Chapter 38
“I’d like to request a song called, ‘Just How Many Red Pandas Do You Have?'”
The woman’s sleepy, hazy voice drifted through the bus’s broadcast system via the microphone, her tone filled with a misty accusation.
With a swoosh, Ye Qingyu felt several colorful, fluffy heads suddenly turn to look, their eyes sparkling as they watched the drama unfold.
“…”
After the incident at the jewelry store a few days ago, Ye Qingyu had grown somewhat accustomed to her beautiful boss saying shocking things and attracting a crowd of onlookers.
She said to her colleagues without a change in expression, “Boss Pei just woke up. She was probably dreaming.”
With a swoosh, the colorful, fluffy heads all turned back in unison. Gu Yue also scrambled to take back the microphone and leave, afraid that if she were a step too slow, she would provoke the little red panda’s morning grumpiness.
Let the poor human enjoy that fortune!
“Ye Qingyu, why aren’t you answering?”
Pei Rong’s hand tightened on Ye Qingyu’s collar. She leaned closer to the human and asked persistently, “Just how many red pandas do you have?”
The woman’s face was just inches away. Her pitiful expression, the shimmering tears in her reddened eye rims—all of it revealed a heartfelt grievance, as if an innocent and pure little beast had been cruelly betrayed by a fickle human.
Ye Qingyu’s heart tightened, and for a moment, she couldn’t help but reflect on Pei Rong’s words—
Do I really have several red pandas behind her back?
No.
This is a complete injustice.
In reality, she had never even seen a real red panda.
“Besides the red panda plush toy you gave me, I don’t have any other red pandas.”
Although she knew Pei Rong was just in the lingering afterglow of a dream, Ye Qingyu still chose to answer seriously.
As she coaxed her in a soft, quiet voice, she took a tissue from her pocket and gently dabbed at the woman’s tear-streaked face.
Pei the Red Panda’s lashes fluttered. Her peach blossom eyes stared at Ye Qingyu, and she half-bit her lower lip, as if trying hard to discern whether the human was telling the truth.
“Didn’t you hug and kiss a little red panda cub when you were little?”
She asked again.
The dream just now had been so real that she couldn’t tell if it was a memory or a fantasy.
The young Ye Qingyu, the collar around her neck, the claw marks on the living room sofa, the soft little red panda cub on the bed… all of it was so familiar it made her spine tingle.
But if she tried to think about it further, she couldn’t remember anything at all.
Ye Qingyu’s brow twitched slightly. As she wiped away the glistening teardrop that had gathered on the woman’s chin, she answered with certainty, “No.”
With her tears wiped away, Pei Rong’s flushed face was like a delicate flower drenched in spring rain. Perhaps gradually waking from her dream, her peach blossom eyes showed a dazed clarity.
For some strange reason, Ye Qingyu, with great audacity, couldn’t help but gently pinch her beautiful boss’s cheek.
Her beautiful boss didn’t move away, her sparkling lashes trembling slightly as she looked at her innocently.
“…”
Ye Qingyu’s heart stuttered for a moment, a numbing sensation coursing through her chest.
She blinked and, in a strange fluster, pulled back her hand and her gaze, taking a fresh-keeping box from her small bag.
This was the fruit she had carefully prepared before leaving this morning.
She opened the lid and handed it to her crying boss.
The fragrance of grapes filled the air, making Pei the Red Panda’s nose twitch.
She reservedly picked up the small fork inside, speared the largest one, and took a bite.
The sweet juice burst in her mouth, coolly soaking her throat. She squinted her eyes in satisfaction.
Ye Qingyu would surely not bear to deceive her, a little panda. So if she said she didn’t kiss and hug a red panda cub when she was little, then she didn’t.
The human is indeed hers, one single Pei the Red Panda’s.
The sensitivity and fragility of the mating season were not only physical but also emotional.
But Pei the Red Panda was being well-comforted by the human.
Ye Qingyu skillfully petted Boss Pei’s head, smoothing her fur, and asked softly, “Do you want to sleep some more?”
Pei the Red Panda shook her head. “I’ve slept enough.”
Hearing this, Ye Qingyu was suddenly reminded of Tu Shanyue’s warning—”Sleep well during the day, cause trouble at night.”
Seeing her beautiful boss focused on eating fruit like a little red panda, she couldn’t help but smile.
She’s clearly so well-behaved. How could she cause trouble?
***
The bus sped along the highway, and the passengers inside sang karaoke round after round.
However, the songs they sang were baffling to a human.
Ode to the Goose, Who Will Care for a Pelican’s Heart, Am I Your Most Beloved Dog, You’ll Never Understand a Bird’s Sorrow, Panther Wasted…
Ye Qingyu began to wonder to what extent the Chinese music scene had developed.
“Ye Qingyu, do you want to sing?”
Gu Yue invited enthusiastically, “There happens to be a song called ‘An Innocent Human and a Dainty Red Panda’ on this CD.”
Suddenly being called upon, Ye Qingyu’s heart skipped a beat, and she quickly waved her hands. “Thank you, I’ve never heard this song, and I can’t sing it.”
“You don’t need to have heard it.”
Luo Bian, who had just finished howling My Ex-Girlfriend’s One Hundred and Eight Rejections, came down and returned to her seat.
After glancing at the mantis shrimp in the tank beside her, she turned her head toward Ye Qingyu, her eyes shattered. “We don’t sing with technique, only with emotion.”
Ye Qingyu: “…”
She could feel that.
There was some traffic on the road today, and the bus only arrived at the edge of the Yuqi Lake area around 3 PM.
Yuqi Lake was located in a dense forest, so before officially arriving at the lakeside, only the lush trees and vibrant greenery could be seen in the distance.
“The Yuqi Lake area is my territory.”
The afternoon sun was at its peak. Pei the Red Panda took out a pair of sunglasses and put them on, revealing only her high nose and soft red lips, looking a bit cool and chic.
When she announced that it was her territory, she seemed even more spirited.
Hearing this, Ye Qingyu was slightly surprised.
Before coming to Yuqi Lake for camping, she had searched for it online but had found very little information.
There weren’t even any photos of Yuqi Lake online, only some shadowy distant views of the dense forest.
In addition, there were some strange rumors—
Although it was named “Yuqi” (Feather’s Rest), not a single bird rested in the forest here, as if an invisible boundary were driving the birds away.
And explorers who went in would always encounter a thick fog, and after walking in circles for a bit, would inexplicably come out, never having truly seen Yuqi Lake.
Some explorers even suspected that the Yuqi Lake area was monopolized by an ancient monster that did not allow anyone to approach.
But in an age where science reigns supreme, strange rumors were ultimately just gossip.
The most widely circulated theory was: due to complex climatic and topographical factors, the Yuqi Lake area was foggy and dangerous, and not suitable for tourism.
During the meeting that day, her beautiful boss and colleagues had all acted as if they had been to Yuqi Lake before and had even shared photos, so Ye Qingyu hadn’t taken the online rumors to heart.
Now, hearing Boss Pei say it was her territory, she couldn’t help but be surprised. “Boss Pei, did you buy this piece of land?”
Pei the Red Panda said lazily, “No. But, only I and my people can enter here.”
Ye Qingyu’s eyes curved slightly, thinking she was joking.
The bus drove smoothly into the forest, not encountering the rumored thick fog at all, and arrived at the lakeside twenty minutes later.
Ye Qingyu got off the bus and looked around, her eyes instantly filled with amazement.
It was spring, and Yuqi Lake was a vast expanse of turquoise, rippling finely in the gentle breeze. The shoreline was wide and boundless, the mountains and water complementing each other, a breathtaking sight.
And the lakeside where they were was a large, continuous bamboo forest, verdant and lush.
There were no other tourists here. The place exuded a sense of being untouched by human feet, natural and primitive, and even a little mysterious.
Any human arriving here would probably feel it was dangerous.
But as Ye Qingyu stepped onto the grass, she felt an inexplicable, boundless sense of familiarity and comfort, as if her soul had returned to its resting place, relaxed and at peace.
She unconsciously walked a few steps and found that in the distant depths of the forest, on the inner side of the bamboo forest, was a grove of apple trees.
With bamboo leaves and apples, the Yuqi Lake area was a place that would make a red panda happily roll around, full and content.
“Let’s eat something first.”
The camping expert, Tu Shanyue, got out of the driver’s seat, opened the rear compartment of the bus, and took out a foldable barbecue grill.
The front half of this bus had normal passenger seats, while the back half was laid out like an RV, with basic functional areas like a bathroom and kitchen.
Gu Yue stretched her limbs. “I’m going down to the lake to catch some fish for everyone!”
Luo Bian, holding her precious fish tank, walked toward the lake. “I’m going to swim and forage in the lake. You don’t need to worry about me.”
Ye Qingyu had been sizing up the forest area, but hearing this, she couldn’t help but turn around. “Are you two going wild swimming?”
Gu Yue and Luo Bian said at the same time, “Yeah, we can’t wait.”
Ye Qingyu didn’t want to be a wet blanket, but she couldn’t help but remind them, “Wild swimming is very dangerous…”
Moreover, it was spring now, and the lake water was still cold.
“Don’t worry,” Luo Bian said, coolly flicking her long, light-blue hair. “It’s impossible for us to drown.”
Her colleagues went to the lakeside without looking back. Ye Qingyu’s brow furrowed in worry, and a slender hand suddenly hooked her neck.
“Don’t worry,” Boss Pei’s voice sounded by her ear, her warm breath reddening her earlobe as she spoke. “Nothing will happen. Trust me.”
Pei the Red Panda rubbed her human’s head and led her back.
Tu Shanyue had already set up the barbecue grill and lit the charcoal, taking on the role of the master chef with great flair.
“Little Mian, come and be my assistant,” she said, winking at Liu Mian, smiling like a fox.
“Little Mian?” Doctor Liu snorted coldly. “Tu Shanyue, don’t forget, you still have three butt shots this month.”
“…” Tu Shanyue stiffened.
She placed the skewered raw chicken wings on the grill and muttered, “Why do I have to get a butt shot? It’s so undignified for a charming fox.”
Liu Mian crossed her arms. “Are you questioning the treatment plan I’ve set?”
The master chef and the assistant seemed to be arguing, and the food was slow to come.
Ye Qingyu and her colleagues set up the folding tables and chairs and a large sunshade, then took out a few bags of Pei the Red Panda’s favorite fruits from their bags and placed them on the table.
As she carefully peeled a mangosteen for Pei Rong, she said to everyone, “If you’re hungry, you can have some fruit first.”
The moment she finished, Ye Qingyu suddenly heard a chewing sound from somewhere.
She turned her head and saw Wu Shu holding a handful of raw beef, eating it with great relish.
Her sharp, jade-green eyes squinted slightly, full of satisfaction.
“…”
Ye Qingyu forgot to blink.
She had actually seen foreign streamers eat raw beef online, but she had always thought it was somewhat of a novelty, and the streamers would often dip it in a very strong sauce.
Now, seeing her colleague enjoy pure raw beef so much, she suddenly felt that the world was so big… her experience was still too limited.
Crunch, crunch.
Ye Qingyu looked to the other side and found Shui Zhu gnawing on a raw carrot, her eyebrows raised slightly, as if she were eating some peerless delicacy.
She finally understood why it was usually only her and her beautiful boss at lunch.
“The barbecue is ready! Come and get it,” Tu Shanyue shouted from over there. Ye Qingyu stood up and went to get the plate of grilled food.
On her way, she inadvertently looked up and saw, on the surface of Yuqi Lake not far away, a… wild pelican?
The pelican suddenly plunged its head into the water, and when it lifted its head again, a struggling, tail-flapping fish was caught between its beautiful pink beak.
The internet said there were no birds here. It was clearly just a rumor.
With this thought, Ye Qingyu brought the plate of food back to the table. After sitting down, she shared with her beautiful boss, “Boss Pei, there’s a pelican on the lake.”
Boss Pei followed her finger and looked, showing no surprise.
She just asked, “Are you afraid of pelicans?”
Ye Qingyu said, “It’s fine from a distance, but I can’t handle close contact.”
Pei the Red Panda said thoughtfully, “Mmm.”
So even if all the small animals in the studio are discovered by Ye Qingyu, Gu Yue and Nian Qiu still have to keep their identities under wraps, so as not to scare her human into fainting again.
On the grill were two roasted oranges, which Pei the Red Panda had ordered.
She couldn’t wait to eat them. She reached out and picked one up, and quickly burned her fingertips red.
“Let me help you.” Ye Qingyu pressed a bottle of drink into the woman’s hand to cool her fingertips.
She herself used chopsticks to peel one of the roasted oranges, revealing the steaming flesh, and placed it on Pei Rong’s plate, instructing softly, “Let it cool down a bit before you eat.”
Splash—
A sound of water suddenly came from the lakeside.
Gu Yue appeared on the shore, soaking wet, with two fish in her hand, looking very pleased with herself.
“Come, I’ll add to your meal. I just ate three. The fish here are really delicious…”
Ye Qingyu turned her head to the side and saw the two fish in the young woman’s hand, flapping their tails, splashing water everywhere.
Ye Qingyu was puzzled. “How did you eat the fish?”
Gu Yue looked as if she had heard a strange question and said as if it were the most natural thing in the world, “You just open your mouth and swallow.”
Ye Qingyu hadn’t expected Gu Yue to be so amazing. Not only could she swim in the wild, but she could also catch two fish and had even eaten three raw ones in the water.
Chew, chew, chew. Wu Shu put down an empty skewer and picked up another skewer of raw beef to eat.
Ms. Ye Zhao had taught Ye Qingyu since she was little: life is for living, seize the day, don’t care about what others think.
By the same token, when faced with something incomprehensible, especially someone else’s personal preferences, as long as no innocents were harmed, one should maintain a respectful heart.
Ye Qingyu took a deep breath.
Calm down. Why am I always acting like I’ve never seen the world?
After finishing the barbecue, Tu Shanyue commanded, “Quick, let’s set up the tents before the sun sets.”
Everyone lined up to get their tents. When it was finally Ye Qingyu’s turn, Tu Shanyue gave her a two-person tent.
“You’ll sleep with Little Capable One. Please be sure to watch her well tonight,” Tu Shanyue said, winking, a “good luck” look in her eyes.
“Ah?”
Ye Qingyu paused slightly and subconsciously glanced at her beautiful boss.
Pei the Red Panda lifted a fingertip and leisurely tapped her sunglasses. “Ye Qingyu, you don’t want to sleep with me?”
This place was deserted, and she didn’t know what dangers there might be. What if Boss Pei slept alone and was secretly captured?
Ye Qingyu felt that she indeed had to watch over her, otherwise she wouldn’t be able to rest easy.
“I do.”
She smiled at her beautiful boss and said gently, “I’ll set up the tent. Where do you want to sleep?”
“We’ll set it up together,” Pei the Red Panda said.
After agreeing on a suitable spot, a human and a red panda began to set up the tent..
They worked together in tacit understanding to set up the tent frame.
The human then squatted down and used a hammer to drive the ground stakes to secure the tent. As she swung the hammer, the fair, slender arms showed beautiful, firm lines.
Pei the Red Panda stood on the side, unconsciously watching, captivated, and even forgot to help.
She just felt that the more she looked, the thirstier she got, and a faint heat seemed to be rising somewhere in her body.
Her breathing tightened, and she belatedly came back to her senses.
I should be careful. I absolutely cannot go into heat tonight…
After hammering in the ground stakes, Ye Qingyu took out the tent’s outer cover and, with a strong flick, spread it over the frame.
As she moved, her shirt hem was inadvertently lifted, revealing eye-catching lines.
“Ye Qingyu, don’t show me your red panda lines anymore.”
A slightly annoyed voice came from the side. Ye Qingyu turned her head and saw her beautiful boss’s ear tips were red, her peach blossom eyes wide, warning her with a sense of grievance.
She belatedly pulled down her shirt hem, feeling a little innocent.
“Boss Pei, my shirt hem just got caught by accident.”
The heat in her body was still floating. Pei the Red Panda bit her lip.
She licked the tip of her canines and complained with righteous indignation, “But, it was your red panda lines that attacked me first.”
A red panda in her mating season is very fragile.
“…”
Ye Qingyu spread her palms and raised them high above her ears, surrendering like a red panda, admitting her mistake.
Seeing her puffed-up beautiful boss blink her eyes and break into a smile for a moment, she also chuckled.
“Let’s take a break.”
Ye Qingyu placed her beautiful boss, who suddenly seemed a little tired and flushed, on a small stool to sit, and handed her a peeled banana. “Just wait for me here.”
Then she continued to nimbly set up the tent, inflated the double mattress, and spread the sheets and covers.
“Alright. Boss Pei, please inspect. See if it’s to your satisfaction.”
She opened the tent door and made a “please” gesture.
Pei the Red Panda took out the sunglasses she had taken off while she was busy and put them on with an elegant and noble air, then walked into the tent with her head held high.
She quickly found fault:
“Worker Ye, why is the tent you set up so dark? I’m a little dissatisfied.”
Worker Ye looked at the inside of the tent, then at Pei Rong.
She unhurriedly reached out and took off the cool sunglasses from the woman’s nose.
“Boss Pei, does it still look dark now?”
“…” Pei the Red Panda blinked her peach blossom eyes. “Not anymore.”
I can’t help but smile when reading this