Ch 105: Guide to Running a Shop in Another World

Lu Yao put down Tape and Sugar, turning to get a closer look.

Not far from the pet shop, something indeed floated above in the water.

She pressed against the soft membrane wall, observing intently. “It seems…like fish, but why are they all belly-up?”

The depths of the sea were dim, making it hard to see clearly.

Yet the fish floated in a cylindrical spiral toward the surface, where light revealed what looked like belly-up fish.

They drifted in the water, avoiding no predators, remaining eerily still.

Bai Jing joined her. “Some fish, to avoid predators, adapt to other species’ behaviors and may swim upright or head-down. But the fish over there are from different species. Under the coral reefs, there even seems to be a larger predator also belly-up, and none of them move. There’s no cover nearby either—it’s strange.”

After watching for a while, they noticed schools of fish occasionally passing by but keeping a distance from those oddly arrayed belly-up fish.

Bai Jing couldn’t resist his curiosity. “Are they contaminated, or are they dead?”

Lu Yao shook her head. “No idea.”

The deep sea is profoundly mysterious to humans.

This was an unfamiliar ocean region. Although curious, they weren’t quite ready to venture out to investigate.

Suddenly, Lu Yao felt a warm sensation near her ankle, as if a small furry ball had nestled against her.

She looked down to find Tape and Sugar rubbing up against her after finishing their meal.

Since she’d stepped in water at the entrance, she’d left her shoes in the restroom, switching to clean sandals.

Now, the two fluffy kittens brushed against her feet, soft and tickling.

Lu Yao crouched, stroking Sugar’s exposed belly as he mewed, and scratching Tape’s chin while glancing around for Pounce.

She spotted Pounce intently chasing floating creatures outside the transparent wall, his tiny brows furrowed in concentration.

Bai Jing also turned back, lying down again with Double Heart in his arms.

After eight o’clock, he got up to head toward the door. “Store owner, I’ll be back after work this afternoon.”

Lu Yao raised an eyebrow. “You’re coming back?”

Bai Jing looked back earnestly. “Can’t I? Being here makes me feel incredibly calm. If I have no plans tonight, I’d like to come back for a bit.”

Since he was so sincere, Lu Yao felt it would be hard to refuse.

With a cautious expression, Bai Jing asked, “Store owner, couldn’t this shop be open to us?”

Without a temporary badge, he couldn’t enter the special shop. He wanted to keep coming here, and becoming a customer was the best way.

Lu Yao: “…”

Bai Jing’s expression was genuinely sincere; he truly enjoyed staying here.

Quietly lying underwater, petting cats, and feeling a weightless calm seemed to lighten even his soul.

Such a place was rare. No matter the price, he’d be willing to come.

It was an interesting thought.

Lu Yao didn’t refuse outright, nor did she immediately agree. After thinking for a moment, she replied, “I’ll need to consider it.”

Hoping she would say yes after thinking it over, Bai Jing nodded slightly, said nothing more, and left. Outside, he removed the temporary badge and handed it back to her.

Lu Yao put away the badge and returned to the shop.

As expected, there were no other visitors.

With the shop in such a location, even if Lu Yao wanted to attract customers, she wasn’t sure where to start.

The nearby fish wouldn’t be interested in the pet shop, and since no one came to the deep sea, it wasn’t feasible to bring customers down here.

Recalling her own limited diving experience, which had only been in safe shallow waters under supervision, she realized that her view of the sea was limited.

Although she could only see as far as the light allowed, this threshold space was steeped in mystery. Dark green algae swayed with the current, and beneath the coral lay deep, black abysses hiding unknown creatures. Alone here, the ocean felt stiflingly still.

A soft “meow~” broke the silence.

Lu Yao turned, her eyes widening—outside the transparent wall, a small manta ray was gliding along, seemingly playing with Pounce.

Flat and graceful like a butterfly, it had two curled fins near its head and a long, thin tail that waved gently as it swam close to the wall, teasing Pouncing, who stretched out his paw to touch it, only to grow frustrated when he couldn’t reach.

Manta rays, also known as “devil fish,” are generally gentle sea creatures that feed on small fish, shrimp, and plankton. They often form complex social structures and swim in groups.

Lu Yao looked around but saw no other manta rays nearby. Was this one lost?

The young manta ray seemed to notice her watching, and suddenly stiffened.

A moment later, it began bumping into the membrane wall repeatedly, only to be bounced back each time.

After observing it for a while, Lu Yao tried guiding it toward the pet shop’s entrance, curious if sea creatures could enter the shop.

She wondered if these fish might be potential customers.

The little manta ray swam to the entrance but, upon seeing something, abruptly turned and swam away without a second glance.

Apparently, fish weren’t her customers after all.

Lu Yao cut a plate of fruit and placed it on a low table, sitting down in the “undersea palace” with a 360-degree view, petting Double Heart’s soft, plush belly as she watched the scenery outside.

Drawing back the transparent membrane’s disguise revealed the mountain view of the shopping street outside.

Green trees stretched across rolling hills, with a vast sky, drifting clouds, and a refreshing breeze—the complete opposite of the deep, dark sea.

Suddenly, a knock on the door startled her. It seemed to come from the underwater world.

She didn’t move.

Whatever was outside was persistent, knocking three times, then pausing, with remarkable patience.

Lu Yao called up the system. “What’s outside?”

System: “…The manta ray came back, and it’s holding a string of fresh fish.”

Fish?

Suspecting something, Lu Yao slowly moved to the door, hesitating a few times before gently opening it.

The transparent membrane kept the water out, but the cold, damp scent of the deep sea still washed over her senses.

She squinted, and then quickly opened her eyes wide.

Outside, the little manta ray swam in a few circles before flinging itself through the entrance.

Lu Yao instinctively stepped aside, dodging the enthusiastic embrace.

The little manta ray rolled onto the soft white sand, and a girlish voice cried out, “Ouch! That hurt!”

Lu Yao turned, eyes wide in surprise.

The clumsy little manta ray was gone; sitting on the sand was a young woman with a ponytail, dressed in a black tank top and denim shorts, holding what looked like a bundle of snapper strung together with coral.

The fish were still alive, mouths opening and closing.

“Are you a fish or a human?” Lu Yao closed the door and offered a hand.

Duo Qingmei looked down at her hands and feet, her eyes full of disbelief.

She’d turned back!

A slender, fair hand stretched out toward her, and she grabbed it excitedly, using it to stand up before pulling Lu Yao into a tight hug. “A person! I’m really human! This is wonderful!”

A huge string of fish, smelling salty and briny, slapped heavily against Lu Yao’s back with a “thud.”

Something sharp—perhaps a fin—jabbed her skin.

Lu Yao took a deep breath, using a bit of strength to push the girl away. “So, you’re human too?”

Realizing she might have startled Lu Yao, Duo Qingmei nodded, stepping back, and offered her the string of fish. “Here, how long can these fish buy me for petting the cats?”

Lu Yao: “???”

Duo Qingmei: “The sign outside said cats could be petted with dried fish. I went out of my way to catch some, but I didn’t know how to make them into dried fish. Fresh fish should be fine, right?”

Lu Yao called up the system: “…Is the currency in this world really just fish?”

System: “This world operates with a mix of currencies. Dried fish, rare treasures, and paper money are all valid for exchange. However, this particular customer probably only has access to fish.”

What kind of world was this?

Although she already ran three interdimensional shops and considered herself experienced, she felt completely baffled by this place.

“You’re human—how did you end up in the sea? And why did you turn into a manta ray?” Lu Yao accepted the string of snapper and asked.

Duo Qingmei followed her up onto the white sand, officially stepping into the pet shop. When she looked down and saw three fluffy little furballs scattered around, her heart nearly melted.

After having played with Pounce outside, she quickly ran over, carefully extending her hand to stroke his soft fur before replying to Lu Yao.

“I have no idea what happened. I woke up in the ocean, and I’d turned into a fish. I’ve been wandering around here for ages, unable to find a way to turn back into a human or leave this sea.”

Pounce, bold as ever, didn’t shy away; he just lay down on his back, exposing his soft, white belly.

Duo Qingmei’s eyes squinted with joy as she smiled uncontrollably. This was just too adorable.

After spending so long in the cold water, touching this soft, warm furball was intensely therapeutic. Unable to resist, she leaned down, took a deep breath of Pounce’s belly fluff, and sighed contentedly before looking up at Lu Yao.

“When I saw the kittens outside, I was stunned. I thought I’d been trapped here too long and started hallucinating. Are you the owner of this shop?”

Lu Yao nodded.

Pounce let out a delicate meow, rolled over, and stood up to rub against Duo Qingmei’s hand again.

Kneeling, Duo Qingmei scooped Pounce up and cuddled him, eyes wide with amazement. “This is incredible! Are you a sea witch living underwater? Or…are you actually a mermaid?”

Lu Yao shook her head. “Actually, I was just wondering if you might be a mermaid.”

Duo Qingmei shook her head vigorously. “Oh! I forgot to introduce myself. My name is Duo Qingmei, twenty-four, just an ordinary office worker. One day, I woke up in this ocean and turned into a deep-sea fish.”

Lu Yao introduced herself briefly, then pointed at the belly-up fish floating nearby. “Do you know what’s going on with those fish?”

Duo Qingmei nodded.

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