Chapter 658: Exploring the Pheasant Forest

Liu Wei said, "Yes, not only do we have giant pandas, but we also have red pandas. Recently, they gave birth to cubs. Do you know about red pandas?"

Yumiko Amami's face lit up with excitement. "They're the ones with red fur and big tails, right? Kawaii!"

Seeing Yumiko's enthusiasm for animals, Liu Wei engaged her in conversation about the zoo, sharing his experiences, such as how visitors to the panda exhibit could smell the fresh bamboo feces, emitting a pleasant fragrance.

Yumiko listened with interest. "Wow, I'd love to smell that too!"

She then expressed some frustration. "Oh dear, there are so many procedures to complete for new students. I really want to see the pandas..."

What a great opportunity!

Suppressing his excitement, Liu Wei casually said, "There's no rush in the next few days. I'm quite familiar with the Seaside Zoo. If you want to visit the zoo, I can be your guide. How about exchanging contact information? Do you use QQ or WeChat?"

Yumiko turned her head as Liu Wei maintained a calm demeanor , but his heart was pounding, and his face was subtly blushing! Was his secret crush on her revealed? What if she refused—how awkward would that be!

However, Yumiko just smiled gently. "Sure, thank you, senior! I use WeChat."

Liu Wei felt like he was on cloud nine, with fireworks of joy bursting everywhere! He quickly took out his phone and added Yumiko on WeChat.

Helping to carry the luggage up the stairs to the third floor, he didn't feel tired at all. In fact, he felt full of inexhaustible energy! He could easily move to the 20th floor without any problem.

...

Liu Wei had been eagerly anticipating these moments recently.

Occasionally, he would look at his phone and smile foolishly, leading his roommates to tease him about being in heat.

In reality, he was quite envious of being able to connect with a beautiful Japanese student during the orientation. He was already thinking, maybe next year, he should volunteer as well?

Ding dong.

Yumiko: "Senior, do you have time tomorrow? Take me to visit the zoo."

Excited, Liu Wei sat up straight on his bed and quickly replied, "Sure! What time should we go?"

"Any time works. Isn't the zoo your turf, senior? When do you think is the best time to go?"

"Let's go early then! It's hot in the summer, and the animals are more active in the early morning and evening. The zoo opens at 8 a.m., so we can leave at 7:30, grab breakfast at the cafeteria, and head over."

Liu Wei suddenly remembered, "Oh, remember to bring your student ID. Tickets are half-price."

...

The next morning, the two met at the school gate.

Yumiko greeted him with a smile, "Good morning, senior!"

Seeing her slender legs in black stockings, Liu Wei felt invigorated and couldn't help but say, "You look lovely today, junior!"

Yumiko covered her mouth and chuckled, "Thank you for the compliment."

Arriving at the zoo, Yumiko took out her student ID, scanned the code to purchase tickets, and politely asked the cashier, "Hello! Do you have seasonal passes or annual passes?"

Since the zoo was located next to the school, she thought it would be convenient to visit on weekends for leisure.

If she visited frequently, getting an annual pass would be more cost-effective.

"The annual pass is 500 yuan, and you'll need to bring your ID."

While the zoo's ticket prices remained the same, the annual pass prices had increased slightly with the addition of new exhibits.

"I'm a Japanese exchange student and don't have an ID. Can I use my visa?"

The cashier was puzzled. "Um, I'm not sure about that. Let me check for you!"

Yumiko looked a bit disappointed. "Okay, thank you!"

However, the zoo ticket was only 30 yuan, and even if she visited every week for a month, it would only be 120 yuan. Even without an annual pass, the price was still acceptable.

On the plaza, white doves strolled or pecked at the lush green grass, creating a serene scene.

Yumiko crouched down, smiling brightly. "Coo, coo, coo~"

Imitating the sound of a dove, she tried to attract the birds towards her.

The doves quickly ran away, paying her no mind.

"Do you want to feed the doves? There's feed available over there," Liu Wei suggested.

Yumiko waved her hand. "No need! Where to next?"

Liu Wei explained in detail, "If we go left, there's a small farm with alpacas, one of the few animals in the zoo that visitors can pet and feed! You can even take them for a walk. Then there are two reptile houses, followed by the Giant Beast Area with elephants, giraffes, and hippos. Ahead is the Tropical Rainforest Bird Pavilion, featuring beautiful green peacocks and macaws. Exiting leads to the Bamboo Forest Area, where you'll find giant and red pandas. Next is the Monkey Paradise, the Wild Beast Corridor with lions and tigers, Swan Lake, and flamingos..."

Yumiko's eyes widened in amazement. "So many animals!"

Liu Wei nodded. "Yes, there are quite a few. If we take our time, we might not finish exploring in a day. If you like pandas, we can start with the bamboo forest."

Yumiko eagerly agreed, "Sounds good!"

Walking through the verdant bamboo forest, sunlight filtered through the delicate bamboo leaves, creating dappled patterns on the path.

The fragrance of bamboo leaves wafted through the air, mingling with the scents of rain, flowers, a hint of soil, and grass, creating a refreshing and pleasant aroma. The combination of these scents made one feel relaxed and content.

Yumiko took a deep breath, her eyes filled with delight, and she couldn't help but exclaim, "It's so beautiful and natural here! Much more beautiful than the zoo back home."

Listening to her, Liu Wei felt a sense of pride. "The bamboo forest here is designed to mimic the environment where giant pandas live."

Turning a corner, they encountered a fork in the path.

There was a sign at the junction: Pheasant Forest.

Seeing Yumiko's gaze, Liu Wei explained, "It seems like a new exhibit was built here during the summer vacation! I haven't visited it yet."

"Let's check it out."

Arriving at the Pheasant Forest, they saw a magnificent bird with colorful plumage standing on a rock!

It would raise its head proudly at times, then lower it to peck at something.

Its feathers on the head were golden, the belly feathers were deep red, and the neck feathers resembled the scales of a peacock, layered like a delicate yellow rose.

The wing feathers ended in blue!

It looked like a gorgeous rainbow, with red and yellow as the primary colors, accentuated by shades of blue and green.

Onlookers marveled, "Wow, what a beautiful bird, so colorful."

"It looks so festive!"

"Isn't this a phoenix?"

"I saw one in the wild when I was a child! But it was just a fleeting glance before it flew away."

Liu Wei noticed its yellow hairstyle and couldn't shake the feeling that it looked familiar.