While waiting for a reply, Shen Yibin carefully examined the Panda. It had round ears, was about seventy centimeters long, and had patches of black and white fur. It was definitely not a panda-dog. It seemed to have already adapted to its new surroundings, rolling around inside the cage and looking for a way out. It certainly wasn't a large plushie, either.
I gotta say, this Panda was adorable. Watching it push against the cage with its paws, Shen Yibin momentarily forgot that this was a Class I protected species and chuckled foolishly. 'Look at you, you silly thing. The cage is definitely locked. You really think you can get out?'
Holy shit... Who the fuck packed this? They didn't even lock the cage? So unprofessional! With a CLANG, the cage door was pushed open by the Panda. It tentatively poked its head out, then slowly crawled out of the cage.
'Damn it, you can't just run around! If you get out and someone sees you, I'm screwed! People get sixteen years in prison for catching a few birds, and here I am, trafficking a Panda! Am I going to get executed?' Shen Yibin was scared out of his wits and lunged forward, trying to shove the Panda back into its cage.
But as cute as the Panda was, it was still a bear. In the jungle, they were known to pin down wolves and sit on them for fun. How could a homebody like Shen Yibin, who rarely exercised, possibly handle one? The Panda wanted out; Shen Yibin wanted it back in. The two of them were locked in a stalemate in the middle of the room. The Panda, however, wasn't struggling too hard. Its adorably cute eyes held such a pitiful expression that Shen Yibin started to feel bad for it.
"Anticipating a stroke of luck, and a shock, what a wonderful encounter..." Suddenly, the phone on the desk started ringing. Shen Yibin's hand trembled, and in that split second, he lost his grip, allowing the Panda to wriggle out of the cage.
'Bro, I'm begging you, please don't run around!' Shen Yibin was on the verge of tears. He reached under the Panda's shoulders and started dragging it, step by step, toward the desk. The Panda seemed used to this kind of treatment and didn't resist, simply hugging Shen Yibin's leg.
'Don't tell me it's the police?' Shen Yibin picked up the phone with a trembling right hand. He breathed a sigh of relief when he saw the caller ID. 'Oh, it's just my supplier.' 'Damn it, I need to have a good long talk with you about why the hell you sent me this thing! Sure... the Panda is really cute, but is this something a normal person can just keep?'
"Hey, Bin, you're opening tomorrow, right? I've got the flower baskets all ready for you. But why haven't you called me to make the delivery yet?" Before he could speak, a barrage of questions came from the other end.
"Huh? Didn't you just make a delivery?" Shen Yibin was stunned.
"When did I deliver anything to you? What did I deliver? I'm telling you, Bin, you didn't get your stock from someone else, did you?" The voice on the other end instantly turned cold.
"The panda... dog from just now, that wasn't from you?" Shen Yibin almost let it slip. He was now realizing he had probably contacted the wrong person on WeChat. He quickly asked, "I just left you a message on WeChat, asking for a delivery. You said you'd be right over. That wasn't you? Is your username 'Future Pet Shop'?"
"My WeChat has always been 'Cute Pet Life Hall'! I've never changed the name! Look, do you still want the stuff I prepared for you or not? If not, I'm giving it to someone else." The person, thinking he'd switched suppliers, was getting impatient.
'Damn it, I really did mess up.' "Bao, Bao, don't worry. I think I sent the message to the wrong person. Let me figure this out and I'll call you right back. We'll talk in a bit."
Shen Yibin hung up without waiting for a reply and opened WeChat. Sure enough, he found two names in his contacts list: "Cute Pet Life Hall" and "Future Pet Shop." His eyes must have been playing tricks on him earlier.
Just then, "Future Pet Shop" replied. "It was supposed to be a panda. What, you're not satisfied and want to return it? Sorry, no returns or exchanges at this shop."
"Dude! A panda is a Class I protected species! Who would dare to just sell one? Please, do me a favor and take it back!" Shen Yibin was ready to kneel and beg.
"Class I protected species? You're kidding. Ever since the biotechnology boom of the 22nd century, pandas haven't been a protected species for a long time," the other person replied nonchalantly.
"Dude, we're in the 21st century right now! The 22nd century is still more than eighty years away." If the Panda wasn't still hugging his leg, Shen Yibin would have thought he was dealing with a lunatic.
"You're in the 21st century, but I'm not." The person sent a screenshot of their profile. "Take a closer look. The name 'Future Pet Shop' isn't just for show. I run a pet shop from the 22nd century. Yup, same era as Doraemon. You should be pleasantly surprised. Not just anyone gets to be a partner of our shop."
"So can you deliver a Doraemon to me?" Shen Yibin's head was spinning.
"Sorry, this shop only sells animal pets, not robots." The other person flatly refused.
"But I really can't handle this 'surprise'! Boss, please, have a heart and take this Panda back!" Shen Yibin continued to plead. "Since you're from the 22nd century, you know what the situation is like in the 21st century. I really don't dare to keep this thing!"
"Don't worry, it'll be fine. While I can't take the panda back, I can definitely help you deal with the consequences. I guarantee the police won't come looking for you," the person promised confidently.
"How will you solve it?" A glimmer of hope ignited in Shen Yibin.
"Right now, you're a Trial Partner. When you become a Level 3 Partner, I can provide you with a complete solution. Until then, just hide it well and don't let anyone see it."
"How do I get from Trial Partner to Level 3 Partner?" Shen Yibin asked. He suddenly felt an itch on his leg and looked down to see the Panda licking his pants, looking completely famished.
"Everything is based on performance. The more pets you source from me, the faster you'll level up." The person's words reminded Shen Yibin of the sales manager from his old company.
"Alright, we'll talk about that later. The panda you sent seems hungry. What kind of bamboo does it eat?" The Panda's pitiful expression made Shen Yibin feel sorry for it. 'I should probably feed it first. But damn it, where am I supposed to buy fresh bamboo?'
"This Panda doesn't eat bamboo. It prefers twice-cooked pork. Just feed it that." The reply from the Future Pet Shop floored Shen Yibin once again.