Future Pet Shop

Chapter 75: Expert Fisher

"Finally, I can sleep in. Hah’Er, don’t you dare wake me up tomorrow morning." After returning from the talent show venue, Shen Yibin immediately collapsed onto his bed. He pulled the covers over his head and went straight to sleep without even showering.

The next day, he slept in until a leisurely eight-thirty. He made some breakfast, packing a portion for Bai Yanni, then stuffed the barbecue grill, outdoor cookware, ingredients, seasonings, a moisture-proof mat, and other picnic essentials into the trunk of the van he had borrowed from Xu Ye.

Hah’Er was also sporting a new look today: a full camouflage outfit and hiking shoes. The only thing separating him from Shen Yibin was a pair of sunglasses, but since the little guy came with his own built-in black eye rings, he didn’t seem to need any.

"Hah’Er, Cheeky, get in!" After getting everything ready, Shen Yibin gave a cool snap of his fingers, beckoning them into the van.

Hah’Er waddled over to the passenger seat but needed a pull from Shen Yibin to clamber up. Cheeky, on the other hand, had it easy; he simply flew in through an open window. By the time Shen Yibin was buckling Hah’Er in, Cheeky was already lounging comfortably on a backseat, munching on a jabuticaba and enjoying the A/C.

"Let’s move out! Today, I’m taking you two back to nature." Of course, the natural environment of the Yunzhong City suburbs was a far cry from the mountains of Sichuan where pandas lived, or the Amazon rainforest. But the three of them didn’t seem to dwell on that detail. After being cooped up in the city for so long, it was always nice to get out, see some natural scenery, and breathe in the fresh air.

"Hmph..." Even strapped in, Hah’Er couldn’t sit still. He curiously reached a paw toward Shen Yibin’s sunglasses. He was fascinated by Shen Yibin’s new look. ’How did you get black eye rings just like me in the blink of an eye? Did someone punch you?’

"Sit still and don’t fidget, I’m driving." Luckily, he hadn’t started the engine yet. If the little guy had pulled a stunt like that while they were moving, they’d have definitely gotten into an accident. After much convincing, he got Hah’Er to settle down. Only then did Shen Yibin start the van, turn on the GPS, and head for Bai Yanni’s apartment.

"Officer Bai, I’m downstairs... Yep, the black van... Okay, okay..." He called Bai Yanni. A few moments later, Bai Yanni, also dressed in outdoor gear, pulled open the van door.

"I brought you some breakfast," Shen Yibin said, gesturing to Hah’Er. "I steamed some buns myself, and there’s hot soy milk. Eat up while it’s warm." Hah’Er then presented the breakfast he was holding to Bai Yanni.

"Thank you, Hah’Er! Want an apple?" Receiving such a pleasant surprise, Bai Yanni’s eyes crinkled into a smile.

’Hey, I’m the one who made breakfast!’ The completely ignored Shen Yibin was feeling rather dejected. As soon as the door was shut, he started the engine again and began the drive out to the countryside.

They had managed to avoid the morning rush hour, so the roads were clear. On top of that, the weather was perfect—the sun shone brightly in the sky, and a gentle breeze washed over them, making them feel refreshed and carefree.

"Cheeky, give us a song!" Shen Yibin was about to turn on the stereo when he remembered they had the master himself in the van with them. ’Why listen to a recording when you can get a live performance?’

"Alright. I heard a pretty good song at the talent show yesterday, I’ll sing it for you now." Cheeky was in high spirits and, for once, didn’t make a sarcastic remark at Shen Yibin’s expense. He cleared his throat and began to sing, "Gusts of evening wind blow through the pines, ringing wind chimes with a sound divine. Standing in the city’s quiet space, letting all the clamor fade away, with only green mountains hidden in the clouds..."

’But it’s morning... where would an evening wind come from?’ Shen Yibin thought. However, the song was perfect for a road trip, so neither he nor Bai Yanni paid any mind to the minor detail. As they listened, they started humming along to Cheeky’s singing. "...Making our world vibrant and bright, who makes us cry, then fills us with surprise, letting us meet and fall in love just like this..."

TAP! TAP! TAP! Hah’Er looked left and right, but he couldn’t find his familiar tambourine. So, he simply started tapping his paws against the side of the van, keeping the beat for them. And so, a man, a woman, a panda, and a parrot drove out toward the countryside, their joyful singing filling the air.

After driving for more than an hour, Shen Yibin reached their destination. He followed a small trail off the main road, drove the van down to the riverbank, and parked on the bank of the Yunshui River.

To their left was a dense forest, and to their right was the clear Yunshui River. There was no one else around, making the area feel exceptionally peaceful. The riverbank itself had little vegetation, so there was no risk of starting a fire, making it the perfect spot for a cookout.

"Hah’Er, want to go for a dip in the river?" Shen Yibin unbuckled Hah’Er’s seatbelt, opened the door, and lifted him out. He remembered that pandas knew how to swim.

"Ooh! Ooh!" Seeing the clear water, Hah’Er seemed to get excited too. He charged eagerly toward the river, but stopped halfway. He looked down at his clothes, apparently reluctant to get them wet.

"You could just take them off and swim!" Shen Yibin pointed out.

"Nuh-uh! Nuh-uh!" Hah’Er covered his crotch and shook his head. Apparently, the little guy wasn’t a fan of skinny-dipping.

"Alright, well, just go play where it’s shallow then." Shen Yibin helped him take off his shoes. Since the camouflage outfit was a shorts-and-t-shirt set, he didn’t need to roll anything up.

"I’ll go get the ingredients for lunch," Shen Yibin announced. He pulled two fishing rods from the trunk, handed one to Bai Yanni, and they each found a good spot to start fishing.

"What are you two doing?" Cheeky clearly didn’t understand. After Shen Yibin explained, the parrot flew directly over to Bai Yanni. "Hmph. If I have to count on you, I’ll probably be skipping lunch. I’d better go cheer for her instead."

’What the heck? It’s been a while since I last fished, sure, but you can’t just diss me like that!’ A dejected Shen Yibin baited his hook and cast it into the water. ’Damn it, I have to catch a huge fish just to show him.’

However... it was a classic case of a watched pot never boiling. Shen Yibin sat there for half an hour, and his bobber didn’t so much as twitch. Bai Yanni, on the other hand, had already reeled in two small fish.

"SQUAWK! SQUAWK!" This, of course, earned him another round of jeers from Cheeky.

Shen Yibin simply turned his head away, refusing to look at them. ’Huh? What’s Hah’Er doing?’ He happened to spot Hah’Er downstream from him, standing in the river. The panda was bent over, staring intently into the water, seemingly waiting for something.

Just as Shen Yibin was about to call out, Hah’Er suddenly raised his right paw and smacked it down hard on the surface of the water. Amid the splash, a three- or four-inch-long fish was sent flying out, its white belly flashing. It soared through the air in an arc and landed on the sandy riverbank, where it began to struggle desperately. Before the fish could flop back into the water, Hah’Er hurried over, pinned it down with his paw, and then turned to give Shen Yibin a goofy grin.

Holy crap! Shen Yibin was floored. He never expected Hah’Er to be an expert fisherman.