Mr. Ping looked out his window from feeding his newly arrived panda son. He saw a burly snow leopard work in, looking very upset about something.
"I apologize sir," Mr. Ping said, setting the spoon he was feeding with down. "But it is the middle of the night and we are clo-,"
But the goose stopped talking when the leopard glared at him murderously.
"On second thought, I think I have time for one more customer." Mr. Ping said before he started cooking.
After a while, Mr. Ping came out and set the bowl of noodles on the table the leopard sat at.
"I-I hope you enjoy eating at Mr. Ping's noodle shop!" Mr. Ping said before he heard his son crying from lack of food.
As Mr. Ping went back to tend to him, the leopard took a sip on the broth and licked his lips at the taste.
"Well, now I know why this place is becoming big talk."
Mr. Ping heard that and smiled to him though the window.
"I'm glad you like it!" He said.
"I am too. Actually lightened my mood a little."
Mr. Ping came back out with a trail of food, which the panda baby followed and ate. They both sat down in the seat in front of the leopard, who didn't bother to protest.
"Why were you in such a bad mood, may I ask?" Mr. Ping asked aas the panda ate dumplings off of a plate.
"Why do you want to know?"
"I hate for people to leave with a frown, and talking makes people feel better."
The leopard groaned, believing that to be rubbish, but decided to talk if it would get the goose to go away.
"As you may knew, I am Tai Lung, a kung fu student in the Jade Palace."
Tai Lung waited for Mr. Ping to ask for an autograph or something, but was confused when it never came.
"You are one of those kung fu guys?"
"You don't know me?" Tai Lung asked, still confused.
"I don't pay attention to that sort of thing. I'm a noodle folk, not a lover of Kung Fu."
Tai Lung didn't know what to think of that, but kept talking.
"Anyway...recently, I was denied of something that I practically worked all my life for. To blow off steam, I came down here to eat at the famous noodle shop, which is this noodle shop. So, here I am."
Mr. Ping listened to the whole explanation until he could speak.
"Well...What will you do now?"
"It's obivous..." Tai Lung said. "Of course, I'll be training at the Jade Palace. It's what I'll be doing for the rest of life with no change or any more expectations..."
Tai Lung stood and was about to leave.
"Tai Lung! Wait!"
Tai Lung looked back at Mr. Ping, who was holding Tai Lung's unfinished bowl.
"It sounds like things aren't the best for you, so why don't you..."
Mr. Ping hesitated, a little shaky about asking the question.
"Why don't I what?" Tai Lung said, annoyed by the sudden pause.
"...work volunteer time at the noodle shop?"
Tai Lung turned around fully at the goose, who he was straighting to believe was very dense for asking that question.
"What? How will that help?"
"My father once let an homeless ex-criminal, who was down on his luck, work at the noodle shop as a waiter. Not only did he earn enough money to buy his own home, but he was able to turn his life around and became a happier person!"
"...it was a bad idea at first, wasn't it?"
"Well, he admitted to stealing a majority of the money they made and gave it back!"
Tai Lung pinched the bridge of his snout.
"Even so, I'm not an ex-criminal, or a criminal of any kind."
"I know! But maybe working here will drive you out of your little funk, Tai Lung." Mr. Ping said. "Plus, I need some help waiting tables. What do you say?"
Tai Lung groaned.
"Fine, but I will stop if I find no satisfaction in it." He said.
"It is good with me." Mr. Ping said. "You won't be disappointed at seeing the happy faces of customers first thing in the morning!"
Mr. Ping walked to his door.
"Wait a minute, don't I have to pay for the noodles?"
"It is okay, I'll make it free for you."
Mr Ping placed the bowl on the ground.
"Come along, Bohai. Noodles are here for you!"
The baby panda Bohai, who finished the plate, fell off the seat and crawled to the noodles.
"Bohai?" Tai Lung asked as Bohai ate. "That's the name you came up with?"
"What? What's wrong with it?" Mr. Ping asked.
"Nothing. He's just...looks more like a Xiao Po to me."
With that, Tai Lung walked back to the Jade Palace. Mr. Ping looked at Bohai with a pondering stare.
"...He does, doesn't he?"