Upside Down Grocery Shop - Chapter 3

Closing up at sunset—this is the unspoken rule of the Upside Down Grocery Store.

Su Ran glanced outside. Other stores were still bustling to catch the evening rush, but he was already yawning and locking up.

Some other shop owners saw Su Ran’s laid-back attitude and originally planned to pay respects to his new business, but now they didn’t bother. With a lazy approach like this, they figured he wouldn’t last long before shutting down for good.

Running a breakfast joint and not getting up early? No way that’s gonna work out.

Xiao Ling was feeling uneasy. The clues she had on the murder case made the situation murkier than ever, so she decided to come back here, hoping to find more leads.

But on this busy street, with people coming and going, finding anything useful was almost impossible.

Just then, she spotted Su Ran closing up shop.

“Closing this early?” Xiao Ling muttered, puzzled. It was just sunset—the time when the streets started filling with the after-work crowd. Yet here he was, yawning lazily, looking like he couldn’t care less. She shook her head, hoping he’d last a few more days in business.

Night fell, and the street lights flickered on.

The street only got busier, filled with couples strolling around, street vendors hawking their wares, and the tempting aroma of street food everywhere. Honestly, the city’s nightlife had a certain allure that daytime just couldn’t match.

Xiao Ling took a deep breath, realizing any chance of finding clues here was hopeless, so she decided to leave.

Before long, midnight rolled around, and out of nowhere, it started to rain.

A lone figure holding a black umbrella walked down the street and stopped in front of the Upside Down Grocery Store.

The man hesitated, then raised his hand and knocked—firm, repeated knocks.

“Alright, alright,” came Su Ran’s impatient voice from inside. “If you break it, you’ll have to pay!”

He opened the door and glanced at the black umbrella. “Just my luck.”

The visitor was a man in his thirties, wearing a sleek suit that gave off an urban professional vibe. His black-rimmed glasses made him look gentle, and he smiled at Su Ran. “Sorry to bother you at this hour, boss.”

“Alright,” Su Ran said, clearly annoyed to be woken up. “What do you need?”

“A candle.”

Su Ran raised an eyebrow. “People still use candles these days?”

“Huh?” The man looked flustered, clearly not expecting that question from Su Ran. “Uh, well, power outages happen now and then, so I just thought I’d stock up, just in case.”

“Oh.” Su Ran shrugged and took out two red candles. “These are good, cheap and reliable. Five bucks for two.”

The man looked at the red candles and gave a wry smile. This wasn’t what he wanted. “Boss, uh, do you have any other candles? Like, white ones?”

“Oh, I have white ones, but they’re a bit pricey.”

“No problem, I’ll take the white ones,” the man replied, clearly in a hurry.

Su Ran pulled out a white candle. “Ten bucks.”

The man’s expression soured. “Boss, this isn’t exactly what I need.”

“These are the only kinds I’ve got. If you need anything else, I really don’t have it.”

The man looked flustered, his face turning red as he clenched his fists. “Boss, I’m only asking for a single candle, the kind… the kind that could help me… down there.”

Su Ran looked at him carefully. “Who gave you that black umbrella? And who told you to come here to buy candles?”

The man hesitated. “I get the rules, boss. I don’t have to answer that, and since I have the black umbrella, you’re obligated to sell me something.”

“Yeah, I know the rule,” Su Ran replied. “Any black umbrella bearer who shows up, I’m supposed to sell to them. But the price is up to me. If you can’t pay, I don’t have to sell.”

The man gritted his teeth. “Boss, just tell me what you want.”

“A hundred years of your life.”

“I’ll give it to you!”

Su Ran chuckled lightly. “Looking at your body, even if you stay in perfect health without any disasters, you’ll maybe reach eighty. And you’re already forty, so you’re barely left with thirty years. How exactly are you gonna give me a hundred?”

“I-I…” The man was at a loss. Then, all of a sudden, he dropped to his knees before Su Ran. “Boss, I’m begging you, I just want a single candle. You can take everything I have—I just want to see my daughter one more time.”

Su Ran’s gaze softened slightly. “Your daughter?”

“Yes, my daughter’s passed away.”

Su Ran looked at him. “Do you have a picture of her?”

The man was surprised, unsure why Su Ran would want a photo, but he didn’t think much of it. He pulled out his phone, and on his lock screen was a picture of a girl around ten years old, beaming brightly in the sunlight—absolutely adorable.

Su Ran nodded. “Alright. Considering you’re a father, I’ll only charge you ten years of your life.” Saying this, he handed over a candle and held out his hand.

“Thank you, thank you!” The man took the candle, gratefully grasping Su Ran’s hand.

After a moment, the man left, clutching the candle like it was his very lifeline. Su Ran watched him disappear down the street, then quietly closed the door.

Walking briskly in the rain, black umbrella in hand, the man clutched the candle tightly, as though it held his very soul. His steps were hurried, not out of fear, but out of eagerness and anticipation.

Suddenly, in the dim light of the street lamps, a massive shadow flashed by.

The man froze, scanning his surroundings in fear. Though he saw nothing, dread seeped into his heart. After a moment of caution, he continued onward.

Then came a beastly roar, and a huge black bear charged out from the shadows. It was massive, twice the size of a normal adult bear, yet incredibly fast. In an instant, it was right in front of him, swiping a powerful claw down.

The man, paralyzed by terror, stared at the monstrous bear, his eyes wide in shock, unable to even scream.

With the bear’s razor-sharp claws and immense strength, the man seemed doomed.

But then, Su Ran appeared out of nowhere, stepping in front of him, his eyes cold and piercing. Facing the bear’s deadly swipe, he swung his blade.

A blood-curdling scream pierced the air as Su Ran’s blade sliced through the bear’s massive paw, sending it flying.

The bear gave Su Ran a pained look, then turned and fled at incredible speed.

Su Ran didn’t give chase. His blade was already gone. He turned to the man. “Hurry home. It’s not safe here.” He reached out his hand. “Give me the umbrella. It’ll be safer for you this way.”

The man, finally snapping out of his shock, his face pale and body trembling with fear, handed the black umbrella to Su Ran. He took a few steps, then turned back. “Thank you, boss.”

Holding the umbrella, Su Ran watched the man vanish into the night, then picked up the bear’s severed paw. “What a find! This’ll make for some great medicine.”

Su Ran headed back to the Upside Down Grocery Store.

Unbeknownst to him, as he was returning, Xiao Ling had emerged from a distant corner. If she hadn’t seen it with her own eyes, she wouldn’t have believed what she had just seen.

She’d come here randomly, unable to sleep, only to witness that incredible scene. Taking a deep breath, she stared at the Upside Down Grocery Store for a long time before finally turning to leave.