Ch 122: Guide to Running a Shop in Another World

Yaoguang City, a villa district.

Jing Yuxi picked up Luo Huan and settled into the driver’s seat, ready to depart.

Zhou Li pressed a hand against the car window, looking worried. “Xiao Jing, are you sure you don’t need me to come along? I’m still a bit uneasy.”

Luo Huan, seated in the passenger seat, was a fourteen or fifteen-year-old boy with a refined and clear appearance. However, his eyes were lifeless, and his expression blank. He showed no reaction to his mother’s concern.

Jing Yuxi glanced at Luo Huan before turning back to Zhou Li. “Aunt Zhou, don’t worry. I’m just taking Luo Huan out for some fresh air to help him relax. We agreed I’d take full responsibility. If he doesn’t improve after this, then you can take him abroad to see the top mental health specialists.”

She spoke confidently, yet Jing Yuxi privately felt that if even the Little Pet Cafe couldn’t help Luo Huan, no doctor overseas would be able to either.

Before returning to China, she had consulted all the top experts she could find, yet none had been able to resolve her own issues.

It wasn’t that the doctors were inadequate; sometimes, people get stuck in a mental dead end, locking themselves in. No matter how loudly the outside world calls, it’s useless unless they’re willing to step out on their own.

Zhou Li looked once more at the unresponsive Luo Huan, stifled her emotions, and slowly released her grip, managing a small smile. “Well then—take him out and have a good time. I’ll leave it to you.”

As they left the residential area, Luo Huan turned slightly toward Jing Yuxi, though he didn’t look directly at her. His voice was calm yet drained, carrying a faint touch of sarcasm. “I already know every so-called ‘fun’ place in Yaoguang City. Honestly, I’m fine. I eat, drink, and sleep well; it’s just that my mom is too controlling.”

Jing Yuxi shot him a sidelong glance, speaking gently. “I also think you’re fine. But the place we’re going today is one you definitely don’t know. I guarantee that after one visit, you’ll want to sign up for a membership and never leave.”

Luo Huan scoffed, rolling his eyes with a barely perceptible smirk.

There was no point in explaining further, so Jing Yuxi simply kept her focus ahead, glancing at him occasionally.

Luo Huan indeed seemed fine, but compared to his younger self, his personality and aura had changed dramatically.

Six months earlier, Luo Huan had auditioned for a TV role and ended up playing a juvenile delinquent villain.

The role was vastly different from his usual character and demeanor, but his performance had been flawless.

After filming wrapped and he returned to normal life, Zhou Li soon noticed a change in him.

It seemed he was still immersed in the role, unable to snap out of it.

The Luo family had a family doctor, whom Zhou Li first consulted for counseling, but it proved ineffective.

Meanwhile, Luo Huan didn’t believe he had any issues.

Zhou Li, anxious as an ant on a hot pan, sought help everywhere.

When Luo Huan refused to go out, she paid top dollar to bring specialists to their home.

Unfortunately, nothing worked, and the mother-son relationship only grew worse.

Jing Yuxi wasn’t entirely sure whether Luo Huan hadn’t fully detached from his role or if he was simply going through an adolescent rebellious phase.

But if Luo Huan visited the Little Pet Cafe, even if it didn’t improve his condition, the thought of his surprised expression filled Jing Yuxi with a pleasant sense of anticipation.

…

Lu Yao stood at the entrance of the deep-sea tunnel and suddenly turned back, pointing to the side as she spoke to Ji Feiming. “You take the cage through that underwater tunnel and wait for me in the jellyfish room.”

She then stepped into the tunnel, heading toward the area near the reclusive fish.

Some guests, finding the coral and octopus rooms overcrowded, decided to follow the shop owner’s lead.

Near the reclusive fish, there was a vast seabed teeming with sea urchins, dense with seaweed and hiding various delicious sea creatures like conches, starfish, sea cucumbers, and crabs.

Lu Yao loved this sea urchin field; the process of scooping up seafood with nets and tongs reminded her of the joy of catching fish, shrimp, and crabs in childhood streams. She had long planned the sea urchin field into the upgrade blueprint.

The sea urchin room is shaped like a sea urchin—a massive, transparent sea urchin ball inflated several times in size, with distinct spines on the outside. Inside, it forms a spherical space, divided along the floor into two hemispheres.

The upper hemisphere, modeled after a sea urchin’s structure, contains five semi-arc rooms, furnished with sofas, rugs, cat accessories, and small tabletop games for groups of guests to relax and enjoy.

The lower hemisphere serves as a utility room and temporary aquarium. A semi-spherical deep-sea fish tank hangs upside down in the center, divided like orange segments into smaller tanks that house various freshly caught seafood.

When guests grow tired of playing with the cats, they can descend from the upper rooms to the utility area, rent fishing tools, and head out through a small door to enjoy the thrill of “seaside foraging” at the sea urchin field.

Erxin, a bold and affectionate cat, trotted along beside Lu Yao after hopping out of its travel carrier.

“The sea urchin room is so much fun!” exclaimed a guest, bending down to pick up Erxin, burying their face in its soft fur. “Erxin baby, don’t follow the shop owner; come play with Auntie here!”

Pounce was cradled by another guest, looking around with wide, curious eyes as they entered the sea urchin room.

“Pounce darling, come here and let big sis give you some kisses! Muah, muah, muah!”

Pounce’s face was nearly squished by all the kisses, looking helpless but still meowed innocently.

“Oh, I missed you so much! This cutie is way too sweet; Auntie’s heart is melting!”

Humans tend to express affection to each other with restraint.

But with these fluffy little ones, they’re uninhibited, intense, and sometimes even over the top.

Tape, one of the shop’s most beloved cats were almost kissed into a daze.

“There’s a sea urchin field downstairs where you can rent tools.”

“Tools for people or fish?”

“The nets have drawstrings, so teams of three to five can use them—even if they’re fish themselves.”

“Great! Now I can pick sea urchins too!”

Covered in spines, sea urchins pose a challenge for fish to collect or eat. But with tools to bring them ashore, they’re much easier to handle.

Some guests stayed behind to play with Erxin and Pounce, while others enthusiastically rented tools to go “sea foraging” at the sea urchin field.

Lu Yao passed through the sea urchin room, entered the underwater tunnel, and headed toward the “garbage mountain.”

She had cleared a space here, which the jellyfish unexpectedly adored.

After diving that day, she decided to add a jellyfish room in this spot.

Compared to the coral room, octopus room, and sea urchin room, the jellyfish room’s environment was poorer; aside from jellyfish, there were no clusters of vibrant coral, no leisurely schools of fish, and few bottom-dwelling creatures—only an endless expanse of trash.

Lu Yao planned to spend more time cleaning up the trash here and experimenting with nutrient solutions from crystal nuclei to purify the water and gradually improve the surrounding environment.

Jellyfish have diverse, mesmerizing shapes and unique beauty.

After much consideration, Lu Yao finally chose the flower-hat jellyfish as the model for the jellyfish room.

The flower-hat jellyfish has a wide, round bell with two types of tentacles: numerous short, colorful filaments that radiate from the rim and surface of the bell, transitioning from black to fluorescent yellow and magenta, beautiful but highly venomous, delivering a painful sting.

It also has a few long, spring-like tentacles that dangle like tassels among the shorter filaments, used for hunting.

The Little Pet Cafe’s jellyfish room replicates the flower-hat jellyfish’s structure, designed as a rotating Ferris wheel-like room. Inside the vast dome, there’s a dedicated space for petting furry animals.

When Lu Yao entered, Ji Feiming was already there, with two cages covered in beige cotton cloths at his feet.

Ji Feiming said, “Boss, Xue Ge and Lilly mentioned these birds are a bit slow and hard to train, so they only sent two pairs for now. These two pairs are a bit smarter, braver, and learn a bit faster.”

Lu Yao squatted down and lifted the cloth, revealing a pair of young quails in the left cage—one gray, one yellow, with beady eyes, rosy cheeks, and crested heads. They stood on a perch, curiously observing the outside. In the right cage was a pair of lovebirds, one peach and one blue, slightly smaller than the quails, delicate and adorable.

Quails and lovebirds are legal for domestic rearing, known for their friendly and interactive nature.

After researching various fuzzy companions, Lu Yao decided to introduce these round little birds.

They were simply too cute, and with a bit of meticulous care, they’d be very playful.

Each bird wears an ID ring around its leg as a badge, redeemable for fifty thousand popularity points, with the same features as the cats’ badges, including an anti-flight tracking function.

Lu Yao enlisted Lilly and Xue Ge to help train the birds, not to teach them any special skills but mainly to train them in controlled bathroom habits.

Birds are generally straightforward creatures, dropping wherever they go. Lu Yao’s goal was to teach them to relieve themselves in designated spots.

The fact that these two pairs were sent over meant they were likely trained.

Lu Yao opened the cages and stepped back, waiting for them to come out on their own.

Even for affectionate pet parrots, personalities vary.

Like cats, some are timid and cautious, while others are bold and playful.

The blue lovebird was the first to hop out, with a pale orange face and blue-green feathers that darkened from its belly to its back—a beautiful gradient.

Its tiny head turned this way and that, with bright, curious black eyes, taking in its surroundings.

Lu Yao crouched carefully, and the blue bird hopped along and climbed onto her wrist.

Normally, these little birds aren’t so quick to trust, but this one seemed fearless, likely thanks to Xue Ge and Lilly’s influence; conscious magical plants can instill calm in birds and animals.

She extended a finger, lightly scratching the bird’s fluffy chest. The little creature closed its eyes in delight, tilting its head to enjoy the gentle petting.

The peach-colored bird and the two young quails all hopped out, fluttering to perch on Lu Yao’s shoulders and arms.

Ji Feiming turned to the corner to set up a tiny bird bathroom.

The jellyfish room, designed for birds, had swings at various heights, along with food and water bowls and small basins for bathing.

Once the little birds settled in, they’d officially begin their “workday.”

Nearby, a guest watched the little bird enjoying its pampering in Lu Yao’s hand and couldn’t resist asking softly, “May I pet it?”

A gray quail flew up, landing on the guest’s shoulder and tilting its head to nuzzle the guest’s cheek, extremely affectionate.

Soft and fluffy like cotton, it softened the guest’s heart too.

The guest cautiously reached out, gently petting the quail’s smooth wings, mimicking Lu Yao’s scratching technique.

“Cheep-cheep,” the quail chirped.

Blushing with excitement, the guest sat down, fully focused on petting the bird. “Feels good, doesn’t it, sweetie?”

Other guests followed suit, sitting down to interact with the birds.

Unfortunately, there were only four birds in the jellyfish room for now, so only the quicker guests got to hold one, while others could only watch enviously.

Some, noticing the jellyfish swimming outside, leaned against the wall membrane to observe, easing the slight awkwardness.

“Boss, what’s hanging from the jellyfish tentacles?” A guest pointed to a small item dangling below the jellyfish room, curious.

Hearing this, another guest leaned over for a closer look, eyes widening slightly. “It looks like a little cabin.”

Lu Yao smiled, walking to the wall membrane and pressing a button shaped like a miniature moon jellyfish on the wall.

An invisible door opened in the center of the jellyfish room, revealing a spiral staircase.

The downstairs layout was similar to the octopus room, all connected by transparent tunnels.

Each tunnel led to a different hanging cabin under the jellyfish tentacles.

Each cabin could accommodate four people, and as guests sat inside, the jellyfish’s bell slowly rotated, with the tentacles swaying gently with the water current.

It was like a carousel, yet also resembled a horizontal Ferris wheel.

“Congratulations! You’ve discovered the hidden feature of the jellyfish room—the rotating Ferris wheel,” Lu Yao announced.

The guests looked incredulous, abandoning the birds and eagerly making their way downstairs, competing for a seat on the rotating Ferris wheel.

Ji Feiming stayed in the jellyfish room to look after the guests and the little birds, while Lu Yao turned and entered a side tunnel, heading toward the final area.

Her phone vibrated. She paused, took it out, and turned back. “Hello, it’s me.”

Jing Yuxi’s voice came through the receiver, “Yaoyao, we’ve arrived.”

“Alright, I’ll be right out.”

…

Outside the shopping street.

Luo Huan stood by the overgrown roadside, hands in his pockets, looking uncertain. “Is this the so-called ‘mystical healing sanctuary’ you mentioned?”

With a knowing expression, Jing Yuxi replied, “The first time I came, I didn’t believe it either… well, I didn’t think it’d be a place to relax. But trust me, it’s really something special!”

“Hmph.” Luo Huan sneered, turning to leave.

Lu Yao emerged from the Little Pet Cafe just in time to see Jing Yuxi desperately holding onto the boy’s arm, and couldn’t help but smile, “What’s going on? Didn’t quite coordinate?”

“Boss, help me hold him! He’s about to leave,” Jing Yuxi panted, looking at Lu Yao like a lifeline.

Lu Yao strolled over leisurely, showing no intention of helping. “If he doesn’t want to enter, so be it. Even if you force him to stay, he’ll have to sign a confidentiality contract. Compelling an unwilling guest is pretty pointless.”

Luo Huan paused, glancing at Lu Yao. A flicker of curiosity appeared in his light brown eyes—this shop owner was intriguing.

With that statement, he suddenly felt less inclined to leave.

“What contract?” Luo Huan asked.

Lu Yao stepped onto the nail salon’s porch, waving him over. “If you want to enter, come sign the contract. I’ve got plenty to do today, so I can’t hang around outside.”

Taking the hint, Jing Yuxi gave him a little push. “Hurry up; the boss is busy.”

Luo Huan sat in the waiting area of the nail salon, a contract placed before him.

With nothing to do, Jing Yuxi picked up a tablet from the glass table and started browsing the nail designs. As she flipped through, she straightened, her eyes widening.

The last time she visited the shop, she hadn’t paid any attention to the nails, thinking they’d be unimpressive. But these animated, color-changing designs were nothing like special effects—could the shop really make them?

She looked up at Lu Yao, who met her gaze with a calm smile.

Her heart skipped a beat; she couldn’t believe it. Thinking of the Little Pet Cafe, she couldn’t shake the feeling that anything was possible here. She leaned in and whispered, “Boss, how do I book a nail appointment? Can these really move?”

Before Lu Yao could answer, Jing Yuxi stood up and walked over to a customer at the workstation, staring in awe.

What kind of magic were these nails? They even had 3D effects!

After the initial shock, only one thought remained in Jing Yuxi’s mind: She absolutely had to have them!

Luo Huan finished reading the contract and felt speechless.

This shabby shop required a confidentiality agreement just to enter.

The contract itself was strange and childish, without a single clause that looked legitimate.

Thinking he’d just play along, he signed his name and pressed his fingerprint.

Lu Yao collected the contract and stood up. “Let’s go.”

No one moved, so Lu Yao turned back and pulled Jing Yuxi away. “Stop gawking, let’s take care of business first.”

Jing Yuxi’s rationality had flown away, her eyes sparkling as she clung to Lu Yao’s arm. “Boss, book me a time! After we’re done with Luo Huan, I’ll come back for a nail appointment.” Lu Yao shook her head regretfully. “If you want the animated nails, I’m afraid it’s not possible.”

Jing Yuxi looked as if she’d been struck by lightning. “Why?”

Luo Huan stood at the door with his arms crossed, his brow slightly furrowed, looking a bit impatient.

Lu Yao, choosing not to explain the details of the Stargate, pulled Jing Yuxi along. “Let’s head to the Little Pet Cafe. We just finished the expansion—you’re bound to love it too.”

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