Ch 45: Guide to Running a Shop in Another World II

Yaoguang City, Noon.

Du Mingyan had just finished discussing a project with an investor and was preparing to head downstairs to try a new restaurant when her phone suddenly pinged.

She paused—it was the alert tone she had set for “special notifications.”

The investor sitting across from her, an old friend she frequently worked with, appeared fatigued from recent personal troubles. She waved Du Mingyan off, signaling her to take the call.

Du Mingyan picked up her phone. “President Yu, please enjoy a cup of tea. I’ll just take a moment.”

Closing the door of the meeting room behind her, President Yu leaned back on the sofa, closing her eyes for a brief rest.

Du Mingyan slipped on a Bluetooth headset and quickly headed to the restroom.

Since becoming a VIP at the Shopping Street, Du Mingyan had been discovering new worlds every day.

Each store on the Shopping Street had its own unique charm:

• The Snack Shop was shrouded in mystery, only ever sharing food content.
• The Nail Salon was stylish and quirky, showcasing everything from nail art to magical battles involving “combat nails,” which even tempted Du Mingyan to try them.
• The Blind Box Store was surprisingly pragmatic, featuring content on farming, land reclamation, and rebuilding cities amidst ruins, providing the thrill of a city-building game.
• The Little Pet Cafe was heaven for fluffy enthusiasts, now even running short dramas like The Little Mermaid: Sealpocalypse Edition, with daily 2-minute episodes that were surprisingly entertaining.
• The Interdimensional Cinema shared feedback from patrons of the Great Wu Dynasty, with clips of tea-drinking, meals, and shopping—often more engaging than historical dramas.
• The Childhood Tutoring Center offered knowledge on psychology and practical tips on minor superpowers. Initially skeptical of “superpowers,” Du Mingyan later learned through Bai Jin, a fellow VIP, that these abilities were real but humorously constrained by the shopkeeper to only create “practical tip” videos.
• Finally, the Hot Spring Inn felt like a hyper-realistic LEGO kingdom designed by big humans. Its content was irresistibly adorable and heartwarming.

Gradually getting familiar with the Shopping Street’s internal network, Du Mingyan set notifications for Lu Yao. Though Lu Yao rarely posted, her content was always intriguing.

The alert tone just now was for a new post—Lu Yao had shared a service introduction, now available for reservations.

Donning her headset, Du Mingyan tapped the gray notification bar, and a video popped up.

The screen opened to reveal a miniature castle. A human hand guided the viewer’s perspective, moving from the first-floor hallway’s carpet to paintings, dining rooms, tea rooms, an art studio, a reading nook, a music room, guest rooms upstairs, and a glass conservatory at the back. The attention to detail was stunning.

The blue-domed castle was exquisite, holding the viewer’s attention effortlessly—even without any small characters in the frame.

The scene transitioned to a new building. On a stone beside it were the words Hot Spring. The camera briefly showed glimpses of bamboo groves, warm pools, and a bamboo hut before cutting away.

In the next scene, mist rose from a steaming pool. A slender, snow-white arm languidly draped over the edge of a stone-lined basin.

Splash—

The camera followed the arm’s graceful curve downward. Du Mingyan couldn’t help but scream softly, immediately covering her mouth and stomping her foot in restrained excitement.

Below the large warm pool, there was a tiny basin, no bigger than a washbowl. Three-head-tall little people, dressed in swimsuits—male and female—lined up for their turn to dive in.

Plop! One jumped into the pool and floated lazily to the surface.

A large hand reached into the water, gently scooping up the floating little person. As the tiny figure rolled onto the palm, it let out a playful whoosh of water like a miniature whale.

The large hand carefully placed a strawberry-patterned swimming ring onto the tiny person and gently returned her to the pool.

Below, a chorus of tiny voices erupted:
“Lu Yao, Lu Yao, I want one too!!!”

So it’s the shopkeeper… Unfair!

The tiny people received duck-shaped floaties, shark-shaped paddleboards, swan-shaped and duck-shaped inflatable boats. A mini water slide was added along the pool’s edge, instantly transforming the cozy hot spring into a lively water park.

Du Mingyan held up her hand for comparison—the tiny swimming rings were only as thick as her wrist, and the inflatable boats were palm-sized.

Too cute!

Way too cute!

The 30-second video was packed with highlights.

Right below the video was the reservation button, offering two options:

• Hot Spring Experience: 2,999 yuan
• Hot Spring with Full Board (one-night stay): 6,999 yuan

Reservations made by noon could secure an entry at 4 PM the same day.

Du Mingyan had free time that afternoon. She thought of Yu Shu and hesitated. Though Yu Shu was her business partner, they were also close friends. Du Mingyan had planned to spend the afternoon keeping her company to lift her spirits.

Putting away her phone, she left the restroom and returned to the reception room.

Yu Shu was reclining on the sofa with her eyes closed, seemingly asleep.

Du Mingyan tread lightly, planning to let her rest a bit longer.

Yu Shu opened her eyes, which were clear and alert. She grabbed her bag and stood up. “Let’s go.”

In the elevator, Du Mingyan hesitated several times before speaking:
“Yu Jie, I know a great place to relax. How about we go there this afternoon?”

Yu Shu interrupted her. “I’ll pass. Why don’t you take a few young people instead?”

“Yu Jie, this place is truly unique,” Du Mingyan insisted. “It’s just on the outskirts of the city, and we’ll leave at four. If you don’t like it, we can come back right away.”

Her persistence swayed Yu Shu. Afraid she might change her mind, Du Mingyan immediately called Lu Yao.

Lu Yao was preparing to install a cable car system on the mountain when the call came in.

Du Mingyan reserved an afternoon hot spring session for two guests.

Hanging up, Lu Yao informed Budu, and Yu Shu’s phone received a temporary visitor invitation from the Shopping Street app.

“Tonight, we’ll have two guests for the hot spring—Miss Du and her friend. They’ll arrive around 4 PM and won’t be staying overnight. Get ready; I’m heading up the mountain now.”

This was the first time the inn was hosting regular human guests, and the three human staff members were inexplicably excited.

After giving instructions, Lu Yao slung a basket over her shoulder and headed up the mountain.

The cable car station at the inn’s entrance was complete, with only the cableway left to install.

Lu Yao got to work, crouched over her tools. The tiny people eagerly helped, carrying finger-sized screws and handing them over with great enthusiasm.

Ever since seeing Lu Yao and Bai Lu decorate the cable car cabins, they had been eagerly awaiting the system’s opening.

Xiao Zheng and Ji Qingyan had also prepared detailed instructions, simplifying the process for Lu Yao. All that remained were basic assembly steps, akin to assembling a portable wardrobe or bookshelf at home—though this involved climbing trees and drilling holes, making it a bit trickier.

Lu Yao worked for over two hours. Harold even snuck over from Dragon Valley during his lunch break to help, though she promptly sent him back after thirty minutes.

Finally, the base and safety mechanisms were installed. Lu Yao pulled the cableway into position, attaching the ten cable cars to the line.

The cabins, designed to resemble fluffy dandelions, were a hit among the tiny people. The supports on either end were a cheerful yellow, the cableway a muted green, and the cabins themselves were soft and fuzzy on the outside. Despite their appearance, the interiors offered clear views, with no obstruction to the scenery.

Cheers erupted as the tiny people saw the completed cable car system.

On the Nitean Continent, there are also dandelions—giant ones.

It’s said that once they bloom, their size is comparable to the cable car cabins. The tiny people, upon seeing the dandelion-shaped cars, felt a sense of familiarity.

Lu Yao wore a safety wristband as she grasped a dandelion-shaped cabin with one hand. Turning to the tiny people, she said, “I’m going to test the load capacity. Wait here.”

The tiny people didn’t quite understand but saw her grabbing the cabin and leaping off the tree, gliding down the cable at impressive speed.

Leaning over the railings, their faces shifted from worry to exhilaration.

“Ahhh! Lu Yao is flying! So cool!”
“This cable car is amazing!”
“I want a ride too!”

At 95 pounds, Lu Yao’s weight exerted steady pressure on the slender cable, allowing her to glide smoothly to the foot of the mountain. The descent was stable and controlled, though it took a toll on her arm.

Before the cable car reached the station at the inn, Lu Yao had already landed and walked over, shaking off the strain in her arm.

Inside the inn, Du Mingyan and Yu Shu had just arrived and hadn’t yet sat down when the staff who had greeted them suddenly ran to the entrance, looking stunned.

Bai Lu: “What’s the shopkeeper doing?”
Ji Qingyan: “She said something about testing the cable car’s load capacity.”
Bai Lu: “Did she just glide down the mountain? Single-handedly?”
Xiao Zheng: “…I knew she was hardcore, but not this hardcore.”

Curious, Du Mingyan and Yu Shu walked over to look outside. Sure enough, they saw Lu Yao, though the view outside was vastly different from when they had first entered.

Yu Shu blinked twice, feeling perplexed.
Am I hallucinating from overwork?

Lu Yao walked to the door and waved dismissively at her staff:
“Stop staring; the guests are still waiting.”

The three quickly returned and apologized to the guests.

Lu Yao greeted Du Mingyan and then noticed Yu Shu, raising an eyebrow slightly.
“So, it’s you.”

Yu Shu didn’t recognize Lu Yao.

Lu Yao reminded her:
“Early spring, by the riverbank—you were there, enjoying the breeze. We’ve met.”

Yu Shu suddenly recalled the incident, her expression still somewhat complicated.

Lu Yao didn’t linger long: “I need to head back up. You can start exploring.”

The cable car wasn’t a one-way system. This time, Lu Yao grabbed the cabin and ascended from the opposite side. However, the climb proved more taxing.

Yu Shu pulled Du Mingyan aside: “What’s this place, really?”

Du Mingyan replied casually: “It’s just a spot for rest and relaxation—unique, but nothing worth overthinking.”

Yu Shu, no stranger to the world’s complexities, felt that response lacked sincerity. It left a bad taste in her mouth, as though she had been set up.

At that moment, Xiao Zheng approached, taking a closer look at Yu Shu before speaking: “Boss Yu, so it really is you.”

Yu Shu looked up: “Assistant Zheng? Why are you here?”

Yu Shu and Fu Chi worked in related industries and had collaborated on several occasions. She had met Xiao Zheng many times before when he was Fu Chi’s trusted assistant.

Xiao Zheng explained: “I left my previous job for personal reasons. Now, I’m working at the Shopping Street.”

Yu Shu felt increasingly uneasy, thinking she might indeed be too exhausted recently.

Xiao Zheng, noticing her serious expression, offered a hint: “You can think of this place as a rehabilitation center. President Fu also recovered here.”

Fu Chi?

Yu Shu recalled the incident when Fu Chi’s mishap had many privately mocking him, convinced he wouldn’t recover.

Yet within half a year, Fu Chi had returned, looking better than ever. Recently, people had been discreetly investigating where he had stayed for treatment. Despite various rumors, no one had managed to identify the actual facility.

At the time, Yu Shu had even considered whether it was worth finding out for her own daughter’s sake, perhaps moving her to the same center.

So Fu Chi had been recovering here?

And without even leaving Yaoguang City.

Yu Shu suppressed her impatience, deciding to see what was so extraordinary about this place.

Du Mingyan, noticing Yu Shu’s poor mood, suggested starting with a relaxing soak in the hot springs, followed by a meal and a tour.

…

After the shopkeeper’s personal stress test, the durability of the dandelion cable car was beyond impressive. It was more than capable of safely carrying the Nitean little people.

Lu Yao retrieved the last facility from her storage—a coin exchange machine—and installed it at the cable car entrance.

Riding the cable car required payment, and this machine functioned the same as the one in the inn.

The items from the Nitean Continent may appear small and primitive, but they are surprisingly valuable.

Take sugar cubes, for instance. Tiny and sweet, they carried a unique floral fragrance distinct from honey. Adding a bit to desserts significantly enhanced the flavor.

Other items like oil stones, rock salt, and animal hides also had practical uses.

Perched on a tree trunk, Lu Yao glanced at the eager little people below and announced: “I think it’s good to go. Who wants to be the first to ride?”

🛍️🛍️🛍️🛍️🛍️