Ch 241: Guide to Running a Shop in Another World

The day before yesterday, the Childhood Tutoring Center underwent some minor upgrades.

With an increase in staff, the glass tea room outside has recently become quite popular. Lu Yao used popularity points to expand the space, adding two more tea rooms on the other side of the shelves and creating a new staff lounge next to the tutoring room.

The lounge now has a sofa, glass coffee table, refrigerator, and computer. Against the wall by the entrance are lockers for staff items, and at the end are a tea room and shower room.

Meanwhile, the small shop and entrance now have surveillance cameras, with the control setup located in the lounge.

…

After Hu Jiao finished his second tutoring session, he fell into a prolonged silence.

Seeing him looking lost, Lu Yao didn’t try to persuade him further, allowing him to reflect on his own.

Near noon, Ji Feiming delivered lunch, and Lu Yao called Xu Xiaoxiao, Bai Yi, and Hu Jiao to the lounge to eat together.

The meal was a boxed lunch, one per person, featuring two meat dishes, two vegetable sides, one soup, one rice, and a dessert.

When Bai Yi opened her lunch box, the enticing aroma hit her, and she noticed two glossy deep-sea prawns in the corner of the box. She was a bit surprised, and after tasting a bite, she was even more impressed.

“Does our shop provide meals like this every day?” Bai Yi couldn’t resist asking.

The shrimp was fresh, cooked to perfection, with a crisp, sweet bounce that seemed to melt away her exhaustion.

Although Bai Yi was from a side branch of the Bai family and not unfamiliar with premium seafood or custom meals, she hadn’t expected such a luxurious and delicious lunch at the shopping street.

Xu Xiaoxiao nodded enthusiastically, “I get it, I get it. When the boss mentioned that breakfast and lunch would be provided, I thought it would just be takeout for everyone. Who knew that Uncle Ming would deliver meals every day? The ingredients are top-notch, and everything tastes incredible.”

And the boss covers all meal expenses.

For Xu Xiaoxiao, this job might appear similar to her previous ones, but the benefits here are worlds apart.

Leaning closer to Bai Yi, Xu Xiaoxiao’s eyes sparkled as she whispered, “Today’s main dish is seafood, but in a few days, it’ll probably be small pork ribs. That meat is something else; I can honestly say it’s the best I’ve ever tasted.”

Xu Xiaoxiao was talking about magical beast meat imported from the continent of Alexander.

Hearing this, Bai Yi couldn’t help but feel excited and quietly asked, “Are the dishes different every day?”

Xu Xiaoxiao nodded, “Both breakfast and lunch change daily, but they’re always delicious.”

Bai Yi, who had already eaten breakfast at home before coming in, now regretted not having tried the shop’s breakfast.

Sitting across from them, Hu Jiao, who had initially looked gloomy, seemed to relax a bit after a few bites of his meal and some sips of soup. The food at the tutoring center was indeed delicious.

In fact, the cafeteria at the Supernatural Research Institute was also quite fancy, serving meals that were both nutritious and tasty, but it somehow didn’t compare to the tutoring center’s meals.

After lunch, Hu Jiao stepped out of the tutoring room, preparing to return to the institute.

Lu Yao followed behind him, “I’ll adjust the tutoring plan a bit. Your next session is rescheduled for three days from now.”

Hu Jiao nodded without saying anything.

He had mentally resigned himself, but seeing the boss’s serious expression, he couldn’t bring himself to say “forget it.”

As the two of them stepped outside, Du Qiuling was standing by the tutoring center entrance, looking up at the recruitment notice on the glass door.

Lu Yao paused at the entrance, “Mr. Du, have you had lunch yet?”

Du Qiuling stepped back to make way for Hu Jiao, nodding at Lu Yao.

Lu Yao watched Hu Jiao slowly make his way to the corner, hail a cab, and leave before turning his gaze back to Du Qiuling, “Please, Mr. Du.”

Du Qiuling’s eyes lingered on the back of the girl ahead, his gaze dark and contemplative.

He had contacted Zheng Siyu and Xiaomei, and both gave exceptionally high praise for their experience at the Childhood Tutoring Center, leaving him unable to calm his own thoughts.

Bai Yi heard voices and stepped out of the lounge, seeing Lu Yao leading a guest inside, immediately grabbing her notebook.

There was a one-and-a-half-hour break at noon, but it was a bit busy today, and Lu Yao would have to head out later. She intended to handle Du Qiuling’s tutoring session promptly.

Du Qiuling’s tutoring goals were a bit different from other students. After sitting down, Lu Yao introduced Bai Yi.

After a brief exchange, Du Qiuling got straight to the point.

Seated on one side of the round table, he looked intently at the young woman across from him. “Boss, are you confident?”

Lu Yao, engrossed in reviewing Du Qiuling’s file, seemed not to hear him.

Bai Yi leaned slightly toward Lu Yao and saw Du Qiuling’s childhood test sheet, where her gaze caught a neatly written goal section. Her pupils contracted briefly before looking up at Du Qiuling.

At this moment, Lu Yao also lifted his head from the file, nodding slightly. “Mr. Du, you should be aware that we’re just a tutoring center, meant to help those looking to fill childhood gaps. Your goal does seem a bit challenging.”

Lu Yao had already reviewed Du Qiuling’s file. Initially, he had planned to decline, but after considering it, he decided to meet with Du Qiuling once more before making a final decision.

Du Qiuling’s gaze held a hint of bitterness as his fingers unconsciously brushed along the edge of the glass table. “This is my life’s greatest regret.”

Du Qiuling came from a deeply cultured literary family, with an upbringing of integrity and refinement.

He had lived a smooth and privileged life for 24 years without major setbacks. The regret he wished to address didn’t stem from emotional trauma, but it was one of the moments in his childhood when he felt most powerless.

Lu Yao tapped a finger on the file in front of him, having already accepted his registration. At the very least, he would review the situation before making a final judgment.

After a brief pause, he made his decision and looked at the young man across from him. “Let’s be clear: I can’t guarantee that we can achieve what you’re hoping for.”

Du Qiuling understood the implication and exhaled in relief. “Thank you.”

Lu Yao turned to Bai Yi. “You seemed tired this morning. Will you still go this afternoon?”

Bai Yi closed her notebook, eager to go. “Boss, I’d like to go. After lunch, I don’t feel as tired.”

She wasn’t lying; a good meal had lifted most of her fatigue, and she was genuinely interested in this session.

Lu Yao nodded, glancing at Du Qiuling. “Depending on the complexity of the situation, we may just be assessing things today. This tutoring session may be too much for me alone.”

As long as he could resolve his inner conflict, Du Qiuling didn’t mind if one or two teachers guided him.

Earlier, Lu Yao mentioned that Bai Yi was a new tutor, still in her internship period, which meant that Lu Yao would primarily handle this session.

As a doctor, Du Qiuling understood the importance of training interns.

Lu Yao took a key to Du Qiuling’s psyche from a drawer and handed it to him.

Du Qiuling examined it for a moment before holding the handle and slowly inserting it into a small silver sphere on the table.

A blinding light flashed, and when Du Qiuling opened his eyes, he found himself standing in the middle of a familiar flowerbed. The moist smell of post-rain earth filled his nose, and when he turned his head, he could see a three-story gothic castle not far away.

Unable to contain himself, Du Qiuling took a few steps forward, his heart pounding faster and faster.

It felt as if… he had truly traveled through time.

Though extremely rational by nature, Du Qiuling had harbored doubts about Lu Yao’s theories until he experienced it himself, though he had cleverly kept these reservations to himself.

Now, he was too shocked to process what had just happened.

A rustling sound came from ahead, and as Du Qiuling looked up, he saw vibrant green bushes washed by the rain, intertwined with vines blooming with pale yellow flowers. The light fog lingered, painting a serene and silent scene.

Suddenly, two heads peeked out from the other side, one of them waving at him.

It was Lu Yao and Bai Yi.

The three of them gathered, and Lu Yao looked at the distant castle, eyes full of amazement. “Is this your home?”

Du Qiuling, still shaken, nodded. “This should be how my home looked ten years ago. At this time, my family was probably at the funeral parlor.”

A faint engine sound came from a distance. The three hid behind the bushes and saw a young boy in a black suit descending slowly from the castle steps, his face blank.

Du Qiuling’s heart skipped a beat, and he stared at the boy in black, his voice nearly a whisper. “That’s me.”

Lu Yao nodded. “It appears so. You didn’t go to the funeral parlor with your family?”

Du Qiuling’s brows knit together, his eyes a mix of sorrow and surprise. “I was sickly as a child, and my parents were always busy. Back then, only my little uncle was still in school and lived at home. He was the only one who would play with me; we were very close. He was smart and incredibly patient. When I learned that his body was pulled from the Moyang River, I couldn’t accept it. I locked myself in my room for days, refusing to go to the funeral parlor. But on this day, with the burial impending, I had no choice but to step out.”

That year, Du Qiuling’s uncle, Du Mingyao, went missing. The Du family searched for him for two months until his body was retrieved from the Moyang River.

According to the public security bureau’s investigation, Du Mingyao likely fell into the river accidentally.

It was a gentle way of putting it, much like saying someone “accidentally” fell off a pedestrian bridge.

At that time, there was no surveillance footage, nor any concrete evidence. The conclusion was drawn based on the state of the body.

Despite their grief, the Du family gradually accepted this explanation, feeling helpless.

Only young Du Qiuling could never accept it. He tried everything to uncover the truth, but found no leads.

This unresolved pain lay buried in his heart, usually dormant, yet every holiday, when an extra set of chopsticks and bowl were missing from the table and the adults habitually avoided a particular topic, or when he passed by the room adjacent to his on the third floor, that wound would stab deep, suffocating him.

Du Qiuling’s goal in this tutoring session was to uncover the truth behind his uncle’s death.

He couldn’t believe that someone like his uncle would end his life in such a manner.

Bai Yi craned her neck, her eyes filled with urgency. “The car’s gone; what should we do?”

Du Qiuling’s face was grim. “I know where to go.”

The secluded villa area was sparsely populated, and finding a taxi wasn’t easy.

It took them some time to reach the funeral parlor, where they managed to disguise themselves as staff and sneak into the Du family’s mourning hall.

The body, bloated and pale from being submerged in water, had been carefully prepared and lay quietly in the center of the hall, still swollen and ghostly white.

They took only a brief glance before leaving.

Returning to this painful memory after so many years, Du Qiuling still found it difficult to process.

He emerged from the hall, silent and downcast.

After a moment of contemplation, Lu Yao spoke. “Let’s travel back again, this time to an earlier point. I want to see your uncle while he was alive.”

Du Qiuling looked up, his gaze clouded. “Will I really be able to see him alive?”

Lu Yao clicked her tongue. “Let’s go.”

A silver glow formed in Lu Yao’s palm, gradually enveloping the three of them.

The light faded, and they found themselves back at the Du family castle.

This time, however, there were no bushes in the garden; only dense, thorny vines intertwined, with large double-petaled roses in shades of pink, yellow, and white, dew-laden, forming a beautiful wall.

On the bench in front of the statue fountain sat a young boy in a beige turtleneck sweater.

The young man held a book in his hand, the morning breeze brushing aside his bangs, revealing a pair of deep, piercing eyes.

His gaze lingered slightly on the pages, his long legs crossed. As he read, an amused smile gradually appeared at the corner of his mouth.

Suddenly, a little boy ran over holding a kite shaped like a monster, flopping onto the young man’s lap, “Uncle, play kites with me.”

This was Du Mingyao in his youth and little Du Qiuling as a child.

Du Mingyao held his book high, a bit exasperated. “Up so early? Didn’t you make plans to watch cartoons with Xiao Xie and the others?”

Little Du Qiuling shook his head, placed the kite on the bench, and began climbing over Du Mingyao as if scaling a mountain. “I want to play with Uncle.”

With a look of mild helplessness, Du Mingyao stretched his arm to place the book at the far end of the bench, then picked up Du Qiuling and the kite in his other hand. “Alright, Uncle will take you to fly a kite.”

Du Mingyao spent two hours flying kites with Du Qiuling, finally wearing out the little one’s energy.

Once the aunt took the sleepy Du Qiuling away, Du Mingyao, looking relieved, grabbed his book from the bench and retreated to the depths of the garden.

Watching from behind the flower wall, the adult Du Qiuling was surprised by this scene. It seemed his uncle didn’t quite love him as much as he’d remembered.

Next to him, Lu Yao chuckled, “Your uncle was probably thinking, ‘Thank goodness this little rascal is finally tired out.’”

Du Qiuling lowered his lashes, his thoughts turbulent, voice subdued. “Maybe I never really understood him.”

There was an eight-year age gap between him and Du Mingyao.

When Du Mingyao died, he was twenty-two, and Du Qiuling was fourteen.

Time had gilded his memories with a flawless filter.

Even though it wasn’t as he’d remembered, Du Qiuling still felt deeply content.

This was his first time seeing his uncle as he truly was.

Lu Yao stood up. “That’s enough for now. Let’s head back.”

Back at the tutoring center, Du Qiuling was still absorbed in the recent experience.

Bai Yi, exhausted, was told by Lu Yao to rest as there would be no more sessions that afternoon.

Lu Yao looked down to organize the materials he’d gathered, considering, “To find the truth, your memories alone won’t be enough.”

Du Qiuling asked, “What do you need me to do?”

Lu Yao didn’t hesitate, “If possible, I’d like to visit your home, especially to see your uncle’s old room.”

Du Qiuling quickly understood, “So, you can gather memories not only from people but also from objects?”

Lu Yao neither confirmed nor denied, “Your perspective back then was too limited. We need more clues.”

Du Qiuling nodded in understanding.

Lu Yao had a business trip to make and was pressed for time. Since she wouldn’t return until early the next day, they arranged to visit Du Qiuling’s home the day after.

As he was about to leave, Du Qiuling paused, turned back, and said, “I noticed the hiring notice at the entrance. I have a junior who might be well-suited for this place, and he recently left his job.”

Lu Yao’s eyes lit up with delight. “Please, do introduce him.”

Du Qiuling’s junior was also a doctor with rather unique abilities. Upon Lu Yao’s encouragement, Du Qiuling immediately reached out.

When the call connected, the sound of gunfire and shooting effects suggested the young man was playing a game.

Du Qiuling patiently explained, and his junior expressed interest in the Childhood Tutoring Center, asking about interview arrangements.

Since Lu Yao needed to leave but the hiring process was on a tight timeline, they agreed to meet the next day at noon.

After seeing Du Qiuling off, Lu Yao returned to the tutoring room, tidied up her things, and booked a ticket to Orange City.

As she prepared to leave, Lu Yao instructed Bai Yi, “Review the previous files. Register any client appointments, and if there are important issues, feel free to call me.”

…

Hu Jiao walked into the Supernatural Research Institute, glancing around and feeling something amiss.

After his time away, the institute’s staff all seemed to have peculiar expressions.

At the front desk, he casually asked, “What’s going on? Everyone seems a bit… excited?”

…It certainly wasn’t his imagination.

The receptionist was texting someone and, hearing him, looked up immediately. Seeing Hu Jiao, her expression was unguarded. “Today, that X guy got transferred to our institute, right?”

Hu Jiao nodded slightly, already aware of the situation, having seen the grand transfer in the morning.

The receptionist couldn’t contain her excitement. “He’s been assigned to Professor An’s team and will have his first power assessment at 2:30 this afternoon.”

Hu Jiao thought briefly, understanding why the institute was buzzing with anticipation.

An Yan was famously powerful in the Supernatural Research Institute, with a capability score off the charts.

There were rumors that if he hadn’t joined the institute early on, he might have become the next X.

X was a notorious superpower criminal who had been caught six months prior and transferred between several institutes. To date, no one had been able to fully contain him.

Not only was his mental defense unbreakable, but he also had S-level attack powers with an unknown power level.

This assessment was likely an attempt to use force to subdue him and extract information.

Back in his dorm on the fifth floor, Hu Jiao’s roommates were also discussing the afternoon’s test.

At 2:55, the dormitory screen lit up, displaying a live feed from the large testing room on the seventh floor.

This power test was being broadcast live, though limited to the institute network.

It wasn’t just the Supernatural Research Institute in Sanhua City watching; probably every institute in the region was tuned in.

Seventh floor, power testing room.

A group of researchers stood behind the transparent glass, some visibly excited, others grim, each with a different expression.

X stood in the center of the room, appearing to be around thirty, with strikingly handsome features. His hands and feet were bound in electronic shackles, yet he looked composed, indifferent to the crowd observing him from behind the glass, with no trace of a captive’s desperation. He narrowed his eyes slightly, looking toward the testing platform.

His opponent for today stepped into view.

An Yan checked the time, stood up, and took off his lab coat, revealing a black shirt and pants underneath.

The black, sleeveless, close-fitting shirt displayed his well-defined arms. His silver hair and red eyes, combined with his tall and broad-shouldered physique, drew a few gasps as he stepped out.

X narrowed his eyes, sizing up An Yan, a smirk forming at the corner of his mouth. “Professor An, a pleasure to meet you.”

An Yan, in a good mood, gestured behind him with a flick of his wrist.

A colleague in the control room remotely deactivated the shackles on X.

In the dorm, Hu Jiao’s roommates’ eyes widened. “They actually removed X’s shackles. What if he escapes?”

Another replied, “With Professor An here, what’s there to worry about?”

But the first one shook his head, “You don’t understand. X isn’t an ordinary person. Once those shackles are off, they won’t go back on easily.”

Inside the testing room, X flexed his wrists, a dark glint in his eyes. “Thank you.”

An Yan showed no reaction to the taunt, raising his hand with a calm, “Let’s begin.”

Seeing a golden opportunity, X immediately thought of escape and launched a full-force attack from the start.

Twenty minutes later, An Yan had X’s arms locked behind his back, signaling for his colleague to reapply the shackles.

Outside the transparent glass, there was complete silence.

The dorms and viewing rooms in every institute remained hushed as well.

Everyone had expected X and An Yan to be evenly matched, but…

As X was escorted back to his room, he cast a deep, lingering look at An Yan and muttered two words, “Monster.”

An Yan returned to the monitoring room, slipped his lab coat back on, and a small smile played at the corner of his lips.

Monster.

What a refreshing comment.

In the experimental dormitory, Hu Jiao watched An Yan’s calm departure, a faint light igniting in his usually dim eyes.

If he had power like An Yan’s, could he have protected Hu Qi?

…

Lu Yao boarded the train to Orange City right on time.

The journey was quite peaceful, and Lu Yao leaned against the window, dozing off.

The system, having held back for a while, finally couldn’t resist: “Shop owner! Shop owner!”

Lu Yao jolted awake, her eyes misty, her voice still heavy with sleep. “What’s wrong?”

The system hesitated a moment before speaking: “That tutoring session for Du Qiuling—isn’t there a simpler way?”

Lu Yao: “???”

“Didn’t you go back to Du Qiuling’s past and see Du Mingyao’s body? You could just sneak a bone fragment, and everything would be clear.”

Lu Yao’s sleepiness vanished, her gaze sharpening as she sat up. “You’re getting smarter.”

The system ignored Lu Yao’s faintly mocking tone and continued: “Exactly. You can’t keep taking business trips every time—it’s exhausting.”

Lu Yao raised an eyebrow. “Suddenly so concerned about me?”

The system’s voice became tense: “Not at all. Just find it strange, that’s all.”

Lu Yao’s gaze softened, flickering with thought. “Actually, I’ve been researching an interesting idea lately.”

The system had a sinking feeling: “…W-what?”

Lu Yao smiled, “If I retrieve a fragment of system data, could I enter your childhood?”

The system relaxed, responding in a serious tone: “Shop owner, only by continually running the shop can you achieve your wish. That’s the rule; any other ambition will only push you farther from your goal.”

Lu Yao decided to leave it there. “Hmm, you’re right.”

At 3 PM, the train arrived in Orange City.

With Hu Jiao’s memories as guidance, Lu Yao effortlessly found the old Kumquat neighborhood.

She wandered around the area, locating the building where Hu Jiao had once lived, and even visited Kumquat Primary School.

At 1:30 AM, Lu Yao stepped out of the train station, inhaled the cold night air to wake herself up, and took a cab back to the shop.

…

Childhood Tutoring Center, Lounge.

Lu Yao lay curled up on the sofa, a blanket over her, her brows slightly furrowed, feeling an odd heat and weight in her chest.

But she was too sleepy to care, turning over slightly. Before long, she began to feel short of breath, and her cheeks grew flushed.

Reaching up to touch her face, she felt a bundle of soft fur. Her face was damp, with a slight prickling sensation, and she opened her eyes suddenly, mumbling, “Erxin, move over a bit; I’m suffocating.”

The boss forbids licking.

Erxin blinked her big, round eyes at Lu Yao in confusion, then tilted her head before snuggling further into the owner’s arms and staying still.

Lu Yao tugged the blanket over them, hugging the chubby cat as she closed her eyes again.

That night, heavy snow blanketed the shopping street.

Fluffy snowflakes fell silently, covering the quiet green hills in silver. The river flowed quietly as ever, and frozen icicles hung from the branches along the bank.

In the morning, Lu Yao dashed to the nail salon to change into a down jacket, then ran into Ji Feiming. They stood together under the eaves for a moment.

A thin layer of ice had formed on the street in the center of the shopping district. The yellowed grass by the roadside bent under the weight, delicate frost clinging to the tips of the blades.

Lu Yao blew warm air onto her hands, stomped her feet, and couldn’t resist crouching down to poke the frost on the grass. It was fluffy and cool, melting into ice water at the touch of her warmth.

Her eyes sparkled. “It rarely snows in Yaoguang City; this heavy snow was so sudden.”

Ji Feiming looked up at the sky, frowning at the heavy clouds. “It does feel a bit unusual.”

…

At the Foot of Qianmen Mountain

A young child stood beneath a tree coated with frost, looking back toward the mountaintop.

In just a short while, the knee-deep footprints were nearly covered by the fresh snow.

Standing behind the child was Ji Feichen, with other young members of the Ji family lined up behind him.

After nearly half a year of serving the child, they finally had the opportunity to leave the Sacred Mountain.

They looked solemn, though there was a faint sense of excitement they could hardly contain.

The mountaintop was quiet, but without signal or electricity, surviving the winter there was truly tough.

Now that they were down the mountain, it was much more comfortable.

No one knew where the young child wanted to go.

But wherever it was, it had to be better than the Sacred Mountain, perpetually blanketed in snow.

At least they could wait until spring to return; winter was truly hard to bear.

The young child gathered his thoughts and took the lead, heading down the mountain.

Ji Feichen followed and asked, “Where do you wish to go?”

He had asked before, thinking he could make some preliminary arrangements.

But the child hadn’t disclosed his destination.

Now the child paused slightly and, in a soft yet steady voice, replied, “Yaoguang.”

He was going to the land where she was.

…

With the first snowfall, Lu Yao had a craving for lamb soup, and Harold joined in, loudly declaring his desire for dumplings.

The snack shop had prepared two large pots of lamb soup early in the morning and steamed dumplings with thin skins and generous fillings.

At dawn, the shop’s staff joined the owner, sipping hot lamb soup and savoring the fragrant steamed dumplings, sweating lightly despite the snowy day.

After breakfast, they rinsed their mouths to get rid of any lingering scent.

Once she was sure she didn’t carry any food smells, Lu Yao emerged from the lounge, seeing that a customer had already arrived in the tutoring room.

Raising her brows slightly, she strolled over.

Sang Li stood up. “Boss, I’d like to sign up for childhood tutoring.”

The girl was back again.

This time, she came alone.

Noticing the boss’s gaze, Sang Li adjusted the soft strap of her backpack. “My mom went back home. Coming for tutoring is my own decision.”

Today, Sang Li wore lighter makeup, revealing her fair, beautiful cheeks and round, moist eyes with a hint of determination.

Lu Yao took out the form Sang Li hadn’t finished filling out yesterday from under the table.

Sang Li took it and continued where she’d left off. “Did you know I’d come back?”

Lu Yao propped her chin on her hand, blinking. “More or less.”

It took Sang Li twenty minutes to complete the test form. She casually asked, “Isn’t Hu Jiao coming today?”

Lu Yao, reviewing her test details, glanced up, noticing the girl’s composed expression.

Lu Yao nodded. “Why do you ask?”

Sang Li pressed the pen cap gently, a peculiar look on her face. “I’m his fan. I watched every one of his live streams. But after that night, he never streamed again.”

Before Lu Yao could respond, Sang Li continued, “Actually, I share his thoughts. After he stopped streaming, I tried several times to act on my plan, but I always recalled your voice at the last moment. But unlike him, I didn’t have the luck to meet you—I had to come find you myself.”

The girl looked utterly straightforward.

Sang Li had never met Lu Yao before, but clips of her words that night at the glass dome of the Sky Garden had been edited into numerous short videos with views reaching nearly a billion.

Many online were intrigued by the shop owner, and later, some even waited outside the tutoring center to snap photos of her and post them.

Sang Li had gone through all the related topics but still couldn’t imagine what Lu Yao was like.

She didn’t quite understand why she suddenly cared so much about this person.

Lu Yao looked at her for a moment, then held her hand, smiling gently. “I’m glad you came.”

Sang Li lowered her lashes, unsure of what to say.

Lu Yao set her test form aside, preparing to make the key from a small bone fragment. “Don’t worry; you’re just facing some difficulties. It’s not yet a time for despair. We’ll work together to solve it, no problem.”

Sang Li pulled her hand back, lowering her head and voice. “Okay.”

Sang Li’s tutoring session was scheduled for four days later.

After receiving the bracelet with the time key, Sang Li nodded to Lu Yao and hurriedly left the tutoring room.

Bai Yi, who had been present, was curious and asked about this “live streaming” she didn’t understand.

Lu Yao, though, wasn’t very interested in online news, especially not edited videos.

Regardless of the context, as the person involved, watching it again would undoubtedly make her toes curl in embarrassment.

So, she did her best to ignore Bai Yi’s curious look, stood up, and placed Sang Li’s tutoring file and the time key in the drawer.

Xu Xiaoxiao came out of the restroom, overhearing part of the conversation. She excitedly took out her phone, searched for the most-viewed video, and showed it to Bai Yi.

…The tutoring room became impossible to stay in, so Lu Yao quickly stepped outside.

Erxin was curled up in a rattan chair lined with cushions. Lu Yao walked over, picked her up, and claimed the warm spot, then grabbed a brush from behind the shelf and started casually brushing the plump cat.

Most cats dislike being brushed, but Erxin was an exception.

This little one enjoyed the pampered, regal treatment of being tended to by humans, especially when Lu Yao was the one brushing her. Soon, she began to purr contentedly.

When Xie Molin arrived at the Childhood Tutoring Center, he saw this scene from a distance.

A girl in a thick down jacket sat on a rattan chair, holding a grooming brush with a chubby cat nestled in her lap, gazing leisurely at the passing pedestrians.

Amidst the bustling street, Xie Molin’s steps paused as his gaze met hers for a second.

Her eyes, light as feathers, lingered on him momentarily before flitting away.

With his hands in his pockets, Xie Molin walked over and pushed open the glass door.

Xie Molin, age twenty-three.

A fellow graduate of Du Qiuling’s university, he majored in individual psychology.

After graduating, he joined the country’s leading psychological research center but resigned a month ago.

Half a month ago, he returned to Sanhua City from the downtown district of Lihua City and was currently unemployed.

According to Du Qiuling, Xie Molin was notoriously difficult to deal with.

After leaving his previous research center, no fewer than five top institutions extended offers, but Xie Molin showed no interest.

Yet, when Du Qiuling called and mentioned the name “Childhood Tutoring Center,” he immediately agreed to come check it out.

And the supposedly difficult man signed the employment contract without hesitation after an initial time-travel adaptation test with the boss.

“Successfully recruited two qualified tutoring instructors within the allotted time! Task completed! Reward: 2000 popularity points, 10 awakening points!”

“You have a new task! Within a month, turn Lu Yao’s Childhood Tutoring Center into a landmark building in Sanhua City. Task reward: 100,000 popularity points, 50 awakening points.”

System Tip: Current task progress is at 13%.

Lu Yao silently pondered the new task. Transforming a location into a landmark in a month? That was a massive leap from zero to a hundred—she didn’t even feel like complaining.

Putting the task aside for now, Lu Yao focused on helping the two new instructors get familiar with the tutoring process.

Apart from Du Qiuling and Hu Jiao, the clients scheduled in the coming days presented no major issues, so Lu Yao took turns guiding Bai Yi and Xie Molin through morning and afternoon sessions.

The next day, Lu Yao accepted an invitation to visit Du Qiuling’s home.

Since Xie Molin and Du Qiuling were not only alumni but also family friends, Xie Molin offered to drive Lu Yao to the Du family’s old mansion after a phone call with Du Qiuling.

They spent two hours at the Du family mansion before heading to the home where Du Mingyao had once lived.

Back at the Childhood Tutoring Center, Lu Yao immersed herself in the lab, spending hours carefully integrating the newly gathered clues into Du Qiuling’s time key.

The next morning, it was time for Hu Jiao’s tutoring session.

Lu Yao went to the research institute to pick up Hu Jiao and, as usual, was directed to wait on the third floor.

Zheng Siyu guided Lu Yao, planning to grab coffee and a snack.

In the corridor, a group of researchers appeared around the corner, escorting a tall man with shackles on his wrists and ankles.

Zheng Siyu quickly pulled Lu Yao aside to let them pass.

As they brushed past, X’s eyes were lowered. Behind him, Lu Yao heard a female voice ask, “Who’s that guy?”

Another voice, sounding a bit surprised, replied, “X, didn’t you see the news?”

As the distance grew, the rest of their conversation faded into inaudible murmurs.

A glint of interest flashed in X’s eyes; he had encountered someone without powers.

…

Twenty minutes later, Lu Yao successfully picked up Hu Jiao.

Hu Jiao’s face was a bit pale, with dark circles under his eyes, looking noticeably less energetic than last time.

Lu Yao asked, “Have the experiments started already?”

Hu Jiao shook his head listlessly. “Not yet. But it’ll be soon.”

After a brief silence, Lu Yao said, “I’ve adjusted your tutoring plan. The perspective today will be a bit different.”

Hu Jiao’s mind flashed to the live broadcast from the other day, and a hint of gloom crossed his eyes. “Alright.”

“Did something happen?” Lu Yao felt an inexplicable unease.

Hu Jiao glanced at her, noticing the obvious worry in her eyes.

He shook his head and instinctively changed the topic, “It’s nothing. A rather unique subject arrived at the institute recently, and we watched a live broadcast.”

Lu Yao’s interest was piqued. “A subject? And they did a live broadcast?”

Hu Jiao explained, “It was a power level test. The subject is called ‘X,’ the same person we saw when we left the institute that day.”

Lu Yao recalled the heavily armored vehicle they’d seen in the institute lobby that day.

So that man in the hallway today was X.

Noticing that Lu Yao seemed unfamiliar with X, Hu Jiao shared more about X’s background, laying the groundwork for the story of the broadcast involving An Yan and X.

Before they knew it, they had arrived back at the tutoring center.

Hu Jiao’s third childhood tutoring session began.

…

Shopping Street, Little Pet Café.

Ji Zhixin had just finished his shift as a call operator. After coming down from the fishing room, he ordered a coffee.

He originally wanted to sit by the window, with a view of the snow-covered green hills, but as there were no seats available, he settled in a corner.

A seal plushie server brought over his coffee. Ji Zhixin took a sip and checked the messages on his phone.

After handling all his business communications, he opened the group chat with the younger Ji family members.

The group was especially lively today, with hundreds of new messages.

Patiently scrolling up, Ji Zhixin realized it was Ji Zhixun who had started the conversation.

She had mentioned that the child had left the Sacred Mountain.

The revelation caused a stir, and the group exploded with messages.