Later, inside the newly expanded Shopkeeper's Quarters, Lin Mo finished inspecting the Employee Lounge with Liu Xiaoyu and Yangyang, finding more convenience added apart from moving the cramped kitchen and the nonexistent bathroom from the past few days.
The verdict: It was surprisingly cozy. Cozier than their beds that had been put in three different corners of the room with only thin partitions.
There was a proper dining table and a drink station that gave them an unlimited supply of water, tea, and even sodas. There was also a sleek black long couch that had been added to lie or sit down on.
The kitchen area was no longer just a single stove shoved into a corner—it now had a proper counter, a pantry filled with food supplies, and a sink.
The bathroom, which had been nonexistent before, was now a separate space, finally granting Lin Mo the chance to fill his yearning for a cold shower and warm bathtub as well as the white porcelain throne. It's a convenience that a modern man should rightfully have.
Unsurprisingly so, Liu Xiaoyu and Yangyang had no idea what they were for and Lin Mo had to explain it to them. But as soon as they understood about it, the two women excitedly tried it out after pushing him out of the bathroom.
When they reemerged, the fragrance of their hair and body filled the Shopkeeper's Quarters, prompting Lin Mo to hold his breath.
It's quite tempting to look at them, after all.
Oblivious to Lin Mo's plight, Liu Xiaoyu had already plopped onto the couch, sighing with satisfaction. "Boss, the shower and bathtub are great! I used to only swim on rivers or use a spell to clean the dirt off of me. And this… this is heaven. I could take naps here now."
Yangyang, on the other hand, had taken a seat at the dining table, a towel wrapped on her hair while her new robes were loosely worn.
She's flipping through the Staff Management interface projected in front of her. "The system seems to be encouraging you to expand, Shopkeeper. The Staff Expansion function means you can recruit more people. It's just a matter of whether you want to."
Lin Mo hummed in thought. Hiring new staff, huh? While it sounded useful, it also meant more responsibilities. Managing Liu Xiaoyu was already like babysitting a hyperactive child. If he brought in someone new, they needed to be reliable.
His gaze flicked toward the new position listed in the system.
[New Positions Available: 1 Floor Staff]
A floor staff member… basically a cashier or stock assistant? That could be helpful when the store got even busier.
Before he could say anything, Yangyang's expression shifted slightly as if something had come to mind.
"Speaking of which… I have a report for you, Shopkeeper."
Lin Mo raised an eyebrow. "Oh?"
"Do you remember that mushroom girl we mentioned earlier?"
"The girl, Xiao Ya? Yeah, I remember. What's wrong? Are you suggesting we hire her?"
"No. This is of a different nature. It seems something happened to her. I heard you murmur about your Celestial Providence leaking to her.
"Oh that… Her spirit roots were strengthened, right? What about it?"
Yangyang pushed up her glasses, her voice steady. "Her bloodline physique has awakened."
Lin Mo blinked. Although it was within his expectation since it came directly from his absurd providence, he thought nothing eye-catching would happen since she left the store earlier without any change in her body.
"Just a few minutes ago, a surge of spiritual energy erupted outside the walls of the city. I used my divine senses and detected the faint trace of divine influence mixed with her aura. It seems that the potential you unlocked with Celestial Providence has fully manifested."
Liu Xiaoyu gasped. "Whoa! What kind of bloodline did she awaken?"
"I'm not entirely sure. But from what I sensed, it's something ancient and powerful. There's a golden radiance around her. The energy fluctuations suggest a connection to a lost lineage. It was a bloodline that had been diluted too much; it lost its legacy long ago."
Lin Mo exhaled slowly, processing the information.
Damn it. A random mortal girl suddenly became someone with a bloodline legacy? How absurd would Heaven's Favor be? And why did Taihao grant it to him? It's a total cheat.
"Does she know how to cultivate?"
"No," Yangyang replied. "Her spiritual meridians were forcefully unlocked by the awakening, but she has no foundation. Without guidance, she won't be able to properly absorb and control spiritual energy."
Lin Mo sighed. "So, she has power but no way to use it."
Liu Xiaoyu's eyes sparkled. "Boss! Shouldn't we invite her back to the store? If she starts cultivating, she'll need resources, and we have plenty of those! Plus, she already respects you. Wouldn't she make a good assistant?"
Lin Mo pushed the young woman back to the couch before she could jump around again.
"Slow down, Xiaoyu. We don't even know if she wants to cultivate. For all we know, she just wants to move her family to the city and live a stable life."
Yangyang waved her hand as she nudged her glasses as she once again displayed the depth of her knowledge.
"That's a possibility. However, given the nature of her bloodline awakening, I doubt her life will remain peaceful. If word spreads that a mortal girl outside Fanling City suddenly awakened a powerful, long-lost bloodline, she will attract unwanted attention."
Lin Mo frowned. That was true. Even without sects or rogue cultivators sniffing around, there were enough greedy people in the city who would see Xiao Ya as an opportunity.
So, should he take her in? What a coincidence, the store suddenly had a staff vacancy.
"I'm not at all familiar with the dynamics of your world but we're not running a charity, alright?" He muttered. "Nevertheless, if her bloodline is rare, apart from experts wanting to take her in as a disciple, some groups might even try to capture her for experiments or force her into servitude. At least, that's what I've read in those fictional works back on Earth."
Liu Xiaoyu clenched her fists. "We can't let that happen! Boss, we should at least warn her. Maybe even give her some guidance! She already made the first step by trading with us. That makes her part of our store, right?"
Lin Mo sighed, rubbing his temples. "I really don't want to take on another responsibility."
Yangyang raised an eyebrow. "Yet you're already thinking about it, Shopkeeper"
Liu Xiaoyu grinned. "He totally is. You don't want to admit it but you're a kind man, boss!"
Faced with two pairs of enthusiastic eyes, Lin Mo groaned.
"Fine! You go check on her tomorrow, Xiaoyu. You'll be responsible for her. She'll be your junior in handling our customers"
"No problem, boss! But what if I get jealous of her bloodline physique and she surpasses me, the prodigy?"
"Surpassing you? Impossible. You're slacking off and yet you're growing steadily."
"Hehe. Thanks for the compliment, boss." Liu Xiaoyu scratched her head as she put on a smile.
Lin Mo gave up retorting and just turned to Yangyang to hear her input.
Yangyang chuckled. "It's settled then. We'll monitor the situation and ensure she doesn't fall into the wrong hands."
Lin Mo stretched and stood up. "Alright, that's enough serious talk for tonight. We've got a long day tomorrow, let's eat and rest."