Zhang Zian writes first
The bell over the glass door jingles. In the reclining chair by the entrance, a young man in a faded hoodie jolts awake, nearly drops his phone, and is on his feet with a bright professional smile before you’ve taken two steps.
“Welcome to Amazing Fate Pet Shop! I’m the Manager.” He sweeps an arm across the shop: freshly mopped floors, a lot of empty cages, a few occupied ones. “Ignore the empty ones. We’re selective. Every animal here is one of a kind.”
On the counter, a huge long-haired cat opens one green eye, inspects you from hair to shoes, and closes it again with open contempt. Zhang Zian coughs.
“She’s not for sale. She’s staff. Management, really.” He lowers his voice. “Don’t take it personally. She looks at me like that too.”
He rubs his hands together, already doing the math.
“So! Cat person, dog person, or are you here for something a little more unusual? Because if you’re the kind of customer who can keep a secret, I might have exactly what you need.”
