Ch 47: Guide to Running a Shop in Another World II

Bai Lu, still standing outside, added, “Thank you. They won’t stay long.”

Du Mingyan responded cheerfully, “No problem at all, we don’t mind.”

Bai Lu reminded her, “The little guests are shy, so please don’t disturb them too much.”

Du Mingyan nodded eagerly. “I understand.”

Yu Shu stared at Du Mingyan with some confusion. Outside of work, Du Mingyan wasn’t someone who enjoyed interacting with strangers—Yu Shu knew that well.

Why was she being so accommodating, as if this were just sharing a table at a restaurant?

But bathing together was entirely different from sharing a table.

Noticing Yu Shu’s puzzled expression, Du Mingyan raised her arm to signal something outside the pool and gestured for Yu Shu to move closer.

Yu Shu hesitated.

Du Mingyan, now leaning against the pool wall, urged her again.

Reluctantly, Yu Shu shuffled over to the stone edge.

Behind the screen, Bai Lu was explaining to Zhuang Yu and her companions, “Follow this pathway. You won’t encounter the big humans and will go straight to the bathhouse. The changing room has swimsuits and clean bathrobes. If you want to bathe, just follow the signs to the warm pool. There are two big humans inside right now, but they won’t disturb you.”

Zhuang Yu and two others, all from the Red Pig Tribe, were fearless. After hearing the instructions, they entered the transparent passageway by the door.

The narrow path, just tall enough for the Nitean small people, had wooden planks at the base and resembled a suspension bridge—visually thrilling yet exciting.

Having just descended via cable car, Zhuang Yu and her companions found this setup less intimidating and more entertaining.

When Du Mingyan saw the small guests walking through the transparent passage on the wall, her gaze became fixed, and she lightly tugged Yu Shu, nodding toward the wall.

Yu Shu, unsure what she meant, raised her eyes. When she saw the movement in the passage, she froze.

Mice?

She squinted for a closer look, realizing quickly that wasn’t right.

Yu Shu’s rational mind couldn’t immediately process what she was seeing. She stared at the tiny figures in the transparent passage, her brain momentarily short-circuited, unable to find any knowledge to explain the scene.

She glanced at Du Mingyan, who was glowing with excitement and showed not an ounce of surprise.

Was this the “special scene” Du Mingyan had mentioned earlier?

Meanwhile, Zhuang Yu and her group reached a small slide, sliding down one after another like dumplings dropping into soup.

They landed behind a row of miniature screens in the corner, and soon the sound of trickling water came from behind the screens.

Only then did Yu Shu realize that part of the transparent passage extended directly to the small pool beside their warm pool.

She had noticed the small pool earlier but assumed it was for soaking feet.

Even someone as composed as Yu Shu couldn’t ignore the oddness of the situation. She pulled Du Mingyan closer and whispered, “What’s going on?”

Still staring toward the screens, Du Mingyan whispered back, “This store’s main customers aren’t us—it’s those little people.”

Yu Shu, typically calm and rational, accustomed to high-pressure environments and human scheming, found herself utterly stunned by this bizarre revelation.

Before she could process it, Du Mingyan, unable to contain her excitement, nudged her underwater. “They’re coming out!”

Yu Shu: “…”

Three little figures emerged from behind the screen, carrying cartoon-patterned float boards and duck-shaped swim rings.

Sensing the gaze of the big humans, they hesitated momentarily before continuing toward the small pool, their steps cautious.

Du Mingyan kept inhaling and exhaling, her eyes shining with excitement.

Yu Shu wanted to tell her to calm down—it was too unbecoming.

Zhuang Yu and her two companions walked to the edge of the passage, looked up briefly, then stepped out.

The little guests had bathed, changed into swimsuits hanging in the dressing room, and carried their toys with them.

To make it easier for the small folk, Lu Yao had the store’s tiny staff model for an instructional video on using the dressing room items. The video looped on a waterproof-protected screen in the dressing room, allowing guests to watch as many times as needed until they understood.

Zhuang Yu and her companions had learned how to wear swimsuits and use swim rings, float boards, and inflatable boats by watching the video.

They selected swim rings and float boards and headed to the warm pool.

The dressing room in the large hot spring bath was a trial setup for collecting feedback from the tiny employees.

The micro cinema had already familiarized the small folk with screens, and Lu Yao planned to expand the use of video guides in the hot spring guest rooms and other necessary areas to help guests understand the functions of different parts of the inn.

Ignoring the attention of the big humans, the little guests sat by the edge of the small pool, dipped their feet in to test the temperature, and, confirming it wasn’t too hot, used the tiny ladders to enter the water.

Among the three, one wasn’t a strong swimmer and hesitated to enter. Zhuang Yu floated on her swim ring, encouraging her, “See? With the ring, you won’t sink. Don’t be afraid.”

Another companion lay back leisurely on a float board. “Hunting and then soaking in hot water—this is heavenly.”

The hesitant one finally slipped on a duck-shaped swim ring and cautiously entered the water. Realizing she didn’t sink, she began to splash around joyfully, even scooping water to splash at Zhuang Yu.

Yu Shu was at a loss with the scene before her. At first, she had speculated it might be some sort of 3D projection technology, but it was evident the reality was far more complex.

Unable to hold back, Du Mingyan marveled at the sight of the tiny figures in swimsuits and swim rings, their cuteness utterly overwhelming.

She turned, picked up the fruit plate from the small wooden tub, and carefully offered it to them. “Would you like some fruit?”

The tiny swimmers paused, looked up at the big humans, but neither spoke nor reached out.

Suddenly, there was commotion outside.

Lu Yao’s voice came through. “I need a quick shower. I’ll use the empty side; take care.”

The timid one in the pool exclaimed, “Lu Yao’s back!”

Zhuang Yu grabbed the pool railing and started climbing out. “Let’s go play with her!”

The little ones queued up to leave, carrying their swim rings and float boards as they went through the transparent passage.

Du Mingyan retracted the fruit plate, unfazed, and remarked, “These little ones are quite cautious.”

Yu Shu asked, “What’s really going on here? Explain it to me.”

Du Mingyan organized her thoughts and recounted her first experience at the shop street briefly.

It took Yu Shu a while to process the information before they finally got up to leave the bath.

After bathing, they donned robes and emerged to find the inn bustling with many little folk.

Having been mentally prepared, Yu Shu did not react with shock or surprise but couldn’t help but feel her mood shift dramatically.

Lu Yao didn’t soak in the hot spring. She washed up quickly and came out.

Xiao Zheng was preparing a barbecue for the evening, and fearing there might not be enough food, Lu Yao went to the neighboring pet cafe to grab a bucket of seafood.

When she entered and saw that Du Mingyan and Yu Shu had finished, she greeted them warmly, “Feel free to sit down. Xiao Zheng will serve the food soon. If you prefer a quieter spot, there are rooms upstairs.”

After all, what’s a hot spring inn without guest rooms?

Lu Yao had recently managed to create a spatial expansion above the large hot spring room, adding three exclusive guest rooms for humans to dine or stay in.

Yu Shu took in the unique decor of the inn and commented, “Let’s eat here. This is your selling point, isn’t it?”

Lu Yao smiled. “It is, but please avoid disturbing the small guests.”

Yu Shu gave Lu Yao a glance. The young innkeeper spoke with a calm, confident demeanor that Yu Shu appreciated in both life and work.

Xiao Zheng arrived with two large platters of freshly grilled seafood and skewers, steaming and fragrant.

Since human guests were expected that afternoon, the central dining area had been tidied up. Scattered building blocks, drafts, and DIY items were stowed in storage, and the table was covered with a clean cloth adorned with fresh flowers.

Humans and the tiny folk dined separated by a narrow aisle, with seafood, skewers, and vegetables covering the tables.

Du Mingyan nudged Yu Shu to look across at the tiny guests, sharing a single grilled shrimp. The staff cut off small portions with a knife, which seemed pitifully tiny, but the little folk ate happily, their cheeks puffed out. No matter how many times Du Mingyan saw it, she found it amusing.

Yu Shu had gradually acclimated to the inn’s unique atmosphere. She said little, immersing herself in the experience. Her busy work and life had left her no time to relax like this—to eat, play, and unwind aimlessly.

Halfway through the meal, Du Mingyan finally remembered to post an update. She took pictures of the food and the dining environment and uploaded them to her social feed.

VIP customers could only see posts from shop staff on the VIP tab, but they could also add other VIPs as friends and share posts within their own dynamic circle. Everyone in the circle could see each other’s updates.

After posting, Du Mingyan set her phone aside and continued enjoying the meal, watching the tiny guests play on the other side.

After dinner, she and Yu Shu sat for another half-hour, toured the inn’s new guest rooms, then changed back into their regular clothes, preparing to leave.

As they exited, they encountered three people whose car was parked next to Du Mingyan’s. Yu Shu immediately recognized Bai Jing in the middle and was momentarily surprised. “Dr. Bai?”

Bai Jing looked up. “Miss Yu, so you’re a guest here too.”

Yu Shu’s daughter was currently receiving treatment at Bai Jing’s family hospital. Although Bai Jing wasn’t her primary doctor, the two were familiar with each other.

Yu Shu hadn’t expected Bai Jing to frequent this place and explained, “Mingyan introduced me. This is my first visit.”

Bai Jing nodded. “I just saw Du Jie’s post—hot springs, seafood, and interacting with the inn’s tiny guests. It looked amazing!”

Du Mingyan chimed in, “Are you here for the hot springs too?”

Bai Jing nodded. “Yes, you’ve tempted us. We even booked a room.”

Du Mingyan laughed. “Give me feedback afterward; I might book a room next time too.”

Encountering Bai Jing was a pleasant surprise, but it reminded Yu Shu of an idea she had been mulling over. She pulled Bai Jing aside to speak privately. “Dr. Bai, do you think Ranran could visit this place?”

When Yu Shu had exited the hot spring room and seen the inn’s unique design, she thought her daughter would love it. However, considering her fragile health, she dismissed the idea.

Bai Jing paused, his expression thoughtful. After a moment of silence, he subtly hinted, “If her energy is good, taking her out for a change of scenery might do no harm.”

Zheng Ran’s treatment was progressing well, but the child’s long-term suffering had made her withdrawn. Crowded places weren’t suitable for her, but a quiet, secluded location like this could be manageable for a visit or two.

Bai Jing hadn’t suggested it earlier because he didn’t know Yu Shu had connections to the shopping street.

Yu Shu, having already inquired about the shopping street’s VIP membership system from Du Mingyan, had hesitated to commit. However, she now turned around decisively and said, “Mingyan, wait for me.”

Du Mingyan turned to Bai Jing. “What’s she doing?”

Bai Jing replied, “Probably getting a membership. Why did you bring her here?”

As someone familiar with the hospital’s trials and tribulations, Bai Jing was no stranger to the gossip surrounding patients and their families.

Yu Shu’s story—of her child’s illness, her husband’s affair, and the mistress requesting meetings—was one Bai Jing had heard in multiple versions.

Du Mingyan explained, “She’s my business partner. I brought her here because she’s been in terrible spirits lately.”

Yu Shu found Lu Yao and signed up for a VIP membership, adding the official shopping street app to her phone.

As Yu Shu left, Bai Jing, Bai Jin, and Bai Zheng entered, having reserved an evening of hot springs and lodging.

Bai Lu and Ji Qingyan finished their shifts, while Xiao Zheng handled the night duties, greeting the three guests and showing them to the lounge.

The human and tiny guests remained respectful of each other, interacting minimally but politely when their paths crossed.

Compared to their last visit, the inn had seen significant changes. The block-style housing had expanded from one building to three, each with a distinct style.

Bai Jin sat in front of the Rose Garden House, completely captivated by its intricate details, unable to move away.

After spending some time inside the inn, they decided to try the hot springs. Upon hearing about the seafood barbecue, they placed an order and asked for it to be delivered to their upstairs guest room.

The three upstairs guest rooms were designed to mirror the tiny guest rooms, with one key difference: pulling back the bed curtains revealed a breathtaking view of the alternate world.

In the night sky of Nitean Continent, three massive moons hung upside down, creating a surreal sensation of being in a different time and space.

Meanwhile, Monk and Zhuang Yu’s group enjoyed a memorable seafood barbecue at the inn. Laden with a bounty of hunted game, they made their way back to the Red Pig Tribe.

The border guard at the tribe’s territory was surprised to see them. “You’re back so soon. I estimated you wouldn’t return until after midnight.”

The group laughed it off, making no mention of the cable car.

Upon entering the territory, they noticed unusual liveliness. The chieftain’s house was still lit with torches.

Visitors from the BlackRock and Xiaguang Tribes had arrived, hoping to trade rock salt, sugar cubes, and dried goods for hides and well-trained red pigs. They planned to stay overnight, engaging in discussions at the chieftain’s house.

Monk, overhearing snippets of the conversation, figured the adults would be too busy to pay attention to them. He turned and headed for Dada’s place.

Recently, their hunting excursions had been extraordinarily successful, leaving them with a mountain of hides to process. Dada stayed behind that day to wash and prepare the hides.

Monk ran up to Dada’s home, shouting before he even entered, “Dada, let me tell you, Lu Yao built a massive dandelion cable car in the mountains—”

The rest of his sentence got caught in his throat.

Dada wasn’t alone. Around the stone table sat five or six little folk, three of whom Monk didn’t recognize.

They all looked at him with curiosity and intrigue.

Monk awkwardly asked, “What’s going on? Why are there so many people here?”

A little one from the Xiaguang Tribe asked, “What did you just say about a giant dandelion?”

The unfamiliar faces included visitors from both the Xiaguang and BlackRock Tribes. While the adults discussed matters with the chieftain, these younger ones had been sent to spend time with Dada, who was closer to their age.

Monk stayed silent.

A little one from the BlackRock Tribe chimed in, “Are you talking about the human inn in Thorn Valley?”

Monk was taken aback. “You know about Lu Yao’s inn?”

The BlackRock little one nodded. “Our tribe’s new fetal seed was saved by the big human.”

The news had spread far and wide within their tribe. The young ones, full of excitement, had hoped to visit the famed human inn on this journey. However, their leaders bypassed Thorn Valley, heading straight to the Red Pig Tribe’s new territory, leaving them deeply disappointed.

“Saving a fetal seed” sounded too incredible to be true. Some of the little ones were skeptical.

“Humans are so bad. How could they possibly save one of our fetal seeds?”

The little one from the BlackRock Tribe got upset. Dada and Monk were equally annoyed.

Monk snapped, “Lu Yao isn’t bad! She’s amazing! You have no idea how soft the beds at the inn are, how delicious the food is, or about the trains, flower houses, hot springs, and dandelion cable cars. You haven’t seen any of it!”

As the self-proclaimed number-one fan of Lu Yao, Monk’s fervent praise left the guests stunned into silence.

Dada sighed and gently asked, “I’ve seen most of those things. But what are these hot springs and the dandelion cable car?”

Monk lit up at the question. Not only did he explain, but he also went next door to pull Zhuang Yu over. Together, they recounted their afternoon encounter with Lu Yao, their ride on the dandelion cable car, their soak in the hot springs, and the delicious barbecue they enjoyed.

Their animated storytelling left their audience enthralled.

In the cave, as Monk described the view from the cable car with sparkling eyes, the listeners stared, wide-eyed and enraptured. He went on to talk about the warm springs with little duck-patterned float rings that kept them from sinking, allowing them to play water fights. Then came the barbecue—giant grilled shrimp the size of a person. The little ones salivated uncontrollably.

After recounting their eventful day, Monk sat down to drink water.

Dada’s gaze was somber. “Cable cars, hot springs, barbecue—sounds so fun.”

Monk nodded enthusiastically, exclaiming, “Exactly! We’re heading back to the mountains tomorrow. Lu Yao mentioned making mini pan-fried buns and dumplings. We might get to eat them by then!”

Zhuang Yu covered her face.

He just doesn’t get it—Dada was practically seething with envy.

Dada, too, wanted to visit the inn, ride the cable car, and meet Lu Yao.

Zhuang Yu suggested with a smile, “Dada, why don’t you come hunting with us tomorrow? We’ll leave at dawn.”

Dada finally relented. “Alright.”

“I want to go too! Can I join you?” asked Xiaoguang Tribe’s Taozi in a soft, sticky voice.

“I’m coming too, please take me!” cried Ayu from the BlackRock Tribe.

Even her quiet friend Haizao looked over expectantly, eyes filled with longing.

Monk waved his tiny hand grandly. “Alright, wake up early, and I’ll take you all to the inn for breakfast!”

…

Thorn Valley, The Hot Springs Inn

The adult human and tiny guests, along with the on-duty staff, had retired to their rooms for the night.

The kitchen hallway now included three newly built rest rooms. The human staff had their own quarters at the inn and could rest during shifts without needing to keep watch at the front desk all night.

By midnight, it was rare for new guests to arrive.

Under the soft lamplight, Lu Yao sat adjusting the blueprints for the final guest rooms. She wanted to finish the inn’s basic construction in one go.

Suddenly, the pearl-like fetal seed case next to her jumped slightly.

A week had passed, and the little thing still hadn’t sprouted.

However, it seemed to be growing.

Every three days, Lu Yao had to replace its pearl box with a new one because the old one grew increasingly thin.

Setting her pen down, she opened the box to check. The once fingertip-sized Yángjú seed was now the size of a quail egg, sitting quietly inside without moving, as if the earlier movement had been her imagination.

Lu Yao reached out to poke it gently and muttered, “You have three more days. If you don’t sprout by then, you’re getting tossed out. Don’t think I’m joking.”

She closed the box and returned to her work. After finishing the blueprints, she turned off the lights and went to bed.

…

The Next Morning

Lu Yao posted a recruitment notice written in the Nitean language at the inn’s entrance before heading up the mountain with a bundle of tools.

The previous evening, she hadn’t been able to finish the manual lift under the flowering tree due to the late hour. She planned to complete it early in the day.

Once the manual lift was functional and confirmed to be operating smoothly, Lu Yao brought out the rope ladder she had braided the night before. She secured it to the thick branches, letting it hang down on either side. The length was perfect, and screws kept it stable so it wouldn’t swing wildly in the wind.

Initially, Lu Yao had planned to construct a spiral wooden staircase with railings. However, the labor-intensive build and the maintenance it would require made her decide otherwise.

She planned to test the rope ladder’s effectiveness and consider building a wooden staircase later if more guests started using the cable car.

The rope ladder looked promising. Lu Yao then took out a cable car station from her portable warehouse—built with Xiao Zheng the night before—a structure made of two colorful mushroom-shaped wooden huts.

The shorter, pale yellow mushroom served as an office, while the taller red mushroom was a rest area. The two rooms were connected by an internal staircase and came equipped with doors, windows, and basic furniture, accommodating two small staff members.

Lu Yao secured the station on a sturdy tree branch near the flowering tree, turning the wooden hut into a treehouse.

[System Notifications]

• “Lu Yao’s hot spring inn is wildly popular, upgraded to a five-star establishment! Reward: +50,000 popularity points, Shadow Butterfly ×2. Keep up the good work!”
• “Lu Yao’s hot spring inn successfully hosted 100 guests within the time limit, upgrading to a five-star inn. Mission complete! Reward: +50,000 popularity points, Yangju ×10, Bitter Hemp ×20, Oil Stones ×100!”

The two sudden notifications caught her off guard. Ignoring the other rewards, Lu Yao immediately took out ten Yangju from her portable warehouse, her mind already buzzing with possibilities.

Yangju couldn’t be replicated, but now she had ten new seeds. If the one in her inn didn’t sprout soon, she’d seriously consider replacing it.

She examined the rewards and found them peculiar. Unlike the original Yangju, these came with the seed cases, identical to the fetal seeds sought after by the Nitean people.

Returning nine to the warehouse, she held one in her hand for closer inspection.

Indeed, it resembled the same seed cases that Beibei and the others had brought. The Yangju was attached to the bottom of the seed case by its stem. However, the Yangju’s skin still resembled a regular peel and had yet to transform into the soft pink membrane characteristic of fetal seeds.

Lu Yao’s earlier suspicions were confirmed: the fetal seed and its case were inseparable, and the seed had to remain inside the case until it matured.

However, the transformation from Yangju to fetal seed involved an additional process—one that imbued the resulting child with genetic material from both parents. But she couldn’t quite figure out the exact mechanism.

Nitean people and humans differed in many ways, and holding so many Yangju capable of transforming into fetal seeds left Lu Yao feeling slightly overwhelmed.

How should she store these?

The inn’s tiny guests seemed eager to acquire fetal seeds, but Lu Yao still didn’t know how to trigger the transformation.

…

[Special Notification]

• “Lu Yao’s inn has achieved 80% completion. Current star level: Five stars. Upon reaching 100% completion and achieving the ‘Renowned Worldwide’ reputation milestone, the ultimate mission will unlock!”

Ultimate Mission?

Lu Yao put away the Yangju and opened the system interface.

Time had flown by. It was almost time for the ultimate mission, yet the Dream Fulfillment System was still absent.

She tried contacting the system, only to be met with the usual silence.

With her tasks on the mountain complete, Lu Yao gathered her tools and leftover materials, descending with a heavy heart.

One reward stood out: the Shadow Butterflies—two living creatures with pitch-black wings as wide as her palm.

They fluttered around her but didn’t fly away.

Lu Yao observed them for a while before returning them to the warehouse.

When she approached the inn, the scene under the eaves startled her. The area was crowded, like someone had spilled a sack of beans.

Forgetting her thoughts about the mission, Lu Yao hurried over.

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