After finishing breakfast and Mo Xixi’s morning enlightenment session, they headed downstairs. However, instead of arriving at the familiar storage area, Hao and Mo Xixi found themselves in an entirely different place.
A spacious lounge stretched before them, followed by a long hallway lined with numerous doors.
Hao glanced around and grinned. ’The system sure knows how to go above and beyond.’
The lounge closely resembled Hao’s living room, but there were clear differences.
Three large shelves stood neatly against the walls, and in the center of the room was a massive table surrounded by multiple chairs.
A long L-shaped sofa occupied the corner, offering a comfortable resting space.
Mo Xixi halted in her tracks, her head whipping back toward the staircase they had just come down from.
“Huh?”
’Weren’t we supposed to be in the storage area?!’
She only remembered going upstairs once yesterday. If this was the second floor, then… did that mean their previous floor had now become the third floor?!
That was the only possible explanation, but… how?!
Did a whole second floor just get constructed overnight?!
Her eyes returned to the staircase, her brain scrambling for a reasonable answer.
Was there a transportation formation at work? Or perhaps a high-level spatial technique that had teleported them the moment they descended?
Mo Xixi swallowed. A brand-new floor appearing overnight?
She slowly lifted her hand and pinched her cheek.
“Ow!”
It hurt.
She wasn’t dreaming.
If this were an illusion, she would have sensed some fluctuation of spiritual qi in the surroundings, but she detected no trace of it.
As unbelievable as it was, this was the truth.
“See? Told you, Little Xixi. Your room would be ready today,” Hao’s voice suddenly cut through her thoughts, his tone casual, as if a whole new floor appearing overnight was completely normal.
“…”
Mo Xixi stared at him, then at the hallway with multiple doors. She had assumed her boss would rent her a room somewhere in the city, not… build an entire floor within the store itself.
Did her boss… construct this place? But then she recalled the image of Hao drooling in his sleep, his face smushed into the sofa like an idiot.
She immediately rejected the idea. That couldn’t be right.
But if he wasn’t the one who did it, then who? There was no one else here but them.
Her gaze shifted to Hao, her impression of him growing even more mysterious.
The impossible was turning into reality right before her eyes. It was like watching a fish start walking on land – things that simply shouldn’t happen.
Who was her boss exactly?
Mo Xixi followed Hao as they explored the new floor. It had the same setup as Hao’s, but this one had three bedrooms, three bathrooms, and a shared kitchen.
Walking down the hallway, Mo Xixi noticed a door with a carved number ’1’ and her name ’Mo Xixi’ engraved beneath it – unmistakable proof that this room belonged to her.
Pushing the door open, she stepped inside and was instantly taken aback. The furnishings were the same as Hao’s.
An employee had the same accommodations as the boss?
She had seen cult elders who hoarded the best resources for themselves while their disciples lived in near poverty.
Even wealthy merchants had a clear divide between their own luxuries and their workers’ conditions.
But here? Hao, the store owner, had given his employee the exact same quality of living space.
Did this mean Hao truly cherished his employees? Or was it the store itself that made sure its workers were treated well?
Either way, it was surprising.
“Alright, I’ll wash up first.” Hao said, pulling Mo Xixi out of her thoughts.
She nodded absentmindedly as he left for the bathroom. She had already bathed the night before, so she remained in her room.
Once Hao was done, they headed downstairs into the storage area.
There, stacks of newly delivered cartons awaited them.
Hao clapped his hands lightly. “Alright, let’s get these opened and restock the goods.”
Mo Xixi didn’t hesitate. She quickly got to work, unpacking the products and organizing them on the shelves while Hao stood nearby, guiding her whenever needed.
She was a fast learner, and the task itself wasn’t difficult. Within no time, she had already gotten the hang of it.
As Mo Xixi wrapped up her task, Hao flipped the wooden plaque over and walked toward the counter.
“Oh, right.” Hao suddenly spoke, looking at Mo Xixi.
“Your salary for yesterday has already been deposited into your storage ring.”
“I forgot to tell you last night since I knocked out early.”
Mo Xixi blinked. Oh. Her pay. Yes.
Yeah… she totally hadn’t forgotten about it and wasn’t just working for food. Totally.
She huffed. “Hah, it’s fine, boss. No big deal… Not like I was counting on it or anything.”
Inside, however, she was screaming. She had her own money now!
Even if Hao hadn’t paid her, just having food and a shelter to stay was more than she could ask for.
Still, curiosity got the best of her, and she checked her storage ring.
Two crystals.
No surprise anymore. Somehow, the crystals had magically appeared in her storage ring. She just sighed. At this point, she had given up questioning the absurdity.
Hao rested his elbow on the counter. “So, Little Xixi. Wanna start working right away?”
“Six hours is all you need to cover, anything beyond that is overtime.”
“Or you can take a break for now. Go outside, then work at night instead. Your choice.”
Mo Xixi thought about it. She really didn’t have anything to do right now… but before she could decide, Hao continued.
“I’d suggest buying some new clothes.”
“You’ll need something other than your uniform for daily use.”
Ding!
A bell rang on in Mo Xixi’s mind. Of course, she was already aware of that!
She wasn’t some clueless kid!
“I knew that, boss. Thanks” she mumbled.
She turned to leave and waved a hand over her shoulder. “I’ll be back quickly, boss.”
Hao tossed a can of cola her way before she stepped out. “Enjoy. Take care.”
She caught it mid-air and raised an eyebrow. “What’s this for?”
Hao shrugged. “Just in case.”
Though Mo Xixi was a strong cultivator, she wasn’t invincible. She was still being hunted, after all.
If she ever found herself in a desperate situation, that can of cola might just be her extra saving grace.