Looking at the jar in front of him, Chongyun took a deep breath and decisively smashed it.
Crash.
The jar shattered, and a blue-purple berry rolled out.
Beside him, Miss Ying'er, who had paused her own unboxing, watched curiously.
When she saw the berry, she raised an eyebrow. "A Wolfhook? Seems your luck isn't very good."
[Wolfhook] — A berry with thorns that snags onto wolves' fur to migrate. Seeing it, one can almost hear the mournful howls of wolves echoing in the forest.
"Sigh."
Chongyun didn't need Ying'er to tell him what it was. He knew it well.
Seeing that his 100,000 Mora had yielded a single berry, he sighed heavily.
He hadn't found what he wanted.
But it was normal. He hadn't expected to have explosive luck and get the perfect item on the first try.
The problem was, he was now broke.
"Shopkeeper, how long will you stay open?"
Chongyun thought for a moment and turned to Felix. "I don't have any more money on me. I need to go get some, but it might take a while."
Although he disliked borrowing money or owing favors, solving his condition was worth compromising his principles. He felt justified in asking for a loan from friends.
He just worried the shop would close before he returned.
"There's still plenty of time before closing," Felix smiled faintly. "You should make it."
"Good."
Chongyun nodded vigorously, grabbed his Wolfhook, and sprinted out of the shop at incredible speed.
"Uh."
The people lingering outside were stunned.
Why did Chongyun run out so fast? He barely spent any time inside.
"That was quick. Did he even open anything?"
"Opening jars doesn't take long."
"Maybe he didn't bring enough money? 100,000 Mora isn't pocket change."
"Nonsense. If he didn't know the price, he wouldn't have come."
"I wonder what Miss Ying'er got. I'm looking forward to hearing about it."
...
The crowd whispered but didn't disperse. They decided to wait.
Miss Ying'er was chatty; surely she would share her results when she came out.
Inside the shop, Felix looked at Ying'er, who was leisurely sipping her Cola. He raised an eyebrow. "Miss Ying'er, aren't you going to continue?"
She had opened three jars: Silk Flowers, Sea Ganoderma, and the Cola she was currently drinking.
Two jars remained from her first batch.
Unlike most customers who couldn't wait to smash them all, she seemed in no rush.
"No hurry. Let me finish this Cola first~"
Ying'er smiled, taking another slow sip.
Felix: "..."
Fine. Your jars, your time.
After a while, she finally smashed the fourth jar.
Crash.
An umbrella fell out.
"An umbrella?"
Ying'er looked at it skeptically. At least it was practical.
[Celebration Umbrella] — Opening this umbrella releases a surprise. It is a party umbrella.
"It's not an ordinary umbrella," Felix explained, seeing her expression. "It's an umbrella that surprises people when opened."
"Let me try."
Ying'er was intrigued. She opened it immediately.
Pop!
With a soft bang, a shower of colorful confetti and streamers exploded from the canopy, raining down on her head.
"I see."
Ying'er laughed, brushing confetti from her hair.
It was a prank item. Useful for birthdays or just startling people.
Not bad. It suited her mischievous side.
She moved to the fifth jar.
Crash.
A small glass vial, the size of two fingers, rolled out.
It contained a pitch-black liquid.
"Uh."
Ying'er hesitated. "What is this? Can I drink it?"
It looked dark and fizzy like the Cola, which had tasted amazing. Maybe this was another beverage?
[Tricky Devil Potion] — Give this potion to someone you want to prank. Whoever drinks it will become the target of everyone's mockery.
Felix read the description and raised an eyebrow.
Another prank item. Was this a reflection of Ying'er's personality?
"This is a Tricky Devil Potion," Felix chuckled. "If someone drinks it, they will be mocked and teased by everyone around them. The pranking might be a bit severe, so save it for someone you dislike."
"Sounds delightful."
Ying'er's eyes lit up.
A potion to make people suffer social humiliation? That was a treasure indeed.
"So, Miss Ying'er, would you like to open more?" Felix asked. "You've only opened five. You still have a quota of five remaining."
"Open!"
Ying'er grinned. "Getting these fun toys from five jars... this little lady will definitely buy more. Even if I get five empty jars, consider it my support for the handsome Shopkeeper."
She handed over another 500,000 Mora.
Felix nodded. He waved his hand, and five new jars floated over to her.
Ying'er looked at them eagerly and smashed the sixth jar (first of the new batch).
Crash!
A book with an orange cover fell out.
"A book?"
Ying'er picked it up.
Felix: "????"
Seeing the cover, Felix's eyelid twitched violently.
How did this get in here?
[Icha Icha Paradise] — A best-selling novel written by a ninja from an unknown world. It contains stories and profound philosophies about men and women.
"It's a book about romance between men and women," Felix said, trying to keep his voice neutral. "Good for passing time. No other special effects."
"Strange title..."
Ying'er flipped it open.
Icha Icha Paradise? Make-out Paradise?
She read the first few lines.
Her eyes widened.
It was as if a door to a new world had swung open.
"Tsk, tsk. Not bad. Not bad at all."
"Oh? So it can be done like this? I am enlightened."
"Ah~ this is truly refreshing to read. A masterpiece. I love it."
...
Ying'er flipped through the pages, making appreciative clicking sounds.
Felix's mouth twitched.
He had expected her to blush.
Instead? She was engrossed. Not a hint of shame.
The shop fell silent, save for the sound of turning pages and Ying'er's sultry commentary.
After a while, she closed the book, looking satisfied but wanting more.
"What a great book. I'll study it thoroughly when I get home. Before reading this, I thought I knew a lot... but my thinking was too narrow."
"I didn't expect the Shopkeeper to put such knowledgeable books in the jars. It seems we are fellow enthusiasts."
She looked Felix up and down with a teasing gaze. "Don't be shy, Shopkeeper. Did you write this?"
In her mind, he stocked the jars. He must have written the book.
Felix: "...."
"I didn't write it," he said flatly. "It was written by someone else. Didn't you see the author's name? I'm just a shopkeeper."
"I don't know what's inside the jars until you open them. I didn't put it there."
"I understand, I understand."
Ying'er nodded knowingly.
Felix: "....."
This woman understands nothing.
"Continue, continue!"
Ying'er turned her gaze to the remaining jars and smashed another one.
Crash.
Another book fell out.
This one was much larger. The cover featured a woman wearing... very little fabric.
Six large words were emblazoned on the side: [Fashion Model Magazine].
"Oh?"
Ying'er's eyes popped.
Another book? And this one looked even more... exaggerated than the last.
She opened it immediately.
Just like before, she was captivated by the first page.
"Women wearing such strange clothes..."
"And clothes can be worn like that? Tsk, tsk. Incredible. Why didn't I think of that?"
"It's a book full of pictures of ladies, with descriptions. Like a newspaper, but for fashion."
...
Ying'er flipped through the magazine, praising every page.
Felix: "..."
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