Future Pet Shop

"Excuse me? Are you fucking kidding me?" Murong Li was completely dumbstruck by the scene.

Xia Shixuan, on the other hand, was unfazed. She had already guessed Murong Li would react like this. ’Sigh, sweetie, you’re still so young and naive, a little lacking in worldly experience,’ she thought. ’You’ve seen that our shop has a panda that can act in movies and a monkey that brews wine. So what’s the big deal about a little fox that can help people pick out and match accessories? Oh, that’s right. Tomorrow, when you visit the manor, you’ll also see a Totem Pole carved by a woodpecker.’

"Come on, Scarf, help this lady pick out a pendant. Let’s see which one matches her outfit." At this point, words were useless. ’Actions speak louder than words!’ Xia Shixuan beckoned, and Scarf crawled into her arms. Cradling the fox, she walked over to the coffee table where Li was weaving pendants on the sofa. A wide selection of finished pieces was already laid out before her.

Scarf eyed Murong Li, circled her twice, and seemed to formulate a plan. It then pattered around the coffee table a few times before lowering its head, picking up a pink butterfly-shaped pendant in its mouth, and trotting over to her. The fox placed it right next to the limited-edition Chanel bag Murong Li was carrying.

"See? How’s that for a match?" Without another word, Xia Shixuan picked up the pendant and held it near the bag’s zipper. The pink butterfly gave the bag a touch of whimsical charm, making the whole combination incredibly pleasing to the eye.

"Wow, it really is perfect!" Murong Li exclaimed, jumping to her feet in pleasant surprise. She deftly tied the pendant onto her bag, then struck a few poses. But since she was the one wearing it, she couldn’t get a full view. "Xia, do you have a full-length mirror? Quick, let me go see!"

"Come on, let’s go to my room." Xia Shixuan smiled triumphantly. ’You didn’t believe me, did you? Bet you’re stunned now! Our Scarf really is that incredible!’ As she thought this, she picked up Scarf and led Murong Li into her bedroom.

Shen Yibin had no idea what transpired between the two women after they disappeared into the bedroom. He was busy in the kitchen, stir-frying dishes with Hah’Er. Meanwhile, Director Kong and Wen Yuan were sipping wine and scrolling through renderings and photos of the manor on Wen Yuan’s tablet. "Excellent, just excellent," Director Kong said, clearly impressed. "Mr. Wen, your design expertise is truly eye-opening. I’ve shown your work to several masters back in Xiangjiang, and they were all full of praise. In fact, many of them wanted me to introduce you, hoping you might design their resorts, villas, and manors." Director Kong was so satisfied with the design that he had not only given Wen Yuan a gift but was also actively helping him find new clients. "When I return, Mr. Wen, you should come with me to Xiangjiang if you’re free. I’m certain many people there would be eager to meet a design master like you!"

"Thank you for looking out for me, Director Kong. I would be honored to accept!" To provide a better life for Bald Qiang and his mate, Wen Yuan had not only emptied his savings to acquire the manor but had also gone deep into debt with the bank. He certainly wasn’t going to pass up an opportunity like this, so he agreed decisively. "Come, let me raise a glass to you."

"Now that’s not right," Director Kong protested. "You’re the one who created such a magnificent estate for me; I should be thanking you. Come, let’s both finish our glasses!" He raised his cup and drained it, then clicked his tongue. "Ah, after having Bin’s Monkey Wine, all other alcohol just tastes bland. I’ll have to stay for a few more days this time to properly enjoy it."

"Heh, I’m afraid Xiaoliu’s recent hard-earned stash won’t be enough for you," Shen Yibin said with a laugh as he came out of the kitchen. He began to gather everyone. "Alright, the food’s all ready. Let’s get ready for dinner!"

"I’ll help bring out the dishes!" Fang Yuanshan, who had been sitting awkwardly on the sidelines for what felt like ages, finally saw an opportunity to contribute. He immediately followed Li Shiqing and the others into the kitchen. He was burning with anxiety; he’d watched Murong Li successfully cozy up to Shen Yibin’s inner circle, while he himself had made zero progress.

Once the dishes were all laid out, everyone gathered around the dining table. Li was also called over to join them. As a gift, Shen Yibin had Scarf pick out a pendant for everyone at the table. The savvier guests immediately snapped photos and posted them to their social media accounts. ’It won’t be long before Li’s handicrafts become the new hot item in the entertainment circle,’ Shen Yibin mused. ’Then she can raise her prices again.’

"Hmm? Bai, why didn’t I get one?" Cheeky demanded, displeased that he was the only one left out. Standing on Sun Qian’s shoulder, he fixed his gaze on Scarf as he spoke.

"There probably wasn’t one that suited you," Shen Yibin said to the parrot. "But don’t worry, we can have Li make one for you later!" With that, he turned to the elderly woman. "Li, I’m not paying you for these pendants, alright? And you don’t need to pay this month’s rent. We’ll just call it even, okay?" Shen Yibin had figured she wouldn’t accept payment, so this was the solution he’d devised.

"Let me see... this little parrot is certainly a handsome one." Li sighed. She couldn’t argue with Shen Yibin’s proposal, so she focused her attention on Cheeky. ’I must make a pendant that he’ll be truly happy with this time.’

Sipping Monkey Wine and feasting on Shen Yibin’s gourmet cooking, the group had a wonderful time. Perhaps it was the effect of the wine, but by the end of the meal, no one felt tired at all. In fact, they felt more energized than before. So, instead of going back to their hotel to rest, they decided to head straight to the manor on the outskirts of the city to check it out.

"Since we’ve all had some wine, none of us should be driving," Director Kong announced. "I’ll have the hotel send a few cars to give us a ride." At his command, an assistant immediately pulled out a phone to make the arrangements. A short while later, three large vans pulled up in front of the pet store.

Shen Yibin led the grand procession out toward the suburbs. Long before they arrived at the manor, they could see the towering Totem Pole in the distance, seemingly piercing the clouds. Cheeky started screeching immediately. "What’s with that bird? Why is it perched at the very top? That spot should be mine!"

’Well, what can you do? The carver’s skills are just too good,’ Shen Yibin thought. ’If you’re so capable, why don’t you try pecking one out with your own beak?’ When they arrived at the manor, Bald Qiang and his mate climbed out of their pond to greet the visitors. Cheeky, apparently having found a new target for his taunts, flapped his wings and flew right toward them.

"This is the playground Disney is building. It’s almost finished, so Hah’Er will have a great place to play soon!" Shen Yibin said, starting the tour with Director Kong. "And our living quarters are almost fully renovated. It won’t be long before we can move in!"

Once the final renovations were complete, the new-construction smell was aired out, and the furniture was in place, Shen Yibin could finally move in with Hah’Er and the other animals. He stroked Hah’Er’s head. "How about it? Should we live here from now on?"