Future Pet Shop-Chapter 38: Taking a Panda to Karaoke

"Uh, do I really have to? You sing so well, I’d just be embarrassing myself." Shen Yibin was in an awkward spot. That parrot, Cheeky, had sung the song perfectly, just like the original recording. How could he dare sing with his own terrible voice?

"But I have to listen to the original artist for at least two hours every day, otherwise I won’t be in the mood to eat or sleep. If I can’t listen, I can’t eat and I can’t sleep. You wouldn’t be so cruel as to let me starve to death here, would you?" Cheeky looked at Shen Yibin with a pitiful expression.

’I knew it! None of you creatures are easy to please! Just to raise Hah’Er, my cooking has gotten good enough to rival a culinary school graduate. And now to keep you alive, I have to learn how to sing!’ Shen Yibin was at his wit’s end. ’I’ve really brought home a bunch of little lords, haven’t I?’

"Hey, this parrot you gave me... does it really have to listen to the original artist sing every day?" Clinging to a sliver of hope, Shen Yibin opened WeChat to ask the Future Pet Shop for help.

"Who said that? Of course you don’t have to sing to it!" The Future Pet Shop always liked to lift his spirits before crushing them. Before Shen Yibin could even get back on his feet, their next message sent him crashing back down. "Playing the guitar, piano, or violin for it is fine. You can even play the flute. As long as you’re the one performing the music, it’s okay. It doesn’t have to be singing."

’I’ll just stick to singing. I’ve never played an instrument in my life! And you want me to play the guitar, piano, violin, or... blow a flute... Ptooey, ptooey, ptooey! You can go blow it!’

"So what are the consequences if I don’t sing to it?" Shen Yibin still wasn’t ready to give up. ’This is just too much. If anyone overheard me, they’d think I’m a lunatic.’

"This parrot’s talents are all in music, so it must be immersed in beautiful music every day. If the minimum requirement isn’t met, it will have an extremely adverse effect on its mental health. As for the consequences... I don’t need to spell it out for you, do I?" The Future Pet Shop sent a sinister smiley emoji.

’I get it. If its mental health is poor, I can’t sell it. If I can’t sell it, my partnership level will decrease. Once my partnership level drops, Hah’Er’s legal documents will be exposed, and I’ll have to go to prison and pick up the soap. I’ve heard of people being forced into sex, but I’ve never heard of someone being forced to cook or forced to sing. What the hell, this is a real eye-opener!’

"Hey, stop playing with your phone. When are you going to start singing?" After a short rest, Cheeky seemed to have recovered its energy and started its non-stop roasting again. "Are you worried your voice isn’t as good as mine? You can rest assured on that point. I won’t laugh at you. I never judge my friends by their singing voice... since none of them can sing as well as I can anyway."

’I’ll score that flex an 82, with the remaining points paid in the form of a slow clap,’ Shen Yibin thought. "Can I find someone else to sing for you?" ’I bet Bai Yanni is a decent singer. If not, I could always ask Qiao Wenqi.’

"Oh? No problem, that’s totally fine. But once you start, you can’t switch people. Not until you find a suitable owner for me. Can you convince your friend to sing to me for two hours every day?" Cheeky was surprisingly lenient, but Shen Yibin simply couldn’t accept those terms. It was one thing to ask a friend for a favor once or twice, but asking them to do it every single day was out of the question.

"Fine, I’ll sing for you." ’Looks like I have to do it myself after all.’ Shen Yibin stood up, trying to recall the few songs he knew. He opened his mouth a few times but couldn’t bring himself to make a sound. ’Damn it, it’s too embarrassing to do it in the shop.’

"Hey, would you hurry up already?" Cheeky was lounging back, its head resting on a fig, striking a lordly pose. It crossed its legs and bounced one of them impatiently, urging Shen Yibin to start singing. Hah’Er was also resting its chin in its paws with an expectant look on its face. ’Just how well does our master sing?’

"Let’s go. I’ll take you out to sing somewhere professional!" ’I remember there’s a KTV not far from here. If I can’t bring myself to sing in the shop, I’ll go there instead. At least no strangers will hear me, right?’

He helped Hah’Er put its shoes back on, let Cheeky perch on his shoulder, and led them both out of the shop. ’Sigh, I’m such an unreliable shop owner. It’s been four or five days since the grand opening, and I don’t think there’s been a single day where I’ve stayed open for the full hours. If this keeps up, I’ll probably go out of business soon, won’t I?’

But he couldn’t worry about that right now. Keeping Cheeky mentally and physically healthy was the top priority. So, Shen Yibin locked the shop door, took Hah’Er by the paw, and headed for the nearby KTV with Cheeky on his shoulder. When they passed the police car, Bai Yanni naturally had to ask, "Bin, where are you taking Hah’Er?" 𝘧𝓇ℯ𝑒𝓌𝑒𝑏𝓃𝘰𝘷𝘦𝘭.𝒸ℴ𝓂

"I’m taking Hah’Er to the KTV to sing. That shouldn’t be a problem, right?" Shen Yibin pointed to the KTV next door.

"Oh, that place? No problem. It’s a respectable establishment. The clientele are mostly college students from nearby, so there won’t be any trouble." Bai Yanni was very familiar with the area. ’If he’s just going there, I probably don’t need to provide close protection.’ ’Still, taking a panda to a KTV to sing... you city folk sure know how to have fun.’

’Sigh, Hah’Er isn’t the main character this time.’ After thanking Bai Yanni, Shen Yibin brought Hah’Er and Cheeky to the KTV’s front desk. "Um, are pets allowed in the karaoke rooms here?"

"As long as it’s not an overly aggressive large dog, it’s fine. Let me see your pet..." The receptionist peeked over the counter, saw Hah’Er, and their brain instantly shut down. ’Dude, are you here to cause trouble?’

"Don’t panic, don’t panic! My panda has all the proper legal paperwork." Seeing the staff and security guards about to approach, Shen Yibin hastily explained. In his panic, he used Bai Yanni as his backup. "See? The police officer is right across the street! She can vouch for me. If you don’t believe me, go ask her."

After a great deal of explaining, two staff members actually ran over to ask Bai Yanni. Only then did they let Shen Yibin and Hah’Er pass. Thankfully, whether it was because it hadn’t heard Shen Yibin sing yet or for some other reason, Cheeky remained listless and didn’t chime in with any sarcastic remarks, which saved them a lot of trouble.

"Sir, I’m so sorry. I’ll take you to your room right away. You wanted a small room, is that right?" The staff member apologized profusely upon returning and led Shen Yibin to the private room, where they helped him set up the sound system. "What would you like for drinks and snacks?"

"Freshly squeezed juice, please." Shen Yibin didn’t feel comfortable giving Hah’Er and Cheeky soda or cola, let alone alcohol. Juice was a safer bet. "Popcorn, and some figs too." ’Since I’m here to wait on Lord Cheeky, I’d better do a good job of it.’

The staff member quickly brought him the requested snacks and drinks, then closed the door and left. Shen Yibin spent a long time at the song selection kiosk, found a song he was good at, then picked up the microphone, ready to begin.