Chapter 33 - The Panda Cub Bows For Love

Chapter 33: Overnight Stay Jing Dan sensed He Ying's silence and, somewhat befuddled, looked up at her. With slow deliberation, He Ying glanced at her, then lowered her gaze to the teasing comments from netizens, no longer sure of her own feelings at the moment. For some odd reason, she was being blamed for infidelity? Were these netizens all so keen on enjoying the show without fearing the consequences? Jing Dan, sitting across from her, observed her expression with some confusion. Because of her complexion, Jing Dan herself became more subdued in eating, adopting a careful demeanor. He Ying paid her no mind, standing up and heading towards two men in the front right, looking at them with a smile that wasn't quite a smile. The paparazzi: “......” Extending her hand towards them with a friendly demeanor, He Ying said, "What did you shoot? Hand it over." Though her appearance was friendly, her attitude was anything but. Still seated, Jing Dan watched He Ying's actions, quietly popping another meatball into her mouth. “Excuse me, Miss He, what exactly are you talking about? What did we shoot?” The paparazzi wore a look of confusion, genuinely unaware of why she had suddenly approached them with such bizarre questions. With a light chuckle, He Ying responded, "I had no idea that merely stepping out for a meal would bring me into contact with people who recognize me. So, no need to play dumb; the photos online have already exposed your location." It was clear from the angles of the online photos that this was the place. The paparazzi attempted to argue further. He Ying didn't bother with more words, simply starting to take photos of them with her phone while saying, "I’m curious about the taste of being a paparazzo myself, to see if it's truly as enjoyable as it seems." The paparazzi: “......” Eventually, He Ying took their camera and methodically browsed through the photos they took, many of which weren't online yet. She raised her eyebrows slightly. She deleted all the photos efficiently and then asked them, "Any other backups?" The paparazzi, somewhat timidly, shook their heads: "No, we haven’t had the chance to back them up yet." He Ying nodded, returning the camera to them. Before departing, she warned, "If I see these photos online again, I wouldn’t mind sharing what’s on my phone either." The paparazzi: “......Understood.” Although they couldn’t stir up more drama now, the existing buzz was enough to delight them. They weren’t greedy, not at all. As He Ying walked back to the dining table, she saw Jing Dan leisurely sipping her soup, eyes drifting in her direction. “......” Was she just watching the drama unfold? He Ying silently approached Jing Dan, looking down at her somewhat bewildered gaze, and asked, "Is it tasty?" Jing Dan nodded honestly: "Very tasty." She was seriously earnest. He Ying: “......” So, it was so delicious that you couldn’t even bother to come over and have a look? Feeling both helpless and amused, she mused over how similar Jing Dan's temperament was to that little cub. Thinking of the cub reminded her of the time she intended to visit the Panda Base to see it, only to be told by the staff that the cub had been sent abroad, leased to another country. He Ying was at a loss for words upon hearing this. The cub was sent abroad?! Did they really treat it like any other panda? But after that thought, she also felt a hint of loss. Would she really never see it again? Jing Dan, noticing He Ying's daydreaming, stuffed a piece of rib into her bowl without understanding what was going through her mind. He Ying: “......” Well, such is life, people come and go, right? After finishing the meal with Jing Dan, seeing her contented appearance, He Ying shook her head; it seemed like it had been a long time since she had a proper meal. “Let’s go, take me back,” He Ying stood up and said. Jing Dan looked up at her, somewhat puzzled: “Didn’t you drive?” Was she actually expecting Jing Dan to give her a ride? Regarding Jing Dan with a deep gaze, He Ying wondered if she was thinking of letting her take a cab back by herself, then going back to sleep? “I didn’t drive.” After saying this, He Ying pointed at the pile of dishes on the table, slightly gritting her teeth: “I made you this meal, isn’t that enough for you to take me back?” Her sentiment was exactly like the white-eyed bear: once full and quenched, she didn’t care about anyone else. Jing Dan blinked, glanced at the nearly empty dishes, and let out a sound of realization. He Ying: “......” This reluctant little gesture, I guess that settles my ride then! Following Jing Dan out of the restaurant and standing at the doorstep, He Ying initially thought they were waiting for someone to drive the car over when she saw Jing Dan fiddling with her phone. He Ying: “......” If she hadn’t seen it wrong just a moment ago, the app Jing Dan had opened was for booking cabs, right? “What, you didn’t drive here?” He Ying was incredulously staring at Jing Dan, bewildered by the revelation that Jing Dan hadn't driven there. Jing Dan, slightly bewildered, replied, "No, Xu Zhi Huan picked me up to go to the company, and I came in her car." As she spoke, her phone chimed, and she lifted it towards He Ying, "Got a cab, it’ll be here in three minutes." At this moment, He Ying was beyond commenting. Observing this young girl, she felt the generational gap between them all over again. If a generation gap spans three years, with herself at 203 and Jing Dan at 21, the gap between them could well be considered an ocean! Eventually, the cab driver arrived to pick them up, and both sat in the back seat. He Ying noticed Jing Dan's slightly furrowed brow and the slight pout of displeasure. It was clear she was uncomfortable in the car. Indeed, the car was stuffy and had an odd smell; considering Jing Dan's penchant for cleanliness, she must be feeling quite uncomfortable. Unfortunately, He Ying couldn't reveal her true identity as a spirit, otherwise, she might have simply teleported them back home. After some thought, she asked the driver to drop Jing Dan off first. Jing Dan refused, her face set in a determined scowl, "I’m taking you home." She had already agreed to it, so she was determined to escort He Ying home. He Ying: “......” Why so stubborn at the wrong time? She sighed; originally intending to make the ride more comfortable for her, but since she refused, it was no longer her concern. The car drove on, and unexpectedly, Jing Dan leaned towards He Ying. He Ying gave her a glance but reacted no further. Perhaps because she noticed no objection from He Ying, Jing Dan became bolder. Their arms gradually touched, and through the thin layers of their clothing, it seemed they could feel a hint of each other’s warmth. Then, Jing Dan's head rested on He Ying's shoulder, her lips curling into a slight smile. Noticing her sniffing, He Ying: “......” She didn’t entertain any romantic notions, for merely observing her thus, He Ying knew she had once again been turned into a tool, this time to ward off the car's odors. With an expressionless face, the head on her shoulder remained motionless, the slight brushing of hair against her cheek tickling her. After a moment, she discreetly released a surge of spiritual energy from the hand by her side, creating an invisible barrier around them, blocking out any unpleasant odors. Suddenly, Jing Dan felt her breathing become much fresher, her eyes darted subtly towards He Ying, harboring a guess but choosing not to voice it. They didn’t engage in conversation, nor did the driver attempt to initiate any, making the cabin exceedingly quiet, where only the sounds of traffic horns during jams could be heard. Arriving at He Ying’s building past eleven, He Ying initially intended to push Jing Dan away but found that, unbeknownst to her, Jing Dan had already fallen asleep. He Ying lowered her gaze, observing her closed eyes and the soft shadows cast by her long eyelashes on her eyelids, sleeping soundly. She found the sight somewhat amusing. Nowadays, young people had such late nights, yet here was Jing Dan, falling asleep early like those little kids who needed to grow. Calling her a brat wasn’t far from the truth. Seeing her sleep so peacefully made her reluctant to wake her up, but noticing the driver still waiting, she decided to pinch Jing Dan's face to wake her, asking, "It’s pretty late, would you like to stay here for the night?" Given how tired she looked, He Ying couldn’t bear to let her take a strange cab back alone, fearing she might fall asleep again en route. Half-asleep, Jing Dan was a bit dazed initially, but upon seeing He Ying’s face, she instinctively nodded. She had already slept at He Ying’s place for a month; what difference would one more night make? However, she overlooked one detail: during her previous stays, she had been in her panda form, a tiny creature that barely took up any space on the bed. When she sat down on He Ying’s couch, still somewhat dazed, she stared blankly ahead. He Ying went to fetch some clothes to change into, then suggested, “Take a shower first, then you can go to sleep.” “Okay,” Jing Dan replied obediently, standing up and heading towards the bathroom. Seeing her navigating as if on familiar territory, He Ying paused for a moment, then followed Jing Dan, helping her gather some things. While Jing Dan was showering, He Ying was busy changing the sheets and preparing a new set, to prevent the little brat from complaining later that she was sleeping on used bedding. In the midst of changing the sheets, He Ying sighed inwardly, feeling like a worried old mother. Despite her prime years, she found herself preoccupied with such concerns. When Jing Dan emerged from the shower, her wet hair dripping, He Ying could only think: Couldn't this brat be less worrisome? Quickly fetching a dry towel, she chided with genuine concern, "The weather's getting cooler, you'll catch a cold like this!" Did this girl think her youthful body was invincible? Jing Dan remained silent, allowing He Ying to towel-dry her hair until it poofed out in all directions. He Ying couldn't help but burst into laughter at the sight, immediately trying to suppress it when met with Jing Dan's aggrieved gaze. She picked up a comb, carefully smoothing Jing Dan's hair before starting to blow-dry it. After leaving the hair slightly damp, she turned off the hairdryer and said, "You rest first, I'll take a shower." Heading towards the bathroom, He Ying realized she hadn’t informed Jing Dan where to sleep. Turning around, she saw Jing Dan had already naturally crawled into her bed and snuggled under the covers. He Ying: “......” Alright then. She shrugged it off and went to take her shower. Lying in bed, Jing Dan sniffed the scent of the fresh laundry detergent on the blanket, missing the familiar scent that was no longer there. Yawning, she buried herself into the pillow. Half-asleep, she felt the blanket beside her lift, and a warm-bodied person slipped in. Her consciousness was blurry, and just as she was about to drift back to sleep, she suddenly became fully awake and sat upright! Her wide eyes stared straight at He Ying. He Ying, caught off-guard, was still in the process of lying down, their gazes locking. Jing Dan: “......” He Ying: “......” In the ensuing silence, with Jing Dan not speaking, He Ying wasn’t sure what this was all about. Eventually, He Ying relaxed and lay down beside her, still observing Jing Dan silently. Jing Dan was panicking inside. She then realized that she had previously slept here in her panda form, which was much smaller than her human size. What if she accidentally touched He Ying while sleeping? However, she seemed to forget how, during that month, she almost entirely slept on top of He Ying’s stomach. Seeing Jing Dan silent for so long, He Ying ran out of patience and coolly suggested, “Are you going to sleep or not? If not, there’s a sofa in the living room.” Jing Dan: “......” She really wanted to make her sleep on the sofa! Jing Dan, with a huff, lay back down, turning her back to He Ying, leaving her with a cold view of the back of her head. He Ying: “......” Did she somehow offend her again? Yawning, He Ying turned off the light and resigned herself to sleep. Unlike the unexpected company, she felt no discomfort. This feeling, much like when that little cub slept with her, was familiar enough to provoke no unease. The next morning, He Ying felt as if she was wrapped in a cloud, everything soft yet warmer than cloud could be, even feeling warm breath on her neck. He Ying: “......” Turning her head slightly, she saw Jing Dan, who like an octopus, had entwined herself around her. Holding her felt like clutching a large pillow, with her head buried in He Ying's neck, the breath warm upon her sensitive skin. This once again challenged He Ying’s understanding of her. Outwardly impeccable, but privately not only a food lover, even her sleeping posture was far from perfect. Despite the vast space between them in bed, it felt like they were separated by a galaxy! Yet, this octopus-like embrace reminded her of the little cub sprawling belly-up on her stomach... However, the situation was different now. With the cub, she could easily move it aside, but Jing Dan’s embrace wasn’t so easily escaped. She felt somewhat melancholic, reflecting that aside from sleeping with her mother as a child, her only experiences of sharing a bed were with people with less than ideal sleeping habits. She closed her eyes in meditation, waiting quietly for Jing Dan to wake up. Jing Dan must have had enough sleep growing up, otherwise, she wouldn’t have grown to her current height of 175 cm. Time slipped quietly away until, at some undefined moment, Jing Dan’s eyelids fluttered, signaling her gradual awakening. After a few seconds, Jing Dan slowly opened her eyes to darkness, blinking in confusion. Had she woken up too early? Was it still pre-dawn? Almost immediately, she sensed something was wrong. Moving her head slightly, she saw the superior jawline below her, sleek and clean, the skin like warm, glowing jade. Jing Dan: “......” Belatedly, she realized she had been holding He Ying in her embrace. She found it somewhat perplexing but turned back to continue preparing breakfast. "Come here, help me carry this." He Ying called out in a tone that suggested they had been living together for many years. Jing Dan obediently got up to help carry items out of the kitchen, looking at the breakfast she had requested on the table. She smiled, her expression seemingly sweet. He Ying watched her silently, feeling that Jing Dan only showed a different side of herself when it came to food. During breakfast, He Ying mentioned to Jing Dan, "I won’t have time to make lunch for you today; I need to visit the dance company." Although the dance company was now being managed by professionals, and all she needed to do was provide sufficient funding, she still found it necessary to check in from time to time. Without seeing things for herself, how could she know if the money she worked hard to earn was being well spent? Jing Dan: “......Oh.” She couldn’t really say anything about He Ying attending to her responsibilities, but just the thought of having to eat those unappetizing meals again dampened her mood a bit. He Ying naturally noticed her mood change but didn't say anything this time. After all, Jing Dan needed to get used to it. It wasn’t possible for He Ying to cook for her forever. She would have to eat meals prepared by others eventually, so it was better to start getting accustomed to it now. The two didn’t talk much during breakfast. After clearing the dishes to the kitchen, Jing Dan followed He Ying around, seeming unsure of what to do but too embarrassed to just sit idle. He Ying glanced at her, noting the embarrassment. Hadn’t Jing Dan always left without a care after eating in the past? "Do you have plans tonight? I would like to invite you over to my place," Jing Dan suggested, seemingly realizing that He Ying had yet to visit her home. "Oh?" He Ying’s interest was piqued, surprised that Jing Dan would take the initiative to invite her over. She readily accepted the invitation. If she had known the consequences of accepting this invite, she might have wished she could travel back in time to stop herself from agreeing! (End of Chapter)