I sent a few people to fetch the printed flyers while the rest returned to their tasks. Cradling a box of acrylic keychains, I slipped behind the counter and glanced around.
“Ellie, Xu Wei—come give me a hand.”
I’d called over two trusted aides to help with this tedious chore.
Ye Xiaoshuang, standing right beside me, perked up at my words. “Boss Xiaoxi! I can help too!”
“…Don’t bother,” I said gently. “This isn’t really your thing.”
She blinked in confusion. “Huh?”
“What I mean is, this task’s too menial for someone of your talents,” I added, nodding toward the corner. “Go move that cabinet instead. You’re the only one here strong enough for it.”
Truth was, this job needed a delicate, careful touch. As for Ye Xiaoshuang? Call her a powerhouse on a good day; on a less generous one… well, a brute. I mean, she once punched a guy hard enough over a bowl of noodles to give him a stomach bleed—sure, she was defending justice, but it still showed she wasn’t exactly the gentle-hands type.
The girl didn’t overthink it. Hearing only the compliment, she beamed and dashed off to tackle the cabinet.
Xu Wei was already seated beside me. Ellie strolled over from nearby, a mischievous grin playing on her lovely face. “Oho~ So Xiaoxi summoned me… because I’m the tech~ni~cal~ ex~pert~?” she teased, drawing out each syllable.
I calmly opened the box. “Please don’t overinterpret. Thank you. Now, help me pack each keychain into its own thin plastic sleeve.”
They weren’t really bags—more like flimsy transparent films wrapped snugly around each piece, just enough to keep them clean and offer slight protection.
“Are these giveaways?” Xu Wei asked while sliding one in. “Do freebies really need packaging?”
“Of course. Tedious, but necessary.”
She held up a finished one, squinting. “But won’t the sleeve hide the character art? How will customers pick their favorite?”
Ellie ruffled her hair affectionately. “Ah, little loli, you don’t know the game yet. Most people grabbing these lately don’t have a favorite—they’ll just take whichever looks decent.”
“Huh?” Xu Wei blinked, utterly lost.
“We’ve got zero reputation right now,” I explained patiently. “No dedicated fans are showing up yet. Early customers? Mostly street-promo passersby or curious folks drawn in by our shiny new shop.”
I set aside the finished batches and slowly stretched. Honestly, I hadn’t expected such a small task to tire me out this much.
“Here’s the thing,” I continued. “Yes, the sleeves blur the art a little. But every coin has two sides. By hiding individual designs, we highlight uniformity. When customers walk out—down the street, across Century City—those little sleeves send a signal.”
Xu Wei tilted her head. “What signal?”
“When many carry the exact same item, it suggests two things,” I said. “Either there’s an insane promotion—‘buy it, it’s a steal!’—which is rare. Most will assume the other.”
Ellie chimed in smoothly: “That it’s a free gift. That’s why so many have it.”
“Exactly.” I nodded with quiet satisfaction. “This maximizes the giveaway’s reach.”
Xu Wei nodded slowly, eyes wide. “I see… So complicated. Sister Xiaoxi, you know so much!”
“Naturally.” I rotated my wrists with a playful smirk. “I’m a woman of the world!”
The truly worldly-wise Ellie simply smiled, said nothing, and quietly took the remaining keychains from my hands. She’d noticed my slight frame was flagging.
Truthfully, it wasn’t heavy work—but my delicate constitution had its limits. I shot her a grateful glance and kept explaining to Xu Wei, leaving the little loli utterly captivated, her admiration glowing brighter by the second.
“So many little tricks to running a shop…”
Countless tricks. Every tiny detail held purpose. I’ll skip the rest. After implementing most of the thick prep dossier, everything was finally ready. All we needed was the final push.
At noon, I gave everyone free time for lunch and two and a half hours to rest. Once the scorching midday heat softened, I gathered everyone on the first floor and gave a light clap.
“Alright, everyone—let’s open the doors!”
