Zhang Zian had seen the basket hammock chairs installed in other people's homes before, and he thought it was quite novel. He saw couples flirting with each other on the double basket hammock chairs, and other kids rocking around on the single basket hammock chairs with storybooks or iPads in their hands after school. Zhang Zian didn't have a girlfriend or a kid, so he just forgot about it after a glance.
Pi didn't have a suitable bed. He remembered that the basket hammock chair seemed to be quite suitable for it, so he thought of buying it online. It was definitely expensive in a physical store, and there weren't as many styles as online, so it was more troublesome to choose.
The biggest advantage of buying things in a physical store was that you could sit on the chair and try it on the spot. Not to mention the fact that Pi currently couldn't leave the pet shop, even if it could, taking it out would cause trouble.
When Richard came to the pet shop, Zhang Zian asked Sun Xiaomeng to help him apply for an artificial breeding permit. This permit was for wild animals. Although rhesus macaques were also wild animals, China prohibited private breeding of primates, unless it was for your own wife and children.
Primates such as monkeys and orangutans were close relatives of humans, and the viruses they carried could be transmitted to humans, especially a virus called Herpes B. Monkeys basically wouldn't get sick if they carried this virus, but once it was transmitted to humans, the fatality rate was as high as 80%.
Similarly, viruses carried by humans could also be transmitted to monkeys and orangutans. For example, a common flu could be fatal to them.
In addition, monkeys could also carry rabies, and private owners couldn't take the risk of breaking the law by taking them to a regular hospital to inject rabies vaccines into them.
Young monkeys and orangutans were very cute, but when they became sexually mature, they could become violent and aggressive. These were the reasons why private breeding of primates was prohibited in China.
Pi was actually not an animal, let alone a primate. It was an elfin that borrowed the appearance of a monkey, but there was no way to explain this to others. To be safe, it was better not to bring Pi to the public, or it might cause unnecessary trouble, and it was even more impossible to take it to a furniture store to try out the basket hammock chair.
Richard had almost died because of the latent virus in its body, because it was an animal that had once existed. However, as an imaginary elfin, Pi wouldn't carry the virus in its body, so there was no need to worry about the virus spreading to the customers in the pet shop.
After all, Zhang Zian was not a guerrilla group that performed monkey shows on the streets. Those people led monkeys around the streets to make money, and they specifically went to small cities without considering the consequences. However, he could not do that.
He moved the mouse and browsed the popular basket hammock chairs on the e-commerce website. He stared at the extravagant promotional slogans on the page and muttered to himself, "What do you mean by imported PE vines? What was a food-grade environmentally friendly rattan? Is this thing edible or what?
A weight bearing capacity of 300 jin … was more than enough.
The cushion padding … could it be black cotton?
What color should I choose … Logically speaking, Monkey should prefer the color of forgiveness …
After a preliminary look at the size, style, and color, he went to look at the comments of other buyers. He was shocked when he saw the comments. Some of them said that the boom was bent out of shape and broke, and that it hurt his family. Some said that the rattan had a strange smell and couldn't be dried for a few days, and that it gave him a headache from the smell. In comparison, the paint peeling off, and the unstable storage were all trivial matters.
If one shop didn't work, he went to another shop. If it still didn't work, he went to another shop … Time always passed quickly when surfing the Internet. When Zhang Zian finally found a shop that seemed to be of good quality and relatively expensive, he placed the order. It had been half an hour since he turned on the computer.
Looking at the four-digit number on the payment interface, he made up his mind and quickly closed the webpage to prevent himself from regretting it.
He stretched and was about to stand up, but when he turned his head, he found that Pi had come over. It was leaning on the sofa's armrest, staring at the screen with great interest. Its round brown eyes were full of curiosity, and the screen was reflected on its spectacles. It was still holding its untitled book in its hands.
"Pi, do you want to play on the computer?" Zhang Zian pointed at the computer on the coffee table.
Pi should know what a computer was and how to use it. After all, it had used the chatroom in the library to ask for help from readers.
"Eeek!"
It hesitated for a moment and stood still. It scratched its chest and the back of its neck, as if it was itching to play, but it didn't move out of shyness or some other reason.
Pi's actions were really like a monkey's. As a young monkey, it was as innocent and cute as a human child. Its big round eyes often flashed with sparks of wisdom, which made people curious about what it was thinking.
Zhang Zian was especially puzzled. Pi was very shy and didn't know how to talk. It obviously wanted to play on the computer, so why didn't it come over to play?
"Is it afraid of breaking it?" He guessed and smiled at it. "It's okay. This is an old computer. It's not worth much, and there's nothing important in it. It's okay even if it's broken."
"Eeek!"
Pi's left hand was holding the untitled book tightly. Its right hand opened and closed, and it took a small step forward.
Is it afraid that I or someone else will steal its book? Is that why it doesn't dare to put down the book? It's hard to hold a book while playing on the computer.
Zhang Zian pondered for a moment, then stood up from the sofa and said, "Ah, I just remembered that the work downstairs is not finished yet. Those two idiots can't do it alone … Pi, you stay here for a while. I'll go downstairs."
As he spoke, he hurried out of the living room, leaving only a small gap in the door.
He ran downstairs and saw that Wang Qian and Li Kun were almost done cleaning up, so he told them to hurry back to school to prepare for the make-up exam. Then he gave Lu Yi Yun a few words, turned around, and quietly walked back to the second floor.
Through the gap in the door, Pi had been staring at the computer screen, as if it was something very attractive. It looked around. Zhang Zian wasn't there, and the elfins had all gone downstairs. It was the only one in the house. It relaxed, sat carefully on the sofa, and put the scarlet untitled book next to the laptop.
At this time, the voices of the aunties from the neighborhood committee came from the alley behind the shop.
Pi was so scared that it shivered. It quickly held the untitled book in its arms, hid behind the sofa, and curled up in the corner, trembling.
Zhang Zian complained in his heart.
He could tell that it was Grandma Gu who was talking in the alley. She was the leader of the neighborhood committee.
The aunties of the neighborhood committee usually fought wits and courage with the shop owners on this street. In order to collect the sanitation fees, management fees, public maintenance fees, and garbage disposal fees, they had developed a loud and clear voice that could be heard from half a street away. Zhang Zian's Amazing Fate Pet Shop and Sun Xiaomeng's Spirit Curing Pet Clinic were the focus of Grandma Gu's attention. In addition to the usual fees, she also collected animal quarantine fees and urban road occupation fees from them.
It was the beginning of the New Year, and it was almost the Lunar New Year. Grandma Gu led the aunties from the neighborhood committee to carry out the Spring Thunder Action, striving to fire the first shot of the New Year and exceed the quarterly fee target.
Listening to the voice, Grandma Gu would soon go to the front door of the pet shop to collect the fees. The key was that her loud voice scared Pi, who had just sat down to play on the computer.
Zhang Zian had no choice but to go back downstairs and send her away first.
As soon as he went downstairs, Grandma Gu, wearing a red armband, came into the door.
Grandma Gu was in her sixties and was full of energy. She walked quickly and did things quickly. It could be said that she was the number one boss of Zhonghua Road.
"Hey, Zian, your place is quite good …" Grandma Gu looked at the shop with a smile. She was wearing a green down vest and a pair of reading glasses tied to a string in front of her chest.
"Oh, it's okay … Grandma Gu, your body is really good. The more you live, the younger you become!" Zhang Zian flattered. "Are you here to collect sanitation fees today?"
"Yes!" Grandma Gu looked at Lu Yiyun, who was painting with her head down. "Zian, you also hired a helper here? You should have done this a long time ago. I used to come here to collect fees, but you were often not here, and I was always closed at the door. "
"Oh." Zhang Zian would not say that he deliberately ran away when there was no business in the shop.
He could not hide today, and he was blocked in the shop. He had the consciousness of facing a big boss, so he took out his wallet and asked, "Grandma Gu, how much do you collect this quarter?"
"452 yuan and 80 cents."
"The price has gone up again!" Zhang Zian complained.
"We all collect fees according to the rules. The higher-ups have uniformly adjusted the fee standard, so we can only raise the price … Well, I will erase the small change for you, and you can pay 452 yuan," Grandma Gu said generously.
Zhang Zian was speechless. At least erase this 2 yuan. How could he erase 80 cents?
Although he was complaining, he still paid the money.
The neighborhood committee did not accept online transfers, so he had to pay in cash. When he saw that the money in his wallet was not enough, he asked Lu Yiyun to take the money from the counter and hand it to Grandma Gu.
Grandma Gu gave him a receipt and asked him to go to the neighborhood committee to exchange the invoice in a few days.
"Oh, I almost forgot. Zian, fill this out and hand it in when you exchange the invoice." Grandma Gu handed him another form.
"What is this?" Zhang Zian's heart tightened. Did the neighborhood committee develop a new fee program?
"Your business here is good. I heard that your shop is also very famous on the Internet, right?" Grandma Gu put on her reading glasses and asked while counting the money.
"Uh … It's not bad," Zhang Zian answered cautiously. He dared to brag to anyone except Grandma Gu. He had to pretend to be weak everywhere.
He did not know if Grandma Gu's question contained a hidden trap. What if she raised the fee after he admitted that he was a little famous?
"Well, after comprehensive consideration, our neighborhood committee has decided to recommend you to run for our Dongcheng District's May Day Model Worker, so you have to fill out this form." Grandma Gu confirmed that the amount of money was correct, carefully folded the money neatly and put it in her pocket. She looked around and said in a low voice, "Zian, don't be too honest when you fill out the form. It doesn't matter if it's a little exaggerated. Everyone does it. If you are too stubborn, you will suffer. If you can be named as the May Day Model Worker, our neighborhood committee and Grandma Gu will also be proud. "
"Okay, I got it …" Zhang Zian did not like to participate in this kind of troublesome thing. After all, there was no financial benefit, but since Grandma Gu had spoken, he did not dare to disobey.
"Okay, then I'll go first. I have to go to other shops to collect fees." Grandma Gu said goodbye with satisfaction.
As soon as she stepped out of the shop, Zhang Zian caught up with her from behind with the form in his hand.
"Wait a minute! Grandma Gu! "
"Zian, what's wrong? Are you going to give me New Year's money so early? "Grandma Gu immediately stopped.
"That's not it …" Zhang Zian thought that no one had given him New Year's money yet.
He pointed at the form and did not know whether to laugh or cry. "Grandma Gu, did you make a mistake? This form is for the selection of the March 8 Red Banner Bearer … "
Fortunately, he found out in time. If he filled out this form inexplicably and handed it in, his lifelong reputation would be ruined.
"Ahem! Look at me! "Grandma Gu patted her thigh, took out another form from her bag and handed it to him." Here! This should be the May Day Model Worker. See if it's right? "
Zhang Zian checked it and confirmed that it was correct this time.
When Grandma Gu left, he threw the form and receipt aside, returned to the second floor again, and quietly peeked through the gap in the living room door.
Grandma Gu's voice was too loud. While she was talking to Zhang Zian at the door, Pi seemed to have been hiding behind the sofa in fear.
Pi was different from Galaxy. It was not afraid of people, but it was afraid that someone would take away its nameless book. Even when it slept at night, it would not let go of the book.
As Grandma Gu's voice gradually faded away, Pi raised its head and listened. The pet shop was quiet again, except for the occasional meowing and barking of kittens and puppies from downstairs, as well as the noise of Richard.
Pi sat back on the sofa timidly, as if it was ready to run away at any time.
It put down the book again and stared at the laptop screen with its eyes wide open. A confused look gradually appeared on its face.
Oh no!
Zhang Zian suddenly remembered that Pi did not understand Chinese. His computer had a Chinese operating system, and it was different from the library's system.
Should I go in and help it?
He hesitated.
"Eeek!"
Pi blinked, opened the nameless book, and flipped through the pages, as if it was looking for something.
After a while, it stopped, stretched out its finger, and pressed it somewhere on the page. It stared at it attentively, and its finger was still moving slowly with its line of sight, just like a human learning how to use a certain electrical appliance through a tool book.
Zhang Zian also wanted to scratch his ears and cheeks, and more and more wanted to know what was written in the book.
Pi studied it carefully for a few minutes, and then flipped to another page to continue studying, and then closed the book. The confusion on its pink face had disappeared, leaving only joy and eagerness.
It held the mouse with its right hand and opened the browser that Zhang Zian had closed.
Zhang Zian set the browser's home page to the search engine. Pi stared at the flashing cursor in the search bar, and gently put its ten fingers on the keyboard.
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