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

  Since the editor scheduled the date that Pet King would become Premium, there was no changing it. Zhang Zian went back to the second floor to tell Pi the news so that it could prepare.

  “Eeek!”


  Before Zhang Zian could even speak, Pi pulled him over to look at the computer screen.

  “What’s the matter, Pi?”


  He leaned over and saw a message from the Qidian website: “Hello, we’re notifying you that your novel, Pet King, will receive the Sanjiang Recommendation on the homepage today. Please keep uploading new chapters if you haven’t finished your novel.”


  Sanjiang Recommendation?

  He knew that the Sanjiang Recommendation was one of the most important recommendations for new novels. If a novel got a good ranking in the Sanjiang Recommendation, it meant that the novel would secure the last and best recommendation on the homepage before the novel became Premium.

  Receiving also Sanjiang Recommendation indicated that the novel was unique and had been recognized by the editorial department of Qidian website.

  “Congratulations, Pi!” Zhang Zian said sincerely.

  “Eeek!” Pi’s face lit up with happiness.

  Zhang Zian witnessed Pi go through three rounds of recommendations: the Popular Recommendation among Modern Novels, the Strong Recommendation among Modern Novels, and the Recommendation among Six Genres of Novels on the homepage. Pi’s novel always ranked first and entered the next round with undisputed advantages. The upcoming Sanjiang Recommendation would be the fourth round of recommendation for Pi, and if it went well, Pi would enter the fifth round, the Strong Recommendation on the homepage, and become Premium at the same time.

  Most novels became Premium after the Strong Recommendation on the homepage, few novels achieved what Pi’s novel might and do both at the same time. Zhang Zian believed that the editor must think very highly of Pi’s novel. If Pi’s novel became Premium on Chinese New Year’s Eve, it could get a good position on the Monthly Power Ranking List for New Novels.

  “Pi, your editor just told me that your novel will become Premium on Chinese New Year’s Eve,” said Zhang Zian.

  Pi suddenly became uneasy. “Eeek?”


  Zhang Zian knew what Pi worried about. At present, its novel was available to readers free of charge, so almost 30,000 readers had put Pet King into their libraries, many actively participating in the comment section and the Book Group. Once it became Premium, how many people would pay to read a novel by a novice writer?

  Only time could tell.

  It was impossible for Qidian website to keep providing novels for free. If the website didn’t make money, it wouldn’t be able to pay its employees, maintain operation of the server, or promote novels. Becoming Premium was inevitable for successful novels.

  “Pi, don’t worry. The editor is very optimistic, I am too. Your performance has exceeded a lot of people’s expectations, you have nothing to be afraid of.” Zhang Zian comforted Pi earnestly. “A lot of people—the editors of Qidian, the reading list owners, the ordinary readers—are supporting you.”


  He logged into QQ on his computer, opened the Book Group to let Pi look at the readers in the group and said, “Pi, 300 strangers have gathered in a virtual space because of you. That’s a marvelous thing!”


  Pi quietly looked at the screen, its glasses reflecting a glare.

  After a long time, it nodded vigorously and typed: I promise I won’t let you guys down.

  “I believe you.” Zhang Zian patted Pi’s shoulder gently.

  He straightened and looked out the window to see Wang Qian and Li Kun returning with two big plastic bags. He said to Pi, “I’m going downstairs. Take this time to write.”


  When Zhang Zian made it to the first floor, Wang Qian and Li Kun were just entering the shop. Holding the plastic bags, they asked, “Master, we bought the fireworks. Where should we put them?”


  “How many did you buy?”


  The bags were filled with various kinds of fireworks, many of which Zhang Zian didn’t even know about. Since he didn’t specify which types to buy, Wang Qian and Li Kun bought some of every kind.

  “Master, where do you want to set them off? We can help you!” Wang Qian and Li Kun hoped that Zhang Zian would take them with him.

  “I can set them off by myself. You guys go clean,” Zhang Zian, waving his hands, asked them to get back to work.

  Old Time Tea stuck its head out from behind the TV and asked, “Zhang Zian, I think I smell sulfur and saltpeter. Am I right?”


  Zhang Zian put the fireworks in front of Old Time Tea. “You were sad to learn that fireworks were prohibited in the city on Chinese New Year’s Eve, right? Don’t worry, we can still set them off, in the suburbs.”


  Old Time Tea looked in the bags. “I just mentioned it casually. You didn’t have to spend your money.”


  “It’s not my money.” Zhang Zian picked the bags up and went the storage room on the second floor. He guessed that it was Old Time Tea who had stopped and punished the robbers that night, so, to fulfill Old Time Tea’s wish, it wasn’t too much to ask Wang Qian and Li Kun to spend money on fireworks.

  After he safely placed the explosives in the storage room, he received a message from Lu Yiyun.

  “Dr. Sun is looking for you downstairs.”


  “I’ll be there right away,” he replied.

  He quickly walked to the first floor. Sun Xiaomeng was standing in the outer room of the pet shop, looking at the several pregnant Abyssinian cats.

  “Are they going to give birth soon?” she asked Zhang Zian.

  “Probably after the Spring Festival,” he replied.

  “Here.”


  She threw a gadget, which Zhang Zian caught. It was her car key.

  Sun Xiaomeng was going to her hometown and wouldn’t use her car during the Chinese New Year. Since Zhang Zian wanted to visit the police dog nursing home, he asked to borrow Sun Xiaomeng’s car, sparing him from the trouble of finding a taxi.

  “Thank you.” Zhang Zian put the key in his pocket.

  “You don’t need to thank me, you’ve helped me too. I didn’t have any place for those abandoned cats and dogs.” She gently shook her head. “One more thing, after you use my car, remember to wash it and fill up the tank, or I won’t let you for borrow it next time.”


  Zhang Zian was embarrassed that Sun Xiaomeng knew him so well because his original plan was to return her car without washing it or filling it up.

  Just when he was about to declare that he wasn’t that kind of person, he saw a police car parked on the side of the road.