Future Pet Shop

Chapter 95: Hah’Er Is Rejected

"A panda’s estrus period only lasts three days a year. If we miss this window, we’ll have to wait another whole year. Fortunately, our check just now showed that Hah’Er’s estrus hasn’t passed yet. In fact, it should be starting in the next few days. So, Bin, you’ve come at the perfect time," Professor Wu Gui said without any reservation as they walked, completely oblivious to the idea that Hah’Er could understand him.

’Hey, is it really okay to be talking about... doing the deed... out in the open like this?’ Shen Yibin sensed that Hah’Er was becoming reluctant to walk, so he quickly changed the subject. "Professor Wu, I saw in the pictures that you have a slide here, right? I bet Hah’Er would love that."

"Yes, we have lots of playground equipment for the pandas. It’s just up ahead. I’ll take you to have a look." With that, Professor Wu Gui picked up the pace, and soon they arrived at the play area.

The play area had not only a slide, but also climbing structures made of wooden frames, swings made from tires, a grassy lawn for rolling around, and more. There were even a few pandas playing inside, and they looked like they were having a great time.

"Nn! Nn!" Seeing the other pandas rolling on the grass and zipping down the slide, Hah’Er grew excited. It had been a long time since he’d seen his own kind, and the sudden sight felt wonderfully familiar.

"Hah’Er, you want to go in and play, don’t you?" Shen Yibin saw through the whole thing. ’This was Professor Wu Gui’s plan all along. All the pandas in the play area right now are girls. He’s probably hoping to use this chance for Hah’Er to get to know them.’

"Nn! Nn!" Hah’Er nodded eagerly and charged straight ahead, wanting to get inside. The staff couldn’t hold him back in time, and he ran headfirst into the glass with a loud THUD. ’Sigh, the big guy was so focused on the fun equipment and the lady pandas that he didn’t even notice the glass wall.’

"Careful, careful," Professor Wu Gui soothed repeatedly. He reached out to rub Hah’Er’s head but hesitated, afraid he might hurt him.

"Hah’Er, are you okay?" ’I should do it.’ Shen Yibin gently pulled Hah’Er’s paws away and felt the spot where he’d hit the glass. ’This guy’s head is pretty tough. It seems like he’s fine.’

"Nnn~" Hah’Er looked pitifully at Shen Yibin, tears welling in his eyes. But it was just a bump; the pain subsided after a moment. After resting on the ground for a bit, Hah’Er was back to his lively, bouncing self.

"Okay, you can go in now! I’ll wait for you out here." ’This is Hah’Er’s chance to woo the ladies, so it wouldn’t be right for me to go in and disturb him.’ A staff member opened a small gate and let Hah’Er in. Shen Yibin, Professor Wu Gui, and the others stood behind the glass wall to observe.

"Huh, something seems off." After watching for only a moment, Professor Wu Gui sensed that something was wrong. The other pandas in the play area were all black and white, so why was Hah’Er a riot of bright colors? ’We forgot to have him take off his clothes before he went in! How is he supposed to pick up girls dressed like that? Won’t the other pandas think he’s some kind of monster?’

’Coach, I want to be a Panda too! I also want to wear nothing and play with a big group of girls!’ Once he understood what Professor Wu Gui meant, Shen Yibin was filled with envy. ’Pandas have it so good!’

By now, Hah’Er had already run excitedly to the bottom of the slide. He was craning his neck and starting to climb, wanting to slide down with the female pandas at the top.

However, his outfit sparked the female pandas’ curiosity. The pandas at the top looked him over. ’Why does this guy down there look so weird? He doesn’t look like a Panda at all! If he’s not a Panda, he can’t come play on our turf.’

Hah’Er finally managed to scramble to the top of the slide. He had just poked his head up, about to join the fun, when one of the female pandas at the top shoved her butt right in his face, knocking him off the slide. He tumbled to the ground and rolled a long way down the grassy slope before finally stopping.

"Hah’Er!" ’Damn, that looked like it hurt! I hope Hah’Er isn’t injured!’ Shen Yibin’s heart ached for him as he cried out.

"It’s fine, it’s fine, he’s okay. We considered all the safety issues before building this playground equipment. See, this slide was built into the slope’s terrain. Hah’Er was climbing up from the slope, so the fall wasn’t from very high. Plus, it’s all thick lawn down below. A fall won’t hurt him, so don’t worry... Look, isn’t Hah’Er getting up already?" Professor Wu Gui quickly reassured him.

Hah’Er’s once-pristine clothes were now covered in blades of grass, and there were even some on his big head. In an instant, he had gone from a clean, well-behaved baby to a messy, naughty little bear.

"Nn!" Hah’Er still didn’t understand why. He thought the female panda had accidentally knocked him off, so he brushed the grass off his clothes, huffed and puffed his way back up the slope, and prepared to climb again.

THWUMP! After struggling back to the top of the slide, Hah’Er was once again knocked off by the female panda’s butt, falling from the top to the ground and rolling all the way to the bottom of the grassy slope.

"Nn!" Hah’Er turned his head and looked at Shen Yibin, aggrieved. He was completely confused about what had just happened. ’Why won’t they let me play with them when I just want to join in?’

’Poor Hah’Er. Is he being rejected by the ladies? To think that Hah’Er, who is loved by countless people and successful wherever he goes, would face rejection in the home of his own kind. These female pandas really don’t want to play with him.’

’Is this matchmaking session going to be a failure just like that? No, that won’t do. Professor Wu Gui is still over there watching eagerly. I have to think of a way to get these pandas to accept Hah’Er, or this whole trip to Sichuan will have been for nothing.’

Shen Yibin waved Hah’Er over. He walked to the wooden fence next to the glass wall and rubbed Hah’Er’s head through the gap between the bars. "Sigh. It’s because you’re dressed so handsomely today. They’re just jealous of you."

"Nnn~" Hah’Er tilted his head, a look of complete confusion on his face. He didn’t seem to understand what Shen Yibin was saying at all.

’Sigh, let me try to explain it more clearly.’ Shen Yibin patted Hah’Er’s shoulder and pointed at the pandas having a blast in the play area. "Hah’Er, look at them. What’s different between them and you?"

This time, Hah’Er seemed to understand. He tugged at the clothes on his body, then looked at the black-and-white female pandas. ’So that’s probably why those other Pandas don’t see me as one of their own.’

"So, Hah’Er, if you take off your clothes before you go play with them, it should be fine," Shen Yibin proposed his solution.