Fey Evolution Merchant Chapter 2: Copper Bracelet

It was barely a few minutes before 7 a.m. when Lin Yuan opened the doors to his shop.

Standing next to the floral displays, Lin Yuan felt an unusual wave of exhaustion. This persistent fatigue was the reason for his delicate and frail appearance.

While Lin Yuan was accustomed to the daily weariness of running the store, a mounting dizziness was now throbbing deep within his skull, growing more severe by the second.

“Meow, Yuan, you should sit in the chair for a bit.”

The ash-black cat scurried up Lin Yuan’s trousers and shirt, eventually reaching his neck. Trembling slightly as it balanced itself, the cat used its soft paw pads to give Lin Yuan’s head a light, soothing massage.

Nearby, the Sound Bird circled in the air with visible anxiety, as if questioning why Lin Yuan appeared even more sickly than usual.

Forcing himself to stay alert, Lin Yuan pulled the Hundred Questions Beast, Genius, into his embrace. His pale fingers, which possessed distinct and prominent bone lines, gently stroked the creature's fur.

“Genius, Chimey, there is no need to fret. I likely just didn't get enough rest last night.” As he spoke, Lin Yuan secretly wondered if he was falling victim to another cold.

His financial situation was incredibly strained; the store’s earnings were barely enough to cover his younger sister’s tuition. To save every possible coin, he frequently skipped meals or ate very little.

For those in poverty, illness was the greatest fear.

A century had passed since the Spirit Qi Awakening, and diseases that were once terminal could now be cured with ease. One simply needed to find a spirit qi professional with a high-grade healing fey to be restored in a single visit.

However, the cost of hiring such a professional was more than three months of his shop's total operating expenses.

Despite Lin Yuan’s reassurances, the worry felt by Genius and Chimey did not fade. They acted as if they were on the verge of losing their most prized possession.

To these two rejected and overlooked housekeeping pets, Lin Yuan represented their entire world.

Precisely at 7 a.m., a loud and sharp voice rang out from the shop entrance right on schedule.

“Little Yuan, haven't I told you repeatedly not to open so early? You should wait until after 8 a.m. so you can get some sleep.”

The speaker was a middle-aged woman who set a square wooden box down on the counter. She looked at Lin Yuan with a kind expression and said, “The usual, please. I need ten Usnea vines.”

Upon hearing that energetic and somewhat shrill voice, a gentle smile graced Lin Yuan’s face. From a distance, his warm expression looked as pleasant and refreshing as a summer breeze.

“Auntie Zhang, I’ve said many times that you don’t need to bring me breakfast whenever you shop here!” While he spoke, Lin Yuan moved quickly and skillfully to gather the Usnea vines.

A single pot of Usnea typically produced about 13 or 14 vines daily, each reaching roughly 1.5 meters in length.

A standard portion of Usnea vine was exactly one meter. Lin Yuan’s shears cut ten vines, each measuring a full 1.5 meters. He then used a cloth to bundle the ten long vines together securely.

Lin Yuan carefully prepared the healthy, vibrant Usnea vines.

Watching Lin Yuan crouch down to expertly pack the vines, Auntie Zhang’s eyes filled with both affection and pity.

As a longtime neighbor, Auntie Zhang had watched Lin Yuan grow up. He had been forced into independence at the age of twelve to run the shop and provide for his sister. He had struggled for six or seven years now to keep her in school, and Auntie Zhang had lost count of how long it had been.

When Lin Yuan returned to the counter with the bundle, he caught Auntie Zhang staring at him.

“Auntie Zhang, if I didn't open until 8 a.m., you wouldn't be able to get Usnea vines this fresh, would you?” he asked.

Auntie Zhang quickly hid her emotions and laughed. “That’s true. But why don't you do what the other shops do? These are just common Usneas, yet you still use energy ores in the soil. How can you make any profit that way?”

Lin Yuan simply smiled and shook his head, offering no rebuttal to her advice. At that moment, he was struggling just to remain upright; the dizziness in his mind was so powerful he felt he might pass out at any second.

Auntie Zhang knew the boy was stubborn about his principles, whether it was opening at 7 a.m. sharp or his insistence on using energy ores for his plants.

Though her heart ached for him, she also felt a sense of pride watching the boy she knew become such a responsible young man.

Auntie Zhang placed 75 Federation dollars on the counter and headed for the door. Before she left, she called out, “Little Yuan, your Uncle Li made that flat sesame bread and mung bean milk just for you. Don't make him sad by leaving it uneaten.”

Noticing the extra 25 Federation dollars on the surface, Lin Yuan grabbed the cash to call her back. Suddenly, the world spun violently, his vision blurred, and he collapsed into unconsciousness.

Walking away, Auntie Zhang felt quite satisfied. Little Yuan always refused her extra money, but since she had left quickly this time, he would have to keep it.

However, as she reached the exit, a loud thud echoed from inside the shop. Immediately following the sound, the Sound Bird and the Hundred Questions Beast began to cry out in panic.

Auntie Zhang spun around and saw Lin Yuan sprawled on the floor, the 25 dollars still clutched in his hand. His eyes were shut tight and his face was peaceful, looking as though he were merely asleep.

Terrified, Auntie Zhang rushed back to help him.

Just before he lost consciousness, Lin Yuan heard the frantic calls of Genius, Chimey, and Auntie Zhang. Then, his mind faded into a dark fog.

In this hazy state, it felt as if he were wandering through a thick, stagnant swamp that made every movement difficult and heavy.

Within the darkness, Lin Yuan’s consciousness slowly began to stir. Images of his sister, Genius, and Chimey flashed through his mind.

They were his family and his biggest concerns. He worried about how devastated his sister would be if he died, and who would look after his pets.

Fortunately, he had already saved enough for his sister's school fees for the coming year.

Lin Yuan’s spirit wandered through the void for an unknown amount of time. Suddenly, at the edge of the chaos, a very familiar object appeared before him.

It was a plain, unadorned copper-colored bracelet.

This object was Lin Yuan’s greatest secret. In truth, this was his second life.

In his previous world, he had been a man in his prime who died prematurely at thirty. When he woke up, he was a newborn in this world, a century after the Spirit Qi Awakening. This copper bracelet had been with him since his rebirth.

He had worn it constantly until he was eight years old, when it had been stained by his blood and vanished without a trace.

He never imagined he would find the copper bracelet again deep within his own mind. It was currently emitting a soft glow, filling his consciousness with ripples of light the color of tea and jade.

The bracelet stood like a gateway, waiting for Lin Yuan’s soul to step through.