When Po got down to his dad's restaurant, there was a bit of a bustle, but not so much that his dad had his wings tied. When Mr. Ping saw Po waving to him, he immediately dashed out to give him a hug.

"Oh thank goodness you're okay!" Mr. Ping cried happily. "Those lovely ladies told me you caught a bad cold and I was worried it might get worse or something."

"Don't worry dad, I'm okay," Po promised. "I'm feeling a hundred percent better now."

"Well I'm glad to hear that."

Mr. Ping walked back to the kitchen with Po in tow asking if there was anything he could do to help. Mr. Ping asked him to bring in the deliveries from the back which had arrived just as Po showed up. The master obliged and headed out behind the restaurant to bring the crates in. There were a lot of vegetables, flour, sugar, and even some beans for making plenty of tofu, and Po was quick to start putting everything away in the cellar. (Except for a few of the beans which Mr. Ping asked him to leave out for him).

"So, how's everything going?" Mr. Ping asked, handing Po a cleaver to chop vegetables while he tended to the bread which had risen on the back counter. "You certainly have your pick of the produce!"

Po laughed sheepishly. "It's going fine," he said. "We've gotten to talk, and do some little activities.... Kind of normal group stuff. But it's only been a week or so." He paused and looked over at his dad, asking, "Did anyone stand out to you? Leopard said they hung out at the restaurant a few times while I was ill."

"Oh right! I almost completely forgot about that! It's been rather busy for the past few days." Mr. Ping put the breads into the oven to bake before taking a second to stop and think. "I can't really think of anybody in particular," he admitted. "Of course, it was a little difficult to really tell with such a huge crowd; I can't really remember who was who....I'm a little biased for Lu-Shi, if we're being honest, but I think it's because you guys got along so well when you were little. You know, if she didn't have to move, this might not have been such a big issue."

"Maybe," Po agreed.

"And of course, Lam is always a delight to be around. She helped me with a few things in the restaurant and then I showed her some of your baby pictures. Everybody thought they were adorable.

Po groaned but said nothing further. He didn't feel like arguing at the moment.

"You know what I don't understand?" Mr. Ping suddenly piped up irritably. "Why that old woman is in this contest! She could be your grandmother for crying out loud!"

"Shifu just accepted whatever volunteers came up," Po explained. "And Madame Zhou wanted to participate, so he let her."

"Well she's too old for you in my opinion and I wouldn't even consider it. Actually, come to think of it, there was somebody else I thought would make a terrible match for you, but I can't quite recall her name. She was a really tall leopard, though I couldn't tell you what kind, she wore a kind green shirt down to her butt, a silver locket...."

"Tai Lin?" Po asked in surprised.

"Yes! That was it! She had some real crazy idea about having a love-at first-sight kind of romance and how she wanted to be quickly swept off her feet and married and all that. It's a bit of an airheaded idea, if you ask me. She doesn't really seem to understand the seriousness that goes into a relationship. Definitely not a good match for you."

Po thought about that for a moment. "I guess we'll have to see how it goes," he said at last. "But thanks for the insight, dad."

"It's no problem, son. Just looking out for you."

The two continued to serve the customers up until the noon rush hour, upon which Po told his dad that he needed to get back to the Jade Palace.

"Of course. Wouldn't want to keep your guests waiting," Mr. Ping encouraged, dishing out multiple bowls of soup. "Have a good time up there!"

Po went to leave but then stopped suddenly and cried, "Oh, wait! I forgot to look for my action figures!"

Mr. Ping looked confused as he watched Po run up the stairs. "I thought you took those with you when you went back up to the Jade Palace," he called after Po.

"I thought that too! But they're not there!" Po called down. He went into his old room, which was a smidge messier than his room at the Jade Palace, and started looking around to see if he could find his action figures. It's possible he might have forgotten to put them back in his bag with all the commotion and excitement of the contest. But to Po's bewilderment, he couldn't find the box of action figures in his old room either. He looked around multiple times out of desperation, hoping that maybe he missed a spot, but to no avail. He paced the room a few times in a final desperate swee and took to just sitting on his bed.

What did I do with them? he wondered with a look of sorry plastered across his face. I know I had them! First the list, now my action figures...does somebody just really not like kung fu?! No no, I can't think that. Who the heck would want to steal my action figures? I had to have misplaced them. But where?! Those are special to me! I don't want to lose them!!!

"Po, is everything okay?" Mr. Ping asked, coming back up the stairs with a look of concern. "Did you find them?"

"No. I have no idea where I put them! I hope I didn't lose them!"

Mr. Ping patted him on the back and assured him that they might turn up at some point. "Sometimes I lose things and they just turn up," he said. "And you're always so careful with your things, Po. I'm sure this will be the same thing."

Po sighed. "If you say so, dad," he replied.

He got up to leave, but Mr. Ping stopped him before he headed too far down the stairs.

"I have something for you," he said.

The two headed down the stairs and paused in front of Mr. Ping's room. Mr. Ping walked over to his bed and went rummaging through the nightstand drawer beside his bed. He then pulled out a little orange and red box with gold trim and offered it to Po.

"Wait...you're giving that to me?" Po asked. "Buts it's a family heirloom. What if I lose that too?!"

Me. Ping laughed. "Son, I trust you to take good care of my stuff," he assured him. "Besides, since you're looking for someone to settle down with, I think it's high time I passed the ring down to you. I didn't think I'd give it to you for a while considering your kung fu and all that, but now seems like a very good time."

Po gently opened the box, revealing a jade ring etched in a beautiful golden floral pattern all across the small frame. The edges of the ring were also trimmed with gold, and inside the ring it read:

For Iila, the perfect spice in my life

(That's pronounced Eye-luh... That's a capital i. The font doesn't make that clear). 

Po smiled at the thought while Mr. Ping sighed. "I can't think of what I would have added," he said more to himself. "I guess we'll never know." He smiled and added, "Well, at least I had you, son: the perfect ingredient in my life."

Po smiled at him and hugged him. "Thanks, dad," he said. "I'll keep it safe!"

And with that he waved his dad goodbye and started back off towards the Jade Palace with the box held carefully in his paws.