When the caretaker went to check, Feng Yi had already left, only a few tourists stood at a distance, looking over as if they were puzzled why they hadn't seen the golden python.
The visitors who had come for the golden python Niuniu were indeed perplexed. It had been said online that the golden python Niuniu was quite active during business hours, but now there wasn't even a shadow to be seen. They had wanted to take some photos here to share on social media, and were disappointed.
The caretaker sized up the passing tourists and felt that none seemed likely to have irritated Niuniu to the point of anger. Heading back to the staff area, he thought for a moment and made a call to the colleague responsible for surveillance.
"Can you check on Niuniu for me? See who was out there just now, and what they did. It's from the surveillance two minutes ago."
The zoo took such sudden changes in the golden python's mood very seriously and quickly reviewed the surveillance footage to find the cause, hoping to avoid it in the future.
A prompt response came from the surveillance team.
"Indeed, there was a young man there two minutes ago. He was alone, wearing a mask so we couldn't see his face clearly, but he didn't do much. Just stared at Niuniu for a longer time, then raised his hand to say hi. After he waved, Niuniu got pissed off and left... seems that's what happened. I'll send you the video to check out."
They sent over a segment of the surveillance video.
The caretaker watched and, as mentioned earlier, there was no threatening shouting or other confusing behavior.
"This is odd. Niuniu was pretty upset just now, and she's still not calmed down. Could it be the hand wave? But that shouldn't be it."
The caretaker went back to the front to inspect the indoor facilities again; the forest-style manor had no issues.
"Bizarre indeed."
While they were still searching for the reason behind the golden python's sudden temper, Feng Yi had already moved on from the reptile area to see the other animals.
Compared to this, the furry animals seemed cuter.
Before leaving the zoo, Feng Yi noticed in those little shops with animal themes that there were car ornaments shaped like golden pythons, some of which were quite amusing. They had those tower-like serpentine springs that wobbled and bounced up and down when flicked.
They came in different materials, some with realistic designs where the scales were imitated, and others were plush versions, not as realistic but cuter.
Feng Yi chose the plush version. While driving home, he could see the snake bouncing up and down in the car.
After dealing with the venom and venom sacs, and having toured the zoo, Feng Yi was in a great mood. He stopped at a restaurant before heading home for a hearty meal.
In the middle of it, he received a call from Wu Ji, inquiring about the tea.
"That tea you gave me, I took it to the store and was supposed to wait a couple of days before drinking it, but I forgot about it. Yesterday, Uncle Liu came bragging about his new fishing catch at my store. He saw the jar and got curious as he hadn't tried the tea, so I brewed some for us to share."
Wu Ji's voice was excited, "And boy, did we taste it! The aroma and flavor are beyond words, but what's amazing is how refreshed I felt after drinking it! All the fatigue seemed to wash away! I'm not talking about some drug-induced buzz, you know. It's like, it felt as though I had indulged in a warm soak in the springs, had a full-body massage, and then slept soundly, waking up all light and full of energy!
"To use Uncle Liu's words, drinking this tea gave him the same feeling as if he had stepped out of a sauna. He used to love going to the sauna when he was younger. Now that he's older, he does it less often due to various restrictions, and he needs several days of rest after each fishing trip. After yesterday's tea, he felt so good that he asked for some leaves and went fishing again today! He even called to say he wants to buy the tea!"
"Of course, I didn't give it to him! Today I brewed it for my parents, and after drinking it, they said they didn't feel any back or leg pain! Sure, that might be an exaggeration, but the relief is real. Feng Yi, is this some kind of… secret, heirloom tea-making technique? This tea must be expensive, right? Is the person who makes it willing to sell some more? I'll buy it!"
Feng Yi was surprised. The tea had such an effect? He hadn't noticed all that himself. It just seemed more apparent that it eased pain and kept one alert.
"I'll ask for you. But it's unlikely that he'll sell; I've asked him before, and he refused," Feng Yi said.
"Okay, just ask him how much of the tea is left and whether he'll sell it. We can negotiate the price!"
Wu Ji really liked that tea and it was obviously a limited edition. If he could buy it, he would surely keep it for personal use rather than sell it in his store.
After finishing his conversation with Wu Ji, Feng Yi messaged Mute Uncle, who couldn't speak, so naturally, they couldn't connect via a voice call.
Mute Uncle replied quickly: "Not much left! Not for sale! Don't need the money! [Smug] [Smoking]"
Looking at the expression on the faces of those two behind me, and thinking back to the first time I saw Mute Uncle on Xiao Feng Mountain holding that high-end device in his hand, Feng Yi took a screenshot of Mute Uncle's reply and sent it to Wu Ji, "Give it up."
Wu Ji felt disappointed, but then asked, "Could you satisfy my curiosity? How much does this tea cost?"
Feng Yi relayed the question.
Mute Uncle replied, "It's a worldwide limited edition! Priceless! You're making a profit just by drinking it!"
Wu Ji gave up.
However, Feng Yi himself still had questions for Mute Uncle.
"Mute Uncle, I'm almost out of this tea as well. A can of tea leaves can only last a month. Will you be able to offer some more?"
Last time Feng Yi wanted to buy, Mute Uncle's response was, 'We'll talk when you're done drinking it.'
Now that it was almost gone, could he sell a box to him?
Mute Uncle replied, "That stuff will be of no use to you after a month, you're just wasting it by drinking."
Feng Yi was taken aback.
There was more to what he was saying!
When he drank the tea, the intense pain did indeed gradually lessen. He had assumed it was due to the tea Mute Uncle had given him, but now, hearing what Mute Uncle said, although the tea had a certain effect, could there be another reason?
Feng Yi asked again, "So what's the deal with this tea?"
Mute Uncle replied, "Clears the mind, sharpens the senses, quenches thirst, reduces swelling and pain, promotes metabolism and all that, ah, it's just those things! What else could it be?"
Feng Yi: "..."
Mute Uncle: "Tea isn't some kind of magical cure-all. Be rational about it! That's it, I'm busy now."
Feng Yi wanted to ask more but had no way to do so.
He carefully reviewed Mute Uncle's replies again, pondering.
A man who could keep the ancestral home and hold so many secrets was definitely not ordinary. Mute Uncle absolutely knew about the changes he was going through.
The tea would no longer be effective after a month of drinking—did that mean it couldn't relieve pain anymore?
Or did it mean that within a month, he would have completed all the evolutionary mutations and no longer need to endure that intense pain?
Mute Uncle's words, half said and half unsaid, left Feng Yi's heart in turmoil.
Whatever the meaning, a month was definitely a key time period. So, before the end of the month, something else must change.
Following the teeth and cheeks, what other parts would he have to endure the pain of evolving?
Thinking about this, Feng Yi lost the mood to hang out outside, immediately drove home, and also took a detour to the supermarket to stock up on more supplies. For the upcoming period, he reckoned he would have to hunker down at home to withstand the pain of evolution.
That night, Feng Yi had a night full of nightmares.
Maybe it was because he had too much on his mind during the day, along with observing the golden python at the zoo, Feng Yi dreamt his mouth had grown a row of heat-sensing pits and his tongue had forked...