Ch 18: Guide to Running a Shop in Another World

Every day, the sanatorium sent ten patients to the snack shop. According to the caregivers, all the patients who ate the special meal had fully recovered.

The fruit candies that Lu Yao gave out also had a very positive effect—patients who ate them showed signs of improvement and began to look forward to their next visit for treatment.

During the midday break, after sending off another group of patients with soul-loss syndrome, Lu Yao continued her work in the kitchen, testing out new dishes. The aroma filled the air.

Bai Ming, Xingzi, and Xiao Qie lingered nearby, hoping to snag some scraps for snacks.

Qing entered the shop, ignoring Qi Chen, and walked straight to the kitchen. “Boss.”

Lu Yao looked up. “Qing, long time no see.”

As the shop’s very first customer, Qing had left a strong impression on Lu Yao. He had visited once or twice but then only the red-haired young man who accompanied him returned.

Qing gave a slight nod, his gaze falling on the pot in front of her. “I’ve been busy lately and couldn’t come by. Can I have a meal?”

Normally, the shop didn’t serve customers at this time, but it seemed like Qing had come specifically for a meal.

Remembering that he lived far away, Lu Yao nodded. “What would you like?”

“Anything is fine,” Qing said, trying and failing to hide his hunger as he swallowed. “I passed the guard assessment for the Ninety-Ninth Floor Dreamland and will be transferred here tomorrow.”

Lu Yao smiled. “Congratulations! We should celebrate. I’m working on a new set menu—would you like to try it?”

Qing was pleasantly surprised but remained composed. “Thank you, Boss.”

Over the past two days, her live-stream viewers had been obsessed with the idea of an all-inclusive set menu, constantly urging her to introduce new dishes.

Lu Yao had abandoned the idea of just launching the pineapple sweet and sour pork on its own and started developing a full set menu.

Qing’s meal included a generous serving of pineapple sweet and sour pork, a portion of braised pork belly, stir-fried lettuce tips, a small plate of shredded radish salad, a bowl of three-flavor liver and meatball soup, and a bowl of rice—plenty of food.

Qing chose a corner seat, not wanting to be disturbed while he ate.

The view outside, with the serene river and picturesque sky, didn’t interest him at all. His attention was fixed on the food in front of him.

The braised pork belly was savory and tender, falling apart at the touch of his chopsticks, the rich sauce dripping from the juicy fat. Qing stuffed three pieces into his mouth at once, followed by a large bite of rice drenched in the braised sauce. His cheeks puffed up like a hamster’s, but before he had finished chewing, his eyes were already on the sweet and sour pork.

The dish, with its thick, orange sauce, exuded the tangy aroma of tropical fruits, making his mouth water even more.

Qing swept half of the pork onto his rice and shoveled large spoonfuls into his mouth.

Qi Chen, watching Qing devour his meal, was alarmed. He had tried to stop Qing at the door earlier, but now seeing his sharp teeth, even more dangerous than Xiao Qie’s, he realized he had underestimated him.

Lu Yao, on the other hand, found Qing’s hearty appetite quite satisfying. Seeing a customer enjoy her cooking so much lifted her spirits.

“Boss, more rice, please.”

“Sure thing.”

Qing finished his meal and even took some coffee and cream cookies to go when he left.

Meanwhile, back at the District C Cake Shop park.

Chi sat in his office, looking troubled. Qing had taken several days off and hadn’t shown up for work. Chi felt uneasy—he had gone to Qing’s house yesterday and knocked on the door, but no one answered.

Chi increasingly suspected that Qing had fallen ill with soul-loss syndrome, and that it was already quite severe.

Taking time off was often the first step. The next was resignation, followed by isolating oneself at home, not seeing anyone or speaking, until they simply vanished.

Soul-loss syndrome used to primarily affect ordinary people, as guards, with their strong wills and powerful soul forces, were rarely affected. Moreover, they worked in Dreamland, a protective environment. But in the past two years, some guards had begun to show signs of the syndrome as well.

Apart from Guard Du from Qingshan Amusement Park, the previous guard at the Ninety-Ninth Floor Amusement Park also died from soul-loss syndrome.

The more Chi thought about it, the more disheartened he became.

Just then, the office door opened, and Qing walked in.

Chi immediately stood up and approached him. “Qing, are you okay?”

Qing shook his head. “I’m fine. I brought coffee and cream cookies. Want some?”

“Yes!” Chi eagerly accepted them. “You went to the snack shop? Why didn’t you invite me?”

Qing sat down, took a sip of his coffee, and frowned slightly at the bitterness. “I went to take the guard assessment.”

“Guard assessment?” Chi began to sense something was off. “For the Ninety-Ninth Floor Amusement Park?”

“Mm-hmm.”

“… So, all this time you’ve been frantically entering games to prepare for the assessment?”

“Mm-hmm.”

“… You don’t have soul-loss syndrome?”

“… No.”

Chi was speechless. His colleague wasn’t sick at all, but instead was diligently working toward a promotion. Compared to Qing’s hard work, Chi, who had been slacking off and overthinking everything, felt like a complete fool.

There was a brief silence.

Chi finally spoke, “So… did you pass?”

Qing smiled slightly. “I did.”

Chi: “…”

The coffee suddenly tasted very bitter. Chi furrowed his brows, unsure what to say next. At least Qing wasn’t suffering from soul-loss syndrome.

Recalling the lunch he had at the snack shop, Qing couldn’t help but comment, “The snack shop owner is working on a new set menu. I had it for lunch, and it’s better than anything I’ve had before. I can help you buy one in advance when it’s released.”

Chi, realizing something, asked, “… So, you took the assessment just for the snack shop?”

Qing nodded. “Yes. When Bai Ming left, I knew the Chief Guard would be selecting a new guard for the Ninety-Ninth Floor, so I started preparing.”

Chi: “… Let’s end this friendship!”

He didn’t even invite me to the snack shop! What a joke—I’m the real clown here!

…

Lu Yao’s snack shop launched a brand-new set meal, including one meat dish, one vegetable dish, a side dish, soup, and rice.

Each meal cost 300 hours and was limited to fifty portions per day.

The set became wildly popular among the residents of Dreamland, with customers scrambling to get one every day.

Many who couldn’t get their hands on the set begged Lu Yao to increase the quantity, but she refused, as it was simply too much work.

As Lu Yao prepared the lunch sets in the kitchen, Xingzi came in and mentioned that someone had come to apply for a job.

She had posted the job ad a long time ago, and now someone had finally shown up. Lu Yao set aside her work and went out for the interview.

The applicant, Quan Shengju, was a tall and lean man in his thirties with an ordinary appearance and a somewhat shy demeanor.

Lu Yao thought he looked familiar. A vague image flashed through her mind. “Were you one of the soul-loss syndrome patients who came to eat here?”

Quan Shengju was surprised that Lu Yao recognized him, and he relaxed a little. “Yes, I was one of the first patients to eat here. After eating at your shop, I fully recovered, and I moved to District A after being discharged. I’ve been seeing your job posting for a while but didn’t have the courage to apply. Recently, with the launch of the new set meal, I’ve been trying for a week and still couldn’t get one. I… I used to be a chef. I’ve worked at food stalls and also cooked private meals. I’d like to apply for the chef position at your shop. Do you think I’m qualified?”

Apparently, his frustration at not being able to get the new set meal had finally pushed him to apply for the job.

Lu Yao, by now used to having employees who were primarily interested in the food, smiled at his honesty.

She had been looking for a chef for a long time without much hope of finding someone suitable. Yet, here was a real chef standing before her.

However, Lu Yao didn’t agree right away. She set up a simple test, asking Quan Shengju to prepare the staff lunch, giving him access to the kitchen’s ingredients.

Quan Shengju eagerly entered the kitchen, his eyes lighting up when he saw the fresh ingredients on the shelves.

He hadn’t cooked in a while, but as soon as he stepped into the kitchen, he was determined to give it his all and secure the job.

After packing up the lunch sets for the customers, Lu Yao went to check on Quan Shengju’s progress.

The young man, with his sleeves rolled up and apron tied tight, moved through the kitchen with the ease of a seasoned professional. He chopped, prepped, and stir-fried with precision and efficiency.

The first dish was ready, and Lu Yao tasted it. Her eyes lit up.

Lu Yao had always been confident in her own cooking skills. She loved eating and experimenting with recipes. Quan Shengju’s cooking, in her opinion, was exceptional. His knife skills were precise, and his control over heat and seasoning was spot on. The dish had the perfect balance of flavor and aroma. She said without hesitation, “Delicious.”

Xiao Qie passed by, and Lu Yao called him over, pushing the plate towards him to try Quan Shengju’s cooking. “How is it?”

Xiao Qie took a couple of bites, hesitated, and said, “It’s good, but not as good as what the boss makes.”

Quan Shengju, a bit nervous, tasted his own dish and nodded in agreement. “Indeed, it’s not as good as the boss’s.”

Lu Yao found it amusing. These guys were all quite savvy. She waved her hand and laughed. “No need for that. Your cooking is great too. I think it’s good enough.”

Holding back his excitement, Quan Shengju confirmed, “So, you mean…”

“You’re hired,” Lu Yao said.

【Lu Yao’s Snack Shop successfully hired five employees, officially forming a team. Upgraded to a five-star shop. Please continue your efforts, shopkeeper!】

【Spend 50,000 popularity points to upgrade the shop to a two-story building. Upgrade now?】

The snack shop had been experiencing large crowds. Even though the space had recently expanded, it still felt cramped during peak times. With the many gifts she had received through live streams, Lu Yao now had a surplus of popularity points, so upgrading was definitely an option.

Once upgraded, the second floor would be for selling coffee, tea, and desserts, while the first floor would remain a snack shop, eliminating the need to separate morning and afternoon shifts.

After some thought, Lu Yao chose “upgrade.”

However, the shop would need to undergo a twelve-hour maintenance period, meaning the upgrade couldn’t happen immediately. Since she planned to launch a new noodle dish in three days, she decided to combine the upgrade and the launch, livestream it, and further increase the shop’s popularity.

–

Conductor Gao Yang sat on the train he had conjured up, staring at the passing scenery outside the window. Mixed with his boredom was a tinge of despair.

It had taken him five years to create a subway network that spanned all thirteen districts. People loved his trains and enjoyed riding them between districts, just like when they were alive.

Every day, Gao Yang would also ride his own trains, taking different routes to different areas.

He had traveled through all thirteen districts, but he could never find the destination he truly wanted to disembark at.

Every place was the same.

The people here were all souls with lingering regrets, and there was no real life in this world. Time had long since stopped.

They were trapped in this desolate world, unable to leave, and couldn’t choose their own stops to get off at.

Suddenly, a group of people entered his view. Today, he was once again riding the train from District E to District A.

It seemed that every day, at this time, there was always a group of people who boarded at this stop and got off at the Ninety-Ninth Floor station in District A.

This group had blank expressions, with no light in their eyes—patients with soul-loss syndrome.

That was quite peculiar. The journey from District E to District A wasn’t short.

Patients with soul-loss syndrome typically didn’t like moving around or interacting with others, yet recently, these patients seemed to regularly travel in groups to District A.

Suddenly intrigued by their destination, Gao Yang walked over and tried to start a conversation.

The patients, all dressed in matching outfits, sat in a row, with two caregivers watching over them.

None of the patients paid Gao Yang any attention, but one of the caregivers heard his question and kindly explained, “We’re going to a snack shop near the Ninety-Ninth Floor Amusement Park in District A for treatment.”

Gao Yang blinked. “Treatment for what?”

“Soul-loss syndrome,” replied the caregiver.

Gao Yang was puzzled. “A snack shop can treat soul-loss syndrome?”

The caregiver nodded. “I’m not sure about other snack shops, but the one on the Ninety-Ninth Floor certainly can. We take patients there every day, and all those who have been there have recovered.”

Gao Yang was momentarily speechless, unsure whether the caregiver was joking or serious.

When they reached the Ninety-Ninth Floor station in District A, Gao Yang, for reasons he couldn’t quite explain, followed the group of soul-loss syndrome patients off the train.

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