Ch 4: Guide to Running a Shop in Another World

Bai Ming seemed completely unfazed by the low pressure emanating from his boss—or rather, former boss—and repeated his statement calmly, “I’ve decided to resign. The resignation letter is already in your office.”

The selection process for amusement park guards was stricter than ancient emperors choosing concubines. Saying it was one in a million wasn’t an exaggeration.

For a high-level amusement park that often conducted restricted-level games, the requirements for guards were even more stringent—they had to be strong, resilient, and capable of maintaining order.

Bai Jian had handpicked Bai Ming from millions, carefully nurturing him for a month and putting him through thirty rounds of game assessments. Bai Jian was very pleased with him.

Just half an hour ago, Bai Jian had been proudly bragging to his colleagues, Qing and Chi, about how capable the new guard was—a talent that only came around once in a century.

And now, not even a full day later, this guy wanted to quit.

Bai Jian couldn’t accept this blow. His face darkened. “Give me a reasonable reason.”

Bai Ming pointed to Lu Yao. “I want to work at her shop.”

Bai Jian glanced at Lu Yao and casually surveyed the surroundings, thinking to himself when such a shop had popped up outside the park. He didn’t pay it much attention, pulling Bai Ming aside to quietly persuade him. “What’s so great about this shop? You should know that you’re born to be a guard at the park. Only here can your nature and abilities be fully utilized.”

Bai Ming remained unmoved and simply said, “Her shop serves real food.”

…Real food?

Bai Jian found that ridiculous.

For the past month, he had been taking Bai Ming through various games, unaware of the special qualities of Lu Yao’s snack shop. He assumed Bai Ming was just making up a ridiculous excuse to quit.

Not wanting to give up on Bai Ming, and with Qing and Chi watching from the side, Bai Jian, as head guard, had to maintain some dignity. With a stiff face, he reluctantly said, “Fine, I approve.”

Bai Ming immediately turned to Lu Yao. “Shop owner, when do I start?”

Lu Yao: “…”

How can I handle this hot potato? She thought, especially with the man next to her glaring daggers at her.

Being a guard seemed like a high-potential, well-paying job, and Bai Ming appeared to be highly valued. Having him as a simple shop employee might be a waste of his talents.

Bai Ming could tell Lu Yao was hesitating. He couldn’t allow that—he had to stay, even if it meant being persistent, just so he could have sweet soup every day.

He softened his demeanor, brushing his hair with his hand to appear more innocent. “Shop owner, I don’t mind hard work. I’m a quick learner, and I don’t care about the salary. As long as I can eat here, I’ll do whatever you need.”

Well… that was hard to refuse.

With the tasks getting harder, new dishes constantly being added, and the shop potentially expanding in the future, Lu Yao was already overwhelmed. She desperately needed help.

One more consideration was that she was still unfamiliar with this world, and hiring the wrong person would be risky.

Given Bai Ming’s background as a park guard, and the fact that his boss had tried to keep him, he seemed like a reliable person.

His reasons for joining were also clear—he was attracted by the food.

“Let’s do a one-week trial. If you can handle the work, you’ll be officially hired after that.” Lu Yao made the decision despite Bai Jian’s murderous glare.

“Thank you, boss. I’ll work hard.” Bai Ming, who had only just finished a game session with Bai Jian and hadn’t officially started his guard duties, had no attachments to the amusement park.

As soon as Lu Yao agreed, Bai Ming immediately began helping her close up shop.

Seeing no room for negotiation, Bai Jian returned to the amusement park, his face dark.

Qing and Chi, who had just witnessed the whole scene, turned to follow Bai Jian.

Chi, being the more straightforward of the two, noticed Bai Jian’s displeasure and tried to console him. “Bai Ming is new and still young. It’s only natural for him to act impulsively. Next time, choose someone more steady. Don’t take it too hard, Chief.”

Bai Jian couldn’t hear any of it, nor did he want anyone else to continue watching his embarrassment. Keeping his expression cold, he said, “You can leave now. After spending a month in the game, I’m exhausted and need to rest.”

With that clear dismissal, Qing and Chi left the 99th floor in a daze.

Bai Jian sat in his office, fuming. The more he thought about it, the angrier he became. He had invested so much time and effort into training Bai Ming, even seeing him as his successor. Now, this young girl had so easily snatched him away.

He was unwilling to let it go.

At that moment, the doors of the amusement park opened, and the NPC staff who had been in the game started clocking out. Some were still in their monstrous forms, while others were covered in blood.

The NPCs who had just emerged from the game were full of excitement. They eagerly found familiar faces to share amusing stories from the game, mimicking the terrified expressions of challengers who had been scared out of their wits. Their faces twisted into mischievous and evil grins.

Bai Jian’s thoughts were interrupted by the noise. He opened his office door and called over a passing NPC.

The NPC, upon seeing Bai Jian, instinctively shrank back a bit and slowly shuffled over. “Chief Guard,” the NPC greeted timidly.

Bai Jian, expressionless, said, “I need you to handle something.”

The NPC, knowing better than to refuse the Chief Guard, quickly agreed, especially since the task wasn’t difficult.

Bai Jian returned to his office and casually used illusion magic to create a three-headed miniature version of Bai Ming.

He placed the mini Bai Ming on the table and, pinching his voice to sound high-pitched, said, “I’m sorry, Chief Guard, I was wrong. Working at the snack shop is so boring, please let me come back to the amusement park as a guard.”

The next second, Bai Jian returned to his normal voice, “Hmm, I’ll think about it.”

Feeling a brief sense of satisfaction, Bai Jian wasn’t quite done. He quickly conjured a three-headed version of Lu Yao and placed mini Lu Yao next to mini Bai Ming.

Mimicking Lu Yao’s voice, he said, “Chief Guard, Bai Ming is so clumsy, no one wants to buy the things he makes. He’s unfit to work in my shop, please take him back.”

Bai Jian scoffed dismissively, “A small temple can’t house a big Buddha.”

…

At the snack shop, having Bai Ming around made Lu Yao’s workload much lighter.

He was strong, meticulous, and helped her pack up the stall neatly. He even replaced the broken light bulbs in the shop under Lu Yao’s guidance.

Bai Ming stood by the window, staring out at the view. “Boss, is the scene outside something you created with illusion magic?”

Lu Yao felt a slight twinge of concern. She had kept the shop doors tightly closed these past few days, avoiding letting customers inside to eat.

The shop was connected to an alternate world, but its physical location was still on the commercial street, so the view outside was naturally from her world.

The commercial street ran along the river. It was originally meant to be part of an amusement park development, but the project had failed, and even the amusement park eventually went under.

A new investor had built a larger amusement park across the river, leaving this area completely abandoned.

Her snack shop was one of several small riverside stores. Though the space wasn’t large, the location was quite nice.

If you opened the window, you could see the quiet flow of the river, with occasional boats passing by. Across the water, most of the facilities of the new amusement park were visible, including the massive red Ferris wheel that slowly turned.

With more customers expected in the future, it would be difficult to keep them from entering the shop, and Bai Ming would be coming and going as well. She would need a reasonable explanation for this.

She had considered sealing the windows but felt it wasn’t very safe, especially since she sometimes used fire in the shop.

Besides, sealing up such a beautiful river view would be a waste. The embankment was lined with flowering trees, and when they bloomed, the landscape became a breathtaking sea of flowers stretching for miles.

Since Bai Ming had misunderstood, she decided to go along with it. “Yes, it’s an illusion I created. Not bad, right?”

Bai Ming nodded, lightly tapping the window sill with his finger. “Hmm, very nice. It looks just like… scenery from another world.”

Lu Yao’s back straightened slightly, her heart rate quickening. She smiled and said, “It seems my illusion skills are quite good, convincing enough to be mistaken for the real thing.”

Bai Ming glanced back at her and nodded in agreement. “The boss’s illusion magic is indeed impressive. Is there anything else you need me to do?”

“Yes, I’m planning to add a few new items to the menu, but I’ll need to go… I mean, gather materials. You can go home and rest for now. Come back in the evening to help me test the new dishes. I’ll teach you how to grill the chicken wings then, how does that sound?” Lu Yao said pleasantly, trying to make a reasonable offer.

Bai Ming had no objections, of course.

After closing the shop, Lu Yao made another trip to the farmers’ market.

In the evening, when Bai Ming arrived at the shop, Lu Yao was busy preparing new dishes, and the room was filled with a fragrant aroma.

Bai Ming immediately headed for the stove, his red eyes gleaming with interest. “What are you cooking?”

“Something tasty, but don’t worry about that right now. Come over here, I’ll teach you how to use the grill.”

Lu Yao felt like she had found a treasure—no wonder the amusement park next door wanted to keep Bai Ming. On his very first attempt, he mastered the use of the grill, perfectly grilling chicken wings with golden, crispy skin and tender, juicy meat inside. His control of the heat and seasoning was spot on.

Unable to hold back her praise, Lu Yao patted him on the shoulder. “Great job! Tomorrow, I’ll leave the grill to you.”

After training her new employee, Lu Yao went back to testing the new dishes.

Bai Ming, as the official taste-tester, devoured plenty of delicious food, nearly swallowing his tongue in delight.

…

The next day, when Lu Yao’s snack shop opened, customers quickly noticed the addition of a new employee, one who looked rather intimidating.

If the shop owner hadn’t introduced him as the new staff member, the customers might have assumed he was a guard from one of the amusement parks next door.

With Bai Ming around, Lu Yao didn’t have to worry about any heavy lifting, whether it was moving the grill, stove, or sweet soup.

She put out a small sign she had written the night before, advertising the new dishes. Even though there was a limit to how many were available, and three new items were being launched at once, the customers’ enthusiasm didn’t wane. Orders flooded in.

“Shop owner, give me one of each of the new dishes.”

“I want some too!”

Lu Yao turned to Bai Ming and said, “Xiao Bai, the grill’s all yours. I’ll handle the pancakes.”

Among the crowd, Chen Meiyue and Li Shasha had come again, and as soon as they saw the new items, they ordered a full set.

Chi, with his vibrant red hair, stood in the middle of the crowd. Lu Yao immediately spotted him, and he even winked at her. However, the young man in the blue robe with shark-like teeth wasn’t with him this time.

Meanwhile, Bai Jian stood by his office window, looking down at the long line forming outside the snack shop.

He couldn’t figure out what magic this snack shop had to draw in so many people.

Noticing three familiar figures in the line, Bai Jian nodded in satisfaction—his plan was in motion, and the NPC had carried out his orders to bring them to the shop.

Downstairs, one of the amusement park’s NPCs, Dudu, shuffled forward in the line, his nose twitching constantly as he drooled. Unable to hold back, he complained to his companions, “It’s so slow. When will it be our turn?”

Paopao swallowed his saliva and whispered, “Be patient, we’re almost there.”

The most composed of the trio, Dongdong, watched as his two friends were clearly mesmerized by the shop owner’s illusion magic. He couldn’t help but remind them, “Wipe your mouths. We’re on a mission—don’t embarrass yourselves like this.”

The day before, Chief Guard Bai Jian had given Paopao a task, and Paopao had enlisted Dudu and Dongdong for help.

The three of them were the lowest-level NPCs in the park, but this time they had been given an important mission by the Chief Guard.

They were determined to use their refined acting skills as low-level monsters to ruin the snack shop’s reputation, hoping to impress the Chief Guard and earn promotions and raises.

Feeling a bit wronged, Dudu muttered, “I don’t want to drool, but the shop owner is too amazing. Why does her food smell so good? I really want to eat it.”

Paopao rubbed his belly and nodded in agreement. “It really does smell delicious. I want to eat it too.”

Dongdong, who thought his friends were a lost cause, sniffed the air but tried to feign indifference. “It might smell good, but it’s just an illusion. You can’t actually eat it. Stay focused, and don’t forget our mission.”

As the line moved forward, it was finally the three troublemakers’ turn.

They had never eaten at the shop before, and the menu had only a few items, all at very affordable prices.

Drooling, Paopao and Dudu ordered everything on the menu, while Dongdong settled for just three of the new items.

There were many customers today, and with the outside seating filling up, Lu Yao opened the indoor dining area to help spread out the crowd. She quickly pulled the curtains to cover the windows.

Originally, Paopao and the others had planned to sit inside, but as soon as a table opened up outside, they quickly claimed it.

Dongdong sat down and prepared to review the plan with his two clueless friends once more.

Illusory food didn’t have hygiene or health concerns, but it could pose safety risks.

Apart from the amusement park, there weren’t many entertainment options in this world.

Some people, who didn’t want to visit the park but still craved excitement, created food to sell using illusions. They infused these illusions with malice, driving those who ate it mad, just for fun.

People with weak wills would be corrupted by the malice and turn into monsters, causing chaos.

Paopao and his two friends planned to fake madness after eating the food, smashing up the snack shop, and then accusing the shop owner of injecting malice into the food. This would ruin the shop’s reputation, ensuring no more customers would come, which would accomplish the Chief Guard’s goal.

But in reality, as soon as Paopao sat down, he eagerly grabbed the chive and egg pancake from the plate in front of him—one of the new items on the menu today.

The pancake, about the size of a palm, had been pan-fried to a crispy golden-brown. The thin skin revealed the green chive and scrambled egg filling inside, and the aroma was mouthwatering.

Paopao took a big bite, his teeth sinking into the soft, oily dough. The filling included finely chopped vermicelli and stir-fried minced meat, blending perfectly with the fragrant chives and fluffy eggs. The vermicelli was tender yet springy, and the meat added a savory richness. Wrapped in the delicate pancake, the flavors were so heavenly Paopao felt like his soul was leaving his body.

Dongdong noticed something was off about Paopao. His eyes rolled back as his body trembled, as if he was about to go mad. For a moment, Dongdong even wondered if the shop owner had indeed infused malice into the food.

Meanwhile, Dudu couldn’t resist anymore and dug into the roasted pig’s trotter, another new item on the menu. The pig’s trotter was larger than his hand and had been roasted to a beautiful caramelized brown, sprinkled with a variety of fragrant spices. The aroma was both spicy and intoxicating, making Dudu’s mouth water uncontrollably.

Dudu took a big bite of the pig’s trotter. After being marinated overnight, the meat was tender and flavorful. It had been stewed until soft and then grilled over charcoal in the morning, allowing the excess fat to render out. The skin was crisp, and the gelatinous layer underneath was rich but not greasy, melting in his mouth.

With his mouth glistening with oil, Dudu shook his head in delight and called out, “Dongdong, hurry and eat, this is so good!”

Across from him, Paopao remained silent, having finished both the pancake and pig’s trotter. He then grabbed the bowl of sweet soup, gulping it down in one go, his face flushed from the heat.

Feeling hot, Paopao grabbed the strawberry soda next to him, pressing his face against the cool glass, and groaned in bliss, “Ah~ This is heaven.”

Upstairs, Bai Jian stood by the window, watching the three NPCs sit down and start eating. His eyes gleamed with anticipation.

The show was about to begin.

He watched as the first NPC ate the food and showed a dumbfounded expression, thinking the madness was about to start.

But a few minutes passed, and nothing happened.

Bai Jian thought, This NPC is just too dense. No matter, there are still two more.

Then the second NPC ate, shaking his head and thoroughly enjoying the meal.

Now, only the third one remained.

Dongdong, watching Paopao and Dudu act strangely after eating, pushed aside the chive pancake and roasted pig’s trotter, but he couldn’t resist the allure of the strawberry soda.

In the transparent glass was sparkling water, with tiny bubbles clinging to the sides. At the bottom of the glass lay a layer of vibrant red jam, with ice cubes and freshly cut strawberries floating on top, garnished with a small mint leaf. The drink smelled refreshing, with a hint of fruity sweetness.

Dongdong couldn’t hold back any longer. He stuck out his tongue to take a sip, and his eyes immediately lit up. He grabbed the glass and downed a large gulp.

He drank so quickly that the water spilled from the corners of his mouth, but he didn’t care. The drink was sweet and sour, icy cold, and slightly tingly on his tongue—it tasted like pure summer.

Paopao, having finished his food, reached out to grab Dongdong’s drink.

Dongdong caught his hand, “What do you think you’re doing?”

Paopao put on an innocent face. “You don’t like it, so I’ll help you finish it.”

Dongdong pushed him away. “Get lost, who said I don’t like it?”

With a chive and egg pancake in one hand and a roasted pig trotter in the other, Dongdong ate so much that oil dripped from his mouth.

The three little NPCs finished their food, licking their fingers multiple times to make sure they hadn’t missed a single taste. Only when they were absolutely certain there was no more flavor left did they reluctantly get up.

Back at their dorm, they felt like they had forgotten something. They thought about it for a while but couldn’t remember.

“Oh well, it’s probably not important.”

Bai Jian: “…”

As for the new items, Lu Yao had several ideas in mind. After testing them all last night, Bai Ming had said that the spicy roasted pig trotters and the chive and egg pancakes were the best.

Lu Yao decided to trust the taste buds of someone from this world and chose to launch the roasted pig trotters and chive and egg pancakes.

The strawberry soda had been Bai Ming’s favorite, selected after he had sampled more than a dozen drinks that Lu Yao had mixed.

Judging by the customers’ reactions today, his recommendations were spot on.

As the rush subsided and the number of customers dwindled, Lu Yao thought she could take a short break. But suddenly, someone rushed out of the shop, looking panicked, shouting, “Shop owner, someone’s fighting inside!”

Lu Yao’s heart skipped a beat. “What happened?”

“They were all fighting over the window seat, and things escalated quickly.”

He, too, had wanted to sit by the window. The illusion outside was so realistic that you could see the Ferris wheel turning in the distance, along with people walking around. If you listened closely, you could even hear various sounds.

Unfortunately, he hadn’t been able to win against the others and could only stand back and watch the drama unfold while munching on his snacks.

🛍️🛍️🛍️🛍️🛍️

Thingyan: Hey, could this Bai Ming be the ML? 🤔🤔🤔