C8 Please Work Hard

"Quit beating around the bush and spill the beans already," Bu Shiyi urged, a smile playing at her lips as she observed Bu Lige's demeanor. Her spirits were high, buoyed by her brother's recovery from his internal injuries.

Bu Lige then recounted his experience of purchasing Coke at Lo Chuan's shop.

"So you're telling me that a bottle of Coke is the main reason you healed from your injuries and advanced to the Creation Stage?" Bu Shiyi arched an elegant eyebrow, her tone a mix of amusement and disbelief.

Oblivious to the shift in mood, Bu Lige nodded eagerly, his eyes alight with excitement. "Just ten spiritual crystals! That's all a bottle of Coke costs! I'm starting to wonder if the shopkeeper is running some kind of crazy clearance sale!"

"Really? Then why didn't you stock up on more?" she asked.

"If the shop didn't have a rule limiting each person to one bottle per day, I would've cleaned them out!" Bu Lige replied offhandedly.

"I see..." Mid-sentence, Bu Shiyi's delicate fingers pinched Bu Lige's ear, giving it a gentle twist as she scoffed, "So you've gotten bold, trying to pull one over on your sister. Do you really expect me to believe that a ten-spiritual-crystal Coke works better than the spiritual medicines at home?"

The pain in his ear was sharp, and Bu Lige felt a wave of frustration. Why won't she believe me when I'm telling the truth?

"Sis, I have no reason to lie to you—I'm telling you, it's all true!"

As Bu Shiyi's grip tightened, Bu Lige's eyes brimmed with tears.

"You're not lying?"

"Cross my heart! I swear on everything that's holy!"

Bu Lige was on the verge of making a solemn vow.

"Well then, I'll take your word for it," Bu Shiyi relented, releasing his ear.

Rubbing his sore, reddened ear, Bu Lige sulked inwardly.

"Take me to this shop of yours tomorrow. I'm quite intrigued by this enigmatic shopkeeper," Bu Shiyi said, her eyes narrowing with curiosity.

The following morning, at dawn, Lo Chuan was up early, opening his shop. He settled into his rocking chair, basking in the sun's warmth while idly chatting with the system in his mind.

"System, don't you think the task you've assigned is a tad unrealistic? Selling a hundred bottles of Coke and a hundred packs of spicy sticks in one month—do you honestly believe we have enough foot traffic in the store to pull that off?"

"Host, please exert effort."

"Can't you give us a bit more time, System? Or maybe do some advertising for our shop?"

"Host, please exert effort."

"Do you have anything else in your vocabulary, System?"

The system remained silent.

Lo Chuan: ...

"Boss, I'm back!"

As his eyes cracked open, Bu Lige's visage came into Lo Chuan's view.

Next to him stood a woman with sparkling eyes and a bright smile, her black hair cascading down like a waterfall, seemingly a celestial being in human form.

Bu Shiyi's brow furrowed as she surveyed the shop behind Lo Chuan.

Nestled in a secluded alley, the shop bore the bold and imposing sign "Origins Mall." Coupled with a shopkeeper who exuded a certain air of unreliability...

Bu Shiyi shot Lo Chuan a skeptical look, her doubts about Bu Lige's claims growing.

"You're the proprietor of this establishment?" Bu Shiyi inquired, her voice as clear and tinkling as a silver bell.

Lo Chuan responded with a composed nod: "Indeed."