Ming Dynasty and New Rome and Infinite Magic Machine

Chapter 1554 Father
"What you said seems to make a lot of sense. Why is it that you, who rarely interacts with people, can strike me so hard at a time like this?"

"Because some problems don't need to be seen by humans—even animals will sense something is wrong. Sometimes, the ethical relationships between animals are actually simpler and purer."

Bears, especially pandas, seem to be easier to observe.

After all, bears are naturally adept at reading people's expressions, especially pandas, and captive pandas are even more so. This is unlike cats and dogs.

Pampering a cat doesn't guarantee a grateful response. But with dogs, simply owning one guarantees unconditional love, regardless of whether you pamper them or not.

Only pandas in zoos, because there are no "owners" but only "keepers," maintain a delicate, equal relationship with humans. Pandas' relationship with their keepers is less one of obedience and more one of dependence, because this is a level gaze from the top of the food chain. This leads pandas to perform many behaviors that go beyond their solitary animal instincts.

For example, solitary pandas should raise their cubs alone and be highly wary of outsiders. However, whether in the wild or in zoos, many pandas are not wary of their cubs and will even hold onto their keepers' hands when giving birth. Some wild pandas will even hand their cubs over to researchers to take care of and go off to eat elsewhere.

However, like many other intelligent animals, different pandas have very different personalities. Some are indeed very dependent on humans, while others are not.

So, this is the key point. It's precisely because of individual differences that this explains why pandas act this way not out of instinct, but as a choice made by each individual bear. Pandas are among the few animals that maintain social interaction while living in a non-social manner; they have their own set of social patterns even when living alone. This ethical relationship isn't established between multiple bears, but between one bear and another, making it seem very pure. This is also very relevant for humans.

The reason why biological panda cubs are often beaten is because the pampering they receive makes them fearless, so they are frequently beaten.

Adopted panda cubs seem to receive more affection and are rarely punished because they don't reject the same love.

Ultimately, it seems that adopted pandas sometimes get more milk and are easier to care for. On the contrary, biological panda cubs are always jumping around like little monkeys, and because they don't get enough milk, they tend to be slightly thinner.

“And Shangluo.” Zhu Ling shook her head. “I’ve also seen some red pandas that are only children. Those are often unruly and sometimes they will go against their keepers.”

"So what would you do in that situation?"

“We have to send the curator—yes, only the curator. Because the curator is one of the keepers who isn’t very familiar with the pandas. Those unruly little pandas only throw tantrums and roll around on the grounds of the keepers they’re familiar with. When they see someone they’re not familiar with, they immediately become meek. Besides, they can occasionally see the regular keepers reporting to the curator, and they can tell who the king is just by their aura.”

[Bear is a snob. That's just how he is.]

“But sometimes I can be called upon,” Zhu Ling said proudly. “Because I can catch bears bare-handed, and I can catch them every time. They are not as strong as me. Even if they cling to a pillar or hold on to the ground, I can pry their fingers apart one by one. It’s just that recently there have been a few that are good at splits and leg locks. I don’t know where they learned wrestling. I can’t really fight them with my bare hands, so it’s really not easy to deal with them.”

As she spoke, Zhu Ling even demonstrated the splits of a panda – spreading her legs wide to trip over her own legs, preventing human knees from bending. With a chubby bear in her arms, it was naturally impossible for her to walk.

"Heh~~" Shang Luo laughed, "That was quite interesting, thanks. You know I'm not in a good mood, so you wanted to cheer me up, right?"

"If you're happy, then be happy. Why tell everyone?"

"It's nothing. I just think that relying on you occasionally would be very relaxing. After all, you really understand people."

“You can rely on me more often.” Zhu Ling leaned against the railing. “You’re too tired. You can always ask me for help.” “You’ve always been like this, haven’t you? You never refuse when I ask for your help.”

"Who told you to be an auspicious omen? It's my responsibility to take care of you. You take care of the world, and I'll take care of you; it's only fair."

Suddenly, Shangluo grabbed Zhu Ling's arm and said, "I haven't seen him for so many years. He doesn't care about me at all."

Shangluo didn't cry. He wouldn't cry.

But sometimes, he also imagines hugging his zookeeper, whom he can rely on, just like a panda.

If you hug someone's legs, their heights won't match. Hugging someone's arms is about right.

"Sweetie." She patted Shang Luo's back. "Don't be angry. Actually, I haven't seen my father in a long time either."

"They're all busy."

"Yes, they're all busy. But your father is doing something very important. My father, on the other hand, is just cultivating immortality."

“Your father cultivates immortality; he will return once he achieves it. My father, however, I don’t know when he will return. I don’t even know. I don’t even know how we can establish a family relationship. After all, even before, we only asked each other ‘What are we having for dinner today?’ during meals.”

"..." Zhu Ling lowered her head slightly and buried her face in Shang Luo's hair. "Will this make you feel better?"

"Yes, I feel much better, thank you."

"If you need, you can treat our house as your own, my brother as your brother, and my sister-in-law as your sister-in-law. Our house is very big, you can come over for dinner anytime."

"Thanks."

"Hmm," Zhu Ling said softly, "Actually, whatever happened before is in the past. You and your father probably don't know how to build a family. Because a family... a family can't be without a mother. A triangle needs a mother to be stable."

"No mother. Right? Probably. Right?"

"So, let bygones be bygones. You will have your own family, and your father needs such a family too. If you have your own family, your father can come back home. I think the reason you've been separated is probably because you don't know how to be together."

"I think so. Probably."

“Well then,” Zhu Ling raised her head, “how about we have dinner at your house today, with everyone? We can also discuss how to meet your father. Let’s invite him back; he should be done with his work by now.”

(End of this chapter)