'Three minutes! I have to call Xu Ye, have him transfer me the money, and then transfer it to the Future Pet Shop—there's no way that's enough time!' Shen Yibin was about to cry from anxiety. He'd been so focused on learning how to make twice-cooked pork for the past two days that he'd completely forgotten to raise funds. Now, faced with the opportunity to bring a panda home for a little over twenty thousand, he felt it slipping through his fingers.
That's right, you read it correctly! Not twenty million, not two million, and not even two hundred thousand. For just 22,222.22 yuan, you could bring an adorable panda home—and it would even teach you how to cook! What kind of person would pass up an opportunity like that? But the harsh reality was that Shen Yibin's bank account only had a balance of 16,351.78 yuan, a far cry from the required 22,222.22.
"Hey, can I pay with a credit card?" Shen Yibin rummaged through his wallet, finally pulling out a credit card with a fifty-thousand-yuan limit. It was pretty much his last hope.
"No problem. I'll send you a link. Just click it to pay." The Future Pet Shop's reply finally let him breathe a sigh of relief. He quickly tapped the link, and a page that looked a lot like Taobao appeared on his phone. Shen Yibin flew through the options—purchase, pay—and didn't relax until the "Transaction Successful" page appeared.
"So, this means I'm upgraded to a Level 3 Partner, right? Then how do we solve the problem of Hah'Er's legal status?" In the time it took to do all that, another two minutes had passed. 'The authorities have probably traced me by now.'
"Correct. After upgrading to a Level 3 Partner, we will help you resolve these issues. The package has already been sent out. You will receive the relevant legal documentation shortly." The Future Pet Shop didn't give him a hard time. "Also, continue to work hard selling more pets in the future to raise your clearance level even higher. There will be more benefits waiting for you then."
"So you're saying it'll take another half an hour?" That's how long it took the Future Pet Shop to deliver Hah'Er last time, so it would probably be the same this time. "Hey, they're about to... oh no, they've *already* identified me! Your documents won't be here for another half hour. Isn't that a little late?"
"Well, isn't that because you're too stupid? It took you this long just to learn how to make twice-cooked pork. You're gonna blame me for that?" The Future Pet Shop's words left him speechless. "But don't worry. Based on my calculations, there's still a window of time between when the authorities identify a target and when they make an arrest. You *might* receive the documents before they get to you!"
'Hey, don't give me a "might"! I don't want to go to jail!' Shen Yibin was on the verge of tears. But no matter how he pleaded after that, the Future Pet Shop went silent.
'WAAAH, should I call a lawyer and get prepared? Where did I put that business card for the lawyer who looked over my rental contract?' Shen Yibin was an absolute nervous wreck. The slightest rumble of a car engine from outside made him think it was the police coming to arrest him.
"Nnn~" Just then, Hah'Er's cry came from upstairs. Shen Yibin turned to see it shuffling its little short legs, slowly scooting its way down the stairs. It must have finished its meal and, seeing that Shen Yibin hadn't come up for a while, decided to come down and find him.
Shen Yibin rushed over to carry it down the rest of the way. He'd be heartbroken if it fell and got hurt. Cradling the fluffy Hah'Er in his arms, Shen Yibin felt like crying again. "Waaah... if I get thrown in jail, who's going to cook for you! They're not going to feed you bamboo, are they? What if you get an upset stomach?"
"Nnn~ Nnn~" Hah'Er seemed to pick up on his emotions. It wrapped its front paws around Shen Yibin's neck, nuzzling its head against his face and clinging tightly, refusing to let go.
"Hey, don't you worry. Maybe everything will be fine." Seeing Hah'Er like this, Shen Yibin couldn't stand it. He pushed his own anxieties aside to comfort the little panda. 'Logically, the Future Pet Shop is so incredible, they have to have a perfect solution for this, right?'
"Here, look. When I try to feed the other pets, they won't eat. Have you spoiled them rotten? Why don't you go help me feed them? I'm going to go tidy up the kitchen." To keep Hah'Er from seeing how worried he was, Shen Yibin made up an excuse to send it away while he himself went upstairs to start clearing the table and washing the dishes.
After tidying up the dining table in a flash, Shen Yibin hurried back downstairs. He checked his phone again. It had been over twenty minutes since the Future Pet Shop sent the package, but he still hadn't received any calls.
'Damn it, hurry up already!' Shen Yibin pressed himself against the window, secretly lifting a corner of the curtain to stare intently at the road outside. But there was still no sign of a delivery truck.
'I'm over here worrying myself sick, and you guys are all eating like kings!' He glanced back at the other pets. It was the same food Shen Yibin had prepared for them earlier, but now they were all eating with gusto. 'It really is different when Hah'Er's around.' The sight just made Shen Yibin even more frustrated. 'I've brought home a bunch of little lords.'
"Panda, panda, panda, panda, cold as a mountain, warm as a flower..." Just as he was stewing in his frustration, Shen Yibin's phone rang.
'The package is here?' He quickly answered the phone. "Hello? Is this the delivery service?"
"Yeah, I left the item at your door. I've got other deliveries to make, so come get it yourself." It was the same frustratingly blunt tone as always, but right now, it was music to Shen Yibin's ears.
"Okay, I'll go get it right now... Crap, he hung up so fast!" Shen Yibin put down his phone, pulled the curtain aside again, and furtively scanned the area. Nothing seemed out of the ordinary.
So, Shen Yibin pulled the rolling metal door up halfway, bent down, and slipped outside. He snatched the package that had been left at the shop's entrance. It wasn't thick and was in a standard courier envelope. Feeling it, he could tell it was a stack of documents.
'This must be the legal documentation from the Future Pet Shop, right?' Shen Yibin turned to head back inside the shop to open it and see what was inside. But the moment he turned, he heard the sound of rushed footsteps behind him.
"Don't move! Stay where you are!" Two large men rushed out from either side of him, deftly forcing Shen Yibin's hands behind his back. With a sharp CLICK, they slapped handcuffs on him.
"You're Shen Yibin, right?" one of the officers asked, flashing his badge and an arrest warrant. "Where's the panda you posted online?"
"Officers, I'm a good guy!" Shen Yibin cried, tears streaming down his face. 'Damn it, I was a step too late!'
"Open the door! We're doing a thorough search!" the lead officer commanded. He yanked open the rolling metal door with a loud RATTLE, revealing Hah'Er standing in front of the pet cages, watching the other animals eat.
"Caught red-handed. Now what do you have to say for yourself?" The lead officer's expression grew even more severe. 'This is a major case!'