I run a convenience store in the Empire

[Edited] Chapter 45

Author: The wind is too late

Tang Tang's mind was racing—Qi Tian was gone! And he was the Marshal of the Empire!

The paper read:

Tang Tang,

I've been hiding something from you. My name is Ji Tian, but I'm also Qi Tian, the Imperial Marshal. We are the same person.

When I experience extreme emotional stress, I transform into my eleven-year-old self, becoming part-beast.

Though I hate to leave, I must go. When everything is settled, I will return. I hope to always be your family.

The necklace around your neck is a shield that can activate a barrier in times of crisis, protecting you and repelling enemies.

No matter what news you hear in the future, remember that I am the immortal marshal of the Immortal Demon Empire, so don't worry about me.

I've sent two people to help you; they are half-beast and trustworthy.

Love always,

Your sweet Qi Tian

Tang Tang wasn't angry about Qi Tian's deception. Instead, she was mortified, remembering how she always treated him like a child—rubbing his hair, putting him in skirts, calling him her little sister, and putting bows on his tail. She often remarked on how cute he was and contrasted it with the marshal's cold demeanor, saying the marshal was attractive but too distant compared to Qi Tian's sweetness.

Publicly admitting she found the marshal attractive while insisting Qi Tian was cute and gentle was the height of embarrassment. Tang Tang felt like she was going to explode from the sheer humiliation!

She didn't doubt Qi Tian's words. After all, he was Qi Tian, and such an elaborate story wasn't something someone would concoct to scare her. Given her knowledge of supernatural abilities in this interstellar world, she quickly accepted that Qi Tian's transformation back to childhood was real.

Overcoming her initial embarrassment, Tang Tang felt a sense of emptiness and loss. She touched the necklace around her neck, thinking of the last "sweet" words Qi Tian wrote. It was impossible to stay mad at him, especially after he took her playful use of "sweet" so seriously, despite his obvious dislike for the nickname.

Realizing the paper's contents were sensitive, she crumpled it, squeezed it in her hand, and ran downstairs. She went straight to the kitchen, ignited the stove, and set the paper on fire, watching it turn to ashes. Only then did she breathe a sigh of relief.

With the threat from her half-sister and Qi Tian's departure, a multitude of issues loomed over her. Qi Tian, as the marshal of the empire, had to leave after recovering from his emotional crisis, which she understood. He had sent people to protect her, but Tang Tang knew she needed to improve herself to avoid being a burden.

Remembering the game and her recent upgrades, she locked herself in her room and logged in.

The game environment remained the same, but a new rare item had been unlocked: the Koi Pond. She immediately clicked on it in the game interface, which read:

Koi Pond: (Contains twenty beautiful koi. Investing money to make a wish can add one-tenth of the luck to the wish. Wishes can only enhance luck; whether they come true depends on the wisher's ability and desire. The koi pond includes a lotus flower that produces sweet, delicious lotus seeds.)

She placed the koi pond next to the green grass where the non-chieftain draw wheel stood, adding a 10×10 meter field with a 4×3 meter pond. The koi swam in clear, shimmering water, their red scales gleaming beautifully. Pink and white lotus flowers bloomed in the pond, with crystal-clear water droplets on their turquoise leaves. The white jade pond was intricately carved with koi in various poses.

Tang Tang asked, "Xiao Tong, how do I invest money for wishes? Everything is done with credit points through the light brain. What about the koi pond?"

[Koi ponds are yours, Tang Tang. I'll handle the investments for you. You can also move the koi pond outside and place an automatic cash register next to it, adding a new product to your store to make money and give customers luck.]

Tang Tang trotted to the koi pond, clasped her hands together, closed her eyes, and wished for Qi Tian's safety and health.

Suddenly, she felt a moist touch on her right cheek. Opening her eyes, she was surprised to see a koi jump up and kiss her.

[Congratulations, Tang Tang! When a koi likes the wisher, it kisses her, increasing the luck value by one-half. These koi are very selective and rarely show affection.]

As the system finished speaking, another koi leaped up and kissed her left cheek.

Tang Tang looked at the remaining eighteen koi in the pond. "This is called selective?" she muttered, quickly stepping back from the pond.

Despite the beautiful koi, the feeling of being kissed by fish wasn't pleasant. She clicked "retract" on the game interface, and the koi pond disappeared from the 10×10 meter field, reappearing as a brightened icon on the screen.