She's a Passerby, But Can See the Protagonist's Halo-Chapter 98

"You restock really fast," Yan blinked. Every time she and Jue Jue came, Lu Chen already had new goods ready.

She immediately asked, "Do VIPs get a discount?"

Admittedly, the appearance of the dimensional convenience store’s door today was perfectly timed—right on the first day of the Lunar New Year. With their pockets full of lucky money, Yan and Jue Jue were feeling quite wealthy.

"Of course," Lu Chen replied.

But at that moment, Yan couldn’t help but notice that Lu Chen’s smile seemed a bit… excessive.

What’s going on? Is he short on customers lately? No performance? Sure, he’s good-looking, but that flower-blooming grin made Yan tighten her grip on Jue Jue’s hand, feeling a chill run down her spine.

Yan instinctively glanced at her watch, then remembered that time froze inside the store.

Lu Chen didn’t miss her little gesture. He raised an eyebrow, thinking—ah, so the lovebirds are timing their visits to soak up his dimensional aura.

Even though the watch hands didn’t move, as the dimension’s master, he had his own way of keeping track.

Today was New Year’s Day, and Lu Chen had originally planned to take the day off. But if he stayed in the store, the dimensional system would automatically register it as "open for business."

Lu Chen asked the two to wait—VIPs deserved special treatment, after all.

While he went to fetch the new stock, Yan and Jue Jue lounged in the VIP seats, scrolling through their phones. Yan’s eyes lit up at a notification. "Ka Ka posted a new video!"

"Let’s watch it when we get home," Jue Jue said.

Yan skimmed the details—this one was a whopping hour and a half long.

"I bet Ka Ka’s videos are better than movies," she muttered.

Zhu Jue nodded. "Agreed."

"Did Ka Ka travel for the holidays?" he asked.

His knowledge of Ka Ka was limited to the travel vlogs he watched with Yan—more of a "contacts list" friendship, with no private chats or even a peek at her social media.

"She did, but she didn’t post where on her feed."

"Ugh, I asked her earlier, but she said she wanted to keep the video fresh for me," Yan pouted.

The ​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​​‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​​​​‌​​‌‌‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌​​‍last time they’d seen Ka Ka’s video was before the New Year, right after winter break started when she’d returned home from Bincheng.

After half a month without new content, Yan had been eagerly waiting.

Unfortunately, they hadn’t known Ka Ka for long. Her trips varied in length, with breaks in between, so her video count on the platform was still in the single digits. But with each upload, her fanbase exploded.

Yan forced herself to look away from the screen. Hold back—who knew when the next video would drop? This was a biweekly digital feast! She had to savor it properly with Jue Jue at home, not just casually watch it now.

Lu Chen soon returned, pushing a "cart" loaded with snacks and drinks, which he promptly spread across the table in front of them.

Yan stared at the familiar interstellar snacks in surprise.

"VIPs eat for free," Lu Chen said, gesturing invitingly.

Truthfully, he hadn’t visited the interstellar dimension lately—these were just leftovers he’d dug out of his own stash.

He remembered the couple had specifically come to restock before, clearly loving these snacks. VIPs deserved VIP treatment, after all.

Yan didn’t hold back, grabbing a star cup to dig into. Her last haul had long been shared with her roommates, and she hadn’t had any in ages.

But… before, she’d paid for these. Now they were free. Was she a sucker, or was this just the perks of VIP status?

This time, Lu Chen had sourced quite a few goods from the post-apocalyptic dimension—though he stuck to his rule of no high-powered weapons or overly advanced tech. He definitely didn’t dare bring back food from there either, in case it contaminated the modern world. He didn’t want to go down in history as a villain!

So, most of what he’d gathered were items the post-apocalyptic folks considered "useless."

Like—

This wind ring in front of them, a multi-purpose little gadget in the wasteland. Real superhumans didn't need it, but many ordinary people carried one.

"Is this a ring?" Yan picked up the tiny pinky ring from the box Lu Chen had placed it in.

The ring was set with a grayish rhombus-shaped crystal—nothing like any gemstone she knew.

When she pressed the crystal lightly, it reacted instantly.

"Eh? Eh?!" Her hair, loose and flowing, was suddenly blown back by a gust from the ring, threatening to smack her in the face.

"A mini fan? And a strong one at that." She pressed it again, quickly figuring out how to adjust the wind speed.

Her eyes sparkled—three settings, plus hot, cold, and gentle breeze modes.

Was this a portable hairdryer and personal AC in one?

She studied the mysterious crystal embedded in the ring. It had to be the power source, like spirit stones in cultivation novels.

Beside her, Zhu Jue reached over, gently gathering her hair before pulling a hair tie from his pocket and deftly tying it into a braid.

Lu Chen watched them, unsurprised by the ring’s powerful gusts.

Zhu Jue didn’t even glance at it, focused solely on the braiding.

Yan weighed the wind-ring in her palm—featherlight.

"Lots of uses. Can fan flames, work as a bellows too," Lu Chen explained.

He’d seen it firsthand. Along with fire-crystal lighters, these were must-haves for wasteland survival. Combined, even ordinary people could start fires outdoors.

In the modern world, whether wind, water, or solar power, energy was converted into electricity to run machines.

But in the post-apocalyptic dimension, naturally occurring crystals of various attributes served as direct energy sources.

Even when depleted, the ability users could recharge them by infusing them with their powers.

From what Lu Chen knew, some low-tier Ability Users made a living this way, while certain factions exploited them in assembly-line operations.

That dimension had mutated long ago, with more supernaturals awakening over time, making tiny wind-crystal gadgets like this dirt cheap.

Compared to the food, medicine, and sweets he traded there? Pure profit.

Yan weighed the wind ring in her hand, suddenly struck by a brilliant idea for its use.

"How much is this?" she began inquiring.

"Not expensive—this much." Lu Chen held up five fingers.

"Five thousand?" Yan’s face twisted in dismay. That was way too pricey! For what? A tiny fan-heater hybrid? Absolutely not worth it.

"Five hundred. VIPs get 10% off," Lu Chen explained. The ring, embedded with wind crystals, was crafted from a revolutionary alloy from the post-apocalyptic dimension, closely tied to metal-based supernatural abilities and renowned for its exceptional energy conductivity.

"Four-fifty? That’s acceptable." Yan mulled it over. These days, even no-name designer knockoff rings sold for around that much. This delicate pinky ring was worth the price.

"This ointment repels all insects with just a dab."

Lu Chen produced a small wooden box. Inside was a deep green paste, completely unlabeled.

Yan sniffed it—a peculiar yet oddly soothing scent.

The homemade look of the box was undeniable, but then again, nothing from Lu Chen’s inter-dimensional convenience store came with proper packaging.

Insects didn’t terrify Yan, but their sudden appearance gave her the creeps. Summer mosquitoes and buzzing flies were her worst enemies.

She trusted the store’s products implicitly. If Lu Chen said this ointment worked, it did.

In the VIP lounge, Yan and Zhu Jue picked through the merchandise, emptying their freshly received New Year’s money.

"Wait, I’ll transfer it online. My mom might check the red envelopes later," Yan said. If her mother decided to audit the holiday gifts, every cent had to remain untouched.

"Whatever works," Lu Chen replied, though he wondered: Why did this couple—transported to his dimension with prearranged identities—still have parents? Were they their real family? Did the whole household cross dimensions?

But that wasn’t a question he could voice. With polished service, he saw the shopping-satisfied couple out.

Glancing at the shop’s special clock, Lu Chen noted their two-hour stay. Realization dawned.

They’d bought little, spending most time examining items. Now he understood: Purchases were secondary. Lingering to absorb the dimension’s essence was their true goal.

Past visits had also been lengthy, except during their "study session." He’d never timed them before—something to start tracking.

Carrying their spatial compression bag, Yan and Zhu Jue pushed through the wooden door, reappearing instantly at their apartment building’s entrance.

The frozen second hand on Yan’s wristwatch abruptly ticked forward.

"Let’s drop these at home first," Yan said. Zhu Jue pulled open the door, their practiced foot-block ensuring a silent close.

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"Wonder what Chu Shen’s up to now."

Chatting, they climbed the stairs, oblivious to the familiar figure standing frozen nearby.

Yuan Ye rubbed his eyes for the third time. "What the—?"

He mumbled, dazed. Had he not witnessed it himself, he’d never believe it.

Chu Shen had video-called him at dawn, dramatically recounting last night’s "ghost encounter," then summoned him to watch movies together.

Coming partly to thank the couple, Yuan Ye had taxied to the location Chu Shen provided.

But nothing prepared him for what he’d just seen.

Following the pin-drop and building number, he’d been scanning units when—poof—two people materialized at the entrance.

Like teleportation. Completely appearing out of nowhere!

None other than Yan and Zhu Jue!

Even a fool knew not to call out now. Yuan Ye ducked back, watching them enter unseen.

He wiped his eyes with a tissue, processing for two solid minutes.

"Not a hallucination, right?"

He’d had a clear line of sight—empty entrance, deserted surroundings. They’d literally torn through reality to appear.

After waiting, Yuan Ye backtracked and called Chu Shen, feigning confusion.

"Hey, I’m close. Which unit again? Just found the building..."

Two minutes later, the same couple waved from the doorway beside a grinning Chu Shen.

"Happy New Year, Ye-ge."

Yuan Ye quickened his steps. "Happy New Year."

"Ye-ge, good health this year." Yan smiled, relieved he seemed unharmed from last night.

"You came fast! Eager for my live retelling of last night’s horror?" Chu Shen slung an arm around Yuan Ye’s shoulders.

Yan and Zhu Jue’s expressions flickered.

"New Year’s calls for cheer," Zhu Jue deflected.

"My friend Ka Ka posted travel vlogs. Let’s watch," Yan suggested.

Yuan Ye’s gaze sharpened. They were steering the topic—sparing his discomfort.

"What videos? Where?" Chu Shen’s attention instantly diverted.

"The friend who sent beef jerky and milk tablets," Zhu Jue said.

"Oh! We ate their gifts! A travel blogger? Must support!"

As they ascended, Yuan Ye entered the couple’s home for the first time.

Talk about hiding in plain sight!

Mystics living among staunchly rational intellectuals—who’d guess their true nature?

"Got more New Year visits later?" Chu Shen asked eagerly.

After his morning video call with Yuan Ye, boredom had driven him to rummage through Zhu Jue’s fridge, planning dinner additions rather than training in the Chef God’s dimension.

"Already finished," Zhu Jue said.

"So many households—that fast?" Chu Shen had assumed the faculty residential complex would take all morning.

"We’ve already visited all the close and familiar relatives nearby," Yan said.

Chu Shen let out an "Oh," while Yuan Ye’s eyes darkened thoughtfully.

With both of them capable of "teleportation," New Year visits couldn’t possibly be slow, could they?

The scene he had just witnessed kept replaying in his mind.

A somersault cloud? Teleportation? Apparition? Flight and earth-diving? Spatial translocation? His limited imagination could only conjure up these terms.

Yuan Ye followed them inside, changing into slippers, his thoughts spiraling—was it a teleportation array? A magic door? But he hadn’t seen anything like that around!

And what Yan had just said… She mentioned visiting close and familiar relatives, and that the nearby ones required "teleportation." Just where had these two gone for their New Year visits?!

Originally, Yuan Ye had at least defined the couple within the bounds of the mundane world. Things like metaphysical masters, feng shui experts, or even those with the ability to see ghosts—those were still within the realm of plausibility.

But what he had witnessed mere minutes ago completely shattered his worldview!

Appearing out of thin air, with no magic door in sight—this was practically on the level of tearing through dimensions!

After entering and taking off his coat, Yuan Ye saw Zhu Jue adjusting the projection on the massive TV.

Meanwhile, Chu Shen was already asking Yan for her friend’s ID to search for her.

"‘Travel Ka Ka’—wow, she’s incredible! Just a few videos and already a million followers? She does blind-box travel? What’s that?"

"It’s like opening a blind box—completely random destinations she doesn’t even know beforehand. The locations are randomly generated by a program," Yan explained.

"That random? I’ve never even heard of some of these places in her video titles," Chu Shen remarked.

"Right. Some destinations have zero information available. It takes a lot of effort—switching between multiple transports and even hiking—just to get there," Yan added.

"That sounds exhausting. If only she had Doraemon’s Anywhere Door—just open it and instantly arrive somewhere new," Chu Shen muttered.

Yan thought to herself—well, an Anywhere Door did exist, but it belonged to the Dimensional Convenience Store and had nothing to do with Ka Ka.

Besides, it was precisely the unpredictability of her journeys, Ka Ka’s perseverance, and the raw, unfiltered authenticity of her content that had won her so many viewers.

Hearing Chu Shen’s comment, Yuan Ye’s mind suddenly sparked with realization. Maybe his earlier assumption was off.

Perhaps the couple hadn’t "teleported" at all—maybe they had simply stepped out from the entrance of some extraordinary place?

Like those hidden family realms from wuxia novels, concealed within the mortal world, inaccessible to outsiders without the right method? Or legendary pocket dimensions?

When they said "nearby," they might have meant it literally—perhaps they had entered an invisible space to visit family for the New Year!

A gleam of excitement flashed in Yuan Ye’s puppy-dog eyes. Finally, he had stumbled upon a real clue about their true identities!

But until the couple chose to reveal it themselves, he’d keep their secret.