Ch 158: Guide to Running a Shop in Another World

A movie is neither like a traditional play nor a storyteller’s tale. It presents the story directly, with vividly defined characters, realistic and varied scenes, and even musical accompaniment.

Chen Jingshan had come to the cinema with the intention of broadening his horizons, carrying a bit of skepticism in his heart. But as he watched the main feature of The World’s Greatest, he became entirely engrossed, eyes glued to the screen, afraid to miss even a moment of the plot.

He couldn’t fathom how the screen before him held all those people, landscapes, houses, bustling streets, and even farm animals like chickens, ducks, pigs, and cows kept in courtyards.

Liu Gennong was even more astounded than Chen Jingshan. After hearing others rave about it, he had come to find some inspiration for his new stories. He hadn’t anticipated that the cinema would be such a marvel.

An hour passed quickly, and the legendary swordsman of the story rode off into the distance, leaving behind a dashing yet slightly melancholy silhouette.

As the lights brightened in the theater, the audience was still immersed in the world of The World’s Greatest, their expressions distant. Only the theater staff urging them to leave brought them back to reality, and they rose reluctantly.

With limited theater space, the cinema’s schedule was tightly packed. Guests lined up to exit, still savoring the experience.

Chen Jingshan and Liu Gennong, who stayed until the end, exchanged somber glances, both at a loss for words.

[System Notification]
“Successfully hosted ten guests, initial task completed! Popularity +10, seating capacity of the screening room increased to 40!”

“New Task: Host 100 guests, reward: 100 popularity points, add one screening room.”

Just as the premiere concluded, Lu Yao received the system prompt.

The theater upgrade and expansion would need to wait until closing time for the renovations. Once the upgrade was complete tomorrow, with two screening rooms that could each accommodate 40 guests, the promo for The Capital’s Little Chef could begin.

This series, totaling sixteen episodes, would be edited to forty minutes per episode, with two episodes shown in one 80-minute session. Each session would screen every five days, taking roughly a month to complete the series. If interest remained high, the series could continue cycling with old and new screenings—similar to popular TV series re-aired each summer.

This scheduling took into account the slow spread of information in this era, unlike the rapid and widespread dissemination of the internet era. In reality, even in the internet age, repeated viewings often keep content popular.

Lu Yao also planned to insert a brief preview for the next screening at the end of each session.

…

At the theater exit, Gouzi guided guests to dispose of their empty popcorn containers and cups in the trash bins. Although the packaging was created by illusion magic and would disappear within three days, it still needed to be collected before it vanished to avoid clutter.

If anyone needed the restroom, Gouzi would point them in the right direction. Although signs indicating the restroom were posted on the opposite wall, many patrons were illiterate and required guidance.

During this time, Wen Jian took the opportunity to tidy up the screening room, clearing away any remaining trash.

In the lobby, a line of customers waited for tickets, with the second and third screenings already sold out. Currently, they were selling tickets for the last two afternoon screenings.

Zhu Zhu managed ticket sales, while Lu Yao handed out the free snack packages to customers. Zhu Zhu and Wen Jian had spent a week learning the process before the official opening and were starting to become proficient, though they still moved somewhat slowly.

To Lu Yao, their pace seemed slow, but the people of Great Wu appeared accustomed to it, watching Zhu Zhu’s computer operations with curiosity instead of impatience.

Chen Jingshan and Liu Gennong lingered at the entrance, hoping to speak with the proprietor, but finding no opportunity, they eventually turned and left.

As they walked out of the cinema, Liu Gennong let out a long sigh. “The World’s Greatest was truly fascinating. If adapted into a storybook, it would certainly draw a large audience.”

Chen Jingshan’s face was blank, and he hadn’t considered this before. “It may be a bit improper. And with the cinema in operation, who would still want to listen to stories?”

The movie’s format was too visually striking and new, and its story thrilling and well-crafted. Chen Jingshan was well aware of just how remarkable The World’s Greatest was.

But this cinema’s sudden appearance and all its inexplicable devices defied common sense. Though the proprietor was a woman, she clearly understood the art of commerce deeply. Chen Jingshan, unless absolutely necessary, preferred to be on good terms with her and avoid any actions that might cause controversy.

Liu Gennong’s mind, meanwhile, was consumed by the story of The World’s Greatest. He’d been a storyteller for over ten years, and his regular audience knew both his tales and storytelling style intimately. Recently, he had sensed a slow decline in his popularity, and his earnings had become modest. He’d tried to innovate with fresh content and delivery, but without much success—until encountering The World’s Greatest.

He envisioned adapting The World’s Greatest into a tale he could perform at Sixi House, growing more excited by the thought. “Chen, you’re overthinking it. Watching a movie costs 30 coins, while an average family would balk at such an expense. At Sixi House or Fuxian Residence, they only need to pay three to five coins for tea to enjoy a whole session. Over time, people will realize that listening to a story is more cost-effective than watching a movie.”

Could it really be that simple? The impact of a movie far surpassed any mere difference of a few dozen coins. And was The World’s Greatest the only story this cinema would show?

Thinking this, Chen Jingshan actually felt a flicker of anticipation. He thought Liu was too optimistic but knew his friend’s stubborn nature and doubted he could persuade him. “Liu, if you’re considering adapting this story, you’d best inform the cinema’s proprietor first.”

Liu waved it off. “Let’s leave it here for now. We’ll meet again soon.”

Chen Jingshan lingered at the roadside for a moment, his mind still filled with The World’s Greatest, finally understanding that customer’s enthusiasm from yesterday. With his hands behind his back, he strolled towards Fuxian Residence.

…

Muxi City, Lingxiao Pavilion

A man lounged against the thick trunk of a large banyan tree, resting. A loose purple satin robe was draped over his body, and two crescent-shaped scimitars hung from his waist. His chest was exposed, revealing a scar stretching from his lower abdomen to his chest.

“Ku Ba, there’s a job,” Die Qi stood under the tree, holding a command token.

The man in purple lazily opened one eye and, seeing the color of the token, scowled. “Not interested!”

He was waiting for an assassination order.

Die Qi held up a dark token. “This one’s from Liangjing. The employer said a strange store has opened there and wants someone to investigate it. Everyone else in the pavilion is occupied, and only you are free, so the master assigned it to you.”

Ku Ba shot up, visibly irritated. “Does this really need me? Has the master gone senile? Someone’s just running a business, and the employer sends assassins to snoop around. Is he drowning in money or just crazy?”

As he stood, his loose robe slipped further off his shoulder, exposing pale skin with a menacing scar across his chest.

Die Qi lowered his gaze, speaking softly. “You haven’t taken a mission in three months, spending your days lounging around. Just because you lost a sparring match with Xiao Jiu—it’s not the first time. How long are you going to sulk?”

At this, Ku Ba jumped down from the tree, glaring fiercely at Die Qi. “Who said I’m sulking? These assignments are just too easy for me.”

Die Qi tossed him the token and took a step back. “Perfect then; this mission should suit you well. The employer paid as if it were an assassination, but they only want you to gather information on the store and its owner. You must not reveal your identity, nor are you to kill anyone.”

Ku Ba scowled so deeply he looked as if he could crush flies between his brows, stomping his foot. “What a pointless mission. Boring!”

Die Qi turned to leave but paused after a few steps, remarking casually, “By the way, last I heard, the master sent Xiao Jiu to Liangjing on a mission. But he should be back soon.”

Ku Ba’s expression shifted, gripping the token tightly.

So Xiao Jiu had gone to Liangjing. No wonder he hadn’t returned in a while; it must’ve been a complicated mission.

Ku Ba’s face no longer looked sullen, and he stopped complaining. He went back to his room, hastily packed a few belongings, and set off for Liangjing.

…

Liangjing, Song’an Street

The first day of the Interdimensional Cinema’s opening went exceptionally well. After the fourth screening that afternoon, more guests continued to inquire about tickets. Since the theater would be expanding its screening capacity the following day, Lu Yao decided to keep it simple: same-day screenings, same-day ticket sales.

[Successfully hosted one hundred guests. Task completed! Earned 100 points of popularity. Cinema has gained one additional screening room.]

[New task! Within the next three weeks, screen at least three different types of films. Reward: 10,000 popularity points, one additional screening room, and expanded seating for fifty per screening.]

Lu Yao checked in with the system. “Three different types of films—don’t we already have two?”

System: “Considering Great Wu’s context, wuxia films and historical dramas do indeed count as separate film types.”

Strictly speaking, The Capital’s Little Chef wasn’t even a film, but since this world hadn’t yet developed a cinema culture, the system allowed some flexibility given the vastly different storytelling of Little Chef and The World’s Greatest.

Relieved, Lu Yao remarked, “That works then. Zhixin has already been negotiating additional projects, and he mentioned we should have news within the next couple of days.”

System: “More historical settings? Why not try a modern series? I think youth dramas, suspense, or sci-fi could be interesting.”

With Lu Yao launching the cinema, the system had taken the initiative to study movies, recently catching up on quite a few.

Lu Yao replied, “There’s a process to these things. Once the public grows accustomed to the cinema, we can consider broadening the scope in terms of time period and content. Jiu Hua told me that Wenwen has news too. In a couple of days, we’ll head to Night Light City.”

Wen Jingyi wanted to introduce her to a producer, a matter that required Lu Yao’s personal attention. She planned to bring Harold along for the trip.

On its first day, the cinema quickly became the hottest topic among the Song’an Street residents. Those who had seen The World’s Greatest spread word enthusiastically, and those who were still undecided grew increasingly intrigued by the mounting excitement.

However, the ticket price for The World’s Greatest was high enough to make common folk hesitate. While they could afford it, many questioned whether the experience was worth the cost of a single movie ticket.

Unexpectedly, the following day, the cinema released a new trailer. Unlike The World’s Greatest, this one featured a young girl who, thanks to her cooking skills, had managed to open a restaurant in Shengjing’s bustling streets—only to inadvertently attract the attention of the city’s most notorious noble.

In just one minute, the trailer showcased the chef’s impressive skills and her cheerful disposition, along with food that looked so delicious it drove the entire city’s food lovers wild. Her humorous interactions with the nobleman caught the audience’s eye, making viewers eager to see what other entertaining encounters lay in store for them.

The natural contrast in social class between the chef and the noble made their interactions vibrant and amusing, giving the story a unique charm. The combination of everyday life and comedic drama in The Capital’s Little Chef made the trailer instantly appealing, and soon enough, it had everyone eagerly awaiting its release.

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