Ch 231: Guide to Running a Shop in Another World

Lu Yao brought Hu Jiao back down to the rooftop pedestrian bridge, preparing to take the elevator down.

When the elevator doors opened, Lu Yao noticed the flyers she’d posted in the afternoon were gone and murmured to herself, “Blown away by the wind?”

Hu Jiao was still unsettled, his mind a chaotic mess, but he couldn’t help but observe the shop owner’s every move. Noting her frustrated expression and where her gaze lingered, he understood her concern. “Even without those odd flyers, your shop is bound to get popular.”

Lu Yao pressed the floor button. “That’s hard to say.”

Hu Jiao found it strange. Initially, he thought she’d come to his rescue after seeing the live broadcast, but her current expression suggested she knew nothing about it.

Besides, he had glimpsed her phone earlier—no streaming app was installed.

Thinking this over, Hu Jiao asked, “How did you know I was up there?”

Lu Yao replied, “I happened to be out for some fresh air. Lucky for you.”

Actually, her system had alerted her.

“…” Hu Jiao felt subtly mocked. After hesitating for a couple of seconds, he said, “Actually, I was streaming earlier.”

Lu Yao blinked, processing this. Realizing the situation was more serious than she’d thought, her relaxed brow furrowed. “From when to when?”

Hu Jiao replied, “In the afternoon at the tutoring center, then dinner, when I jumped, and even when you took me flying… It stopped when you said you’d arrange tutoring for me. By the time the stream cut, around nine million people were watching.”

Lu Yao: “…”

Hu Jiao had been observing her expression closely. As he gave each detail, her brows knit tighter, and she anxiously scratched her head.

After a few seconds, she looked up, her expression softening. “Forget it. With nine million people already seeing it, customers will probably surge starting tomorrow. But first, let’s set up your tutoring.”

Hu Jiao, who had been bracing himself, leaning against the elevator door ready to escape if she got mad, was caught off guard.

Her calm response seemed bizarrely out of place, and he couldn’t help but ask, “Aren’t you angry?”

Lu Yao, having seen some of his memories, could somewhat understand his confusion. She shook her head. “Things have indeed gotten out of hand, but getting angry now would be pointless. Right now, my priority is arranging your tutoring.”

Hu Jiao’s eyes widened, his nose tingling, and a faint mist appeared in his eyes.

Without his usual glasses, he felt exposed and awkward, quickly lowering his head to avoid her gaze.

The elevator soon arrived on the third floor. Lu Yao led Hu Jiao out, and as they descended the bridge, they saw a group of people gathered outside the tutoring center, mostly nearby shop owners.

Noticing Lu Yao and Hu Jiao approaching, some became visibly excited, with others fumbling for their phones.

Lu Yao pushed Hu Jiao into the shop, asking Xiao Xiao to take him to the tutoring room.

She then turned to speak briefly with the shop owners, making sure they deleted any photos they’d taken before seeing them off with a polite smile.

Returning inside, Lu Yao spotted three people in the glass tea room, recognizing Zheng Siyao and greeting her.

Zheng Siyao stood up immediately. “Lu Yao, was that boy who just went in Hu Jiao?”

Although she’d identified him through his thoughts, she needed a conversation starter.

Lu Yao glanced at the two people behind Zheng Siyao and nodded. “Sorry, it’s a bit busy right now.”

Du Qiuling stepped past Zheng Siyao, directly addressing the shop owner, “Hello, my name is Du Qiuling. I’d like to sign up for the childhood tutoring.”

Xiao Mei quickly stood and raised her hand. “I want to try it too.”

Realizing, Zheng Siyao looked at Lu Yao. “I’m signing up too.”

The three thought the shop owner would refuse, but she merely glanced at them, then turned toward the tutoring room. “Sure, come in to register.”

“Xiao Xiao, you’ll need to work some overtime. Help me set up two tables,” Lu Yao instructed upon entering the room. Then she turned to the four students. “You all help set up, then take a seat when it’s ready.”

Hu Jiao quietly joined Xiao Xiao, and the other three followed without hesitation, eager to see what childhood tutoring entailed.

Once the four of them were seated in a row, Lu Yao began explaining the process of the childhood tutoring.

Hu Jiao immediately grew uneasy. “We have to extract bones? What kind of strange process is this?”

Du Qiuling, sitting beside him, raised his hand to cover his mouth, lost in thought as he murmured, “A very intriguing theory… but with current scientific technology, is it even possible to extract memories from biological bones?”

Xiao Mei and Zheng Siyao exchanged glances, also finding the theory overly idealistic.

Standing nearby, Xiao Xiao couldn’t hold back and spoke up, “Others may not know, but the shop owner’s ability can actually do it.”

Zheng Siyao listened to Xiao Xiao’s heartbeat. Her heartbeat was warm and steady, without a hint of fear or unease—she truly believed in the shop owner from the bottom of her heart.

Xiao Mei turned to Xiao Xiao, “So you’re the girl who went through childhood tutoring that the shop owner mentioned? Does it really work?”

As she spoke, Xiao Mei lightly nudged Zheng Siyao with her knee.

Noticing the subtle interaction, Lu Yao commented, “If you don’t believe in the tutoring, there’s no need to take it. No need to test it in such a roundabout way.”

During a recent chat on the tram, Lu Yao had learned about Zheng Siyao’s ability and that she couldn’t hear her own heartbeat.

Xiao Mei’s question to Xiao Xiao was simply a way to have Zheng Siyao make judgments based on her thoughts.

Hu Jiao watched Lu Yao, slightly confused: Was she angry? Why would she get upset over something like this?

Xiao Xiao also sensed the shop owner’s slight displeasure but didn’t think it was related to herself. She assumed Lu Yao was tired from her recent outing and offered, “The thing I’m most grateful for is having undergone childhood tutoring. The shop owner and Mr. Alfred pulled me out of a swamp called ‘the past.’ From today on, every second of my life is refreshed, and every day ahead is brand new.”

Xiao Mei, unsure why she had been rebuked, was also taken aback by Xiao Xiao’s response.

It was truly high praise.

More importantly, Xiao Xiao’s tone and expression were so sincere they moved everyone.

Recalling the recent live broadcast and hearing Xiao Xiao’s words, there was indeed an authentic tutoring center vibe.

These two certainly knew how to speak, like poetry.

Not one to be shy, Xiao Mei raised her hand and asked, “Shop owner, did I do something wrong that displeased you?”

In a different setting, this question could have had a lot of insinuation. But Xiao Mei’s expression was so genuinely sincere that it seemed innocently endearing.

Lu Yao shook her head lightly. “It hasn’t reached the level of anger. I was just wondering if superpowers are truly a sign of human advancement, or perhaps, a form of regression.”

Inside the tutoring room, one official student, three prospective students, and one assistant all looked at Lu Yao in confusion.

Superpowers were widely accepted as a marker of human evolution, a notion long supported by countless experts and authorities.

Lu Yao casually pulled over a chair and sat down. “Do you know how ancient assassin organizations gathered intelligence?”

Everyone exchanged puzzled glances and eventually shook their heads in unison.

It wasn’t that they couldn’t think of an answer, but rather, they couldn’t grasp why the shop owner suddenly brought up such an odd topic.

Lu Yao continued, “To gather reliable intelligence, they often went undercover—earning the target’s trust, living alongside them, observing them, understanding their relationships, and only then making a judgment.”

Of course, this approach occasionally backfired, such as when the target managed to “convert” the assassin, leading to their recruitment by the enemy.

Seeing the group still looked confused, Lu Yao frowned slightly. “Even ancient assassins knew to explore, understand, and use rational thinking to assess situations. Yet people today seem to rely solely on superpowers to make blunt judgments about others and things. Tsk, tsk.”

How to offend two groups with one statement?

That was how.

However, these young ones didn’t realize that the shop owner actually liked them—strong and intriguing as they were.

Though the example was somewhat forced, they still grasped the shop owner’s point.

Xiao Mei lowered her head, her cheeks turning slightly pink.

Their generation did heavily depend on superpowers.

In this world, humans were originally the only beings among all species that evolved toward intelligence and possessed complex, multi-dimensional emotions.

But now, having acquired a different kind of power, they seemed to be gradually forgetting the unique weapon preserved through millions of years of evolution and selection.

The rest of the process was straightforward. Lu Yao extracted a bone from each of them, labeled it, placed it in a specialized container, and took it to the lab to craft it into a time key.

Of the four, Du Qiuling, the doctor, felt the most discomfort—it was as if the shop owner was grinding his years of medical knowledge into dust.

While Lu Yao was in the lab making the keys, Xiao Xiao began explaining the subsequent tutoring process.

Upon hearing the words “time travel,” the students’ recently calmed nerves were once again on edge.

Xiao Mei could no longer maintain her composure, feeling it was absurd. “Even with superpowers, that’s still impossible…”

What was terrifying wasn’t the ability to time travel itself but the fact that her ability allowed anyone to engage in time travel.

Even with various limitations, achieving this was extremely frightening.

Only now did they start to understand how truly extraordinary the power of “granting an object the desired quality” was.

This ability was more threatening than any high-level offensive power, especially since its possessor was so adept at thinking things through.

Zheng Siyao, who had previously been unable to discern the shop owner’s ability, silently took note, realizing it was a very unfair ability, far exceeding any conventional expectations.

In contrast, Du Qiuling was calm. “Since there are graduates from this tutoring center, it means the shop owner’s theory is logical.”

He was tired of constantly being awed like someone inexperienced.

Hu Jiao held his head in his hands, looking distressed. “I don’t want to go back to the past—not even a little!”

Xiao Xiao reassured him, “I understand how you feel. I was like you initially. But now that you’re here at the tutoring center, just trust the shop owner and Mr. Alfred. Things can’t be worse than they are now.”

Hu Jiao’s expression shifted.

That was true.

Things couldn’t be worse than they were now.

Lu Yao returned from the lab, holding a small tray.

On it lay four keys, each similarly shaped but with unique patterns.

Curious as ever, Xiao Mei craned her neck to see. “Shop owner, which one is mine?”

Lu Yao held out the tray. The keys were divided into large and small, with labels on the bracelets.

Tonight was just for registration; she simply showed them their keys before placing them with the tutoring materials in their personal drawers.

Students could only wear bracelets with a miniature version of the psychic key when leaving.

Only then did Hu Jiao understand the purpose of the drawers lining the wall.

Lu Yao still had other tasks to handle at night, so she quickly arranged the tutoring schedule for everyone: “There’s an appointment tomorrow morning, and Hu Jiao, you’re scheduled for the afternoon. The rest of you, come back the day after in the order you registered.”

The situations of Xiao Mei, Zheng Siyao, and Du Qiuling weren’t serious; in fact, they mostly wanted to experience childhood tutoring.

Lu Yao didn’t mind clients whose childhoods hadn’t involved significant regrets.

Regret, like happiness, holds different meanings for different people.

For clients like this, one tutoring session was usually enough.

After handling the administrative details of the tutoring registrations, Lu Yao bid farewell to the three and let Xiao Xiao clock out for the night.

With nowhere to go, Hu Jiao stayed at the tutoring center.

Late at night, Lu Yao was still busy in the research lab.

Hu Jiao, who was resting in the glass tea room, couldn’t sleep and eventually knocked on the lab door. A gentle voice answered from within, “Come in.”

Hu Jiao, wrapped in Xiao Xiao’s used thin blanket, stood awkwardly at the door. “Still not sleeping?”

Lu Yao, lying over the workbench, replied, “Almost done.”

Hu Jiao asked, “Can I come in?”

Lu Yao glanced back at him and nodded toward the door. “Suit yourself.”

As Hu Jiao walked in, he looked around, noting the glass cabinets, metal racks for materials, lab workbench, and computer, finding the setup simpler than he’d imagined.

“What are you working on?” he asked casually.

Lu Yao replied, “An ultra-durable energy net that won’t break.”

Hu Jiao: “…I’m sorry.”

Lu Yao looked up at him. “Hmm, seems like you’ve done some reflection. That’s all for today. Go, get some rest.”

Holding a newly crafted bubble gun, Lu Yao went outside to reinforce the energy net above the shop and added a box of flying toys to the shelf.

There were three types of flying necklaces—Butterfly, Bird, and Dragon—priced at 199, 399, and 999 “Meng Coins,” respectively.

Wearing the necklace granted the corresponding type of flying ability.

These necklaces were rechargeable; the Butterfly type allowed three flights per charge, Bird four, and Dragon three.

The Dragon wings were the same model Lu Yao had used earlier, providing a better flight experience and strength than the Butterfly or Bird models.

Each necklace came with a counter and an invisible protective magic array.

A mobile charging station was also set up outside the tutoring center, with recharge prices varying by type—30, 60, and 99 Meng Coins per charge.

Hu Jiao immediately bought one of each type.

He initially wanted to buy them all, but the shop owner didn’t allow it.

After dealing with these small matters, Lu Yao urged Hu Jiao to get some rest.

The intense and eventful day finally came to an end.

…

The next morning, when Lu Yao arrived from the shopping street, Hu Jiao was already awake.

Though the store wasn’t yet open, the loud chatter outside easily penetrated the walls, making it unsurprising that he couldn’t sleep.

Lu Yao brought breakfast from a snack shop for Hu Jiao and told him to take it to the tutoring room to eat with Erxin.

Hu Jiao stared blankly at the steaming porridge and meat buns, while Erxin eagerly circled his legs, nudging him back to reality.

The crowd outside was large, with some buying items, but many were there to inquire about the tutoring services.

When Xiao Xiao and Xiao Ze arrived, they were stuck outside for quite a while before managing to squeeze in.

After setting down her bag, Xiao Xiao immediately began assisting customers.

Earlier, many people had taken flyers about the tutoring but hadn’t followed up. Most were still just observing, so Lu Yao didn’t pay much attention. She led Xiao Ze into the tutoring room instead.

Hu Jiao had already finished his breakfast and was idly playing with snacks to amuse Erxin. When he saw the shop owner enter with a young man, he knew this must be the morning’s tutoring client.

He tossed a snack, letting Erxin pounce on it, while his eyes stayed on Lu Yao and Xiao Ze.

After briefly introducing them to each other, Lu Yao activated the keys to begin the session.

Two people vanished into thin air. Even though Hu Jiao was mentally prepared, he was momentarily stunned. Then, he noticed that the small black dragon figurine on the table, along with the hovering silver orb, had also disappeared.

…

Xiao Ze opened his eyes, realizing his appearance hadn’t changed, and he was still wearing the same clothes he’d put on that morning.

Suddenly, he felt a light tap on his shoulder. Turning, he saw the little black dragon, Alfred, fluttering his round wings and pointing forward. “He’s over there.”

Xiao Ze had many questions, but upon looking ahead, he set them all aside.

They were in a place unfamiliar to Xiao Ze. Ahead, it looked like a riverbank lined with trees, the soft branches of the large trees draping toward the water’s surface.

A gentle breeze stirred, creating ripples across the water.

There were numerous benches along the riverbank, and on the bench directly ahead sat a person.

The figure appeared slender but was sitting upright.

Xiao Ze knew—that was him.

Another version of himself.

This was the version of him who, misled by Alfred into believing that there was someone who loved him most in the world, had received letters from himself, grew up striving alone.

Xiao Ze walked quickly toward the figure but gradually slowed his steps as he got closer.

The Xiao Ze who had believed he’d meet the one who loved him most at twenty-two had probably never expected to meet another broken version of himself.

🛍️🛍️🛍️🛍️🛍️