Future Pet Shop

"You should’ve just come, you didn’t have to bring gifts! Quick, come in, sit down, have something to drink!" Shen Yibin said cheerfully as he welcomed them inside. Xu Ye glanced around and saw that not many people had arrived. Besides the four girls from the shop and Li, there were only Wen Yuan’s and Director Kong’s groups. Then there was Mr. Long Sheng, who had arrived on a woodpecker, and the Hou family of three with their little terror of a child. Oh, and Qin Qing was here with his girlfriend, currently showing Shen Yibin the calligraphy and painting they’d received from Mayor Wang. Lv Tiantian had class, so she couldn’t make it. All told, there were fewer than twenty people—not even enough to fill the lawn.

"That’s not what Hah’Er seemed to think just now," Mo Xiaomo retorted mercilessly. "It was blocking the door, demanding a gift for entry. You must have taught it to do that. Bin, you’ve got some nerve saying those words."

"Bin, this place is absolutely gorgeous!" Bai Yanni said, walking straight into the house. She went out onto the large terrace to gaze at the Yunshui River in the distance. A gentle breeze blew across the water’s surface, instantly refreshing.

"Oh, man! Get me a lounge chair and a tablet. As long as I have a charging cable, Wi-Fi, and snacks, I could lie here all day!" Mo Xiaomo sank comfortably onto the sofa with a contented sigh. She already loved this place. ’When will I ever have a house like this? Ugh, probably never in this lifetime. Unless...’

"If you like it, you should come over often. Just drop by on weekends or during holidays," Shen Yibin said with a smile, extending the invitation. "I have plenty of rooms, so feel free to stay." To avoid any misunderstanding, he added, "Sun Qian is planning on staying here to prepare for her new album, so you can listen to some music and give her your opinions."

’Hmm? Sun Qian’s already moved in?’ A sense of urgency instantly sprouted in the hearts of some of the girls. ’Should I take Shen Yibin up on his offer and start coming over more often?’

"Yeah, not bad. This place is way more comfortable than mine," Xu Ye said casually. "Save a room for me. I’m not leaving tonight!" Shen Yibin had crashed at his place so many times; ’now,’ he thought, ’it’s finally my turn to crash at his.’

"Sure thing, but if you bring a girl over, you’re changing the sheets yourself. I’m not washing them for you," Shen Yibin joked. In reality, he wouldn’t be doing any housework himself—that was what the property management staff was for.

Xu Ye had, in fact, been entertaining such ideas. Each bedroom had massive floor-to-ceiling windows facing the Yunshui River. "Playing games" with a girl in a place like this would certainly be a special kind of fun. He never expected Shen Yibin to see right through him. Xu Ye let out a dry laugh and gave Shen Yibin the double bird.

"Come, everyone! Let’s raise a glass to Bin’s new home!" Everyone had arrived, so Director Kong, acting as the impromptu master of ceremonies, was the first to raise his glass. "To Bin’s future health and a smooth-sailing career! And most importantly, may he hurry up and find a mistress for this manor! It’s an absolute waste for you to live in such a wonderful place all alone."

"Cheers!" The crowd raised their glasses and drained them in one go. The waiters standing by immediately refilled them.

"What do you mean, ’alone’? Hah’Er and the others live here with me, don’t they?" Shen Yibin had set up an enormous master bedroom for himself upstairs, complete with a jacuzzi for Hah’Er’s baths and a custom-made little bed. There was even a patch of bamboo planted on the terrace outside the French doors. Any outsider who saw it would probably wonder who the real master of the house was.

"You and your witty answers!" Director Kong pointed a finger at him, shaking his head in resignation. ’You know perfectly well that’s not what I meant.’ "We’re all friends here, so I won’t stand on ceremony. Do whatever you like! If you want a tour, give yourself a tour..."

It was a private gathering of friends without many formalities. The game room quickly became lively. Wen Yuan’s wife and Hou Longtao’s mother got Xia Shixuan and Bai Yanni for a game of mahjong. Qiao Wenqi, Mo Xiaomo, Gao Shu, and Xie Nannan started another table, while Li Shiqing watched from the side.

Mr. Long Sheng and Xu Ye started playing pool, while Director Kong gathered the remaining people for a game of Texas Hold’em. Unexpectedly, Qin Qing turned out to be a real shark. In no time, a huge pile of chips had accumulated in front of him, while Shen Yibin’s stack had dwindled to almost nothing. Shen Yibin was secretly fuming. ’I should have invited Sakai Kaori,’ he thought. ’I could have borrowed Egg to help me out. When Egg says call, I’ll call. When Egg says fold, I’ll fold. I’d be rolling in it by now!’

After a while, lunchtime arrived. The whole group went to the rooftop terrace to eat and drink. The afternoon’s entertainment switched to karaoke. Sun Qian, naturally, stole the show, but Shen Yibin’s singing also left everyone impressed. His rendition of "Little Apple" sounded nearly identical to the original recording.

’Heh heh, all that time practicing my breathing with Cheeky wasn’t for nothing!’ Shen Yibin thought with a smug smile. He handed the microphone to Murong Li and returned to the coffee table to play a dice-based drinking game with Xia Shixuan, Xie Nannan, Bai Yanni, and the others.

In the evening, it was time for the manor’s main event: a barbecue feast. The delicious skewers grilled by Hah’Er were so good the guests almost swallowed their own tongues.

Since everyone had had so much to drink, there was no need for them to go home. The villa had plenty of rooms, so aside from Wen Yuan and his family who returned to their own house next door, everyone else stayed the night.

After bidding his guests goodnight, Shen Yibin returned to his bedroom with Hah’Er, Xiaoliu, and Maphario. He filled his jacuzzi with hot water for a long, luxurious soak. Meanwhile, Xiaoliu hopped into Hah’Er’s tub to roughhouse with it. Shen Yibin had installed a hammock on the terrace just for Xiaoliu, even going as far as to transplant two trees onto the second floor to support it.

Everyone was exhausted from the day’s festivities. After washing up, they all fell soundly asleep. The next morning, Shen Yibin was stirred awake by a persistent tickle in his nostrils. He opened his eyes to see Hah’Er lying by the bed, staring blankly at him, while Maphario swept its large tail back and forth right under his nose.

He pressed a button on the remote, and the curtains and French doors slid open. Sunlight streamed in, the warm winter rays feeling exceptionally pleasant on his skin. A fresh breeze from the Yunshui River blew in, instantly sweeping away his grogginess. Wrapping himself in a robe, he stepped onto the terrace. He leaned on the railing, gazing into the distance. The beautiful scenery on both banks of the river unfolded before him. Looking down, he saw that the early-rising Director Kong and Fang Yuanshan were already exercising on the riverbank. On a large boulder, Sun Qian and Cheeky were doing their vocal warm-ups...

’Living here is pure bliss!’ Shen Yibin closed his eyes with a smile, completely surrendering to the gentle caress of the breeze.