Ch 145: Guide to Running a Shop in Another World

Ji Zhixin suppressed his suddenly racing heartbeat and slowly turned to look at Ji Feiming.

Uncle Ming remained calm, not looking at him.

Lu Yao handed the desserts to the seal guardians and Harold, then turned to Ji Feiming. “The reservation limit has increased to fifty spots. Jiu Hua is covering in the reception room, so I’ll go check in upstairs. You take Zhixin around the shop, and meet me later.”

When the Little Pet Cafe expanded the first time, employee badges and VIP cards were upgraded privately. Wearing them granted access to all the leisure activities, with the only restriction being no access to deep-sea diving.

On the way back with the desserts, Lu Yao had mostly decided that Ji Zhixin could handle the phone operator job.

Even venturing out in over 40-degree heat, to an unfamiliar place, with mobility issues, he had remained calm. In the dessert shop, he was talkative—chatting about desserts, photography, and store operations—much more cheerful than in the initial video when he seemed downcast.

Lu Yao had made up her mind to hire him; now it was only a matter of whether he wanted to stay at the Little Pet Cafe.

Ji Feiming pushed Ji Zhixin down the Deep-Sea Tunnel, where outside the transparent membrane, vibrant coral, lush algae, and schools of fish drifted by leisurely.

Occasionally, a guest passing by would glance back curiously, as it was rare to see someone in a wheelchair in the shop.

Since leaving home, Ji Zhixin didn’t feel as sensitive to others’ gazes as he normally would—maybe it was the intriguing surroundings that kept him distracted. Holding onto the wheelchair’s handles tightly, he couldn’t help but ask, “Uncle Ming, what is this place?”

Ji Feiming found Ji Zhixin’s reaction amusing, as he himself had reacted similarly, overwhelmed the first time he visited the nail salon.

Conversation was difficult in the tunnel, so he quickened his pace and brought Ji Zhixin to the Octopus Room.

Some guests lay on the floor, hugging piggy cats, snuggling them lovingly. Others fed them treats in various playful ways, making the piggy cats meow with delight, while a few enjoyed sliding down a play slide with them.

Ji Zhixin’s eyes widened as he managed to croak out, “An underwater cat café?”

Ji Feiming looked down slightly, his expression steady. “Next door, there are puppies, parrots, rabbits, and seals. If you join the team, they’ll be your colleagues.”

Ji Zhixin: “…”

Despite being from a family used to serving deities, more accepting of strange phenomena than the average person, this shop exceeded anything he’d imagined.

In a hoarse voice, Ji Zhixin muttered, “It really is a Little Pet Cafe… But what is this place?”

“Another world,” Ji Feiming replied succinctly, leaving no room for doubt.

The owner hadn’t insisted on a confidentiality agreement upfront, making him worry that Ji Zhixin might not stay after all.

Ji Zhixin whipped his head around, his pupils quivering. “Another world? I thought… I never imagined… and those other three shops outside, are they also…?”

Ji Feiming nodded. “Each shop is connected to a different world. I can’t say more for now. If you decide to stay and sign the confidentiality agreement, with the owner’s permission, you can visit the other shops. If you don’t want to stay, the owner will make you forget everything about today.”

She would really erase his memory…

Thinking of the clan secrets and rumors about Uncle Ming he’d seen in the “Ji Clan” group chat, Ji Zhixin’s face changed repeatedly. He couldn’t help but murmur, “Uncle Fei has already found the young one, and many in the clan are preparing to move to Tianshu City to ride the wave of the new god’s succession. So what is this shop owner then?”

Ji Feiming’s expression remained calm. “I don’t know, which is why I’m staying here, monitoring her actions.”

So this was Uncle Ming’s real purpose in requesting help from the clan.

If the old god were still present and Uncle Ming still his envoy, this level of strangeness would never be revealed to the younger generation.

And born into the Ji clan, who hadn’t dreamed of experiencing the supernatural firsthand?

Now, with an unparalleled opportunity right before him, Ji Zhixin suppressed his turbulent emotions. “Uncle Ming, I want to stay. Whether it’s as a phone operator or a server, I’m willing to do it.”

Ji Feiming looked pleased. “It’s good that you’re thinking this way. When things get busy, you’ll need to help with everything: gutting fish, washing dishes, serving plates—every task.”

Ji Zhixin gave him a curious look and carefully asked, “Don’t tell me… you’ve done all of that?”

After a brief pause, Ji Feiming pushed Ji Zhixin down another deep-sea tunnel toward the Coral Room, sidestepping the question. “Up ahead is the Dog House, where we keep a few fluffy white puppies. After you see them, we’ll go to the Fishing Room to talk to the shop owner and finalize things for you.”

The topic… had been brushed off.

Now that he’d decided to stay, Ji Zhixin looked around with a mix of curiosity and excitement.

No matter how he looked at it, this shop was beyond amazing.

An underwater pet shop, where guests could turn into fish, and seal employees served food…

When he saw the tiny Maru Dogs, the vast coral forest beyond the transparent walls, and the garden eels dancing on the ocean floor, Ji Zhixin let out a long breath.

When he lost the function of his legs, his world had collapsed, and it had never truly rebuilt itself.

He had been trapped under the rubble, struggling to breathe, with his life stretched out endlessly but cloaked only in darkness.

But here, seeing this ocean, the weight on his shoulders suddenly shattered, and he felt liberated in both body and soul.

“Uncle Ming, how many people know about this shop?” Ji Zhixin asked.

Ji Feiming thought back briefly. “Quite a few.”

Ji Zhixin pressed, “How many is ‘quite a few’? Did they all sign that contract?”

Realizing what he meant, Ji Feiming replied, “You mean here on the shopping street? You’re asking too many questions before starting. Sign the confidentiality agreement first, then we’ll talk.”

Ji Zhixin: “…”

Are you really monitoring this place?

…

Lu Yao took over Jiu Hua’s shift, sending her downstairs to rest and grab something to eat.

Upon hearing there were desserts downstairs, Jiu Hua dashed out, clutching the seal that accompanied her on her shift.

A new seal climbed up, huffing as it waddled to Lu Yao’s side, looking up with innocent, adoring eyes: “Mmm.”

This one was here to accompany Lu Yao on her shift.

With all of the day’s appointments handled, Lu Yao pulled out materials from the drawer to make some tickets.

The special tickets for the Little Pet Cafe could only be made by the shop owner and Harold.

Since she’d be busy opening a new store soon and might not have time, she planned to stock up.

The seal propped itself on its soft but sturdy tail, gripping the table leg with its short, chubby flippers and watching Lu Yao intently. “Mmm.”

“You want to learn?”

“Mmm!”

Lu Yao nearly forgot that the seal was a divine messenger, unlike regular creatures, and had a bit of magical talent.

In less than five minutes, it learned the simple magic for making tickets, working fast and efficiently.

An ultimate working seal, with limitless potential.

Together, they used up all the materials, filling two cabinets and three drawers with completed tickets.

After exhausting its magical power, the little seal rested against the table leg, its flippers on its chest, gently tapping its tail against the floor as its wet eyes looked over at her.

Lu Yao rummaged in her bag, pulling out two mini mooncakes and a flyer.

The mooncakes were the samples Zhou Su had given her.

She unwrapped one and offered it to the seal. “Do you want some?”

Unlike regular seals, these seals were interested in human food and could eat some of it.

When there were no guests around, some of the greedy ones would even sneak into the kitchen for snacks.

The little seal sniffed it, then gave it a tentative lick. Its large, watery eyes suddenly sparkled. Stretching out its flippers, it took the mooncake, rolling into a corner to nibble on it daintily.

Lu Yao ate the remaining mooncake. The crust was soft and sticky, and the filling was sweet without being overwhelming. The layers blended into a rich and complex flavor—clearly an old-fashioned mooncake made with care.

She picked up the flyer on the table, scanned the code, and sent a friend request.

Just then, Ji Feiming came up with Ji Zhixin on his back.

Seeing the ocean surface, Ji Zhixin’s newly calmed emotions were stirred again.

He had thought this shop was only underwater, but there were facilities above as well—complete with chubby little seals for company. You could shuck oysters, touch sea snails, even collect sea urchins…

Working here every day would feel just like a vacation, wouldn’t it?

When Ji Zhixin saw Lu Yao, he first apologized for hiding his leg injury, then firmly expressed his desire to work at the Little Pet Cafe.

Lu Yao pulled out the confidentiality contract she’d prepared in advance, and with the contract sealed, the Little Pet Cafe gained a new human employee.

After a brief orientation, she brought out the seal that was still nibbling on a mooncake in the corner. “This little one can make tickets, so you’ll be working with it from now on.”

The seal had mooncake crumbs on its mouth, its round head full of innocent curiosity.

Unable to resist, Ji Zhixin reached out to pet it, finding its soft, sticky texture indescribable. After touching it once, he couldn’t stop. “Getting a little seal upon joining is a benefit I didn’t expect.”

The seal closed its eyes and purred in contentment—a habit it had probably picked up from the shop’s piggy cats.

The ghost phone system was well-developed, so Lu Yao set up a computer for easier use.

Ji Zhixin settled into his role smoothly and adapted well. However, his office was in the Fishing Room, requiring Ji Feiming to carry him up each morning and back down at the end of each day.

After observing this for two days, Lu Yao consulted with the system about installing an elevator.

The system noted that the installation would be a huge project, unlike the simpler Octopus Balloon.

It could be done, but it would be costly.

After some thought, Lu Yao opted for a compromise: she installed a super-long slide beside the stairs, stretching from the Fishing Room all the way down to the main Little Pet Cafe.

The slide was long, with gentle curves, and was made from the same transparent material as the underwater tunnels.

Sliding down from the top felt as thrilling as walking along a glass skywalk.

Before Ji Zhixin could try it after work, the seals and a group of guests had already gone wild, lining up for turns on the slide.

The transparent slide was a whole new experience, quite different from the Octopus Slide, with seals and guests queuing to play all afternoon.

Lu Yao later approached Lei lei to discuss making a bracelet using a drop of divine tear and bestowing the blessing of the Deep-Sea Goddess.

She presented the bracelet to Ji Zhixin, saying, “Since it’s temporary, this bracelet’s blessing only works within this ocean.”

The simple, elegant bracelet was strung with a small white pearl about the size of a pinky tip on a golden thread.

Ji Zhixin was puzzled. “For me?”

“Yes, wear it with your employee badge,” Lu Yao replied.

After he put it on, the golden thread began to change, gradually wrapping around the silver badge, merging into one, with a bright, round pearl now adorning the side of the badge.

Lu Yao instructed, “Stand up and take a few steps.”

Ji Zhixin: “?”

Impatient, Ji Feiming pulled him to his feet.

Ji Zhixin panicked, instinctively leaning back to avoid putting weight on his legs. But Uncle Ming’s grip was strong, and he found himself standing and taking a few steps forward.

He froze, staring down at his legs that were now able to stand normally. He even took a few more steps, then turned to Lu Yao in disbelief. “I… You…”

Lu Yao explained, “Don’t get too excited—it’s just magic during working hours. Once you leave this ocean, it won’t work.”

Ji Zhixin’s emotions were complicated, falling back into his original state after the initial euphoria, though now with a touch of relief.

At least he wouldn’t have to trouble Uncle Ming every day, being carried up and down for work. The daily routine had weighed on him.

Pulling out his phone, Ji Zhixin opened his social media app and changed all his account names to a unified nickname.

A few days later, Lu Yao created a group chat for the shopping street staff. Seeing Ji Zhixin’s new nickname, she couldn’t help but recall her first impression of him.

She had really misjudged him.

Is this guy secretly a comedian?

Ji Feiming didn’t add a note for Ji Zhixin, so seeing the nickname, he specifically tagged him: @Cinderella-at-Work, new colleague?

Cinderella-at-Work: Uncle Ming, it’s me, Zhixin.

Ji Feiming: ???

He was Cinderella at Work.

Because after work, the fairy godmother’s magic would wear off.

Later on, let’s not even mention the complicated feelings Uncle Ming had. Ji Zhixin, right after changing his name, received a notification from the “Ji Clan” group chat.

Ji Zixun: @Ji Zhixin Brother Zhixin, did you really start working at Little Pet Cafe?

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