Chapter 202: Chapter 202: Let’s Go Out and Have Fun
"Bin, is this really a pet store?" The tiny pet store was now crammed with five young women, a truly dazzling sight. This was Bai Yanni’s first question upon entering; at first, she thought she’d walked into the wrong place—the kind of establishment she often had to raid.
"Sun Qian and the others are leaving soon, so I hired two new employees to take their place." Shen Yibin quickly guided Officer Bai to a seat on the sofa. Before he could even say a word, Gao Shu took the initiative and brought Bai Yanni tea and fruit. Shen Yibin gave a slight nod of thanks, then asked, "By the way, what have you been up to? It’s been a while since you last came by."
’With all these girls here, how could you even remember me?’ Bai Yanni was about to say. But the thought that Sun Qian and the others were leaving brought a secret smile to her face, so she swallowed her complaint. "I’ve been busy with a big case, which involved a few trips out of town. I just got back to Yunzhong City."
"That must have been tough. You shouldn’t leave tonight, why don’t you stay for dinner?" Shen Yibin asked with concern. "There weren’t any accidents during the case, were there?" The mention of a "big case" immediately made him think of the vicious criminals from cop dramas.
When she heard Shen Yibin say "you shouldn’t leave tonight," Bai Yanni’s heart suddenly began to race, and her ears burned as if they were on fire. She only relaxed a little when he mentioned dinner, but for some reason, she was still overcome with a feeling of disappointment.
"It was fine. What, you think it’s like a cop movie? Those guys practically pissed themselves the moment I flashed my badge." Once she had calmed down, Bai Yanni said, "Anyway, it’s not appropriate for me to discuss the details with you. I actually came here to tell you something else. Those two guys who broke into your store have been sentenced. They’ll be spending the next few years in prison."
"That’s good." ’Those two had committed a crime punishable by "three years minimum, death penalty maximum,"’ Shen Yibin thought. He wouldn’t have to worry about them coming back for revenge anytime soon. By the time they got out, Egg would have long since gone with Sakai Kaori to become a deity for the Japanese at the Honjin Raccoon Shrine. ’Let’s see them try to steal from there.’
"Also, are you expanding the store?" Bai Yanni pointed next door, her brow furrowing slightly. The intermittent sounds of electric drills and saws from the construction site were quite grating.
’The construction noise is affecting business, but there are only a few pets left anyway,’ Shen Yibin mused. ’It’s the perfect time to train the new staff. Worst-case scenario, after these last few are sold, I’ll just take a vacation. Come to think of it, ever since opening the store, I haven’t really taken a proper trip for myself, other than taking Hah’Er to Sichuan to hook him up with a lady friend. Now that I have the chance, I should definitely go and live a little. It’s not like I’m short on cash anymore.’
"Yeah, I rented the storefront next door. I’m going to knock down this wall and combine the two shops into one. It’ll be much more spacious, and Hah’Er will have a place to play, too." ’Speaking of living a little, this seems like a good time to visit Xu Ye’s villa, doesn’t it?’ With that thought, Shen Yibin extended an invitation to Bai Yanni. "Officer Bai, are you free anytime soon? We should go on a trip to the mountains together."
"Just the two of us?" Bai Yanni got excited all over again. She even forgot the other important matter she had come to discuss as she looked at Shen Yibin, full of anticipation.
"Of course not. We’ll all go." Shen Yibin happened to turn away at that moment and missed the look in her eyes. "If the five of them want to go, they can all come. And Hah’Er, Egg, and Cheeky, too. Plus, I invited a few classmates. We can all go to Xu Ye’s family’s villa and have a good time for a few days."
"Oh, I see." Bai Yanni was a little crestfallen. "Alright, just let me know the date in advance once you’ve decided. I’ll have to see if I can clear my schedule."
"I’ll ask Xu Ye right now." With that, Shen Yibin picked up his phone and sent Xu Ye a message on WeChat. "When are you free? We want to come hang out at your villa."
"Anytime is fine. You should ask Qiao Wenqi and her friends first, though, right?" Thanks to helping the zoo film a PSA, Xu Ye had landed a few big contracts. But after the signing, his staff naturally took over, and he had returned to his usual life of leisure. ’The life of a rich heir sure is enviable,’ Shen Yibin thought.
"I already asked them. How about the day after tomorrow? It’s the weekend, so those two don’t have to work." After typing out the message, Shen Yibin asked Bai Yanni, "Does this weekend work for you?"
"No problem," Bai Yanni replied. "I’ve accumulated a lot of leave from my trip, and there’s nothing urgent at the bureau lately, so I can request the time off."
"Great, this weekend it is." Shen Yibin pressed send. On the other end, Xu Ye immediately began making preparations, calling the staff at the villa to have them clean the rooms and prepare food.
"The place is in the mountains south of the city, surrounded by pristine forest. There’s a small lake nearby, so we can go swimming. Oh, and don’t forget to bring a swimsuit," Shen Yibin explained to Bai Yanni. "You guys can go for a swim, and Hah’Er and I will have a barbecue for you by the lake."
"Okay." Hearing Shen Yibin mention swimsuits, Bai Yanni proudly puffed out her chest and glanced over at Sun Qian and Sakai Kaori. ’My swimsuit is going to completely blow them away. These little girls are no match for me.’ And then... her gaze landed on Sylvie, and her confidence was instantly shattered. ’An Asian figure just can’t compete with a European one, after all.’
The two of them chatted a bit more about the upcoming trip before Bai Yanni finally remembered the real purpose of her visit. "Oh, by the way, since you’re renovating the new shop, how about our bureau handles the outdoor security cameras for you? That should prevent a repeat of what happened last time. The indoor cameras are still on you, just like before, but make sure it’s a solid setup."
"No problem. I’ll have Li Zhen and his team coordinate with you. You provide the plans, and I’ll have them do the actual installation." This was a fantastic offer, so Shen Yibin readily agreed.
After dinner, Bai Yanni went home to get ready for the trip. ’Other things can wait, but I absolutely have to pick out a brand-new, top-of-the-line swimsuit!’
Shen Yibin also told Gao Shu and Li Shiqing about the trip. Unfortunately, Li Shiqing had her thesis defense over the weekend. As for Gao Shu, she hadn’t been home in a long time and wanted to use the holiday to visit her family and bring some tutoring materials to her two younger sisters. So, they both had to regrettably pass on the outing.
"Don’t worry, I’ll take you guys along next time," Shen Yibin could only offer as consolation.
By the time the weekend arrived, all the pets in the store had been sold. Shen Yibin packed up early, ready to take the group out for some fun.
