Ch 108: Guide to Running a Shop in Another World

Duo Qingmei, engrossed in feeding the cats, hadn’t noticed anything amiss and looked puzzled, “What?”

Lu Yao, carrying the empty plates back to the kitchen, replied calmly, “Just now, when the door opened, the outside wasn’t the ocean; it looked like some kind of study. I think that guest might have returned home.”

It was only a guess, but otherwise, she couldn’t explain where Chen Xingyu had gone.

！！！

Duo Qingmei shot up, put down her plate, and immediately went to the door. She opened it, only to find the ocean still blocked by the transparent membrane—nothing like the study that Lu Yao had described.

However, just outside the door was a clownfish. Its orange body had three irregular black-bordered white bands, slightly larger than usual, with its mouth opening and closing.

Caught off guard by the door opening, it looked a bit bewildered.

Clownfish usually live in symbiosis with sea anemones, hiding within them to avoid predators, and rarely leave their proximity. Given that it was lingering near the door of the Furry Café, Duo Qingmei guessed it must have come from the “introverted fish” group nearby. She stepped aside and asked, “Want to come in?”

The clownfish circled up and down, hesitating, before finally nudging its way inside and landing on the soft, white sand floor, where it transformed into a young woman with pink hair.

Qin Meng propped herself up, panting, genuinely surprised to find herself back in human form.

She had followed the mantis shrimp to the Furry Café and, after watching from outside, saw that it transformed into a person upon entering.

Duo Qingmei knelt down in front of Qin Meng, trying to place her familiar face. The name was on the tip of her tongue, but she couldn’t quite recall it.

Hearing the commotion, Lu Yao stepped out of the kitchen and exclaimed with a bright smile, “Such a beautiful young lady.”

Qin Meng stood up, and her gaze landed on the three kittens and Double Heart, who was grooming herself on a small table. Her brow furrowed, and she took a couple of steps back.

She had hesitated outside partly for this reason. She didn’t like cats—or, to be exact, she disliked any furry creatures. She wasn’t a fan of the smell of animals and detested having animal fur on her clothes.

Lu Yao picked up on her discomfort. “Not a fan of cats?”

“Not really; it’s just surprising to find a cat café under the sea,” Qin Meng said, casually brushing it off with an excuse.

Experienced from years in the workplace, she knew not to offend the owner outright, regardless of her preferences.

“Take a seat wherever you’d like. I’ll grab some water,” Lu Yao said, pretending not to notice as she headed to the kitchen to pour a rose and lychee sparkling water, along with a plate of fruit.

Qin Meng chose an empty table nearby, leaned back, and was mesmerized by the view outside the window: a serene mountain scene with blue skies, white clouds, and a gentle, warm breeze. It was oddly comforting.

Duo Qingmei looked back at her, still sure she recognized her but unable to place where they’d met.

…

As Chen Xingyu stepped out of the Furry Café, everything went black, and he felt himself slipping into unconsciousness.

When he came to, the digital clock on his desk read 11:53 p.m., and his arm was resting on a half-completed English notebook.

He groaned, hitting his forehead in frustration. Tomorrow was the midterm exam, and he’d dozed off during his last review session, wasting precious time.

A vague image of a fluffy little orange kitten briefly flashed in his mind, halting his movement.

It felt like he’d had a strange dream, but he couldn’t quite remember it.

However, he was left with a peculiar sense of calm, which quickly dispelled his frustration.

After a few seconds of staring blankly, he quietly put away his English notebook, finished his nightly routine, and lay down on his bed, his eyes slowly closing in relaxation.

“He’s a sophomore this year,” a soft voice began quietly. “Studies really hard, but his grades don’t reflect it.”

He’d sacrificed all his social time and hobbies for studying—memorizing notes and endlessly working through practice exams. Yet, his scores remained mediocre. Because he was always so focused, his classmates had started calling him a “bookworm.”

In the past, on the night before exams, he would be so anxious he couldn’t fall asleep and would stay up reading. The next day, he’d wake up feeling dizzy and exhausted. He expected tonight would be the same, but as he lay there with his eyes closed, he heard a strange purring sound.

It wasn’t loud but rather a soothing, rhythmic noise that relaxed him.

As the soft sound lulled him, he felt his mind gradually ease, and the next thing he knew, dawn had broken.

He sat up abruptly, stunned—it was already morning.

For once, he’d slept soundly, feeling particularly refreshed, both physically and mentally. After breakfast, he gathered his supplies and headed to the exam hall. In the hallway, he ran into a classmate from the same grade but a different exam room. One of them clapped him on the shoulder, smirking, “Hey, bookworm, did you stay up cramming all night again? Think you’ll break the top ten this time?”

Someone else laughed, “All that matters is trying, right? Results don’t mean anything in youth, haha!”

Chen Xingyu stayed silent. Sometimes, no matter how hard he tried, he seemed to become a symbol of failure, a target for ridicule by those who didn’t even try. He understood this well yet couldn’t give up.

The tension in his head was like a constantly strung bow, forcing him to keep going despite his frustration. He began to feel that familiar knot of anxiety in his stomach.

Then, that fuzzy image of the little orange kitten flashed through his mind, along with a vague memory of someone saying something soothing.

Blinking in surprise, his nerves seemed to calm on their own. Taking a deep breath, he walked steadily into the exam hall. As the bell rang, the invigilator began distributing test papers. Chen Xingyu took his paper and started working, his mind unusually sharp.

…

Qin Meng sat by the window, her chin resting on one hand as she gazed at the mountains and clouds outside, a touch of gloom in her expression. She didn’t care for cats, but only in this shop could she return to her human form—there was nowhere else for her to go.

Suddenly, she felt something soft and wet on her fingers. Startled, she quickly drew back her hand and looked down in surprise.

At some point, the little tabby had jumped onto the table beside her. It had just been sitting there, licking her fingers with its soft, bristled tongue.

Qin Meng frowned at Sugar, pulled a tissue from the box, and wiped her fingers with a look of distaste.

Undeterred, Sugar pawed at the tissue, looking up at her with a sweet meow. Its large amber eyes were round and bright, and its deep-gray fur was dotted with white, its front paws as white as snow—a pattern that made them look like soft, bite-sized buns.

Qin Meng rolled the used tissue into a ball, holding it just out of the kitten’s reach.

Sugar assumed it was playtime, rising up to reach for it with delicate, mewing insistence, “Meow… meow, meow!”

Qin Meng, unimpressed, tossed the tissue into the trash and raised her chin slightly, watching it.

Sugar, sensing the game wasn’t over, plopped onto its back, rolling over to reveal its fluffy, soft little belly. “Meow~”

Qin Meng’s heart skipped a beat; the fur was so fluffy, so inviting. Would it hurt to pet it just once?

It was just curiosity, right? She only wanted to know if a kitten’s belly was as soft as it seemed.

Seeing her hesitation, Sugar kept gazing up with its big, glossy eyes, kneading the air with its front paws, purring louder and louder.

!!! Qin Meng slowly reached out, gingerly touching the kitten’s warm, plush belly. The soft, squishy feeling was beyond what she’d imagined. One touch led to another, and before long, she’d picked up Sugar, gently scratching under its chin and behind its ears, where the purrs became even more intense.

Lu Yao, observing Sugar’s charm from a nearby table, wasn’t the least bit surprised by its antics.

“Ah!” Duo Qingmei, who’d been sitting across from Lu Yao, suddenly slapped the table, finally remembering, “You’re Qin Meng!”

Qin Meng turned slightly, giving her a small nod.

Lu Yao asked quietly, “An acquaintance of yours?”

Du Qingmei looked at the shop owner in disbelief. “You don’t recognize her? She’s the center of that super popular girl idol group, and Qin Meng’s the star. She’s incredibly popular!”

Lu Yao lowered her eyes. “Sorry, I’m not into the idol scene, so I’m not really up-to-date on that.”

Du Qingmei didn’t follow idols either, so it had taken her a good while to recognize her. She hadn’t expected the shop owner to be even more clueless.

Unable to resist, she turned to look back at Qin Meng. “You’re even prettier in person than on TV.”

Qin Meng’s reaction was calm. “Thank you.”

Du Qingmei sat for a moment before scooting over to Qin Meng’s table. “How’d you end up here? Aren’t idols always busy?”

Qin Meng lowered her head, gently petting Sugar, stroke by stroke.

Just when Du Qingmei thought she wouldn’t answer, Qin Meng said, “There was an accident on stage. I fractured my calf and was hospitalized. All my activities were paused. Then one morning, I woke up as a fish.”

Du Qingmei nodded. “Sounds similar to my situation, though I don’t even remember what happened before I came here.”

“When I first arrived, the water felt so cold. I didn’t want to move, and gradually, my body became stiffer, and I felt less like doing anything. Just sinking to the bottom didn’t seem so bad anymore. Then I heard the loud sounds of you and the shop owner picking up sea urchins and discussing how to cook them. I was curious and tried moving my fins; somehow, I managed to swim out.” Qin Meng continued, “But it seems I still can’t leave.”

From the back, Lu Yao heard what Qin Meng said and frowned thoughtfully, considering something. “A guest left earlier.”

Qin Meng leaned back against the soft barrier and gently held the sleeping Sugar on her lap, looking at Lu Yao. “I saw it.”

She’d been outside then, watching as the young man in pajamas left the shop, looking relieved, before vanishing altogether.

“What did he do in the shop? Why was he able to leave?” Qin Meng asked.

She also needed to go back; her leg injury had put her activities on hold, and another team member had taken her center position. Her career path was already precarious; she couldn’t afford to be trapped in such a strange place.

Even while hospitalized, she needed to find a way to maintain her popularity; she couldn’t just give up.

Lu Yao thought back for a moment. “Nothing out of the ordinary. He just ate some seafood and played with Tape for a while.”

Qin Meng’s gaze grew intense as she looked at Lu Yao, taking off a gold bracelet inlaid with gems from her wrist and holding it out. “Shop owner, I’ll have a seafood platter too.”

Currently residing in the hospital, she didn’t have any cash on her—only the bracelet she hadn’t removed. After transforming back into a human, she’d found it still on her wrist.

The system detected the bracelet: pure gold with natural amethysts and diamonds, valued at 18,000 yuan.

Lu Yao hesitated. The Cat Café wasn’t that expensive for deep-sea residents. Setting aside other in-store dining costs, 88 yuan was enough for unlimited cat time.

For that price, she could probably offer this young lady a year-long pass.

System: “Spend 100,000 points to upgrade for membership cards. Would the shop owner like to upgrade?”

Lu Yao: “No.”

System: “The shop owner chickened out.”

Lu Yao sighed. She had a bit of a compulsion to complete things in order, and upgrading the deep-sea aquarium came first. Without enough points, everything was a struggle.

She felt another trip to collect ocean trash was in order.

After recording Qin Meng’s jewelry as credit, she returned to the kitchen to prepare a fresh seafood platter.

Following Chen Xingyu’s lead, Qin Meng ate her seafood and petted the cats. But when she opened the door, outside was still an endless expanse of deep sea.

She sat in the doorway, muttering, “Why didn’t it work?”

Lu Yao offered, “Perhaps everyone has different conditions for returning. Don’t get discouraged.”

Qin Meng clutched her head in frustration. “But I need to get back soon!”

The longer she stayed out of the public eye, the harder it would be to regain her former position. The passage of time only increased the difficulty.

Sugar had woken up at some point, gracefully hopping off the low table and making her way directly to Lu Yao, mewing for food.

Lu Yao went to the kitchen to prepare the meal for the three kittens and handed Sugar’s food bowl to Qin Meng. “Would you like to feed her?”

Qin Meng paused, and Sugar looked up at her with eager eyes.

She took the bowl, scooped up some of the food, and offered it to Sugar.

The little tabby sniffed at it, then began to eat, making small smacking sounds.

She ate slowly, taking a minute or two with each scoop.

After each bite, she’d look up at Qin Meng. If she didn’t move, Sugar would nuzzle her ankle, tilting her head and meowing softly.

Qin Meng eventually settled onto the floor, patiently feeding her spoonful by spoonful, feeling her tension slowly melt away.

She’d never before watched a small animal eat so closely.

Sugar’s eating was so endearing, with her little whiskers twitching as she ate with such focus, as if eating was the most important thing in life.

Even the smacking sounds were somehow charming.

Once she was full, Sugar returned to join Er Xin (T/N: It’s Double Heart, I’ll use Er Xin from now on. Double Heart is too long to type) snuggling up with Tape and Pounce, grooming her paws before curling up to sleep.

Qin Meng sighed. “Eating, then sleeping—so carefree, and they don’t even need to worry about putting on weight. Being a cat must be the happiest life.”

Lu Yao happened to walk out of the kitchen in time to hear this and couldn’t help but reply, “Er Xin was originally a stray, actually. She was hit by a car on the main road. Her intestines were spilling out, but she still managed to carry her three kittens to safety in a gutter. When I found them, there was blood everywhere, and the whole family was huddled in a muddy ditch, looking so pitiful.”

Qin Meng was surprised. “The whole family?”

Lu Yao nodded. “There was one other kitten that didn’t make it. It’s just these three now, with Er Xin.”

Qin Meng fell silent.

Lu Yao added, “But they’re safe now. You said they’re happy little cats, and they’ll stay that way, always sweet and happy.”

Qin Meng lay down next to Er Xin and Sugar, closing her eyes. “Shop owner, I think I’ll take a nap too.”

Er Xin was purring continuously.

Compared to the little kittens, her purrs were like an “emperor’s engine.”

Qin Meng, who usually slept lightly, thought she wouldn’t be able to fall asleep, but within half a minute, she was out.

She found herself thinking, there was something nice about not having to keep up appearances, ignoring any public opinion, petting cats, and gazing at the sea.

Lu Yao saw her curled up in a little ball, took a clean blanket to drape over her, but as she returned, she watched Qin Meng slowly transform into a sea anemone fish, wrapped in colorful bubbles, gently floating out of the Pet Café.

Du Qingmei, witnessing the scene, was stunned.

Lu Yao asked, “Did she go home?”

System: “Yes.”

Lu Yao exhaled. As long as she wasn’t dead, it was fine.

…

Lanshin High School, Grade 11, Class 5.

Chen Xingyu sat at his desk, nervously rubbing his hands.

The results for the midterm exams were being announced today. He felt he had done well this time—his sleep had been sound, he’d kept calm, and he’d answered the questions with clarity. His scores should be better than usual.

But he’d had that feeling before, only to be let down when the results came out, leaving him with a sinking heart.

This time, he hadn’t even dared to check answers with anyone, anxiously waiting for today.

The class bell rang, and their teacher entered with a broad smile.

Immediately, some students started calling out, “Mr. Li’s smiling like a flower—our class must have done well!”

“Who’s number one?”

“It’s got to be Li Mingxing. Who could top him?”

“He must’ve made it into the top ten in the grade!”

Mr. Li raised a hand to quiet the class and opened the projector, displaying the score sheet on the board.

The students instinctively scanned from the top, and as they spotted the first row, they collectively froze.

First place was indeed Li Mingxing, but the second name wasn’t one of the usual suspects.

One boy nudged his desk mate. “Am I seeing this right? Chen Xingyu is second?”

“Not just second—he’s also tenth in the entire grade!”

Mr. Li’s face was beaming. “That’s right. Our consistently hardworking Chen Xingyu has hit his stride and delivered a solid performance in this midterm. I’m really proud.”

Sitting at his desk, Chen Xingyu could hardly believe it—it all felt like a dream.

🛍️🛍️🛍️🛍️🛍️