Future Pet Shop

Chapter 59: I’m Just Such an Arrogant Boss

"Bin, what’s Hah’Er doing?" Qiao Wenqi, Mo Xiaomo, and Xu Ye were baffled by Hah’Er’s behavior. Was he asking for food, or for a bowl of rice? And don’t pandas eat bamboo?

"Sigh, you really can’t go a single meal without it now, can you? We agreed, just one bowl, okay?" Shen Yibin helplessly rubbed Hah’Er’s big, furry head. ’This kid is a lost cause. He’s an alcoholic now.’

When he got up, found a beer, and started pouring it into Hah’Er’s bowl, everyone was stunned. Xu Ye’s eyes went wide. "Holy crap, is Hah’Er from the Storm Brew Family?"

"It’s all my fault. I had a beer while eating some late-night skewers the other day, and this guy started drinking it. Actually, that video on Weibo was filmed when Hah’Er got drunk." Hearing this, Hah’Er lowered his head in embarrassment. It seemed he also considered what happened that night to be a disgrace, but his two paws still held the bowl steady, terrified of spilling a single drop.

"But don’t worry. Hah’Er can’t hold his liquor, but one bowl is no problem. He won’t go crazy like he did that night." Seeing the worried looks on Qiao Wenqi’s and Mo Xiaomo’s faces, Shen Yibin quickly reassured them.

"Thank goodness." Qiao Wenqi and Mo Xiaomo sounded relieved, but also a little disappointed. "To be honest, I kind of want to see Hah’Er dance. Bin, your camera skills are terrible. The video was so shaky you couldn’t see anything clearly."

"If you want to see it, we can. How about we go to a KTV for some karaoke after all the visitors leave? We can have Hah’Er perform then. How about it, Hah’Er?" Shen Yibin put down the beer bottle, tempting Hah’Er. "If you do it, I’ll give you another bowl at dinner tonight." It seemed that for Hah’Er, beer was now more tempting than gourmet food.

"That stupid bear will definitely agree," Cheeky said while eating its fig salad. "Oh, right. Don’t forget to buy me Amazonian fruits later. And next time you make fig salad, I want Greek olive oil, Italian Balsamic Vinegar, and Mozzarella Cheese." ’Right, I forgot we had a picky little lord here.’

"No problem. Business was good today, all thanks to Lord Cheeky. I’ll reward you later." Several hundred people had come to visit that morning, and some of them were interested in pets. He had closed several deals one after another. At this rate, it probably wouldn’t be long before Shen Yibin had to contact Bao for more stock.

They finished their meal, laughing and chatting. Before Shen Yibin could move, Qiao Wenqi took a tissue from her bag and wiped Hah’Er’s mouth. Then, everyone started clearing the table, helping Shen Yibin wash the dishes, and feeding the pets downstairs. Once all the chores were done, it seemed to be time to open the store again.

"If you think it’s too noisy downstairs, you can stay upstairs and watch a movie," Shen Yibin asked before opening the door.

"No need, we’d rather stay downstairs with Hah’Er and Cheeky," the three of them replied in unison. ’Compared to being up close with a panda, what’s a little noise?’

Just as they were about to open the door, the first wave of tycoons and livestreaming platform executives who had arrived in Yunzhong City were already outside the pet store. When they saw the long line, they were dumbfounded. If they waited in line properly, when would it ever be their turn? It would be a huge loss if someone else snatched up Cheeky first.

"Hey friend, how about I buy your spot for ten thousand yuan?" Tycoons, after all, always liked to pave the way with money. They immediately figured out a solution, rushing to the front and using cash to buy a prime spot for themselves. The others quickly followed suit, and soon the people at the very front of the line had all been replaced by tycoons and livestreaming platform executives.

Finally, with a CREEEAK, the pet store’s door opened. The customers waiting outside immediately surged forward. Shen Dalong, Bai Yanni, and the other police officers hurried forward to help maintain order. "Same as this morning! Enter in batches, each group only gets five minutes to look around! No cutting in line, no pushing..."

"Excuse me, may I come in?" the tycoon at the very front, dressed in a Fendi shirt and an Hermès belt, asked politely. In order to win the store owner’s favor, he had shed his usual arrogance.

After stepping inside, the tycoon’s eyes lit up. He couldn’t help but ask out of habit, "Excuse me, is that panda for sale?"

"Selling a Class-I protected species is illegal. And the police are right behind you." Shen Yibin shot him a sidelong glance. ’Damn it, not only are you guys trying to buy Cheeky, you won’t even leave Hah’Er alone?’

"Oh, my apologies. Force of habit." The tycoon gave an awkward laugh, and his gaze immediately fell upon Cheeky. ’If the panda isn’t for sale, taking Cheeky would be great, too.’ He pulled a black card from his briefcase and presented it with both hands. "Mr. Shen, as long as you’re willing to part with this parrot, you can name any price. I won’t haggle."

"It’s not a matter of money. I’ve already stated the price: thirty-eight thousand, three hundred eighty-four yuan and thirty-eight fen is enough. But to buy Cheeky, you need to pass a qualification screening." ’I’m so jealous. When will I ever be able to throw money at people so coolly?’

"Mr. Shen, Mr. Shen! Our platform has numerous musical talents. We guarantee we can meet your requirements. Do you think you could sell Cheeky to our platform?" Before Shen Yibin could speak, another competitor appeared. The man handed over a business card; he was, in fact, the vice president of the platform Wu Qingchen had been livestreaming on earlier.

"Sorry, but I will only consider selling Cheeky once I meet a buyer who meets the requirements." ’If the affinity level isn’t high enough, no amount of money will work.’

The livestreaming platform had plenty of musical talents, but they couldn’t get to Yunzhong City right away. What if someone else snatched Cheeky up before then? So, the executive began to persuade him earnestly, "Mr. Shen, we are willing to offer thirty-five million for Cheeky. Just sign the contract, and the money is yours. Our platform will also find suitable musicians to work with Cheeky, guaranteeing its health and well-being. Why must you be so stubborn and turn your back on the money?"

"How many times do I have to say it for you to understand? This really isn’t about the money." ’Money is nice, sure, but I don’t want to lose my freedom even more. If I get thrown in jail, what will happen to Hah’Er?’

These tycoons and platform executives refused to believe him. They all thought Shen Yibin was just holding out for a better offer, so they started raising their prices one after another. Cheeky’s price soared higher and higher, slowly approaching the transfer fees for the National Team stars in the Chinese Super League this year. But Shen Yibin remained unmoved.

"Excuse me, your five minutes of viewing time is up. Everyone, please head out." As soon as the five minutes were over, Shen Yibin unceremoniously kicked them out.