As Big White lay lazily on the wooden stake, the time for feeding arrived unnoticed. Two keepers entered, carrying three pots of food and a bunch of fresh bamboo shoots. As they walked in, Big White's ears perked up, and he quietly stood.
"Isn't it early to get it at two?" one keeper asked.
"It's tough for pandas to conceive, and they use energy fast. It's a shame for the pregnant giant panda," the other replied.
"The cub must be left behind before sending it away," they continued.
"It's nice here, but over in Memphis, it's troublesome. I don't know if it's the environment or the food, but the panda there is sick."
"I've seen the photos; it's in bad shape. The environment there is probably the worst among all panda houses. I heard the contract was renewed."
"There's nothing we can do about this. Diplomacy between countries is complicated."
"God will punish them."
"Okay, God won't punish pandas. We just need to take care of our pandas here. Big White is very popular online lately. If anything goes wrong, the whole zoo suffers."
"Big White seems to be sleeping with a bamboo leaf in his mouth, like a naughty panda."
"Pokémon? A little bit. It would be nice if he were smaller."
"Big White, come eat!" The keepers called out. The pandas, hearing their familiar Sichuan phrases, responded eagerly.
Big White slowly got up, found a spot, and began eating bamboo shoots. Initially uncomfortable, he soon adjusted and ate happily.
Even during meals, tourists eagerly snapped pictures, especially as the twin pandas playfully fought over bamboo, causing laughter among the crowd.
Big White, typically noisy and troublesome, was unusually calm, making the keeper wonder if her words had worked.
After lunch, Big White returned to his wooden stake, closed his eyes, and appeared to sleep the entire afternoon, not moving an inch.
Tourists who came to see him were disappointed.
"Hey, Big White, don't sleep. Stand up and roll over," a man shouted, whistling.
"He might be tired. A night of rest should do him good," a middle-aged man said.
"Please, I came to see him perform. Do I need to buy another ticket tomorrow?" the man complained, tossing a bottle into the enclosure to disturb Big White.
The noisy man annoyed others, causing them to move away. Staff soon intervened, and the man was escorted out.
Big White didn't even lift his head, ignoring the commotion as he contemplated his escape plan.
At six o'clock, the zoo neared closing time, and tourists left, leaving the zoo quiet and sparse.
As the pandas disappeared from the outdoor area, Gwen's family reluctantly departed.
On the way, George, after a phone call, shrugged apologetically at his family.
"Sorry, we need to drive back to New York tonight. There's a situation at the police station," he explained.
"So soon? We planned to stay another day," his family replied, disappointed.
"I can't help it. I need to lead the team. If you haven't had enough fun, I'll go back, and you can stay," George suggested.
"No, but let's eat first. Little John is hungry," his wife smiled, picking up their son.
After a day at the zoo, the adults were fine, but the children were tired.
"No problem," George agreed, hugging his considerate wife.
Gwen rolled her eyes playfully.
Despite disappointment, the family adjusted and headed to a nearby restaurant happily.
Meanwhile, in the panda house, Big White and the twins followed the keeper to the examination room.
To ensure panda health, experts conducted daily check-ups. Each panda had a dedicated team for their environment, diet, and health.
Additionally, researchers studied panda habits and growth, sharing findings with the lessor.
After various tests, Big White and the twins returned to their glass cage to rest. Though smaller than the outdoor area, it was spacious at 100 square meters, with rockery and bamboo for a pleasant environment.
Experts analyzed data, ensuring the twins' condition was suitable for certain procedures. Medicines might be necessary, and safety was paramount.
"Hey, Hilda, take a look at this," a middle-aged man named Mark exclaimed, examining data on the computer screen.
Hilda, a seasoned researcher in her fifties, familiar with every panda's anatomy, approached.
"What's up?"
"Check out these numbers. Big White's limb density has changed significantly," Mark explained, comparing the latest data to previous records.
Hilda squinted, recognizing the anomaly couldn't result from normal development.
"Is the instrument malfunctioning?" Hilda questioned.
"No, the twins' data is normal."
"Pull up Big White's recent surveillance footage. See if there's any unusual behavior," Hilda instructed, concerned about potential illness.
"Okay," Mark nodded, reviewing the twins' data.
"They're stable."
"Then let's focus on Big White's issue."
Mark called the keeper and monitoring room, notifying them of Big White's situation.
Meanwhile, in the panda house, two keepers entered, announcing feeding time in a distinct Sichuan dialect.
The pandas' eyes lit up. The twins heard food, while Big White saw opportunity.
In the feeding area, basins of milk, bamboo shoots, fruits, and diced meat awaited.
"Miranda, which panda should we take?" one keeper asked, watching the pandas eat.
"Any twin. Big White's too young. I'll lure one away, leaving this area to you."
"No problem."
One keeper led a twin away, leaving the other keeper with the remaining pandas.
The crunch of bamboo echoed as the keeper, distracted by her phone, didn't notice Big White's movements.
Seizing the moment, Big White offered his bamboo to the drinking panda, who accepted it eagerly.
The keeper, seeing Big White's generosity, filmed it for promotional material.
While she edited the video, Big White climbed the rockery, then quietly approached the door.
"The first door, success!" Outside, Big White exhaled deeply. Familiar with the route from his monitoring room observations, he headed left toward the exit.
In the monitoring room, staff focused on retrieving Big White's recent footage, neglecting the panda house's current situation.
Unaware of potential escape, monitoring mainly ensured pandas and staff safety, not considering a panda's breakout.
By seven o'clock, most staff had left, leaving few in the panda house. Big White followed his plan, reaching the locker room.
Standing on his hind legs, about the height of a seven-year-old, he pulled the door handle, entering the locker room.
Dim light from the corridor illuminated the space, revealing panda costumes drying on a rack.
Big White found a dry suit but struggled to wear it, as it was designed for adult humans.
"There's always a way..." he mused, eyeing the tall costume.
"...Attention, attention, Big White is in the first floor's locker room. Keepers, bring a tranquilizer gun immediately," an announcement called, as the keeper noticed Big White's absence and alerted the monitoring room.