Future Pet Shop-Chapter 44: Salesman Cheeky

"Well, while this lazy cat is far from being as handsome, dashing, brilliant, and beautifully-voiced as this parrot, it is adorably dopey, and not much trouble to keep. It would be a fine purchase." Cheeky fluttered over to Shen Yibin’s shoulder. "Boss, I made a sale. Do I get a commission?"

"Of course. Here!" Shen Yibin casually tossed over a fig, nearly knocking Cheeky off his shoulder.

Dragging the fig, Cheeky flew to the coffee table. As he pecked at it, he mumbled, "I’m so unlucky to have such a cheap boss. Do you think it was easy for me to sell a lazy cat that does nothing but eat and sleep, sleep and eat? And he just brushes me off with a single fig! My life is so tragic... WAHHHH." As he spoke, Cheeky even pretended to wipe away tears.

"I say, Bin, you can’t be so cheap. Hurry up and buy something nice for Cheeky to eat." Cheeky’s sob story quickly had an effect; someone finally couldn’t resist sticking up for him.

’Sir, this fig may look small, but it’s actually very expensive. Its daily food budget is higher than mine! Thinking about it is just so depressing. A grown man like me doesn’t even eat as well as a bird. I’ve lost the will to live.’

"Sigh, I’d love to get him something nice to eat, but fruit imported from South America is just too expensive. This shop just opened, business is so-so, and it’s a real struggle just to feed Hah’Er and this guy." ’Someone, please, I’m begging you, buy Cheeky already so I can have some peace and quiet!’ 𝘧𝓇𝑒𝑒𝑤ℯ𝑏𝓃𝘰𝑣ℯ𝘭.𝘤ℴ𝘮

"That’s true. Pandas aren’t easy to raise." The man who’d spoken glanced at the shop’s decor, then at Shen Yibin’s clothes, and his heart filled with sympathy. "I can’t help you much, but as it happens, I’ve been thinking about getting a dog. Cheeky, come over here and tell me about these dogs. What are their stories?"

"One moment, valued customer! I’ll be right there!" Seeing potential business, Cheeky abandoned his fig and flew directly to the top of the Golden Retriever’s cage. "This is a Golden Retriever from Scotland. Don’t be fooled by its dumb-looking face; it’s actually very intelligent. It ranked fourth on the list of most intelligent dog breeds. Of course, that’s a far cry from the intellect of yours truly."

"This dumb dog’s biggest advantage is that it’s extremely friendly with small children and babies. It has a cheerful personality and loves playing with kids. If you have a grandson or granddaughter, they’ll definitely get along with this guy." While spewing sarcastic remarks, Cheeky also rattled off the Golden Retriever’s many virtues. "It doesn’t bark much, so you don’t have to worry about it scaring the little ones. It’s also very enthusiastic about exercise. It’ll have no problem joining you for a run every morning."

"Oh, I do have a grandson! You make it sound wonderful. Can you let him out to walk around a bit?" The point about being good with children had clearly struck a chord with the man.

"Hah’Er, open the cage and let the dog out." Cheeky puffed out his chest and issued the command with a flick of his wing, looking for all the world like a field marshal.

"Hmph~" Hah’Er was slightly annoyed by the parrot’s tone, but he knew Cheeky was just helping Shen Yibin make a sale. So, instead of losing his temper, he obediently opened the cage and let the Golden Retriever out. The dog didn’t disappoint Cheeky, either. It politely circled the man once, sniffing to familiarize itself with his scent, then sat down right beside him.

"Well now, he really is a good boy. Get up, let’s see you run around a bit." After walking the Golden Retriever around the room a few times, the man was thoroughly satisfied with its behavior. Without another word, he swiped his card and paid.

"Boss, my commission!" Another sale closed, and Cheeky flew over impatiently to demand his reward from Shen Yibin.

"You’ll get what’s coming to you." Shen Yibin tossed over a Brazilian Raspberry. At this rate, he probably wouldn’t even need to prepare lunch for the bird; its commissions alone were enough to fill its stomach.

And just as Shen Yibin predicted, seeing Cheeky’s sales talent, the other older customers in the shop were intrigued. One by one, they called him over to introduce the pets. Even if they weren’t planning to buy, listening to the parrot’s little comedy routine was fun! Cheeky was clearly a show-off who thrived on attention; the bigger the crowd, the more energized he became.

A constant stream of roasts about the pets poured from the parrot’s beak, making the crowd roar with laughter. But amidst the jokes, he also subtly worked in the pets’ best qualities for the potential customers. With Hah’Er’s help, the animals all behaved impeccably, and before long, quite a few of them had been sold.

"Take care, everyone! Feel free to drop by the shop anytime, and if you run into any issues, just give me a call." After seeing the happy customers off, Shen Yibin checked the day’s accounts. Sales had set a new record since the shop opened, and the profit was more than enough to feed Hah’Er and Cheeky for a good long time.

As for Cheeky, he didn’t come to see the customers off. He was stuffed, lying on his back with a round, bulging belly, resting on his pile of commissions. The figs and Brazilian Raspberries he’d earned filled an entire large basket; all the fruit Shen Yibin had bought the day before had been paid out to him.

"I never realized you had a talent for sales." Looked at this way, Cheeky’s endless chatter wasn’t so unbearable after all. At the very least, his presence had immediately boosted the shop’s business.

"For a brilliant, handsome, dashing parrot with a magnificent voice, a small feat like this is nothing," Cheeky said, holding his head high. "If you really want to thank me, you’ll hurry up and get back to your practice. Especially that dog-panting exercise!"

’Damn it! Forget I said anything. I knew I shouldn’t have praised you!’ Shen Yibin’s good mood was instantly crushed by the bird. Dejected, he hid himself in a corner and resumed his breathing and vocal exercises. And so, the remaining dogs in the shop once again grew agitated.

’When will days like this ever end?’ Tears streamed down Shen Yibin’s face. He was now desperate to move on to the next phase of his training as quickly as possible.

"It’s twelve o’clock. I’m going to make lunch. Cheeky, you probably don’t need to eat, right? Stay down here and greet anyone who comes in. Just call me if you get a customer." The moment lunchtime arrived, Shen Yibin made his escape, taking Hah’Er back up to the second-floor kitchen to start cooking, leaving the shop floor to Cheeky.

’Hmm. With this guy around, it’s like having an extra employee. At least I don’t have to close the shop while I cook anymore.’

"Go on, go on." Cheeky waved a wing dismissively. "If a customer comes, I’ll take good care of them. But don’t you forget—you have to sing for me again later. Two hours, minimum. And this time, no more children’s songs."