The Giant Isopod exhibit was arranged in a U-shaped passage. As Qian Ling and Yang Mo continued forward, they found that the path looped back to reconnect with the undersea tunnel. The two of them transitioned from the deep-sea silence of the exhibit back into that noisy world.
Not only that, but as they reached the end of the area, the commotion reached a brand-new peak.
Entering through the portal at the end and climbing a few steps brought them into a vast, open hall. Upon first arriving, one’s gaze might be drawn to the marine life sculptures hanging overhead. Some might feel that the countless sculptures formed a vivid ocean on the ceiling, but after walking a few more paces, they would realize such a thought was far too shallow.
This was because a scene resembling a true ocean lay to the left of the entrance.
The hall was designed much like a movie theater, with the ground gradually rising from front to back. However, there were no seats, only wide steps. People entered at the highest point of the stairs, and to their left was the facility corresponding to a cinema screen.
Attracted by the blue light it emitted, Qian Ling turned her head to see a massive glass curtain wall, behind which lay a colossal body of water.
Witnessing the sight, Yang Mo and the other tourists couldn’t help but let out a collective “Whoa!”
Shafts of sunlight filtered down from the top of the water, illuminating not only the coral and reefs on the bottom, but also the backs of the fish. Silver-white light shimmered off their scales as they swam.
The variety of fish was so great it was impossible to count. Densely packed schools of small fish circled like tides, while larger fish glided back and forth peacefully. The most eye-catching among them were the hammerhead sharks and a true manta ray.
As soon as Qian Ling saw that creature, which looked like an alien spaceship, she knew she shouldn’t have confused it with the spotted eagle ray they had encountered earlier. At that very moment, a spotted eagle ray was cruising right alongside it.
The biggest difference was the body length; the manta ray was nearly twice the size of the spotted eagle ray. Beyond that, it had no spots on its body, and its head featured two horn-like cephalic fins that the spotted eagle ray lacked.
The glass wall acted like a real movie screen, playing a documentary about the ocean for the visitors.
In fact, Qian Ling had initially doubted whether it was a projection, as she couldn’t even see the edges of the water at first glance. It was only after she stepped closer that she finally became certain it was all real.
Recalling what she had discovered back at the undersea tunnel, she began to wonder if this entire pavilion was actually one giant tank, just partitioned into different exhibits for tourists to view.
When she and Yang Mo finally snapped out of their daze, they shared a knowing look and realized that neither of them had seen enough.
Yang Mo suggested, “Want to watch for a bit longer?”
“Yes,” Qian Ling nodded.
They stood side by side like that for a while longer.
During this time, Yang Mo would occasionally point at a fish and excitedly introduce it to Qian Ling. Although Qian Ling felt this was a nice bit of entertainment, she could clearly sense that other tourists nearby were listening intently to Yang Mo’s explanations, especially some of the elderly visitors.
Watching Yang Mo passionately narrate while ignoring the crowd, Qian Ling thought to herself, ‘You’re really losing out by not asking the aquarium for a narrator’s salary.’
When it was finally time to leave, Yang Mo was still a bit reluctant, looking back twice within just a few steps.
Seeing this, Qian Ling called out to her from ahead, “There’s still another pavilion waiting for us. Why don’t we look forward to what we might see next?”
“Mm…”
She gave a soft response and walked toward the exit with a strained expression, as if she were forcibly suppressing the urge to turn around.
With that, only the final souvenir hall stood between them and the exit of the aquarium.
The moment Yang Mo spotted a certain item, her eyes sparkled.
It was the giant isopod plushies displayed on the shelves.
According to the bulletin board at the shop entrance, these seemed to be limited-edition items sold specifically to commemorate the opening of the Giant Isopod exhibit.
Before Qian Ling could even react, Yang Mo had already rushed over to a staff member and started talking.
“Can I have two, please?”
The staff member replied, “I’m sorry, but this limited item is restricted to one per person.”
“That’s fine. It’s one for me and one for her.”
Yang Mo said this with a smile, raising an arm to point at Qian Ling behind her.
“…Me?”
Qian Ling pointed a confused finger at her own face.
She looked left and right, and after confirming there was no one else nearby, she walked over to Yang Mo and the clerk. “Yes, yes, I want one too.”
The clerk handed two plushies to Yang Mo, who then handed one to Qian Ling.
‘Is this really meant for me?’
Qian Ling thought this as she looked down and met the gaze of the giant isopod plushie in her hands.
Unlike her bewildered self, Yang Mo was hugging hers and smiling happily.
“Is it cute?”
***
Qian Ling looked up at her, unable to answer the question for a moment.
She inspected the toy carefully again. She could feel that the head and eyes were larger than the actual creature, and the limbs were rounded. To make a creature look cute, this kind of treatment was often applied.
But to be honest, in Qian Ling’s heart, it was still just a tiny bit away from being truly cute. Just a tiny bit.
She tried squeezing the plushie and found that the texture was unexpectedly good.
It was soft and fluffy, and the fabric felt somewhat warm against her skin, reminding her of something else she often squeezed.
So —
“Yeah, it’s fairly cute.”
That was Qian Ling’s conclusion. The texture factor had bridged that final tiny gap.
Hearing her say that, Yang Mo’s smile grew even wider.
Clutching their plushies, the two of them set off for the remaining Polar Pavilion.
The Polar Pavilion was divided into two areas: the open-air area mainly featured sea lions, while the indoor area showcased seals and penguins.
To visit, one had to enter through the open-air area first. The sea lions here left the deepest impression on Qian Ling and Yang Mo.
They happened to enter right at feeding time.
As a keeper in blue overalls ran along the edge of the water carrying a red plastic crate, the sea lions in the pool swam over, swarming near the shore to follow her.
Finally, the keeper stopped on a protruding piece of land by the water. One large and one small sea lion were the first to climb onto the shore to reach the keeper’s side, while the others just bobbed their heads in the water, quietly watching the scene.
Even though the sea lions on land knew there was food in the crate, they didn’t try to snatch it. They propped up their upper bodies and let the keeper pet them.
“That’s so nice. I want to pet them too.”
Yang Mo slowly reached out a hand toward the sea lions, but unfortunately, the railing blocked her, and the distance was far too great.
As Qian Ling watched, she marveled, “Are sea lions usually that big?”
Even though the sea lions were lying on the ground, the tops of their heads still reached the keeper’s chest. Their total body length was certainly even greater.
After a while, the keeper seemed to have had her fill of petting. She took a small fish out of the crate, held it above a sea lion’s head, and as soon as she let go, the sea lion swallowed it in one gulp.
Until the keeper left, only the two sea lions on land were fed. The others in the water didn’t react much, even when they saw the food.
Yang Mo expressed her confusion. “Huh? So they just like following the keeper around?”
“Maybe it’s a form of performance that doesn’t harm the animals,” Qian Ling speculated. “Look at the fish the keeper brought out. It doesn’t look like nearly enough to fill a sea lion’s belly.”
“Meaning this wasn’t an official feeding, just a chance for anyone who’s hungry to get an extra snack? If that’s the case, this performance style is actually quite gentle.”
Hearing Qian Ling’s theory, Yang Mo formed her own thoughts.
After that, the two of them continued to lean against the railing for a while, watching the sea lions swim in the pool before heading to the next area.
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