Future Pet Shop

"Fine, if you don't want to go back, then don't. If we skip Emei Mountain, we can even go home a few days earlier," Shen Yibin muttered. His original plan was to stay at the Giant Panda Base for a week, letting Hah'Er have a good reunion with his kids and get friendlier with the female pandas to make future visits easier. Then he'd borrow a car from Professor Wu Gui to go camping on Emei Mountain for a few days so Xiaoliu could also reunite with his family. The whole thing would take half a month, and when he got back, he could finally think about who to sell the Scarf to.

But since Xiaoliu wasn't going back now, Shen Yibin could save more time and return a week early. Xiaoliu understood what he said and immediately started chittering with excitement. Shen Yibin rolled his eyes. "We'll go visit the zoo as soon as we get back." 'As if I don't know what you're so happy about. It's just because you'll get to see those female monkeys sooner, isn't it?'

*Sigh.* 'It's so depressing to think about. Hah'Er has a massive harem at the Sichuan Giant Panda Base, the female pandas at the Shanghai zoo are waiting for his royal visit, and Xiaoliu has even laid claim to a monkey on Hou Mountain. Why am I still single?'

If Xia Shixuan knew what he was thinking, she would undoubtedly chew him out. Who could he blame but himself for being so damn slow? He was completely oblivious to all the women around him dropping hints, both subtle and overt. He deserved to be single forever.

"Come on. Hah'Er has people to look after him here. I'll take you for a walk somewhere else!" Watching Hah'Er play with his children, Shen Yibin couldn't help but feel a pang of jealousy. 'Better to stay away. Out of sight, out of mind.' So, after notifying a staff member, Shen Yibin took Xiaoliu and started wandering around the base.

The Sichuan Giant Panda Base boasted beautiful scenery that made one reluctant to leave. Even though it was winter, the winter landscape had its own unique charm. This was especially true for Shen Yibin, who, being from the south, rarely saw such sights. As he walked, he gradually put his worries behind him and began to fully enjoy the scenery.

He didn't reluctantly return until dinnertime. He picked up Hah'Er and Maphario and went back to the hotel, where he personally cooked them a meal. Professor Wu Gui, having heard the news, hurried over to snag a free dinner. Shen Yibin's culinary skills were now quite famous. However, Professor Wu Gui didn't just come for a free meal. During dinner, he shared a great deal of experience on managing a research institute, causing Shen Yibin to nod repeatedly, feeling he had learned a lot. He raised his glass and toasted Professor Wu Gui again and again.

The next day was the same as the last. Hah'Er went off early to reunite with his wives and children. Shen Yibin and Xiaoliu watched from the side for a little while, and seeing how happy they all were, they left to continue wandering elsewhere. They didn't return until evening. The next few days followed the same pattern, and soon, a week had flown by. It was time for Shen Yibin and Hah'Er to leave and return to Yunzhong City.

The night before his departure, Li Yan and Zhu Xiang rushed to the base to give Shen Yibin a farewell dinner. "We both received the offer letters. Director Dong's terms are incredibly generous." The two thanked him repeatedly. They were traditional researchers and weren't comfortable talking about money, so they hadn't asked about their salaries during their first meeting. It wasn't until the letters arrived by courier that they saw the specific figures. The salary was more than double their current pay, which moved them deeply. After all, even if they were embarrassed to talk about money, who would ever complain about a salary being too high?

"You two are top talents in the industry, so this is what you deserve. There will be generous bonuses for future achievements as well. I don't understand research, so this is the only help I can provide," Shen Yibin said with a chuckle.

"Sigh, if only all managers were as reasonable as Mr. Shen," Li Yan and Zhu Xiang sighed, shaking their heads. It was unclear what unpleasant memories had come to mind.

"Enough about that. Bin is leaving tomorrow, so we have to make sure he drinks his fill tonight!" Professor Wu Gui interrupted their lamentations and raised his glass.

After a few rounds of drinks, Li Yan began to update Shen Yibin on his recent preparations. "The two of us are already processing our resignations. We should be able to leave our current jobs in about a month. I've also given the list of required equipment to Director Dong, who has probably already started contacting suppliers."

"A few of our students are also handling their resignations. It's much easier for them than for us, so they might be able to get to Yunzhong City within the month! We can have them help with some of the preliminary work," Zhu Xiang added. His and Li Yan's positions were not comparable to their students', and their resignation procedures were much more complicated.

"There's no need to rush. The design plans for the institute aren't even out yet. If they go now, they won't even have a place to stay. Besides, the New Year is coming up. It would be better to take this opportunity to give them a vacation. Let them rest and recharge for a while, go home, and reunite with their families. They'll have plenty to be busy with once work officially starts." Shen Yibin could sense their eagerness for the new job, but there was no rushing things for now.

"Sigh, I wish I could start the new job right away. The thought of waiting another six months is making me anxious. But Mr. Bin has a point; we can't have people working through the New Year. Let's let those little rascals relax for a few days!" 'Huh? Why does that sound a little off?' Shen Yibin had a faint feeling that once the institute was ready, life for those students was going to be miserable.

"They can't just spend the whole time playing. Even without a facility and equipment, there's still preliminary work to be done. Have them use this time to gather information on the latest international research and do some theoretical prep work." 'Great,' Shen Yibin thought. 'So much for letting them enjoy the New Year.'

"Bin, you don't have to worry. For people like them, time is the most precious thing. They'd actually feel worse if they were left completely idle," Professor Wu Gui explained with a laugh. "But let's not talk about this today. Let's drink, drink..."

The next morning, Shen Yibin took Hah'Er to say goodbye to his relatives. They left the base in Professor Wu Gui's private car and headed for the airport in Sichuan, where they boarded their flight home.

A little over two hours later, the plane landed smoothly at Yunzhong Airport. Shen Yibin walked out of the arrivals gate and got into Xia Shixuan's car. Xia Shixuan lovingly stroked Hah'Er's head, then immediately turned and asked, "Boss, last time you said you'd tell me if we could sell the Scarf when you got back. So? Have you made up your mind yet?"

*Sigh.* 'The inevitable has arrived.' A headache started to form for Shen Yibin. 'What on earth should I do?'