Ch 2: Guide to Running a Shop in Another World II

In the afternoon, after waking up from a nap, Lu Yao felt refreshed.

The carpet in the center of the nail salon’s lobby was covered with half-finished building blocks, but the room was empty.

On the Alexander Continent, the Dragon Festival was in full swing, bustling with excitement. Most likely, Harold had taken Budu out to play.

Two days ago, Lu Yao had returned to Lingshi to pay respects at her mother’s grave. Beyond that, she had no attachments. Having been alone for years, there were no relatives for her to visit on the first day of the new year.

She grabbed a quick bite to eat, poured herself a cup of black tea, and sat by the window to start drawing up renovation plans for the inn.

By the time she returned from the inn in the early morning, a general plan had already taken shape in her mind.

She had done this many times before; every shop on the shopping street was personally designed by her. Her pen moved smoothly across the paper, with hardly any hesitation.

Two hours later, Lu Yao put down her pen, picked up the freshly completed renovation blueprint, and checked it carefully. Once she confirmed there were no issues, she submitted it to the system.

In 24 hours, the inn’s renovation would be complete.

As usual, the system accepted the blueprint but didn’t display a maintenance reminder.

A few minutes later, the system sent a message: [Shopkeeper, I will need to leave for a while.]

Lu Yao: “What, are you taking annual leave too?”

The system didn’t deny it: [Something like that. I’ve received a training notice and need to leave for further study. With year-end summaries happening at the same time, I’ll likely be away for a month or two.]

Lu Yao had never known the system to have so many trivial matters, and she was a bit surprised. “So, the shop can’t operate for the next couple of months?”

System: [During my absence, robots will handle task issuance, but the service for exchanging popularity points will have to be paused.]

Lu Yao: “So that means…”

System: [Without special task rewards, all matters regarding shop renovations and upgrades will need to be resolved by you, the shopkeeper.]

Ah, so that was the real point.

Lu Yao frowned, fell silent, and only spoke after a long moment of frustration: “Without you around, renovations will be a major headache. Not to mention the time it will take, just the cost alone is enough to give me a migraine. Now, with six or seven shops running, I’m barely breaking even because all the money goes into restocking. Without the popularity points service to ease the pressure, I’ll be bankrupt in less than two months.”

The system remained unmoved: [I can’t do anything about work arrangements. I hope you understand.]

Lu Yao: “Can’t you at least finish the inn’s renovation before you go? It only takes a day anyway.”

System: [Apologies, I have to leave immediately. While I’m gone, I trust you’ll manage well on your own.]

With that, the system truly disappeared, refusing to respond no matter how much Lu Yao tried to prod it.

She pulled up the system interface. Everything was functioning normally, and her portable storage was also intact.

It seemed the system’s absence would primarily affect shop maintenance and upgrades, which now fell entirely on her shoulders.

What would normally take just a day with the system’s help would now become a time-consuming, labor-intensive, and expensive ordeal if she handled it herself.

The system had truly delivered her a New Year’s “gift.”

Lu Yao sat by the window for a while before getting up to clear away the now-cold tea. She changed clothes and prepared to go out.

With some free time over the next few days, she decided to focus on resolving the inn’s renovation first.

As she walked through the lobby, she paused, turned back, and picked up a few scattered building block pieces from the carpet, slipping them into her pocket before heading out. Crossing the small road, she walked toward the inn opposite the shop.

If the system had pulled this trick last year, she would’ve been completely at a loss.

Pushing open the inn’s door, she found the table and chair she had used last night still sitting in the middle of the room.

This inn was originally formed by merging two small storefronts, with bright windows on both the front and back. One side faced the shopping street, and the other backed onto a mountain.

The space wasn’t large, but the lighting was excellent.

Sunlight slanted through the windows, casting the shadows of the window frames onto the floor. The light brought no warmth, but it made the room bright enough.

Lu Yao stood by the window for a moment, then turned and walked to the door. With a thought, she pushed the door open again. This time, the scene outside transformed into a desolate and icy wilderness, with endless stretches of snow and ice.

This was the Nitean Continent.

From her storage, Lu Yao retrieved a sickle and stepped outside. She didn’t go far, stopping at a gentle slope near the inn.

Using the blade, she swept away the snow, casually uncovering a dull gray stone. Taking off her gloves, she placed her left hand on the stone and carefully constructed an image in her mind of what she wanted.

Complex and mysterious dark patterns began to emerge from her wrist, winding their way up her arm until they wrapped around it entirely.

A moment later, Lu Yao opened her eyes. Golden specks of light seeped from her fingertips.

The stone’s surface began to crack, with excess material falling away in fragments. Bit by bit, the stone took on a neat, rectangular shape. Its top surface revealed rows of raised dots.

Lu Yao pulled a building block piece from her pocket and compared it to the stone piece she had just made. The size and weight were identical, except the material had changed from lightweight plastic to sturdy rock.

This ability, granted by the Goddess of Abundance, was proving even more useful than she had expected. Satisfied, Lu Yao continued gathering stones and crafting pieces of varying sizes, carefully sorting and storing them in her portable warehouse.

She then used the sickle to cut down a few clusters of thorny vines, holding them in her hands as she envisioned what she needed.

In her grasp, the vines transformed into brown tubes of varying lengths, some solid, others hollow, each with its own purpose.

[New task received! Prepare to open for business within three days. Reward: 100 popularity points and +1 currency exchange machine!]

She had only just started, and a task had already arrived.

Lu Yao tried summoning the proxy robot but got no response. It seemed the robot was only responsible for issuing tasks and couldn’t communicate.

Since that was the case, she decided to handle things entirely her way.

With only three days until the reopening, the timeline was uncomfortably tight.

Lu Yao gathered the materials she needed for now and made it back to the shop before nightfall.

Budu ran across the road to meet her. Seeing Lu Yao, the worry in his eyes quickly faded.

While organizing the materials, Lu Yao glanced at him and asked, “Where’s Harold?”

Budu replied, “At the shop. We brought back lots of delicious food from the city and are waiting for Mother to join us.”

Following Budu, Lu Yao returned to the nail salon for dinner. Casually, she suggested, “How about playing with the building blocks at the inn tonight?”

Both Budu and Harold were puzzled.

When they arrived at the inn and saw the pile of materials on the floor, understanding dawned on their faces.

Lu Yao pulled out a stack of blueprints, a smile in her eyes. “I’m planning to open in three days. Time is tight, so we’ll just build it up to a basic, guest-ready level for now.”

Her intentions confirmed, Harold’s excitement grew. “Are you planning to let the little people live in the block houses we build?”

Budu blinked rapidly, imagining Monk living in a tiny house he’d built, eating and sleeping inside it. He could hardly contain his excitement.

Who hadn’t played house as a child?

When Harold was young, he and the other dragon hatchlings in Dragon Valley used to play pretend games, even using magic to stir mud and rocks as “food.”

Lu Yao’s blueprints, however, were far more detailed and precise than they’d imagined, filled with intricate designs. Building everything within three days was clearly impossible.

Lu Yao had already planned to start with the bright window by the door, constructing guest rooms where visitors could eat and sleep.

After dividing tasks according to the blueprints, the three of them got to work.

By midnight, Harold and Budu were still brimming with energy, showing no signs of stopping.

Building the inn was entirely different from playing with regular building blocks. Not only did the structure need to be sturdy, but it also required fully functional water and drainage systems, electrical wiring, and other utilities, just like a real inn.

It was challenging but also immensely fun.

Lu Yao, however, had other matters to attend to. She quietly got up and left, heading next door to the cinema.

The cinema, which was connected to the Great Wu Dynasty, was in the early morning hours. Though the theater wasn’t open yet, staff members were already arriving.

Lu Yao greeted them briefly before stepping outside again.

Time in the Great Wu Dynasty moved slower compared to the shopping street and other worlds. Although it wasn’t yet New Year’s in this world, the festive atmosphere was already evident on the streets.

Today, Lu Yao’s main goal was to order custom furniture and equipment for the inn.

That afternoon, she had browsed miniature models online, spotting various designs for tiny beds, bookshelves, tables, chairs, and even mini fridges and microwaves.

These miniatures weren’t hard to find but came with a fatal flaw—the more detailed and functional the design, the higher the price.

After some thought, Lu Yao decided to commission a batch from craftsmen instead.

She first visited a familiar carpenter’s shop and handed them a set of blueprints with precise dimensions, including mini furniture such as beds, tables, chairs, and coffee tables.

The carpenter took the blueprints, initially thinking the dimensions were a mistake. After confirming with Lu Yao, he didn’t say much else.

Small toys like these were something they occasionally made for their children when idle. However, Lu Yao’s order was a bit larger than usual, so the carpenter assumed it was another promotional product for the cinema.

Lu Yao didn’t elaborate on its purpose, handed over the deposit, and arranged for a batch of finished pieces to be ready in two days.

The first batch she ordered wasn’t large, and since it consisted of playhouse-style toys, the carpenter didn’t find it difficult to handle.

Leaving the carpenter’s shop, Lu Yao headed to Jinxiu Workshop on another street to order a batch of miniature-sized bedding.

Afterward, she went to Rogue House to find Madam Xu, and the two of them hired a carriage to go out of town.

During the New Year period, Rogue House and Lu Yao’s cinema were collaborating to launch a new cosmetic powder. They had agreed to inspect the newly fired containers at the kiln together. Lu Yao also took the opportunity to order a batch of custom tableware for the little people.

Lu Yao ran several errands in succession and finally completed her planned tasks.

By the time she returned to the shopping street, the sky had already brightened.

…

Nitean Continent

Three moons slowly sank below the horizon, signaling the arrival of morning.

However, heavy clouds gathered, and the sky remained gloomy.

Before long, another blizzard rolled in.

Monk trudged forward against the howling wind and snow, dragging a massive pink floral bundle behind him.

He had been walking for what felt like forever. His body was numb and stiff from the cold, and he was both starving and freezing. Yet, he still couldn’t see the familiar haystacks or rocky cliffs.

The little people of the Red Pig Tribe preferred to live in caves, using dry grass and animal pelts to stay warm.

Snow blinded his vision, and the path home seemed endlessly far away.

Imagining how happy his tribe mates would be when they saw the food he brought, Monk found a surge of strength. Gritting his teeth, he dragged the bundle—like a small tail—and moved forward step by step.

The little people were so small that their tracks in the snow were quickly buried by the blizzard.

“Monk! Monk!”

In a daze, Monk heard Dada’s voice.

But the blizzard was so fierce, and Dada had long since returned to the tribe with the others. How could he be speaking so close to Monk’s ears?

It must be a dream.

Monk turned over and covered his ears.

“Monk, Monk, Monk!!!”

The voice grew louder, practically shouting in his ear.

Monk frowned, annoyed, and tried to endure it, but finally, he couldn’t take it anymore. He shot upright and yelled, “My ears are going deaf! Stop shouting!”

Dada, who was about the same height as Monk, stood by a haystack, startled by the sudden outburst. After a moment, he recovered and broke into a delighted smile. “You’re awake! Finally awake! I thought you were going to die!”

Monk was confused, his eyes quickly scanning the familiar cave furnishings. Gradually, he realized, “I’m home?”

Dada nodded furiously like a pecking chicken. “You collapsed at the border of the territory. The hunting team saw you and brought you back.”

Monk looked down at himself. He was still wearing the old fur he had on when he left, but the hooded cloak Lu Yao had sewn for him was gone, as was his pink bundle.

Panicking, Monk flipped over, frantically searching through the hay.

Dada squatted beside him. “What’s wrong? What are you looking for?”

Monk: “The bundle! A big, beautiful bundle. Did you see it?”

Dada frowned. “When the hunting team brought you back, you didn’t have anything on you—not even your weapon. You were frozen solid in the snow. Why didn’t you find a place to cocoon? Everyone’s saying you’re a fool.”

Monk was both furious and anxious.

The food he had painstakingly brought back—how could it just disappear?

He didn’t want to talk anymore and turned to rush outside, but Dada yanked him back.

Dada: “What’s going on?”

Monk slumped to the ground like a dejected little mushroom. “I ran into a big human.”

Dada: “What?”

Monk mustered his energy and began recounting how he met Lu Yao.

But Dada didn’t believe him.

Every Nitean little person had heard the legends of big humans, but none had ever actually seen one.

“I really did meet her! She gave me a mountain of dried meat and berries. The meat was even tastier than the smoked jerky from the Xia Guang Tribe, and the berries were sweet and juicy…” Monk looked utterly defeated, his small face scrunched like a walnut. “Dada, we need to go back and bring the food here.”

Dada exhaled, trying to keep his tone calm. “While you were asleep, Zhuangyu brought over a pot of stone potato soup. Let me serve you a bowl. Eat first and rest properly.”

Monk, enraged, pounded the ground. “…”

Why wouldn’t anyone believe him?

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