Ch 75: Guide to Running a Shop in Another World

“Who are you?” The team leader, Lu Yuanfan, shielded Zhou Ying behind him, eyeing Lu Yao with caution.

This small group consisted of five members, all born after the Day of Impermanence. The oldest, Lu Yuanfan, was only seventeen, while the youngest was fifteen.

Their gazes toward Lu Yao were filled with curiosity, but more so with wariness.

This time, the Eternal Night had lasted longer than usual, and their food supplies were nearly depleted. The group had ventured out together in search of food.

Eternal Night was considered a relatively safe period during the Day of Impermanence, as most of the mutated animals and plants were in hibernation, allowing even children to roam freely.

The problem was that the Day of Impermanence had been ongoing for twenty years, and all possible food sources had likely been scavenged multiple times. Even trash bags that once contained food were nowhere to be found.

The group had walked a long way in the dark, nearly getting lost, when they were drawn to the light coming from this place.

A brightly lit, strange little shop inside an abandoned street—it looked like a trap.

Yet something about this store felt different. The bright sign and peculiar name piqued what little curiosity the teenagers had left.

Lu Yuanfan hadn’t wanted to come. Being a bit older, he had gone on missions with adults before and had seen plenty of deceitful situations.

But the other four team members all wanted to check out the shop. Without any other food, going back would mean enduring hunger.

If their luck ran out, they’d starve to death anyway—so why not take a risk?

Lu Yao thought to herself, There are so many of you—if anyone should be scared, it should be me. Why are you all so cautious?

Still, a bit of caution wasn’t a bad thing.

She stepped back, not too friendly but not too distant. “I’m Lu Yao, the owner of this blind box shop. If you’re looking for food, we’ve got hot drink blind boxes and newly added instant noodle blind boxes. You could try your luck.”

Hot drinks? Instant noodles? Blind boxes?

Out of those three terms, only “hot drinks” was somewhat familiar to them—it was something warm you could drink.

Just the idea of that stirred excitement among the team members.

Lu Yuanfan remained wary, but the girl who had first entered, Zhou Ying, had already turned and walked toward the blind box machine. The other three followed her.

Lu Yuanfan: “…”

Zhou Ying curiously leaned against the transparent glass of the hot drink blind box machine. “‘Hot drink blind boxes’—are all these drinks?”

Lu Yao stood by the machine, ready to guide the customers using it for the first time while also observing their expressions and behavior, hoping to learn more about this world and use that information to introduce future products.

“Yes, this machine dispenses delicious hot drinks. There are ten different flavors. You exchange your energy crystals for blind box tokens at that machine over there, then insert the tokens into this slot to draw a drink.”

Having never seen such a strange machine before, Zhou Ying’s question had been almost instinctive, and she didn’t expect the shop owner to answer.

Lu Yao spoke with little expression but her tone was calm and gentle, unlike most of the unfamiliar adults they had encountered.

Zhou Ying was lively but not thoughtless. She knew not to trust strangers easily, yet she couldn’t shake the feeling that this shop owner was trustworthy, giving her a sense of reassurance.

She walked over to the token exchange machine, figured out how it worked, and pulled out a green energy crystal from her pocket, about to put it in.

A teammate stopped her. “What if this is just a scam for our energy crystals? We can’t touch what’s inside those machines—who knows if there’s actually anything in there?”

Lu Yuanfan came over and, hearing his teammate’s words, nodded in agreement. “Exactly. Eternal Night has already lasted nearly ten days longer than usual. Everyone’s food stores are running out. Who would be kind enough to open a shop like this now? Zhang Bo is right—she’s probably trying to scam us for our crystals.”

“Ah, what’s that smell? It smells so sweet! And it’s warm!”

As the three of them debated by the token machine, the two other teammates suddenly gasped in surprise.

Zhou Ying, Lu Yuanfan, and Zhang Bo immediately turned their heads, only to see their two teammates crowding around the young woman who had introduced herself as the shop owner, their eyes fixed eagerly on whatever was in her hands.

Lu Yao noticed that they were still hesitating, so she grabbed a hot drink blind box from the storage and opened it on the spot.

The outer packaging was all the same, and when she had stocked them earlier, she had purposely mixed up the order. Even she didn’t know what was inside until the box was opened.

She handed the can to the two kids in front of her. It was from the new batch of hot drinks, and the packaging now featured ten flavors instead of five.

The new batch had five additional choices, but in terms of taste, there was no difference from the previous batch, as they were all made by Qi Chen.

The two kids weighed the can in their hands, feeling the warmth, which convinced them about eighty percent.

When Lu Yao opened the can, a rich, sweet aroma spread through the air with the rising steam. The two kids’ noses twitched involuntarily, and they swallowed subconsciously.

Zhou Ying and the others quickly gathered around, the sweet scent reaching them even from a distance.

Lu Yuanfan pursed his lips, unable to say a word.

Lu Yao immediately recognized the smell—it was hot cocoa. Kids would hardly be able to resist its charmingly sweet scent.

She took a polite sip first and then offered it to them. “If you don’t mind, give it a try. This is hot cocoa, very fragrant. All my blind boxes are genuine, no tricks here.”

Lu Yuanfan tensed up, worried that one of his teammates might act impulsively. Thankfully, they only stared longingly at the half-open can in Lu Yao’s hand, holding themselves back.

The smell was just too enticing.

The next second, Zhou Ying reached out, took the can, and drank a sip. Her dark eyes immediately lit up. “It’s so good! So sweet and smooth!”

The others’ already fragile resolve collapsed in an instant, and they eagerly passed the can around.

“Mmm!!! So good!!!!”

“It’s so sweet!”

“I’ve never tasted anything this delicious!”

“Can I have another sip?”

Finally, only a small amount was left, and the can was handed to Lu Yuanfan.

Lu Yuanfan: “…”

He took it, glared at Lu Yao resentfully, and dipped his finger into the last bit of cocoa, carefully licking it. A faint bitterness spread across his tongue, followed by layers of rich, lingering sweetness that gradually filled his mouth.

Lu Yuanfan’s eyes widened in surprise as he savored the taste, then he tilted his head back and gulped down the rest of the now-cooled hot cocoa.

Next to him, Zhou Ying eagerly asked, “Are all the drinks in the machine like this?”

Her question indicated the growing appeal, and Lu Yao was satisfied with the effect. Still, she maintained her calm exterior.

“The hot drink blind box machine contains all kinds of drinks, not just hot cocoa. There are other flavors as well. The instant noodle blind box machine next to it is newly stocked. It offers six flavors of instant noodles.”

She had already realized that these kids seemed unfamiliar with hot cocoa and instant noodles.

This world wasn’t exactly what she had initially expected.

Both the instant noodle and hot drink blind boxes were priced at fifteen yuan per draw.

After some discussion, the team decided to exchange thirty yuan worth of blind box tokens to try two draws.

Lu Yao stood by as they tossed their so-called “energy crystals” into the exchange machine, which then dispensed round coins with different values depending on the crystals’ colors.

Lu Yao asked the system, “When those energy crystals go into the machine, are they being compressed?”

System: 【…The owner is clever.】

The energy crystals varied in size and color, with different amounts of stored energy, and their values reflected that.

The crystals, extracted from mutated plants and animals, were irregular in shape. The exchange machine simply compressed and quantified their energy into blind box tokens for easy use.

Lu Yao: “So, what’s the use of these energy tokens for me?”

The system sounded oddly nervous: 【…As far as I know, people in this world use energy crystals as a power source. They can generate electricity, make weapons, and even provide heat. Essentially, they are condensed energy blocks with limitless possibilities. The owner can try developing other uses for them.】

Lu Yao: “…In short, it’s not very useful for me at the moment.”

System: 【…That’s not entirely true. Its use in this world is akin to the value of time in the Dreamland.】

Lu Yao was already used to this situation. While others opened blind box stores to burn through players’ money, here she was, burning her own money no matter what kind of store she opened.

In front of the blind box machine, Zhou Ying and Lu Yuanfan each held their 15-yuan blind box coins, ready to give it a try.

Lu Yuanfan decided to draw from the hot drink machine. After inserting the coins, a small red light lit up next to the machine, and with a clatter, a drink dropped out.

He picked up the can, feeling its warmth, and finally felt reassured—it was heavy and warm, just like the one the shop owner had opened earlier.

Meanwhile, Zhou Ying stood in front of the instant noodle blind box machine. After inserting her coins, the small red light lit up, and a box dropped out.

She retrieved the box, noticing that it appeared small when inside the machine, but once taken out, it seemed to have grown slightly. She had no idea how it worked.

After both draws were complete, the team members gathered around, ready to open the hot drink blind box first.

Lu Yuanfan placed his hand on the can, feeling surprisingly nervous.

They had all looked at the list of flavors, and aside from the hot cocoa they had just tried, the rest were unfamiliar. Each name sounded incredibly enticing, filling them with eager anticipation for the unknown.

With a “click,” the can opened, and a unique floral scent mixed with a slightly sour sweetness wafted out.

The team froze for a moment, then erupted in joy—it seemed they had drawn a new flavor.

Zhou Ying leaned in to smell it. “It smells so good, almost too sweet. Is this honey grapefruit tea or matcha latte?”

Even from a distance, Lu Yao could smell the aroma.

She was a little surprised that these kids didn’t recognize the scent of osmanthus or know what fermented rice was.

“This is Osmanthus Fermented Rice Longan Tea,” Lu Yao explained. “It has a calming effect and helps with sleep.”

The five kids passed the drink around, each taking a sip, licking their lips, and smiling with delight. It was incredibly delicious.

The rich floral scent of osmanthus, the sweet and sour fermented rice, paired with the unique fragrance of dried longan—it was a sweetness that went straight to the heart.

In terms of flavor, the kids might have preferred the hot cocoa, but this was the first time they had tasted something so complex. The more they savored it, the more addicted they became.

The osmanthus tea was finished quickly, with each person getting just a sip. All eyes then turned to the box in Zhou Ying’s hands.

The rectangular box had “Instant Noodle Blind Box” written on it, with a diagram of the available flavors on the side: pickled pepper beef noodles, spicy chicken noodles, spicy pork rib noodles, mushroom chicken soup noodles, and seafood noodles.

Zhang Bo pointed at the diagram. “Why doesn’t this have a hidden flavor?”

They didn’t fully understand the concept of hidden items yet, but he had keenly noticed the difference.

Lu Yao clarified, “There are ten hidden items in total in the instant noodle blind box machine, but the hidden feature isn’t the flavor—it’s the extra ingredients. Each flavor of noodles has a chance to contain hidden extras.”

The team members still didn’t quite grasp the idea of hidden items, but they were eager to see what these “instant noodles” were like.

Zhou Ying opened the box, revealing the packaging inside, and several small packets tumbled out. “What are these?”

Lu Yao glanced at the contents and smiled. “You’re lucky—you hit the jackpot and drew a hidden item.”

“Hidden?” They looked at the small packets on the floor, confused. “This is the hidden item?”

Lu Yao sorted through the contents for them. “In a regular instant noodle blind box, you’d only get these few things: the noodle block, seasoning packet, soup base, and a set of utensils. But in your box, you also got this large packet of extra ingredients and this vegetable packet, which are only found in hidden boxes.”

The two extra packets Lu Yao held had a different texture than the rest of the contents.

Zhou Ying didn’t quite understand the term “jackpot,” but she realized she had drawn something special and happily asked, “How do I eat this?”

Lu Yao patiently guided them through the instructions on the box and pointed to the hot water machine nearby.

Following the instructions, Zhou Ying prepared the instant noodles.

She had drawn the spicy pork rib noodles. As the hot water poured over the noodles and seasonings, an enticing aroma immediately filled the air. It was entirely different from the hot drink, yet equally mouthwatering.

After filling the cup with hot water and waiting a while, Zhou Ying added the hidden ingredients.

With everyone watching in anticipation, Zhou Ying tore open the hidden packets.

The first packet revealed two pre-cooked pieces of pork ribs, their aroma filling the air as soon as the packet was opened. The other packet contained fresh, blanched lettuce leaves, giving off the fresh scent of vegetables, which could be eaten after soaking in the hot soup.

The team members stared wide-eyed. There was meat and vegetables—and it looked like it was from non-mutated animals and plants.

Lu Yao had originally wanted to include a fried egg in the hidden items, but the 500-gram weight limit forced her to hold off for now.

Once the blind box conditions were relaxed, she planned to add a crispy, golden fried egg.

Unable to resist, Zhou Ying clumsily picked up some noodles with the provided fork, slurped them into her mouth, and widened her eyes. It took her a moment to react. “Is this really noodles? They’re springy, smooth, and so flavorful it makes me want to bite my tongue! This is way too delicious!”

Zhang Bo, unable to hold back any longer, squeezed in. “Yingying, let me have a bite.”

Lu Yuanfan stood to the side, swallowing hard. The smell of the instant noodles was like a scent bomb, continuously teasing his senses—he wanted to eat so badly.

The five of them shared the single bowl of noodles, leaning on the floor, still wanting more.

The bowl only had two pieces of pork ribs, and Zhou Ying used her hands to tear the meat off the bones and divided it into five portions, giving everyone a taste.

After resting a bit, the five pooled the remaining energy crystals they had on them, just barely gathering enough for 60 yuan worth of blind box tokens.

After much discussion, they decided the instant noodle blind box was more filling than the hot drinks, but the warmth and sweetness of the drinks were also irresistible.

In the end, they chose to draw one hot drink blind box and three instant noodle blind boxes.

This time, it was the other three team members’ turn to draw.

The process of getting the blind boxes was especially exciting for them, as each time was filled with tension and anticipation.

Lu Yao watched from the side, thoroughly entertained. The greatest joy of playing with blind boxes was in satisfying one’s curiosity.

These kids had already fallen into the charm of it.

After drawing their four blind boxes, Lu Yuanfan and the team prepared to leave.

Zhou Ying stopped at the door and turned to Lu Yao. “Owner, will there be more new blind boxes in the future?”

Lu Yao nodded. “Of course.”

The five-member team moved forward into the Eternal Night, using a small energy crystal to light their way, hearts racing as they carried their newly drawn blind boxes.

Zhou Ying’s older brother, Zhou Yan, soon encountered them with his team. His face was stern as he scolded them harshly, “Are you trying to get yourselves killed? Sneaking out at a time like this—don’t you know how worried the adults were?”

The children huddled together, heads down. Zhou Ying tried to speak several times but was too afraid after being scolded by Zhou Yan.

With Eternal Night lasting longer and food running scarce, everyone was starving.

The kids had sneaked out, hoping to find food, unaware of the dangers outside. The parents were terrified.

After the Day of Impermanence, it had become extremely difficult to raise a child.

For these teenagers to reach this age, every meal they had eaten was food their elders and siblings had saved for them.

If they died out here, how could anyone bear it?

Zhou Yan was furious. He had just returned from a mission to the base when he heard that his sister was missing. Without taking a break, he immediately went out to search for her.

Zhou Ying planned to wait for her brother to calm down before telling him about their great discovery, but Zhou Yan had been lecturing for almost twenty minutes and showed no sign of stopping.

A teammate suggested returning to the base to continue the scolding, but they were immediately berated, and no one dared speak up again.

At that moment, Lu Yuanfan pulled a hot drink blind box from his coat and held it out to Zhou Yan. “Brother Zhou Ying, we found a magical shop outside where we can use energy crystals to get food. This is the drink we brought back—it’s really drinkable.” Afraid that Zhou Yan wouldn’t believe him, Lu Yuanfan quickly opened the can. The sweet aroma wafted out with the steam.

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