Future Pet Shop

With a boost from Shen Yibin, Hah’Er finally managed to climb a little higher. It sat on Shen Yibin’s shoulder, stretching its paws with all its might, trying to reach the foot of the statue above. Unfortunately, its paws were just too short. Even with Shen Yibin propping it up from below, it was still a good distance away from that foot.

"EEEEK!" Xiaoliu seemed determined to get a rise out of Hah’Er. Just as the panda had made a tiny bit of progress, Xiaoliu scurried up a huge section of the pole. In the blink of an eye, it was already on the head of the Bald Qiang carving. Not only that, but it also performed a difficult maneuver, hooking Bald Qiang’s head with its two feet, hanging upside down, and sticking out its tongue. BRLBRLBRLBRL! A series of taunting raspberries.

"HRMPH! HRMPH!" Hah’Er was absolutely furious. It could climb a normal tree without any trouble, but this Totem Pole was simply too thick. Its claws were too short, and it couldn’t get a proper grip to push off. Even using all its might, it would only climb a short distance before sliding down a long way. It was already frustrated beyond belief, and now with Xiaoliu’s taunting, this was more than a panda could bear!

"Alright, let’s not play here anymore. I’ll take you for a walk!" ’Okay, I can’t let him stay here,’ Shen Yibin thought, quickly deciding to retreat. ’He’ll only get angrier. It’s actually a good thing he can’t climb it. Look how clumsy he is. If he climbed up and fell, I’d be worried sick! Xiaoliu is different. That little guy probably wouldn’t fall even if he fell asleep halfway up. Just let him play by himself. I’ll take Hah’Er somewhere else today.’

So Shen Yibin hoisted Hah’Er onto his shoulders, like giving a child a ride. Hah’Er rested its two paws on Shen Yibin’s head, curiously taking in the surroundings from this brand-new perspective. ’The view from up this high really is different.’ Maphario also poked its head out of Shen Yibin’s pocket, scurried up his arm to his shoulder, then climbed all the way to the top of Hah’Er’s head. After glancing around, it quickly retreated back into the safety of the pocket.

With Hah’Er on his shoulders, their combined height was over two meters. For Maphario, climbing that high, combined with the swaying of Hah’Er’s head as Shen Yibin walked, was enough to make it dizzy. The pocket was much safer and more comfortable.

’Well, it looks like Hah’Er has changed species,’ Shen Yibin mused. ’He’s practically a marsupial now. America has all sorts of opossums, and Australia has kangaroos, quolls, wombats, and bandicoots. I think there used to be thylacines, too. Is Hah’Er going to become a marsupial panda?’

"EEEK! EEEK!" As Shen Yibin was lost in his daydream, he heard Xiaoliu. Seeing that Hah’Er had left, the little monkey must have gotten bored on the Totem Pole by itself, so it slid down and came swaggering after them.

"Bald Qiang, come on, want to go for a walk with me?" He hadn’t gone far when he looked up and saw Bald Qiang and Gao Lujie, the otter couple, lazing on the embankment and basking in the sun. Wen Yuan was nowhere to be seen. Shen Yibin gave them a casual wave, and the pair came running over excitedly.

"The winter sun is so nice and warm. I’ll take you guys to a good spot for sunbathing." Although it was already winter, Yunzhong City was in the south and hadn’t seen snow in many years. The temperature wasn’t too low, but it felt much more comfortable with the sun warming you from head to toe. Shen Yibin had already spotted the perfect place to soak up some rays and was planning to go enjoy it.

He walked around the outer edge of the estate, heading about a hundred meters downstream along the Yunshui River. There, he saw a smooth stone slope extending out from the forest and slanting down into the water. The slope was about twenty meters high and thirty meters wide, with a gentle twenty-five-degree incline. Constant washing from the rain had left the entire surface exceptionally clean, without a speck of dust. Best of all, it faced the afternoon sun, making it the perfect spot to lie down and comfortably sunbathe.

"Alright, this is the spot!" Shen Yibin lifted Hah’Er off his shoulders, took his paw, and led him onto the stone slope. He found a smooth patch and lay down. ’Ah, next time I should consider bringing a blanket. Lying directly on the stone is still a little hard!’ Shen Yibin patted the spot beside him, signaling for Hah’Er and the others to copy him. He then placed his hands behind his head and let out a contented groan.

"Hmm?" Hah’Er copied Shen Yibin and lay down on the stone slab. After a moment’s thought, it wiggled its back and scooted up a little, until its head was level with Shen Yibin’s. Xiaoliu scratched its head, leaped right over Hah’Er and Shen Yibin, and scurried to Shen Yibin’s other side. It also lay down, clutching its head with its two paws. The little rascal even crossed its legs, swinging one foot back and forth in pure bliss.

"CHIRP! CHIRP!" Over on the side, Bald Qiang first found a nice spot for Gao Lujie to lie down before settling in beside her. The sight made Shen Yibin’s heart ache. ’Can’t you two stop rubbing it in for us single guys? Would it kill you?’

But the one living the best life had to be Maphario. The little guy climbed out of the pocket and settled down comfortably on Hah’Er’s stomach. Hah’Er’s belly was round, soft, and warm—far more comfortable than the hard stone slab Shen Yibin and the others were lying on. Even Shen Yibin was starting to feel envious. ’Sigh, if only there was a giant beast here, like an elephant or a hippo. Then maybe I could lie down like Maphario, too.’

But alas, there was no such creature. Shen Yibin could only continue to lie on the hard, cool stone. Before long, however, he got used to the temperature of the rock and wasn’t so envious of Maphario anymore.

The stone slope was perfectly situated between two groves of trees, which blocked the cool breeze from the sides. The sun shone directly down, its warmth intoxicating. There was no one else around. Aside from the RUSTLE of wind in the leaves and the GURGLE of flowing water, there were no other sounds. It was extraordinarily peaceful compared to the city.

It was easy to relax in a place like this. Shen Yibin’s eyelids drooped lazily as he watched the gently flowing river. Soon, he began to feel drowsy. Even though he had slept in until noon, who could resist a little nap in such a comfortable setting?

Hah’Er and the others beside him were the same. The sound of soft snores gradually rose, making Shen Yibin feel even drowsier. A few moments later, he drifted off to sleep.

PLOP! SPLASH! Two sudden noises jolted Shen Yibin from his sleep. He opened his eyes and sat up. Hah’Er was no longer beside him. Looking down toward the river, he saw a black-and-white shape just breaking the surface of the Yunshui River.