Future Pet Shop

Chapter 60: How About a Talent Show?

The tycoons and live-streaming platform executives looked at each other in dismay. ’Goddammit, everywhere we go, we’re welcomed with open arms. And now we come to some tiny pet shop and get thrown out? This is beyond humiliating.’

"Ten thousand for your spot. Give it to me." ’I refuse to believe you won’t be tempted.’ The tycoons and executives tried their old trick again, walking right up to the people waiting at the front of the line. They were determined to buy a spot with cash. ’If once doesn’t work, I’ll try twice. If twice doesn’t work, I’ll try a third time. There’s always a way to persuade you, right?’

"Here’s twenty thousand. Now get the hell out of Yunzhong City." But this time, they had hit a brick wall. The people at the front of the line now were also tycoons and executives, and they weren’t the least bit intimidated when it came to wealth and power.

"Well, well, if it isn’t Young Master Wang? What happened, did you get kicked out? Tsk, I knew a cheapskate like you would never land that parrot. How much did you even offer? Thirty million? Fifty million?" The circle of tycoons wasn’t large, and someone quickly recognized the sorry-looking group and started to mock them.

"Well, well, well, I didn’t expect you to move so fast, President Li. It’s a good thing you haven’t closed the deal yet, or I would’ve made this trip for nothing." The executive from the live-streaming platform was also spotted by a competitor.

"Heh. Wait until you get inside. You’ll have your turn to be frustrated soon enough," the unlucky group sneered, then turned and went further down the line to try and buy another spot.

That day, many of the enthusiastic netizens who had come to see the spectacle ended up with a windfall. Selling their spots in line and live-streaming Harold’s singing brought them one pleasant surprise after another. They wished it could be this lively every day. Luckily, there were plenty of police officers keeping a close watch; otherwise, people might have actually started fighting over the queue positions.

Five minutes later, the second group of customers came out looking just as disappointed. Shen Yibin still hadn’t budged. Even when they offered the highest price they possibly could, it failed to move him.

’Of course I was tempted,’ Shen Yibin thought. ’Any one of those offers would let me live a life of luxury forever. But with the Future Pet Shop’s restrictions, it’s all meaningless. If I dare to sell Cheeky, Hah’Er’s legal documents will instantly become fakes. I’d probably be in prison dropping the soap before I could even withdraw the money. All I can do is watch helplessly as these massive fortunes slip right through my fingers.’

"Mr. Shen, hello, I’m the business director for XX Live-streaming Platform..." Just as the second group of customers exited, a third group surged in to take their place.

"No need for introductions," Shen Yibin said, pressing a hand to his forehead in exasperation. "I’ll say what I’ve said to everyone else: it’s not about the money. I will only consider selling if I get Cheeky’s approval." He had already repeated those words countless times today and was sick of saying them.

’Maybe I should go buy one of those megaphones with a recorded message, like the ones that blare "Recycling old phones and appliances." I could just play it for every new group that comes in and save my breath.’

Spoiled tycoons and capitalists who had scented profit were always the most persistent. Not a single genuine customer managed to get inside the entire afternoon. Whatever slight desire the people in line had to see the panda was nothing compared to the allure of money, and their purpose for queuing quickly shifted from seeing a panda to selling their spot for cash.

This forced Shen Yibin to announce a second rule: Each person could only visit the shop once per day. Repeat visitors would be turned away.

However, even that didn’t stop them. Tycoons always had plenty of flunkies, and what executive travels without a few secretaries and assistants in tow? ’If we can’t go in ourselves, we’ll just send our lackeys and secretaries.’

Even Qiao Wenqi, Mo Xiaomo, and Xu Ye, who were sitting on the sofa playing with Hah’Er and Cheeky, began to feel sorry for Shen Yibin. They stood up to help him turn away the tycoons and executives, just so he could have a moment to take a sip of water, wet his throat, and catch his breath.

"Sigh, I’m closing up early today. I just can’t take this anymore," Shen Yibin said, collapsing weakly onto the sofa and letting Hah’Er knead his shoulders.

"Qiqi, can I trouble you with something? It’s not easy for me to get out right now. Could you go to XX Supermarket for me and buy some fruit imported from the Amazon for Cheeky?" ’So much for my plan to go myself,’ Shen Yibin thought as he tossed his wallet to Qiao Wenqi.

"Mr. Shen, you want fruit from the Amazon? There’s no need to go to all that trouble. My family has a branch office in the Amazon rainforest; I’ll have them ship the freshest possible batch to you."

"My family partners with the largest fruit company in Brazil," another chimed in. "I’ll have them dispatch a shipment to Yunzhong City right now. It’ll be here in two hours, tops."

Shen Yibin was once again floored by the sheer power of these tycoons. Something that seemed so difficult to him was utterly trivial for them. "There’s no need to trouble yourselves," he said. "The supermarket next door has them. I can just buy them myself."

"It’s no trouble at all! Even if the deal doesn’t work out, we can still be friends, can’t we?" Having finally found an opportunity to build a connection, they weren’t about to let it slip by. They immediately pulled out their phones and started making calls.

Just then, Cheeky perked up. With a flutter of his wings, he flew to the center of the room and squawked, "I want passion fruit! I want guarana! I want Jibbasu...!" He rattled off a long list of fruits Shen Yibin had never even heard of.

"Yes, yes, yes! We can get all of those for you!" The men who had been the first to start making calls were grinning from ear to ear. They sternly relayed the names of the fruits Cheeky had listed to the person on the other end of the line. "Get them here with the utmost speed."

The power of these tycoons was truly extraordinary. In less than three hours, a speeding motorcycle screeched to a halt at the shop’s entrance and a large box of fruit was brought inside.

After asking a few questions, Shen Yibin learned that they had pulled some strings to get the fruit squeezed onto a dedicated charter flight from a courier company. And in the rush to deliver it on time, the poor motorcycle courier had already been arrested by Bai Yanni for speeding and reckless driving.

Seeing how happily Cheeky and Hah’Er were eating, Shen Yibin couldn’t keep giving the men the cold shoulder. "Gentlemen, I understand why you’re all here," he said, softening his tone. "But I have my own difficulties. It really isn’t about the money. I also want to find a suitable owner for Cheeky. If my requirements aren’t met, I can’t just send him off with a clear conscience, right?"

"Mr. Shen, am I correct in understanding that as long as a suitable candidate is found, you won’t create any obstacles to selling Cheeky?" After receiving an affirmative response, he pressed on, "So, you’re saying that as long as someone has a certain level of musical skill and receives Cheeky’s approval, the sale can be made?"

"Yes," Shen Yibin replied.

"That’s easy enough! I’ll call over every singer and musician from my company!" ’Great,’ Shen Yibin thought. ’Now they’re planning to hold an audition right here in my shop.’