Ch 3: My Multiverse Supermarket

Zhou Li listed the qingyu stone on the system’s auction platform, and detailed information about the item automatically appeared:

【Qingyu Stone】
Year: 15 years
Date of Origin: 943 AD
Owner: Zhao Changyan (Lady of Yizhang County, Southern Chu)
Starting Bid: 8,800 yuan (recommended)
Buyout Price: 12,800 yuan (recommended)

…

Zhou Li glanced at Zhao Changyan.

This girl was no ordinary refugee.

Although her speech had already hinted that she wasn’t a commoner, Zhou Li hadn’t expected her background to be this significant.

To have hidden her identity and joined a refugee caravan—something serious must have happened.

Still, that wasn’t Zhou Li’s concern.

She didn’t expose her, simply set the price quietly.

Moments after posting it, the item started receiving bids.

When the price reached 10,000 yuan, someone decisively hit the buyout button and purchased it.

The entire process, though it seemed lengthy, had taken only a few minutes.

Zhou Li handed Zhao Changyan a supermarket membership card and said, “Your fish-stone sold for 12,800 yuan. After deducting a 192-yuan service fee, you have 12,608 yuan left on this card. You can use it for purchases here anytime.”

To Zhao Changyan, the fish-stone had been priceless.

Learning it sold for only a little over ten thousand left her slightly disappointed.

But once she understood the supermarket’s prices, her disappointment vanished—replaced by astonishment.

In Chu, rice now cost 1,200 wen per dou (about 12 jin).

Yet here, fine white rice was only three qian per jin!

A half-jin pack of refined salt—just two qian!

Since ancient times, food, silk, salt, and iron had been vital for keeping the people stable.

They could even determine the fate of nations.

Especially salt and iron—both monopolized by the court to prevent rebellion and control the populace.

If one could control large supplies of food and salt…

Zhao Changyan’s heartbeat quickened, her breathing grew heavy.

But soon, she calmed herself.

Even if she had the money, she couldn’t yet raise an army to reclaim her home.

She would have to bide her time.

Caressing the membership card, she asked, “Does this money need to be spent all at once?”

Zhou Li replied, “As long as I’m still here, you can use it anytime.”

Zhao’s heart tightened. “Little Boss, when will you leave?”

“That’s hard to say. But even if I leave for a while, I’ll come back. Don’t worry—your money won’t vanish. And if you’d rather not keep it, I can convert the balance into equivalent goods before I go.”

After all, she was meant to open trade across multiple worlds—no reason to only do this once.

When the system had said she could “return home” after completing her trade quota, it meant ending this trip, not severing her connection to the system.

She could return anytime she wanted.

Zhao Changyan exhaled in relief.

If the Little Boss were never coming back, she wouldn’t dare tell anyone about this supermarket—fearing that others would discover it and compete to buy out its goods.

Zhao Changyan asked, “Little Boss, which foods here can be eaten without cooking?”

Zhou Li led her to the food section. “These breads can fill you up. These snacks can be eaten straight from the bag. And these instant noodles—just soak them in hot water. I also provide free hot water here.”

The “Good Life Supermarket” mainly sold food and daily necessities.

Food was divided into five categories: fresh produce, frozen food, snacks, grains and oils, and beverages.

Fresh goods only included eggs collected from the village—no meat or vegetables.

After all, every household raised chickens and grew vegetables, and anyone wanting fresh produce could just go to the town market.

Selling meat or vegetables here would only lose money.

Household items included toiletries, cleaning supplies, bedding, home goods, office supplies, clothing, hats, and shoes.

…

When Zhao Changyan heard the price of instant noodles, she was shocked. “So light, yet two qian and five fen per pack!?”

A jin of rice could feed her five meals—two meals a day lasted two or three days.

One pack of noodles, at best, was two meals.

The cheapest bread was four qian a piece…

And snacks that required no preparation were even more expensive.

After much comparison, she realized rice was still the best deal.

Seeing her struggle, Zhou Li went to the storeroom and brought out several boxes of near-expiry goods.

“This honey mini bread—nine yuan for thirty-six pieces.”

The bread had been a promotional gift from a snack company for a “spend 108 yuan, get one box free” event.

When the promotion ended, a few leftover boxes remained.

They tasted awful, so Zhou Li hadn’t put them on display.

The shelf life was forty days, with twelve left before expiration.

If Zhao Changyan didn’t mind the taste and only wanted the cheapest way to fill her stomach, they were perfect for her.

The price won her over immediately—she bought a whole box without hesitation.

The little buns were small but soft and sweet, and to Zhao Changyan, they tasted heavenly.

“These buns are delicious!”

Perhaps because she had drunk cola earlier, one bun was enough to fill her stomach.

Looking at the remaining buns, Zhao Changyan asked hopefully, “Little Boss, may I leave the rest of these buns here with you for safekeeping?”

If she took them back, the other refugees would surely snatch them away.

Zhou Li said, “You can, but I can’t guarantee mice won’t steal them.”

The supermarket’s system-provided protective barrier covered only the store and Zhou Li herself.

Since the buns had already been sold, they were no longer considered store goods and were not included in the barrier’s protection.

Zhao Changyan thanked her sincerely. “Thank you, Little Boss.”

Seeing how clean the place was, she felt sure there could not possibly be any mice here.

Then Zhao Changyan asked, “Little Boss, may I rest outside?”

Zhou Li nodded. “Go ahead. I just can’t guarantee your safety.”

“As long as I can rest under your light, I’ll be more than grateful. I dare not ask you for protection,” said Zhao Changyan as she lifted her axe and went outside.

She chopped several branches, gathered some dried animal dung, and built a fire two meters from the supermarket.

Zhou Li watched this live-action wilderness survival show for quite a while before stepping out of the shop.

She said, “There are many mosquitoes in these mountains. Down in the forest there are mountain leeches, and up here in the grasslands there are water leeches. Aren’t you afraid they’ll latch onto you again?”

Zhao Changyan paused.

The places where the mountain leeches had bitten her still ached.

—When she had used salt to remove them earlier, some salt had gotten into the wounds, and the burning pain had been unbearable.

Zhou Li seized the moment to recommend a mosquito net, straw mat, and insect spray. “Use the branches to support the mosquito net, lay the mat inside, and spray the insecticide around you. That’ll keep bugs away for at least two hours.”

The smallest mosquito net cost 13 yuan, the straw mat 15, and the insect spray another 15.

Since Zhao Changyan was her first customer and member, Zhou Li gave her a 20% discount.

Even with the discount, Zhao Changyan had to grit her teeth to buy them.

After setting up the mosquito net and spraying the insecticide, the buzzing around her ears indeed subsided.

“Remember,” Zhou Li cautioned, “don’t spray it directly on yourself. If it gets on your hands, wash them with soap. If you handle food afterward without washing, you could get sick.”

Zhao Changyan rubbed the can thoughtfully.

This “mist” clearly had some poisonous quality.

Too strong-smelling to use for assassination, unfortunately—but in battle, one could spray it into an enemy’s face to incapacitate them briefly…

After preparing her small bed, Zhao Changyan returned to the supermarket to purchase daily necessities.

Zhao Changyan asked, “What is this barrel made of?”
Zhou Li replied, “Plastic.”
Zhao Changyan frowned. “What is plastic?”
Zhou Li tapped the bucket. “This is plastic.”
Zhao Changyan: …

She then picked up a shiny washbasin. “Why does this basin have the color of silver? It’s harder than iron yet lighter.”
Zhou Li answered, “That’s stainless steel.”
Zhao Changyan said, “Steel that doesn’t rust?”
Zhou Li replied, “Not that it never rusts—just that it’s much harder to.”
Zhao Changyan: “…”

By the end of the shopping trip, Zhou Li’s mouth was dry, and she found herself wanting to hire a store clerk.

Otherwise, every time someone from this ancient world came to shop, she would have to explain everything all over again—it was exhausting.

Before she could find a clerk, she realized she would also need to print a traditional-character version of the price tags…

Zhao Changyan spent 23 yuan on a stainless-steel basin, 40 centimeters in diameter, and another 3 yuan on a small towel.

Then, shamelessly, she asked Zhou Li for some hot water and half-filled the basin with cold water from the restroom to wash herself.

When Zhao Changyan came out, her wounds hurt noticeably less.

Seeing that she was still wearing her filthy clothes, Zhou Li tried to promote the unsold old-style clothing from the shop.

“I have clothes for sale here. Do you want to change into something clean?”

Zhao Changyan shook her head, rejecting Zhou Li’s offer.

Dressing too neatly would draw attention.

Her top priority now was survival. Improving her living conditions could wait until she was strong enough.

Zhou Li said, “Alright, but if you want clean undergarments, just tell me—I sell those too.”

…

By ten o’clock that night, it was time for the supermarket to close.

Zhou Li glanced at the little bed under the mosquito net.

She didn’t know whether Zhao Changyan had fallen asleep, but she still left a light on outside the store for her.

[Author’s Note]

Little Boss: Mercy? Sympathy? What’s that? How much does it sell for?

☢️☢️☢️