Ch 202: Guide to Running a Shop in Another World II

Before Lu Yao could react, Harold spoke first.

“Runners need to ride bikes. With those tiny legs, can you even reach the pedals?”

Everyone—Tang Anqi’s group, Li Mi, Xia Huaicong, and the Zheng siblings—looked over in surprise.

That’s the focus? Shouldn’t the kid be crying or something?

Budu glanced at the small electric bike Lu Yao had parked by the roadside, then looked down at his short legs. “Can’t we ask a craftsman to make a child-sized bike?”

The neighbors looked down at BBudu again. His calm demeanor was surprising as he seriously considered a solution to the problem.

Lu Yao said, “Let’s talk about this later. It’s time to call it a day.”

Only then did the neighbors realize how late it had gotten. Normally, they wouldn’t dare to be outside at this hour, but the main street of Guanyin Road seemed free of wandering zombies these days.

Zheng Han led Zheng Xinxin back to their place, pulled down the shutter door, and decided to make do for the night on the ground floor, spreading out cardboard to sleep on. He planned to clean the upstairs area in the morning.

They had brought the supplies they found in the supermarket—rice, flour, and bottled water—which, if rationed, could last them a week to ten days. However, the rice and flour were raw and needed cooking, but their place currently had no cooking utensils or fuel.

That night, they made do with soda crackers and bottled water for dinner. Zheng Han had already arranged with Tang Anqi’s team to search for supplies the next day, specifically a portable stove, solid fuel, and camping cookware.

He thought of his mother’s last warning: “Don’t trust anyone.” But he had to take care of himself and his sister, and for now, teaming up with others was their best survival strategy.

Li Mi and Xia Huaicong also returned to their place. Arriving late, they hadn’t had time to replace the door. That night, they propped wooden boards and cardboard against the doorway as a temporary barricade, planning to properly fix things in the morning.

…

Lu Yao returned to the shop first. A few minutes later, she came out carrying two large black plastic bags and knocked on Tang Anqi’s door.

Because Tang Anqi’s team had spent the afternoon helping the Zheng siblings find materials to fix their door, their own place hadn’t been fully cleaned up yet. The four university students decided to squeeze into one room for another night.

Lu Yao handed one of the bags to Tang Anqi. Seeing Jiang Yifei there too, she handed over the second bag.

“Since you’re all here, this saves me a trip next door.”

Tang Anqi almost dropped the bag from its weight. “What’s in here? It’s so heavy!”

Lu Yao explained, “Last time you helped distribute flyers in Ping’an District, I promised you a box of supplies as payment. Now that you’ve moved and become neighbors, I added an extra box for you. Most of it is food. Considering you might not have cooking facilities, there’s some pre-cooked food as well. The packaging is made of special insulating material, so as long as you don’t open it, it’ll stay warm and fresh. But the shelf life is short—only seven days—so don’t keep it too long.”

When Tang Anqi’s group first arrived on Guanyin Road, they had brought snacks and drinks as gifts and visited Lu Yao at the shop. Lu Yao had been planning to return the gesture generously. Seeing their place nearly set up earlier in the day, she sent Xiao Ji a list to prepare the supplies for them.

After delivering the goods, Lu Yao didn’t linger, knowing Budu was still waiting for her at the shop.

Tang Anqi’s group locked the shutter door with the help of Song Xu and Zhou Mingyang, then carried the boxes upstairs in two trips.

Back in the attic, they drew the curtains, lit two candles—a rare luxury—and sat down in a circle, eager to open the boxes.

Their curiosity was understandable. Lu Yao had mentioned pre-cooked food that could stay warm and fresh for seven days just from its packaging. They couldn’t wait to see what it was.

Inside the black plastic bags were three kraft-paper boxes stacked neatly together. The outer packaging for both sets of supplies was identical, with classification labels affixed to the boxes.

The bottom box was labeled “Daily Essentials,” the second “Ingredients and Snacks,” and the topmost box “Prepared Foods.”

Song Xu and Zhou Mingyang couldn’t take their eyes off the box labeled “Prepared Foods,” while Tang Anqi opened the “Daily Essentials” box, and Jiang Yifei started on the “Ingredients and Snacks” box.

Tang Anqi glanced at Song Xu, who was itching to dig into the prepared foods box, and warned, “One at a time!”

Tang Anqi had a quirk—she liked saving the best for last, whether it was food or something she was excited about. Naturally, she insisted everyone wait to open the most interesting box together.

Song Xu, however, spotted a small flashlight in Tang Anqi’s box, grabbed it, and turned it on. The room was instantly flooded with a bright white light.

Tang Anqi shielded her eyes with her hand and turned away from the blinding glare. “Whoa, that’s way too bright!”

Song Xu inspected the flashlight and said, “It’s solar-powered with a rechargeable panel.”

Meanwhile, Zhou Mingyang pulled a vacuum-sealed pack of sweet sausages from Jiang Yifei’s box—ten in total—along with four slices of raw-cut beef steak, each weighing half a pound. The packaging was labeled with storage instructions: “Special packaging, shelf-stable at room temperature. Best before: 60 days.”

The label also included today’s production date, written in the standard calendar of the Golden Kingdom.

The steak package came with a set of seasonings: whole unpeeled garlic, peppered salt, a 20-gram block of butter, and a sprig of rosemary.

Jiang Yifei couldn’t help but swallow. “Such fresh, raw-cut steak! What kind of background does this runner shop have?”

Tang Anqi replied, “The first time Song Xu and I met Lu Yao was near Jinzhu Street. We were trapped on the upper floors of a department store and called her for help, promising to give her all the supplies we’d found as payment.”

Song Xu added, “She turned us down flat, said she didn’t need supplies, and even gave us two cards. We had a whole bag of good stuff, all usable and edible, and she wasn’t tempted at all. I thought, ‘How rich must she be?’ Then we met the runners from her shop, all so strong they took out zombies like harvesting potatoes. That’s when I realized—they don’t lack supplies. More accurately, they don’t lack the ability to get supplies. Judging by what we’ve seen now, this shop’s background is probably far deeper than we can imagine.”

Tang Anqi’s box also contained a solar-powered indoor lamp, solid fuel, a compact and practical pair of scissors, a folding spring knife, alcohol wipes, a mini non-stick frying pan perfect for cooking steaks or eggs, and a small first-aid kit.

In Jiang Yifei’s box, besides the steak and sausages, there were jam-filled bread, toast slices, condensed milk, canned luncheon meat, canned tuna, biscuits, and even a few apples.

Zhou Mingyang commented, “Apples are one of the longer-lasting fruits, but these look so fresh, they were probably just picked.”

Jiang Yifei examined the production dates on the jam-filled bread and toast. Her face was full of disbelief. “These were baked just this afternoon, with a 60-day shelf life. That’s insane!”

The four of them exchanged glances, their expressions varying, unable to put into words the awe they felt.

It wasn’t just that the courier shop had ample resources. The fact that Lu Yao could give these supplies to them so openly meant she wasn’t worried about them learning anything that might harm the shop.

It was a confidence born of absolute control.

The small attic fell into silence for several minutes until Tang Anqi suddenly broke it. “Hurry up and open the prepared foods box! I can’t even imagine what amazing things could be inside!”

Tang Anqi and Jiang Yifei carefully put everything they’d taken out back into their respective boxes, while Song Xu and Zhou Mingyang each grabbed one of the prepared foods boxes from behind them, ready to open them together.

Jiang Yifei speculated, “Maybe it’s like takeout.”

Song Xu added, “If it really stays warm and fresh for seven days like Lu Yao said, that’s incredible!”

The two boxes of prepared meals were identically packed, each containing 14 rectangular containers made of an unknown material.

Labels on the lids listed different dishes. One box noted: Shredded Pork in Garlic Sauce, Stir-fried Bok Choy, Tomato Meatball Soup, Rice, and Pickled Radish.

Each container’s label described a different meal: Sweet and Sour Meatballs, Dry Pot Ribs, Braised Pork, Chicken Stew with Mushrooms, Roasted Duck, Char Siu… even options like Beef Sandwich, Creamy Mushroom Seafood Pasta, Potstickers, Pan-fried Buns, Siu Mai, and Beef Pancakes.

Tang Anqi remarked, “Since there are two of us, and the meals last exactly seven days, each box has 14 meals—one per person per day for a week.”

Song Xu picked up a box labeled Braised Pork Set Meal. “Should we open one to see?”

Across from him, Zhou Mingyang and Jiang Yifei couldn’t help but swallow audibly.

Although they had stockpiled supplies and weren’t starving, their quality of life couldn’t compare to pre-zombie times. Most days, they ate whatever they had—dry food with cold water. Hot meals were a rarity, let alone ones with such variety.

Even their most luxurious meals had been splitting a single sausage or sharing a packet of instant noodles. That kind of extravagance was rare.

Tang Anqi held down Song Xu’s hand and turned to Jiang Yifei and Zhou Mingyang. “Do you want to open one?”

Jiang Yifei hesitated. Once opened, the meal might lose its freshness, and wasting food was unthinkable. While two meals would be enough for the four of them to share, Jiang Yifei still felt it was too indulgent.

Zhou Mingyang pulled out a box containing Beef Sandwich with Pasta. “Let’s open this one. We can taste it now, and the sandwich should still be fine tomorrow morning for breakfast since it’s not too hot right now.”

Song Xu couldn’t wait any longer. He grabbed a container, peeling back a corner of the lid. Immediately, the fragrant aroma of spices and savory meat filled the room, causing everyone to reflexively swallow hard.

The exterior of the container felt cool, but as soon as the lid was fully opened, steam rose from inside. Inside, glistening chunks of braised pork with perfectly balanced fat and lean layers sat in a rich, aromatic sauce.

The container even included utensils—a pair of chopsticks and a soup spoon.

Song Xu used the chopsticks to pick up a piece of braised pork and fed it to Tang Anqi.

The pork was tender and soft, melting like butter in her mouth, with a salty-sweet flavor that was utterly irresistible.

Tang Anqi’s eyes lit up. “It’s amazing!”

The shop’s meals were, of course, top-notch, and for the four of them—who hadn’t had a proper meal in ages—this was a feast beyond imagination.

After feeding Tang Anqi, Song Xu immediately popped a piece into his own mouth. As he chewed, tears nearly welled up. “This is so good! And it’s still warm! It’d be perfect with rice!”

Zhou Mingyang grabbed the chopsticks from Song Xu, quickly picking up a piece to feed Jiang Yifei before taking a bite himself.

The four of them sat on the small attic floor, eating the braised pork straight out of the container and praising it endlessly.

After several minutes, they calmed down, sharing one braised pork set meal and taking a bite each from the pasta box. The remaining food was carefully repackaged to save for the morning.

In their hardest times, they had even eaten raw rice and flour directly out of desperation, caring little about whether their food was warm or mushy.

Jiang Yifei carefully resealed the sandwich and pasta box. “It’s a shame the shelf life is only seven days. Otherwise, I wouldn’t have the heart to eat two meals a day.”

Zhou Mingyang remarked, “I can’t figure out where the shop gets all this stuff.”

Song Xu sighed, “It’s as inexplicable as the outbreak of the zombie virus.”

Tang Anqi added, “One thing is for sure—never mess with the courier shop.”

Back at the shop, Lu Yao returned to find Ding Qing, Harold, Lu Mingxiao, and Budu each seated in the lobby.

Ding Qing’s door hadn’t been replaced yet. She had already gathered materials during the day and brought them back to her place, but the earliest she could install the new door was tomorrow.

She would spend another night at the shop.

Lu Mingxiao was also staying. Harold had initially planned to return to the nail salon, but seeing that Budu hadn’t left, he decided to stay as well.

As Lu Yao closed the shop door behind her, she casually asked, “What’s going on?”

Budu looked up at her. “Mother…”

Lu Yao walked over and sat down next to him. “Yesterday, Xiao Ji told me he’s already shortlisted a few kindergartens. Once the Mid-Autumn Festival activities are over, I’ll take you to visit them personally. You can pick one you like.”

Budu fiddled with his fingers, visibly unwilling.

Pretending not to notice his reluctance, Lu Yao continued, “You want to be a runner? You’ll only have less than ten days before and during Mid-Autumn, and with one day of training, there won’t be much time to get the full experience.”

Bu Du immediately raised his head. “It’s fine, I don’t mind!”

Lu Yao nodded. “Alright, then tomorrow you’ll follow Harold.”

Harold wasn’t surprised by Lu Yao’s approval, but he was blunt. “With those little legs, you really won’t manage.”

Budu: “…”

Lu Yao offered a suggestion. “What about a skateboard?”

Budu’s eyes lit up.

Last year, he had abandoned Ji Feichen’s group halfway, traveling alone to Yaoguang City. He had skated barefoot on an ice sled for nearly a hundred kilometers. Using an ordinary skateboard shouldn’t be a problem for him.

Thus, the plan for a Mid-Autumn Festival-exclusive child runner was finalized.

Among the staff, only Ding Qing seemed to harbor some doubts, but she chose not to ask.

Lu Yao thought the matter was resolved and urged Budu to return to the hot spring inn to rest. Harold also returned to the nail salon. Ding Qing stayed another night at the shop, and Lu Yao remained there as well.

After washing up, Lu Yao received a message from one of her internet café employees.

The young Demon Sovereign of the Floating World Continent had arrived at the café, requesting to meet her.

Not long after the God-Slaying War, Mo Bao had succeeded the throne as the Demon Sovereign. Apart from his first visit when he took Lu Yao to Tianyuan Demon Palace to retrieve Ze Yuan’s belongings, he would occasionally visit the café—sometimes to see Lu Yao, other times just to browse the internet.

Assuming Mo Bao had come to see her again, Lu Yao quickly threw on her robe and, after notifying Ding Qing and Lu Mingxiao, headed out.

…

Lu Yao’s Interdimensional Internet Café

Employee Lounge

Lu Yao walked past the counter and pushed open the door.

The young Demon Sovereign, dressed in a black robe with intricate dark-gold patterns, sat on the sofa. His black hair and crimson eyes exuded an imposing aura despite his youthful appearance.

Lu Yao studied him carefully, then sat down beside him. “You’ve been too busy lately? Why do you look thinner?”

Though Mo Bao had become Demon Sovereign, the only trusted aide by his side remained Xuanfeng. Hearing Lu Yao’s remark, Xuanfeng couldn’t help but nod in agreement.

The former Demon Sovereign had fallen in battle, and the new one had rapidly matured, ascending the throne within mere months. His stubborn temperament and workaholic tendencies had already become apparent, leaving his aides and attendants both exasperated and concerned.

Mo Bao touched his cheek and shook his head. “It’s nothing, just trivial matters. Nothing worth worrying about.”

Lu Yao said, “Even so, you need to eat well and balance work with rest.”

Mo Bao gave a perfunctory nod and got straight to the point. “A few days ago, the sparrow demon lingering around the café spoke to me.”

Lu Yao felt a headache coming on the moment she heard the topic.
That blabbermouth Zhao Ye, always running his mouth like a sieve.

She raised a hand to ruffle her hair lightly, a smile tinged with exasperation yet showing a hint of warmth. “I didn’t expect you two to be getting along so well already.”

Mo Bao kept his hands steadily resting on his knees. “I heard you’ve opened a new shop. Zhao Ye and that little demon dragon from the shop have both been sent there to work.”