Ch 74: Guide to Running a Shop in Another World

“It’s you, you’re really a mermaid?” Lu Yao immediately recognized Dumanine. She was more curious about Dumanine’s identity as a mermaid than about the fortune-telling.

In Lu Yao’s world, mermaids were too fantastical.

Who hadn’t heard the story of the Little Mermaid as a child?

The nail salon had previously served a few mermaids, but they were juvenile ones, looking quite similar to human girls.

In truth, Dumanine was the one who fit Lu Yao’s fantasy of a mermaid the most.

When they first met, Lu Yao didn’t know she was a mermaid, and she had thought she’d never see her again.

Leaning against the window, Dumanine nodded, “Yes, I’m a mermaid. But I didn’t realize at first that you’re a time traveler. The view outside is so different from the Alexander Continent—so that’s your homeland?”

As Lu Yao had asked about Dumanine’s identity, she had already walked over to her, and their voices were kept low.

The regular customers weren’t disturbed, aside from the other non-human staff in the shop.

“Yes. Did you come here just to do a reading for me?” Lu Yao asked.

Dumanine nodded. She had been bothered by the results of the last fortune-telling.

After resting in the sea for a long time and learning that Lu Yao was a time traveler, she was confident that this time, she would be able to see something.

The little mermaid was rather persistent. Lu Yao smiled and said, “I’m free right now. How about trying out a manicure? I think I mentioned last time that your fingers are perfect for it.”

Dumanine had heard about the reputation of the nail salon even in the sea, and she wasn’t entirely uninterested.

With Lu Yao’s invitation, she agreed, half-heartedly but willingly.

Since there were so many people outside, Lu Yao decided to take Dumanine to the reception room of the research lab.

Last night, the nail salon had undergone an upgrade.

The research lab space had doubled in size, though the exterior remained unchanged.

The left side was divided into two rest rooms, providing rooms for Tina, Clarissa, Eugenia, and Merulu to rest.

In the middle, next to the rest rooms, there was a small shared lounge area, with two transparent reception rooms nearby for Ambrose and Edward to use.

Although Edward wasn’t officially hired as a staff member—since he was busy looking after his child at work—he was interested in magical nail art and insisted that Lu Yao reserve a reception room for him.

Considering he was paying out of his own pocket, Lu Yao agreed.

The large space on the right was converted into Lu Yao’s personal research lab, complete with an alchemy table for processing materials, a reception area, bookshelves for magical and miscellaneous books, and a large storage room filled with various magical beast materials, rare herbs, and magical gemstones.

In the far corner was a small room with a bathroom—it was her private rest area.

With just Dumanine and herself in the room, Lu Yao handed her a tablet. “Take a look at the designs.”

Dumanine flipped through the photos one by one. Born in the vibrant and colorful ocean, she had seen countless indescribably wondrous sights, yet she was still drawn to the nail designs in front of her, constantly flipping to the next one to see what unique designs awaited.

Lu Yao didn’t rush her and started doodling in her notebook, brainstorming ideas for new products for the blind box shop.

She had just received a system notification. Since she initially chose the beverage direction, until she completed certain tasks to unlock new product categories, the blind box shop could only dispense drink-related blind boxes.

Additionally, each blind box was temporarily limited to weighing no more than 500 grams.

Not yet fully familiar with that world, Lu Yao had initially thought food would be the safest option—after all, even the undead couldn’t resist the temptation of food.

For convenience, she had chosen hot drinks that could be easily produced in the snack shop, but now she felt a bit restricted.

The system had this annoying tendency to wait until she hit a roadblock before providing hints. But it wasn’t a big problem.

There were countless drink options in the modern world. Even if she changed the series every day, she wouldn’t run out of ideas for a month.

Dumanine set the tablet down, bringing Lu Yao back from her wandering thoughts. “Owner, I’d like a set of nails that looks like they belong to a mermaid. The design doesn’t need to be too flashy or magical, but if it could be a bit special, that would be perfect.”

Lu Yao set down her pen and paper, thinking for a moment. “I have a design I haven’t done here before, but it should fit what you’re looking for. Want to give it a try?”

The moment she heard it was a new design, Dumanine’s interest piqued. “Yes, I want it!”

Lu Yao discussed the details with her, then turned to choose the nail polish colors, accessory materials, and special tools she’d need.

Mermaids love the ocean, and in certain places underwater, sunlight can still reach.

The seabed is covered with beautiful shells and colorful stones, with vibrant schools of fish swimming lazily by.

After shaping Dumaning’s nails, Lu Yao applied a protective base coat and cured it. She then used a golden cat-eye polish as the base, drawing out a lovely light effect along the edges with a magnet. Next, she brushed on a thin layer of transparent blue polish, gradually building it up, creating a layered blue effect.

The transparent blue over the golden base shone like sunlight filtering into the ocean, with delicate shimmering specks on the surface.

【A hot drink blind box has been successfully sold. Initial task completed! Popularity +1, blind box category +1.】

Lu Yao paused when she heard the notification.

The new category was unlocked, so she could now consider expanding her product range to other types of blind boxes.

That world was dark, and not because of a power outage—illumination tools might have a market there.

But with the limit of no single blind box exceeding 500 grams, she could consider adding a food category next.

【New task: Sell 50 blind boxes, reward: 50 popularity points, blind box category +1.】

Showing no outward emotion, Lu Yao continued working on the manicure. She found the right tools and took out a box of solid adhesive gel, the star of today’s design.

With a small spatula, she scooped out a bit of the gel and applied it to Dumaning’s nail, then used a molding stick to shape it.

With a few simple movements, the solid gel transformed into a delicate, transparent jellyfish with gracefully extending tentacles.

Using small tools, Lu Yao adjusted the folds of the jellyfish’s skirt and the direction of its tentacles. Once satisfied with the shape, she cured it under a light, then used a soft brush to apply a light layer of purple to the jellyfish’s surface.

After sealing it with a topcoat, the nail displayed a beautiful blend of blue and purple, with a subtle golden glow emerging from the gradient.

Finally, she added a dusting of gold glitter. When she wiggled her fingers, the tiny sparkles twinkled like a dream.

Dumaning raised her hand to admire it for a while, a smile spreading across her face. “What a cute little jellyfish. I also love little octopuses and scallops—can you add those too?”

Octopuses and scallops were favorite foods of mermaids. Lu Yao found the idea somewhat unsettling when she thought about it, yet it also had a comedic touch—wanting your favorite foods to be part of your manicure.

Scallops weren’t too difficult, but making a cute octopus with solid gel would take some effort.

Lu Yao focused and crafted a deep-sea world on Dumanine’s nails, complete with octopuses, scallops, seashells, starfish, fish, and coral reefs. The base colors transitioned unpredictably from blue-purple to purple-red, red-blue, and blue-orange.

When the ten fingers came together, they formed a beautiful yet mysterious underwater scene.

Dumanine gently stroked the nail surface. There were noticeable raised textures, but the design wasn’t overly flashy. The style and color choices hit all her aesthetic preferences perfectly.

She couldn’t help but ask, “Have you been to the ocean?”

How else could someone create such an accurate and adorable underwater-themed manicure?

Lu Yao shook her head. “No, but I’ve watched some documentaries and read relevant books.”

Dumanine had no idea what a documentary was.

Few people in Alexander Continent knew the sea as well as Lu Yao did. Feeling suddenly delighted, she pulled out a new crystal ball. “Let me do a reading for you. I’m feeling very inspired right now.”

Harold knocked on the door from outside, “Lu Yao, it’s time for lunch.”

It was his way of urging Lu Yao to go next door to grab food. He wasn’t fond of the food from the town’s restaurants, finding it far inferior to the snacks from the little eatery.

Lu Yao stood up, “Alright, I’m coming.”

Dumanine had no choice but to wait for Lu Yao to return. She ended up joining her for a special lunch provided by the snack shop before sitting back down to prepare for the fortune-telling.

During the lunch break, the staff gathered around. When they heard that Dumanine was going to perform a reading for the owner, everyone became interested and crowded around.

Just like last time, Lu Yao placed her hand on the crystal ball, and an image gradually appeared… but it was still just a swirl of black mist.

Other than Harold, the staff were seeing Lu Yao’s divination for the first time and found it strange.

“Why is there nothing?”

“Could it be that the owner is someone with strong luck, so nothing shows up?”

“No matter how strong a human’s luck is, it shouldn’t be so strong that nothing appears. Could it be the fortune-teller isn’t skilled?”

Dumanine, however, seemed to have expected this. She took out a black crystal ball, “Owner, I need you to drop a bit of blood on this.”

This was a secret art of the mermaid tribe, a form of divination that consumed life force to forcibly glimpse into one’s fate.

However, since mermaids were a long-lived species, Dumanine was so curious about the secrets surrounding this human that she was willing to sacrifice her own lifespan to uncover them.

Edward, however, stopped Lu Yao and turned to Dumanine. “As far as I know, this form of divination not only consumes the lifespan of the fortune-teller but also shortens the lifespan of the one being read.”

Dumanine nodded, “Just a few years—it’s not a big deal.”

Harold and Mumu tightly hugged Lu Yao, their faces full of worry, forbidding her from drawing blood.

Harold, visibly upset, accused, “She’s human, with only a few decades left to live, and you still want to take away a few more years?”

The non-human staff, all from long-lived species, suddenly became sad at the reminder that Lu Yao had only a few decades left to live.

Breaking free from the dragon and slime’s grip, Lu Yao sighed, “Hey, don’t look at me like I’m about to die! I still have a long time to live.”

The staff’s expressions grew even more sorrowful. For humans, a few decades was a lifetime.

To them, it wasn’t even considered a full childhood.

Harold, realizing he still had over fifty years until adulthood, thought that by then Lu Yao might be close to death, which made the whole dragon feel awful.

Clarissa stepped forward and said, “If the owner’s life is nearing its end, I can harvest your soul and transfer it into another vessel. You’d still live, but you wouldn’t have the freedom of your own body.”

Ambrose added, “Soul harvesting is risky. The owner could just transition early and become a necromancer, like me.”

Edward thought for a moment and said, “If you’re not fond of being a skeleton, I’m still willing to embrace you. Becoming a vampire is an option.”

For them, there were many ways to extend a human’s lifespan.

Harold lightly pinched the corner of Lu Yao’s clothing, lowering his eyes as he awkwardly said, “If you still want to live as a human, I can form a symbiotic contract with you. There’s no risk, and as long as I live, you’ll live too.”

The room instantly fell silent. A dragon offering to form a symbiotic contract with a human was unheard of, especially after what happened at the magic academy.

Everyone found it astonishing, but since it came from Harold, it also seemed reasonable. All eyes turned to Lu Yao.

Lu Yao’s face remained expressionless, “…Thank you all for your kindness, but there’s really no need. Actually, I might, just maybe, possibly live longer than all of you.”

The staff: “…Oh.”

The owner really has a sense of humor. How could she outlive us?

Lu Yao let a drop of blood fall onto the black crystal ball, and the blood was instantly absorbed.

Moments later, blood began seeping back onto the surface of the crystal, gradually forming four strange symbols.

Dumanine’s expression changed.

Those were mysterious ancestral symbols passed down by the mermaid tribe, incomprehensible to the others. But from Dumanine’s face, they could tell something was wrong.

“What is it?” Lu Yao asked, “What does the reading say?”

Dumanine shook her head stiffly, her voice trembling, “I can’t see. I can’t see anything.”

Lu Yao: “…Alright then.”

She had actually been a little hopeful.

Sensing she had lost her composure, Dumanine brushed her hair back and steadied herself. “Owner, I can’t see what specifically will happen in your future. But you are blessed with great fortune; there’s no need to worry.”

Lu Yao: …But didn’t you say last time that I was definitely not someone with great fortune? That change of tone is way too abrupt.

She preferred the proud and rebellious version of Miss Mermaid.

Not wanting to say more, Dumanine quickly packed up her fortune-telling tools and excused herself.

As she reached the fountain square and looked back, she saw Lu Yao still standing at the nail salon entrance, watching her leave. Her suppressed heartbeat suddenly sped up again.

Did the owner know what kind of existence had set its sights on her?

Dumanine suddenly felt weak, her strength draining, and she had aged significantly. The backlash had arrived as expected.

Luckily, she had been cautious and didn’t reveal anything; otherwise, she might have died on the spot.

Like a gust of wind, the mermaid came and went in a hurry.

The non-human staff members wore different expressions, seemingly deep in thought.

Lu Yao glanced at the time. It was still early.

There wasn’t much going on at the nail salon that afternoon, and her mind was occupied with setting up new blind box products, so she returned to her own world.

After a quick trip out, she brought back some supplies, ready to launch a new blind box category.

At the snack shop, Qi Chen had already prepared 166 hot drink blind boxes, waiting for her to pick them up.

Lu Yao dropped off a few boxes of instant noodles at the snack shop, instructing the staff to pack them in the standard blind box packaging. They would be ready to stock in the blind box store.

Instant noodles—cheap, convenient, and popular.

Each box weighed less than 500 grams, came in a variety of flavors, and had broad appeal. It was the perfect choice for a blind box.

The hot drink blind box machine was only a few boxes short, indicating that not many customers had shown up.

Lu Yao stepped outside and took another look. The sky seemed like it had never brightened—it was still pitch black.

Was this world really stuck in eternal night?

She returned to the store to restock. Out of the 166 hot drink blind boxes, she couldn’t fit them all into the machine.

After filling it up, she had three boxes left, so she tossed them into storage, knowing they wouldn’t spoil.

Lu Yao then spent some time at the snack shop before bringing back 200 pre-packaged instant noodle boxes to the blind box store, stocking them into the second machine.

There were six flavors of noodle blind boxes, with one being a hidden flavor.

The hidden flavor came with deluxe ingredients, with each box carefully kept under the 500-gram limit. Only ten boxes of the hidden flavor existed.

Thoughtfully, Lu Yao brought over a hot water machine from the snack shop and installed it in the blind box store.

The shop had a direct water supply, so once installed, the machine could heat water for customers.

If a customer opened an instant noodle blind box in the store, they could directly get hot water to enjoy it.

After about fifteen minutes, Lu Yao finished stocking all the blind boxes and clapped her hands as she stood up.

Voices came from outside, and someone pushed open the door. Four or five young men and women entered in a line.

The girl who entered first looked around, astonished. “It’s really a shop! I wonder if we can find something to eat here.”

Lu Yao immediately put on her business smile. “Welcome to the blind box shop! We’ve just added instant noodle blind boxes. Want to try your luck?”

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