Future Pet Shop

Chapter 243: You Might as Well Take the Store’s Teddy Home

Hah’Er sprawled cluelessly on the skateboard, unsure what to do. Shen Yibin grabbed its personal tablet, opened a video app, and searched for a few videos of dogs skateboarding to show Hah’Er. "Hah’Er, look. First, you push off with your back leg a few times to get moving. Then, this is how you steer..."

"Hm?" Hah’Er watched the videos with curiosity, its eyes glued to the screen. It was clearly very interested in the sport. After watching a few videos, it started to mimic the moves.

Since the shop was temporarily closed for business, there weren’t many pets around. This left the lobby quite empty—plenty of space for Hah’Er to practice. Shen Yibin, Sylvie, and Xia Shixuan stood around the perimeter to keep Hah’Er from crashing into a wall if it couldn’t stop in time.

Hah’Er stuck out a back leg and gave a powerful push off the floor. As the skateboard gained a bit of speed, it quickly pulled its leg back, planting it firmly on the board. The skateboard slowly glided from Shen Yibin’s side toward Sylvie on the other.

"Mmph! Mmph!" Hah’Er seemed thrilled by the feeling of the breeze on its face. It turned its head to give Shen Yibin a goofy grin, but in that brief moment of distraction, Hah’Er lost its balance and fell to the floor with a THUD.

"Nghh~" Hah’Er sat on the floor looking wronged, rubbing the spot where it had fallen. Tears welled up in its eyes. His heart aching, Shen Yibin rushed over to comfort it. He grabbed the skateboard and pretended he was about to smash it. "Don’t cry, Hah’Er, don’t cry. It’s this naughty skateboard’s fault for making you fall. I’ll smash it to pieces for you! That’ll make you feel better!"

"Mmph!" As soon as it heard that, Hah’Er stopped rubbing its sore spot and the tears vanished. It immediately scrambled up, snatched the skateboard from Shen Yibin, and clutched it tightly to its chest, as if to say, ’If you dare smash my skateboard, I’m not going to be friends with you anymore!’

"Alright, alright, I won’t smash it." Shen Yibin threw his hands up in surrender. "But you have to focus when you practice. Don’t get distracted and fall like you just did. Also, your form was a little off. Here, watch this again. You should place your leg like this..." Shen Yibin once again opened the video and showed it to Hah’Er.

After patiently watching all the videos and practicing the motions a few times, Hah’Er finally got back on the skateboard to continue its training. Although it couldn’t get the hang of roller skates, Hah’Er seemed to have a knack for skateboarding. Its second attempt was a huge improvement over the first.

Thrilled to have finally found a new toy, Hah’Er was having a blast. It still fell occasionally, but its form improved with every tumble. Its technique grew more skilled and its movements more agile each time. Slowly but surely, Hah’Er learned how to speed up and how to turn, making Shen Yibin marvel at its progress. Even Xia Shixuan, who should have left long ago, stayed behind. She watched Hah’Er’s practice with rapt attention, constantly taking videos and photos to post on her social media and Weibo account.

"Alright, it’s getting late. Time for you to get cleaned up and rest, Hah’Er." Shen Yibin didn’t stop the practice session until after ten o’clock. And while Hah’Er seemed to agree, it still struggled to drag the skateboard along as it went upstairs. It looked like the little guy planned on sleeping with its new toy tonight.

"It’s almost eleven. I should be heading home, too," Xia Shixuan said, getting ready to leave. After all, there was nowhere for her to sleep at the shop.

"Uh, I’ll drive you," Shen Yibin offered, getting to his feet. "You live a bit out of the way, and it’s not safe for a woman to be driving alone at this hour." Xia Shixuan was currently living by herself in a villa complex in the suburbs.

"You don’t have to..." Xia Shixuan was a woman who lived for the nightlife. Back in the day, she’d just be arriving at the club around this time and wouldn’t head home until the wee hours of the morning. Her first instinct was to refuse, but for some reason, the words changed on her lips. "Well, thank you then, Boss!"

"I’ll take you home in my car, and I can come pick you up again tomorrow morning." It was hard to get a taxi from her place, so if he drove her car home for her, he’d have no way of getting back.

After instructing Hah’Er to look after Shi Gaofei, the two of them left the shop, got into Shen Yibin’s car, and headed for the villa complex in the suburbs. Shen Yibin kept his eyes on the road, driving attentively, while Xia Shixuan curiously examined the car’s interior, letting out little exclamations from time to time. "Wow, Boss, your car is so spacious! You could definitely get creative in here. So, Boss, what have you tried?"

’Hey, lady, can you have some dignity? I’m driving you home so you don’t get harassed by creeps, not so you can be the one harassing me!’

"Oh? Don’t tell me you’ve never tried?" Seeing Shen Yibin’s face flush red, Xia Shixuan grew even more excited. She leaned in close, her lips brushing against his ear as she whispered, "Well, Boss, want to give it a try? I know a few very secluded spots along this road... perfect for that sort of thing!"

’What they say online is true—female drivers really are dangerous.’ Startled by Xia Shixuan, Shen Yibin’s hands jerked on the wheel, and the car swerved in a strange arc across the road. If it hadn’t been so late at night, and if they hadn’t been on a side road, they might have crashed.

"Sit back, sit back! Don’t distract me while I’m driving." Shen Yibin wiped a bead of sweat from his brow. He was starting to regret his offer to drive her home. ’I should’ve just asked Sylvie and Gao Shu to go with her.’

But Shen Yibin’s warning was utterly useless. Xia Shixuan sat back in her seat, but her mouth kept right on going. "Boss, I heard you went to Africa with Sylvie recently? I had no idea you liked to travel! But traveling really is a great hobby. Just think about it... in a sea-view room under the stars on Jinsuo Island in Erhai Lake, pressed up against the huge floor-to-ceiling windows, looking out at the ocean while we get busy... Or at the Lujiazui Four Seasons Hotel, gazing out at the Oriental Pearl Tower and the bustling crowds below while we get busy... Or we could go to New Zealand and role-play at Bag End! I’ll be Lady Galadriel, you be Gandalf, and we’ll... get busy... Aren’t those all just wonderful thoughts? By the way, Boss, camping out on the African savanna... was getting busy there fun?"

Forcing himself to ignore Xia Shixuan’s tempting chatter, Shen Yibin floored it, and they quickly arrived at the entrance to her gated community.

"It’s so late now, it’s not safe for you to drive back. Why don’t you just stay the night at my place? My bed’s really big, you know," Xia Shixuan said, leaning against the driver’s side window.

"It’s fine, I’m not afraid of the dark!" With that, Shen Yibin turned the car around and beat a hasty retreat. He couldn’t help but curse inwardly, ’I should have just brought that poodle from the shop for you. Your personalities are a perfect match!’