Translator: Nyoi-Bo Studio Editor: Nyoi-Bo Studio

  In the morning, Zhang Zian went out to throw out the garbage. He saw a large truck and an ordinary van slowly stopping at the door of the store next to his pet shop. The name of the moving company was written on the bodies of the two vehicles.

  As the door of the van was opened, several uniformed movers came out of the van one after another. Xie Tao also got out, unlocked the door to his shoe store, and directed the movers to go inside his store to move his things.

  “Tao, are you moving now? There’s no rush. You could move after selling your shoes here.” Zhang Zian approached Xie Tao and looked at his store filled with various kinds of shoes. Before Xie Tao had time to sell them, the shoes had been packed into cloth bags and were about to be taken away.

  Xie Tao smiled and was about to say something to Zhang Zian. The corner of his eye saw the workers lift the refrigerator out of the store, so Xie Tao hurriedly reminded them, “Oh, be careful with that refrigerator! Be careful! Don’t bump it on the door!”


  The refrigerator, the TV, the microwave oven, and the kitchen supplies… The movers moved things out of the store like hard-working ants. They were well-trained and extra careful handling the large items and valuables, but Xie Tao was still not quite at ease so he had to remind them from time to time, for fear that his belongings would be scratched or smashed. In fact, these items had been placed in his store for several years, and they would be worth little in the second-hand market.

  At the interval of reminding the workers, Xie Tao told Zhang Zian, “What difference does it make moving out earlier or later? These shoes cannot be sold out anyway. I might as well find a bustling intersection to set up a stand to handle them. Zian, do you find these things useful? If you do, you can keep them.” He was referring to various kinds of electrical appliances.

  “I’m fine. Tao, you can move them away.” Zhang Zian said truthfully. Whether Xie Tao was being polite or really intended to leave those electrical appliances to him, Zhang Zian did not need them because he did not buy this building to live. Even if these electrical appliances remained in the store, he would hire other people to move them away.

  “By the way, Zian, my wife really likes the cat you sent her. She uploaded the pictures of the cat in her WeChat Moment, and many people said that the cat was expensive. Thank you so much.” Xie Tao took out a shopping bag from the van and handed it to Zhang Zian. “This is a rice cake made by my wife. She specially asked me to bring it to you.”


  Zhang Zian took it over, “It must be very delicious. Please thank her for me.”


  “Sure. Why don’t you return to your shop to go on with your chores? I will notify you once I have moved all my things out. It is too dusty outside.”


  Because Xie Tao did not stay in his store often, both the furniture and the electrical appliances were covered with thick dust. Since they stood and talked in the downwind, they choked whenever the wind blew.

  “OK, I’m going back to my shop then. Since I have not eaten breakfast, I can take the opportunity to taste the rice cake.” Zhang Zian carried the rice cake and went back to his pet shop.

  Observing the few pregnant Abyssinian cats had become his daily task. After all, this was the first time he had experienced the breeding of cats. As the bellies of the cats grew bigger day by day, Zhang Zian’s heart had an inexplicable sense of achievement… Many customers heard that his pet shop had chocolate-colored Abyssinian cats and came to inquire about the prices of the cats, hoping to order the Abyssinian kittens that would be born.

  Cathy’s picture had always been standing on a cabinet. Her eyes were looking at the direction of the Abyssinian cats, as if she was also expecting the births of the kittens.

  Lu Yiyun took pictures of the pregnant Abyssinian cats every day and uploaded them to the WeChat public account of the Amazing Fate Pet Shop so that the followers could witness the breeding and the births of the kittens. Some of the followers who had already placed deposits would pick up the kittens after they were born. Therefore, just like the expectant mothers and fathers, these people paid close attention to the daily nutrition and health of the female cats by checking in the public account every day.

  “Mr. Store Manager, should I print this photo?”


  Lu Yiyun asked while pointing at a high-resolution photo on the computer screen.

  This picture was sent by Tim yesterday at midnight and was received by Lu Yiyun this morning. In this picture was Bella, the chocolate-colored Abyssinian cat that Zhang Zian selected and asked Tim to take to attend the CFA (Cat Fanciers’ Association) Show. Among the eight Abyssinian cats, Bella did not possess the most outstanding condition, but its age was the most appropriate, so Zhang Zian chose to leave it in the United States.

  Even though Bella was a cat with an ordinary condition, since Cathy had started to breed chocolate-colored Abyssinian cats long before other people had, Bella had such huge advantages in the CFA Show that no other cat could rival with it.

  In the photo, Bella was being held by Tim and facing the camera. A person who looked like a judge was holding a purple ribbon, indicating that Bella had won the title of the Best Champion of Breed and gained the corresponding points.

  The CFA Shows were a points-based annual tournament. When Bella scored more than 200 points in total, it could apply to CFA for the Super Champion title, which was the highest honor a cat could get, and was equal to the Nobel Prize or the Olympic gold medal of human beings.

  Zhang Zian nodded, “I asked Wang Qian and Li Kun to buy some photographic papers on their way here. Let’s print the photo out and find a place to paste them.”


  “I think we should go to a photo shop to print out a large poster. This is what many catteries do. They will solemnly stick the large posters to the doors of their catteries, even if their cats have only been awarded with the black or white ribbons…” Lu Yiyun suggested. “Our printer can only print small photos.”


  “No hurry. We have plenty of chances in the future.” Zhang Zian was not in a hurry to promote the chocolate-colored Abyssinian cats in his shops. Since the kittens had not yet been born, no matter how much effort he put in the promotion, he could not sell them to the customers.

  As he was talking, a brand-new and the cheapest BMW car, parked in front of his pet shop.

  Liu Sanlang got off the car hurriedly with a medium-sized Labrador and went in the shop.

  “Manager Zhang, Xiao La’s cold has been cured, please take care of it for the time being. This guy is so wild, and it keeps making trouble at home. I don’t know how to control it. Please help me train it!” Liu Sanlang bowed and said.

  Since he had agreed in advance, Zhang Zian didn’t say anything more, and he took over Xiao La’s leash.

  “Then I am leaving for work now. Just give me a call to tell me when I should pick it up.” Liu Sanlang was relieved as if he had thrown away a burning hot potato from his hands.

  “Woof!” Xiao La barked twice, wiggling to look around in a playful manner, trying to get rid of the leash to tease Zhan Tian, Famous and many kittens in the shop.

  Xiao La was sold by Zhang Zian to Liu Sanlang, but back then at the shop, Xiao La was very obedient. Since Liu Sanlang and Shi Shi indulged it and had no methods to train it, Xiao La had become so naughty like a brat that had nothing to fear.

  Zhang Zian didn’t rush to train it. Instead, he led it to the storage room on the second floor, and locked it inside to let it calm down from its excitement. It was counterproductive to train the overexcited dogs.

  Across the door of the storage room, he heard Xiao La barking and knocking the door with its front paw. But he ignored it and decided to let it stay there alone for half an hour.