Ch 175: Guide to Running a Shop in Another World

Hongyu worried that if Lu Yao knew about her eye condition, she might not be hired, so she denied it firmly.

Lu Yao, having observed Hongyu’s struggle with her vision before, suspected there was more to her reluctance. Though she hadn’t directly questioned her during the interview, she brought it up after hiring her to give Hongyu the chance to be open.

However, Hongyu seemed heavily burdened by other concerns and unwilling to be fully transparent.

Based on past experience, Lu Yao assumed Hongyu’s arrival might be related to some hidden mission that could contribute to the ultimate task at hand, which was a major factor in her hiring decision.

However, having vision issues could be a hindrance in daily work.

Lu Yao decided not to press her further, instead making a mental note to arrange a group health check for the store employees. She planned to contact Bai Jing about this later.

After breakfast, the employees emerged from the break room to find the lobby packed with waiting customers.

When Blossoms Fall had sparked even more enthusiasm than The World’s Greatest did initially.

Hongyu was temporarily assigned to follow Wen Jian, learning to check tickets and direct customers. It was a simple task, requiring care and patience.

Meanwhile, Fu Chi moved out his filming equipment from the break room, positioning several cameras throughout the cinema, including two facing the street to capture the street scene and passing pedestrians.

At dawn, his assistant would bring fresh clothes along with a few new cameras.

Unable to step into the Great Wu Dynasty’s world as Lu Yao could, the cameras served as his eyes.

As the first film started, the customers entered the screening room, and the crowd in the lobby halved.

Now, except for new movie premieres, the cinema no longer offered complimentary popcorn and soda combos with tickets. Thanks to a series of popcorn advertisements and an irreplicable recipe, popcorn and soda had become ingrained as part of cinema culture in the Great Wu Dynasty, and most customers now purchased their own combo.

During peak hours, Gouzi struggled to manage alone, so Lu Yao assisted with customer service while Gouzi handled the cash register.

Aside from learning to read with Wen Jian, Gouzi was also learning arithmetic and bookkeeping with Lu Yao. He was required to recognize and write numbers from one to one hundred, memorize and use the multiplication table, and learn cash handling—all part of his training.

At first, Gouzi found it challenging, but he persevered and, being quite young, quickly adapted. When it wasn’t busy, he now managed customer service independently.

During the lull, Gouzi refilled the popcorn and soda machines and cleaned the counters that had gotten messy.

Lu Yao observed his progress and, satisfied with his proficiency, went to the break room and returned with a new machine.

Gouzi immediately set aside the cleaning cloth and carefully took the machine from her, placing it on the counter. “Shopkeeper, what’s this?”

Lu Yao replied, “With upgrades to the screening rooms and movies, the concession stand should keep up too. This is a hotdog grill. I’ll show you how it works. Go get the box on the table in the break room.”

Popcorn and soda had already gained popularity, so the next snacks she planned to introduce were hotdogs and orange soda.

The box Gouzi brought back contained five bags of sausages, clean bamboo skewers, chili powder, stainless steel tongs, and ingredients for preparing orange soda.

Lu Yao taught him to use the grill, and with his experience using the popcorn and soda machines, Gouzi quickly picked it up.

One by one, he placed the sausages between the slowly rotating rollers. Initially, they looked dry and unappealing.

But after fifteen minutes, the sausages’ dry surfaces began to sizzle, the casing turning glossy with oil, and the aroma of cooked meat filled the air.

Lu Yao commented, “My favorite hotdogs are the ones that split open. Just skewer them on a bamboo stick without chili powder, and they’re delicious on their own.”

Gouzi kept his eyes fixed on the sausages turning on the grill, swallowing secretly. “Shopkeeper, how do you know when… when they split open?”

Lu Yao replied, “That’s easy—when the casing splits in the middle, exposing the juicy, glossy meat, it’s ready.”

Gouzi nodded, still focused on the hotdogs, afraid to miss the moment they split.

Lu Yao had already set the price: two wen per hotdog, with orange soda priced the same as cola at one wen per cup.

After showing Gouzi the process, she took a seat behind the counter to wait for the first hotdog to be ready.

Gouzi seemed a bit nervous, moving cautiously and not as confidently as usual.

Lu Yao asked, “Gouzi, have you ever thought of choosing a real name? Do you remember your family name?”

Gouzi paused, the question catching him off guard. “A real name?”

It was something Lu Yao had been considering for a while; Gouzi had finally found stability at the cinema.

As long as he stayed grounded and worked steadily in the cinema for a few years, he’d never return to being a beggar.

“Just like how Zhu Zhu and Wen Jian have proper names. Having a formal name will give you something to stand on, even if you decide not to stay at the cinema when you grow up,” Lu Yao explained.

Suddenly, Gouzi became flustered, his face flushing as he exclaimed, “Shopkeeper, I don’t want to leave the cinema. Please don’t send me away.”

Lu Yao raised her hand, “…That’s not what I meant. It was just a thought; don’t worry.”

Relieved, Gouzi looked down thoughtfully, then spoke up again. “Shopkeeper, I don’t know my real surname. My grandfather’s surname was Gao, and everyone called him Old Gao. I’d like to take his surname.”

Old Gao, as Gouzi called him, was an elderly beggar who had taken care of Gouzi and the other street kids. Despite being blind in one eye and missing a leg, he had his own connections in Liangjing and had looked out for them.

Now that Gouzi worked at the cinema, the pearl Lu Yao had provided had been exchanged for money. Old Gao had rented a shabby house for the kids he looked after, where they spent their days weaving small items like grasshoppers, crickets, and horses to sell on the street.

Life was still tough, but it was better than the uncertainty of not knowing where their next meal or shelter would come from.

Lu Yao nodded, “Alright, go ask your grandfather what name he thinks suits you.”

Gouzi had always been called Gouzi or “Brother Gouzi” while begging on the streets, and people looked at him as if he were a stray dog. Now, as he considered it, he realized how much had changed.

Moved by Lu Yao’s words, he understood it truly was time for a new name.

…

The cinema’s screening room upgrades and expansions were all complete.

Since opening seven new screening rooms at once might draw too much attention, Lu Yao modified her plan to unveil a new screening room every two days, with the private screening area on the side of the lounge set to open a week later.

With Screening Room 3 immediately in use, the three films currently playing finally had dedicated spaces.

However, with Little Chef set to premiere its third showing tomorrow, and Screening Room 4 opening the day after, the cinema would be very busy in the coming week.

Though they’d hired Hongyu, they were still short-staffed.

Standing at the entrance, Lu Yao murmured to herself, “He’s especially late this time.”

The system popped up: [Who are you talking about?]

Lu Yao checked the time, guessing that Ji Zhixin had arrived at the pet cafe by now. She hadn’t given him the new film purchase details yet, so she turned back into the lobby to head to the pet cafe, ignoring the system.

The system pouted silently: […]

…

Ji Zhixin was busy handling the pet cafe’s day-to-day matters in the fishing room when Lu Yao arrived. She handed him the new film data and left.

On her way out of the pet cafe, she contacted Bai Jing to schedule the health check for three days later. Feeling a bit hungry as she walked, she recalled that she hadn’t eaten anything at the cinema that morning and decided to grab something at the snack shop.

The snack shop had just opened, and the usual bustle was settling in.

The staff, surprised to see her there so early, quickly brought her some food when they heard she hadn’t had breakfast yet.

As Lu Yao sipped soy milk and ate a magical beast meat bun, she listened to Xiao Qie chat.

Xiao Qie excitedly told Lu Yao that a new film studio was being built next to the Ninety-Ninth Floor.

Every day, hundreds of volunteers were down there constructing buildings, brick walls, and various interior furnishings by hand. The residents of Dreamland were planning to make their own movies.

Standing by the railing of the Ninety-Ninth Floor, Lu Yao looked down in amazement.

With the fog cleared, a vast area below revealed a complex of traditional-style buildings still under construction. Even from a distance, the intricate details were visible, explaining why so many people were needed for the task.

“Are they making a historical drama?” Lu Yao asked.

Xiaoqie nodded. “Yes! They were inspired by The world’s greatest and Little Chef. They’re aiming to create an imperial city down there.”

Lu Yao couldn’t help but admire their ambition. “…You all never cease to amaze.”

Xiao Qie’s eyes sparkled. “Shopkeeper, once it’s finished, you can show it at the cinema. The Head Guard said you wouldn’t have to pay any fees.”

The idea of making films had crossed people’s minds before, but no one had ever seen it through.

Having passed on, the residents of Dreamland generally had fewer desires and emotions. Many things would lose their appeal after a while, leading to countless half-finished projects.

But with the rise of Dreamland’s games, the allure of real experiences had become more appealing than empty fantasies.

The introduction of the snack shop changed things, reviving interest among Dreamland’s residents. With regular movies coming in, they were inspired to create their own.

After spending over an hour at the snack shop, Lu Yao briefly spoke with Xiao Ji, informing him about the health check scheduled for three days later. Bai Jing would handle the arrangements on the medical side, while Xiao Ji continued coordinating with the Bai family.

Returning to the cinema, Lu Yao felt a sudden jolt and scanned the area, her gaze stopping at the lounge. She quickened her pace.

Dressed in black with white hair, the person sat with his back to the entrance.

Even without seeing his face, Lu Yao had a strong feeling of who it was.

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