Ch 163: Guide to Running a Shop in Another World

The person seated at the center of the carriage held a scroll and didn’t look up. “Well?”

The maid relayed everything she had overheard about the cinema, including the dispute at the entrance just now.

Wan Baozhu raised her head, “Giving tickets specifically to women—this owner is quite an interesting character.”

The maid lowered her gaze, pressing her lips together slightly.

Wan Baozhu shifted to the side, lifting the curtain to glance toward the cinema. “If there’s anything else, say it now.”

The maid replied, “That female owner has an unknown background and behaves oddly, dressing without concern for decorum. Local residents say she often walks about in underclothes, her hair unbound, ignoring the gossip around her. But the cinema she runs is indeed intriguing and has gained some fame in the eastern market. Everyone who’s been says it’s wonderful.”

As she spoke, the maid still couldn’t imagine a young woman roaming the streets in such casual dress. If it were her, she’d be mortified. She had no interest in the cinema the townspeople were so eager about. With such an unconventional owner, what kind of proper business could it possibly be?

Wan Baozhu continued to gaze outside, raising her brow slightly, seeming to catch the maid’s unspoken judgment.

At that moment, Lu Yao and Ku Ba emerged together at the cinema’s entrance. It took only a glance for Wan Baozhu to recognize the woman as the unusual cinema owner described by the maid.

The woman was delicate-looking, with particularly bright and expressive eyes. Her long hair fell freely over her shoulders, and she wore a thin white inner shirt and black trousers, along with unusual boots. She was talking casually with the man beside her, completely unbothered by the stares around her.

Suddenly, as if sensing something, she looked toward the carriage.

Wan Baozhu let the curtain fall and ordered the driver to move on.

Lu Yao and Ku Ba watched the carriage pass, both with a curious glint in their eyes.

Once it was out of sight, Ku Ba turned back and pestered Lu Yao again, “Boss, when will you finally dye my hair?”

Still looking in the direction of the departing carriage, Lu Yao noted the mahogany body and the four white horses drawing it—an extravagant setup uncommon for the average household. “I said ten days. You’ve only been here two. Just focus on working well first.”

To satisfy Ku Ba’s request, she had even been practicing bleaching and dyeing techniques in her spare time lately. Who’d have thought that running a cinema would also require her to expand into hairstyling?

…

Inside the screening hall.

Liu Xue’e sat in the back row, with two girls from her neighborhood beside her, all curious about the cinema’s decor. Despite having heard about it countless times, being inside the cinema was a whole new experience. Words alone couldn’t convey even a fraction of its grandeur.

The lights dimmed suddenly, causing a moment of alarm among the women.

The large screen at the front lit up, and the men in the front rows sat neatly in silence, already accustomed to the setting. After safety instructions and advertisements, the film The World’s Greatest began.

Liu Xue’e exhaled quietly, straightening up, her eyes sparkling with anticipation for the story of the chivalrous heroes.

Though they had heard bits and pieces of the story before, and Liu Xue’e even knew the ending, the film’s impact was far beyond anything she had imagined. Seeing it was indeed incomparable to merely hearing about it.

In the opening scene, as the Ye family met their tragic fate, some girls couldn’t help but cry.

When little Ye Qingzhou was rescued and became the youngest disciple under Senior Sister Ning Shuang’s care, everyone’s attention was riveted once again.

The World’s Greatest didn’t overly focus on romance, but the subtle, unspoken affection between characters created a poignant charm.

Liu Xue’e, having heard Zhu Zhu lament the regretful ending between Ye Qingzhou and Senior Sister Ning Shuang, also felt a sense of melancholy, as she was still young and couldn’t help but be moved by their unfulfilled connection.

Watching the interaction between the characters, Liu Xue’e couldn’t help but smile, though she reminded herself repeatedly that they wouldn’t end up together.

In the neighboring screening room, Little Chef was showing the scenes where Yu Zhengzheng effortlessly deflected the challenges posed by the noble son. The young girls seated in the back row covered their mouths, their eyes wide with admiration at Yu Zhengzheng’s courage.

She seemed about their age but had the capability to run a shop in the bustling heart of Shengjing, captivating customers with her cooking skills and even keeping the high-status, difficult young lord in line.

At this point, the girls didn’t yet realize that the noble would eventually become the chef’s romantic interest; they only saw Yu Zhengzheng as brave and clever, a figure to admire. To them, Jing Hao was just an annoying but powerful customer.

Madam Liu hurriedly arrived after receiving the ticket from Liu Mingyuan, missing the beginning of the movie. But since it was only the first episode, she could quickly catch up.

Her attention was on the dishes Yu Zhengzheng prepared, and seeing the diners enthralled by the mouth-watering food brought her a certain joy; it felt incredibly relatable.

She even took mental notes of Yu Zhengzheng’s cooking methods, hoping to try them out later.

When the first showing ended, a preview for the next episode played, and the audience was stunned.

It turned out Little Chef wasn’t just a one-time show; the next episode wouldn’t air until five days later.

What other dishes would the little chef make?

How exactly would the brash young lord help her?

What was the little chef’s final message for the young lord?

The preview left them all on edge—how were they supposed to get through the next five days?

At this point, the people of the Great Wu Dynasty hadn’t realized they had fallen into the addictive cycle of “waiting for the next episode.”

Madam Liu left the cinema in high spirits.

Movies were a fantastic thing; before she knew it, she’d been completely drawn in, even more so than by the storytellers at the teahouse.

She followed the crowd outside, spotting Liu Xue’e near the ticket booth, tearfully embracing Zhu Zhu. Liu Shi hurried over, “Xue’e, what’s wrong?”

At that moment, many concerning thoughts crossed her mind, and she briefly regretted coming to the cinema.

Hearing her mother’s voice, Liu Xue’e released Zhu Zhu and sheepishly wiped her eyes. “Mother, I’m fine. The movie’s ending was just so sad. I knew it would happen, but I still couldn’t help crying.”

Liu Shi sighed in relief, thinking her daughter had been upset for some other reason.

“Mother, how was Little Chef?” Liu Xue’e asked.

“It was wonderful, though it wasn’t all shown,” Liu Shi replied.

“Not finished?” Liu Xue’e was surprised.

Zhu Zhu felt a bit happy inside. She finally had a true companion who understood just how bittersweet Ye Qingzhou and Senior Sister Ning Shuang’s story was.

However, having seen Little Chef today, Zhu Zhu was also starting to notice the intriguing dynamic between the noble son and Yu Zhengzheng.

Hearing the conversation between Liu Shi and her daughter, Zhu Zhu chimed in, “The boss said Little Chef is a different type of series compared to The World’s Greatest. It’s episodic and will take a few more showings to complete. Xue’e, Little Chef is also a fantastic watch. You should come and see it sometime.”

In the past, Liu Xue’e would have politely declined. After all, a movie ticket wasn’t exactly cheap, and it wasn’t something to indulge in frequently.

But after experiencing a movie firsthand, it was hard to say no. This kind of storytelling was captivating.

At that moment, Liu Xue’e’s mind was still filled with the image of Ye Qingzhou riding off into the distance, his silhouette lingering in her thoughts.

Liu Xue’e lowered her head, remaining silent.

Unexpectedly, Liu Shi spoke up, “Next time, Xue’e and I will come together. I’m sure Little Chef is even better than that ‘Greatest.’ It had me laughing non-stop.”

“Mother?” Liu Xue’e looked up, surprised.

Liu Shi turned and began walking away, “Let’s go. I left our stall with Aunt Zhu, so we need to hurry back.”

…

Wan Baozhu returned to her estate, her mind still on the cinema. After changing clothes in her room, she instructed her maid, “Summon Hongyu to see me.”

After about the time it takes to steep a cup of tea, a woman named Hongyu stood behind the beaded curtain and bowed, “Greetings, Your Highness.”

Wan Baozhu set down her teacup. “How are your eyes?”

Hongyu lowered her head. “Thanks to Your Highness for arranging renowned physicians, my vision has improved slightly.”

Wan Baozhu cast her gaze downward. “No need to spare my feelings. Well, let’s not dwell on that now. Go change your clothes; I want you to accompany me outside the estate.”

Hongyu was pleasantly surprised. Ever since her vision had deteriorated, she hadn’t been given any tasks and had assumed the princess had given up on her.

Wan Baozhu reminded her, “Wear men’s attire and keep a low profile. I found an interesting place in the Eastern Market today, and we’re going to investigate.”

…

After the morning premiere, discussions about Little Chef spread quickly through the market by midday. Some people were captivated by the food, others intrigued by the interactions between the little chef and the noble, and many speculated about the next episode’s plot.

The people of the Great Wu Dynasty weren’t unfamiliar with this style; storytellers often left them with “to be continued” cliffhangers. But the magic of film was that the characters and story scenes stayed vividly in the audience’s mind, drawing them in before they even realized it, leaving them eager to imagine what’s next.

And since women had also seen the movie, they weren’t just hearing secondhand accounts. Now, as they chatted with friends and neighbors, they inspired even more people to feel curious.

Lu Yao was contemplating that this ticket giveaway might be worth continuing for a few more days.

Her phone suddenly rang. She glanced at the screen — it was Fu Chi.

Fu Chi had been thinking it over for a few days and decided he would come to the cinema. However, before formally starting, he wanted to take a look at the place first.

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