Chapter 50: Exploring Rongcheng
Translator: Dragon Boat Translation Editor: Dragon Boat Translation
Less than half an hour later, Zhou Chao had finished showering and changed into fresh clothes. He walked out of his room and looked at Lin Wu, who was still engrossed in his phone. “Let’s go, we’ll have lunch first and explore Rongcheng in the afternoon.”
Their accommodation was not far from Kuanzhai Alley, so they headed towards the scenic area. It was their first time in Rongcheng, and they were eager to explore.
Kuanzhai Alley consisted of three parallel alleys: Wide Alley, Narrow Alley, and Well Alley. All the buildings were traditional-style courtyards with blue-gray bricks and tiles. This historical district from the Qing Dynasty was one of the well-preserved historical and cultural areas in Rongcheng, often referred to as one of the three major historical and cultural preservation areas, along with Daci Temple and Wenshu Monastery. The architecture here combined elements of Sichuan-style houses with the courtyards of northern China.
Zhou Chao and Lin Wu arrived at Kuanzhai Alley, following the flow of people. As they passed various stalls selling street food, Zhou Chao couldn’t resist the urge to try some. He headed straight for the food stalls.
Every popular food stall had a long line in front of it, and Zhou Chao and Lin Wu joined the queue. Before long, Zhou Chao noticed several young girls taking photos of him. He chuckled inwardly; it seemed being handsome had its consequences.
Ignoring the girls, he turned his attention to the food. Soon, it was his turn, and he bought six spicy rabbit heads, dividing them into two bags. He also grabbed a few pairs of plastic gloves.
Carrying their bags of snacks, Zhou Chao and Lin Wu enjoyed their rabbit heads as they walked along. Their mouths were soon stained red from the spicy seasoning. They exchanged a glance and burst into laughter.
Zhou Chao led them to a food street where they found a variety of snacks. They ordered a few specialties, and although they weren’t exceptional compared to some places, they were satisfying nonetheless.
They spent the entire afternoon in Kuanzhai Alley until it grew dark. Having indulged in snacks all afternoon, neither of them felt hungry in the evening. They returned to the hotel, planning to visit the Chengdu Research Base of Giant Panda Breeding the next day. This was a must-visit for anyone in Rongcheng, and Zhou Chao was particularly fond of pandas.
The next morning, Zhou Chao and Lin Wu set off early in the car towards the Wolong National Nature Reserve, which was about 100 kilometers away from Rongcheng. By the time they reached the panda sanctuary, it was almost 10 o’clock. The place was relatively empty, so they purchased tickets and entered.
The Wolong National Nature Reserve, home to the China Conservation and Research Center for the Giant Panda, was a world-class research center for giant panda breeding, research, and public education.
With 74. giant pandas, it was the largest artificial breeding base for giant pandas in China and around the world. Zhou Chao and Lin Wu walked into the reserve. The number of visitors was scarce—less than ten people—but that didn’t dampen Zhou Chao’s excitement to see the pandas.
Soon, they spotted a giant panda lazily resting on a tree branch. Most of the pandas in the reserve were allowed to roam outdoors, often in groups. The absence of glass barriers allowed for better interaction between visitors and pandas.
Looking at the panda lounging on the tree, Zhou Chao had the urge to hug it and play with it. Perhaps sensing that it was being observed, the panda lazily opened its eyes and looked at Zhou Chao and Lin Wu from a short distance away.
Zhou Chao was telling Lin Wu how adorable the giant panda was and how much he wanted to cuddle it when suddenly, the panda climbed down from the tree. However, midway through its descent, it simply plopped down on the ground, making Zhou Chao burst into laughter.
The panda that had fallen onto the ground acted as if nothing had happened. It got up, shook its rear end, and began to approach Zhou Chao. It crawled onto a wooden stump in front of Zhou Chao and started making soft “meowing” sounds, appearing quite delighted.
Observing the panda right in front of him, Zhou Chao knew that the influence of the affinity skill he had acquired from signing in before was at play. The panda’s calls quickly attracted several other pandas that were sleeping nearby. Before he knew it, there were five pandas all around Zhou Chao, meowing away, and he didn’t quite know how to handle the situation.
Shortly after, a parkkeeper caught wind of the commotion and swiftly approached. Noticing a gathering of pandas spread out across different tree stumps, vocalizing their calls towards an attractive gentleman, the keeper hurried to the scene.
As they arrived, they noticed that the five giant pandas seemed particularly intrigued by the presence of this attractive man before them. It seemed as though they wanted to climb out of their enclosures. In response, the keeper swiftly guided Zhou Chao and Lin Wu a little further away. With Zhou Chao no longer in their sight, the giant pandas ceased their calls. However, the group of pandas remained closely knit, showing no sign of dispersing.
The ranger looked at Zhou Chao with a curious expression. Could it be that even pandas liked handsome men? He shook off his whimsical thoughts and asked, “Hey, handsome, would you be interested in being a volunteer? You could help clean the panda enclosures and feed them.”
Zhou Chao’s eyes lit up with excitement. The chance to interact with pandas was a dream come true. He readily agreed and followed the ranger towards the breeding facility. Watching his boss’ joyful expression, Lin Wu shook his head in amusement. What happened to your dignified aura, Boss? It vanished the moment you heard about the pandas. Despite his thoughts, Lin Wu followed along.
As they walked, Zhou Chao chatted with the ranger, who turned out to be the head keeper responsible for the pandas’ daily care. They delved into a discussion about the giant pandas.
Soon, they reached the breeding facility. Following the ranger’s instructions, Zhou Chao disinfected and changed into appropriate clothing. He then entered the panda enclosures and began sweeping and cleaning. Before he could finish, a resting panda noticed him.
Suddenly, a panda came bounding towards Zhou Chao, leaping onto his thigh and looking up at him, emitting soft “meowing” sounds. Within moments, more pandas were drawn to Zhou Chao, and he found himself surrounded. He was essentially in a sea of pandas.
Watching from the outside, Lin Wu burst into laughter. Ever since their last video shoot, he had his phone ready and started recording the scene.
Pandas toppled Zhou Chao, pouncing on him and clinging to him. He was pinned down by several pandas, their legs wrapped tightly around his thighs. Zhou Chao had no choice but to call out to the ranger, “Help!”
Soon, the head keeper and a group of other staff members rushed over. Seeing Zhou Chao trapped by pandas, they couldn’t help but burst into laughter. Amid the laughter, the staff members quickly pulled the pandas away from Zhou Chao. However, the pandas clung to him as if they were reluctant to part from their newfound playmate. Zhou Chao finally managed to extricate himself from the panda enclosure..