Future Pet Shop

He was a man of action. So, when Xia Shixuan arrived with the girls from the shop, Shen Yibin asked, "Shixuan, didn’t you say last time you had a few friends who are artists? Could you find a few people to come over and help paint the Totem Pole?"

"Oh, I already asked last time and found someone. He didn’t come over because you were still in Shanghai. Should I have him come over now?" After speaking, Xia Shixuan picked up her phone and sent a few messages on WeChat. This wasn’t impolite—this particular friend of hers was a little eccentric and didn’t like taking calls.

Meanwhile, outside a love hotel in Yunzhong City, Mr. Long Sheng was checking out, his arm around a curvaceous woman. He hailed a taxi, opened the door, and helped her inside. After closing the door and waving goodbye, he waited until the taxi disappeared around the corner before turning to check his phone. He had already heard the WeChat notification.

"Mr. Long Sheng!" Before he could take out his phone, he heard an furious shout from behind him. The voice was filled with anger and resentment, and it sounded a little familiar.

’Oh, no. Don’t tell me someone I know saw me? I was so careful, I specifically picked a hotel they’d never pass by.’ But Mr. Long Sheng didn’t panic. This wasn’t the first time something like this had happened, and when had he ever failed to handle it with ease? He turned around with a smile. When he saw who it was, he quietly breathed a sigh of relief. It was Chen Qian, the younger sister of one of his girlfriends, Chen Xi. His mind raced, and in an instant, he had a plan.

"Mr. Long Sheng! How could you cheat on my sister and get a room with someone else! Do you have any conscience at all?!" Chen Qian stormed up to him, jabbing a finger at his nose as she cursed. If she hadn’t happened to be passing by on an errand today, who knows how long he would have kept this a secret. The very thought made Chen Qian want to explode.

An ordinary person would have panicked in this situation, but what kind of person was Mr. Long Sheng? He wouldn’t be stumped by a little scene like this. A flash of surprise appeared in his eyes, then faded into gloom, before finally settling back into his usual nonchalance. He looked at Chen Qian and spoke lightly, "Huh? Qian, what are you doing here today? Aren’t you supposed to be in class?" His expression was perfectly calm, as if nothing had happened at all.

"If I hadn’t passed by here, my sister would still be completely in the dark!" ’He’s still so calm?’ Chen Qian found it unbelievable, and the anger in her chest blazed even hotter. "You heartless, shameless bastard!" she cursed, raising her hand to slap him. "You’re utterly despicable!"

’Whoa, she’s actually going for it. Can’t let her mess up my handsome face.’ Mr. Long Sheng raised his right hand and tightly gripped Chen Qian’s wrist. His eyes flew open, and he stared intently into hers, roaring in a voice even louder than hers had been, "Yes, I’m shameless! So what? It’s not like I can be with the one I truly love, so what else am I supposed to do?"

His roar flustered Chen Qian, and her momentum immediately faltered. Seeing his chance, Mr. Long Sheng pressed his advantage. His expression shifted from anger to dejection, and then to a look of someone who had just laid down a heavy burden. His eyes filled with tenderness as he looked at Chen Qian. "Qianqian, did you know? From the very first moment I saw you, I fell for you. It was just a coincidence that I knew your sister, so I thought I could get to know you through her. But you never responded to me. Do you have any idea how miserable I was back then?"

"I... I..." Chen Qian was completely stunned by his words. She subconsciously tried to avoid his gaze, but Mr. Long Sheng wasn’t about to give her a moment’s respite. He gently cupped her face in his hands, forcing her to meet his gaze, which was once again brimming with affection. "In my misery, I started drinking. One time, I got drunk and mistook your sister for you, and so..."

Mr. Long Sheng’s tone turned dejected, and he let his hands fall from her face. But Chen Qian found herself looking at him anyway. He seemed to be caught in a whirlwind of complex emotions—the relief of finally speaking his mind, mixed with the despair of a dream that could never be realized. He continued with the story he had just fabricated. "From that day on, I knew it was impossible between us. If I can’t be with the person I love most in this world, then what’s the point of my life?"

"So... so you started letting yourself go... and got a room with... with that woman from before?" Chen Qian found herself under his spell, subconsciously following his narrative. Her mind was in a complete tangle—there was anger at his betrayal of her sister, Chen Xi, but also helplessness at the sudden turn of events, and of course, a sliver of secret delight.

That’s just how women are. Whenever they find out an exceptional man is interested in them, they feel a sense of happiness, regardless of who the man is. It has nothing to do with morality; it’s simply a feminine instinct.

"Yes. At first, I thought your sister could be a substitute for you, but I later realized that was impossible. Every time I see her, kiss her, sleep with her... my mind is filled with nothing but you. Do you know what that feels like? I’m going crazy!" The corner of Mr. Long Sheng’s mouth twitched, as if he wanted to smile, but the expression dissolved into anguish before it could bloom. "After that, I found more and more women, trying to forget you, but it’s just impossible!" Mr. Long Sheng crouched on the ground in agony as tears gushed from his eyes.

Now Chen Qian was even more at a loss. She had come to catch him cheating and get justice for her sister, but now it seemed she herself was the culprit behind his infidelity. And... she found the feeling of delight in her heart growing stronger. As sisters who had grown up together, she and Chen Xi had often been compared by relatives and friends. Since Chen Xi was three years older and had developed earlier, Chen Qian had always been on the losing end of these comparisons. Today, Mr. Long Sheng’s words made her feel as if she had finally beaten her sister for once. Especially when he said that when he saw Chen Xi, kissed her, and even... even slept with her, he was thinking only of her. Chen Qian felt a jolt, as if a current had shot through her body.

"Don’t say any more!" ’He betrayed my sister!’ The constraints of morality and the secret delight warring within her brought Chen Qian to the verge of a breakdown. She quickly turned and fled. She was afraid of what else she might hear from Mr. Long Sheng if she stayed, and even more afraid of how she might react.

The jaws of the onlookers dropped. What was this? Wasn’t this supposed to be someone catching a cheater? Why did the accuser run off after just a few words, while the cheater seemed to be perfectly fine?

Mr. Long Sheng calmly stood up, pulled out his phone, and finally got to check his messages.