Future Pet Shop

Chapter 66: A True Music Lover

"Miss, you’ve got the wrong idea. I’m not that kind of guy!" Shen Yibin pushed the last lingering girl out the door and quickly pulled down the rolling shutter. Plenty of people had come to the shop today, but few were actual customers. The vast majority were trying to get close to Cheeky or him, hoping for an edge in the upcoming talent show.

That last girl, for instance, turned her attention to Shen Yibin when she saw she wasn’t getting anywhere with Cheeky. As she spoke, she practically draped herself all over him. As a red-blooded young man, there was no way Shen Yibin could withstand that kind of temptation, so he quickly sent her on her way. Otherwise, there would have been big trouble.

"Ah, finally, some peace and quiet!" Shen Yibin, Hah’Er, and Cheeky all collapsed onto the sofa at the same time. The day had been exhausting for the two pets as well. Of course, the most depressing part was that he hadn’t made a single sale all day.

"Mmm!" After a short rest, Hah’Er was the first to recover. It climbed up, sat on Shen Yibin’s back, and started massaging his shoulders, humming softly as if to comfort him.

"Thanks, Hah’Er. I’ll make you something delicious later," Shen Yibin said. The panda’s paws were very thick, making the massage exceptionally comfortable. Shen Yibin immediately felt his spirits lift.

"Hey, Cheeky, so many people came today. Was there really not a single one you liked?" Among the crowd, quite a few had brought instruments or prepared songs, wanting to show off for Cheeky.

Unfortunately, Shen Yibin stopped most of them before they could perform for long. There were other shops on both sides, and their performances would disturb the neighbors. Besides, it wasn’t fair to the other contestants.

"Sigh, not a single one." Cheeky shook its head listlessly. Being the center of attention can be exhausting, especially when you’re destined to reject everyone.

"Huh? Why not? I heard a few of them, and they were really good singers. A lot better than me, at least," Shen Yibin asked curiously. At the same time, he felt a surge of pressure. ’Cheeky is so picky. Can I really find a suitable owner for it within the time limit? I’m starting to panic a little.’

"They have no love," Cheeky suddenly blurted out. Before Shen Yibin could ask, it continued, "Their voices are beautiful, and their vocal technique is perfect. They hit every single note correctly, but it’s just not good."

"Uh, can you explain that a little more?" Shen Yibin felt a wave of shame. ’When did I get to the point where I can’t even understand a parrot?’ He felt like his intelligence had taken a massive blow.

Cheeky shot him a look that said, ’You’re a lost cause. I knew it.’ It continued, "Because their singing is nothing more than a way to show off their skills. There’s not a shred of emotion in it. How can music without emotion possibly move an audience?"

Now Shen Yibin finally understood. So it was because these people had no love for music. A parrot like Cheeky, who adored music, must want an owner who was just as passionate. The owner might not have a perfect voice or flawless technique, but they had to have a heart that loved music.

"So, the owner you’re looking for has to be someone who truly loves music?" ’This seems a bit difficult. I have a heartfelt love for food, which is why I can cook all sorts of delicious things for Hah’Er. But music... I just see it as a way to adjust my mood or relax. On this point, at least, even if the Future Pet Shop lowered its standards, I probably couldn’t raise my affinity with Cheeky above 80, could I?’

"That’s right. For me, music is the most wonderful thing in the world. Hmm... even more wonderful than figs. I will absolutely not choose an owner who doesn’t love music." For once, Cheeky wasn’t being sarcastic. It stated its criteria for choosing an owner in a dead-serious tone.

"I get it. I just hope you can find someone who truly loves music at this talent show." Shen Yibin felt increasingly pessimistic. Judging by the attitudes of those signing up on Weibo, they seemed more concerned with the benefits that Cheeky or the talent show could bring them. He feared there weren’t many who genuinely loved music.

The modern entertainment industry was more developed than ever, creating countless wealthy singers and musicians. But among this new generation, it was rare to find people who loved music from the bottom of their hearts and saw it as their life’s purpose, unlike the musicians of the older generation.

’Sigh, I’ll just have to wait and see,’ Shen Yibin thought. ’With so many people signing up, even if it’s a one-in-a-million chance, I should be able to find the right person, right?’

Meanwhile, Sun Qian heard about the talent show at her university roommate’s home. Her roommate, Qianqian, returned and said excitedly, "Qianqian, Qianqian, I can’t believe you run into such a great opportunity as soon as you get to Yunzhong City! If you win the talent show and bring Cheeky home, you’ll definitely be a huge hit!"

"Forget it. I haven’t sung properly in almost a year. In my current state, I probably wouldn’t even make it past the auditions. Besides, you know I’ve never liked these kinds of talent shows," Sun Qian said, putting down her guitar and shaking her head. "And that parrot costs almost forty thousand yuan. I don’t have that kind of money."

That was also true. Wages in her small hometown weren’t high, and since Sun Qian was a filial daughter, she spent most of her salary buying things for her parents. She hadn’t saved much money over the past year.

"You’re still the same as always." Qianqian shook her head helplessly. Back in college, whenever a similar audition came up, Sun Qian never showed the slightest interest. In her words, these events were just hype. Don’t be fooled by how emotional and sincere the contestants seemed on stage; in reality, their desire for success far outweighed their love for music. Sun Qian still just wanted to be a simple musician.

She might not become famous, but as long as she could support herself and make the music she loved, that was enough. Success wasn’t that important to Sun Qian.

Hearing Qianqian say this, Sun Qian just smiled. She knew her friend meant well, but she truly disliked such events.

"Come out to eat with me later. I found you a gig singing at a bar. The pay isn’t great, but that bar is pretty well-known in Yunzhong City’s music lover circles. The customers are all old-school music fans. I think you’ll like it," Qianqian said, offering a backup plan.

"Yes, that sounds great. I should work on my stage presence anyway," Sun Qian replied with a nod, extremely pleased with this option.