C13 The New Talent Sharing One

Laughter rippled through the crowd once again.

After a quick lunch, the girls eagerly volunteered to clean up and promptly resumed work.

Thanks to their earlier efforts, the mood in the shop lightened considerably. Throughout the afternoon, people kept seeking Liu Xu's assistance with pet-related tasks and errands.

Liu Xu graciously accepted every request, endearing himself to the girls and, by helping with the pets, he even earned the gratitude of five animals. His mission progress soared, hitting the ninety percent mark.

As closing time approached, Liu Xu, itching for the mission reward, ventured to the backyard several times, hoping to find a pet to complete his mission sooner. Despite his efforts, success eluded him, leaving him increasingly anxious.

Returning to the front shop to wait out the end of his shift, he slumped into a chair, only to be interrupted by the sudden entrance of a female customer.

It was the wealthy young lady who had previously parked her car without engaging the handbrake.

She breezed past the shop assistant trying to engage her, scanning the room until her eyes landed on Liu Xu. A bright smile spread across her face as she trotted over and leaned in to ask, "Oh, you're here! Are you busy? I didn't drive today—I cycled instead."

Liu Xu, puzzled by her rambling, gave her a quizzical look. "Why are you telling me all this? Is there a problem?"

The young woman paused, taken aback, then with a quick flicker of her eyes, she blurted out, "I—I've come to buy a pet."

Liu Xu saw right through her lie and, feeling irritable, bluntly dismissed her, "No sale. Please leave."

Her face fell at Liu Xu's stern response, and she sulked, "Why not? I have the money to pay."

But Liu Xu had no patience for idle chatter.

It wasn't that the attractive woman held no appeal for him; he simply wasn't in the mood for small talk.

"You're probably used to having everything done for you at home, needing others to look after you. How do you expect to care for a pet?"

Liu Xu spoke with a hint of resignation, "Animals need companionship too. Given your track record, you might just forget about it in a few days. You could even end up starving the poor thing."

His words carried no other intent; he simply saw through the woman's insincerity and was trying to dismiss her politely.

What Liu Xu hadn't anticipated was that her thoughts were entirely different from his own.

"...You're right."

She appeared to agree with Liu Xu, her fists tightening slightly as she spoke with earnest, "Don't worry. I actually get quite lonely at home by myself. Now that I've decided to get a pet, I'll make sure to take great care of it."

Well, that was a waste of breath.

Liu Xu listened, dumbfounded, then shook his head and decided to stay silent.

Hsu Xiaoyue had been itching to interject, especially when Liu Xu was turning the woman away. She had to restrain herself from speaking out.

As a businessperson, Hsu Xiaoyue excelled at gauging a customer's financial capacity, and she was no different here. The sight of the girl's 'Montante' bicycle nearly made her leap for joy.

After all, even the most affordable model from that brand costs a small fortune. Anyone riding such a bike is certainly not short on cash!

With her heart racing, she resolved to close the deal and quickly came to the girl's defense, "Miss, may I have your last name? Please, pay no mind to Liu Xu. He's not in charge; I'm the store manager. Rest assured, we will meet all your needs."