Future Pet Shop

Chapter 86: A Sudden Glance Back

"I’m sorry, sir, we don’t allow pets..." The greeter saw Shen Yibin with a pet and quickly tried to stop him. But when she got a clear look at Hah’Er, she froze. ’Isn’t that a Panda?’

"Uh, could you please make an exception? Hah’Er is very well-behaved. He won’t run around or disturb the other diners." ’Is this young lady going to call the police on me again?’

"Ah, it’s Mr. Shen!" Fortunately, the young woman was also a fan of variety shows and hadn’t missed a single episode of the recent talent competition. She quickly recognized Shen Yibin, Hah’Er, and Cheeky. She said excitedly, "Please wait a moment. I’ll go speak with our manager. I’m sure it will be fine."

The no-pets rule was to prevent other diners from being disturbed, but previous customers had only brought cats and dogs. How could they compare to a giant Panda and the superstar, Cheeky? Pandas had special privileges wherever they went. Besides, this was a great opportunity for the restaurant. So, the manager quickly came out, welcomed Shen Yibin and his companions inside, and showed them to a quiet private room. "Here is the menu. Please have a look."

"I’ll have two steak set meals, a fruit salad, and three glasses of juice. That’s all for now." Shen Yibin felt a slight pang as he ordered; this place wasn’t cheap.

’Sigh, I’m someone who donated thirty-five million in one go. Why am I fussing over such a small sum? As long as Hah’Er and Cheeky are happy, that’s all that matters,’ Shen Yibin told himself.

"Of course, we’ll bring it right out." The manager politely took their order, poured them some tea, and excused himself. Only then did Shen Yibin get a chance to take in his surroundings.

The restaurant was decorated with impeccable taste. In the middle of the dining hall was a garden sunroom filled with an array of beautiful flowers and plants. Sunlight streamed through the glass canopy roof, illuminating the landscape below and creating the delightful experience of dining in a garden. It was utterly refreshing.

Their private room was also in an excellent location. The window behind Shen Yibin looked directly out onto this central atrium. A glance over his shoulder revealed a piano nestled among the flowers; it seemed they had live performances here.

’Huh, I wonder if I’ll find the right person here?’ The thought flickered through Shen Yibin’s mind before he pushed it aside. He couldn’t help but chuckle. ’This has become an occupational hazard,’ he thought. No matter where he went, he was always thinking about it. But if he couldn’t find a suitable person at a music conservatory or a theater company, what were the chances of finding a truly skilled musician in a mere restaurant?

"This place is nice, Bin! When are you going to build a room like this for the store?" Cheeky seemed to be a big fan of the sunroom. Just imagine it—lying among flowers, eating fruit, and listening to music. What a wonderful life that would be.

"Mhm! Mhm!" Hah’Er nodded in agreement. Judging by his gaze, Shen Yibin guessed the little fella had taken a liking to the large tree in the center of the sunroom.

’Sigh, if I hadn’t donated that thirty million, buying the shop next door and converting it into a sunroom would have been nothing,’ Shen Yibin thought. ’But now... the money I have on me is barely enough to buy a few potted plants, let alone that big tree in the center.’

"Alright. Once this whole thing is settled, I’ll hire people, work hard to make money, and build you a garden sunroom as soon as I can." Shen Yibin reached out and ruffled Hah’Er’s head. If he was lucky, this little fella might just live to see that day. As for Cheeky, he probably couldn’t count on it.

"Sir, here is your food." Before they could admire the view for long, the fragrant steaks, a colorful fruit salad, and freshly squeezed juices were brought to their table.

"Hah’Er, come, I’ll cut it for you!" Shen Yibin didn’t dare let Hah’Er handle a knife and fork, so he cut the steak up himself and fed it to him piece by piece. As for Cheeky, he was already perched on the edge of the salad bowl, digging in.

"How is it, Hah’Er? Do you like it?" It was said that due to a genetic quirk, Pandas couldn’t taste the savory flavor of meat, but Hah’Er seemed to lack this particular defect. He was eating with great relish.

"Mhm!" After taking a few bites, Hah’Er noticed that Shen Yibin had been so focused on feeding him that he hadn’t eaten himself. With a fluffy paw, he took hold of the hand Shen Yibin was using to hold the fork and guided it toward his owner’s mouth.

"Alright, alright, I’ll eat too." ’I knew you wouldn’t be like a certain someone who only thinks about stuffing his own face,’ Shen Yibin thought, his mood instantly lifting.

Sharing the meal, with one piece for Hah’Er and one for himself, they quickly finished both steaks. But from the look on Hah’Er’s face, he was far from full. "I’ll order two more for you. We just had the ribeye. Let’s get a T-bone and a filet mignon this time."

Shen Yibin’s heart ached a little. This one meal had just blown through three days’ worth of his food budget. But seeing the happy expressions on both Hah’Er’s and Cheeky’s faces, he decided he didn’t care.

Just as the next two steaks were served, the faint sound of a piano began to drift through the restaurant. The music was gentle and soothing, making one feel utterly relaxed in mind and body. Eating a meal accompanied by such music was truly a rare pleasure.

’Hmm, they’re pretty good,’ Shen Yibin thought. After seeing so many master musicians perform at the talent competition, his appreciation for music had improved a little. However, his attention quickly shifted from the piano back to Hah’Er. "Hah’Er, want to try gnawing on this T-bone? The marrow is very nutritious!" ’I wonder what a Panda looks like chewing on a bone?’

The steaks at this place were truly delicious. They were made from choice cuts, the meat was tender and juicy, and they were cooked to perfection—not the least bit tough. A single bite filled the mouth with savory juices. Shen Yibin and Hah’Er were eating happily. It wasn’t long before they finished the second round and began ordering a third.

By the time they had eaten their way through a fourth round, the two of them were finally full. Shen Yibin rubbed Hah’Er’s round, bulging belly. The little guy had really stuffed himself today. ’I’ll have to make him exercise when we get back.’

’Huh? For some reason, I feel like something is missing from this meal compared to our usual ones,’ Shen Yibin mused as he sipped his juice.

’I’ve got it. It’s been entirely too quiet during this meal. Cheeky hasn’t made a single snarky comment! That’s not normal at all, is it?’ Shen Yibin’s eyes swept around the private room, and he shot to his feet in alarm.

’Holy crap, where did Cheeky go? No wonder it was so quiet—he’s not in the room anymore!’

"Hah’Er, have you seen Cheeky?" Hah’Er shook his head repeatedly. The two of them began to search frantically—in the corners, behind the chairs, in the drawers, under the table—but after a long search, there was still no trace of Cheeky.

Just as Shen Yibin was starting to panic, he glanced over his shoulder without thinking and breathed a sigh of relief. ’Ah, so that’s where he is.’