Ch 251: Guide to Running a Shop in Another World

Xie Molin arrived at the psychological research and convalescence center in Lihua City by nightfall.

Carrying his bag, he stepped through the entrance, and the receptionist immediately called the director upstairs. By the time he entered the elevator, the news of his return had spread across the third floor.

As the elevator doors opened, Director Jiang stood waiting, startling Xie Molin.

“Xiao Xie, we’ve been waiting for you. Come, come, let’s go to the meeting room,” Director Jiang said warmly.

The center had been holding meetings all afternoon. The recent spike in test subject deaths had left them grasping for solutions. Unlike before, those exhibiting depressive tendencies had begun showing unprecedented aggression.

Just the day before, a test subject had cooperated with others to sneak into the lab and steal experimental drugs. By the time the researchers and psychologists noticed, it was already too late.

Xie Molin sat at the end of the conference table, listening to a former colleague report on the data, his mind involuntarily drifting to the childhood tutoring center.

The methods the convalescence center still used were ones he had developed while employed there, but unfortunately, their effectiveness had waned.

The staff had gone over these plans repeatedly, and now they were simply summarizing them for Xie Molin.

Halfway through, Xie Molin raised his hand, interrupting the colleague giving the report. “I’d like to first see the experimental subjects who were saved.”

Director Jiang immediately instructed Assistant Liu to lead Xie Molin to the ward.

The remaining staff exchanged glances, faces heavy with tension.

One person couldn’t help but ask, “Can Xiao Xie really do anything?”

Another replied, “Who knows? Just the fact that he came back to help says a lot; let’s not expect miracles.”

“I’m about at my breaking point too. Can we even find decent jobs if we leave now?”

Someone else complained, cradling his head. The daily helplessness of watching patients die was suffocating, but he didn’t have the courage to actually resign, unlike Xie Molin.

The meeting secretary, without looking up, added, “I heard Xiao Xie found a job back home, working at a tutoring center.”

Everyone at the table turned their eyes, filled with curiosity.

Sensing the prying stares, the secretary looked up, puzzled. “He posts pictures of his meals from work almost every day. Haven’t you seen his posts on PO?”

The others shook their heads. Their days were filled with work, leaving no time to follow an ex-colleague’s updates.

The meeting secretary’s connection with Xiao Xie suddenly seemed significant.

The secretary, unfazed, explained, “I just happened to come across it once. The meals he posts look quite appetizing, and sometimes he shares pictures of elegant afternoon teas. We rarely see things like that in Lihua City, so they’re probably special desserts from Sanhua City. They feel very calming, which is a comfort, especially lately, when things have been so hard. Seeing his posts sometimes gives me a strange sense of relief.”

The others found the secretary’s excuse flimsy, but pulled out their phones to check Xie Molin’s posts. Could they really be that magical?

Xie Molin followed Xiao Liu into the ward, pausing when he saw the patient.

The male test subject had once been under his care. In the few months Xie Molin had last seen him, the patient had become gaunt, his cheekbones jutting out and skin barely clinging to his frame. His eyes were dull and lifeless.

The man reclined lazily on the bed, his hospital gown hanging loosely on his emaciated frame like an empty sack filled with air. His thin wrist extended from the wide sleeve, and his eyelashes fluttered slightly, but he made no other movement.

This man had also consumed the experimental drug a few days ago. Only he and a female subject in another room had survived after undergoing gastric lavage.

But looking at him now, he seemed barely alive.

Xie Molin walked to the window in silence and spoke as gently as he could, “No. 444, I came to see you.”

No. 444 lifted his eyelids to glance at him but said nothing.

Xie Molin was familiar with this kind of silence. He pulled up a chair and sat by Bed 444, starting to talk on his own.

He didn’t mention anything heavy but shared stories about his recent work at the childhood tutoring center.

Subject 444’s gaze remained downcast, expression blank, making it unclear if he was listening.

After chatting for a while, Xie Molin noticed 444’s eyes focused on his backpack.

It was an ordinary black bag, with a chubby white seal plush hanging from the zipper on the right side.

Xie Molin held up the plush, slightly surprised. “Do you like this?”

444 blinked slowly, staying silent.

Xie Molin unhooked the seal plush from his zipper and handed it over, chuckling. “This was a gift from my boss. If you like it, it’s yours.”

He placed the plush into 444’s hand, half-expecting him to refuse. But 444’s fingers curled around it, gripping it tightly.

Xie Molin was stunned, and so was Xiao Liu, who had been quietly standing in the corner, eyes wide with surprise.

444 had shown a reaction to the outside world.

Suppressing his emotions and thinking quickly, Xie Molin suddenly suggested, “444, how about coming with me to the childhood tutoring center?”

444 held onto the plush, seemingly lost in thought, and slowly raised his eyes without speaking.

Encouraged, Xie Molin continued, “The childhood tutoring center is an interesting place. The store has a clever and greedy fat cat. The first time I went for an interview, the owner sat by the window, with shelves full of toys and snacks behind her, brushing the cat’s fur. It was quite amusing, unlike the hurried people outside, as if it were a different world behind the glass.”

In the corner, Xiao Liu lowered his eyes, shaking his head inwardly.

How could such trivial stories interest 444? The test subjects’ minds were long twisted, difficult to mend. The center’s role was limited to calming them, ensuring no more widespread self-harm occurred.

In the meeting room, the staff was engrossed in browsing PO, losing track of time.

“Why isn’t Xiao Xie back yet?” someone muttered offhandedly.

It was taking longer than expected to see a patient, even with Xiao Xie’s meticulous nature.

Having finished going through Xie Molin’s recent posts, they began searching online for information about the childhood tutoring center.

Suddenly, Director Jiang’s phone rang.

About ten minutes later, Director Jiang returned, still holding his phone. “Xiao Xie wants to take 444 to the childhood tutoring center in Sanhua City. The center has agreed to accept him, so let’s prepare.”

Someone objected, “Sanhua City is far. What if something happens on the way?”

Lately, the staff had been worn down by the test subjects’ agitation and were highly sensitive.

Director Jiang explained, “I talked with Xiao Xie. The center’s owner reportedly has a rare ability, and even Sanhua City’s supernatural research institute is interested in collaborating with her. Besides, 444 has agreed to go.”

The team was shocked that 444 had consented to leave and wondered what Xie Molin had said to him, but no one opposed the plan.

They felt as if everything had been stuck in an endless loop for too long and were hoping for a breakthrough.

…

At the childhood tutoring center.

Xu Xiaoxiao and Bai Yi had already finished their shifts and left. Lu Yao hung up her phone, stood, and called for Budu, ready to head to the nail salon to rest.

As the center’s front door slid open, Erxin dashed out like a “tiger.”

Lu Yao and Budu stepped outside and noticed Erxin hadn’t run far; she was sitting by the roadside with her tail curled, seemingly waiting for them.

Lu Yao held Budu’s hand as they walked under the eaves toward the nail salon.

Erxin followed with light paw steps, “click-clacking” across the snowy ground, as if the snow was too cold for her feet.

Lu Yao pushed open the nail salon door, and Erxin darted inside.

Meanwhile, the Alexander Continent had also entered winter. The outside was swept by blizzards, with temperatures even colder than those of the shop street.

The nail salon had long since closed for the night. The human staff had gone home, while the non-human employees were lounging in the lobby playing poker.

Lu Yao guided Budu inside and called out to the staff, “Let me introduce Budu, my child.”

The staff looked at Budu’s face, which bore an uncanny resemblance to Lu Yao’s, exchanging glances with one another.

Harold’s expression darkened immediately.

Mumu looked a bit surprised, his large, watery eyes filled with uncertainty.

The others remained silent until Ambrose casually said, “Boss, why does this kid look so much like you?”

Clarissa blinked and remarked, “Not human. Seems powerful.”

Merulu and Puxiu flew around Budu a couple of times and curiously asked, “What are you?”

Lu Yao worried that Budu might be shy and prepared to step in, but Budu was unfazed. His ruby-like eyes blinked softly as he caught the round twin fairies in his hands and spoke in a clear voice, “My name is Budu. I exist as a tool to protect Mother.”

Edward whistled.

Harold, displeased, stood up and walked over with a sullen face, scrutinizing Budu critically.

Before Harold could say anything, Lu Yao interjected, “Budu, this is Harold. Call him Uncle.”

Budu’s delicate brows furrowed slightly, but he obediently said, “Uncle Harold.”

Harold paused, unable to stay angry. He pulled a palm-sized treasure chest from his pocket and tossed it to Budu, muttering gruffly, “Take this to play with.”

With the most difficult little black dragon won over, the other staff had no objections to Budu.

Lu Yao suspected that the ease with which the non-human staff accepted Budu likely had to do with his non-human nature as well.

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