Future Pet Shop

Chapter 328: Chapter 328: Let’s Go to Emei Mountain

After the photo shoot, the keepers didn’t rush to take the panda cubs back inside. Instead, they left them out to play with Hah’Er. The cubs were developing quickly and were very healthy; it was time for them to see a bit of the outside world.

A whole swarm of little black and white buns swarmed around Hah’Er, the big black and white bun. Hah’Er sat on the ground with a cub on his shoulders, one clinging to his chest, another tugging on his arm, and two more on his legs. He was surrounded by a whole pile of them. Meanwhile, Maphario held fast to his prime real estate in Hah’Er’s chest pocket, refusing to yield his spot to anyone.

Poor Hah’Er was utterly overwhelmed by these little rascals. He scratched his head, not knowing what to do. He could only sit there looking dazed, letting the cubs climb all over him as they had the time of their lives.

"Well, now," Professor Wu Gui said, amazed at the sight. "Panda cubs are usually raised by their mothers. And if a mother has twins, she’ll often abandon the weaker one. We then have to step in and find a way to care for the rejected cub. But these little ones are different. It’s strange how they’ve taken to Hah’Er." He had never seen a panda father so beloved by his children.

"It seems we’ll need Hah’Er to stay a few more days. We need to observe this patiently and collect data. It would be invaluable material for future research," Professor Wu Gui finished, turning to look at Shen Yibin.

"Uh, I’m afraid we can’t stay for long this time," Shen Yibin said, a troubled expression on his face. For one, he still hadn’t found the sixth pet and was worried something might go wrong. For another, he knew Hah’Er was a special case. He was afraid a prolonged stay would mislead Professor Wu Gui and the Giant Panda Base staff, sending their research down the wrong path. So, as much as he wanted to let Hah’Er spend more time with his cubs, he had to reluctantly refuse.

"Alright then. Just come back when you have more time," Professor Wu Gui said, assuming Hah’Er still had filming obligations. "And don’t let him work too hard on set."

"I know, I know. It’s all stipulated in the contract. Hah’Er’s daily work hours are limited," Shen Yibin said, slightly embarrassed. "We’ll head out tomorrow, then. I’ll bring Hah’Er back to see the cubs when we have time." ’If all goes well, maybe we can even stop by on our way back home.’

"Alright. I’ll arrange for a car to take you to the airport," Professor Wu Gui said, patting Shen Yibin’s shoulder. "And tonight, I’ll have the chef cook up something special."

"No, no, that’s not necessary. I need to stay in Sichuan for a couple more days to help the film crew scout locations." ’Ugh,’ Shen Yibin thought, feeling terrible. ’Tell one lie and you have to keep telling more to cover it up.’

"Oh? Location scouting? Where are you planning to go? I know Sichuan like the back of my hand, perhaps I can offer some suggestions." Professor Wu Gui, not suspecting a thing, offered to help. "By the way, you’ll need a car for that, right? I’ll have the base find a decent vehicle for you to borrow. You just need to cover the gas."

"Somewhere around Emei Mountain, probably. I’ll have to figure out the exact spot once I’m there." ’A loaner car is perfect,’ he thought. ’Otherwise, I’d have to rent one. And the roads on Emei Mountain are probably pretty rough.’ "If you happen to have an SUV, that would be even better."

"We conduct a lot of fieldwork, especially now that we’re reintroducing many pandas to the wild. We have a few SUVs. I’ll have someone pick out a good one for you." The matter was settled in just a few words. "By the way, do you need a guide? I have plenty of experienced drivers who know the roads of Sichuan."

"Uh, I wouldn’t want to be a bother. I’m not going anywhere too remote," Shen Yibin quickly declined. ’It’s best if no one else knows what I’m really doing,’ he thought. ’What if this next Mutant Animal is a protected species? A guide from the Giant Panda Base would never let me take it back to Yunzhong City.’

"Alright. Be careful on the road, then." With that, Professor Wu Gui ended the conversation. He waved over an assistant and instructed him to help Shen Yibin pick out a vehicle, then returned his attention to observing the panda cubs.

Hah’Er, Maphario, and the panda cubs had a wonderful time playing together. It wasn’t until the little ones grew tired and settled down to rest that Hah’Er and Maphario, at Shen Yibin’s call, reluctantly said their goodbyes.

That evening, Professor Wu Gui arranged for a sumptuous feast. The staff remembered Hah’Er’s preferences, serving all his favorite dishes. They even had some Sichuan-brewed beer ready for him, which he thoroughly enjoyed.

Early the next morning, a staff member brought a fully-fueled Hummer to the building. Shen Yibin could now drive this beast of a vehicle to Emei Mountain to search for his sixth pet.

After breakfast, he took Hah’Er and Maphario to the nursery to see the panda cubs one last time. This time, however, Hah’Er didn’t dare go inside. He knew that if he did, he might never get out. He could only gaze at them for a few moments through the glass before reluctantly turning away.

"Don’t worry, I’ll bring you back to see them on our way home," Shen Yibin said, rubbing Hah’Er’s big head. ’He’s really a dad now, isn’t he?’

Back at the guest house, he stuffed all of his outdoor gear into the SUV. After bidding farewell to Professor Wu Gui and the others, Shen Yibin set out for Emei Mountain with Hah’Er and Maphario.

According to the map, the unknown animal wasn’t in the main Emei Mountain scenic area, but was hidden away in a region rarely visited by tourists. So, after driving to the base of the mountain, Shen Yibin left the SUV at a local hotel, rested for the night, then plunged into the forest with Hah’Er and Maphario, heading for the deep mountains.

’Without a flying scout like Cheeky, I have to figure out the path ahead on my own,’ Shen Yibin thought. Fortunately, he and Hah’Er had been training with Maphario for so long that they could just about keep up. After trekking through the forest all day, they had finally covered half the distance.

If all went well, they should be closing in on the animal’s location by this time tomorrow. ’I just hope this one doesn’t run all over the place like Shi Gaofei,’ Shen Yibin prayed. ’Please just stay put and wait for us.’

Shen Yibin said a silent prayer, then found a suitable spot to pitch the tent. He took out dried rations and water from his backpack, sharing them with Hah’Er and Maphario. After eating, he turned in early. ’I have another full day of hiking tomorrow,’ he thought. ’I need to conserve my strength.’