Chapter 50: 42

Chapter 42

How Much Is Your Pet?

Translated by boilpoil
Edited by boilpoil

 

After Bai Yao’s inexplicable temporary ‘disappearance,’ Mu Mu’er has been inseparable, even watching him from the corner of the kitchen when Bai Yao is working in the kitchen at night.

Two days later, Bai Yao ends up moving one of the single sofas on the living room upstairs down here, putting it next to the big rock in the kitchen for Mu Mu’er to sit.

Mu Mu’er doesn’t seem to mind the heat in the kitchen or the fur on his body. He simply sprawls himself on the sofa next to the rock, rolling his sea otter body into a little ball, watching Bai Yao without moving.

Bai Yao would glance at him whenever he’s a bit freer, worried Mu Mu’er would overheat. He tries convincing him to stay outside, and promises him he’ll always be in the kitchen.

After several such talks, Mu Mu’er finally saunters outside, and lies down by the floor, keeping a close eye on the door. He’s worried Bai Yao would suddenly be gone like last time if he doesn’t keep watching.

The restaurant is open right now, but there are still few customers as it has only been open for a bit. The customers have filled up all the booth seats, however.

About 5pm, a family comes in with a boy seven or eight years of age. They sit near the back of the restaurant close to the kitchen door.

The boy is quite restless, and keeps looking everywhere from his chair. He sees the round little sea otter by the kitchen almost immediately.

The boy’s eyes widen immediately, and while more reserved at first, he starts to think about how soft the sea otter looks. Soon, he becomes bold enough to run over and touch.

Mu Mu’er sees the kid running towards him with his unwashed little hands, and shrinks a little away. He’s unwilling.

He remembers Bai Yao told him he cannot yell at customers, though, or bite them. Or bad things will happen to Bai Yao.

He doesn’t understand what the bad thing is, but he also doesn’t want to be touched by the kid. Still, the desire not to cause trouble wins out, and he allows the boy to touch him a few times.

And the kid doesn’t know how to control his strength either. His petting is more accurately ‘beating.’ Then he also grabs Mu Mu’er’s tail and pulls.

Mu Mu’er’s tail hurts a little.

The boy probably comes from the big city. He’s seen cats and dogs, but not sea otters, so he’s curious.

Mu Mu’er just showered this morning, so he smells fresh and fruity. His soft fur is also puffy. It’s like he’s touching the clouds on the sky.

The spoilt kid likes the feeling very much, and so points to Mu Mu’er, yelling at his mother, “mom! I want this!”

His mother is looking at her phone, and glances at Mu Mu’er lying softly on the floor after hearing that. She looks repulsed.

“You always want everything. This thing is dirty. Who knows what diseases it has,” she then turns her attention back to her phone.

The boy starts throwing a tantrum with his demand unfulfiled. He raises his voice, even though he’s in public, and yells loudly, “I want it! I want it to be friends with Lucky!”

Mu Mu’er is scared. He doesn’t understand why the boy wants him. What is lucky? Does he want to hug?

He doesn’t want to hug the brat. He only hugs with Yaoyao.

This stresses him out, as he makes a ‘woop’ sound and starts flopping back to the kitchen. The brat is grabbing one of his paws, though, so Mu Mu’er is unable to slip away as the boy’s grip strengthens. He continues yelling, “mom! I want it!”

“How would we even get it on the plane? Aren’t you just going to throw it back here after playing with it?”

She is speaking with a tone that treats the sea otter not as a living, breathing animal, but some cheap plastic toy that can be discarded at will.

The commotion has drawn Bai Yao out from the kitchen, only to see the boy grabbing Mu Mu’er by the tail and paw away towards his table.

Mu Mu’er is grabbing the ground with his other paw and legs, not wanting to be pulled away, but he is unable to run away. His eyes are watering from the pain, and he makes a sorrowful whimper towards Bai Yao when he sees him.

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The parents are decked out in high class attire. The woman is holding a bag that probably costs 5 figures, and her hair is quite dramatically wavy.

“Your pet?” She is nowhere near as tall as Bai Yao, yet she still raises her chin high to look down on him, “how much? We’re buying it.”

Bai Yao realises what’s going on. His fist tightens. His chin forms a rather chilling edge as he grits his teeth.

Mu Mu’er is finally freed from the boy’s grasp, and immediately starts retreating behind Bai Yao to hide.

The boy immediately follows after his new ‘toy,’ trying to grab Mu Mu’er by the tail.

Before he can do so, though, Bai Yao stops the boy, and lifts him up and back to his mother. He did hold back, but the boy still stumbles a little.

Now the commotion has also drawn the attention of several other desks, and the chatter dies down.

The brat is now swinging his mother’s hand about with clear intention. He yells at his mother, “I want it I want it.”

Bai Yao glares at him, “the sea otter is not for sale.”

He’s tall and muscular, with a tattoo on his arm. There is an ear piercing on his right ear, and his hair is tied into a bun behind his head. He looks like the typical tough guy with a bad temper.

The boy is stunned, at least, and stops yelling. He is still looking at Mu Mu’er, though, like one would at a teddy bear in a Dickensian toy store. He only wants it because he does not have it. He’d lose interest and throw it away in two hours at most.

The mother is quite defensive, and starts scolding Bai Yao, “what do you mean ‘not for sale’? You don’t sell things here in your restaurant? It’s not like we’re not paying. It’s just a pet, name a price. Not for sale? What’d you say to a million or two?”

The father, meanwhile, appears like your typical busy executive. He was in the middle of a call, but now that it’s finished, he immediately joins the woman’s side.

He appears quite haughty. Though Bai Yao looks unwilling still, he does not back off. He tries puffing his chest out, which appears slightly farcical to be honest, but still could not get onto the same eye level as Bai Yao.

“You’re pretty arrogant for a restaurant chef.”

Yes, but a restaurant has the right to refuse service. Bai Yao furrows his brows, and is going to ask them to leave, but then, Mu Mu’er grabs his legs with his paws, and ‘roars’ at the family. His little pointy teeth is showing. Quite aggressively.

Bai Yao only gets it after a moment——The little guy is trying to protect him.

The woman grows impatient, “so what’s it gonna be? A hundred thousand should be enough for anything, right?”

Bai Yao takes another step, and puts his hands in his pockets, blocking Mu Mu’er once more, and says, “he, is, not, for, sale!”

She probably doesn’t actually mean to buy it either, and just needed to discourage her brat for the moment. She pushes the boy on the back, and says, “he’s not selling. Just go take a photograph instead. We’re leaving.”

The tone is so matter-of-factly that it’s like Mu Mu’er is some simple statue by the roadside without any right or say in the matter.

Bai Yao, though, knows not to refuse outright. As the boy takes his phone out, Bai Yao leans to lift Mu Mu’er up by the armpits. He holds Mu Mu’er in his embrace, letting him rest across his arm.

His vision rising in the air doesn’t daunt him anymore. Mu Mu’er looks back at Bai Yao, then moves his body a little to sit more comfortably, before looking around and at the family, sniffing.

The little thing has forgotten the hostility already. The boy’s phone facing him only makes him curious, and he tries to sniff it.

The moment the boy takes the photograph, though, Bai Yao suddenly flashes his hand across Mu Mu’er’s face. His large palm has completely concealed Mu Mu’er’s little face, not even showing a single whisker.

Bai Yao smiles rather deviously at the boy, and unapologetically remarks, “apologies. No photographs either.”

The boy looks up at his mother, and his mouth starts to drag downwards like he’s preparing the most annoying cry ever.

The parents also seem rather awkward. Colours flush through their faces, before they cuss and just take the child away.

Before they leave, they grumble, “not selling, not even letting customers take a photograph? What kinda piece of useless shit are you keeping?”

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