Future Pet Shop

"You guys just got off the plane, you should get some rest. Since you’re already here, a little delay won’t matter. Why don’t I take you to your hotel first?" Shen Yibin asked hesitantly. He was certainly eager to get the playground built for Hah’Er, Xiaoliu, Maphario, and Bald Qiang, but he couldn’t just work his guests ragged, right? Flying for over ten hours from the US to Shanghai, then catching another flight to Yunzhong City—that had to be exhausting.

"No need, we got plenty of rest on the plane. Just the thought of the panda getting to play in a park I designed fills me with energy!" Lance insisted. Ever since getting in the car, his eyes hadn’t left Hah’Er. He was clearly another die-hard fan. "You know, ever since I landed this job, my kid has started treating me like an idol. That’s never happened before. For my kid’s sake, I have to get this work done as soon as possible."

"Well, if we finalize the contract, you should bring your family to Yunzhong City for a visit once the project officially kicks off. I’m sure Hah’Er would love to meet your child." ’What else could I say? After he put it like that, it seems they wouldn’t get out of the car even if I drove them right to the hotel’s front door.’ So, Shen Yibin could only express his gratitude with the offer.

"Seriously? We can do that? My kid’s room is already filled with Panda Hero merchandise. He’ll go crazy if he finds out about this." After getting the confirmation, Lance immediately grabbed his phone. Without even checking the time back in the US, he dialed his son. A moment later, an excited little boy’s voice erupted from the other end of the line.

After hanging up, Lance kept urging Shen Yibin to speed up. He didn’t want to waste a single minute, wishing he could finish the design and start construction right away. As for the fact that Shen Yibin hadn’t actually reached a deal with Disney yet, he couldn’t care less. In his eyes, it was only a matter of time.

"Alright, we’re here. This is the spot!" Shen Yibin parked at the entrance to the construction site and let Lance and his translator out of the car. "It’s still under construction, so things are a bit chaotic. We can head up that hill—you get a much clearer view looking down from the top. Oh, right, the architect for this manor is here, too. Would you like to have a chat with him first?"

"Of course! And it would be even better if you have detailed blueprints and geological data!" Lance said, rubbing his hands together in excitement as he surveyed the surroundings. "This is beautiful, just beautiful! Only a place this magnificent is suitable for a panda to live in! Look at those gorgeous bamboo forests, and that clear river... it’s exactly like the Kunlun Immortal Realm from Panda Hero."

"Uh, Panda Hero was filmed around here!" ’Of course it looks the same, duh. A lot of the exterior shots were filmed in this area.’ Shen Yibin pulled out his phone. "Hang on, let me call the architect. He’s working over there right now!" Shen Yibin pointed toward the Totem Pole that seemed to pierce the clouds.

"What is that? A Native American Totem Pole?" Lance had only just noticed the magnificent structure towering beside them. "Can I go up for a look? It seems like you could get a bird’s-eye view of the land from up there, right?"

"Of course. The elevator will be right down!" Before long, Wen Yuan arrived at the bottom. Shen Yibin made the introductions. "This is Mr. Lance, a designer from Disney. This is Mr. Wen Yuan, the architect for this manor. This gentleman is Mr. Long Sheng, one of the creators of the Totem Pole. And these are the Pole’s main creators, Marc and Bald Qiang, and this is his wife, Gao Lujie." Xiaoliu and Maphario were busy in the garden, so they weren’t in the elevator.

Seeing this, Lance and his translator were utterly dumbfounded. "Oh my God, where in the world am I? Have I been transported into some kind of Disney animated film?" It took a long moment for Lance to recover. It just so happens that Chinese web novels have been translated and have grown quite popular in the West, so Lance was familiar with the concept of inter-dimensional travel.

"I can’t recall any Disney movie starring a woodpecker, a Beaver, and a panda," Shen Yibin said with a shrug. "Let’s head on up. You can admire their incredible craftsmanship on the way, and once we’re at the top, we can check out the terrain."

Since they were meant to be observing the totems on the pole, Wen Yuan slowed the elevator’s ascent. Lance let out cries of amazement the entire way up. "Is this you? Haha, your buck teeth are identical!" Spotting the Beaver carving, Lance immediately compared it to Bald Qiang. Never mind the other details—those two front teeth were captured perfectly.

"Whoa, is that the parrot that sang the theme song? I saw him perform in Los Angeles! His voice is even more beautiful than Phoenix’s." Sun Qian had already taken Cheeky to the United States for promotional events. The pair’s singing had caused a huge sensation, and several music companies were already trying to sign Sun Qian. But she wasn’t tempted; she just wanted to make the music she loved and refused to be controlled by a big corporation.

"I know this one—it’s Hah’Er! Haha, what a magnificent piece! I absolutely have to recommend to the company that we build a statue just like this in every Disneyland across the globe. Mr. Shen, you must grant us the rights!" Hah’Er’s statue was a flash of inspiration for Lance; he was already trying to figure out how to incorporate it into the Disney parks.

’This idea probably wouldn’t be too much trouble for Hah’Er.’ "Ahem, you can certainly make that recommendation to your head office. As for the specifics, they can discuss it with my temporary agent."

"Hmm, you’ve replaced the Thunderbird with a woodpecker." It seemed Lance had done some research on Native American totem poles, as he knew the top position was usually reserved for the Thunderbird. "But as a main creator of this masterpiece, he’s certainly earned the right to be there!"

Amid Lance’s ongoing exclamations of wonder, the elevator finally reached the top of the Totem Pole. The surrounding terrain was laid out in full view. Shen Yibin pointed to the boundaries. "My manor extends from here to there. It’s much smaller than a Disneyland, but there should be more than enough space for some attractions."

"If you need more space, you can use the area from here to there as well," Wen Yuan chimed in with a chuckle. The land he was pointing to belonged to his manor.

"It looks a bit like Jungle Island at Disneyland," Lance said after observing the area for a long while. "I’m already getting a few ideas. I’m going to build a miniature Disney right here!"