For those who have pets at home, a light-colored short fleece sweatshirt is a great choice. It doesn't shed and doesn't show any hair that might fall off. I have three cats and one dog, and I'm a small-time Pet Video Blogger. I take care of the pets, and they take care of me.
To keep my furry overlords happy, I was squatting at the entrance of the community pet store, stocking up on supplies. My client had just settled the bill with me, and feeling a bit puffed up, I felt like I was radiating wealth.
At that moment, a deep voice came from behind me. "Why is there only a dog here? Where's its owner?"
I turned around to see a man in an apron standing at the entrance of the grooming area, looking in my direction. He had broad shoulders and a narrow waist, with his sleeves slightly rolled up, revealing well-defined forearms.
He said to me, "Come on, time for a bath."
I was taken aback. Was he talking to me? A bath?
Before I could react, his shadow loomed over me. My instincts kicked in, and I stood up, backing away toward the store entrance. "Um... I'm sorry... I don't need a bath!"
To my surprise, he was quicker than I was and reached the door first. "Sorry, I'm nearsighted; I didn't see clearly just now." He adjusted his glasses and continued, "What do you need to buy? What breed are your pets? How old are they? Do they have any allergies?"
A barrage of questions left me flustered, feeling as if I were being interrogated.
"I... I have three cats and one dog; they're all strays that I picked up," I stammered, my usual confidence evaporating as I spoke.
He listened intently before starting to recommend various pet snacks and nutritional supplements.
"This Cat Treats is nutritionally balanced and has a great taste, making it perfect for cats."
"This Yogurt Freeze-Dried can supplement probiotics, which is beneficial for the digestive system."
"This chew stick can help dogs clean their teeth and prevent tartar."
As he spoke, he picked up a bag of opened Yogurt Freeze-Dried and handed it to me.
"Want to try? It's pretty tasty."
I hesitated, looking at the "Pet Snacks" label on the packaging, and slowly took a piece to put in my mouth.
It was tangy and sweet, and not bad at all.
He smiled, "Tastes good, right? How about a chew stick?"
"No... no thanks!" I quickly paid and fled the Pet Store.
I reached up to touch the ears on my hoodie.
As I walked away, I couldn't help but glance back.
Inexplicably being treated like a dog.
Inexplicably eating cat snacks.
Inexplicably, my heart raced.
***
The yogurt bites were delicious.
At home, five mouths quickly finished off a box.
Then the other four mouths turned to me, howling.
Seeing that I wasn't moving, Big Orange charged over with a force that nearly crushed me.
"Go buy! Go buy! I'll go buy it right now!"
The store only had the owner sister Gu Lan present.
"Shishi is here! What would you like today?"
"Lan Lan, are there any yogurt cubes left?"
"Yes, I'll get some for you right now."
I looked around the store, feeling bored, and noticed that the figure from yesterday was missing.
"Lan Lan, did the store hire new people? There was a guy I didn't recognize when I came in yesterday."
Gu Lan took a few packs of yogurt cubes down from the top of the shelf.
"You mean Gu Yu? That's my younger brother; he came to help out temporarily."
"Oh, I thought they had hired someone new."
"He's a 'bomb disposal' expert; I don't really need him here."
"A bomb disposal expert? That sounds a bit dangerous."
He looked so gentle; I never expected him to be involved in such a risky job.
"Well, it's usually fine; he generally succeeds," Gu Lan explained.
Well, if he doesn't succeed once, there won't be a second chance, right?
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