Ch 11: Guide to Running a Shop in Another World II

Lu Yao opened the shop door. “Why are you back today?”

It was Zhou Su, an employee from the Little Pet Cafe.

Zhou Su replied, “It’s the seventh day of the lunar year—workday. Or did I get the date wrong?”

Shops on the shopping street served different worlds, so employees had varied holiday schedules.

Zhou Su’s break had started earliest, so she returned earliest—on the seventh day. Others returned on the eighth, the tenth, or even after the Lantern Festival.

Lu Yao recalled the holiday arrangements and shook her head. “I got it wrong.”

Zhou Su stepped inside, scanning the place incredulously. “The sign says it’s an inn, but what’s all this?”

Lu Yao stepped back, gesturing for Zhou Su to avoid stepping on the paths designed for the tiny guests. “You’re just a few minutes late; the guests just left.”

Zhou Su moved aside but still looked puzzled. “Where do the guests even stay? Do they like building blocks?”

Lu Yao walked to the windowsill and started removing the door of room 401. “The guests stay right here.”

Zhou Su followed and peered through the open door, taking in the intricately designed interior of the miniature room. A shocking thought hit her. “Are you saying the guests live in these block houses?”

Lu Yao nodded.

Zhou Su asked hesitantly, “The guests are…?”

Lu Yao gestured with her hand to indicate a height. “About this tall—humanoid, sentient beings. I call them Nitean little people.”

Zhou Su blinked rapidly. “The kind that talks and moves?”

Lu Yao smiled. “And eats—a lot.”

Zhou Su clutched her chest dramatically, gasping. “Boss!”

Lu Yao: “?”

Zhou Su exclaimed, “You! Are! My! God!”

As an experienced employee, Zhou Su didn’t doubt Lu Yao’s words for a second.

What kind of fairy-tale world is this?

Oh no, what should she do? She suddenly wanted to work at the inn.

Lu Yao piped up, “The waterdrop seals at the pet cafe miss you a lot.”

Zhou Su flinched.

Her excitement had made her babble, and she accidentally said her thoughts out loud.

Remembering the seals at her shop, Zhou Su felt guilty—like a pet owner caught sneaking out to cuddle stray cats.

Lu Yao said, “You should go check on them first.”

The Little Pet Cafe wasn’t opening for business today. After a long holiday, it needed a few days to get back in order.

However, the seals had been partying wildly, and Zhou Su was their de facto disciplinarian, the “strict headteacher” who would whip them back into shape.

Reluctantly, Zhou Su walked out, turning back every few steps. “Boss, if any guests arrive, you have to call me!”

When she was little, she loved playing with building blocks and treating dolls like her little sisters.

Lu Yao chuckled. “Okay, okay. Go quickly.”

Zhou Su immediately sent a message to the group chat:

Zhou Su: “Boss should change her nickname to ‘Dream Weaver Master’!”

Moments after she hit send, Zhou Su stepped into the Little Pet Cafe, where she was instantly surrounded by clingy waterdrop seals.

“Bloop—”

“Bloop bloop—”

“Bloop bloop bloop—”

The round, fluffy seals gazed up at her with big, watery eyes, looking pitiful.

Zhou Su’s heart melted. She rolled up her sleeves and marched to the kitchen, ready to whip up treats for the little guys, completely forgetting about the inn.

The other employees in the group chat were baffled.

[???!]

Is this complimenting the boss or subtly roasting her?

Lu Yao posted a message in the group chat:

Lu Yao:
“Forgot to mention yesterday—our new shop is recruiting staff. Requirements: patience is a must, and experience in hotels or guesthouses is a priority. Skills like crafting, LEGO-building, or cooking are also a plus. No gender restrictions. Salary and benefits match the current standard: six insurances and one housing fund, meals provided, and one day off per week. If you know anyone suitable, feel free to recommend them. I’ll arrange interviews.”

In shopping street, employees could pick any day for their weekly day off.

Liu Tang: “I heard the new shop is an inn?”

Lu Yao: “Yes, it is.”

Gao Si: “Being good at LEGO is considered an advantage? Talk about being born in the wrong era!”

Gao Meng: “Curious! What’s the new shop like?”

Gao Si: “If I liked playing with mud as a kid, does that count as crafting skills?”

While the banter continued among the three jokers from the cinema’s post-production team, other employees silently began combing through their connections for suitable candidates.

To most people, jobs on shopping street didn’t seem competitive. But to families like the Ji, Bai, and even the Fu clans, shopping street was a place they were desperate to infiltrate further.

Even adding just one more of “their own people” could generate significant benefits.

As soon as Lu Yao finished posting her recruitment message, her phone buzzed with private messages from Ji Zhixin, Bai Yi, and Fu Chi.

These three were elite employees of shopping street—ambitious and resourceful, but also diligent and efficient.

Lu Yao was well aware of the subtle currents of influence around her. The allure of unknown worlds was an irresistible draw for humanity.

While she tolerated these small private ambitions, she wasn’t willing to lower her standards.

They could recommend whomever they wished, but no details about shopping street could be revealed to the interviewees beforehand.

Lu Yao herself would conduct the interviews, and only those who met her criteria would be hired.

After replying to each message, Lu Yao set her phone aside and returned to cleaning.

Meanwhile, Harold and Budu had been working diligently, completing the additions to the first guesthouse wing.

The new kitchenette was situated to the left of the first floor’s dining area, facing the corridor.

The laundry room was adjacent to the kitchenette, with a dedicated entrance also facing the corridor. On its left side, they had installed a new elevator for direct access from the guest floors to the laundry room, making future staff operations more convenient.

Both rooms, designed as staff workspaces, had walls that could be moved for deep cleaning. The walls could be pulled apart during major cleanups, leaving no hidden dirt or grime.

Lu Yao transferred some mini kitchenware from the main kitchen to the new kitchenette. Mini plates, bowls, pots, and steamers were neatly organized in cabinets, along with a tiny stovetop.

She couldn’t resist taking photos with her phone, though they’d remain stored in her gallery since she couldn’t share them.

After closing the kitchenette walls, Lu Yao brought out a mini washing machine from under the prep counter. She etched strengthening magic arrays onto its base and drum, then modified its wiring to run on rechargeable batteries instead of electricity.

The blind-box shop’s crystal core energy batteries had been developed to perfection—high energy, low consumption, and available in various sizes. They could be recharged and reused multiple times.

From now on, the washing machine would use crystal core batteries, eliminating the need for messy wires and prioritizing simplicity and convenience.

After finishing the kitchenette and laundry room, Lu Yao turned her attention to the rooftop terrace. Once it was properly arranged, the first guesthouse wing would be complete.

…

Nitean Continent, Red Pig Tribe

In the tribal leader’s home, a group of little people gathered around him, as restless as peanuts frying in hot oil.

“That rascal Monk! Always causing trouble!”

“Such heavy snow, and instead of staying home, he runs off looking for some big people!”

“His friends Dada and Zhuang Yu probably followed him too. Those three brats! They’re going to be the death of us!”

The three had been missing for several days, and the hunting teams had already searched all the nearby areas they could think of.

For the little people, who struggled with low birth rates, the loss of young adults like Monk and Zhuang Yu, who had just reached adulthood, was a heavy blow.

Dada, though less skilled in hunting than his peers, had the rare talent of tanning hides, making him just as cherished by the tribe.

In the Red Pig Tribe, little people were considered adults at 66 and entered their prime years after 100. Losing three newly adult but not yet prime individuals during the harsh Twilight Moon Season was an enormous loss.

The hunting team leader spoke up: “Monk kept saying he met big people in Thorn Valley and brought back a lot of food. Should we head there and check it out?”

Someone else objected:
“The Ice Period is coming. We wouldn’t make it to Thorn Valley before freezing to death in the trees!”

The Ice Period was the coldest stretch of the Twilight Moon Season, with raging blizzards that made outdoor travel impossible.

“But if we don’t look for them, what then? Zhuang Yu and Dada have never even spun cocoons before. They might not survive this Ice Period out there!”

The debate grew heated until the elder raised a hand to silence everyone and turned to the tribal leader.

The leader, an old man with a scraggly white beard, wrapped in tattered animal skins and leaning heavily on a wooden staff, coughed hard a few times before straightening up as much as his frail body allowed.

“Those little rascals… so reckless… but we can’t ignore them. The Ice Period is near… hunting teams can’t… go far. I’ll go myself… I promise to bring back… those three brats…”

He gasped for breath after each phrase, and by the time he finished, the cave was silent except for the wind howling outside.

The little people exchanged nervous glances, and no one dared speak.

The old leader, trembling but determined, began packing his small bag and shouted:
“Get me a strong red pig ready to go!”

Finally, the elder snapped out of his stupor and started pleading with the leader to reconsider.

The scene descended into chaos as the elder tried to dissuade the leader, who adamantly refused to listen.

By the time the leader’s bundle was packed, he had pushed aside the elder and was heading for the door, yelling for someone to ready his red pig.

The younger members of the tribe stood frozen, unsure of what to do.

Sending the leader on a long journey in such weather wouldn’t be saving the three youths—it would mean replacing the leader.

Just then, a loud cheer erupted from outside.

A hunting team member ran to the door, panting with excitement: “Monk… Monk and the others are back!”

The old leader, the elder, and everyone else: “???”

The hunting team member continued, stammering in his excitement:
“And they brought food! Enough to make a pile as tall as a mountain! We won’t need to hunt for the entire Ice Period!”

The old leader, the elder, and everyone else: “!!!”

The old chief, the elder, and the hunting party members hurried over, finding the tribespeople scattered across the spacious hunting grounds like fallen fruits during the Moonlit Season—gathered here in clusters, scattered there in groups.

Monk and Dada were busy untying the thin ropes securing the sled, while Zhuang Yu lifted the leaves pressed down by the cords, revealing plump, glossy fruits beneath the transparent packaging bags.

Faced with the tribe’s astonished and disbelieving gazes, Monk puffed out his chest like a proud peacock, unable to suppress the smug curve of his lips.

Someone in the crowd shouted, “The chief is here!” Monk, Zhuang Yu, and Dada paused their actions and turned to look.

The tiny old man, supported by the elder and the hunting party leader, made his way forward from the back of the crowd.
“You three! Where have you been all these days?”

Monk turned around, picked up a sugar tangerine from the sled, and reached for a beef cube, only to realize his hands were too full. He put down the tangerine, grabbed a beef cube and a peanut, and brought them to the chief.
“Chief, we’ve brought back the food the big people gave us.”

The chief, caught off guard, suddenly sat down on the ground.

Zhuang Yu couldn’t hold back: “Monk wasn’t wrong. There really are big people in Thorn Valley.”

Dada added, “The big people are skilled and can make all kinds of things. They gave Monk food and even gave us a sled.”

The little people looked at one another in confusion, unsure of what to do, all casting their gazes downward toward the chief.

Meanwhile, Monk was busy tearing off a piece of beef cube to stuff into the chief’s mouth.

The chief initially resisted, but being old and shaken, he couldn’t hold out against the robust Monk. Before he knew it, a shred of meat slipped into his mouth.

The chief chewed, smacked his lips, and looked up at Monk.
“Give me some more.”

Monk handed the beef cube to the chief, then bent down and picked up the little old man, carrying him toward the sled.
“There’s also fried shrimp!”

The chief, who had been a “little giant” at 12 centimeters tall in his younger days, was now so light that even a young little person like Monk could carry him with ease.

The old man was furious, knocking Monk on the head with his wooden staff all the way.

Monk endured the pain and gently placed the chief onto the sled. The old man opened his mouth, ready to scold, but Zhuang Yu quickly handed him a piece of fried shrimp.

“Grandpa, this is delicious. Lu Yao made it, and it’s still warm.”

This small box contained part of the fried shrimp they hadn’t finished eating. Zhuang Yu had been amazed when she opened it—the shrimp was still warm after two Moonlit Days, tasting almost the same as it had at the inn.

The chief: “…”

It tasted wonderful, but he didn’t want to admit it.

The elder, who had been observing silently, finally extended his hand toward Zhuangyu. “Give me a piece too.”

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