Ch 124: Guide to Running a Shop in Another World

Zhou Li sat in the living room, the tea beside her growing cold once again.

All day, she’d felt uneasy.

The sound of the front door unlocking from outside drew her attention.

Zhou Li’s expression shifted as she stood up to greet whoever was coming in.

At the entrance, Luo Huan was changing his shoes. Looking up to see her, his expression remained calm. “Mom.”

Something was different—her son’s eyes and expression had changed.

Zhou Li noticed it instantly. She lowered her eyes slightly to suppress her joy and asked quietly, “Have you eaten? I asked the housekeeper to save you some dinner.”

Luo Huan shook his head. “No need, I already ate with Yuxi outside. If there’s nothing else, I’ll head upstairs to shower.”

Zhou Li stood at the base of the stairs, watching as he climbed to the second floor and disappeared around the hallway corner. She returned to the sofa, picked up her phone, and called Jing Yuxi.

Luo Huan’s attitude seemed indifferent, yet compared to when he’d left, the numbness in his eyes had faded, replaced by a bit of unease.

It reminded her of his childhood look when he’d done something wrong and felt awkward about facing her.

When the call connected, Zhou Li couldn’t hide her happiness. “Xiao Jing, it’s me, Aunt Zhou.”

“Yes, Luo Huan just got home. He seems much better. Mothers can always tell.”

“I wanted to ask, where did you take him? I heard you’ll be going abroad soon for a competition. I’ll take him for a follow-up visit after that.”

“Not a clinic? Then what kind of place? So mysterious.”

After chatting with Jing Yuxi for a long time, she still had no clue where her son had gone.

She sat on the sofa, pondering for a while, then went upstairs to grab a card and knocked on Luo Huan’s door. “There’s five million on this card. Use it as you need, and if it’s not enough, just ask. Since Yuxi will be busy with her competition preparations, you can go wherever you like with the driver and invite some friends along too.”

“Thank you, Mom.” Luo Huan accepted the card, noticing the tiredness in Zhou Li’s eyes. He felt a pang of guilt, wanting to tell her something about his day.

He was still excited, holding on to such a big secret. It was hard not to share it, yet he found himself unable to speak.

Suddenly, he remembered the confidentiality contract he had signed that morning in the shopping district, a flash of realization in his eyes.

“What’s wrong? Are you feeling unwell?” Zhou Li asked, her heart skipping a beat at his sudden pale expression.

“It’s nothing. I had a lot of fun today and might just be a bit tired. I’m going to sleep now. Goodnight, Mom.”

After closing his door, Luo Huan quickly pulled out his phone, about to call Lu Yao. His finger hovered over the “call” button for a moment before he switched to WeChat and sent a message instead.

…

On the continent of Alexander, in Emerald Town.

Outside the nail salon, a small clay stove held a grill with prepared eel.

Lu Yao sat on the side close to a fruit shop, holding a small brush as she continuously coated the eel with a deep brown sauce.

With her bright blue eyes, Mumu clung to Lu Yao’s side, clutching the hem of her shirt with his tiny hands.

The twin fairies fluttered their wings, floating up and down with her brushstrokes, drooling without even realizing it.

The Little Pet Cafe’s seafood had already captivated the shopping street. Every day, people eagerly anticipated snacks, nail services, and blind boxes.

The delicious aroma of grilled eel wafted into the shop on the breeze. Edward stepped out, holding a black umbrella (a gift from the shop owner), and nudged Lu Yao’s stool. “What are you doing?”

“Grilling eel. The little ones love it. Mumu and the fairies wanted to learn the recipe, so I thought I’d show them since I had some free time.”

Lu Yao handed the brush to Merulu and Puxiu. The two fairies, working together, picked it up, dipped it into the sauce, and shakily flew over to brush the eel with sauce.

Mumu watched eagerly from the side, wanting to try as well.

Lu Yao patted him. “There are plenty of prepared eels left in the box. Everyone loves them, so I made sure we have a lot.”

“Chirp chirp!” Mumu chirped with delight, sneaking a nuzzle against Lu Yao.

Edward frowned slightly, unable to understand the appeal humans found in this “delicious” food.

He thought the shop owner spoiled these little creatures far too much. Not only Mumu, but even the twin fairies were plumper than when they first arrived, nearly too heavy to fly.

In the direction of the setting sun, a boy with a high ponytail and a red-eyed girl in a long dress approached. Spotting Lu Yao from afar, they quickened their pace.

“Boss!”

“Lu Yao.”

Tina and Harold had come back from school.

Lu Yao tapped the grill with tongs, smiling widely. “Perfect timing! We’re grilling eel; go wash your hands.”

Harold stood by the stove without moving. “Getting off early today, aren’t you?”

“Yes, go wash your hands. Later, I want to hear what you’ve been learning lately,” Lu Yao replied.

“Check whatever you want, hmph.” Harold’s ponytail swung as he entered the shop, feigning annoyance.

Edward shook his head, seeing right through the little black dragon. “Tsk, his tail’s practically in the air.”

“Chirp!” Mumu tugged on Lu Yao’s sleeve, reminding her it was time to flip the eel.

A bit later, Si Jin and Clarissa returned.

Si Jin had been out treasure hunting, while Clarissa seemed to have visited the royal capital.

In the height of summer, under a sky full of stars, the non-human staff of the nail salon gathered to enjoy a long-awaited evening snack with their boss, feasting on fragrant grilled eel.

The eel was fresh, fatty, and richly flavored with sauce; no one could resist it.

Everyone ate until they were full, sprawling on the sofas, too satisfied to move.

Clarissa glanced at Lu Yao a few times and, as Lu Yao stood up to refill her water, followed her.

“Boss.”

Lu Yao turned back. “Yes? Do you need something?”

In just a few months, Clarissa had mastered the techniques of nail art and often discussed magic with Edward and the necromancer, making her stronger than before.

Looking at Lu Yao, Clarissa felt a bit nervous. “I went back to the palace for Elvi’s coronation.”

Lu Yao had already heard about this from Eugenia.

After the sudden death of the king, the queen consort and prince—both of whom were members of the Jinclai bloodline—had to face the wrath of the dragons and lost their right to the throne.

After several months, the kingdom finally welcomed back its long-lost crown princess, now crowned as the queen—the former knight, Elvi, who once lived in Emerald Town.

“The queen used to get her nails done at our shop. So, she’s sort of your sister?” Lu Yao sensed that Clarissa had something important to say.

Clarissa nodded. “What I want to discuss is related to that. Boss, I’ve decided to undergo the transformation to become a pureblood demon.”

It was rare for a half-blood demon to successfully become pureblood.

However, her mother’s power and Clarissa’s strong will gave her a high chance of success.

Her only concern was whether the shop owner would accept a pureblood demon staying at the shop.

“Is the transformation dangerous?” Lu Yao asked.

Clarissa shook her head. “The necromancer and the twin fairies have agreed to support me, so there shouldn’t be any issues.”

“If you’ve made up your mind, go for it. Demon or human, it doesn’t make much difference to me. What’s special isn’t the species but you,” Lu Yao said, understanding Clarissa’s concerns. “You’re you.”

Clarissa bowed, feeling content. “Thank you, Boss.”

Lu Yao gave her a reassuring pat on the shoulder, then got up to find Harold.

Harold had taken over an entire sofa, lying across it with a comic book in hand and some leftover eel on a nearby stool.

Lu Yao gave him a gentle nudge. “Get up and tell me what you’ve been learning lately.”

Harold rolled over, turning his back to her, suddenly in a sulky mood.

Lu Yao sighed and said softly, “I recently learned a new spell.”

Harold’s ears twitched, but he said nothing.

“With this spell, I can hear someone’s thoughts whenever I activate it. Would you like me to listen to your inner thoughts right now?” Lu Yao said calmly.

Harold: !!!

🛍️🛍️🛍️🛍️🛍️