Ch 9: My Multiverse Supermarket

Zhou Li planned to appoint three distributors.

One would come from the Dayue refugees, another from the Chu refugees, and the last spot would go to whichever side proved stronger.

She intended to create a tender document listing the basic requirements—to weed out the opportunists first—and then let the remaining candidates bid for dealership rights.

After printing the document, she handed it to Zhao Changyan.

Zhao Changyan stared at it for several minutes, confused. She wasn’t used to reading from left to right. Only after some time did she remember that the divine lady’s way of writing was different from that of mortals.

While Zhao Changyan studied the document, both the Chu and Dayue refugees erupted in commotion over the dealership matter.

But compared to the excited Dayue side, the Chu people were displeased—because Zhao Changyan hadn’t spoken to them first.

If someone hadn’t overheard her conversation with Qiao Sinian, they would still have been completely in the dark.

Old Chen sought Zhao Changyan out.

Before he could speak, Zhao Changyan said, “When I followed your group southward, you did not drive me away. For that, I remain grateful.”

Old Chen frowned. “If you’re grateful, then why did you hide something as important as dealership rights from me? Even when you first discovered the divine dwelling, you didn’t tell me privately right away.”

Zhao Changyan replied calmly, “As for dealership rights, I didn’t hide them from you—I simply hadn’t yet informed you. As for the divine dwelling, I did tell you immediately. I just didn’t expect the Dayue people to overhear.”

Old Chen: …

What kind of excuse was that?

Yet he couldn’t argue back—her words were airtight.

Her tone was polite, but he knew she was only being superficially courteous.

After all, his own supposed “kindness” toward her had been no more genuine—he’d only taken her in because he’d wanted to make her his grandson’s wife.

Trying to save face, Old Chen said, “Fine. Since I already know about it, there’s no need for further explanation. But if you truly wish to repay me, could you speak a few good words to the divine lady on my son’s behalf, so he might gain dealership rights?”

Zhao Changyan was inwardly disgusted. This old fox, pretending to be righteous, really knew how to push his luck.

She replied, “The Little Boss is fair and impartial. She will grant dealership rights based on merit, not favor. I only act as her messenger.”

She deliberately emphasized the words “fair and impartial.”

Old Chen caught her meaning but, thick-skinned as he was, pretended not to.

Zhao Changyan added, “In fact, the Little Boss has just given me an official document. I’ll be reading it aloud for everyone soon.”

Old Chen’s eyes lit up with anticipation. But Zhao Changyan only smiled faintly and tucked the paper away, saying she would read it once everyone had gathered in the morning.

That left Old Chen fuming and restless. He spent the entire night awake, calling a meeting of the Chen villagers to strategize.

*

At dawn, even before the supermarket opened, both the Chu and Dayue refugees gathered in the open space out front.

Once Zhao Changyan confirmed that all the key figures were present, she began to read aloud.

First: only three dealership regions would be opened at this stage—Dunzhou’s Yizhang County, Linwu County, and Guiyang Prefecture near Qitian Ridge.

Second: applicants must have at least 30,000 cash in liquid assets and must pay a 5,000 deposit.

Third: distributors must strictly obey supermarket rules and may not cross into another’s region. Violators would lose both their dealership rights and their deposit.

Fourth: profits and losses were each distributor’s own responsibility. However, if losses were caused by malicious competition, they could report it to the Little Boss, who—after verifying evidence—would punish the guilty party.

Fifth: dealership rights would last for three years. After the term expired, they could reapply through another round of bidding, but current dealers would receive priority renewal.

…

When she finished reading, many people who’d planned to compete alone immediately gave up.

Thirty thousand in liquid assets? How could they possibly come up with that much money?

Someone sneered at Qiao Sinian, “Guess you’re out of luck.”

Before Qiao Sinian could respond, her aunt—Aunt Yin Jiao—spotted the supermarket door opening and rushed over with a bundle in her arms, becoming the first customer of the day.

Zhou Li saw she wasn’t browsing the aisles and immediately understood her intent.

“Want to exchange goods for cash?”

Aunt Yin nodded and opened her bundle, laying out the contents.

The first thing Zhou Li noticed was a belt.

[Purple-Ground Brocade Belt with Rhombus Pattern]
Year: 8 years old
Produced: AD 950
Owner: Yin Jiao
Starting price: 43,888 yuan (recommended)
Buyout price: 80,000 yuan (recommended)

Aunt Yin was nervous. To her, the whole bundle wasn’t even worth a thousand coins.

Her late husband had been conscripted into the army. Before dying in battle, he’d once won a victory—and this belt was among the spoils he had taken from some high-ranking noble.

She’d been wearing it ever since.

Zhou Li murmured to the system, “Just how many surprises do these refugees have hidden?”

System: “It’s both coincidence and inevitability. Some things seem ordinary in their time but are priceless in later generations.”

This silk-brocade belt, for instance—though not as fine as later examples—was extremely rare because such fabric rarely survived the centuries.

Even though it was only eight years old and technically not an ‘antique,’ it was still a rare artifact of its age—fetching a high price at auction.

As for the rest of the items, Zhou Li suspected Aunt Yin had brought out everything she owned.

But none of it was worth much.

Zhou Li kept only the brocade belt. “This belt alone can earn you enough to buy plenty here.”

The moment the belt was listed on the auction platform, it sold instantly at the buyout price.

When Aunt Yin learned how valuable it was, she was stunned. So that’s what nobles wear—a single belt worth so much!

Then joy overwhelmed her. Now Sinian won’t have to worry about money for the dealership bid!

It never even crossed her mind to let her son bid instead.

—Last time, when their noodles were stolen, she’d told him to stay and guard the rest, while they went to chase the thieves.

He failed even that—letting the noodles be taken.

“When they come to rob you, smash the noodles if you must, but don’t let them take them!” she’d shouted.

He’d mumbled, “But if they’re smashed, we can’t eat them.”

She’d nearly fainted from anger. “If they steal them, we can’t eat them either! Why let them have the benefit?”

She thought her son lacked his cousin Sinian’s fierceness.

So, when Sinian said she wanted to compete for dealership, Aunt Yin fully supported her.

She returned to Qiao Sinian, clutching the supermarket membership card, and said excitedly, “Sinian, you don’t need to worry about persuading the Dayue anymore—your aunt’s got money now!”

Qiao Sinian was surprised.

If her aunt was that confident, it must mean she had well over 30,000 coins.

Who’d have thought that pile of “junk” actually contained something so valuable?

Still, she insisted on partnering with Madam Dou.

“Auntie,” she explained, “even if we win dealership rights, going alone will leave us isolated. Working with the Dayue is our best path.”

She laid out her reasoning clearly.

By partnering with Madam Dou, she would be seen as half-Dayue herself—earning their trust. Meanwhile, the Chu would grow cautious of losing her allegiance and treat her more kindly.

Aunt Yin frowned. “Is that really necessary? You won’t even be selling in the same regions.”

Qiao Sinian said, “The divine lady is only opening three counties for now, but that won’t last. As word spreads, more people will come to compete for dealership rights. The more regions we control, the farther we’ll need to transport goods—and the more money that’ll take.”

Aunt Yin wasn’t a businesswoman, but Qiao Sinian’s logic was so clear that she nodded. “Then do as you think best.”

*

Zhou Li gave the refugees three days to raise their funds.

When the time came, she brought out a folding table and sat outside the supermarket to oversee the bidding herself.

Zhao Changyan laid out a few straw mats three meters away. The bidders sat cross-legged on them.

The bidding process was completely improvised—something Zhou Li made up on the spot.

She told them to write their total available funds on paper. The lowest bidder would be eliminated.

Afraid of being the lowest, everyone wrote down large amounts.

But very few could actually muster 30,000, so the first round eliminated three people right away.

Only six people had entered—half were gone in a single stroke.

The remaining three—Dou Dailang, Qiao Sinian, and Old Chen’s son Chen Wulang—breathed sighs of relief.

Their dealership rights were almost secured.

For the second round, Zhou Li announced, “The highest bid will have first choice of region.”

The three tensed immediately, each terrified of losing their preferred territory—and so they all put forth everything they had.

Zhou Li didn’t reveal their exact bids; she simply announced the order of results.

To everyone’s astonishment—Qiao Sinian was the highest bidder!

“How is that possible!?” someone cried.

Chen San shouted, “No way! She barely owns a few thousand coins! This must be favoritism—Zhao Changyan’s helping her!”

Zhao Changyan’s expression turned icy. “Are you questioning the Little Boss’s fairness?”

Chen San stuck his neck out defiantly, pretending to demand justice.

Everyone looked at him like he was a fool.

The divine lady had already rejected him—he couldn’t even enter the supermarket anymore. And now he dared to accuse her of corruption?

Zhou Li, aware he was just a pawn—someone his clan had pushed forward to take the blame—remained utterly calm.

She took a sip from her bottle of Wong Lo Kat herbal tea and said coolly, “And who do you think you are, to question me?”

Everyone flinched—but also found her words entirely fitting.

After all, she was the divine lady. Even if she wasn’t truly a god, the powers she’d shown made her far beyond any mortal.

Why would she owe an explanation to anyone?

Chen San’s face turned red as he choked on his own indignation.

Fearing Zhou Li’s wrath might fall on them all, Old Chen hurried to scold him publicly, pushing him down to silence him.

☢️☢️☢️