成都：嘴巴为什么麻？

Xiaolin, are we there?

We're there. Look to the left.

It's so big! Will it look at us?

Not now. It's eating bamboo.

That long green thing in its hands?

Yes, bamboo. It keeps eating bamboo.

I'm ready to take a photo.

Watch for a bit first. It isn't looking at people.

I see it. Eating and eating again.

First-time visitors all wait for it to look at them. It's waiting for the next piece of bamboo.

When will it look at me?

Maybe it won't. Do you really need it to look at you?

I want one photo. If the panda looks at me, it feels like I was really here.

It doesn't have to look. You still came.

I know. But in my head, it sits there and looks at visitors.

It's busy. Eating bamboo takes a long time.

Why so long?

It eats almost only bamboo. That food isn't enough, so it has to keep eating. After it eats, it sleeps.

It only eats and sleeps every day?

You're waiting for a show. It isn't performing.

Then what do I do?

It's still eating. A photo is fine.

Okay. I'll just take it eating bamboo.

Taken. It didn't look at me.

That's how today is.

It stopped eating. Is it going to sleep?

It lay down. That's common here. Eat, then sleep.

I waited so long.

You also saw it eat. Let's go.

One more look. It's sleeping so well.

Time for Chengdu hotpot, right?

Time to eat. Sit down. The pot is boiling.

So red! This is it?

This is it. The food is ready. Eat.

My friends said to get the spiciest. Can I?

You can. Eat a little first, then talk about “the spiciest.”

I'm not afraid of spicy food.

You know spicy. There's something else. You'll know after you eat.

What?

Eat first.

So red. I ate it.

Xiaolin, what's wrong with my mouth?

Too spicy?

Spicy. But not only spicy. First my mouth had no feeling. Now it's back.

That's má.

Má. Before, I only knew spicy.

The red is chili. The numb is Sichuan pepper. The pot has both.

What is Sichuan pepper?

Small, red. Not chili. If you bite it, your mouth goes numb.

I thought it was only spicy. Why did the numbness come first?

People see a red pot and only prepare for spicy.

Do I still want it spicier?

Do you?

No. I want another bite, to see if this time is má or spicy.

Eat.

This time it's má. So strange. But I like it. My mouth is still numb.

Then you ate it right today.

Still numb.

Want water?

No. Let's just walk for a bit.

The panda didn't look at you. And the hotpot isn't only spicy.

It's not what I imagined. But I like it.

Eat again tomorrow?

Yes. Tomorrow, no contest. I want to taste which bite is má and which is spicy.