Future Pet Shop

"Haha, not so good at this, are you?" Shi Gaofei had only been resting for a moment when it saw Bald Qiang and Wen Yuan start a match on the ping-pong table. After watching for a while from a rock by the pool, its interest was piqued. It hopped onto the table, wanting to challenge Bald Qiang, and then… was, unsurprisingly, completely thrashed. Shen Yibin couldn't help but roar with laughter. "Bald Qiang is no match for you in a fight, but you're no match for him at ping-pong!"

At first, Shi Gaofei tried to swat the ping-pong ball with its tail just like Bald Qiang, but its tail was completely different and very poorly suited for the game. It would either miss or send the ball flying way off course; it couldn't even get it over the net. Eventually, it gave up and started using its paws. It could barely return the ball now, but it still couldn't fend off Bald Qiang's attacks. The poor thing was completely shut out by Bald Qiang.

"CHEE! CHEE!" Xiaoliu clapped its hands and laughed mockingly from the side. Picking up its stick, it hobbled over to the table, shooed Shi Gaofei aside, and started a match against Bald Qiang. Although it couldn't beat Bald Qiang either, it performed much better than Shi Gaofei. It managed to keep up a decent rally, and while it ultimately lost, at least it wasn't a shutout. After the game, Xiaoliu departed with its head held high, glorious in defeat, leaving Shi Gaofei to lie there sulking.

In the afternoon, however, Shi Gaofei managed to even the score in the park. It got on a leash and began sprinting around the lake, dragging Hah'Er and Maphario behind it. It was much faster than Xiaoliu, who was swinging through the trees. After three laps, Shi Gaofei was a full lap ahead of Xiaoliu. Only then did Shi Gaofei proudly lift its head again.

After dinner and a short rest, the two critters got all geared up and started sparring by the pool again. This time, Shen Yibin and the others couldn't be bothered to go down, opting instead to watch the contest from the terrace while sipping tea. After their two earlier competitions, they understood that the pair was now very careful about controlling their strength.

Even so, they were covered in bruises after their fight, a heartbreaking sight to see. But it was nothing to worry about; Shen Yibin hadn't run out of his medicine yet. With a light spray from an aerosol can and a dab of ointment, Shi Gaofei and Xiaoliu stopped whimpering, let out contented sighs, and slowly drifted off to sleep.

When they woke up the next day, Bald Qiang, Gao Lujie, and Maphario weren't so afraid of Shi Gaofei anymore. Shi Gaofei, for its part, had shed its cold demeanor from the day before and was acting friendly toward them. One moment it was at the ping-pong table getting thrashed, the next it was letting Maphario ride on its neck as it sprinted about, giving it a taste of "The Fast and the Furious." The speed scared Maphario so much that it squeaked nonstop, but as soon as Shi Gaofei stopped, it started urging it to speed up again. Shen Yibin was at a loss for what to make of the little guy. 'Are you actually enjoying this abuse? Could this be the legendary masochism I've heard so much about?'

Hong Mian stepped out for a while and returned with two small, high-tech-looking boxes. She carefully placed the medicine samples Shen Yibin had given her inside, along with the instruction manual. When she returned a short time later, the two boxes were gone. She offered no explanation, and Shen Yibin didn't ask. 'Those samples have probably made their way to some top-secret research department by now,' he guessed.

Compared to when she had first come to the store to buy Shi Gaofei, Shen Yibin noticed the young woman smiled much more often. She had lost the icy demeanor she'd had back then. Hong Mian felt it too; ever since she'd gotten Shi Gaofei as a pet, her zest for life had increased. Her life was no longer just about missions and training; there was something more now, a change she truly cherished.

"Boss Shen, you lead such a relaxing life," she said. She was learning how to make small talk, and while she still sounded a little stiff and awkward, it was progress.

"It only looks relaxing." Shen Yibin was pleased to see this change in her. This was the greatest joy he got from running his pet store. It wasn't about the money he earned, but about seeing people and pets living in harmony, making each other's lives better and filling their hearts with sunshine.

"I have to get up bright and early every morning to make them breakfast, then take them out for exercise. When I get back, I have to go buy groceries and fruit to prepare lunch and dinner. In the evening, there's more exercise, and in between all that, I have to manage the shop. It's pretty busy." Shen Yibin mentally ran through his daily tasks. "But still, compared to you all, I guess my life is pretty relaxed." Of course, it couldn't compare to Hong Mian's work.

"By the way, when is the movie Hah'Er filmed coming out? I'd like to take Shi Gaofei to see it once it's released." Hong Mian clearly didn't want to talk about her job, so she changed the subject. Movie theaters didn't normally allow pets, but Shen Yibin figured she could probably find a solution.

"Around Christmas, I think. In a few days, I'll have to take Hah'Er to the United States for a promotional tour," Shen Yibin said. The schedule for the US tour was set; Director Kong had called to inform him yesterday. The plane tickets and Hah'Er's travel documents were all in order. They just had to wait for the day to arrive.

"I'll be heading back in two days, myself," Hong Mian said, feeling a slight sense of relief. It was a good thing she'd come a few days early, or she would have missed Shen Yibin and Hah'Er. 'If that had happened, Shi Gaofei would have been disappointed, wouldn't it?' she thought. 'Would it be having this much fun?'

'Why not stay a few more days?' Shen Yibin started to ask, but then thought better of it. He knew the nature of Hong Mian's work and that vacation time was an absolute rarity for her. Instead, he said, "As it happens, a tree hollow full of Monkey Wine will be ready tomorrow. You should take some with you for your colleagues to try." He held people like her in the highest regard, and the Monkey Wine would be a small token of his gratitude.

Over the next two days, Hong Mian continued to open up. She played ping-pong with Li Shiqing, offered Shen Yibin pointers on his sword techniques, and even went out to a bar with Xia Shixuan one night to cut loose. Shen Yibin was a nervous wreck when they left. He wasn't worried about the two of them getting into trouble; he was worried some clueless punk would mess with Hong Mian and get himself utterly destroyed.

But as always, happy times fly by. Before he knew it, it was time for Hong Mian to leave. After seeing her off, Shen Yibin began to pack his own luggage. The next day, he, Hah'Er, and Maphario would be heading to the United States for the *Panda Hero* promotional tour.