Future Pet Shop

Chapter 89: Why Don’t You Come Work at My Store?

"Ugh, why am I so conflicted today?" Shen Yibin said while eating breakfast. "Part of me hopes the girl gets here soon so I can sell Cheeky to her, but another part of me can’t bear for him to leave. Sigh!"

"The thought of not having to endure your terrible singing every day makes me so happy! HAHAHAHA," Cheeky laughed, pretending to be carefree. But his laughter was hollow, with no trace of joy.

"Mmm..." Hah’Er put down his fried dough stick, tilted his head to look at Cheeky, and reached out a paw as if asking him to stay. Though Cheeky often roasted him, the two of them were still great friends.

"Hurry up and eat. We’ll open the shop early when you’re done. If the young lady gets here early, it wouldn’t be right to make her wait outside." ’Sigh, I’m no sensitive artist. What’s the point of getting all sentimental?’

RATTLE! The rolling shutter was pulled up. Shen Yibin walked to the front of the store, looking left and right, but there was no sign of Sun Qian. It seemed she wasn’t going to be that early after all.

"Mhm!" By now, Hah’Er had finished feeding the other pets. He put on his little padded vest and came to the door, trying to take Shen Yibin’s hand.

"Hah’Er, we’re not going for a walk in the park today. Let’s just wait in the shop," Shen Yibin said. He didn’t dare to be the least bit careless now, afraid that a moment’s negligence would make him miss Sun Qian.

Sun Qian felt the same urgency. She had a regular gig singing at a bar every night and always got home late. To ensure she got enough rest, she usually didn’t wake up until after ten o’clock. But today, she had left home bright and early, squeezing onto a crowded morning bus heading for Shen Yibin’s shop. She was terrified that if she was a step too late, someone else would buy Cheeky.

’This must be the place, right?’ After getting off the bus and following her phone’s GPS for two blocks, Sun Qian finally arrived at Shen Yibin’s shop. Before she could even pull out his business card to confirm, she heard a delighted voice call from inside. "Sun Qian! No need to check, this is it! Hurry, come on in!"

She looked toward the voice and saw Shen Yibin waving at her. Next to him, Cheeky was playfully wrestling with the adorable Panda. ’Looks like Cheeky hasn’t been sold yet.’ Sun Qian breathed a small sigh of relief. She stepped inside and greeted him, "Mr. Shen, you’re up bright and early."

"Probably not as early as you. Here, have a seat and some water. Hah’Er, go get some fruit from the fridge upstairs." Seeing her arrive, Shen Yibin finally felt the knot in his chest loosen. ’As long as she wants to buy him, everything else can be worked out.’

"Mhm!" Hah’Er hopped off the sofa and headed for the stairs, while Cheeky flew over to land on Sun Qian’s shoulder. "So, uh, what kind of fruit do you like? Jabuticaba? Brazilian Raspberry? Or maybe some figs?" ’She’s not even his owner yet and he’s already sucking up,’ Shen Yibin thought.

Shen Yibin, however, was focused on something else entirely. ’Cheeky is standing on Sun Qian’s shoulder, and the collar of her shirt today is a little... From that angle, wouldn’t he...? Man, I’m so jealous of Cheeky.’

"Oh, you don’t have to go to all this trouble, really," Sun Qian said, a little embarrassed by the warm reception.

"It’s no trouble. These two are always snacking on something. Even if you hadn’t come, I’d be getting them fruit right about now." A moment later, Hah’Er came downstairs carrying a fruit basket.

The rare fruits piqued Sun Qian’s interest. At Shen Yibin’s urging, she tried one or two, and the atmosphere between them grew more relaxed.

"So, what do you do for work? Don’t you have a job to get to in the morning?" ’It’s probably not a good idea to bring up Cheeky right away,’ he thought. ’I should make some small talk first, get a feel for her situation.’

"I just moved to Yunzhong City from my hometown," Sun Qian said, naming a place Shen Yibin had never heard of. "After graduating last year, I spent a year as a middle school music teacher back home, but I felt restless. So I came to Yunzhong City a while ago to try and make it on my own. I haven’t found a stable job yet, so I do odd jobs during the day and have a singing gig at a bar at night."

As he listened to Sun Qian’s story, Shen Yibin nodded periodically, picturing a young woman who had come to the big city to chase her musical dreams. ’No wonder Cheeky likes her,’ he thought. ’That kind of dedication to a dream is enough on its own.’

"You know, I opened this shop because I love pets, too. I graduated the year before last, so I guess that makes us around the same age?" They had been chatting for half an hour, and both were left with a good impression. Shen Yibin decided it was time to get to the main topic. "I’ve been searching for a new owner for Cheeky for a while now. It’s rare for him to click with someone like he has with you. So, let me ask you again: do you truly want to take Cheeky home?"

"I adore Cheeky, so of course I want to take him home. But, as I said, I’m new here and still finding my footing career-wise. I don’t have a stable income, so financially, things are a bit tight." Sun Qian smiled sheepishly. "Cheeky’s price isn’t unreasonable, but my savings just aren’t enough. I was wondering... would you consider an installment plan? I can give you a 26,000 deposit now, and Cheeky can stay here with you. Then, I could pay you a set amount each month until the full 38,000 is paid off. Of course, I know that puts you at a disadvantage, so I’d be happy to add some interest."

This was the plan Sun Qian had stayed up all night devising. She had a little over 26,000 with her, leaving her 12,000 short. After her basic living expenses, she could save just over 2,000 a month. If the owner agreed, she could take Cheeky home in six months.

"I’m afraid that won’t work." If it were up to him, Shen Yibin would have gladly agreed. But the payment method was determined by the Future Pet Shop, and it didn’t accept installments.

"Don’t get discouraged just yet! What you said actually gave me an idea," Shen Yibin said quickly, seeing the disappointment on Sun Qian’s face. He’d had a thought when she mentioned she didn’t have a steady job, but it hadn’t felt right to bring it up. Now seemed like the perfect time to test it out.

"See, I’m actually hiring right now. If you’re interested, you could come work in my shop. You’d only need to work during the day, so it wouldn’t interfere with your evening performances. I can offer a base salary of two thousand... two thousand five hundred." Shen Yibin raised the offer on the spot. ’Besides,’ he thought, ’the affinity test app said she has a knack for this. Taking care of the shop should be no problem for her.’

"On top of the base salary, I’ll also give you a three-percent commission on sales. All in all, it should be better than what you’re making from odd jobs." ’But even with this, she won’t make enough to buy Cheeky before the deadline,’ Shen Yibin thought, moving on to the next part of his plan. "Plus, I can give you an advance on a few months’ salary. That way, you can afford to buy Cheeky right now."