“Is that all? Just cooking? That’s no trouble at all, it’s a piece of cake!” Mu Yuqing said confidently as she patted her chest. Without the slightest hesitation, she immediately agreed to the conditions Lu Jincheng proposed, and the two quickly finalized their agreement.
Both sides exchanged silver and documents on the spot, then headed to the government office to register the paperwork and obtain the official property deed. The entire process went as smoothly as flowing water, without any delay or uncertainty. The speed of the transaction was astonishing.
Once all the formalities were completed, the heavy burden weighing on Mu Yuqing’s heart finally disappeared. Now, she could focus entirely on renovating the new shop without any lingering concerns.
“Master Lu, do you happen to know any carpenters? I’d like to have several display cabinets made.”
As she spoke, she handed over the sketches she had drawn earlier.
Lu Jincheng unfolded the papers and glanced through them. His eyes immediately lit up. He had never seen cabinets designed in such a way before, yet he agreed without hesitation. There were a few details he could not fully understand at first, but after Mu Yuqing patiently explained them, everything became clear.
During their discussion, he also heard her mention something called stainless steel, a term completely unfamiliar to him. Even so, he did not question it further. He simply took the drawings and left.
After closing the front doors, Mu Yuqing also returned home.
Ten days later, the cabinets, tables, and chairs needed for the shop had all been completed. Once she settled the matters at home, she had Qingyun drive her to town in the carriage.
The two spent the entire morning cleaning the shop from top to bottom. After the carpenter delivered the furniture and everything had been properly arranged, Mu Yuqing instructed Qingyun to return home first. She told her to bring her younger siblings over in two days, when the shop officially opened.
She truly could not feel at ease leaving the two children alone at home, so before Qingyun departed, she repeatedly reminded her to watch over the house carefully, insisting that she would be perfectly fine staying here by herself.
After Qingyun left, Mu Yuqing locked the front doors and walked into the backyard.
Although the courtyard was not as spacious as the one at home, she had tidied it up beautifully, giving the place a warm and cozy atmosphere. She entered the bedroom, quickly made the bed, then headed into her space.
It had been quite some time since she last entered the space, and everything inside looked mostly unchanged. The only difference was the appearance of a pond behind the house.
Curious, she slowly walked toward it, each step filled with anticipation. When she finally reached the water’s edge, she crouched down gently.
The water was crystal clear, like a massive mirror reflecting the scenery around it along with her beautiful face.
She extended both hands and carefully scooped up a handful of water. Under the sunlight, it shimmered with a dazzling glow. Bringing it to her lips, she took a cautious sip.
Instantly, a sweet and refreshing taste spread through her mouth, as though she had just tasted the finest nectar in the world. The cool sweetness slid down her throat into her stomach, followed by a miraculous sensation.
All the exhaustion in her body vanished completely.
“Tangbao, is this the legendary Spirit Spring Pond?” Mu Yuqing called out softly.
Since she did not know where Tangbao was, she worried the spirit might not hear her voice.
A deep voice suddenly sounded behind her.
“Master, you are correct. This is indeed the Spirit Spring Pond. The spring water possesses miraculous effects. Ordinary people who drink it can strengthen their bodies and improve their health. Even those suffering from illnesses can ease their pain after drinking it, though it may not cure them completely.”
Mu Yuqing froze.
The voice came from not far behind her. In the past, Tangbao’s voice had always been sweet and childish, but the voice she heard today sounded eerie and ghostly, enough to make her scalp tingle.
Startled, she quickly turned around to see what was making such a strange sound.
But the moment she saw the figure standing there, she nearly jumped out of her skin.
A little girl, barely a meter tall, stood quietly behind her.
The girl was petite and delicate, yet she wore oversized adult clothing. Draped in a flowing white robe with fluttering sleeves, she also had a small straw hat perched atop her head. The strange combination made her look both adorable and oddly bizarre at the same time.
Mu Yuqing stared at her with wide eyes, unable to believe what she was seeing. It took a long moment before she finally recovered her senses.
“Tang… Tangbao? Is that really you?” she stammered. “You transformed into a human? But why are you so short? Are you some kind of legendary dwarf?”
Tangbao immediately puffed out her cheeks in frustration.
“Master, this is all your fault!” she complained helplessly. “A few days ago, while I was helping upgrade the space, I accidentally made a mistake and ended up like this. But don’t worry, I’ll slowly grow back.”
As she spoke, she waved her tiny hands around seriously, as if trying to prove she was telling the truth.
“Oh, right! Master, your supermarket has changed a lot too. Before, it only sold fresh produce, but now there are daily necessities as well.”
“Really? Then I have to take a look.”
After speaking, Mu Yuqing touched the phoenix mark on her wrist.
With a soft chime, a screen instantly appeared before her eyes.
She quickly opened the supermarket interface, and just as Tangbao had said, a brand new daily necessities section had appeared.
Her fingers lightly swiped across the screen as her gaze swept over the items one after another. Shampoo, body wash, toothpaste, toothbrushes, cleaning supplies, household items, everything imaginable was available.
Mu Yuqing secretly rejoiced.
If the family ever lacked anything in the future, she could simply purchase it here.
Still, the item she needed most right now was something else entirely.
Sanitary pads.
Ever since arriving in this ancient world, she had never been able to adapt to the menstrual belts women used here. Every month during her period, she felt uncomfortable and restricted.
But now, with modern sanitary pads available again, she could finally move freely without suffering through the inconvenience.
Without hesitation, she immediately headed toward the feminine hygiene section. After a brief search, she found the exact brand she used in her previous life. Skillfully, she selected two packs containing both day and night pads and added them to her basket.
After solving the most important problem, she moved on to the fresh produce section.
Looking at the neatly arranged chicken, fresh vegetables, and lively shrimp stored in the refrigerated displays, her appetite was instantly stirred.
After thinking for a moment, she picked out a plump hen, a handful of meatballs, crisp green lettuce, and several large shrimp.
Once she finished shopping, Mu Yuqing happily checked out her items. Afterward, she soaked comfortably in the Spirit Spring bath before finally leaving the space.
Back in the kitchen, she placed the ingredients neatly onto the cutting board and began organizing them methodically.
Just as she tied on her apron and rolled up her sleeves to start preparing dinner, a light knocking sound suddenly came from the small courtyard door leading to the front yard.
The unexpected sound immediately made her wary.
Who could possibly be visiting at this hour?
After all, she did not know anyone in this town.
Filled with curiosity and confusion, she slowly put down the vegetables she had been washing and quietly walked toward the small door.
As she reached out and gently pulled it open, the doubt in her heart deepened.
The moment the gap widened, a familiar figure appeared before her eyes.
It was actually Lu Jincheng.
His tall, upright figure and handsome face caught her completely off guard, leaving her staring at him in shock with her mouth slightly open.