Future Pet Shop

"Oh, Mr. Wen, you're heading back to your hometown too?" 'I was thinking about inviting Wen Yuan's family over for New Year's Eve dinner, but I guess they're not even celebrating the holiday here.'

"Yeah, I'm heading back in a couple of days, right after the company dinner with my employees. That's why I've come to ask you for a favor," Wen Yuan said, picking up a box of fireworks. "Bin, are you celebrating the New Year here, or are you going back to your hometown?"

"I'm staying here. There's hardly anyone I know back in my hometown anymore," Shen Yibin said nonchalantly. 'Looks like it'll just be me, Hah'Er, and Xiaoliu this Chinese New Year. But that doesn't seem so lonely, actually.'

"Oh, I see." Wen Yuan didn't press the matter and got to the point. "It's very cold back in my hometown, and there are no clean streams or rivers. If I were to take Bald Qiang and his partner with me, the journey would be hard on them, and there wouldn't be a suitable place for them to stay once we arrived. So, I was hoping—if it's convenient for you, Mr. Shen—that you could help look after them for a few days. I'll be back around the ninth day of the New Year. I'm really sorry to impose, but I've only just arrived in Yunzhong City and don't know many people, so I brazenly came to you for help."

"Pfft, is that all?" Shen Yibin waved his hand dismissively. "Don't you worry. I guarantee that when you see the two of them again, they'll be much fatter than they are now. Just have them come over to my place when you leave. I'll be here the whole time and won't be going anywhere else. Besides, with them here, things will be livelier for Hah'Er, Xiaoliu, and the others."

"Great, I'll bring the two of them over when I leave." A weight was lifted from Wen Yuan's shoulders. If Shen Yibin had also been leaving town for the New Year, he really wouldn't have known what to do with Bald Qiang and his partner. A typical pet boarding service wouldn't have the facilities or experience to care for otters. Shen Yibin had just solved a huge problem for him. 'Hmm, I have to thank Bin properly when I get back from my hometown.' Wen Yuan was already pondering what local specialties from his hometown would make a suitable gift.

"Are your wife and kid not here today? Why don't you stay for dinner?" Shen Yibin asked, after they finished moving all the items into the storage room.

"They went back ahead of me. My child was missing his grandma like crazy. I'm thinking about bringing my parents over next year as well." Wen Yuan didn't stand on ceremony. Brushing off his hands, he sat down. "Alright then, I'll take you up on that free meal."

"Yes, Yunzhong City is known as a place where people live long lives. The winters aren't cold, the summers aren't hot, and the air is fresh. It'd be great for your parents to move here," Shen Yibin said with a nod.

"Sigh, I'm just afraid they'll get too bored without any friends around. I suspect they'd stay for a few days and then start clamoring to go home!" Wen Yuan shook his head with a wry smile. 'Looks like this won't be so easy to figure out.'

"No problem. When the time comes, I'll introduce them to Mrs. Wang and her friends. Your parents can join them for square dancing; they're sure to have a good time." 'The appeal of square dancing transcends all boundaries.' "Why don't you go get Bald Qiang and his partner? I'm about to start cooking."

After a flurry of clattering and banging from the kitchen, Wen Yuan returned with Bald Qiang and his mate. The two critters, as if they owned the place, found their food bowls, picked them up, and climbed onto their chairs, waiting dutifully by the table for dinner to be served.

"I'm heading home in a couple of days, so you two will be eating here at Bin's place for a while! Be good, and don't cause any trouble for him, alright?" Wen Yuan instructed the two critters while eating his dinner.

"SQUEAK! SQUEAK!" Bald Qiang poked his head out from his food bowl, considered Wen Yuan's words for a moment, and then nodded vigorously. He might have been hesitant if it were anyone else, but he'd known Shen Yibin even longer than Wen Yuan and was already completely comfortable with him. Besides, he had always loved Shen Yibin's cooking, so he certainly wouldn't refuse. As for Gao Lujie, she always followed Bald Qiang's lead; as long as her husband was on board, she had no objections.

'Tsk tsk. Look at that pair. Bald Qiang is so assertive! It's nothing like modern couples, where husbands have absolutely no standing in front of their wives. Their rank in the household is often below the wife, the kids, and even the pets. They must be so envious seeing how Bald Qiang's word is law, right?'

After dinner, Shen Yibin and Wen Yuan went up to the second-floor terrace to drink tea and chat. Meanwhile, Hah'Er led Bald Qiang and his partner out into the yard, where the whole group of animals started roughhousing again, having the time of their lives.

「The next morning.」 Shen Yibin was getting ready to go shopping again. Xiaoliu was lounging in his hammock, too lazy to move, while Bald Qiang and his partner had already retired to their "aquatic villa" to rest. Sun Qian still had work to do, so he only took Hah'Er and Carmen with him, returning later with a huge pile of groceries.

When he returned home, he found the owner of the New Year painting shop had been waiting in the living room for some time. Sun Qian was sitting opposite him, happily admiring a print depicting Cheeky holding a gold coin in his beak. Seeing Shen Yibin return, the owner quickly stood up. "Mr. Shen, the samples of the New Year paintings are printed. Please take a look and see if you're satisfied. If there's anything you don't like, I can have them make revisions."

"Let me see!" Shen Yibin took the New Year painting and spread it out on the coffee table. The photograph of Hah'Er had been transformed into a drawing in the style of a traditional New Year painting. It perfectly captured Hah'Er's spirit and likeness and was incredibly festive. The more Shen Yibin looked, the more he liked it; he couldn't wait to paste it on the main doors of his villa and the pet store.

"This is fantastic! You're a true master, sir. The result is even better than I'd imagined. This is perfect!" Shen Yibin said as he carefully rolled up the paintings, planning to put them up for the New Year. "Oh, by the way, my neighbor wants some too. I'll tell him to visit your shop tomorrow."

"Oh no, there's no need for that. Just give me his address and tell me what he wants, and I'll have someone deliver them," the shop owner said. He then took a business card from his pocket and presented it to Shen Yibin with both hands. Shen Yibin noticed it even had a QR code on it.

"What's this?" 'I already have your phone number, so what's the point of a business card?'

"Mr. Shen, I opened an online shop and have Hah'Er's New Year paintings listed for sale," the shop owner explained, pointing to the QR code. "If any of your friends want one, just let me know. I'll deliver them for free to anyone in the city, and I'll ship them for free to anyone living elsewhere. You can get to the shop just by scanning this QR code!"

"You business owners really know how to keep up with the times!" Shen Yibin couldn't help but be impressed. 'The idea only came up yesterday, and he's already launched an online shop today.' "Alright then, I'll post an ad for you on Weibo and ask my friends if they want any." 'He probably wouldn't accept any money,' Shen Yibin figured, 'so this is the best way I can repay him.'

'My goodness, Hah'Er's Weibo account has tens of millions of followers now. If they see this New Year painting, they'll definitely want one, won't they? At that rate, won't pictures of Hah'Er be all over China? Is this going to be the Year of the Panda or the Year of the Dog?'