Ch 173: Guide to Running a Shop in Another World

When Blossoms Fall had only screened twice yet had sparked unprecedented discussion, with an ever-growing number of people wanting to see it.

By the midday showing, a long line had formed at the ticket counter, and many people were waiting in the lounge area and outside the entrance.

The rumors about the “popcorn monster” had died down days ago, and visitor numbers were finally peaking again.

With the shopkeeper absent, Fu Chi naturally took on the responsibility of managing the venue, maintaining order at the entrance and assisting newcomers to the cinema with directions and answers.

At first, people hesitated to approach Fu Chi. His appearance and attire were unlike those of the Great Wu Dynasty, and he exuded an aura that warned others not to get too close.

However, curiosity about the cinema was high; conversations about the new film screening there could be heard in teahouses, taverns, and marketplaces. Eventually, a young student from an academy took the initiative to ask him questions, breaking the ice for others.

For the final afternoon screening, many people who couldn’t get tickets lingered by the entrance for a long time, reluctantly leaving in disappointment.

Fu Chi sat in the lounge area, leaning back with his head slightly bowed, massaging his brow with his right hand.

The entire day had consisted of work akin to that of a gatekeeper, leaving him quite exhausted.

The ad screen started playing the popcorn commercial again, and as the signature background music began, Fu Chi opened his eyes, watching the man on the screen with a puzzled expression.

No matter how many times he watched it, that first man on the screen still bore a striking resemblance to someone he once knew.

Six months ago, that person had suffered an accident, barely leaving a trace behind.

Could it be a coincidence?

Or…

He hadn’t paid much attention in the morning, but by the time he realized the similarity, the shopkeeper had already left.

This matter had weighed on his mind all day. When he asked Uncle Ming, he learned that the ad had been filmed by the shopkeeper and some staff from the snack shop.

Fu Chi considered going to the snack shop to inquire, but Uncle Ming advised against it.

Without the shopkeeper’s permission, no one was allowed to visit any store freely—especially the snack shop and nail salon.

One was terrifying on its own, while the other had staff who only listened to the shopkeeper and no one else.

Lu Yao returned to the cinema just as the last screening ended, and the guests began filing out of the screening room, with many of them visibly red-eyed.

After the crowd thinned, Lu Yao called Ku Ba over to the lounge area to wait for her.

She went to the break room first, taking out hair-dyeing tools, materials, and a tablet from her personal storage.

Fu Chi wanted to call her, but the shopkeeper slipped away too quickly.

With all the guests gone, the staff knew the shopkeeper would be dyeing Ku Ba’s hair today, so they quickly finished cleaning and gradually gathered around the lounge.

Lu Yao emerged, pushing a two-tiered cart filled with tools like those used in hair salons. “Anyone not involved can leave except for Ku Ba.”

The staff stayed silent, eyes glued to her and the little cart in front of her—a collection of scissors, combs, glass bottles filled with mysterious liquids, and various tools whose purposes were unknown.

Lu Yao sat down, picked up the tablet, and waved Kupa over. “Before we start, come take a look at this. There are some things you should understand first.”

Ku Ba glanced at the others, then walked over and sat beside Lu Yao. When he saw the images on the tablet, he couldn’t look away. “What’s this?”

“Your hair is long, and dyeing it entirely purple might make it look heavy. Here are some hairstyle options. See if there’s anything you like.”

Earlier, Lu Yao had taken a few photos of Ku Ba, found suitable traditional hairstyles online, made some slight adjustments, and edited them onto Ku Ba’s head to show how each style would look on him.

Zhu Zhu, Wen Jian, and Gouzi couldn’t resist gathering around as Ku Ba flipped through the photos.

Having worked at the cinema for a while, the staff had become more open-minded than the average person, but they were still surprised by the images of Ku Ba.

Zhu Zhu looked at the photo, then back at Ku Ba. “In these pictures, Ku Ba’s hair is already dyed!”

Wen Jian and Gouzi shared her astonishment, unable to figure out why this was happening.

Gouzi asked, “Could this be Ku Ba’s brother?”

Ku Ba frowned. “I’ve been alone since childhood. I don’t have a brother.”

Wen Jian added, “Then how is this possible?”

Lu Yao responded calmly, “This is Ku Ba. You all know what photos are, right?”

The staff, who had seen Lu Yao take photos with her phone before, nodded blankly.

Lu Yao explained, “I have photos of Ku Ba. Using editing software, I adjust his hairstyle, and it turns out like this.”

Seeing they didn’t quite understand, Lu Yao took out her phone, casually selecting a photo from her gallery to demonstrate.

The four staff members crowded around her, watching as her fingers tapped and swiped, transforming the image on the screen.

Across from them, Fu Chi found this scene amusing.

This wasn’t the first time he’d seen Lu Yao demonstrate electronic devices to people of the Great Wu Dynasty.

In a world without any concept of steam power or electricity, let alone the internet, showing these items was akin to a deity flaunting divine powers—both dangerous and ultimately futile.

He thought the shopkeeper would recognize this.

Yet, whether it was for the staff or customers, as long as they were curious, she patiently demonstrated the use of various items, offering simple explanations.

In his first two days at work, he had watched in disbelief as Zhu Zhu and Wen Jian clumsily used the computer to sell tickets, dragging the mouse awkwardly to manage basic tasks.

Somehow, she had actually taught them to use it.

Suddenly, an idea hit Fu Chi, making his heart race.

He quickly stood up, left the cinema, and returned to the shopping street, heading straight toward his parked Maserati.

His camera equipment had been in the car, but it had been ages since he’d felt the urge to shoot anything.

Just moments ago, a brilliant idea flashed in his mind.

What if, in a world thousands of years in the past, under feudal rule, a shop connected to the future emerged? What kind of impact would it have on the dynasty?

How would this world’s future unfold?

How would people’s lives, mindsets, and history be transformed?

Fu Chi hurriedly lugged out the equipment, struggling as he carried it back toward the cinema.

He wanted to document how the presence of the cinema influenced and changed the people of the Great Wu Dynasty.

He felt a wave of excitement mixed with regret. Why hadn’t he thought of this sooner?

If he’d thought of it when he first joined the cinema, he could have captured the Great Wu Dynasty’s world in its purest form. Now, he’d already missed part of it.

He could sense that, in less than a month, the cinema’s existence had begun to impact this world, albeit subtly.

Ji Feiming stepped out of the blind box shop and saw Fu Chi struggling with the heavy equipment in the middle of the street. Walking over, he extended a hand, showing the ring on his index finger. “You’re taking it to the cinema? I can transport it for you.”

Fu Chi, sweating, glanced up at him and shook his head. “I wouldn’t trouble you. I can handle it myself.”

Ji Zhixin’s uncle held a high status in the Ji family, so it was quite surprising to see the two working together.

With a flick of his finger, Ji Feiming had all of Fu Chi’s equipment stored in his space ring, then turned and walked away with his hands behind his back. “I’m just a delivery man. Let’s go.”

Fu Chi stood there, stunned for a moment, then hurried to catch up. “Uncle Ming, what’s going on?”

Since joining the cinema, he had entered the employee chat group for those working in the shopping district, and he’d heard that Uncle Ming’s job was to make deliveries, but he hadn’t known he had this ability.

When they reached the cinema’s entrance, Ji Feiming took the equipment out of his ring and raised a hand in a casual gesture. “It seems you still don’t quite understand the shopkeeper.”

Fu Chi’s eyes narrowed slightly as he looked at the silver ring on Ji Feiming’s finger but hadn’t yet made the connection. “Your ability is related to the shopkeeper?”

Ji Feiming maintained a calm expression. “The pet cafe’s mooncake gift box can’t be accessed in this world, so you should understand this concept. As I transport goods between several shops daily, without special tools, how could I manage all the fruits, vegetables, and meats sourced from other stores?”

The plain silver ring on Uncle Ming’s finger was so inconspicuous that, without him pointing it out, one would hardly notice it.

Fu Chi’s eyes widened in disbelief. “This ring… could it be a spatial ring?”

He had only guessed at random.

Uncle Ming nodded.

Fu Chi stood at the door in a daze, speechless.

He knew this street was far from ordinary. The pet cafe and cinema alone had repeatedly shattered the beliefs and knowledge he’d accumulated over decades. Yet, perhaps because the shopkeeper always acted with such nonchalance, he’d subconsciously convinced himself that these incredible things were ordinary.

After a while, Fu Chi snapped out of it, realizing he wasn’t so different from the citizens of the Great Wu Dynasty in his reactions.

He pushed the camera equipment into the cinema.
…

Ku Ba, with freshly washed hair, sat before a full-length mirror, covered in a waterproof cape, looking slightly apprehensive.

Ku Ba’s hair was long, black, and in excellent condition.

Lu Yao thought it would look great trimmed and partially highlighted.

However, in this era, there was a saying: “The body, hair, and skin are inherited from one’s parents,” so cutting hair was a serious matter, often symbolizing a break from worldly ties, like shaving one’s head to join a monastery.

The choice was entirely Ku Ba’s.

After much internal debate while flipping through the pictures, Ku Ba finally decided to trim some of it.

Wen Jian, Zhu Zhu, and Gouzi were stunned—Ku Ba was really going all out for this hair dye.

Lu Yao picked up the scissors, ready to cut some of the wet hair, when she noticed Fu Chi bringing in the camera equipment and asked, puzzled, “Where did you get all this gear?”

Fu Chi wiped the sweat off his forehead. “I’d like to record the process of you dyeing his hair, if that’s alright?”

Lu Yao turned to Ku Ba. “What do you think?”

Ku Ba was confused. “How does it work?”

“It’s similar to when we used the phone camera at the tavern, but Fu’s equipment is more professional, so the result will look even better,” Lu Yao explained.

Ku Ba immediately recalled that experience and nodded, “Sure.”

When Wen Jian and the others heard about the filming and learned that movies were made using a similar method, they gathered around Fu Chi, curiously watching him set up.

Fu Chi positioned three fixed cameras around Ku Ba and Lu Yao, and held another for close-ups, capturing the entire dyeing process from every angle.

Dyeing hair was a complex task, especially for colors like purple or pink, as the hair had to be bleached first.

Ku Ba’s hair was thick and long, so even after trimming, the bleaching and dyeing process was lengthy.

Lu Yao used a bit of magical assistance to streamline the steps.

The dye contained magical herbs from the continent of Alexander, and the process incorporated energy from crystal cores, making it easier to achieve vibrant colors that lasted longer and minimized damage to the hair.

Even so, the process remained intricate and time-consuming.

As evening approached, Wen Jian, Zhuzhu, and the others had to leave first.

The next morning, Wen Jian and Zhu Zhu met at the cinema entrance.

Zhu Zhu looked him over with slight surprise. “You’re early.”

Wen Jian nodded, “You’re early too.”

Before they could enter, they heard hurried footsteps behind them. Gouzi came running up, out of breath, and immediately asked, “How did Ku Ba’s hair turn out?”

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