Future Pet Shop

Chapter 70: Asking Hah’Er to Endorse

"Mr. Shen, I’m really sorry, but could you ask your panda to be a little quieter? The audience is only watching the panda; no one’s paying attention to the actual talent show. We can’t let this continue." Feeling he had no other choice, Li Yinchen pleaded with Shen Yibin through his earpiece.

"Hah’Er, sit down and be good. When we get home, we’ll keep grilling lamb skewers and drinking beer." ’That’s right,’ he thought. ’This talent show is to find an owner for Cheeky. We can’t let this get in the way of our real purpose.’

"Mhm! Mhm!" The temptation of lamb skewers and beer was irresistible. Hearing this, Hah’Er immediately sat bolt upright. Like a schoolboy, he put his paws behind his back, puffed out his chest, and stared at the stage without moving a muscle.

"Contestant, you may begin singing now." The host was once again on the verge of tears. ’First the parrot, now the Panda... one after another, they’re all more popular than me. This is just too cruel!’

"Er, Mr. Cheeky, and hello to all our friends in the audience. The song I will be performing for you is ’Vast Sea and Sky’." Only then did contestant number two remember he was here for a talent show.

The backing track started, and contestant number two began to sing. However, just like President Yang, he was severely distracted and completely unable to perform at his usual level. He hadn’t even been singing for a minute before Cheeky called for a stop.

"Stop!" Cheeky spread its wings in resignation. "For the sake of the audience, both here and in front of their screens, I think it’s best if you get off the stage. Look at how you’ve been torturing everyone’s ears!"

With a FLAP FLAP, Cheeky flew over and landed on Hah’Er’s head. "Look at this poor Panda! Your noise has tortured him to the point of tears, see? Host, next contestant!"

Those words cut deep. Tears streamed down the second contestant’s face as the audience erupted in raucous laughter. With his sharp tongue, Cheeky had stolen a good deal of the spotlight back from Hah’Er. The audience, both in the studio and at home, eagerly awaited the third contestant—not because they wanted to hear a song, of course, but because they couldn’t wait to see what kind of roast Cheeky would deliver next.

The third contestant was an adorable-looking young woman, but alas, she couldn’t escape Cheeky’s sharp tongue either. She was only halfway through her rendition of "Song of Marvelous Ability" when Cheeky stopped her cold.

"Everyone has the right to chase their dreams, but I can’t let your journey become the audience’s nightmare. Look! You’ve nearly scared that little kid over there to tears! Host, next!"

’Hey, those kids are clearly having the time of their lives, aren’t they?’ But no one cared about such minor details. The audience erupted into thunderous applause once more. Cheeky was gradually replacing Hah’Er as the true star of the talent show.

Thanks to Cheeky’s profound roasting abilities, the talent show gradually found its groove. The singers who took the stage later slowly adapted to the atmosphere, and the performances improved with each new act. Still, none of them could manage to earn Cheeky’s praise.

Shen Yibin kept using his affinity test app on the more promising contestants. ’Unfortunately, even the highest-scoring one is still far from the minimum requirement of 80 points. It seems most of these people are just treating this show as a platform for overnight fame. Very few of them truly love music.’

"Hmm, your singing isn’t half bad, but I noticed a few issues with your pronunciation, for example..." For those with ulterior motives, Cheeky roasted them without mercy. But for the few who genuinely loved music but didn’t meet the criteria to become his owner, he would patiently point out their mistakes.

"Thank you, Mr. Cheeky!" The critiqued contestant bowed gratefully. The audience applauded enthusiastically once more, and at that moment, the viewership ratings hit their peak.

Roasting and being cute were certainly entertaining, but a sincere moment like this moved the audience even more. Cheeky’s image in the viewers’ minds became more well-rounded. This was a parrot that not only possessed an unrivaled wit but also a heart that truly loved music. This revelation won both him and the show even more fans.

When the first episode concluded, countless people flooded the live comments, promising they would be back for the next day’s show and would get their friends and family to watch, too.

Normally, a show like this would ideally air once a week. But because of Shen Yibin’s one-month deadline, the organizers had no choice but to hold consecutive live broadcasts: two hours every evening from Monday to Friday, with weekends off. This schedule was exhausting; even if the crew could handle it, Cheeky and Shen Yibin needed their rest.

"Mr. Shen, thank you for your hard work. We’ve prepared some dinner. Would you, Cheeky, and Hah’Er care to join us for a bite?" Li Yinchen invited.

"No, thank you. Hah’Er and Cheeky are both tired. We’d better head back and rest early, or I’m afraid they won’t have any energy for the show tomorrow." Shen Yibin had been around the block a few times; he knew these dinner invitations were never just about the food, and he didn’t want to waste his energy on schmoozing. Besides, Hah’Er and Cheeky really were tired, so he refused without hesitation.

"Alright then, I’ll drive you all back." Li Yinchen couldn’t insist, so he regretfully let it go. He personally drove them back to the store before bidding them farewell.

"Cheeky, you worked hard today. I’ll go make you a fig salad right now. And Hah’Er, you were so well-behaved! The lamb is already on the skewers. As soon as I get the grill going, we can start cooking." Back in their own home, everyone felt a weight lift from their shoulders. They all swarmed up to the second-floor balcony.

Soon, the rich aroma of lamb skewers filled the air, along with the sound of Hah’Er’s contented sighs as he drank his beer.

「The next day.」

The three of them woke up and went about their usual routine: washing up, brushing their teeth, eating breakfast, cleaning the shop, feeding the other pets, and letting them out for some fresh air. Then they headed to the park to continue their physical exercise... and their breathing practice.

The only difference was that the hot topic of conversation among the neighborhood’s seniors was last night’s talent show. They couldn’t stop showering praise on Cheeky and Hah’Er’s performances.

When they returned to the shop after their workout, they found Li Yinchen already waiting at the door. Shen Yibin quickly let him in, showed him to the sofa, and poured him a cup of tea. Then he asked, "What brings you here so early? Are there going to be changes to the show’s schedule?"

"Oh no, not at all! The audience feedback has been fantastic. Tonight’s show will follow the same format as yesterday’s," Li Yinchen quickly clarified.

’Then what the heck are you doing here so early in the morning?’ Shen Yibin thought. ’You’re so busy now, you couldn’t have just been passing by.’

"Well, Mr. Shen, it’s like this," Li Yinchen began. "After the show aired last night, a lot of brands contacted us. They want to hire Hah’Er to endorse their products."