Ch 135: Guide to Running a Shop in Another World II

Lu Yao heard the sound and turned to see the two patrol officers on their motorcycle. Recognizing them from the morning, she no longer felt awkward and greeted them openly, “The new shop is open for trial operation for three days. Free DIY activities! Would you like to try?”

Ren You was a little surprised. In the morning, he thought she seemed a bit slow, assuming she was a newcomer to the street. He hadn’t expected her to be a shop owner.

Ghost Street was like a hunting ground where its inhabitants were free-range prey. While everyone eventually fell to the lurking hunters, the risks faced by customers, shopkeepers, and street administrators varied slightly.

Wandering customers were the easiest to lose their way, followed by shopkeepers, with the administrators being the safest of the three.

Only individuals deemed valuable were given jobs on the street.

In other words, shopkeepers were assessed by “Him” to be of greater value than mere customers.

Initially, Ren You had thought this young woman was just prey—prey entirely incapable of resisting.

Xu Zhengrong gave Lu Yao a deep look, then slowly shifted his gaze to the DIY workshop’s advertisement board by the entrance.

“Lu Yao’s Creative DIY Workshop: Now in Trial Operation!!!”

Today’s DIY Theme: Fireworks Shells
The DIY workshop will officially open in three days. To prepare for the celebration, the shop owner is inviting 18 lucky customers to create 66 fireworks shells needed for the opening day celebration.

Remaining free trial slots today: 6
Come and join Teacher Lu Yao to experience the charm of making fireworks shells!!!

Xu Zhengrong: “…”

It had been years since he had encountered such an over-the-top and childish shop owner—a kind of naivety that was oddly irritating.

Ren You also read the advertisement and, despite his youth, felt his toes curling tightly against the soles of his shoes in secondhand embarrassment.

It was the first time he’d seen such a shop style on Ghost Street. How could this place possibly survive until the grand opening?

Ren You couldn’t fathom what kind of person would choose to experience an activity in this shop.

Lu Yao maintained her warm smile, neither urging nor persuading them, waiting patiently for them to decide.

After scouting the area earlier, Lu Yao was confident that, at least in the north district, there were no shops like hers.

Perhaps because she was a DIY enthusiast herself, she had an inexplicable confidence in the shop’s potential.

After all, who wouldn’t love hands-on creative activities?

The next moment, the patrol motorcycle’s engine roared to life.

Vroom—

The patrol motorcycle sped off.

Lu Yao shrugged. Patrol officers on duty didn’t have time for crafts.

The shop wasn’t quite ready to welcome guests yet, either, so it wasn’t the ideal moment for hosting visitors.

She adjusted the position of the advertisement board, dusted off her hands, and headed back inside. Along the walls, she affixed a ring of modified cleaning talismans.

When activated, streaks of faint green light swept through the room.

Within a minute, all dust and debris in the shop had been thoroughly cleaned.

Lu Yao took the pre-made furniture she had ordered out of her storage space and arranged it according to her design plans.

After setting up the main hall, she moved next door to furnish the first classroom.

The classroom featured four material racks for storing various supplies, a teaching demonstration table, and six activity stations.

Each activity station could accommodate two participants, allowing the classroom to host up to 12 guests at a time under normal conditions.

For the trial operation, Lu Yao limited daily participation to six guests.

The tools and materials in the classroom would change depending on the DIY activity, so the space was designed to be clean and straightforward.

Lu Yao completed all her preparations in less than an hour.

With no customers yet, she decided to order some fresh flowers through the staff at the Childhood Tutoring Center in Sanhua City.

About half an hour later, Bai Yi messaged her that the flowers had arrived.

Lu Yao picked them up and returned to the DIY workshop, ready to arrange them, only to find the pre-prepared vase unsuitable.

Rather than wasting time searching for a new vase, she retrieved a bag of magical stone scraps she’d collected from the nail salon and decided to craft a beautiful vase herself.

Sitting on a chair at the entrance, Lu Yao placed a tray on her lap, sorting through the stones, picking ones with good color, clarity, and a touch of magical energy.

As she worked, a figure passed by the shop entrance.

The person’s steps were strange, slow, and uneven.

Lu Yao watched the figure’s back, feeling a bit suspicious, and called out tentatively, “Ms. Liu?”

The person was none other than Liu Jing, the administrator from the Street Management Office, who had introduced herself to Lu Yao the night before.

Liu Jing didn’t respond, continuing to walk forward without turning back.

A strange unease crept over Lu Yao. She put down the tray and hurried after her, grabbing her arm. “Liu Jing.”

Liu Jing snapped out of her daze, startled by the grip on her arm. Seeing Lu Yao, she looked surprised. “It’s you.”

Lu Yao frowned. “What’s wrong? Did you get heatstroke?”

The sun was already harsh at 10 a.m., and the streets, bustling with people, had regained their nighttime liveliness.

Liu Jing’s back was soaked with cold sweat. She stared blankly at Lu Yao, her face growing paler. In mere seconds, she couldn’t recall what she had been doing just moments ago.

Lu Yao took her hand. “Come, let’s go inside.”

Liu Jing followed Lu Yao into the DIY workshop, still dazed and passive.

Unbeknownst to them, someone nearby had observed the entire scene and immediately reported it to the Security Office at the West District Church.

Lu Yao brought in the gemstone-filled tray from the entrance, leading Liu Jing to sit at the newly placed glass round table. She then went to fetch some water.

Liu Jing sat by the table, surrounded by freshly delivered flowers that exuded a rich, enchanting fragrance, slowly occupying her sluggish thoughts.

Her gaze drifted to a large, delicate pink rose drooping over the table’s edge, accompanied by scattered lisianthus, hyacinths, carnations, lilies, lemon leaves, and spirea. She couldn’t help but reach out to touch them.

Lu Yao returned with a glass of water.

Startled, Liu Jing quickly withdrew her hand.

Placing the glass on the table, Lu Yao sat across from her and said, “These just arrived. Unfortunately, the vase I prepared didn’t fit, so I haven’t arranged them yet.”

Next to the table stood a plain, narrow-mouthed vase.

Liu Jing stared at the vase and the array of flowers spread across the table. After some hesitation, she softly asked, “Could I give it a try?”

Lu Yao was puzzled.

Liu Jing clasped her hands tightly, her gaze lowered, looking slightly embarrassed. “I studied flower arranging for a few years before, but it’s been a long time since I’ve practiced. If you don’t mind, I’d like to try—with this vase.”

Seeing that Liu Jing seemed calmer, Lu Yao nodded. “I’d appreciate it.”

The flowers, ordered from a nearby flower shop, had already been prepped. All that was needed was to trim the stems and arrange them in the vase.

Liu Jing was thrilled, picking up a stem of lisianthus, but then seemed lost, unsure of what to do.

Lu Yao asked gently, “What do you need?”

Liu Jing came back to herself and quietly listed a few tools and materials.

When running the hot spring inn, Lu Yao had taken an interest in gardening and flower arranging.

She rummaged through her storage and found several items that matched Liu Jing’s requirements.

Liu Jing didn’t suspect anything and took the tools, beginning to trim the flowers and prepare for the arrangement.

Lu Yao sat across from her, continuing to sort through gemstones.

Liu Jing commented, “The shop wasn’t like this last night. You work really fast.”

Without looking up, Lu Yao replied, “I’ve done this many times before.”

Liu Jing’s focus remained on the flowers. Their exceptional freshness, delicate petals, and the crisp scent reminiscent of morning dew and sunlight made her feel incredibly relaxed. She barely paid attention to Lu Yao’s words.

Lu Yao picked out a small handful of gemstones she liked, planning to craft a vase later for Liu Jing to arrange another bouquet.

At the entrance of the DIY workshop, Xu Zhengrong and Ren You stood holding specially designed restraining tools, cautiously observing the shop.

About thirty minutes earlier, the security office had received a tip: the newly arrived rookie shopkeeper in the northern district had unwittingly let a “transitional lamb” showing early signs of transformation into her store, mistaking it for a regular customer.

Leaning against the wall, Xu Zhengrong exhaled slowly. According to the informant, the lamb had only just begun exhibiting symptoms and likely wouldn’t fully transform yet.

The naïve shopkeeper might still be alive.

Ren You’s legs trembled uncontrollably. He hadn’t expected the report to concern this particular shop. Remembering the smiling young woman who had greeted them earlier, he felt sick at the thought that she might now be reduced to torn-up remains. He couldn’t bring himself to even glance inside.

Hearing faint noises outside, Lu Yao assumed it was a customer. She got up and walked toward the door.

The sound of footsteps from inside grew closer.

Xu Zhengrong and Ren You instinctively held their breath, gripping their restraining tools tightly.

When Lu Yao reached the door, she noticed the tip of a shoe peeking into view—one she found familiar. Opening the door, she was surprised to see the two patrol officers from earlier. “Back again? Did you change your minds?”

Ren You’s face was filled with shock as he took a step back, nearly dropping his restraining tool. Gasping for breath, he asked in terror, “You…you’re okay?”

From inside, Liu Jing’s voice called out, “Who is it? Your friends?”

Both Xu Zhengrong and Ren You froze in shock, then clung to the doorframe to peer inside.

The informant’s report had stated that someone showing clear signs of transformation was sitting at a table, leisurely trimming flower stems with scissors.

Xu Zhengrong frowned and asked Lu Yao, “She’s fine?”

Still catching on, Lu Yao replied, “She seemed like she might’ve had heatstroke earlier, but she’s fine now.”

Heatstroke?

Ren You had never heard such an absurd explanation.

Hearing the voices at the door, Liu Jing realized what was going on. With her flower arrangement complete, she stood up and approached.

“The flowers are done. I didn’t realize how late it had gotten—it’s almost past my lunch break. I need to head back to work,” Liu Jing said earnestly, turning to Lu Yao. “Thank you for today.”

Lu Yao realized the patrol team had come looking for Liu Jing, so she didn’t pry further.

They had only recently met, and she wasn’t sure what was going on or if it was her place to intervene.

That said, Liu Jing remained remarkably calm, her condition visibly improved compared to earlier on the street.

A fleeting thought crossed Lu Yao’s mind, but after the previous night’s events, she chose not to dwell on it. Instead, she turned to bid farewell to Liu Jing and the patrol officers, earnestly inviting them to stop by the shop for an activity when they had time.

Liu Jing left the DIY workshop not to return to the office building of the street management bureau but to follow Xu Zhengrong and Ren You to the church in the western district.

On the way back, Ren You carefully strapped a restraining device onto Liu Jing.

Unable to suppress his curiosity, he kept glancing at her sitting in the backseat. “You don’t seem to have fully transformed.”

A piercing scream echoed through the streets of the northern district.

Ren You clutched his head and slumped over the handlebars of the patrol motorcycle. After a while, he gritted his teeth and protested, “Xu-ge, do you have to hit so hard?”

Xu Zhengrong’s face remained dark and stern. “Didn’t you pay attention during training? And you still dare to talk to her.”

Ren You looked confused. “I think she still seems approachable.”

Xu Zhengrong said nothing.

Everyone who stepped onto this street ultimately met the same fate: losing their humanity, becoming a monster, and serving as nourishment, followers, or accomplices to Him.

But Liu Jing’s case was indeed unusual. She was the first person he had seen who seemed to stop midway through transformation.

Others might not understand, but the veterans at the church knew this well: once the transformation begins, it’s a series of descents into madness until they crawl to His side in a form He desires.

Liu Jing also pondered what had happened earlier, unable to help herself as she said, “Maybe it’s because Lu Yao woke me up. She doesn’t seem like anyone else on Ghost Street. She thought I had heatstroke, took me to her shop, and even let me arrange flowers for her…”

Xu Zhengrong snapped, “Don’t talk!”

Ren You fell silent.

…

At the DIY workshop in the northern district, Lu Yao was admiring the flower arrangement Liu Jing had created earlier. The bouquet, with its vibrant colors, layered design, and well-balanced heights, was indeed beautiful.

She moved around the shop, looking for the perfect prominent spot to display it.

At that moment, someone gently knocked on the door of the DIY workshop.

A booming voice called out, “Is anyone there? We’d like to sign up for the free activity at your shop!”

…

Thingyan: Lu Yao’s shop probably stops those from transforming, meaning it’s against the will of that evil god. I have a feeling he’s gonna make things difficult for her.

🛍️🛍️🛍️🛍️🛍️