Future Pet Shop

’Imagine Hah’Er tearing the Hulk apart with his claws, punching the Thunder God, and squashing Thanos to death with his butt... The thought alone is thrilling. If Marvel Studios ever came looking for me, I might actually be tempted.’ Shen Yibin couldn’t help but let his imagination run wild.

"Ladies, gentlemen, and movie fans everywhere, welcome to the premiere of Panda Hero. Today, we will be presenting an unprecedentedly exciting film..." The host’s voice cut through Shen Yibin’s daydream. He looked around and saw that all the guests had returned to their seats. Director Kong was standing beside the host, a smile on his face.

After the opening remarks, Director Kong took the stage to share some amusing anecdotes from the filming of Panda Hero. He also played some behind-the-scenes footage, including clips of Hah’Er wearing the Golden Armor while eating an ice cream bar, and lying on a chair with his eyes closed as Shen Yibin gave him a massage. These never-before-seen, adorable clips immediately drew a wave of cheers from the fans.

Director Kong seized the opportunity to promote the film further. "This footage will be released in the DVD box set. If you like what you see, you can purchase it through official channels after the movie’s theatrical run." Want to see more of Hah’Er’s cuteness? No problem—just be ready to fork over the cash. Director Kong had an extremely thorough understanding of Hollywood’s business model. The film hadn’t even been released yet, and he was already thinking about DVD and merchandise sales. Shen Yibin was fully supportive of this, as Hah’Er was entitled to a cut of the profits.

The prizes for the subsequent lucky draw were also various pieces of Panda Hero merchandise, such as Hah’Er plushies and phone cases printed with Hah’Er’s image. These items would also be released simultaneously in movie merchandise stores worldwide.

"I know you’ve all been waiting for this moment, so I won’t keep you any longer. Now, please welcome Hah’Er, Phoenix, Sun Qian, and Cheeky to the stage to perform the theme song for Panda Hero—’Call Me Panda Hero’!" After a lengthy buildup, the premiere finally reached its climax.

Hah’Er stood up and waddled to the front of the stage. He pawed at the edge and struggled to climb up, an amusing sight that drew another round of laughter from the fans. Next, Phoenix and Sun Qian walked onto the stage from opposite sides. Cheeky stood on Sun Qian’s shoulder, a miniature microphone fitted on its tiny head.

The lights in the venue gradually dimmed, leaving only a few spotlights focused on the four performers. As the music began to swell, Hah’Er started to clumsily sway his body to the rhythm. Cheeky flew from Sun Qian’s shoulder, landed on Hah’Er’s head, and was the first to start singing. Sun Qian followed, then Phoenix. In order to perform the song, she had specifically learned the Chinese pronunciation, and it sounded much more accurate than Sarah Brightman’s performance at the Bird’s Nest Stadium.

In turn, Sun Qian and Cheeky had also learned the English lyrics. The very next day, they would be heading to the United States for a performance. Hah’Er, however, wouldn’t be going this time. If Americans wanted to see Hah’Er, they would have to buy tickets, make the movie a box office champion, and then they could welcome his arrival!

The audience, regardless of whether they understood Chinese, was completely immersed in the beautiful music. When the song ended, thunderous applause erupted in the premiere hall. Shen Yibin clapped the loudest of all. Based on her performance, Sun Qian was already nearly on par with Phoenix. Her progress recently had been meteoric. He believed that after this performance, she would soon be famous throughout the country and become a top-tier singer. When that happened, she would finally have the clout to achieve her dreams.

With the theme song complete, the premiere moved on to its most important event: the official screening of Panda Hero. The lights went out, and the big screen gradually lit up. After the animated logos of the major production companies faded, Hah’Er’s large head appeared on screen. The camera slowly pulled back to reveal a full-body shot, and his extremely ill-fitting clothes drew gales of laughter from the audience.

Then, the plot officially began. As a member of the Kunlun Immortal Realm, Hah’Er was cast down to the mortal realm for making a mistake. At Kunlun Mountain, he encountered Fang Yuanshan, Murong Li, and Fang Yun, who brought him back to the metropolis. There, he engaged in a series of battles with an evil arch-villain and ultimately emerged victorious.

The story wasn’t all that different from other Hollywood superhero films. However, Director Kong’s veteran directing, John Farrell’s masterful special effects, and Hah’Er’s own brilliant performance came together to forge a perfect commercial blockbuster that blended comedy and spectacle. The audience was glued to the big screen, and laughter echoed continuously.

After the movie ended, all the guests and audience members in the premiere hall rose to their feet, giving the main cast and crew an incredibly enthusiastic standing ovation. Director Kong led his team in three consecutive bows before the applause finally subsided. After everyone sat down, Robert Downey Jr., Scarlett Johansson, and the other celebrities in attendance had complicated expressions on their faces. After watching this film, they no longer had much confidence that Marvel Studios could continue to monopolize the superhero movie market.

After an enthusiastic thank-you speech and a Q&A session with the reporters present, the premiere finally came to an end. Shen Yibin took Hah’Er back to the hotel.

"Hah’Er seems a little tired today. I won’t have anyone disturb you tomorrow. Just wake up whenever you feel like it." Seeing that Hah’Er’s eyes could barely stay open, Director Kong said quickly. He had originally planned to take Hah’Er out for some promotional events the next day, but judging from the feedback at the premiere, it seemed that was no longer necessary.

"Okay, we’ll head to bed then." Shen Yibin readily agreed. Hah’Er had indeed had a tough couple of days. After saying goodbye to Director Kong, Sun Qian, Cheeky, and the others, Shen Yibin took Hah’Er back to their suite. Without even taking a shower, he collapsed onto the large bed and started snoring, sleeping like the dead.

He ended up sleeping for a full day, only waking when he couldn’t stand the hunger any longer. Once awake, he was too lazy to go out. He just called the hotel, ordered some of Hah’Er’s favorite dishes, and had them sent up to the room.

After a satisfying meal, Shen Yibin finally pulled open the curtains. Outside, the night was glittering with neon lights. He had slept for more than twenty hours straight.

He took Hah’Er for a bath, changed into a fresh set of clothes, and then returned to the living room to turn on the television. The same story was on every channel: Panda Hero has a sensational global opening, breaking multiple box office records.

’Hm? The first day’s box office numbers are out? I’ve got to see how we did.’ Shen Yibin quickly pulled out his phone, opened a box office tracking app, and started to look.