Future Pet Shop

"Please, come in. Next time you visit, just give me a call instead of waiting outside. The morning air is still quite chilly. What would we do if you caught a cold?" Shen Yibin quickly led Li to the second floor and poured her a cup of tea. "Please, have a seat. I'll go make breakfast now. The folks in our shop are a lazy bunch; we usually get up a bit late." Of course, Shen Yibin was just making conversation. The pet shop's customers were mostly around in the afternoon and evening. No one would come to buy a pet first thing in the morning, so they never opened very early.

"I brought some pickled vegetables—homemade pickled Rabbit. They might not look very pretty, but they taste quite good. I guarantee nothing unclean was used. I brought them for you all to try." Li, trembling slightly, took a glass jar from her bag and handed it to Shen Yibin. She wanted to express her gratitude to him and the others this way.

"Whoa, the smell alone is making my mouth water! I was just about to make some porridge this morning and was wondering what side dishes to prepare. You've just solved a huge problem for me," Shen Yibin praised as he took the jar, twisted off the lid, and took a sniff. He was being completely sincere; something made with such care was truly more delicious than a mass-produced product.

"I'm glad you like it. You all have to eat plenty of it later. If you think it's tasty, I'll bring more over tomorrow." Seeing how much Shen Yibin liked her gift, Li also broke into a smile.

"I'm almost hesitant to share it with them. I kind of want to hide it and savor it all myself," Shen Yibin joked as he carried the jar into the kitchen. Li, meanwhile, sat on the sofa and resumed weaving pendants for Xia Shixuan and Li Shiqing. Xiaoliu's immortal peach pendant had been finished the day before and was now hanging from its neck.

He simply cooked some porridge, prepared a few light side dishes, and served them with several golden-brown fried pancakes. A simple, yet incredibly delicious breakfast was ready. The pickled vegetables from Li were placed right in the center of the table, and Shen Yibin made a special introduction. "Come and try this! It's pickled vegetables handmade by Li. I just snuck a few bites in the kitchen, and the flavor is fantastic. It's not just tasty, it's also a great appetizer."

"Then I have to give it a proper try." Xia Shixuan first picked up a piece for Scarf before putting one in her own mouth. "Mmm, this is really good! It's refreshing, sweet, sour, and crunchy. The more you eat, the more you want."

Li Shiqing and the others were also full of praise after trying it. "Li, I never would have guessed! Not only are your weaving skills incredible, but your pickled vegetables are also this delicious. How do you make them? Could you teach us? We could make a big batch to keep at the shop. Having a little bit every morning would be such a treat."

"It's not difficult at all. The key is selecting the right ingredients..." Seeing that her gift had earned everyone's unanimous approval, Li was overjoyed. Right there at the breakfast table, she shared the secret to making these particular pickled vegetables. "If you're really interested, I can bring some ingredients over tomorrow morning and give you a demonstration. I guarantee you'll pick it up in no time."

"That's too much trouble for you. I have to go grocery shopping this afternoon anyway, so I'll just pick everything up then. We can start making it this afternoon," Shen Yibin said with a cheerful laugh.

And so, the matter was settled. After breakfast, Li remained in the shop to continue weaving her pendants. Xia Shixuan and the others began tidying up the store to prepare for opening, while Shen Yibin took Hah'Er and Xiaoliu out for their exercise. Scarf stayed behind, lying on the coffee table and watching Li weave.

When their exercise was over, Shen Yibin returned to the shop with Hah'Er and Xiaoliu. Just as he walked in, he encountered a young couple on their way out, carrying a Siamese Cat. Shen Yibin gave a slight nod and stepped aside to clear the path for them. The couple thanked him quietly and started to leave, but after only a few steps, the wife suddenly turned around. She curiously eyed the bamboo shoot pendant on Hah'Er's collar and the immortal peach on Xiaoliu's neck. "Boss Shen, where did you buy these two pendants? They're quite pretty. I wonder if there are any suitable for my cat?"

"Oh, these? They're handcrafted items, woven by the lady upstairs. If you're interested, you can go ask her..." As he spoke, a flash of inspiration struck Shen Yibin. 'This could be turned into a long-term business, couldn't it? These pendants are so beautiful. They can be hung on phones, on bags, or even on a pet's collar. They look great on Hah'Er and Xiaoliu. See, someone's already asking about them. More people will definitely like them.'

"Handcrafted? Are they expensive?" the wife asked. These days, the moment you hear the word "handcrafted," you subconsciously assume it won't be cheap.

"Not particularly. See this immortal peach? It's so intricately made, and it only costs two hundred yuan." Shen Yibin wasn't worried about the price in the slightest. 'Someone willing to spend several thousand on a cat won't have any issue spending another hundred or two on an accessory for it.'

"Really?" The wife's eyes instantly lit up. She whispered a few words to her husband, then turned back into the shop, still holding her cat. "In that case, could we trouble you to take us upstairs to have a look, Boss Shen?"

"Of course. Right this way." Shen Yibin led them to the second floor, showed them to the sofa, and had Li Shiqing bring over two cups of tea. He then introduced the couple to Li. "Li, this couple would like to buy a pendant for their cat. What kind of design do you think would be suitable?"

"My, this cat looks rather clever." Li pushed up her reading glasses and studied the Siamese Cat. "Cats usually wear bells on their collars, don't they? How about I weave a bell?"

"Yes, yes, a bell would be perfect! I want one like the one Doraemon wears around his neck." It turned out the wife was still a child at heart. She immediately found a picture to show Li. "Ma'am, can you make one in this style?"

"That's not difficult. I can have it done in a short while! I'll make it for you as soon as I finish these ones!" Li said, holding up the phone pendant she was making for Li Shiqing.

"Oh, what's that one for? It's really pretty too!" Upon learning it was a phone pendant, she insisted on getting one for herself as well. And just like that, one sale turned into two. After settling on a price and a pickup time, the couple left a deposit and headed home happily with their cat.

On their way downstairs, Shen Yibin overheard the wife cheerfully calling her best friend, recommending she also come to his shop to buy one of these marvelous handmade crafts. This piqued the interest of the other customers downstairs.

"Li, if you ask me, you shouldn't have to go out to the overpass anymore, exposed to the wind and sun. You should just set up shop right here." Feeling the time was right, Shen Yibin quickly put forth the suggestion he had been planning for a while.