Thanks to Xiaoliu, Shen Yibin was able to escape the wrap party in one piece. The rowdiest ones had already been taken down by Xiaoliu and were hiding in the bathroom, throwing up.
After resting at the hotel for a night, Shen Yibin went to the airport early the next morning to see Director Kong, Sun Qian, and the others off. "Once you get there, just find Director Kong if anything comes up. If you feel awkward about approaching him directly, you can always call me," Shen Yibin told Sun Qian, worried she might have a hard time.
"Okay, I understand. I’ll call you if I run into any real trouble." Sun Qian was very grateful. ’In this day and age, there really aren’t many good people like Shen Yibin left.’ "Don’t worry too much. I’ve knocked around quite a bit on my own; I can handle most problems myself."
"That’s good. That puts my mind at ease. Once you’re settled, send me your address, and I’ll mail you some Monkey Wine." Shen Yibin had heard from Cheeky that the Monkey Wine greatly improved Sun Qian’s singing technique and even sparked her inspiration. She had to start recording soon, so her supply couldn’t be interrupted.
"Bin, Hah’Er can’t drink much anyway. Just give its share to me!" Cheeky’s comment earned it an angry glare from Hah’Er. If Shen Yibin and Sun Qian hadn’t been there to hold them back, the two would have likely started another ruckus.
"Director Kong, I’m entrusting Sun Qian to you. You have to take good care of her," Shen Yibin said solemnly. The entertainment industry was known for its treacherous waters; he couldn’t help but worry.
"Don’t you worry. I’m still hoping to film a sequel, so I’ll definitely take good care of Sun Qian." Director Kong didn’t offer any empty platitudes, appealing directly to self-interest instead. This, paradoxically, put Shen Yibin more at ease. It was true; if Director Kong didn’t look after Sun Qian and Shen Yibin, in a fit of pique, refused to do a sequel, the losses would be huge.
Next, Murong Li, Fang Yun, and the others came up to say their goodbyes to Shen Yibin and Hah’Er before reluctantly heading through the security checkpoint. The members of the animal protection group, in particular, looked like they were about to cry. They stared at Hah’Er, unable to bear parting, and in the end had to be physically dragged away by other crew members.
"Alright, time for us to head back too. You must be exhausted from these past few days, right? Let’s go home and get a good few days’ rest." Shen Yibin patted Hah’Er’s head and led his three companions into the car to return to the shop.
At the entrance to the shop, Shen Yibin ran into Wubai again. He was pacing in front of the door, holding the leash of his dog, Cliffhanger. Seeing him, Shen Yibin finally remembered—today was supposed to be the lottery day.
Xia Shixuan and the others were old hands at this, so Shen Yibin didn’t need to worry much. He just had to take out the Monkey Wine, prepare a meal, and announce the winners on Weibo. However, before he could start cooking, Shen Yibin had to endure another session of hellish training with Xiaoliu. Soon enough, his pained screams echoed from the poolside once more.
When his training was over, Shen Yibin finally earned a rare break. He lounged comfortably on a chair on the second-floor terrace, watching Hah’Er swing below while hugging Maphario. Xiaoliu was stuffing the recently crushed fruit into a tree hollow, and the fish were frolicking in the pond. He felt completely relaxed and happy.
He glanced at the orchard. The fruit saplings had grown quite tall; the peach and plum saplings were already almost taller than Hah’Er. As the saying goes, "Peaches in three years, plums in four, apricots in five, and a jujube pays you back in one." Normal peach and apricot trees take three to four years to bear fruit, but he estimated the ones planted by Maphario would be even faster.
After all, not only were the saplings under Maphario’s care, but they were also growing in a greenhouse. A transparent glass roof gave them plenty of sunlight, the indoor air conditioning maintained a perfect temperature, and Maphario had even mixed a special fertilizer. It was only natural for them to grow so fast.
The orchard also had watermelons and strawberries, which looked like they would bear fruit before long. He couldn’t help but wonder what Monkey Wine brewed by Xiaoliu from Maphario-grown strawberries and watermelons would taste like. Shen Yibin’s mouth watered at the very thought.
’Alas, it’s a shame the sales missions from the Future Pet Shop are always weighing on me, preventing me from ever truly relaxing. If not for that, what a perfectly carefree life this would be!’ After dozing for a short while, Shen Yibin woke up. He let out a small sigh, pulled out his phone, and started submitting the request for a new pet.
The sales cycle was now down to two months, and he would have to take Hah’Er on a worldwide promotional tour soon. Time was incredibly tight, and he couldn’t afford any delays.
"Understood. Delivery in thirty minutes." The Future Pet Shop was its usual self, offering a curt reply before preparing to disconnect.
"Hey, I’m begging you, please give me a closer location this time! Don’t send me to Africa again like last time!" Normally, Shen Yibin wouldn’t mind taking Hah’Er, Xiaoliu, and the others for a trip across the African continent, but he really didn’t have the time right now.
"That cannot be guaranteed. We automatically assign the most recently discovered Mutant Animals. Please wait patiently for the result." Although the Future Pet Shop’s tone was slightly more polite this time, the meaning was unchanged. Shen Yibin’s pleading had been useless; they still wouldn’t give him any assurances.
’Sigh, I hope I have better luck this time,’ Shen Yibin prayed silently. ’Even if it can’t be right here in Yunzhong City like Maphario, it would be much easier if it was at least somewhere in China, like Xiaoliu.’
"Hey, your package is here. Come get it!" About twenty minutes later, the delivery driver called. This time, Shen Yibin didn’t even bother checking the security feed, since he knew he wouldn’t see anything useful. He ambled down from the second floor to the shop entrance, where he saw the dog, Cliffhanger, sniffing intently at a package.
"Boss Shen, your package!" Wubai called out.
"Oh, did you see who dropped it off?" Shen Yibin asked hurriedly.
"Someone tossed it out of a delivery van. They didn’t even stop. I couldn’t see what company it was. So unprofessional!" Wubai complained indignantly.
’Heh, they even used a cover this time.’ Shen Yibin shook his head, frustrated. After a word of thanks, he carried the package back inside. He took it up to the second floor and opened it. Inside, just like last time, was a single pill.
’Time to see where this Mutant Animal is,’ he thought. Shen Yibin pressed his palms together and prayed for a moment before opening the pet radar on his phone to begin the search.
Huh? Nothing within the borders of Yunzhong City. ’That’s not a good sign!’