Chapter 182 The Panda Returns (Bonus)

It was a rare winter in Yanggou Village when there was a heavy snowfall.

Goose-feather-like snowflakes fell silently, covering the mountains, forests and houses, simplifying the whole world into a pure silver-white.

The lines of the mountain ridges in the distance were blurred, and the old locust trees nearby were covered with branches. Everything was silent, as if the only sound in the world was the sound of falling snow.

The wooden house nestled against the mountainside in the valley now resembled a fairytale snowy fortress. The huge floor-to-ceiling windows were covered in a layer of warm steam, blurring the line between inside and outside.

Inside, the pine logs in the fireplace crackled and the flames danced, casting warmth and flickering shadows on the smooth wooden floor.

Five-year-old Ji Jinyue, wearing thick socks, ran around on a soft, plush carpet, trying to get Monkey King to put on one of her doll's sweaters. Monkey King, with a snarl of teeth, dodged nimbly, but never left his little master's side. Occasionally, when she caught him, he would squeak helplessly and rub his furry head against her.

Xia Wu wasn't reading. She simply slumped lazily on the couch by the window, covered in a thick apricot wool blanket. Her arms were wrapped around her bent knees, her chin resting on them, and she stared out the window quietly. Her eyes were somewhat vacant as she watched the snowflakes tirelessly swirl and fall, covering every trace.

"It's so rare to have peace and quiet," she suddenly said softly, as if talking to herself, but also as if talking to the others in the room, "This snow seems to have put everything on pause."

There was an extremely relaxed, almost lazy smile on the corner of her mouth.

For her, who is used to being busy and dealing with various affairs, these days when she is forced to stop and can only watch the snow by the fire are as luxurious as stolen time.

Ji Yunzhou was in the open kitchen area. His leg had long since healed, and his movements were steady and powerful. He carefully tended the bubbling teapot on the stove, where tangerine peel aged white tea was brewing. The rich aroma of the tea, blending with the sweetness of the tangerine peel, gradually spread, intertwining with the scorched aroma of pine wood and the sweet fragrance of the freshly baked almond tile cakes on the table, forming the most comforting aroma of winter.

He watched the bright orange-red tea pour into the white porcelain cup, the steamy heat blurring his deep eyes. He didn't need to deliberately recall it; certain images naturally came to mind.

It was on Pu Ye's more remote mountain, the air clear and cool. Back then, his world was gloomy. The wheelchair imprisoned not only his body but also all his imaginations of the future. He thought the rest of his life would be filled with silence and hidden pain. Then, he met Xia Wu, who had been helped in due to exhaustion.

The details of their conversation were already hazy. All he remembered was her eyes when she woke up. They were clear, bright, and carried the confusion of someone just waking up, yet without the fragility or panic of a typical woman. More like a mountain animal, alert and full of life. She looked at his wheelchair, and there was no pity, curiosity, or deliberate avoidance in her eyes, which he had long since grown tired of. Instead, there was a calm, almost natural acceptance, as if it were just a part of him, no different from someone else's hair color or height.

Later, he understood what she was going to do. Like a silent spectator, he watched her toil for the barren mountains, her interactions with all sorts of people, her repeated challenges, her responses with almost obstinate persistence and gradually emerging results. She possessed a vitality he had never seen in anyone else: not a boisterous one, but a quiet and resilient one, like bamboo, perhaps fragile at birth but possessing the strength to break through the earth and the resilience to resist breaking. She was unlike anyone else in his former world. She didn't cling to anything, didn't complain, but simply focused and relentlessly grew in the direction she had chosen.

His fall was quietly completed during this silent observation. He was attracted by her unique soul. Pure, tenacious, and full of creative enthusiasm, like a flame burning alone in the dark night, unobtrusive, but enough to illuminate his dark heart.

"Dad! Is the tea ready? Where is my little cup?" Xiao Jinyue gave up on dressing the Great Sage. He ran over with sweat on the tip of his nose, holding on to the edge of the kitchen counter, staring at the pot of fragrant tea.

His daughter's clear voice was like a wind chime, gently pulling his drifting thoughts back.

Ji Yunzhou raised the corners of his lips gently. He took out a small insulated cup with a small buffalo pattern painted on it, which belonged to Jin Yue. He carefully poured half a cup of warm tea into it and handed her the smallest almond cake.

"Be careful, it's hot, drink slowly."

Watching his daughter holding the cup and sipping it like a satisfied little hamster, he picked up the cup of tea that was cooled to just the right temperature and a small plate of snacks and walked to the window.

He gently placed the teacup on the low table beside Xia Wu. Xia Wu, drawn back from the snowy scene outside the window, looked up at him, her eyes, illuminated by the fire, like two pools of warm spring water. She was about to say something when Ji Yunzhou leaned over, one hand resting on the armrest of the couch, the other gently caressing her cheek and placing a soft, cherishing kiss on her smooth forehead. His movements were natural, tinged with unmistakable tenderness.

Xia Wu was slightly startled, her long eyelashes trembled, and then a smile brighter than the snow outside the window bloomed on her face, with a little shyness of being suddenly attacked, but more of flowing warmth.

"Oh! Daddy kisses mommy! I want one too! You can't be partial!" Little Jinyue immediately put down the cup, ran over with his short legs, squeezed in between the two of them, hugged Ji Yunzhou's legs, tried to raise his little face and yell, with almond crumbs on his mouth.

Ji Yunzhou and Xia Wu smiled at each other. He bent down, easily picked up his daughter, and kissed her on both cheeks. The little girl giggled, hugged his neck, and kissed him back vigorously, leaving a wet, sweet mark.

Xia Wu reached out and took Jin Yue, holding her in his arms, gently wiping away the crumbs from the corner of her mouth with his fingertips, his brows curved.

Ji Yunzhou sat down on the edge of the couch, his arms naturally around his wife and daughter.

His fingers unconsciously tangled with the hair that fell on her shoulders and he whispered, "This is nice."

Xia Wu turned her head and gently kissed the corner of his lips: "Yes, this is really good."

Jin Yue found a comfortable position in her mother's arms and whispered, "When will the snow stop? I want to build a snowman."

"It should stop tomorrow." Xia Wu replied softly, combing her daughter's hair gently with her fingers.

The sky cleared after a snowfall, and the snow in the valley was thick, gleaming with tiny golden glints in the sunlight. Xia Wu was clearing the snow from the path in front of the house, Ji Yunzhou was repairing the bamboo fence that had been bent by the snow, and Jin Yue was concentrating on building a snowman in the yard.

Suddenly, from deep within the bamboo forest near the foot of the mountain came an unusual rustling sound, mixed with a low growl of pain. The sound had a wild, penetrating power that made Xia Wu's heart tighten.

She paused and looked toward the bamboo forest. Ji Yunzhou immediately put down his tools and stood in front of her to protect her. Jin Yue was so frightened that he hugged the Monkey King who ran over.

"It looks like someone is injured." Ji Yunzhou listened attentively.

Following the sound, the two men entered the bamboo forest and, behind a leeward rock, spotted a wounded adult giant panda. It lay on its side in the snow, its left hind leg a bloody mess, staining the ground beneath it red. Sensing someone approaching, it jerked its head up, baring its teeth and growling menacingly, its eyes fierce and pained.

Xia Wu gently broke free from Ji Yunzhou's grip and slowly crouched down, keeping a safe distance from the panda. Strangely enough, as her gaze fell on the panda, its ferocious growl gradually faded. The panda sniffed the air warily, its heavy breathing gradually calming.

"It's scared." Xia Wu said softly, "It's seriously injured."

Ji Yunzhou immediately contacted the village Party Secretary Yang Guofeng and the Forestry Station. However, news soon arrived—last night's heavy snow had blocked many mountain roads, and a professional rescue team wouldn't arrive until tomorrow at the earliest.

"We can't wait that long." Xia Wu frowned as he watched the blood oozing from the panda's leg. "The wound will get infected."

Ji Yunzhou made a prompt decision: "Let's deal with the emergency first."

He asked Jin Yue to go back to the house and get the medicine box, while he approached cautiously. The panda growled again in warning, and Xia Wu immediately looked at it with a gentle gaze and whispered, "Don't be afraid, we are here to help you."

With Xia Wu's comfort, the panda gradually calmed down. Ji Yunzhou took the opportunity to examine the wound and found it was a deep laceration that required immediate debridement and hemostasis.

"Jinyue, go get Dad a basin of warm water," Xia Wu instructed, "and get some clean cloths."

Five-year-old Xiao Jinyue nodded vigorously and ran back to the house quickly with her short legs. Soon, she came back staggering with a basin of warm water, and Ji Yunzhou quickly took it.

The family began emergency rescue efforts in the snow. Ji Yunzhou cleaned and bandaged the wound with surprisingly professional technique. Xia Wu maintained constant eye contact with the panda, soothing the injured beast with her special aura. Jin Yue skillfully passed gauze and scissors, occasionally stroking the panda's thick fur with her small hands.

"Mom, it seems to be trembling." Jin Yue said in a low voice.

Xia Wu noticed the panda's temperature was dropping and immediately asked Jin Yue to go back to the house to get another blanket. The little girl quickly ran back, fetched her favorite yellow blanket, and carefully covered the panda with it.

As night fell, the temperature plummeted. Ji Yunzhou built a bonfire near the bamboo forest, both for warmth and to deter other wild animals. Xia Wu stayed by the panda's side, occasionally offering it fresh water. Amazingly, the wild panda accepted her care, occasionally nuzzling her hand.

Late at night, Jin Yue couldn't hold on any longer and fell asleep in her mother's arms. Ji Yunzhou carried his daughter back to the house and settled her down before returning to the bamboo forest to continue his night watch. In the moonlight, he and Xia Wu sat side by side, watching the panda sleeping peacefully in the light of the campfire.

"I didn't expect to encounter such a thing." Ji Yunzhou said softly.

Xia Wu leaned on his shoulder: "But it chose to come here for help, which means it trusts this land."

The next morning, when the rescue team finally arrived, they were surprised to find that the panda's wounds had been properly treated and its mental state was stable. After examining the panda, the veteran expert praised it profusely, saying, "This emergency treatment was incredibly professional. It prevented infection and saved the panda's leg."

Looking at the pandas receiving further treatment, Yang Guofeng's dark face showed relief: "Our ecological environment has improved. Even our national treasures are willing to visit us."

Xiao Jinyue rubbed his sleepy eyes and ran out. Seeing that the panda was still there, he clapped his hands happily: "It's fine!"

When the panda was safely lifted into the transport cage, it suddenly turned around and gave Xia Wu a deep look. Its eyes no longer held the fierceness of yesterday, but instead held a hint of attachment.

The car carrying the panda slowly drove away, leaving a trail of footprints in the snow. Xia Wu hugged Jin Yue and whispered, "Once it's healed, it'll definitely come back."

"Because it knows this is home, right?" Jin Yue asked, looking up.

On the third day after the panda was taken away, Xiao Jinyue sat on the doorstep, her cheek in her hand, lost in thought as she gazed toward the mountains behind her. She felt empty inside, as if something was missing. Though the big black and white friend had only been in her life for a short time, it had planted a seed of longing in her heart.

"Will it miss home?" the little girl murmured to herself. "Its friends must be so worried if they can't find it."

Once this thought came to her mind, it wrapped around her heart like a vine. While everyone at home was busy, Xiao Jinyue quietly slipped out of the house and trotted all the way to the courtyard where her uncle Yang Hongwen lived.

Yang Hongwen was wiping the lens of his camera. The sunlight shining through the window cast a soft halo on his focused profile.

For him, the camera is not just a tool, but a bridge for him to communicate with the world. Through the viewfinder, he can safely observe everything without worrying about what to respond.

Xiao Jinyue clung to the door frame and whispered, "Uncle, I want to go find Panda's friends."

The camera lens paused beneath the cloth. Yang Hongwen raised his head, his eyes, always distant, softening unusually as he looked at his niece.

"Mom said we can't go deep into the mountains," Xiao Jinyue added cleverly, "Let's just look at the edge, okay?"

Yang Hongwen silently packed his camera bag, added two extra batteries, and stuffed a few packets of biscuits and a bottle of water into his pocket. He took Xiao Jinyue's hand, moving gently, as if afraid to disturb anything.

Meanwhile, Zhong Ling was walking towards Yanggou Village, carrying a basket of vegetables. The martial arts academy had recently welcomed several out-of-town students, and she wanted to buy some fresh eggs from a local farm. This former city girl had completely assimilated into the rhythm of small-town life. As they walked along the bluestone pavement, she pondered what dish to prepare for the students tonight.

Then there was that special uncle-nephew duo—Yang Hongwen, as quiet as ever, while little Jinyue was like a sprite full of curiosity. Zhong Ling couldn't help but smile; this pair always intrigued her.

"Sister Zhong Ling!" Xiao Jinyue's eyes lit up. "We're going to look for Panda's friends. Do you want to come with us?"

Zhong Ling raised an eyebrow and looked at Yang Hongwen. He nodded slightly, his eyes fixed on her basket of eggs.

Zhong Ling's heart moved. This silent man could always convey his feelings with the most subtle movements.

She smiled and said, "Okay, I haven't climbed a mountain in a long time. I'll go with you."

She really felt uneasy if she really let the two of them, one big and one small, go into the mountains.

The three of them walked upstream along the stream. Yang Hongwen walked in front, his steps as light as a cat. In this mountain forest, he felt more at ease than ever before. Every leaf, every stone whispered to him. He didn't need to force himself to speak, nor did he need to interpret others' complex expressions. He only needed to listen to the purest voice of nature.

Xiao Jinyue followed closely, turning back and making hushing gestures to Zhong Ling from time to time. The little girl was both excited and nervous, believing the panda must be waiting for them somewhere.

Zhong Ling walked at the end, both to protect and to observe. She found that Yang Hongwen was surprisingly familiar with the forest and could always avoid slippery mosses and thorny bushes.

This discovery gave her a new understanding of this silent man. It turned out that his world was so rich, he just expressed it in another way.

"Look." Yang Hongwen suddenly stopped and pointed at the footprints on the mud.

The footprint was larger than an adult's hand, and the five toe prints were clearly visible. Zhong Ling squatted down to take a closer look, and a surge of excitement surged in her heart: "It's a panda's footprint, and it's fresh."

Xiao Jinyue's face turned red with excitement, but she remembered to stay quiet and asked in a low voice, "Are you here to visit the injured one?" Her heart was pounding, and she was both excited and afraid.

Looking forward to finding the pandas' companions, and afraid that they will really suffer from separation.

Yang Hongwen raised his camera and started taking pictures.

They continued to follow the footprints and came to a particularly dense bamboo forest. The bamboo here was lush and green, and the ground was dotted with fresh bite marks.

"Wait." Yang Hongwen suddenly signaled everyone to hide.

Through the gaps between the bamboo leaves, they spotted a panda sitting deep in the forest. Unlike the injured panda, this one seemed particularly anxious. It stood up and paced back and forth, peering toward the valley and making low calls.

The sound of Yang Hongwen's shutter is as light as falling leaves.

"It's waiting for its companion," Zhong Ling whispered. Seeing the panda's anxious expression, she couldn't help but recall the loneliness she'd felt when she first arrived in Donghua Town. It turns out that longing is a common language among all living things.

Xiao Jinyue's eyes suddenly welled up. She remembered the look the panda had turned back to look at its mother when it was taken away. It turns out that animals, like humans, can miss and wait. This realization made her heart clench.

Suddenly, the panda seemed to sense something and raised its head in alarm. Zhong Ling immediately shielded Xiao Jinyue behind her, rapidly formulating a response plan. Yang Hongwen, however, put down his camera and slowly stood up. In this moment, he chose to abandon the protective nature of his camera and communicate with another being in the most direct way possible. He looked directly into the panda's eyes, his gaze calm and gentle.

Just as he wanted others to see him, without prejudice, only understanding.

Surprisingly, the panda didn't flee. Instead, it growled and slowly retreated deeper into the bamboo forest. Perhaps it, too, sensed a special vibration from this person.

A kindness that needs no words.

On the way back, the three of them were silent. Xiao Jinyue held his uncle's hand tightly, feeling both happy to have found the panda and sad for its waiting. Zhong Ling kept glancing at Yang Hongwen.

After returning home, Yang Hongwen sent the photos to Xia Wulai immediately.

Xia Wu sent the photos to the experts.

"This is a major discovery!" Professor Lin said excitedly. "We've been searching for its companion. Judging from its behavioral characteristics, this is likely a pair."

More specialized testing brought an even bigger surprise: through analysis of fecal samples, experts confirmed that the panda was pregnant.

"Mom! Mom! Will we be able to see red pandas next year?"

When little Jinyue heard the news, he jumped three feet high, grabbed Yang Hongwen's hand and started dancing happily, "Great, Uncle! We are the ones who helped find the panda!"

Xia Wu laughed unhappily and said, "You little rascal! Mom hasn't criticized you for letting your uncle take you to the mountains yet! Do you know what that is? How dare you go there?"

Ji Jinyue stuck out his tongue and hid behind his uncle: "With my uncle here, I'm not afraid of anything!"

The small body was full of dependence. Yang Hongwen smiled and protected his niece behind him, saying seriously, "I know the way. I will protect her."

He often followed his grandfather to the mountains to collect herbs and was very familiar with the mountains, otherwise he would not have found the panda so quickly.

Traces of wild giant pandas were found in the mountains behind Yanggou Village, which is great news for the village.

According to some elderly people in the village, there were indeed traces of pandas on Zimu Mountain a long time ago, but later the ecological environment deteriorated, and the pandas left their group and gradually disappeared among the mountains.

This is probably the first time we have seen wild pandas in four or five decades.

Pandas are cute creatures. Although they are ferocious wild beasts, they are loved because of their appearance. Ji Jinyue's favorite animal now is the panda.

She would talk about pandas dozens of times every day, always looking forward to seeing a panda with her own eyes again.

The injured panda is still receiving treatment and it is not yet known when it will be returned to the forest.

After discovering a pregnant female giant panda, a team of experts quickly took action and installed many infrared cameras in the mountains.

But to everyone's surprise, the female giant panda was never seen on the camera.

Many people are worried that it has lost its partner.

Xia Wu found it in the valley. It seemed to have found the place where its partner was injured based on the smell, and sat there whimpering and howling like it was crying.

Xia Wu approached cautiously and prepared spiritual spring water and fruits brought from the cold storage at the foot of the mountain for the panda to have a full meal.

She stroked the panda's round ears and soothed it softly, not caring whether the panda could understand her words or not. In short, she told its partner that it was fine, was recovering from its injuries, and would probably be back soon.

The panda may have been soothed by the spiritual spring water, and she settled down in the valley.

There are hot springs, bamboo forests, plenty of food and it is very warm here. Xia Wu brings her some snacks from time to time. Out of some selfish motives, Xia Wu did not tell the expert group, but let Xiao Jinyue come here to spend time with the pandas in private.

Ji Jinyue named the panda Panpan.

After the spring, Panpan's partner came back and they went back to the forest. Ji Jinyue cried like a little cat.

But she already knew that for wild animals, returning to the mountains and forests was the best option.

After half a year, the team responsible for observing pandas finally saw the panda family again through the camera. They had a baby, who was round like a little doll.

Pandas have completely settled down in this forest.