Chapter 268: As Lazy as I am
Translator: Nyoi-Bo Studio Editor: Nyoi-Bo Studio
Zhang Zian was really surprised to hear the two red-headed lovebirds say their first words so quickly. It wasn’t that he was seeking a quick solution, it was just that time was not on their side.
However, Richard seemed somewhat disappointed. It rolled its eyes, bowed its head, tightened its wings towards its body, and got out of the cage. It raised a claw to shut the cage door.
"How is it going?" asked Zhang Zian with anticipation.
"Not very good." Richard stretched its wings a bit. It wasn’t easy for Richard to huddle in the cage with its size, for its head would hit the top of the cage if it jumped even a little.
"Isn’t it faring smoothly? They have learned to say ‘grey’ in such a short time." Zhang Zian felt confused.
Richard fluttered its wings impatiently. "Put that topic aside. Go prepare breakfast and water for me. How am I going to work if I’m thirsty and hungry?"
"Okay, wait just a moment." Zhang Zian sighed, feeling he was a bit too impatient. He just wished he could solve the problem right away.
After coming back to the pet shop yesterday, he went to a supermarket nearby and bought fresh fruits and organic vegetables. He went to the kitchen on the second floor, cut the fruits and vegetables into small pieces and thin strips, and mixed them together. He sprinkled shelled melon seeds and peanuts atop the mixture, and made them look like salads before he poured them into the food bowl. Although they might not look good, they contained the nutrients necessary for birds.
He carried the food bowl downstairs. Having not seen vegetables in a long time, Richard was so excited that its eyes turned green. It flew over and clung to the edge of the bowl with its claws, bowed its head and began to peck at the food.
"Quack! You, the heartless guy, are finally willing to buy vegetables! I have almost forgotten the taste of vegetables..."
"Just shut up! How come even food cannot stop you from talking!" Zhang Zian put another small serving of the salad into the cage for the red-headed lovebirds, and added water into their basin.
Zhang Zian pulled open the shutter door, and the autumn wind that had been blowing outside rushed in all at once. He took a deep breath and inhaled the fresh, cool air into his body, as if a spring that had just emerged from deep down in the earth was reaching every cell of his body. He felt completely refreshed.
Since Galaxy liked moving around, Fina had a strong and healthy body, and Snowy Lionet was covered in thick fur, none of them felt cold. Though Old Time Tea was a little bit intolerant of the cold because of its advanced age, it was staying in the corner of the shop, lying on the electric blanket, and wearing a jacket, so it didn’t think the autumn wind was chilling. "Ah-choo!" Richard sneezed and complained, "When can you install another door? I am a tropical bird; I will get a cold from these sudden changes in temperature."
"In just a few days, we will have a new door." Zhang Zian comforted it perfunctorily.
He left the pet shop, pulled down the shutter door but didn’t lock it, then trotted towards the store recently purchased by Uncle Li and Aunt Li.
There was not much change in the appearance of the store, which was previously a fruit store, with only the characters on the sign replaced by "Li's Snack Bar."
He pushed the door open and saw that the store had been basically cleaned up. Nine tables and their corresponding dining chairs were arranged in a square, awaiting the guests' visits.
Aunt Li was wiping the tables with a rag, and seeing that Zhang Zian had arrived, she immediately greeted him with a smile. "Master Zhang, your food has been prepared — it’s on the counter."
"OK. I see that you're busy, I'll get it myself." Zhang Zi went to the counter and found the foam insulated box. He looked towards the kitchen in the back, but he did not see Uncle Li there.
"Uncle Li is not here?" he asked casually.
"He went to the vegetable market to restock." After wiping a table, Aunt Li would also check whether the napkin boxes, toothpick boxes, salt and pepper shakers, and vinegar bottles on the tables were full.
It seemed liked they were ready to open for business. Zhang Zian asked, "Aunt Li, when is the opening ceremony?"
"Today, and we are opening soon," said Aunt Li cheerfully.
"Congratulations! You’ve come a long way." Zhang Zian congratulated her and secretly touched his own pocket—his wallet was not there, so he would have to give them a red envelope wishing them good luck another day. He thought their store was going to open a few days later; he did not expect that they could get ready so fast.
"That’s true. Finally, we can have our own store." After finishing wiping a table, Aunt Li said bluntly, "The sooner we open for business, the more money we can earn. Our plan is to save enough money for a down payment to buy a house in this neighborhood."
Compared to them, Zhang Zian was relatively lazy. He had no pressure and thus no motivation to earn money. He clearly knew that he was just getting by. But Aunt Li and Uncle Li, who were both over fifty years old, had to keep earning money diligently so their son could have a better life. People with faith were always respected, and Zhang Zian indeed respected Aunt Li, who was looking forward to a bright future, but at the same time, he was deeply repulsed by his own laziness...
In fact, he also wanted to work hard for his son! But he did not even have a girlfriend right now! What could he do? Not to mention having a son, even getting married seemed like an unrealistic dream for him at this time! Thinking of this, he felt like this world was malicious towards the damn singles. Forget it, he decided to continue being lazy.
What Aunt Li didn’t know was that Zhang Zian had already completed a huge psychological reversal in just an instant, and his sprouting ambition had withered...
Though Aunt Li’s dream sounded promising, Zhang Zian was still a little worried about her. There were too many small restaurants in the vicinity, and the competition was fierce. Just like pet shops, newly opened restaurants were basically losing money at the beginning. Could Aunt Li and Uncle Li make it through?
The most crucial factor for a restaurant was the quality of its food. Though people said that good wine needed no brush, in an information explosion era with customers overwhelmed by advertising campaigns of numerous restaurants, who knew whether the food here was delicious if the customers didn’t know about and come to eat at this specific place?
When Zhang Zian had just inherited the pet shop, although he was very confident in the pets he had selected, no one came to visit his shop for a very long time and he almost closed the shop. If it were not for Galaxy, he may have sold the pet shop in dismay, and gone back to work at the company, where he could not be lazy anymore.
But after all, pet shops and restaurants were different—people would always need to eat. And since it was their store’s opening day, it would be inappropriate to say discouraging words. He could only wish them good luck in his heart.
After saying goodbye to Aunt Li, he walked back to his pet shop with the foam insulated box under his armpit. After walking a few steps, he saw a familiar little figure in front of him—two asymmetrical braids, a pair of fluffy earmuffs, and a small red backpack—it must be Little Celery.
Just when Zhang Zian was about to say hello to her, a childish idea came across his mind. He was going to play a prank on her.
He smiled wickedly, imagining the scene when his prank succeeded. He stepped out to his full pace and walked on tiptoe, quickly catching up with Little Celery from behind her back. Just when he was about to frighten her, he found that something was wrong with her today. She was walking slowly with her head down, and didn’t look anything like the little girl who was usually dynamic and full of energy.
What happened?