Future Pet Shop

Peering through the railing, Shen Yibin saw Xia Shixuan say something to Lv Tiantian. Lv Tiantian seemed extremely agitated, frantically waving her hands and shaking her head. She tried to stand up several times, but Xia Shixuan kept pushing her back down. 'What in the world is going on? Is she really trying to become Lv Tiantian's sugar mommy? Is that why the girl is so worked up?'

A moment later, Lv Tiantian began wiping away her tears again. She gave a small nod, seeming to have given in to Xia Shixuan's demand. Shen Yibin couldn't sit still any longer. He shot to his feet and dashed up to the second floor.

"I was just about to go looking for you, but you came up on your own," Xia Shixuan said, pulling out a few tissues for Lv Tiantian. She greeted Shen Yibin with a smile.

"She's just a young girl! How can you treat her like this?" Shen Yibin was genuinely angry this time. 'It doesn't matter how you tease me, but Lv Tiantian is a minor. Is it really okay for you to treat her this way?'

"Bin, Xia is only doing this for my own good. Please don't blame her." Before Xia Shixuan could say a word, Lv Tiantian chimed in to defend her. 'I have no idea what kind of magic potion Xia Shixuan fed her.'

"Tiantian, you're still so young, and you're so smart. You have a great future ahead of you. Don't throw it all away for a little short-term gain!" Shen Yibin advised earnestly. 'Sigh. If I'd known it would come to this, I would've just sold Scarf directly to Xia Shixuan. Why did things have to get so messy?'

"It's fine. I trust Xia's character. You don't need to worry, Bin." Even after he'd said all that, Lv Tiantian was still singing Xia Shixuan's praises.

"I knew Tiantian would understand who's truly looking out for her. Come here, give me a little peck." Xia Shixuan smiled triumphantly, wrapped an arm around Lv Tiantian's shoulders, and kissed her on the cheek. Grinning, she pulled out her phone. "There. I'll transfer the money to you right now!"

'Holy shit, she's already transferring the money? Things are moving way too fast! Are young girls these days this easy to buy? If I'd known, I would have... Bah! What am I thinking?' Shen Yibin quickly moved to intervene.

"Xia, let's wait until after we sign the contract tomorrow! It's better to handle these things formally!" Before Shen Yibin could even reach them, Lv Tiantian was the one trying to persuade Xia Shixuan.

'Huh? What was this? A contract for a sugar-mommy arrangement? A judge wouldn't even recognize that in court, right?' Shen Yibin slowed his pace. His mind was complete mush; he couldn't make heads or tails of what the two of them had been talking about.

"Get your mind out of the gutter!" Xia Shixuan rolled her eyes at him. Being as sharp as she was, how could she not guess what was on his mind? "What kind of contract do you *think* I'm signing with Tiantian?"

"Uh, you mean it's not…" Shen Yibin gestured from Lv Tiantian to Xia Shixuan, too embarrassed to say the words out loud. 'Looks like things are a little different from what I imagined?'

"Xia said she wants to partner with me to set up a fashion design studio. She's planning to invest in exchange for a stake in the company." Seeing Shen Yibin's expression, Lv Tiantian figured he'd gotten the wrong idea and quickly explained, "I drew a few fashion design sketches while I was playing with Scarf earlier. Xia saw them and thought they showed some promise, so she wants to open a studio with me. I'll provide the technical skills, Xia will provide the money, and we'll split the profits equally."

"Wait, you're only a senior in high school. Isn't it a bit early to be talking about this?" 'So it was a partnership contract for a studio,' Shen Yibin thought. 'That scared the hell out of me.' But on second thought, something still felt off. 'Even if she has a gift, she hasn't even started building her foundational skills yet. The earliest a studio could open would be after her sophomore year of college. Isn't it way too early to be discussing a partnership?'

"If I don't lock this down early, I won't get her at this price later!" Xia Shixuan explained with a grin. "I've noticed you like watching soccer, right? So let me ask you, is the price for signing Messi at thirteen the same as signing him at sixteen? I'm getting a huge bargain on Tiantian here, so don't you dare come and mess it up for me!"

"With Tiantian's grades, getting into the fashion design program at Yunzhong University will be no problem at all. If I don't sign her now, once she gets to college and starts showing off her talent, tons of other people will be lining up to partner with her. Right now, I can get a fifty-percent stake in the studio for 300,000. Next year, it would probably cost 600,000. The year after that, I'm afraid even 1,200,000 wouldn't be enough." Xia Shixuan spread her hands. "Of course, there's some risk in signing now. But compared to the potential returns, it's a risk worth taking."

'So that's how it is,' he thought. 'Of the 300,000, 233,333.33 is for Lv Tiantian to buy Scarf. The rest is for her college tuition. The remaining sixty-some thousand should be enough to cover her expenses for a while. By the time that money runs out, Lv Tiantian will have honed her professional skills, and the studio can officially start turning a profit.'

"What if something unexpected happens and the studio never gets off the ground?" Shen Yibin regretted the words as soon as they left his mouth. 'Why can't I just keep my mouth shut!'

"I already discussed this with Tiantian. The first thing she'll do after getting the money is buy Scarf. Scarf will serve as collateral for this contract. If the studio can't turn a profit within three years, she'll have to forfeit Scarf to me. There's no way I can lose on this deal!" Xia Shixuan said, glancing at Scarf in the freezer.

'You've really thought of everything,' he mused. 'But then again, with the talent Lv Tiantian has shown, plus Scarf's help, she's bound to make a name for herself in the fashion world one day. For Xia Shixuan to get a fifty-percent stake in her studio for just 300,000... it really isn't a bad deal at all.'

"Also, during these three years, Tiantian has to guarantee that Scarf won't be separated from me for long. Whenever I want to go clothes shopping, attend fashion events, and so on, Tiantian has to lend Scarf to me!" 'So that's your real motive, isn't it?' Shen Yibin thought. 'Spending 300,000 to hire a fashion consultant? Are all you rich girls this capricious?'

"That won't be a problem. I'm staying in Yunzhong City for college anyway. Whenever Xia wants to go shopping, I'll bring Scarf right over," Lv Tiantian promised with a smile.

"Alright, then. Since you two have it all figured out, I won't say anything more. I'll message Lawyer Zhang Danxuan and have her come over tomorrow to draft the contract for you. You can sign it when you get back from school in the afternoon!" 'This is actually a perfect solution,' he realized. Scarf would have the most suitable owner, Xia Shixuan wouldn't be too disappointed, and Shen Yibin would no longer feel guilty. 'Leave it to Xia Shixuan to come up with a plan like this.'

He glanced at Scarf in the freezer. The little fella was apparently having a pleasant dream, as a faint smile played on his lips.