From Today On, I'll Be the Shopkeeper

Chen Xuan had the same dream again.

A dream he'd had since childhood.

In the dream, there was a small but exquisitely decorated room, like a hotel lobby or some kind of shop. A coffee machine sat on the counter, as if he could smell the rich aroma of coffee; on either side were wooden shelves stocked with common snacks. In the center of the room stood several glass display cases, always containing the things he wanted most… In the past, it was Four-wheel drive cars and game consoles; now, it was money and time.

Yes, even the dream was this realistic.

He'd had the same dream so many times that it had given him a subconscious awareness that he was dreaming. He could wander around the dream, observing the details of every corner, even making a milky coffee with the coffee machine. Unfortunately, a dream was just a dream. He had never tasted coffee, nor had he ever managed to tear open the packaging of a snack.

He was always just one step away.

Either he would wake up, or he would jump into another dream.

The most striking thing in the room was an iron box on the counter. It was engraved with strange symbols and patterns, and the keyhole was shaped like a lifelike eye. Through that eye, he seemed to see a string of constantly ticking numbers—a countdown, perhaps. The box was naturally locked, and perhaps when the numbers reached zero, it would unlock automatically.

But… who cared what treasure the box in the dream held?

Even if it were a check for financial freedom, it was still just a dream.

He was 26 this year, and the countdown had finally reached its end.

"Click."

The moment the numbers hit zero, Chen Xuan heard the crisp sound of a mechanism engaging from the box.

Well, this dream not only had a continuous plot, but the timer was quite reliable too. He walked to the counter and opened the box himself—

He woke up, as usual.

Chen Xuan sat up groggily, intending to go to the bathroom, but found he wasn't in his bed.

His sleepiness vanished instantly. He shivered and his eyes snapped open!

There was no unfamiliar ceiling—because he had seen this wooden beam-decorated ceiling countless times before: in his dream!

The lights were hidden in the coving, soft and warm, not glaring, yet bright enough for him to see his surroundings. He seemed to have slept in front of the counter, and the furnishings around him all indicated that this was the room from his dream.

A chill ran down his spine. He quickly ran out the door, his first priority being to confirm his location.

A glance around immediately put him at ease—familiar buildings surrounded him. He hadn't left Tianlu Residential Area, and his rented Building 2 was no more than a hundred meters away.

Chen Xuan sprinted like a hundred-meter dash, rushing home in one go!

He closed the door, and his pounding heart finally calmed a little.

What on earth was going on? Sleepwalking?

But how could he explain the shop's decor being identical to the room in his dream?

And what a coincidence, it was right in the residential area he rented!

This blurring of reality and dream felt incredibly bizarre to Chen Xuan.

After thinking for a moment, he decided to go back… to see what that shop was all about.

However, when he got dressed and returned the way he came, he couldn't find the shop's entrance anymore—this was an old residential area with dozens of buildings, very close together, and many dead ends. He could only confirm the general direction of the route, but couldn't pinpoint a specific unit number. Moreover, most of the ground-floor shops were run by the landlords themselves, and their opening hours were unpredictable. Once they turned off the lights and closed for business, it would be pitch black, making it difficult to find.

Maybe… he really was sleepwalking?

Thinking about having to work the next morning, Chen Xuan could only give up.

He barely dared to close his eyes that night.

The next day, dragging his tired body, he worked at the fast-food restaurant until he clocked out in the evening. By the time Chen Xuan trudged back to his residence, his eyelids were almost glued shut. Even so, before collapsing completely, he glanced at the wall clock: 6:15 PM.

The moment he woke up, Chen Xuan knew something big had happened.

This time, he hadn't been dreaming; he'd been woken by the urge to urinate. But the instant he opened his eyes, he realized he was back in that damned place!

That exquisite room he used to dream about!

The familiar ceiling, the soft lighting, the ticking wall clock—everything was just like yesterday.

And the hands on the wall clock were just passing 8:30.

Chen Xuan immediately noticed the first strangeness: although he seemed to have slept for over two hours, his body was full of energy, with no sign of fatigue, as if he had slept for more than ten hours!

This was no longer explainable by sleepwalking.

Chen Xuan got up from the floor with a carp flip and checked his body—no obvious external injuries, and his kidneys seemed to be in place.

Should he run away before anyone noticed him?

Chen Xuan took two steps and stopped.

Run where?

If this dream could snatch him from reality, did it matter where he ran? Even if he went home now, what would happen tomorrow? He couldn't have this instant teleportation every day, could he?

Besides… the environment here felt even more familiar than his temporary home.

He had only moved to Tianlu Residential Area less than

Chen Xuan slowly turned his head, looking at the clean and tidy bar counter behind him—this was definitely not ownerless territory. The countertop was almost spotless, as if someone diligently wiped it down every day.

He walked up to the counter and, on a whim, pressed the button on the coffee machine.

"Gurgle, gurgle."

The coffee machine whirred to life, and after a moment, a stream of brown and white liquid flowed into the cup. He had performed this action countless times in his dreams, which was why he had bought the same model of coffee machine in reality. However, the coffee in his dreams only ever offered an aroma; he could never bring it to his lips.

Chen Xuan picked up the cup and took a small sip.

The rich coffee flavor... mingled with the creamy aroma of milk, indistinguishable from the coffee brewed by the machine at home.

...He was no longer dreaming.

Whatever, let's look around first.

The first thing Chen Xuan checked was the display cabinets—he had rushed out yesterday and forgotten to see what was inside. As it turned out, these glass display cabinets were completely empty; they held neither money nor time, further proving the gap between dreams and reality.

However, in terms of detail, reality was far more intense. For instance, he noticed many framed photos hanging on the wall, something he rarely paid attention to in his dreams. As he moved closer, he saw houses... scenery... and some rather postmodern things, like a close-up shot of a star ring, a monster from a tokusatsu show, or a spaceship crashed in a primeval jungle.

He had to admit, these CGs were quite exquisite. The shopkeeper had good taste.

There were also things hanging on the wall behind the bar counter.

First, there were three certificates: a business license, a food business permit, and a fire safety certificate. These three documents indicated that the shop was quite legitimate and registered with the Administration for Market Regulation.

Next to the certificates was an excellent employee display board.

All the employee slots below were blank, with only the shopkeeper's photo pasted at the very top.

The moment Chen Xuan saw the photo, he was stunned.

Wasn't that his own ID photo? The same one from his ID card!

Me? The shopkeeper?

He turned his head again to examine the three certificates closely and was shocked to discover that the "Legal Representative" field on all of them was filled with the name Chen Xuan!

This was too absurd!

When did I ever go through the process of getting these certificates?

But amidst this absurd and unrestrained situation, he couldn't help but feel a strange sense of logic.

Because in his dreams, this shop had never had anyone but him as a customer!

Chen Xuan forced himself to stay calm. He held up his phone and scanned the interior of the shop, but found no hidden cameras or anything similar. He then walked out the door and saw that the area outside was indeed residential buildings. There were no streetlights at the entrance of the shop, making it appear gloomy. The signs hanging above the shop were also mismatched: one was XX Department Store affixed to the wall, and the other was a light sign that read "Chuan Chuan Mala Tang" placed on a foam board, though it wasn't lit at the moment. The entrance had a semi-transparent door curtain to block wind and rain. Judging by the color of the plastic, it was quite old. Moreover, someone had used a marker pen on the curtain to write "Shop for Rent."

This meant that a small supermarket and a Mala Tang shop had previously operated here, but they had failed. The current shop had opened not long ago and had only been renovated internally; the exterior facade had not been decorated at all. If one were to rush out at night without paying attention to the surroundings, it would indeed be difficult to find.

It wasn't a haunted shop, because Chen Xuan had never heard of ghosts needing business licenses to open a shop.

An unbelievable yet seemingly sole truth was increasingly emerging in his mind.

--Whether he accepted it or not, this shop was specifically established for him.

This thought sent a slight electric current down his spine.

In a sense, Chen Xuan yearned to own his own business. After graduating, he had worked at a large tech company and even tried starting a game development company with colleagues, but the extremely competitive work environment had left him exhausted, so he quit his job and took on odd jobs for a break.

His ideal job would ideally not be too strenuous yet provide enough income to sustain himself. A landlord with a large set of keys checking on morning markets was the perfect model, and a small supermarket located within a residential complex was also a good option. They shared a commonality: no internal competition, and the decision to work or rest was entirely up to him.

Even if the income wasn't high, it would be better than working in a fast-food restaurant or delivering food.

Was he about to fulfill his dream now?

Controlling his fluctuating emotions, Chen Xuan knew he had to first resolve the most crucial question.

If this shop was truly a gift from his dreams, then what exactly was it selling?