Ch 229: Guide to Running a Shop in Another World

Hu Jiao stood at the entrance of the Childhood Tutoring Center, aiming his camera at the storefront for his livestream viewers, his voice still hoarse, “Here it is.”

In the lower-left corner of the screen, comments scrolled by wildly:

【So this is the full name? Is ‘Lu Yao’ the owner’s name?】

【Who puts their name on a store sign? So tacky.】

【Actually, it’s not bad. The owner’s name sounds nice. I’m curious about what they tutor here.】

【Can you really go back and redo your childhood?】

【Just a gimmick. Probably just sells snacks and toys from back in the day, calling it ‘nostalgia marketing.’】

【There are two big shelves at the entrance full of toys and snacks, and quite a few people are buying them.】

【Disappointed!!!】

【Tricky adults!】

To get a full view of the tutoring center, Hu Jiao stepped back, lifting the camera for a wide-angle shot.

Returning from her outing, Lu Yao noticed the young man with the phone as she was still on the pedestrian bridge. Perhaps from spending so much time between worlds, her vision had sharpened considerably.

She walked quietly, coming up behind Hu Jiao, catching a glimpse of the chat messages on his small screen from a few meters away, and couldn’t help but say, “It’s not a gimmick; our center is here to help anyone, young or old, revisit their childhood.”

The sudden voice startled the viewers and made Hu Jiao flinch. He turned to recognize her and instinctively stepped back.

Lu Yao recognized him immediately. “We meet again. I had a feeling you’d stop by.”

Hu Jiao stole a quick glance at her and muttered awkwardly, “I didn’t come on my own; they wanted to see.”

Lu Yao nodded in understanding, “Well, come on in and have a look.”

Some viewers hadn’t seen the previous day’s stream and were unfamiliar with the context, so others in the chat quickly filled them in.

The viewers became even more curious about the Childhood Tutoring Center and urged Hu Jiao to go inside.

Hu Jiao asked, “Can I film?”

Thinking of the free publicity, Lu Yao replied, “You can film the store but try not to capture the customers.”

Hu Jiao stepped inside with his camera, but before he could start on the shelves or the cooler, there was a sudden thump—a big, fluffy, three-colored, chubby creature rolled onto the floor nearby.

“Meow~” The tricolor cat, plump and round, batted at a mangosteen toy and cozied up to greet the guest.

Hu Jiao froze, unsure what to do, but his camera tilted just right to catch the cat on screen, and the chat erupted instantly.

【Wow, that’s one chubby cat!】

【Thump! Solid!】

【Did someone’s mop come to life?!】

【That’s a sea cucumber with legs…】

【So much for a tutoring center; it’s like that pet store by my school.】

Lu Yao bent down, gently grabbing the cat’s front paws, and dragged it aside, giving the fluffy head a friendly ruffle. “You’ve put on more weight recently, haven’t you? Let’s watch it a little. Also, don’t block the guests’ way.”

The cat rolled back on its round belly, meowed a protest, and then waddled off behind a shelf with a swagger.

【LOL, that cat walks like a ball of fur with legs!】

【No way, did it understand her?】

【Sign that little guy up for a class!】

Lu Yao noticed Hu Jiao was still lost in thought and offered an introduction: “Here’s our toy and snack section, and over there, we have drinks and ice cream. In the back, we have two tea rooms if you prefer a quiet spot. We have some comics, and the restroom is inside the tutoring room.”

When there are no customers, the glass tea room is open to the public. A solo visitor fee of thirty Meng units allows them to relax as long as they wish.

After giving Hu Jiao a brief introduction, Lu Yao spoke briefly to Xu Xiaoxiao and then turned to return to the tutoring room.

When there’s no tutoring session, the store owner has other tasks, like organizing student files, archiving, adjusting lesson plans, or developing new toys and snacks.

Hu Jiao called out, “Can I film the tutoring room?”

Lu Yao shook her head. “The tutoring room doesn’t allow casual visitors. If you want to learn about the childhood tutoring program, come in to talk to me. Just a heads-up—it’s best to keep the camera off in there.”

The live chat viewers weren’t too happy.

【Why can’t we see the tutoring room? Suspicious.】

【Something fishy’s going on!】

【Hu Jiao, don’t be scared! Sneak a look in there, I’ll gift you a yacht!】

【Go, Hu Jiao, go!】

…

Viewers started showering him with virtual gifts, filling the screen with flying banners and spaceship icons.

Hu Jiao kept his eyes on Lu Yao until she disappeared behind the tutoring room door. He remained quiet, then turned back to give his viewers a thorough look at the items on the shelves.

Outdoor streamers usually visit new places on behalf of their audience to explore unique attractions, food, and entertainment. But Hu Jiao was somewhat unconventional as a streamer and rarely showcased these things. Today was an exception, and his viewers were unusually engaged.

He filled a basket with snacks and toys, grabbed some water and ice cream from the cooler, and reserved a glass tea room with Xu Xiaoxiao’s help.

Setting down his goodies, Hu Jiao picked out a couple of comic books, then settled in the tea room to relax, snacking, reading comics, and occasionally glancing at the comments on his phone screen.

【Not gonna lie, this place is actually really cozy.】

【Hu Jiao, flip the comic pages a little slower; we can’t keep up.】

【Doesn’t the store’s snacks, toys, and comics look a bit different from what we had as kids?】

【…Maybe they just updated the packaging? Isn’t bubble water all pretty much the same?】

【I haven’t seen these comics before, though—the one Hu Jiao picked looks interesting.】

…

The tea room’s soundproofing was excellent. Once the bamboo blinds were drawn, no outside noise disturbed him.

Hu Jiao spent a good amount of time with his viewers, relaxing until the place quieted down. He put down his comic, grabbed his basket to “restock,” and struck up a conversation with Xu Xiaoxiao. “Sis, how long have you been working here?”

Xu Xiaoxiao noticed his phone in the basket, its camera facing down, and studied him with a slight frown. “I just started today—why?”

Hu Jiao, a bit deflated, realized she was also new, so it seemed unlikely he’d get much information. Casually, he asked, “So, this ‘childhood tutoring’ thing is just a cute way of saying they sell snacks and comics, right?”

Xu Xiaoxiao shook her head. “Nope, ‘childhood tutoring’ is exactly what it sounds like.”

Hu Jiao’s chat grew uneasy.

【Hu Jiao, run! It’s a trap!】

【The owner definitely told the staff to push the tutoring program, just a classic scheme!】

【Forget it, forget it! I don’t even want to see the tutoring room anymore. Save your energy for climbing that bridge tonight.】

…

Hu Jiao paused as he read the comments, then looked back at Xu Xiaoxiao. “I can’t even imagine what childhood tutoring would be. Is it just snacks, comics, and games?”

Xu Xiaoxiao shook her head. “You’ll need to think a bit bigger. The owner’s abilities are unique—it’s completely normal not to imagine it if you haven’t tried it.”

Hu Jiao wasn’t buying it. “You’re talking like you’ve done it yourself.”

Xu Xiaoxiao smiled and nodded enthusiastically. “I have.”

Pepper felt a slight surprise.

With a look of understanding, Xu Xiaoxiao said, “I was just like you at first, thinking the owner was a scammer. But once I tried the tutoring for real, I realized I was too narrow-minded. Childhood tutoring truly helps people fill the gaps in their childhoods. I took this job because one day, I want to be like the owner and Teacher Alfred, helping people who need it, though I still have a long way to go.”

Pepper, puzzled, asked, “Who’s Teacher Alfred?”

Xu Xiaoxiao smiled, explaining, “He’s the one who conducts the childhood tutoring. He’s really adorable.”

Feeling like he couldn’t get through to her, Hu Jiao assumed the staff had been “brainwashed” by the owner. He quickly took his items and returned to the glass tea room.

After a while, he went to the restroom, leaving his phone in the tea room. When he came back, he described the interior of the tutoring room to his viewers, noting that he hadn’t seen the owner inside. After hearing the description, everyone agreed it just sounded like a regular lounge area, and both Hu Jiao and his viewers lost interest in it.

Time passed quickly, and soon the livestream audience began enthusiastically discussing the pedestrian bridge outside the tutoring center.

Xu Xiaoxiao found Hu Jiao somewhat familiar, but the memory was vague, and she couldn’t recall where she might have seen him.

At around 5 p.m., Hu Jiao left the tutoring center to grab dinner at a popular nearby restaurant. This was also when the researchers from the Supernatural Institute finished their day. Zheng Siyao, Xiaomei, and Du Qiuling met up on Sanhua Road to head to the Childhood Tutoring Center together.

Seeing that Zheng Siyao was alone, Xiaomei couldn’t help but ask, “Didn’t you ask An Yan if he wanted to come along?”

Zheng Siyao nodded, looking confused. “I did, but Professor An said he has three test subjects waiting for ability evaluations, so he’s working late.”

Xiaomei shrugged, unconcerned. “Alright, let’s go then.”

…

At 5:55 p.m., Hu Jiao returned to the Sanhua Road 66 intersection, chatting with his viewers as he climbed the pedestrian bridge.

The Sanhua pedestrian bridge was quite tall, spiraling upwards, and by the third level, an elevator was available. The bridge’s highest point was level with the nearby 66th building.

However, unlike the prestigious building, which housed an exclusive rooftop glasshouse restaurant accessible only to VIPs or those with invitations, the pedestrian bridge was open to anyone.

Just as Hu Jiao was about to take the elevator, he noticed a flyer pasted beside the elevator door. Moving closer, he looked it over and chuckled, “A flyer for the Childhood Tutoring Center—says it really offers childhood tutoring.”

“Alright, alright, don’t rush me, I’m heading up.”

Hu Jiao took the elevator to the top of the bridge. As he exited, the flyer near the door fluttered noisily in the wind, one corner lifting.

On the wide rooftop, night had blended into the dark edges of the city. Hu Jiao reached out to pull the flyer off the wall, then quickly let it go. The vividly colored paper ripped free and drifted away.

Watching the flyer float off, Hu Jiao murmured, “Another flyer for the Childhood Tutoring Center. Does she think people who’ve hit rock bottom are easier to fool?”

The viewers started urging him on again, and he snapped out of his thoughts, moving slowly to the edge of the platform. “You all seem extra eager today.”

He paced around the rooftop before stopping at the edge overlooking the Sanhua Road 66 intersection. With a knowing look, he said, “Alright, let me show you the secret of the Sanhua Road 66 intersection.”

Activating his ability, Hu Jiao shared his vision with the viewers.

This was one of his special abilities.

Pepper had eight eyes, each capable of seeing different things, and he could share these views with others.

Because of this unique skill, his livestreams felt more vivid and thrilling than typical outdoor streams.

During the day, Hu Jiao was reserved and shy, not great at socializing. But at night, he transformed into one of the most daring outdoor adventure streamers, drawn to explore dangerous, mysterious places and sharing a first-person perspective with his viewers.

In a year of streaming, Hu Jiao had ventured into remote deserts, damp and eerie swamps, and treacherous rainforests, as well as haunted sites, graveyards, and ghost houses. Fans affectionately dubbed him “the toughest streamer on the edge of death every day but never quite meeting it.”

At this moment, through Hu Jiao’s shared perspective, the viewers in the livestream could all see a strange layer of golden threads floating above the Sanhua Road 66 intersection.

【Is this the true appearance of that invisible energy layer?】

【Those threads look pretty thin. I can’t believe they’re strong enough to withstand falling objects.】

【I’m more curious about who set up this energy layer.】

【Can Hu Jiao break through it?】

Hu Jiao leaned forward, gazing at the dense mesh of threads, chuckling softly, “Easy. I’m pretty good at weaving webs myself.”

【No wonder they call this place a death trap; the wind up there is intense.】

【This must be the closest I’ve ever been to death!】

【Hurry up! I can’t wait to relive the thrill of ‘death’ again!】

Hu Jiao switched to a smaller camera with a night-mode setting. Everything the camera captured was linked to his vision and streamed live.

Standing at the edge of the rooftop, Hu Jiao extended his arms, leaning forward bit by bit. The livestream filled with excited comments, cheering him on. Everyone thought, as with all his past stunts, that he’d pull back at the last second, delivering a thrilling “near-death” experience.

Facing the wind, Hu Jiao, light as a butterfly, whispered a final goodbye.

Farewell, world.

…

Inside the Childhood Tutoring Center, the aroma of food filled the glass tea room.

Lu Yao was mixing a meal for Erxin the cat, while Xu Xiaoxiao leaned against a shelf, waiting for the owner to sit down and eat with her.

In a flash of realization, Xu Xiaoxiao’s mind conjured scattered memories, “Oh, I remember now!”

Hu Jiao—the infamous “Daredevil” streamer online.

A bad feeling surged in her chest. She quickly pulled out her phone and opened the streaming app, where the hottest live broadcast was “Strongest Little Spider Hu Jiao.”

On the screen, the golden threads grew rapidly closer, and the sound of the wind howled through the audio. Xu Xiaoxiao, panic-stricken, shouted, “Lu Yao! Lu Yao! Something’s wrong!”

No one responded.

Xu Xiaoxiao looked up. The ceramic bowl meant for the cat was set on the counter, but the owner had vanished.

Meanwhile, on the pedestrian bridge, Zheng Siyao, Xiaomei, and Du Qiuling, holding cups of milk tea, approached the tutoring center, laughing and chatting. Xiaomei also carried a bag of roasted chestnuts.

As Hu Jiao measured his distance, only twenty meters from the energy layer, he shot out high-speed adhesive threads from his fingertips. The threads, sharper than laser blades, easily sliced through the layer. The ruptured layer dispersed like dissolving bubbles, emitting a faint “puff, puff” sound before vanishing entirely.

Hu Jiao let out a soft laugh. “A fitting grand finale.”

In the livestream, viewers were celebrating wildly.

Standing at the entrance to the tutoring center, Xu Xiaoxiao glanced between the livestream and the sky above. Her heart felt like it was about to burst. If only she had remembered sooner—now, it was too late.

Hu Jiao, like a falling leaf or a bird folding its wings, began to plummet.

Viewers in the chat began to sense that something was wrong.

【Pepper! What are you doing?】

【You’re close to the ground, Hu Jiao—use your web!】

【Hu Jiao! Are you serious? Spit your web now!】

Hu Jiao fell through the hole in the energy layer!

The entire livestream screen flooded with comments screaming “HELP!”

Fans were horrified, realizing this wasn’t just a typical dare. It was a real, unfiltered livestream in its rawest form.

There was no time for second thoughts, regrets, or calls for help.

A life, like a shattered glass cup, was breaking apart before their eyes, piece by piece.

Many couldn’t bear to watch, as time seemed to stretch infinitely in those moments.

The terrifying sound of the wind rushing past filled their ears, almost as if, in the next instant, they’d hear the sickening crunch of bones and see the vivid, horrifying aftermath.

The night spread its massive wings, stirring up a fierce gust that lifted the thin, falling figure of Hu Jiao back into the air.

In the next second, a pair of slender, pale hands reached under Hu Jiaos arms from behind, lifting him away to safety.

Viewers in the livestream: 【???】

Xu Xiaoxiao, legs weak and trembling, slowly leaned against the glass door, sliding down to sit on the ground. She quickly typed in the livestream chat: 【The store owner caught him.】

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