenly a crowd surged over, bombarding with questions from all sides. Some were even so bold as to reach out for a touch.
Jing Dan panicked. In such a public place, it was not good for her to use her spiritual powers to transport to another location. Her only option was to desperately burrow into He Ying’s embrace, seeking a shield for protection.
As she fidgeted in her arms, He Ying’s expression shifted subtly. She gave a profound glance at the cub that was completely unaware of its boundaries. After a moment of silence, she still held her and stepped back, distancing themselves from the crowd.
“Don’t get excited, don’t scare her,” He Ying soothed as she gently rubbed Daidai’s back, trying to calm the crowd.
Hu Tu also hurried over to restrain the overly excited people, comforting them, “Don’t get worked up, don’t get worked up. You’ll see her often during the show. Let’s not frighten her now; it wouldn’t be good if she got stressed out.”
Suppressing a laugh, she instinctively went “hahaha” in response.
Hearing her say that, the crowd promptly calmed down, their gazes eagerly fixed on the little one in He Ying’s arms.
Not far away, standing on the periphery of the crowd, Qiu Shuhuai watched the panda cub hiding in He Ying’s embrace, a complex expression on her face.
Standing next to her, Jiang Yan looked towards the commotion, equally surprised, “What’s happening here? Did they borrow a panda to join the show?”
Qiu Shuhuai’s expression grew even more intricate. How could she possibly know what was going on now? Even she was a bit confused.
Does Jing Shiyue really know the ins and outs of this matter?
Looking at Jing Dan, who resembled a doughy dumpling, Qiu Shuhuai took a deep breath, holding back her own desire to laugh. No wonder Jing Shiyue treats her like a treasure; even she finds her heart surprisingly softened by the sight.
He Ying was already a standout, always the center of attention. Now, holding a panda cub in her arms, she became even more of a dazzling presence, drawing gazes filled with a mix of envy and jealousy.
The arrival of the panda cub had become an unexpected bombshell in the production crew, throwing everyone off their bearings in delight.
Keep in mind, although there are two panda bases in the city, whenever you go to visit, isn’t it always swarming with people? You hardly ever catch sight of the pandas, yet you get an eyeful of the crowd.
Many people began taking out their phones to snap pictures of Jing Dan, finding her extremely intriguing. Seeing this, Hu Tu had no choice but to come forward and say, “It’s fine to take photos, but please keep quiet about this for now. We’re planning to surprise everyone when the program airs. If word gets out, it wouldn’t be a surprise anymore, would it?”
Jing Dan, sitting emotionlessly in He Ying’s arms, felt almost numb to the whole thing, having heard about going on the show in panda form too many times.
He Ying, plucking at Jing Dan’s tuft of hair, silently marveled in her heart. A panda, an animal that others rarely get to touch, she had held in her arms three times! That feeling of joy and satisfaction was nearly enough to outweigh the impression of this white-eyed panda.
What about a white-eyed panda? She’s a panda, after all! And a soft, fluffy cub at that!
Jing Dan, whose hair tuft was being tugged, lifted her head and glared at her. However, He Ying, who was on the receiving end of the glare, was first taken aback slightly, then burst out into a delighted laugh.
Jing Dan: “…” What’s so funny? Even your teeth are showing!
“Hahaha,” He Ying laughed heartily, finding the little panda’s glaring look comically ineffectual and adorable with its feigned ferocity.
“He Ying, can I hold it for a moment?” Jiang Yan approached He Ying right then, her eyes fixed on the panda cub nestled in her arms. Its sharply contrasted black-and-white appearance, tiny ears, and big black eye patches—no matter how one looked at it, it was irresistibly cute.
Imagine the most talented actress in the industry coming up to you with such a pitiful tone of voice, asking you this question. Could you bear to withstand her request? Could you refuse her?
He Ying could.
However, she couldn’t just outright deny her—it would seem as if she didn’t respect the Movie Queen’s face.
The moment she heard her mention she wanted to hold the cub, she instinctively felt a bit of resistance, as she had unconsciously started to consider the little fellow she had fed for two nights as her own possession.
She looked down at the cub that was still in a daze, lifted it up, and asked, “Daidai, she wants to hold you, will you let her?”
She wanted to see if this little cub was so easy for others to hold. After all, it was a known white-eyed panda. If it was so casually swayed by others, she felt like she might as well demand that all the bamboo shoots it had eaten should be returned to her!
Jing Dan’s eyes shifted, first glancing at He Ying, then turned to look at the expectant Jiang Yan. Opening its mouth, Jing Dan let out a very tired yawn, stretched out two little paws toward He Ying, appearing to want He Ying to hold it.
She wasn’t foolish! If she agreed to let Jiang Yan hold her, wouldn’t everyone else start lining up too?
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Seeing her reaction, He Ying couldn’t help but laugh, pulling the cub back into her embrace, and gave an apologetic smile towards Jiang Yan, “I’m sorry, she’s still a little shy.”
Jiang Yan obviously seemed a bit downcast after the panda cub glanced at her and then ignored her, staring with such longing eyes that she looked pitifully endearing.
It was as if Jing Dan was the unfaithful lover who had heartlessly abandoned her.
At this time, Qiu Shuhuai also came over, and seeing Jiang Yan’s longing, pitiful look, she chuckled and said, “Anyway, we will be recording the show together in the future; there will be plenty of time to get along.”
Subtext, no need to rush.
Upon hearing this, Jiang Yan felt a lot better and, at the same time, was very curious about what kind of background this company had to be able to even rent a giant panda.
He Ying, hearing Qiu Shuhuai’s words, glanced at her and held the little cub in her arms even tighter. Still thinking about building a good relationship for the future, huh?
But that might be in vain. This is a white-eyed panda, the kind that doesn’t recognize anyone after being fed.
After sending Jiang Yan away, Qiu Shuhuai looked at Jing Dan with a mixture of emotions and the urge to laugh. In the end, she showed a meaningful expression towards Jing Dan and left as well.
Jing Dan: “…” What does this person mean? Could it be that she knows my identity?
LP: This chapter will be divided into 3 parts!
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