Ch 94: Guide to Running a Shop in Another World II

Ji Zhixin and Ji Qingyan took the elevator to the underground parking lot. Ji Qingyan, recalling that Lu Yao had taken a cab back, said, “The boss probably isn’t back yet, right?”

Ji Zhixin replied, “She’s definitely there by now.”

Ji Qingyan was surprised. “That fast? It’s only been twenty minutes.”

They had taken over forty minutes to drive to the Shen Corporation from the shopping street, and that was with light afternoon traffic. During rush hour, any slight congestion would easily stretch the trip to over an hour.

Ji Zhixin opened the car door. “The boss has a fixed-point teleportation device. She doesn’t need to take a car back.”

Ji Qingyan was startled. “What? Where is it?”

Ji Zhixin answered, “At the snack shop.”

Whenever the boss went out and there was an emergency at the shop, she always managed to return in an instant. Paying close attention revealed that Lu Yao always emerged from the snack shop when she came back.

However, even noticing this didn’t change much. Uncle Ming had mentioned that the snack shop was a place no ordinary person could set foot in.

The shop was entirely off-limits to everyone except the boss, not even Budu could enter.

Ji Qingyan was astonished. “It’s the snack shop?”

In her impression, the snack shop was extremely low-key, especially compared to the other shops on the street, each with its own distinct flair. It seemed almost unremarkable.

Ji Zhixin said, “Just know about it and don’t ask too much. The snack shop and Qingshan Noodle House aren’t places ordinary people can go.”

As a member of a branch family of the Ji clan, Ji Qingyan was far removed from the divine realm and had never truly believed in such things. However, meeting Lu Yao had instilled in her a newfound sense of reverence.

The divine might be distant, but the shopping street was undeniably real.

When they left, Ji Qingyan had driven, but on the return trip, Ji Zhixin took the driver’s seat.

Ji Qingyan sat in the passenger seat. The meeting had gone smoothly—President Shen had been particularly cautious and respectful toward the boss, and the game company’s director showed great interest in their proposal. With nearly all their objectives met, she felt relaxed as she pulled out her phone to check the employee group chat.

As it was near the end of the workday, the chat was bustling with hundreds of unread messages.

Ji Qingyan skimmed through them, then looked up in surprise and said to Ji Zhixin, “Brother, do you know why the boss rushed back earlier?”

Ji Zhixin guessed, “It was Uncle Feichen who called. Probably something to do with the internet cafe—another fight among the customers?”

Ji Qingyan shook her head, her tone growing excited. “The boss picked up a baby panda demon this morning and left it in the lounge. After it woke up, it didn’t make any noise or run away. Instead, it got caught red-handed by Uncle Feichen stealing snacks from the storeroom. The panda’s now being publicly ‘exposed’ in the group chat—it’s so fluffy and adorable!”

Ji Zhixin raised an eyebrow, took his hand off the car key, and pulled out his phone.

[Lu Yao: Exposing a snack-thieving baby panda demon.]

[Lu Yao: Picture of the baby panda demon cowering obediently in a corner.JPG]

[Lu Yao: The plain old storeroom before the panda came.JPG]

[Lu Yao: The upgraded storeroom post-panda renovation.JPG]

[Childhood Tutoring Center Bai Yi: What’s going on? What’s going on? What’s going on?]

[Hot Springs Inn Bai Lu: Shocking! A baby panda is at our shop?]

[Lu Yao: I found a panda demon this morning. I’m starting to suspect it deliberately got itself picked up…]

[Interdimensional Cinema Zhu Zhu: It’s so cute!!!]

[Lu Yao: Don’t be fooled by how innocent and clumsy it looks now. While I was out, it was running rampant in the shop. It almost knocked Feichen into an internal injury. Thankfully, a customer caught it, or it would have escaped.]

The photo of the panda demon cowering in the corner showed its short, stubby limbs and fluffy body, with its innocent beady eyes. However, its muzzle was ringed with telltale traces of colorful snack powder, clear evidence of its theft.

[Blind Box Shop Ji Feiming: Is Feichen okay?]

[Interdimensional Internet Cafe Ji Feichen]: …I’m fine.

[Blind Box Shop Ji Feiming]: What does the boss plan to do with this bear demon?

[Lu Yao]: The storeroom’s stock is half gone, and the little bear even has a spatial pouch. Everything it didn’t eat is packed in there, ready to be taken away. The situation isn’t severe, but the nature of it is ‘egregious.’ Like Xuanfeng and Mo Bao before it, the bear will work in the shop to pay off its debt for a while.

[Childhood Tutoring Center Bai Yi]: Does this mean we now have a panda coworker? Ahhh, it’s so cute!

[Hot Springs Inn Bai Lu]: Boss, can I meet this coworker?

[Little Pet Cafe Zhou Su]: Me too, me too!!! Can it eat pastries? I’ll make it some cakes. What about seafood?

[Little Pet Cafe Lei Lei]: Love is fleeting, isn’t it.JPG.

[Little Pet Cafe Piao Piao]: Sad leopard expression.JPG.

[Hot Springs Inn Heici]: Tail wagging over beef bits.JPG.

[Nail Salon Merulu]: A plump belly shot of Puxiu.JPG.

[Nail Salon Edward]: Mumu’s tiny bat form.JPG.

[Blind Box Shop Lilly]: Xue Ge caught mid-bath.JPG.

[Blind Box Shop Xue Ge]: @Blind Box Shop Lilly DELETE THAT!!!!!!!

…

[Little Pet Cafe Zhou Su]: I’m sorry, I’m sorry! Everyone who wants pastries, raise your hand—I’ll make them all! You’re all too adorable!

[Little Pet Cafe Zhou Su]: A heart bound and tugged from both ends.JPG.

…

Ji Qingyan scrolled quickly through the group chat and urged Ji Zhixin, “Brother, hurry up, hurry up! Let’s go pet the panda!”

Ji Zhixin, having just finished reading himself, set his phone aside. “That’s the new coworker at the internet cafe. You should be more respectful.”

Ji Qingyan wasn’t convinced. “Brother, don’t you want to pet it too?”

Ji Zhixin avoided her gaze and started the car. “Let’s go.”

…

At the Interdimensional Internet Cafe.

The little panda demon was still huddled in the corner of the lounge, staring blankly at its paws.

He had always known his cultivation was weak, but he never imagined he couldn’t even best a human. Worse yet, he had been forced to sign a one-month employment contract.

The panda demon was utterly dejected.

Earlier that afternoon, his failed escape attempt had caused quite a commotion. Among the guests, a demon recognized him.

This panda demon, named Xiong An’an, was indeed a half-demon. He used to live in the bamboo forest outside Liuxian City with his mother.

Two years ago, demon hunters ascended the mountain and killed the great bear demon.

Left without support, Xiong An’an was frequently bullied by other demons in the forest and eventually disappeared.

No one expected him to still be alive, let alone to have wandered to Baixian Mountain.

The demon who recognized him informed Lu Yao that Xiong An’an had been brought to the bamboo forest as a cub just a few months old. He lived there for three years before disappearing for two. At most, he was six years old now.

For a demon, this age was akin to infancy—he didn’t understand much of anything.

As a half-demon, he was also without a place to belong or someone to guide him. His cultivation was weak, and his temper was likely difficult to manage.

While his age and status met the requirements for Lu Yao’s task, she quickly realized that he was too young to be of any use. For now, he would stay in the shop as a mascot.

With over a month left to complete the task, she decided to figure out another solution later.

When Ji Zhixin and Ji Qingyan returned to the shopping street, they went straight to the internet cafe, planning to report on the follow-up to the meeting and to sneak in a chance to pet their new panda coworker.

Xiong An’an, still sulking in the corner, thought the matter had been dropped since Lu Yao wasn’t paying him any attention.

But suddenly, a man and a woman entered the room, their eyes gleaming as they approached. They crouched down to inspect him for a moment before reaching out to touch him.

Their techniques were even more brazen than Lu Yao’s.

And that was just the beginning. Several more groups of people came and went, taking turns rubbing, petting his belly, his ears, and even his tail.

The human women were especially shameless, often leaning in to kiss him. It made him so embarrassed he wanted to dig a hole to hide in.

Some men also tried to kiss him, but Xiong An’an’s rejection was clear—he slapped them with his small paws without mercy.

That evening, Jiao Niang came to the shop and was startled to see a panda sprawled on the sofa in the break room, head drooping like a lifeless rag doll.

Upon closer inspection, she realized it was a bear demon.

Not just any bear demon—he was a half-demon, like her Zili.

Jiao Niang couldn’t help but feel a twinge of pity for Xiong An’an and approached to ask about him.

The little panda sat up, angrily complaining about how overly intrusive Lu Yao and those humans were.

Later, when Jiao Niang saw the group chat messages, she realized the panda had stolen snacks from the storeroom and was being held by Lu Yao to work off his debt. The coworkers weren’t harassing Xiong An’an—they were simply charmed by how cute he was.

Jiao Niang didn’t understand why the humans at the internet cafe were so enamored with a half-demon, but recalling the panda’s defeated look as he was rubbed like a rag doll, she still spoke to Lu Yao about it.

Lu Yao nodded thoughtfully after hearing her concerns. “I’ll talk to them later and remind them to restrain themselves when interacting with him.”

As Jiao Niang left the break room, she didn’t shut the door completely. The lively sounds outside piqued Xiong An’an’s curiosity. He peered through the crack, saw Lu Yao chatting with Jiao Niang, and, thinking no one would notice, tiptoed out.

Lu Yao spotted him immediately. She crouched down and scooped him up into her arms, burying her face into his soft, fluffy belly. “With the cleansing spell and fragrance charm, you’re so soft and smell so good.”

Xiong An’an cast a pleading look at Jiao Niang: Help!

Jiao Niang: “…”

Zhong Lianjia, standing behind the counter, looked over eagerly. “Boss, can I hold him?”

Lu Yao handed him over. “Jiao Niang said he doesn’t like being kissed by men. Control yourself.”

Zhong Lianjia: “Understood.”

Xiong An’an: “…Um… um—”

Help me!!!

Jiao Niang covered her face.

Human affection doesn’t last long. Perhaps in three to five days, this will all blow over.

Little panda, just endure it for now.

Lu Yao, watching the panda nestled in Zhong Lianjia’s arms, felt a renewed sense of appreciation for the little guy. Now that her initial frustration had subsided, she found him irresistibly adorable.

Suddenly, Lu Yao felt a chill run down her spine, like a prickling sensation.

She turned around.

Zeyuan stood by a rift of demonic energy, his crimson eyes brooding, though his gaze wasn’t on her.

Following his line of sight, Lu Yao realized he was staring at Xiong An’an. She looked puzzled.

Could it be that Zeyuan also liked pandas?

The last time he came, she had asked him about the “demon prince,” and he’d left in a huff, returning to the Demon realm without visiting for days.

Thinking it was rare for him to show up, Lu Yao took the panda back from Zhong Lianjia and approached Zeyuan. “Do you want to hold him?”

Zeyuan: “?”

Lu Yao: “I thought you might like him.”

Zeyuan frowned, glancing down at the little panda in her arms, visibly conflicted.

Xiong An’an, a little frightened of Zeyuan, fidgeted with his paws nervously. His round, innocent eyes blinked up at the unresponsive young man in front of him.

To ease the awkwardness, the panda tilted his head and cautiously raised a paw, giving a tiny wave. “Um?”

Unable to watch any longer, Xuanfeng snatched Xiong An’an away, murmuring, “Boss, the Sovereign has something he wants to say to you.”

Lu Yao raised her eyebrows and looked at Zeyuan curiously. “What is it?”

Zeyuan’s ears turned red, and his hands, hanging at his sides, clenched and unclenched before he finally said, “Let’s talk outside.”

He grabbed Lu Yao’s hand and stepped into the demonic energy rift.

Xuanfeng held the panda in one hand, with Mo Bao perched on his head. His gaze wandered toward Zhu Ying and Danxi, who were engrossed in their game.

Having spent half a month working off their debts at the cafe, Xuanfeng and Mo Bao had some familiarity with the game. Watching the players now, it was clear the demons had significantly improved.

Mo Bao smacked Xuanfeng’s head. “The Sovereign just took Lu Yao to the Demon realm!”

🛍️🛍️🛍️🛍️🛍️