Chapter 347

Under the stunned gaze and following of Professor Bai and others, the man and the bear descended the mountain directly to the car parked below.

Old Wei said: "Maybe we don't need the cage—it's too cramped."

One of the zoo staff said: "Uncle, that won't work. This panda's grown big, with sharp teeth and claws—if it suddenly goes berserk, everyone in the car could be in danger."

Wei Ming said to Old Wei: "Dad, why don't you try to talk some sense into Gangdan?"

The zoo staff shook their heads—you think this is your cat? For a large wild animal like this, the only way to get it into a cage is with a tranquilizer dart; eventually, it's going to take a shot anyway.

But Old Wei stroked the panda's head and whispered two things into its ear.

It grumbled twice, reluctant, then Old Wei patted its shoulder, and Gangdan finally stood up and climbed into the car—its legs were short, so Old Wei gave it a lift, muttering: "Seems fatter than a few days ago."

Gangdan turned back and huffed unhappily—who said this was just cuteness expanding?

Once Gangdan crawled into the cage itself, it buried its head in its belly, leaving only its rear end visible to Old Wei.

Everyone stared, dumbfounded. Old Wei shut the door, sighed, turned around, and looked at them with unmistakable reluctance and helplessness: "Go on, hurry up and leave."

The forestry bureau official, the zoo workers, and Professor Bai all fell silent—was that it? This giant panda was even more obedient than the ones they'd raised since childhood.

Professor Bai gripped Old Wei's hand tightly: "Comrade Wei Jiefang, you used to work in animal research, didn't you?"

Old Wei: "I just took care of the livestock back in our village—big or small, feeding, watering, excreting, getting sick, breeding—all under me."

Professor Bai exclaimed: "You're a talent!"

Wei Ming thought to himself: Then why wait? Invite him to join your team right away.

But Professor Bai merely marveled at Old Wei's oddness, then led his team away, leaving behind Gangdan's new name: 240—its pedigree number.

Wei Ming watched the two cars drive off and said to Old Wei: "Won't Gangdan let us down?"

Old Wei gazed confidently into the distance: "Don't worry—we've already made our deal."

Wei Ming: "..."

After seeing Gangdan off, Old Wei and his son returned to the village and saw Long Xiaoyang approaching with a basket on his back.

"Brother, Second Uncle, look what I brought you!"

Wei Ming leaned closer: "Oh, kiwifruit."

Long Xiaoyang said: "I gathered some from our village for you—at double the price of the supply and marketing cooperative. Everyone in the village went out searching for me, but it's a bit late now, so I only got these. Take them with you when you head back to Beijing tomorrow. They might not taste as good as the foreign ones, but at least they won't hurt your wallet—two yuan each. Even ginseng fruit shouldn't cost this much."

Wei Ming took the basket from his back and patted his shoulder: "Good. Let's go home for dinner."

During dinner, Big Uncle and Second Uncle agreed to open a feed mill in town.

First, transportation is easier—shipping from the village is too problematic, especially after the recent flood.

Second, it allows us to serve the entire commune, even the whole Baoxing County.

Of course, costs will be higher than in the village, but still within our means—we made some money raising quail, and Wei Ming and Mei Wenhua are helping out.

The real mastermind behind this mill, however, is the barely-twenty-year-old Long Xiaoyang—he's learned a lot from Sister Mei in Beijing.

After dinner, everyone quietly brought out small stools to watch a movie. Wei Ming paid again, asking Master Xu to screen another day—this was already the third day. Normally, the village got only three screenings a year; Dagou Village was the envy of all surrounding villages.

Tonight's film was The Mysterious Buddha, one of this year's hottest movies, and the female lead, Liu Xiaoqing, had a local advantage—she was from Chongqing, still technically a Sichuanese.

After spending another night in this remote mountain village, the next day Wei Ming's family prepared to depart for Chengdu. Early that morning, Commissar Chen arrived to pick them up, and the villagers staged a heartfelt farewell.

Xu Shufen kept glancing back, feeling her mother's back had grown even more hunched.

With National Day approaching, Chengdu already showed clear festive atmosphere. Wei Ming's family would stay overnight in the city and take a morning flight the next day.

Old Wei said to Commissar Chen: "Little Chen, could you take us to see the Chengdu Zoo?"

"No problem, Uncle."

Just as they left, a phone call came into the guesthouse—the caller claimed to be from the zoo, asking if the writer Wei Ming had checked in.

"Mainly wondering if his father, Comrade Wei Jiefang, is here too."

"Oh, the entire Wei Ming family is staying here, but they've just gone out."

"Ah, they're out?" One zoo employee hung up and shook his head at Professor Bai.

Since Gangdan was moved and settled into the zoo, it hadn't eaten or drunk a thing, barely moved at all.

But whenever staff tried to approach it for an examination, it flew into a rage, refusing to let anyone near.

The zoo wanted to tranquilize it for a checkup, but the panda was surprisingly agile, knew how to use cover, and they couldn't catch it.

Moreover, its movements dodging the tranquilizer dart didn't look like those of a sick animal.

But if it keeps refusing food and water, something will go wrong—it's meant for Hong Kong. If it acts like this there, they might think we sent a sick panda. That's no small matter.

Professor Bai thought of Wei Jiefang, the villager who cared for livestock—240 listened only to him. Maybe he could help, so he came seeking him out.

"Call the guesthouse again. If Wei Ming's family returns, notify us immediately."

"Understood, Professor Bai."

But soon after, Wei Jiefang showed up on his own.

"Professor Bai, where's my Gangdan?" he asked at once.

"Comrade Old Wei, you've come at the perfect time!" Professor Bai recounted everything about 240's condition since yesterday and asked for his advice.

Old Wei said: "Bring the food bowl. Let me see what's wrong."

"Uncle, be careful—240 doesn't like people getting close."

Then Old Wei saw a basket full of fresh green bamboo. Under the watchful eyes of his wife, son, and staff, he entered Gangdan's enclosure—and Gangdan didn't rage. Instead, it waddled over to greet him.

Old Wei spent a long while affectionately interacting with it, then began feeding it—and it ate with great relish.

The panda keeper exclaimed: "This is bizarre—why does it eat only when he feeds it?!"

Professor Bai remarked to Wei Ming: "This giant panda trusts your father deeply."

Wei Ming smiled: "When it was young, it followed its mother into the village to steal sheep. We left it trapped in the sheep pen. My father was afraid of scaring it, so he slept with it in the pen all night, feeding and caring for it. Maybe animals know who truly cares for them."

The keeper pouted: "We care too!"

Professor Bai felt it wasn't that simple—something beyond science must be at play, perhaps even mysticism.

But now he faced a dilemma: this wild panda seemed only Old Wei could handle it. Yet Old Wei was the father of a famous writer—not an ordinary man. You couldn't just keep him here for a panda.

"Son, maybe I won't leave," Old Wei said, carrying an empty bowl out to Wei Ming. "Look, Gangdan can't do without me."

Professor Bai rejoiced—we're thinking the same thing!

But Xu Shufen said: "If you don't leave, what about me and your daughter? We still have Xiao Hong at home."

Old Wei pointed to Gangdan: "I can't just abandon it—it clearly can't adapt to unfamiliar surroundings or strangers."

"What about me? Your children are grown—you can ignore them, but you can't ignore me."

Old Wei: "Then you stay too. Sichuan is your hometown after all."

Wei Ming said: "Dad, you're putting the zoo in a bind. You're a peasant—do you think urban jobs are that easy to get? And you want two?"

Professor Bai finally couldn't hold back: "Comrade Old Wei, if a regular position is difficult, would you accept a temporary one?"

Although Professor Bai knew it was inappropriate to have a famous writer's father work as a keeper, he believed the panda mattered more than the writer—and Wei Jiefang was the best person to help Gangdan through its adjustment period.

Wei Ming sighed: "Why not come back to Beijing with me and enjoy life? Haven't you spent enough of your life tending livestock?"

Seeing Wei Ming reluctant, Professor Bai suggested: "Comrade Wei Ming, how about this: let the two of them stay temporarily at our Chengdu Zoo. Once the panda adapts, they can return to Beijing. We'll provide lodging, meals, and pay them—expert-level wages. What do you think?"

Old Wei straightened his back: "Oh? I'm an expert now!"

"Professor Bai, you… well, it's all for the national treasure, for the gift to Hong Kong. For the greater good—I won't say another word."

Seeing Wei Ming so reasonable, Professor Bai exhaled: "Comrade Old Wei, from now on we're colleagues. I'll systematically teach you everything about giant pandas."

Old Wei indeed knew little—he'd need to learn to properly accompany Gangdan to Hong Kong.

"But you said expert treatment—shouldn't you give me an expert certificate?" Old Wei cared deeply about this. Professor Bai smiled and promised to issue one—once he'd learned.

Xu Shufen pouted beside them. Though she'd cooperated with Old Wei, playing along to stay at the zoo as a temporary worker, she still resented him—she felt he'd abandoned his own flesh and blood for a panda, growing ever more unreasonable.

So after making love that night, once she'd calmed down, Old Wei finally revealed his true intention to his wife: "My real goal is to go to Hong Kong with Gangdan."

"Go to Hong Kong for what? Who's there?" Xu Shufen asked, confused and hurt. "Are you trying to abandon your wife and children?!"

"Abandoning the kids? Fine. Abandoning my wife? No." Old Wei quickly assured her—just that one sentence made her happy again.

Then he lowered his voice: "I'll tell you the truth, but you must keep this secret—this isn't just my matter. If it leaks, it could ruin Ping'an's and your children's futures."

"What?!" Xu Shufen gasped. "Then don't tell me—I'll go with you to Hong Kong anyway."

She could abandon the kids—they were grown, had two older sisters, didn't lack maternal love.

Old Wei: "No, I must tell you. Otherwise you'll imagine worse things. Your son and Ping'an already know. Your son went to Hong Kong twice this year—this is the real reason."

After building the right atmosphere, Old Wei finally spoke the truth: "Xiaoming's grandfather—my father—your father-in-law—he's still alive. He's in Hong Kong!"

"What?!"

That night, Old Wei told everything—from the original letter from Hong Kong, to Wei Lingling's recent visit to Beijing, to their claim of a huge old Western-style house in Shanghai.

Xu Shufen absorbed it all, then sighed: "Our father was so pitiful."