Future Pet Shop

'You're amazing, my dog! You're so much better than any GPS.' Shen Yibin was now a little reluctant to sell Carmen. For one thing, with this dog, it wouldn't matter what remote mountain or ancient forest he had to search for an animal in; as long as he brought Carmen, he'd definitely find it with ease. He wouldn't have to struggle like before.

"Huh? How did you get here so fast today? Was there no traffic?" Xia Shixuan was also curious about Shen Yibin's incredible speed. At his usual pace, Shen Yibin would have taken at least another ten minutes to arrive. What happened today?

"Oh, I switched to a new navigation system. It's absolutely amazing. It helped me avoid all the red lights and traffic jams—I had green lights all the way here," Shen Yibin said with a grin, stroking Carmen's head.

"What kind of navigation system? It's that good? Tell me about it, I want to buy one and try it out!" Xia Shixuan perked up as soon as she heard that. The traffic in Yunzhong City had been getting worse and worse over the past couple of years. She often drove out for fun and had been stuck in gridlock more times than she could count. How could she resist when she heard about such a miraculous gadget?

"It's a global limited edition. There's only one, and I already snatched it up. I'm afraid you're out of luck," Shen Yibin replied with a chuckle. 'This navigation device of mine isn't a mass-produced item. There's nowhere for you to buy it.'

With that, Shen Yibin went to the kitchen to start cooking, leaving a completely bewildered Xia Shixuan and a snickering Sakai Kaori and Sun Qian behind. 'Hmm, I should make a couple of special dishes for Carmen today as a reward. I'll start with some pork ribs, then a large bone. It'll definitely love gnawing on those.' Humming a tune, Shen Yibin happily began preparing dinner.

While he was cooking, he heard someone arrive outside. A moment later, Xia Shixuan came in. "Boss, Director Qin is here. You should make a couple more dishes!"

"Qin Qing, right? I remember he likes Eight Treasure Tofu and Boiled Meatballs. I'll just add those two dishes. You go set the table, I'll be done in a minute." Shen Yibin knew the tastes of his friends and family very well. In no time, he whipped up a few of Qin Qing's favorite dishes. As he cooked, Shen Yibin wondered to himself, 'He was just promoted not long ago and has been busy as hell. Why would he have time to come to my store today?'

He didn't have to wait long. As the food was being served, Qin Qing got straight to the point, "Bin, I'm afraid I have to trouble you and Hah'Er again!"

"Oh? What is it? Is Yunzhong City holding another tourism event? No, wait, there's still some time before the New Year, right? Isn't it a bit early for that?" The Chinese New Year's Golden Week was always the busiest season for Yunzhong City's tourism industry, with all sorts of lively folk activities. But the timing seemed off.

"Haha, I'll definitely be back to trouble you for the New Year, but this is about something else. By the way, Bin, are you spending the New Year in Yunzhong City or going out of town?" Hah'Er was Yunzhong City's tourism ambassador and had to make an appearance at every major event. The Spring Festival Golden Week was especially crucial, so Qin Qing asked just in case.

"I'm definitely staying in Yunzhong City. Just give me a heads-up ahead of time." Traveling during the Spring Festival either meant everything was closed and you couldn't even find a place to eat, or it was so crowded you had to wait in long lines for a meal. Shen Yibin couldn't be bothered with that kind of torture; he'd rather spend a few quiet days at the manor.

"That's good, that's good." Qin Qing breathed a sigh of relief at this answer and quickly got down to business. "Here's the thing. You know that stretch of desert swamp we have in Yunzhong City? It has no resources and isn't particularly scenic, so the city has never paid it much attention. Who would have thought that the spot would be scouted by an organizer for an off-road rally? They plan to use it as the race venue. After multiple surveys and negotiations, the race has been scheduled for next week. Since it's a Yunzhong City event, I'm afraid we'll have to trouble you and Hah'Er to make a trip for the opening ceremony."

"That's great news! Yunzhong City will get another wave of tourists." Shen Yibin agreed without hesitation. "Alright, just send me the address. I'll drive over myself."

"The roads there are hard to find. You'll need a guide. I'll come pick you up beforehand." With the matter settled, Qin Qing relaxed and began explaining the rules of the competition to Shen Yibin. "This race is different from other off-road or rally races. There's no single, planned route. They've only marked a few points along the way. As long as you pass through all these points, your time will be valid. In the end, whoever uses the least amount of time wins the championship."

"So this competition tests not only the performance of the car and the driver's skill, but also their ability to navigate and plan a route. You could say the latter is even more important than the former," Qin Qing explained with animated excitement. "By the way, quite a few star competitors are participating this time. Driver Han is here too! If he can win this leg, this year's overall championship is his! If that happens, Yunzhong City can get another great wave of publicity."

"That does sound interesting! Hey, Shi Qing, I remember you're a big fan of Driver Han, right? When the time comes, do you want me to take you over to get his autograph and a photo?" As he spoke, a thought suddenly struck Shen Yibin. 'Wait... "not only the performance of the car and the driver's skill, but also their ability to navigate and plan a route"... Isn't this the perfect opportunity for Carmen to show off its strengths?'

"Yes, yes! Boss, you have to take me with you!" Li Shiqing, not noticing anything unusual about Shen Yibin, said excitedly. In truth, the moment Qin Qing had mentioned Driver Han, she had wanted to ask Shen Yibin to take her, but she never expected him to offer first.

"No problem," Shen Yibin replied casually, then immediately grabbed Qin Qing's arm and asked, "So, uh... are they still accepting registrations for this race? Can I sign up?"

"Hm? Bin, you want to compete too?" Qin Qing was stunned for a moment but quickly recovered. In his view, what young man didn't like racing? If he could participate in a race like this, it would give him something to brag about later, right? So he smiled and said, "It would be impossible for anyone else, but for you, I can go talk to them. I bet the organizing committee would love to ride on Hah'Er's fame for some publicity."

"Oh, right. Besides the driver, the race also requires a navigator. I'll find you a skilled local who knows the area well," Qin Qing added, figuring he couldn't let Shen Yibin lose too badly.

"No need. I have a navigator." 'Why would I need anyone else?!'