©GeraldineBanks2021
It was a catastrophe of massive proportion for Li Xiu’s keeper, never before had a Panda from the highly respected Zoo in Chengdu gone missing. Li Quiang could not believe his eyes the morning he opened up Li Xiu’s holding cell and found she was gone. She had been under observation in the Panda Nursery as she had an eye infection which had not cleared up even after treatment with anti-biotics.
Li Xiu had not liked been cooped up by herself in the cell .It was for the best though , and Li Quiang thought that it was her own fault and that if she had co-operated more fully with the vet on his first visit to her, instead of clowning around and being her usual playful and impish self she would not have had to be kept in isolation from the other Pandas for what seemed to her years but had infact only been a few days. Li Xiu was a really playful Panda she was the favourite of Li Quiang and he was very upset that she had disappeared.
As Li Quiang waited outside the Zoo Curator’s office in preparation for detailing his side of the story as to what had happened . He went over and over in his mind ,how he had fed and watered her and given her a small kiss and tried to settle her to go asleep before he left. He knew he had carefully double locked the door and as he left through the staff changing room he put the the key in the office safe and left the building as normal. One of the other keepers reassured him that the key was still in the safe when he had started his shift, so Li Quiang was confident that the interrogation by the Zoo Curator would be thorough but that at the end of the day Li Quiang could prove that he was not responsible for the loss of the Panda. He had locked the door.
The Zoo Curator was sitting at his desk when Li Quiang walked into his office following the Zoo Curator’s secretary. The Zoo Curator nodded to them both to sit down. The Secretary would be taking notes. The Zoo Curator looked critically at Li Quiang and began to throw a barrage of questions at him. It was like gunfire. As the Zoo Curator would normally not talk directly to a Keeper and the Curator was full of resentment at having to talk to a mere Keeper. Li Quiang saw a flash of anger in the eyes of the Secretary at the way the Curator talked to Li Quiang, but Li Quiang kept his cool and answered the questions one by one.
“When did you last see the Panda?”
” Why were you late finishing your shift?”
” Did you get a spare key for the holding cell made?”
Li Quiang could tell that the Curator was very angry, which although it was unpleasant to experience, Li Quiang could not be angry at the Curator. He knew that the loss of a Panda would cause phone calls and investigations at the highest level in Chinese Government Circles and that the Curator had probably already had to field a number of calls from Government Officials. With confidence and patience Li Quiang answered the Curator’s questions and occasionally looked at the secretary who was now efficiently writing down his answers.
The Curator took a deep breath and put his head in his hands..
“Oh I don’t know what has happened, but the Panda, is precious to us , we must get her back, someone has taken her. I’m afraid we will need to look at your phone records and your computer records at home. The Police will be searching your house right now. They have been given permission from the top level..”
Li Quiang nodded. ” That’s OK, I have nothing to hide, my wife will be a bit surprised though.” Lia Quiang smiled at the Curator, but got no reaction. The Curator looked down at some papers on his desk and said.
” Well that can’t be helped, but the faster we move on this the greater the chance of getting the Panda back.”
“I want Li Xiu back too, remember , I have looked after her since birth. I am very worried about what has happened. She needs treatment for her eye.”
It was six months after Li Xiu was kidnapped and Li Quiang was thinking about the events of that day, going over every every detail. The Zoo Curator had been sacked, and no one was quite sure what had happened to him. It was best not to ask any questions or gossip with the wrong people. When Li Quiang got home the evening of the disappearance he praised his wife for handling the house search so well. She told him she had been very polite with the Police Officers, as she knew that was best and he watched her as she tidied up the mess they had made. She did complain a little.
” They are such brutes, the Police aren’t they? It was pointless to ring my brother, I knew they were not the local Police. ” she said quietly to him.
” Yes, your brother could not have helped but I suppose the authorities have a job to do.”
” I didn’t know what was going on , but I thought it best to let them do what they had to. They’ve taken all our computer equipment, and they were fiddling with our telephone.”
” It’s to be expected, a Panda has disappeared, being stolen we think.”
” Oh no Li , that is terrible.”
“Yes, I don’t know what will happen, but I locked the cage where Li Xiu was kept and kissed her goodnight. The next morning she was gone. I’m pretty certain it was an inside job, but I had nothing to do with it. I’m just worried about Li Xiu that’s all and I’m sorry the Police upset you and caused all this mess.”
” Oh I’m stronger than you think, my love. I will get on with clearing this mess up and then we will have our dinner, our son will be home soon and we will have to explain what has happened to his lap top. I think he will be upset.”
And now six months later no one was wiser as to what had happened to the Panda, the computer equipment belonging to Li Quiang’s family had been returned and Li Quiang knew that his phone line and the families various mobiles were continually monitored and probably would be forever .He had nothing to hide, so that did not worry him. He was back to working with all the Pandas in the Zoo and although he thought about Li Xiu occasionally he kept busy with his work which he really enjoyed.
One morning , he was cleaning out the open area where the Pandas were on display to the Public and the Tourists and the young secretary who had taken the notes the morning of the disappearance came into the enclosure. He noticed that as well as being a secretary in the main building that she had been volunteering recently to help with animal care.
His initial thought was that she had been spying on him, and he would be wary of what he said to her. Her name was Yu Yan, and true to her name she had a beautiful smile. She was very slight and Li Quiang could not but help wonder at her strength in hauling bales of hay for bedding when she was asked. The keepers showed no favour to their attractive helper, as they were of the same mind as Li Quiang, that she was a Government Spy. However, this morning, Yu Yan had entered the enclosure unexpectedly and had deliberately started a conversation with Li Quiang.
” Good Morning, Li, you need any help ?”
“Thank you Miss Yu, yes , I have to finish this job in half an hour before the visitors arrive. Perhaps you could help me by sweeping that area over there. The brush is in the corner.”
” Of course Li, I am glad to help.”
They both continued to work tidying the yard, and then it came time to let the Pandas into the enclosure. Li could see that Yu Yan was excited to be so close to the Pandas. So he let her undo the gate and the young Pandas rushed into their newly cleaned enclosure and began their usual investigations of their surrounds, completely unaware of their impending visitors and the delight that they gave with their playful antics and climbing and searching out the bamboo the keepers had hidden in secret locations .
Yu Yan whooped with delight as the little Pandas brushed by her legs and ran towards the climbing frames .
” Oh they are so beautiful, I wish I could take them all home!”
Li Quiang scowled. ” That is not a good thing to say, we have lost one Panda we don’t want to lose any more. Be careful what you say Yu Yan, someone might hear and read something more into it.”
” Li , you are so right, they are so beautiful , just like toy bears.”
” They are not toys Yu!” Li Quiang quickly remonstrated.
” I know , I’m sorry ” Yu Yan turned to look at Li Quiang.
Li Quiang accepted that Yu Yan was indeed extremely sorry and that her enthusiasm was understandable. The Pandas were extremely cute and they were worth a lot financially to the Chinese Government. So much so that the loss of one was regarded as a serious crime. It was well known that the Pandas would always belong to China and any progeny even from Pandas born in other Countries would always belong to China. China owned the copyright to Pandas.
Yu Yan and Li Quiang began to leave the enclosure through the gated entrance. The Pandas were too busy to notice and just as Li Quiang closed the gate , Yu Yan asked him if she could join him for his tea break.
He was happy for her to join him, as otherwise he would have been by himself. It would be nice to have someone to talk to. However he realised afterwards that Yu Yan’s approach had not been without reason, he felt that she had manipulated him, and by the time his tea-break was over, he realised that he had become embroiled in a chain of events that could lead to imprisonment or even death. Li Quiang would have to use all his wits to not drown in Yu Yan’s complex plot. He would not trust her but at the same time he wanted to help Li Xiu.
The two of them had barely made their tea in the little keepers hut when Yu Yan said.
“Li Xiu is sick , we need your help.”
Li Quiang spat out his tea in horror. Yu Yan explained that she knew the keeper’s hut was not bugged , largely because it was damp and the wi-fi was non -existent. They could talk safely. Li Quiang had no intention of talking. He said firmly that Li Xiu would have to be returned to the Zoo. He had looked at Yu Yan in disbelief as she had explained that her boyfriend who she now realises was not a good man had got her involved and made her make a copy of the cell key where she knew Li Xiu would be kept. Yu Yan knew when the vet was visiting as she dealt with the invoices and she had been able to disable the cctv briefly to enable Li Xiu to be stolen. She was very sorry , but her boyfriend had promised that he would marry her and she needed the money for her dowry as her family could never have afforded to pay.
Li Quiang realised that he had to tread carefully, he felt Yu Yan was now in a lot of trouble and all for the sake of a boy. Was she being entirely honest with him? He doubted it.
“If Li Xiu is sick then she needs to come back here.”
” That is impossible at the moment.” Yu Yan looked down at her hands.
” Why?”
“My boyfriend is involved with bad people , they will kill him or kill me. They cannot sell the Panda, please can you help us?”
” So this is what this has all been about, Selling Li Xiu for money?” Li Quiang was disheartened, he knew that Li Xiu was probably very sick by now and that the thieves probably regarded her as a liability. The Panda would be hot property and would be difficult to look after and get treatment for.
There was something he wanted to know before he would help Yu Yan.
“Tell me Yu Yan do you know what happened to the Zoo Curator?”
“Yes, I do , they shot him.” I put a message on his computer, it looked like he was dealing with the people who stole the Panda. Of course he knew nothing about it , they said he died screaming he was innocent. I am so sorry about all of this I just want to stop it.” She began to cry.
Li Quiang said nothing. He picked his tea cup up and went to wash it at the small sink. He turned to Yu Yan.
” I will have to think carefully about what you have told me. I want Li Xiu back. You can tell the people who have her , I will meet them and I will see what state her health is. I’m not hopeful that after six months she will be in good condition. I need to see her very soon. Meanwhile I am returning to work, please do not follow me. I need time to think alone.”
Later that evening , he was in bed with his wife and he told her what had happened and what Yu Yan had told him.
” The stupid girl! What can you do, we must tell the authorities!”
“If Yu Yan was our daughter , we cannot throw her to the wolves, she has made a mistake . Perhaps I can help her and get Li Xiu back at the same time”
“Li , we have no daughter, she died, Yu Yan is not your daughter! She is a thief! Think about our son, he need’s his father. Look what they did to the Curator.”
“Yes, I know, I must not expose myself to danger. I need to speak to the authorities, but I don’t want Yu Yan to be hurt. I don’t care about the boyfriend who got her into this, or the other people who are involved, but Yu Yan, I want to help her. I think she is very sorry for the mess.”
” You are too soft-hearted, but if you think you can do this without getting into trouble , then I hope you can get Li Xiu back safe and sound. Perhaps we should ask my brother in the Police to help.”
” That is a good idea. I want to meet up with these people and I want the authorities to know that I’m only doing it to get Li Xiu back. Your brother will know how to approach this.”
A few days later, and having discussed the situation with his Brother-In-Law, Li Xiu had a plan and he talked it through with Yu Yan over tea in the Keeper’s hut. He explained that he would come and see the Panda and that she should arrange for the people looking after Li Xiu to be present , but on no account was she to be anywhere near the location. Would that be possible?
Yu Yan agreed to set up the meeting and she explained to her boyfriend that it would be very suspicious if she was seen outside the Zoo with Li Quiang, people would think they were having an “affair” and it would be frowned upon. So she was able to give the details to Li Quiang about where to meet and how he would be picked up in a car and taken to the location where Li Xiu was being held. Li Quiang made the visit and was shocked to find that Li Xiu was infact very ill. Li Quiang set his plan in motion with a sense of real urgency.
On the day of the second rendezvous, Li Quiang had a wire on him, this was to be the day he got Li Xiu safely back and although he was nervous he was also excited. He had told the authorities that someone had came up to him in the street and harassed him, took him into a back alley and threatened to beat him up if he didn’t help . They had put him in a car and brought him to an unknown destination. He had seen Li Xiu, she was in a dreadful condition, her eye looked as if it would need to be removed and her fur was in a terrible condition as the room she was being kept in was not being cleaned regularly. They had been feeding her cat food and grass. She was very thin. He explained that there was little time if he was to save her. He had told them that he would need to steal medicines from the Zoo and that he would need to come back with proper food another day.
The Police including his brother-in-law were following him in an unmarked car. Li Quiang as had been agreed with the kidnappers had been picked up from outside the railway station and he was in a car with some very undesirable looking thugs. Li Quiang couldn’t help but think that maybe the Panda’s “buyer” had saw the state of Liu Xiu and had declined to purchase her and now these men were extremely desperate and indeed acting foolishly out of desperation. He was unable to see where he was going as he was between two heavies who told him to keep looking down at the floor, but Li Quiang knew these men would not realise they were being followed. Eventually they reached the house where he had seen Li Xiu and he was accompanied inside. The car that he had travelled in disappeared into a yard at the back.
Li Quiang had in his hand a bag of medicines for Li Xiu and he emphasised to her kidnappers that he really needed to be left alone to tend to her. So they put him in the room with her and locked the door. Li Quiang was relieved, he gave the signal to the Police outside and took Li Xiu up in his arms, she was very sick. He really did not think she would survive. He gave her some vitamin supplements from his pocket as well as a some liquids from a bottle that the vet had prepared. Her eye was wet and pussy, she must have been in a lot of pain, but this was not the time to give her pain killers as she was so weak, if he could get her to the vet , then they might be able to do something.. He held her in his arms and he knew she recognised him, she made a little yelping noise and Li Xiu knew that he was there to rescue her.
Suddenly all hell let loose, there was a loud bang which was the door breaking down and then a lot of shouting and screaming. The Police had broken into the house. This was the most risky part of the operation for Li Quiang. It was important that the Police found him and Li Xiu quickly as he knew that the kidnappers would kill him and Li Xiu if they entered the room first. Li Quiang waited and listened and held the little Panda close to him and hid behind the door and listened. He was frightened when he heard the lock key turn, surely that must be the kidnappers. He crouched behind the door holding Li Xiu. Luckily three paratroopers rushed through the door and with their weapons pointed in all directions and shouted instructions to show yourselves. Li Quiang stood up and when the paratroopers saw the panda in his hands they stopped pointing their guns and turned them around to cover the door.
“All clear!” one of them shouted.
It was then that the Inspector from the Ministry of Public Security walked into the room. His name was Inspector Chen. Inspector Chen gestured to the paratroopers to leave the room. Li Quiang could still here some shouting downstairs, but he knew that the building was secure and that he and the Panda were safe.
” All this for a flea bitten Panda! I do wonder some times!” The Inspector looked at Li Quiang.
” I am sorry you feel that way, I am very grateful to you and your team Inspector. You must know that. These animals are very valuable.” Li Quiang moved to go by the Inspector.
” Wait a minute , Li Quiang, there is something I want to know?”
” Yes anything Inspector” Li Xiu moved in Li Quiang’s arms . ” Li Xiu needs urgent treatment , but I will help.”
” Was it an inside job, who made a copy of the key, you know don’t you?”
” Yes I know who made the copy , I did not hide anything at the time, but as you know my brother is in Regional Police and I asked his advice “.
” I know, it was him that told me to ask you, please tell me the full truth. I don’t think it will take long, I’m sure this little one will survive. He gently touched Li Xiu’s paw.”
Li Quiang looked at the Inspector directly in the eye.” Inspector , you are married and have children do you not?”
“Yes”
” Do you have daughters?”
” Yes”
“Are they old enough to have boyfriends.”
The Inspector laughed. ” Two are, and yes it is a troublesome period.”
” My daughter was killed in a car accident, she was just fifteen, I would have liked to have had the chance to go through that” troublesome period” you speak about. Miss Yan at the Zoo, she got into trouble with a boy, who was no good. This is why this has all happened. I have done my best to solve it in memory of my daughter. I want to protect Yu Yan like my daughter, yes she has made a mistake , please do not make her suffer for it. The rest of the people here I don’t care a jot for , but please protect Yu Yan.”
The Inspector turned to go out the door.
” Thank you” he said” Now that precious Panda, better live after all of this. You must take it to the vet quickly, there is an ambulance outside waiting to take you to the Veterinary Facility.”
Li Quiang said no more and quickly left, he had done his best and Li Xiu was now his main priority.
The exercise had all gone smoothly and there was a celebration when Li Xiu returned to the zoo. She could no longer be on display as her eye had had to be removed, but she had gained muscle and weight and could be part of the breeding programme for the future. She was very much a Panda with character and the Zoo felt she had traits that should continue if they could find a suitable mate. It turned out that Li Xiu also had “boy” trouble, she was very picky when it came to choosing a mate. It would take time and probably a lot of sleepless nights for the keepers.
Li Quiang continued his role working in the Zoo, he had not seen Yu Yan since he got back . Li Quiang was worried, as Inspector Chen had agreed nothing, and after a few days, Li Quiang thought that Yu Yan had been arrested. He was greatly relieved when one morning he saw Yu Yan in zoo overalls running towards him in oversize wellingtons. She was very excited and delighted to see Li Quiang, she had some good news.
” I’ve been accepted on The Zookeeper Course, I will learn how to be a good animal keeper. I’ve been away on an assessment course and I have got my place. I’m so excited.”
Li Quiang smiled at her. ” That is very good news, you will make a good keeper!”
The End
thenotsomightyom 