Ch 123: Guide to Running a Shop in Another World

In front of the Little Pet Cafe.

Lu Yao handed Luo Huan a temporary work badge, and he took it with a puzzled expression. “What’s this for?”

“Put it on; we’re going inside,” Lu Yao replied, stepping forward to open the door.

Luo Huan raised his wrist to look at the silver tag, engraved with the shop owner’s name. Jing Yuxi also wore a similar one, though hers had a different color cord.

Like playing house, Luo Huan thought dismissively, slipping the bracelet on without a word.

Lu Yao pushed open the door and entered first. “The shop just completed its expansion yesterday. Each section is connected by underwater tunnels. Yuxi, feel free to explore with the kid, and if you have questions, ask Xiao Ji or Qingmei. If they can’t help, call me.”

There was still one area she hadn’t inspected, and she needed to check it quickly.

As soon as they stepped inside, Jing Yuxi noticed something different about the shop.

The space was larger, with four or five half-open doors along the transparent walls, each leading to similar clear tunnels that twisted off into unknown directions.

“It’s only been a few days, but there’s so much change,” she remarked, realizing Lu Yao had already left. She turned back to look at Luo Huan.

The boy glanced around in shock, still bewildered. Noticing Jing Yuxi’s gaze, he lowered his eyes, trying to steady his voice. “What kind of place is this? Didn’t we just enter a pet shop?”

Jing Yuxi looked at him, as if seeing her past self, and smiled, “It is a pet shop, but one located under the sea. Haven’t seen anything like it before, right?”

Luo Huan looked up, where a school of sardines darted above like a flock of sparrows.

It wasn’t wallpaper or a special effect.

What he saw was beyond his imagination, continuously challenging his perception and leaving him dazed.

He nodded blankly, when suddenly, warmth brushed against his ankle.

In the eerie cold of the deep sea, the fuzzy warmth was even more noticeable.

Luo Huan looked down, almost unable to maintain his indifferent expression.

A black cat with a raised tail was rubbing affectionately against his pant leg.

Outside was the deep sea, and here was… actual fluffiness.

Its coat was sleek and glossy, with two pure white front paws like stepping on clouds—clearly well-cared for.

“I haven’t seen this cat before, so it must be a new staff member. Everything in this place is great, but the cats are a bit scarce for my liking,” Jing Yuxi said, squatting to scoop up the lone White socks and heading toward a tunnel marked “Octopus Room.” She glanced at Luo Huan, “Want to go have a look?”

Slightly disappointed he hadn’t picked up the black cat first, Luo Huan asked, “You haven’t been outside yet?”

Cradling White socks in both hands, Jing Yuxi shook her head, “Last time I visited, there were no tunnels; all these new areas were just built. I haven’t seen them either. A lot of people are heading that way; let’s see what they’re up to.”

The transparent tunnels blended seamlessly with the seawater, where deep-sea fish occasionally glided along the wall membranes beside, below, or above them.

Luo Huan and Jing Yuxi walked slowly, apprehensive yet exhilarated.

A true underwater tunnel, where they could observe seaweed, coral, and fish up close—everything was novel.

Whitesocks, however, was a bit heavy, and Jing Yuxi eventually had to set it down after carrying it for a while.

Once it touched the ground, White socks sprinted towards the Octopus Room, too fast for Jing Yuxi and Luo Huan to keep up.

“A room shaped like an octopus, almost like an amusement park! This is amazing,” Jing Yuxi said, picking up speed and calling back to Luo Huan, “Hurry up! There’s even a slide here!”

Luo Huan just sighed, saying nothing, and slowly followed.

They had arrived at a fortunate time, as most guests had already finished playing on the octopus arm slides and had moved on to the jellyfish and sea urchin rooms.

After the guests dispersed, there weren’t many people left in each area, and there was an open spot on the slide.

Impatient with Luo Huan’s slow pace, Jing Yuxi slid down first.

Luo Huan found White socks, who had arrived earlier—the large black cat was lazily sprawled on a cat tree, licking its paws and grooming its face.

He picked up White socks, cradling it in his arms, and approached the octopus slide. “Don’t be afraid, let’s play together.”

When White socks first came to the shop, it was a timid little kitten. But as a former stray, it adapted quickly and soon became a seasoned regular.

Guests had taken it on the slide before, from top to bottom, and far from being scared, White socks seemed to enjoy it.

Luo Huan held it tightly in his arms, and it stayed obediently still, neither struggling nor making a fuss.

Together, boy and cat slid safely down the octopus’s tentacle-like slide.

White socks tumbled playfully upon landing, then jumped onto a low table in the corner, where it sat by the window, tail swishing as it gazed outside.

Luo Huan lay dazed on the slide for a moment before sitting up and joining White socks at the low table. As he looked out the window, the surprise in his eyes could no longer be contained.

Outside were blue skies, white clouds, and a blazing sun.

He felt as if he had become a fish, living in a massive aquarium, placed by its owner on a windowsill to gaze out at the world through the glass.

He sat there for a long time, his mind tangled with thoughts, until he was pulled back by a soft, adorable “meow.”

White socks, feeling restless, sat by the octopus door handle, waving its tail and calling out to him.

Luo Huan stood, turned the handle, and pulled open the door, once again taken aback by what he saw.

White socks slipped out through the crack, padding away with tiny steps, then turned back and urged him on with another “meow~”

In a bit of a daze, Luo Huan followed the cat’s lead, boarding the octopus hot-air balloon, which began to rise slowly, widening his field of vision.

Before him unfolded a breathtaking underwater scene: garden eels dancing on the seabed, corals swaying with the currents, vibrant schools of fish, and occasionally, a large predatory sea creature gliding past.

The mysterious and beautiful world beneath the sea played out in full before his eyes.

This was nothing an aquarium could capture—so what kind of place was this?

Jing Yuxi came up first, and seeing Luo Huan return, she stood and said, “I heard there are even more interesting places ahead—the sea urchin and jellyfish rooms. I waited for you.”

Holding White socks, Luo Huan looked more spirited. “The sea urchin and jellyfish rooms, are they different from the octopus room?”

“I overheard some guests talking; apparently, in the sea urchin room, you can borrow tools to collect sea urchins. Oh, and don’t bring the cat to the jellyfish room—it’s apparently the bird room.”

“Birds?” Luo Huan petted White socks, who purred contentedly with its thick, soft fur.

“Yes, lots of guests are there. They have cockatiels and lovebirds, and today is their first day as the shop’s fluffy staff,” Jing Yuxi replied enthusiastically.

“Yuxi, do you know where all these other guests come from? It seems like only we’re wearing wristbands.” Luo Huan wondered.

They had entered from the front without encountering any other guests, yet the shop was full.

He couldn’t figure out where the guests came from, nor understand how the shop owner managed to run a store under the sea.

These questions filled his mind, becoming more perplexing the more he thought about them, yet he couldn’t resist wanting to explore further.

In other words, everything about this shop was fueling his curiosity.

Jing Yuxi paused, then whispered, “Do you know the story of mermaids?”

Having visited the shop multiple times, she knew some fish in the sea transformed into people upon entering—almost like mermaids.

Luo Huan nodded.

Jing Yuxi cleared her throat softly, “Honestly, I can’t make much sense of it either. I just think of the owner as a witch living in the deep sea. We even signed a confidentiality agreement, forbidding us from revealing any secrets about her. But I feel that she and this shop are like a fairy tale left for adults.”

The world of adults has no Santa Claus, no fairy tales, no miracles—a stagnant pond with no fresh water flowing in.

Most fantasies about ideals and the future gradually peel away, leaving only the most practical issues of life.

But if you ever come to this sea, you’ll encounter a magical Little Pet Cafe.

Here, there’s no need to strive for change, nor to force yourself into becoming a better, more ambitious person.

Simply let go of your thoughts, spend a peaceful, relaxed time with yourself, enjoy seafood, pet cats and birds, slide down slides, stroll through the deep sea…

Take a moment to pause, rest, and then return to the normal state of wrestling with life.

Jing Yuxi was indeed curious about the shop owner, but after observing Ji Feiming and Bai Jing’s attitudes toward her, she understood that this was not a mystery they could unravel, so she chose to go along with it, joining the flow.

A faint light sparked in Luo Huan’s light brown eyes as he lifted White socks higher. “Let’s go to the sea urchin room first.”

Noticing something, Jing Yuxi caught up. “You seem to be in a good mood?”

Luo Huan pursed his lips and shook his head, suddenly looking a bit shy.

Jing Yuxi’s expression softened—Luo Huan had changed, even if just a little.

When they arrived at the sea urchin room, guests who spotted White socks eagerly offered toys and treats.

The well-fed, former stray couldn’t resist the lure of food, tumbling out of Luo Huan’s arms and trotting tail-up toward the food and toys.

“Ungrateful little furball,” Luo Huan chuckled, brushing the fur off his clothes.

“You can go downstairs from here,” Jing Yuxi said, motioning.

They descended a staircase to the lower level, where a striking semi-spherical, inverted aquarium hung from the ceiling, already half-filled with fresh seafood.

Luo Huan watched as guests exited the shop, transforming into various fish, clutching nets with their tails or pulling them along in small groups, gathering sea urchins in the field outside the glass wall.

He looked over at Jing Yuxi. “You knew about this?”

Jing Yuxi shook her wrist, showing the light blue bracelet. “I have a monthly membership—I’ve been here many times. Without this, we couldn’t even enter the shop. But they’re different.”

At this, Luo Huan finally understood the true meaning behind “mermaid,” his gaze fixed on her bracelet. His expression softened as he struggled for a while before asking, “How do you get a monthly membership?”

“It’s over a million, and you need to book it in advance with the shop owner,” Jing Yuxi answered, expecting his question without teasing him.

The shop’s magic was hard to believe unless experienced firsthand.

Luo Huan calculated silently, considering his saved New Year money and past acting fees—a monthly card might last him a few years.

“Watching them gather sea urchins looks so fun. I wish I could try it,” Jing Yuxi said, eyes full of longing as she looked out at the scene.

Luo Huan replied, “A diving suit would do it.”

Jing Yuxi shook her head. “That wouldn’t work. Never mind, let’s check out the jellyfish room instead.”

Just watching the sea urchin field without participating was too torturous.

The jellyfish room had a unique layout; when they entered, a few small birds were perched on swings at different heights.

“It really is a bird room!” Jing Yuxi exclaimed, smiling widely at the sight of the fluffy birds. “This is just too cute.”

A yellow baby quail on the lowest perch lowered its head towards them, clearly signaling, “Pet me!”

“These little fluffballs are so soft to touch!” Jing Yuxi cooed, rubbing the soft, pale yellow feathers and instantly melting into a state of bliss.

Cockatiels and lovebirds, affectionate and full of personality, easily tugged at her heartstrings.

Luo Huan scanned the room, puzzled. “Where is everyone?”

“They’re downstairs,” Jing Yuxi replied.

The jellyfish tentacles hung densely, and there were three times as many cabins here as in the octopus slide area, yet guests were still queuing.

The grace of the flower-hat jellyfish, with the scenic jellyfish field beside it, was captivating. The jellyfish drifted and stretched their tentacles in unison, mesmerizing all who watched.

Who could resist sitting on the rotating jellyfish Ferris wheel and watching jellyfish glide by?

After waiting for a while, with too many people still queued below, they decided to sit and play with the little birds instead.

The yellow quail was especially jealous; whenever Jing Yuxi petted the gray quail quietly waiting beside them, the yellow one would get angry, peck at her, and shove its way in, practically pushing the gray quail aside.

Jing Yuxi couldn’t help but laugh, gently tapping the little bird’s head. “Why are you so petty?”

The quail looked up at her with beady eyes, a rosy blush on its cheeks, proudly seeming to say, “You’re only allowed to dote on me!”

A distant melody of piano music drifted over, faint and ethereal.

Startled, Luo Huan’s hand shook, sending the perched peach-colored bird flying. “Is that… piano music?”

Jing Yuxi tilted her head to listen, then stood and approached a nearby tunnel entrance. “It seems to be coming from here.”

“We haven’t explored this room yet,” Luo Huan noted.

“Let’s go check it out,” Jing Yuxi suggested.

This tunnel was especially dim, and they walked for nearly ten minutes, as the surroundings gradually opened up, but there was still no end in sight.

The piano music came in fragments, occasionally accompanied by sharp, delicate sounds like the friction of leather.

Luo Huan quickened his pace. “There are whales!”

Another five minutes of walking, and they finally reached the end of the tunnel to the whale room, a transparent, rounded room shaped like a giant whale. Inside the massive head of the whale stood a black piano, and someone was playing it.

“It’s the shop owner,” Jing Yuxi exclaimed in surprise.

She remembered the piano from her last visit—it used to sit in the corridor outside the shopping street.

She hadn’t seen it today and thought the shop owner had gotten rid of it, never imagining it had been moved here.

Jing Yuxi’s steps quickened, and she couldn’t resist breaking into a run.

Luo Huan chased after her and paused in amazement upon reaching the whale room.

The shop owner stood with her back to them, playing the piano with hesitant notes.

Outside the transparent walls, a pod of orcas swam and rolled, their sounds filling the room.

“All orcas… could they actually understand it?” Luo Huan asked, eyes wide in disbelief.

“Don’t underestimate whales,” Jing Yuxi replied. “They’re very intelligent, with their own way of communicating. They might really understand.”

A long, mournful cry suddenly rang out, and a shadow fell over them from above.

Luo Huan looked up to see three humpback whales swimming overhead, so enormous they took his breath away.

They were massive.

The shop owner hadn’t realized that her fragmented piano notes had traveled for tens of kilometers, drawing deep-sea giants who, hearing her call, were now converging on the Garbage sea.

The system notified her of incoming guests, and Lu Yao turned to them. “You’re here! Having fun?”

Jing Yuxi nodded, her gaze still glued to the piano. “Why’d you move it here?”

“There was no place for it outside, and this room was empty, so I brought it over,” Lu Yao explained.

This part of the seabed was wide and level. Last time, she had helped a humpback whale remove barnacles here, leaving a strong impression.

She had a feeling that barnacle removal wouldn’t be a one-time thing. When planning the shop’s expansion, she decided to build a whale room in this area.

The whale room was far from the main location of the Little Pet Cafe and the other expansion areas, making it spacious but a bit lonely.

Lu Yao had brought out the piano from storage, placed it here, and found it looked surprisingly fitting.

She absentmindedly tapped a few notes, coincidentally when the orcas had gathered nearby.

It seemed they recognized her and danced along to the piano’s melody.

“It’s so magical having the piano here. I never knew whales would respond to it,” Jing Yuxi’s eyes sparkled, nearly speechless with excitement.

Luo Huan approached the transparent wall, gazing at the orcas swimming outside, completely captivated.

The adorable “crybabies” were too cute.

…

The sky blazed red with clouds as the sun hung over the mountain peak, reluctant to set.

Jing Yuxi and Luo Huan left the Little Pet Cafe, still reluctant to part.

Inside the shop, time seemed to fly.

They spent some time in the whale room, rode the Ferris wheel in the jellyfish room, returned to the main shop for a bite of seafood, and before they knew it, closing time had arrived.

Standing at the shop’s entrance, the setting sun cast a warm glow on their skin. Luo Huan looked a bit dazed, as though he had just woken from a dream.

Jing Yuxi asked, “What’s up?”

Luo Huan shook his head, hesitated briefly, and then murmured, “This place shouldn’t be a fairy tale just for adults. Teens need this kind of fairy tale too.”

Jing Yuxi raised an eyebrow and patted his shoulder. “Come on, time to go home.”

Luo Huan nodded, took a few steps, then paused, turning back to grab Lu Yao’s hand. “Boss, I’d like to get a monthly membership for tLittle Pet Cafe.”

Lu Yao looked at him but didn’t immediately agree. “You’re still underage, right? Maybe talk it over with your parents first?”

A hundred thousand or so wasn’t a small amount.

Unwilling to wait, Luo Huan transferred the deposit on the spot.

With Jing Yuxi vouching for him, Lu Yao finally agreed, telling him to come back in a week to pick up his card.

On the way home, Luo Huan rested his elbow on the car window, chin propped on his hand, watching trees and cars whiz by. His expression softened, a faint smile curving his lips.

In the show, Luo Huan had played a character with a background and personality entirely different from his own—a juvenile delinquent antagonist.

To grasp that role, he’d researched extensively, immersing himself in a world vastly different from his own life.

Playing that character, he experienced a lifestyle that was utterly foreign to him.

He perfected the role, even feeling a hint of envy for traits his character possessed that he himself could not.

Perhaps this longing made it hard for him to break free from the role, unable to fully detach from the character he had once embodied.

But the existence of this shop revealed a boundary to him.

Outside the door lies reality.

Inside, one is free to dream.

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