Ch 34: Guide to Running a Shop in Another World II

The distant hillside was densely packed with a sea of Nitean little people. They led red pigs, some holding large leaves, slowly making their way toward the inn.

As soon as Lu Yao appeared, the entire procession seemed to freeze, as if someone had hit the “pause” button.

After a brief silence, a few little people riding red pigs detached from the group, huffing and puffing as they ran toward the inn.

Lu Yao recognized a few familiar faces and crouched down with a smile, waiting for them to approach.

Monk was the first to rush up to her. “Lu Yao, Lu Yao, we’re here for food!”

This guy had zero reservations.

Behind him, Zhuang Yu, Dada, and other members of the hunting team trickled up to the inn’s entrance, all greeting Lu Yao in turn.

The hunting team leader, Liyan, approached and quietly explained the situation.

It turned out that about half of their tribe would be arriving at the inn in waves.

This migration was long and arduous; they were already exhausted and then caught in a torrential rainstorm. Half the group was scattered, and their belongings and food had been completely soaked.

Liyan requested that this half of the tribe be allowed to rest under the inn’s eaves.

The downpour had just subsided, leaving the valley muddy and treacherous.

The little people, drenched and looking like bedraggled chicks, stood at a distance, hesitant to move closer.

Lu Yao waved to them and turned to head back into the inn.

The hunting team, now reassured, returned to spread the word and ease the tribe’s worries. They began escorting the rest of the group to the inn’s shelter while dispatching half their members to retrieve the scattered tribespeople.

The inn’s other guests, upon hearing about the red pig tribe outside, immediately thought of the migration.

They couldn’t sit still anymore, hurrying down via the lift to peek under the eaves.

When the little people of the red pig tribe saw familiar faces emerge from the inn, their intense unease eased a little.

Lu Yao rummaged through the cabinets, pulling out two packs of spiral-shaped pasta. She handed them to Xiao Zheng. “Cook all of this. Make a big pan of tomato meat sauce and a pot of seaweed and bean sprout soup—be sure to chop the seaweed and sprouts finely. Qingyan, Bai Lu, help prepare the ingredients. Oh, and cut up that can of yellow peaches too. I’ll go check outside.”

Lu Yao grabbed a few large towels, laying them out on the ground outside.

The little people approached cautiously, their wide eyes filled with wonder.

A real big person!

Having interacted with little people from various tribes, Lu Yao was experienced in handling these situations.

She tossed the towels and casually went back inside, as if she wasn’t at all concerned about their arrival.

The hunting team—along with Monk, Dada, Zhuang Yu, and the inn’s other guests—welcomed the hesitant, weary little people at the door.

Although the ground under the eaves was damp, it was much better than the muddy puddles below the steps.

At first, the little people instinctively avoided the spots where Lu Yao had laid the towels. The red pigs, however, had no such reservations, prancing about on the soft towels before finding a clean, comfortable spot to plop down and stay put.

The little people tending to the pigs gingerly stepped onto the towels, only to be astonished by how much softer they were compared to their own tanned hides. Even more surprisingly, the towels carried a pleasant, fragrant scent.

One by one, they began sprawling across the towels, lying in disarray, and closing their eyes in peace. Their exhausted bodies and minds finally found a brief respite.

From behind the inn’s massive walls came the sizzling sound of cooking, accompanied by a tangy, mouthwatering aroma that wafted into the air.

The little people, who had almost drifted off on the cozy towels, suddenly sat bolt upright. Wiping at their mouths, they realized drool was already trickling down their chins.

So Fragrant!

They had never smelled anything so mouthwatering!

What is this?

When Lu Yao came out carrying a giant pot of meat sauce pasta, she saw the dirty Nitean little people scattered like peanuts across the towels, either sitting or lying down.

She tapped the pot with a spoon. “Dinner time! Line up at the door to get your food.”

All the little people raised their heads to look at her, their eyes as bright and round as black grapes.

Lu Yao tilted her head back to take a deep breath, then lowered it, her face calm as she directed them to line up.

She set up a long wooden plank at the door, dividing it into three serving stations.

Yunwei and Zhu Zhou manned one station, Jiexiang and Ziye the second, and Lu Yao and Heici the third.

Lu Yao, being the “big person,” sat on a low stool in the corner to assist.

The staff of the snack shop had prepared disposable mini utensils specifically for Lu Yao’s new inn in the Nitean world. The utensils were biodegradable, vanishing after three days.

Lu Yao handed trays to Heici, who wore heat-resistant gloves and carefully placed a single spiral pasta coated in rich tomato meat sauce onto each tray. Lu Yao then added a lidded cup of seaweed and bean sprout soup to the corner of each tray.

Qingyan, Xiao Zheng, and Bai Lu couldn’t cross the star portal, so they worked on the back end, packing the soup. One carefully used a dropper to scoop the soup, another cautiously used tweezers to place the lids, and the last delivered the trays to the door.

It was a smooth, almost toy-like assembly line operation.

The other two stations, managed by Yunwei’s team and Jiexiang’s team, also operated in an orderly fashion.

The little people of the Red Pig Tribe quickly grasped the concept of lining up. Once they received their meals, they gathered in groups of three or five around the towels, placing their trays in front of them.

They leaned over to blow on the hot food, cautiously licking the sauce first before brightening up and enthusiastically digging in.

The more carefree ones, like Monk, simply sat down wherever they were, blew on the food half-heartedly, and, finding it too hot to hold, leaned down to eat straight off the tray.

“This is so good!”

“What is it? Why does it smell so amazing?”

Monk bellowed, “Lu Yao’s cooking is even better than anything in the Xiaguang Tribe!”

Monk had never actually eaten in the Xiaguang Tribe, but that didn’t stop him from confidently “dissing” them.

Other little people overheard and turned to look toward the inn’s entrance, where the big person known as Lu Yao stood.

Lu Yao wanted to cover her face in embarrassment.

Monk, you’re too blindly loyal.

As the pot of pasta emptied, the line outside remained long.

For the Nitean little people, a single piece of spiral pasta was enough for a full meal, especially when paired with a bowl of soup.

But that didn’t stop the greedy ones—they polished off their trays, licked them clean, and then queued up again, holding their spotless trays with wide, innocent eyes as they obediently waited at the back.

Lu Yao turned and called, “Xiao Zheng, cook two more packs of pasta.”

Bai Lu chimed in, “Zheng already went to do that—the tomato meat sauce smells incredible.”

Lu Yao nodded. “Tell him to make extra. You guys can eat here tonight, too, and head back afterward. Are the peaches ready?”

Bai Lu handed over the sliced peaches.

Lu Yao took the bowl and began serving them.

After distributing the “swirly food,” as the little people called it, Lu Yao handed out sweet peaches.

The little people, now stuffed, were torn—they were full, but the food was too delicious to resist.

They huddled into groups of three or five, sending one representative to stand in line for peaches, which they carefully divided among themselves.

By the time the second batch of pasta was ready, the inn’s walls were lined with little people lying on their backs, their bellies bulging. Looking across, their stomachs resembled rolling hills.

Lu Yao couldn’t resist snapping a photo and posting it in the employee group chat.

[Lu Yao: Free-spirited and uninhibited.]

[Hot Springs Inn Bai Lu: Oh my god!!! Why are they so adorable!!!]

[Hot Springs Inn Qingyan: [Cat laughing hysterically.jpg]]

[Childhood Tutoring Center Bai Yi: Quick, I need a blood transfusion!]

[Little Pet Cafe Ji Zhixin: [Facepalm.jpg] Piao Piao is jealous and wants me to take a picture of him too.]

[Little Pet Cafe Ji Zhixin: [Chubby seal belly photo.jpg]]

[Nail Salon Harold: @Little Pet Cafe Piao Piao Chubby, fighting over everything will only hurt you in the end.]

[Nail Salon Si Jin: @Nail Salon Harold, isn’t that comment a bit inappropriate?]

[Interdimensional Cinema Ming Shi: Is this from a new film? They’re so adorable.]

[Blind Box Shop Xue Ge: Lilly is right—they really do look delicious!]

…

After posting the picture, Lu Yao quietly retreated.

The large hot spring area was already halfway built, with the pool and piping installed. She noticed many of the little people’s clothes were dry, but their faces, hair, and bodies were still speckled with mud.

She filled several large basins with hot spring water, placing them in the male and female bath areas, and called out for anyone who wanted to bathe to line up.

The well-fed, sprawled-out little people stirred at the sound. Some refused to get up, rolling over before closing their eyes again, while others slowly climbed to their feet, shuffling to grab their clothes and prepare for a bath.

While the little people were eating and bathing, none seemed willing to enter the inn to rest. Even Monk and his group stayed huddled under the eaves.

As night fell, Nitean nights grew cold.

Lu Yao went to the storage area and brought out several sturdy delivery boxes. She cut small light holes into them, lined the interiors with soft blankets, and laid them sideways under the eaves with a rock on top to weigh them down.

By nightfall, freshly bathed and chilly little people automatically rolled into the boxes, just like chicks returning to their nests.

The red pigs needed no coaxing; they huddled together in the boxes, shivering in clusters.

After hours of chatter, the human staff each had a large plate of tomato meat sauce pasta for dinner before clocking out for the night. The inn’s guests also returned to their rooms to rest.

Jiexiang and Ziye, who didn’t make it back before dark, were given a guest room by Lu Yao.

The pair didn’t head straight to their room, instead opting to stay in the dining hall, devouring more pasta.

Earlier, Jiexiang had practically drooled all over the floor while helping serve meals. At one point, she couldn’t resist sneaking a dab of meat sauce with her finger. That one taste instantly dethroned the canned peaches as her all-time favorite.

Their dinner was also tomato meat sauce pasta. After finishing one piece, Jiexiang’s belly was already bulging. Yet, she insisted Ziye join her for a walk to digest the food, only to return for a second helping.

Lu Yao watched from the side, worried Jiexiang might eat until she made herself sick.

Jiexiang split her pasta in half and insisted Ziye share it with her. Ziye hesitated, acting as though he was reluctant, though his grin nearly reached his ears.

Lu Yao witnessed it all: “…”

After polishing off their second piece of pasta, Jiexiang and Ziye finally returned to their room to rest.

Lu Yao tidied up the dining hall, then grabbed a book and settled under a lamp to read.

In the kitchen, the water bottles were filled, and all the ingredients and seasonings were prepped and ready for the next meal.

Meanwhile, in their guest room, Jiexiang and Ziye finished washing up and climbed into bed.

Jiexiang tucked her hands under the blanket and stared at the white ceiling. “Today feels like a dream.”

Ziye: “Mm.”

Jiexiang: “Yuanwei, A’dai, and Hudie are all building nests outside the inn. It’s going to get lively here.”

Ziye turned to his side, holding Jiexiang’s hand. “Do you… also want to stay here?”

Jiexiang turned to face him. “Don’t you?”

Ziye: “Mm, I do too.”

Jiexiang: “Should we move here?”

Ziye: “Should we ask Lu Yao first?”

Jiexiang waved her hand dismissively. “She’s so nice; she’ll definitely say yes.”

Ziye: “…Mm.”

…

In the middle of the night, Lu Yao faintly heard the sound of wind howling. She set her book down and stepped outside.

Half of the Red Pig tribe’s scattered members and hunting team were making their way along the wide, illuminated road toward the inn.

They were so small, trudging through the night like a field of rolling potatoes. Lu Yao couldn’t make out the expressions on their faces, but their eyes shone brightly in the dark.

She turned on the large lights under the eaves, left the door wide open, and went to the kitchen to light the stove and start cooking noodles.

The meat sauce and soup were kept warm on the stove; once the pasta was boiled, the meal could be served.

Even before reaching the eaves, the little Red Pig tribe could smell the mouthwatering aroma wafting through the air, making their stomachs rumble.

The old clan chief, riding a Red Pig, gazed toward the inn in the distance and asked Liyan, “Is that the lair of the big human?”

Liyan corrected him, “That’s Lu Yao’s inn. I asked her to help care for the tribe.”

The old chief lowered his head and said no more.

As they reached the eaves, they didn’t see their tribespeople at first, only a series of large, peculiar boxes arranged outside.

Monk, sleeping in the box closest to the door, groggily woke at the noise. Rubbing his eyes, he sat up and called out, “Clan Chief, Captain.”

Liyan strode over and lifted one corner of a box, revealing their tribespeople packed inside, sound asleep.

Lu Yao had finished preparing the late-night meal and came out just in time to see Monk. She grabbed him by the shoulders and shook him gently. “Monk, get a few people to help distribute the food.”

The number of little people arriving at the inn that night was no fewer than those who had arrived in the afternoon. Lu Yao couldn’t manage it all on her own.

Monk woke up Dada and Zhuang Yu , then found a few other familiar companions. Having seen the meal distribution process earlier, they quickly grasped the task after a brief explanation from Lu Yao, eagerly taking it on with enthusiasm.

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