"It's certainly... different from what I expected," Su Mu replied, her voice laced with a hint of laughter despite the lingering blush on her cheeks.
"I never thought my day would take me to an adult store, but I guess surprises are part of the adventure."
Su Mu's openness to the unexpected twist in their outing earned a nod of approval from Yang Shi, who seemed to genuinely enjoy introducing her niece to the diverse, and sometimes surprising, facets of life on Blue Star.
The culture here, shaped by its unique history and the need for population growth, was undeniably more frank about intimacy than what Su Mu remembered from Earth.
"Exactly! Life's too short to be easily shocked, Mu'er," Yang Shi said brightly, guiding her further into the store.
"Besides, you're already an adult now, and you should consider finding a boyfriend soon. Otherwise," she leaned conspiratorially, a mischievous glint in her eyes, "let me help you find someone among our customers."
Su Mu chuckled, the sound more relaxed this time. "Well, Sister Shi, I appreciate the offer, but no need to rush things," she replied with a good-natured smile.
Truthfully, the idea of pursuing a boyfriend felt incredibly complicated.
Despite inhabiting a woman's body now, her thoughts remained a complex blend of both masculine and feminine perspectives.
The fusion of memories from her previous life as Su Yang, a man on Earth, and her current existence as Su Mu created a unique internal dialogue.
While a part of her felt drawn to the idea of being with men, another part clung to the familiar comfort of relationships with women, like the one blossoming with Lingxi.
Yang Shi laughed warmly in response, easily acknowledging Su Mu's independence in matters of the heart.
"Alright, alright, take your time. But don't say I didn't offer!"
As they moved deeper into the store, surrounded by holographic displays showcasing everything from delicate lingerie woven with faintly glowing threads to sleek, crystal-powered vibrators, Yang Shi spotted a group gathering near a brightly lit counter.
"Ah, perfect timing!" Yang Shi exclaimed. "Come on, let me introduce you to the team."
Later, Yang Shi gathered all the employees and presented Su Mu to them.
"Everyone, this is Su Mu, my niece," Yang Shi announced with a warm, encompassing smile.
"She's new to the city, so I thought I'd show her around our little corner of Monster City and introduce her to you all."
The small team consisted of only six women, an interesting mix of ages.
One of them, an elegant lady with a poised air, appeared to be around 30 to 32 years old.
Her uniform, while matching the others in its revealing cut, seemed almost sophisticated on her.
The other women ranged between 20 to 27, each with their own distinct look, yet all sharing the same slightly daring work attire.
Their uniforms – perhaps stylishly tailored black tops paired with short skirts or shorts, designed to be alluring – perfectly showcased their figures.
It was a look that felt both bold and surprisingly common in this open city culture. Su Mu was still adjusting.
Then Su Mu noticed the youngest member of the group, standing slightly behind the elegant older woman.
It was a child, a girl perhaps only ten years old, looking around with wide, curious eyes.
This detail brought a unique and unexpected element to the scene, making Su Mu blink in surprise.
Despite the age differences and the slightly jarring presence of the child amidst the adult-themed merchandise, the women greeted Su Mu with friendly smiles and curious glances.
Their revealing uniforms, while initially catching Su Mu's attention, seemed perfectly normal within the context of the store and the city's atmosphere.
Yang Shi continued the introductions, gesturing toward each member.
"This is Li Wei," she pointed to the elegant lady.
"She's our store manager and has been with us for the last few years since the opening. Li Wei oversees the day-to-day operations and ensures everything runs smoothly."
Li Wei, with a graceful nod, acknowledged the introduction.
Yang Shi then proceeded to introduce the other team members, gesturing toward each member with an easy familiarity.
"This is Mei Lin," she said, indicating a cheerful woman with bright eyes in her mid-twenties who gave Su Mu a warm wave.
"She's fantastic with customer inquiries and knows our inventory inside out. If you ever need help finding anything," Yang Shi added with a subtle wink, "Mei Lin's your go-to."
Next, she gestured to two younger women standing together, both likely in their early twenties.
"And these two are Jia Li and Xiao Fei. They handle a lot of the visual displays – and are proficient in body relaxation techniques and meditation techniques."
"Plus, they keep our online catalogue." Jia Li offered a shy smile, while Xiao Fei gave a more confident nod.
Finally, Yang Shi turned her attention to the young girl who had caught Su Mu's eye earlier.
The child stepped forward slightly, looking up at Su Mu with intelligent, curious eyes that seemed older than her years.
"And this little white," Yang Shi said, placing a gentle hand on the girl's shoulder, "is An Rui. She's Li Wei's daughter."
"An Rui often spends time here after her studies. She helps with sorting smaller items and tidying up. She's quite responsible, aren't you, sweetheart?"
An Rui nodded seriously, puffing her chest out slightly.
Su Mu returned the girl's gaze with a gentle smile, finding the situation less jarring now that it was explained.
It spoke volumes about the store's atmosphere – professional enough, yet flexible and perhaps even family-oriented enough to accommodate a child responsibly.
The revealing uniforms the women wore seemed almost secondary to the friendly competence they projected.
"It's nice to meet all of you," Su Mu said, bowing her head slightly in a polite gesture that felt like a blend of her old Earth manners and the noble etiquette ingrained in her new memories.
"Sister Shi has been showing me around Monster City."
"Boss lady's niece, huh?" Mei Lin commented good-naturedly.
"Welcome to RomantiX! Don't let the boss lady tease you too much." She shot a playful look at Yang Shi, who chuckled in response.
Li Wei stepped forward gracefully. "It's a pleasure to meet you, Miss Su Mu. Please feel free to ask if you need anything while you're visiting."
"We hope you find Monster City welcoming." Her voice was calm and professional, yet held an undercurrent of warmth that put Su Mu at ease.
But before Li Wei could finish her words.
"From today onwards, Su Mu will be joining us part-time, as a new receptionist." Yang Shi said with a smile on her beautiful face.
"She'll be starting to learn the ropes and get accustomed to the unique aspects of our store."
"Feel free to guide her and make her feel at home. I'm confident that her presence will only add to the positive energy of our team."
"She'll be handling transactions, assisting customers, and ensuring the smooth flow of operations at our front desk. I believe her skills and enthusiasm will make her a valuable addition."
Su Mu, hearing Sister Shi's words, couldn't help but startle.
However, before she could interject, Yang Shi continued to elaborate on the responsibilities of her work, listening to her Su Mu thought, "It doesn't seem too challenging—just scan the products and bill them. It's relatively straightforward work."
The simplicity of the tasks eased any initial apprehension she might have had.
"Mu'er, I'll be occupied later with Sister Li to sort out other matters."
"Sister Lin here will guide you, explaining the work and other details," Yang Shi declared with a hint of urgency.
With that, she looked at Sister Lin, indicating that she should take charge, and then left promptly with Li Wei to attend to their tasks.
Mei Lin, turned towards Su Mu with a welcoming smile.
"Hey Su Mu, it's great to have you on the team! Come on, let me show you around and familiarize you with your work," she said, confidently leading the way.
As they navigated through the store, Sister Lin provided insights into the layout, underscoring the importance of maintaining a comfortable and respectful environment for both customers and staff.
Su Mu, without much choice to reject Yang Shi's suggestion, followed attentively behind Mei Lin and slowly began to immerse herself in the workings of her new role at RomantiX.
Even though she will only work here for a few days before her school starts, Su Mu pays meticulous attention to every detail explained by Sister Lin along the way.
The journey through the store proved insightful, with Mei Lin providing comprehensive information on various aspects, including the types of products they sold, their usage, cost ranges for specific items, and even guidance on how to address common customer queries.
While Sister Lin didn't feel shy explaining these details to her, Su Mu felt a mixture of emotions about the explanations, she found herself blushing at times, a reaction she couldn't entirely suppress when sister Lin explained products like vibrators, dildos, and many more, and how to use them.
Unlike the products that she knows on Earth, some products can use spiritual power to work and offer multiple functions to satisfy the person using them.
As they reached the counter, Sister Lin took a full 10 minutes to explain the specifics of Su Mu's responsibilities.
She covered everything from handling transactions to addressing customer inquiries, ensuring Su Mu felt well-prepared for her role as a cashier.
However, what intrigued Su Mu even more were the specially designed rooms just behind the cash counter.
Each room appeared to be crafted for a distinct and special purpose. Su Mu, with her curiosity piqued, couldn't help but inquire.
"Sister Lin, what are those rooms for?" She gestured subtly towards the specially designed rooms just behind the cash counter.