Ch 146: Guide to Running a Shop in Another World

The “Ji Zhi” group had been quite active recently, with several members like Ji Zhixiang constantly asking Ji Zixun about the Young One.

The Young One had only met with Ji Feichen so far; others occasionally helped with errands, but opportunities were scarce.

Ji Zixun, being a close relative, had been by Ji Feichen’s side, assisting with a few minor tasks.

Ji Zhixiang and the others were envious, as none of them had had the chance to visit Tianshu, let alone assist the Young One.

That afternoon, the group members were once again listening to Ji Zixun share stories about Tianshu City.

As the conversation was winding down, Ji Zixun suddenly tagged Ji Zhixin, reminding everyone of Uncle Ming’s situation.

Ji Zhixiang: “No way… Brother Zhixin wouldn’t actually go work for Uncle Ming.”

Ji Zhiqing: “There’s no way he’d be interested in that job.”

Ji Zhile: “At first, my mom thought Uncle Ming had encountered something strange and needed people from the clan to investigate. Then, when she heard it was just to work at a pet shop, she secretly complained for ages.”

Ji Zixun: “Huh? I just saw that Brother Zhixin changed his nickname. Did he find a job somewhere else?”

Everyone in the group had their full names displayed, and since Ji Zixun hadn’t mentioned it, few had noticed the nickname change.

Ji Zhixiang: “What did he change it to?”

Ji Zhile checked and immediately called attention to it.

Ji Zhile: “Cinderella-at-Work? What’s that supposed to mean?”

Ji Zhiqing: “…Could he be in love?”

Before his leg injury, Ji Zhixin had been highly valued by the elders and was almost groomed to be the next “Ji Feiming.”

Back then, while he was still in school, many of the clan’s in-laws would joke about finding him a match.

But after his injury, his bright future turned to dust overnight, and no one mentioned such things again.

Ji Zhixin became reclusive, reportedly shutting himself in his room day after day, dark and withdrawn, like a fallen morning star.

Now, deeply mired in his own struggles, he suddenly adopted such a name—perhaps he truly had found love.

Though a bit of a cliché, the idea hit the gossip nerves of most people in the group.

Ji Zhile: “!!!”

Ji Zhile: “If we’re talking about that, I’m wide awake now! [popcorn.JPG]”

Ji Zhixiang: “Brother Zhixin, come chat with us! @Ji Zhixin”

Ji Zhixin: “What do you want to chat about?”

Ji Zixun: “Brother Zhixin, did you really get a job?”

Ji Zhixin: “Yes.”

Ji Zhixiang: “Where at?”

Ji Zhixin: “A pet shop.”

Ji Zhile: “What! Brother Zhixin, you really went to Uncle Ming’s place?”

Ji Zhixin: “Yes, I’ve been working for two days now. It’s pretty nice here. If any of you want to come, ask the owner. There might still be an opportunity.”

After signing the confidentiality agreement, Ji Zhixin finally understood why Uncle Ming hadn’t explained anything when he asked the clan for help—it simply wasn’t possible.

The confidentiality agreement imposed strong, all-encompassing restrictions on employees, leaving no room for loopholes.

Even if he wanted to share the benefits of working on the shopping street, he couldn’t say it outright.

Ji Zhiqing: “Nah, nah, I’m fine where I am. No plans to change jobs for now.”

Ji Zhile: “If that shop were in Tianshu City, I’d be there in a flash.”

Ji Zhixiang: “Brother Zhixin, are you enjoying your job?”

Ji Zhixin: “Yes, it’s great.”

The chat went silent.

Ji Zhixin understood his younger clan members’ desires well—they all wanted to climb as high as possible.

To the Ji family, the more mysterious something was, the more enticing it became.

Everyone received the same teachings, aiming for that visible pinnacle.

This was only natural.

But he and Uncle Ming had already hinted many times, and if no one understood, there was nothing more they could do.

Ji Zhixin pocketed his phone, crouched down, and gave Piaopiao’s soft belly a pat, calling it back to the reception room to get to work.

Piaopiao was the seal that first learned to make tickets. Lu Yao had given it a name, and now it was both a colleague and playmate for Ji Zhixin.

Step by step, Ji Zhixin ascended the transparent stairs from the deep sea to the Fishing Room. It felt completely different from when Uncle Ming carried him up.

After five years, he was able to stand again in a way he had never imagined. Even if the magic had a time limit, he was deeply grateful.

…

Ji Zixun, with some free time, browsed the group chat history and then checked Ji Zhixin’s recent social media updates, opening a private chat with Ji Zhixiang.

Ji Zixun: “Xiangxiang, do you know exactly what Brother Zhixin is doing in Yaoguang City?”

Ji Zhixiang: “Isn’t he a receptionist at a pet shop? Why?”

Ji Zixun: “He’s changed the names on all his accounts. It feels a bit odd. I wonder if he’s encountered something?”

“Cinderella-at-Work” had a rather unusual ring to it.

Ji Zhixiang: “Encountered what?”

Ji Zixun: “I’m not sure. Xiangxiang, could you ask Aunt Rong? I’m a bit worried that Brother Zhixin might have run into something outside.”

Ji Zhixiang: “…Hmm, I doubt it’s anything serious. You know, ever since his leg injury, he’s changed a lot. Maybe he changed his name because he met someone he likes over there.”

Ji Zixun: “…I’ll ask him myself when I’m not busy.”

There was a hint of emotion in that reply, but Ji Zhixiang wasn’t keen on dealing with Ji Feirong and left the conversation hanging in an awkward silence.

…

With just two days left until the Mid-Autumn Festival, the employees of the snack shop, nail salon, and blind box shop were racking their brains to come up with the best mooncakes. They reportedly had great ideas and were actively testing them out but refused to let Lu Yao join in.

The Little Pet Cafe didn’t have a professional baker, so Jiu Hua took the initiative to chat with customers, hoping to gather some creative ideas.

With Jiu Hua’s social butterfly energy and Lu Yao providing various samples for inspiration, the Little Pet Cafe’s mooncake gift box concept finally began to take shape.

However, they encountered a major obstacle during the testing phase. According to Harold, the other shops weren’t sharing their ideas with the owner; everyone wanted to create a uniquely world-inspired mooncake to surprise her.

Upon hearing this, Jiu Hua, with a heavy heart, declined Lu Yao’s help to keep things fair.

It was almost amusing. All the shops were running as usual, yet making mooncakes had turned into something akin to an “arms race.” These past few days, none of the employees wanted Lu Yao around.

Standing at the entrance of the Little Pet Cafe, Lu Yao eyed the vacant store spaces next door.

The system was thrilled. [Ready for a new shop? What kind of store will it be this time?]

Lu Yao spread her fingers wide, gesturing next to the Little Pet Cafe. “These spaces here are all small. Can we combine them?”

[Why combine them? Once the Stargate is opened, you can expand the interior space as much as you want.]

Lu Yao’s eyes narrowed slightly. “We’ll expand inside, sure, but some storefronts need to look grand from the outside too.”

The system seized the opportunity to ask, [Does this mean you’ve decided on the type of shop?]

Busy with the Mid-Autumn Festival and hiring, Lu Yao hadn’t mentioned the new store at all, so the system assumed she hadn’t made up her mind yet.

Lu Yao shook her head slightly. “I have a few ideas, but I’m not set. For now, combine the stores from here to here—one, two, three, four, five shops in total. Combine them.”

[…Combining five shops? That’s huge! What kind of shop are you planning on?]

Lu Yao’s phone rang. It was Zhou Su calling.

She had ordered over ten kilograms of traditional pastries and mini mooncakes from Zhou Su, with delivery to an old residential area not far from the shopping street.

Zhou Su mentioned she was almost there.

After hanging up, Lu Yao hopped on her new electric scooter and headed out.

Her scooter, bought just the day before, was parked next to Xiao Ji’s Cadillac when not in use.

Zhou Su was waiting at the entrance of the neighborhood, her own scooter parked by the roadside.

Lu Yao quickly picked up the pastries and headed back.

Zhou Su caught up to her on her scooter. “You live in this direction?”

Lu Yao replied, “Yes. Do you live around here too?”

Zhou Su shook her head. “No, I just happened to have some errands here today.”

As they moved from the bustling city center to the outskirts, the traffic dwindled. The two of them, with Lu Yao leading, turned off the main road and onto the quiet path leading to the shopping street.

Lu Yao parked her scooter in front of the Little Pet Cafe. Zhou Su stopped beside her and couldn’t help asking, “Are you here for an interview too?”

“Who brings ten pounds of pastries to an interview?” Lu Yao chuckled, shaking her head. “Have I introduced myself yet? I’m Lu Yao.”

On the rundown little street, the only four stores all had “Lu Yao” as the prefix on their signs.

Realization dawned on Zhou Su, and her face flushed. “You’re the owner?”

Lu Yao nodded. “Wait here for a moment. I’ll take these pastries inside.”

After hiring Ji Zhixin, Lu Yao had posted a job listing online.

Yesterday, Ji Zhixin mentioned that someone had submitted a resume. At that time, she was feeding the seals and didn’t think much of it, letting him go ahead and arrange the interview. She hadn’t expected that the applicant would be Zhou Su herself.

Zhou Su had previously worked for a large company but left six months ago due to health reasons. After spending months in the hospital, she didn’t want to return to a high-pressure work environment upon discharge. She began selling homemade pastries at a roadside stall, hoping to turn her hobby into a modest income.

In her spare time, she browsed job listings and came across one for a pastry chef at a pet shop. The pay and benefits were excellent, and the interview location was conveniently close, so she applied on a whim.

To her surprise, she was quickly notified for an interview, and even more unexpectedly, the shop owner turned out to be one of her customers.

Knowing the applicant was Zhou Su, Lu Yao was quite pleased.

She added Zhou Su as a friend and checked her social media, confirming that not only did this lady make delicious pastries, but she also had impressive knife skills and a deep interest in cooking.

With their established familiarity, the interview process went quickly.

Lu Yao was confident that Zhou Su was a great fit; it was only a matter of whether Zhou Su could accept the unique environment of the Little Pet Cafe.

“Come on, let’s take a look inside first. The atmosphere of my shop is a bit unusual, but it’s also a lot of fun. If you’re okay with it, we can sign the contract after we come out,” Lu Yao said earnestly.

Zhou Su didn’t yet understand the full meaning of these words, simply thinking how young and polite the owner was. The job description, salary, and benefits matched the listing exactly—no exaggeration at all, which was quite rare. As long as the environment wasn’t terrible, she’d be happy to take it.

At the same time, a question popped into her mind. Would a store in such an isolated area really have any customers?

With that thought, Zhou Su started feeling something was off.

For a shop in such an obviously deserted area, why would the owner offer such generous terms?

Could this be some kind of new scam?

Lu Yao handed her a temporary badge as usual. “Wear it on your wrist, follow me, and don’t panic.”

Zhou Su: “…”

But what if she was already panicking?

Her mind’s alarm bells were blaring as she took a cautious step back.

Just then, a teenage boy rode into the shopping street on a bicycle, breezing past Zhou Su and stopping in front of Lu Yao. “Boss, I heard from Dr. Bai that the shop’s been upgraded with new features, and you hired another fuzzy employee! I came here straight from the airport, and Yuxi-jie is coming soon too.”

The boy was Luo Huan, a monthly VIP who happened to meet Bai Jing at the shop.

As one of the few VIP customers on the shopping street, they had formed a small group to exchange experiences about the Little Pet Cafe.

Luo Huan had returned to acting, and Jing Yuxi was competing abroad, so only Bai Jing frequented the shop and occasionally shared updates with the group.

“I was just heading in; let’s go.” Lu Yao gestured for him to follow, noticing Zhou Su hadn’t moved and calling back, “Come on.”

Zhou Su found Luo Huan vaguely familiar but couldn’t quite place him. However, he wore a bracelet similar to the one she had, though his cord was a different color.

Fastening her bracelet, Zhou Su took a step forward, feeling slightly embarrassed and relieved that she hadn’t blurted out her concerns.

Her recent downtime had led her to binge-watch dramas and fantasy novels, making her imagination run a bit too wild.

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