"Oh, right. The owner also said it wasn’t just a matter of money—the Raccoon Cat has to approve of you before you can buy it. Just like he said when he was selling the parrot." It looked like these two had really done their homework on Shen Yibin, even finding out the details of when he sold Cheeky.

"Yu, does that mean he’s really planning to sell?" Hearing this actually put Boss Song’s mind at ease. He, too, had heard the stories about Shen Yibin turning down offers of tens of millions for Cheeky.

"I think so. But, Song, that’s 180,000. Don’t you think that’s a bit expensive?" Yu didn’t quite understand why Boss Song was so set on buying this Raccoon Cat.

"Heh heh. They say Raccoon Cats bring wealth. In our line of work, we take these kinds of lucky charms pretty seriously." Of course, Boss Song wasn’t about to reveal the real reason.

Shen Yibin, however, had no idea someone was following him. He drove straight out to a river in the suburbs, parked on the bank, and let Hah’Er and Egg out of the car. He patted Egg on the shoulder. "Go on. Do your best and get lots of fish today. Whether or not we eat our fill is all up to you."

"Mhm!" Out in the wild, Hah’Er seemed particularly excited, tumbling and scrambling his way toward the river. Egg, on the other hand, lazily sauntered to the edge of the woods. He sniffed the air as if he’d caught a scent and, before Shen Yibin could say a word, darted into the forest.

"Bin, Egg isn’t going to run away, is he?" Sylvie asked, looking a little worried.

"No, he won’t. If he wanted to run off, he never would have followed us home in the first place. There’s probably just something in the woods," Shen Yibin said, not worried at all. He took out his fishing rod and walked toward the river. "I’m going fishing. Want to join?"

"This water is so clear! I bet it feels amazing to swim here." Sylvie, however, ignored Shen Yibin and started taking off her clothes. It looked like she was planning on going for a swim right then and there.

’Hey, can you not do that? I’m a respectable person!’ Shen Yibin wanted to turn his head and look away, but unfortunately, he couldn’t control his instincts.

Unfortunately, when Sylvie took off her outer clothes, it only revealed the swimsuit underneath. And to his great disappointment, it wasn’t a bikini, but a one-piece.

"I’m going to head downstream so I don’t disturb your fishing. Lunch is up to you guys!" Sylvie waved, slipped into the water, and swam downstream, leaving Shen Yibin standing dazedly by the car.

Shen Yibin was completely flustered by Sylvie, and you can’t fish properly with an unsettled mind. He sat on a rock for ages without a single bite. Hah’Er, meanwhile, was constantly swatting small fish unconscious and tossing them onto the bank. In the end, Shen Yibin gave up on fishing and started helping Hah’Er collect the fish. As for Egg, he still hadn’t returned.

On the path behind them, Boss Song and Yu had snuck over. Yu’s eyes kept drifting in the direction Sylvie had disappeared, his heart filled with jealousy for Shen Yibin. ’When will it be my turn to take a foreign chick swimming in the wild?’

Boss Song, however, was staring intently at the spot where Egg had vanished. He scoffed at Yu’s petty thoughts. ’If I can get my hands on Egg, what kind of foreign babe would be out of my reach?’

Parting a bush, Boss Song spotted Egg in the distance. ’Damn, this Raccoon Cat is incredible.’ He saw it leaping and dodging through the trees, thoroughly enjoying its fight with a snake over a meter long. The snake darted left and right but couldn’t escape Egg’s sharp claws, and soon its body was covered in wounds.

Boss Song sucked in a sharp breath. A moment ago, he’d been planning to sneak up, grab Egg, and make off with him. That plan was clearly out the window now. With his meager abilities, rushing in would be suicide. He’d be lucky if Egg didn’t claw his face to ribbons.

’I’d better find another way,’ Boss Song thought, backing down. Who the hell knew if the snake Egg was toying with was venomous? If Egg scratched him with poison-laced claws, it would all be over.

So, he quietly retreated, took Yu, and drove back to the city to come up with another plan. ’Since he said he was willing to sell this morning, tomorrow I’ll find someone to go over with 200,000. It’d be best to buy him directly. But if that doesn’t work, I’ll figure out a way to steal him.’ He was determined to get his hands on Egg, one way or another.

"Bin! Hah’Er! Aren’t you two coming in for a dip? The water is so cool and refreshing, much nicer than a swimming pool!" Sylvie called out, her head popping up from the water’s surface.

Hah’Er seemed tempted, but he looked down at himself, shook his head, and decided against it. Shen Yibin just shrugged. "Didn’t bring a swimsuit. Maybe next time." ’Next time, I’ll definitely bring swim trunks,’ he thought. ’Yeah, and maybe I’ll buy her a bikini too. Then, as soon as I get in the water, I’ll pretend to pass out. I wonder if Sylvie would give me mouth-to-mouth resuscitation?’

And so, Shen Yibin found himself looking forward to their next outing even more. ’Maybe I could invite Officer Bai and Sun Qian next time, too? As for the pet store... we could just take the day off. Everyone swimming happily in the crystal-clear river, surrounded by flowers and gentle ripples... what a wonderful thought.’

Sylvie splashed around in the water for over an hour. Growing tired, she climbed ashore, panting, and sat on the large rock next to Shen Yibin. "Bin, when are we going to start cooking? I’m getting hungry."

Shen Yibin glanced at the fish in the bucket. "This should be enough. I’ll go get Egg, and then we can start grilling. Hah’Er, we’ll be counting on you in a bit."

"Mhm!" Hah’Er nodded his big head vigorously, not forgetting to cup his paws together to form the shape of a wine bowl.

"Got it. I brought beer. I’ll pour you two bowls in a bit." By now, Shen Yibin had a clear grasp of Hah’Er’s alcohol tolerance, so he wasn’t afraid of the panda getting drunk and rowdy.

"I brought a bottle of red wine from Sokovia, too. You all can try it later." Seeing Shen Yibin leave the riverbank, Sylvie skipped over to the car to get her things. She was much happier now than the day they had first met at the Sichuan Giant Panda Base.

"Egg! Time to eat! Come on out!" Reaching the edge of the forest, Shen Yibin cupped his hands around his mouth and shouted in the direction Egg had disappeared. ’Where did that little rascal wander off to? Why isn’t he back yet?’

He called out several times with no response, and Shen Yibin began to feel nervous. Just as he was about to head into the woods to search, he heard a rustling sound from the side. SWOOSH! Egg shot out from the trees.

’It’s good that you’re back. Now go wait by the river for dinner... Holy crap, what the hell is that in your mouth?!’ Shen Yibin nearly pissed his pants in terror.