Future Pet Shop

Chapter 73: It’s Really Not Easy to Find the Right Person

Sun Qian was currently staying at Qianqian’s place. However, Qianqian’s apartment was only a one-bedroom, and it was inevitably a bit cramped for two people. Besides, Qianqian had a boyfriend, making it inappropriate for Sun Qian to stay indefinitely. She had to find a place of her own to rent as soon as possible.

Renting an apartment, taking care of her voice, finding a practice room for her music—these were all significant expenses. Sun Qian hadn’t brought much money with her, and her income from singing at the bar simply wasn’t enough.

What’s more, if she found the right song, she’d need to find a recording studio to cut a demo, then upload it online for promotion. And if a record label showed interest, she’d at least need a decent outfit for the meeting, right? Even though she had spent the last year in her hometown, she’d heard her old classmates talk online about their struggles trying to make it in the big city. Sun Qian was well aware of the difficulties that lay ahead.

Fortunately, her shift at the bar was from 9:00 to 10:30 p.m., leaving her entire day free for another job. She decided she would look online for something suitable when she got home.

"You’re looking for a job?" Qianqian asked after Sun Qian returned to the apartment and told her of her decision.

"Yeah, the pay at the bar is decent, but it’s still not enough," Sun Qian explained.

"That’s true. That little bit of money is nowhere near enough to cover everything." Qianqian knew full well how expensive it was to forge a career in music. She furrowed her brow, trying to brainstorm for Sun Qian. "I think one of my clients is looking for a tutor for her daughter. With your skills, you’d be a shoo-in. I’ll ask for you tomorrow."

"Thank you, I’d really appreciate that." Sun Qian didn’t refuse, thanking her immediately.

"Also, my boss opened a Western-style restaurant on the side, and they need a musician. And..." As a Yunzhong City native, Qianqian was well-connected. She came up with a few possibilities in no time. "But that would mean you’d be working around the clock. Don’t overdo it."

"I thought about all this before I came out here. My classmates who went to the big city told me about their experiences. Compared to them, I have it easy. At least I don’t have to live in a basement or endure a long, crowded subway commute," Sun Qian said with a forced, easygoing smile.

"Sigh... you’re stronger than I am," Qianqian said with a sudden sigh. She had a good job and a wonderful boyfriend, but she was no longer working in the music industry. Seeing Sun Qian still fighting for her dream made her feel a pang of jealousy. "I’ll go ask about those jobs for you tomorrow. It looks like the talent show is starting. I’ll get some snacks, and we can watch TV."

Before long, the sound of Cheeky’s snarky voice filled the room, and the two of them burst into laughter, dispelling the melancholy atmosphere.

"Time to get up and eat breakfast!" Today, Shen Yibin had let Hah’Er and Cheeky sleep in, only waking them after breakfast was ready. "Someone’s coming for an interview in a little while. You two, don’t you go scaring them away."

"Hrm?" Hah’Er groggily opened its eyes. Cheeky climbed out of its nest as well. They got up, washed, and ate breakfast. Then it was off to the park for their incredibly embarrassing breathing exercises in front of a crowd of onlookers, after which they returned to the store and opened the doors to welcome the day’s customers.

"Hello, excuse me, is this Mr. Shen’s shop?" Not long after they returned, a young woman entered. "I’m here for the interview. Mo sent me."

"Oh, Xiaomo told me yesterday. Please, come in, have a seat and some water." Shen Yibin poured a glass of water, sizing up the young applicant. She must have gotten the rundown from Mo Xiaomo beforehand, because while she was briefly surprised to see Hah’Er and Cheeky, she quickly composed herself.

"Thank you." The young woman seemed rather introverted. After accepting the water and thanking him, she fell silent, unsure of what to say next.

’This won’t do,’ Shen Yibin thought with a slight frown. ’How is someone like this supposed to expertly introduce pets to customers and persuade them to buy?’ His first impression of the young woman wasn’t great.

During the subsequent conversation, the young woman’s answers were halting and unclear. She also didn’t seem particularly interested in pets. After a short while, Shen Yibin had no choice but to send her on her way.

Shen Yibin sent Mo Xiaomo a message on WeChat. "Hey Xiaomo, your relative doesn’t seem suited for a job that requires dealing with people all the time. Maybe a more technical role would be a better fit for her."

"She just got here, and to be honest, I don’t know her very well," Mo Xiaomo replied, showing her understanding. "I just saw you were hiring and thought I’d ask. If it’s not a fit, no big deal. I’ll let her know. It’s your business, so your needs come first. Don’t worry about me. I’ll see if I know anyone else who’s a better fit."

"Alright, thanks for your help. Come to my shop for dinner tonight with Qiao Wenqi and Xu Ye after the talent show." Shen Yibin replied and put down his phone. ’Looks like I’m back to square one,’ he thought.

"Hah’Er, go put this up on the front window." Shen Yibin printed out a "Help Wanted" sign and handed it to Hah’Er. He had hoped the applicant would be a good fit and he wouldn’t have to bother with this, but alas, the search continued.

"Mmmph!" Hah’Er took the sheet of paper, which Shen Yibin had already prepped with double-sided tape. It waddled to the front of the shop, stood on its tiptoes, and strained to stick the "Help Wanted" sign onto the glass window.

The sight piqued the curiosity of passersby, who gathered around the window to get a look. But for some reason, as they read, the crowd began to erupt in loud laughter.

’Huh? What the heck is going on?’ Shen Yibin wondered. ’Did I have a typo? How could I mess up something so simple?’ He quickly ducked back to his computer and checked the document, word by word. ’Wait, there’s nothing wrong with it. So what are they all laughing about?’

’Looks like I’ll have to go see for myself.’ He went outside, pushed through the crowd, and when he saw what had happened, Shen Yibin could have just died.

He slapped his forehead in frustration. ’Looks like I overestimated Hah’Er’s intelligence.’ The little guy had put the sign up backward. Shen Yibin printed a new one and went out to put it up properly himself.

The whole time, Hah’Er trailed at his feet, scratching its head with a paw. It couldn’t seem to understand why Shen Yibin had to redo the job it had done so perfectly well.

The sign did attract some applicants, but they were all wrong for the job. Some knew nothing about pets, others were too tongue-tied to be in sales, and still others endlessly haggled over the hours and pay. After several days, Shen Yibin still hadn’t found a suitable candidate.

’It was so hard finding a job when I graduated,’ he lamented. ’I never thought being on the hiring side would be just as frustrating. Finding the right person is really tough.’

’Looks like it’s just me for the foreseeable future.’ Shen Yibin collapsed helplessly onto the sofa.