Moving had many trivialities, but fortunately, Zhang Da Ye and Tom didn't have much luggage. Their personal belongings were just a few clothes and toiletries.
Mrs. Molly insisted on paying Zhang Da Ye for his work, but he refused. After all the help he had received, he felt that the "work" was more of an excuse by Goodman to support him. In the end, he reluctantly accepted half the payment, deciding that when Little Byle came to visit, he could still teach him literacy or tell stories. He, however, refused Mrs. Molly's offer to help clean the tavern.
Back at the tavern, Zhang Da Ye first disposed of Bob's leftover junk and replaced the bedding with his own. Next to the bed, he placed Tom's little nest obtained from a previous lottery.
**[Tom's Little Nest: A handmade, round cat bed with a soft cushion inside—Tom's favorite.]**
After cleaning the bedrooms and other rooms, Zhang Da Ye realized he might have underestimated Tom's abilities.
Tom wished to be a happy house cat. While he had lived comfortably at Goodman's, eating and sleeping without worries, it wasn't truly his home. Now that the tavern belonged to their owner, this could finally be Tom's home.
Who could understand the longing of a displaced cat for a home?
This longing manifested in Tom's current state: he held a cloth in his right paw, a mop in his left, and even stepped on a brush with his left foot—simultaneously cleaning while moving backward.
When Zhang Da Ye finished cleaning the second-floor bedroom and prepared to take out the trash, he witnessed what "spotless and pristine" truly looked like. If the floor weren't wooden, it could probably reflect one's image.
Tom, exhausted, slumped against the bar and wiped sweat from his forehead.
"Tom, you did all this? Incredible!" Zhang Da Ye admired the clean floor, reluctant to step on it.
Tom smiled at the compliment, nodded, and decided to rest and have some food.
Looking around the tavern, Zhang Da Ye noted the 2.5-meter high main door with two side doors. A "closed" sign hung outside. In this world, people over two meters tall were common, and even near three meters wasn't rare, so restaurant and tavern doors and ceilings were often built high.
The tavern's ceiling was modest, around four meters. If someone like Uruki from the Supernova visited, they'd have to duck to avoid the chandelier.
Inside, the central aisle had four tables with chairs on each side. At the end was the bar with three round stools in front. Behind the bar, shelves held wine. To the left of the shelves was empty space; to the right was a small door leading upstairs, into the kitchen, or around to the basement wine cellar via the staircase.
Three small arched windows let in limited sunlight, giving the tavern a slightly dim ambiance.
Some potted plants filled the corners but seemed uncared for. Despite the large hall, the wide spacing of tables made it look a bit empty. Cleaning such a space in a short time was truly exhausting for Tom.
Zhang Da Ye noticed an empty spot to the left of the bar, perfect for a certain item from his inventory:
**[Tom's Big Refrigerator]**
Opening the fridge, a cool breeze greeted him. Stored for twenty days in the inventory, the fridge and its contents remained in perfect condition.
The fridge plug fit into a wall socket—this world's technology was strange but functional. Kitchen faucets and stoves also worked, though Zhang Da Ye forgot to check where water, electricity, and gas bills were paid; maybe it was included in the taxes.
Zhang Da Ye took out roast chicken, sausages, cooked meat patties, milk, fruits, and two servings of ice cream, placing them on the bar.
Tom, smelling the food, floated over, licking his lips in anticipation.
"Let's eat. This will do for lunch. Later, we'll buy more ingredients and recipes."
Zhang Da Ye could cook, usually relying on step-by-step recipes online. Previously, the tavern hadn't even hired a chef.
According to Bob, most patrons came to drink, not eat. Simple ready-to-eat dishes and snacks sufficed. If needed, they could order from nearby restaurants, earning a small margin.
After the meal, Zhang Da Ye laid a small blanket for Tom to rest and checked the alcohol inventory.
Not long after Bob's last purchase, Zhang Da Ye compared the current stock with the previous list. Retail prices ranged from 500 Berries to 10,000 Berries.
500 Berries could buy a curry at a small restaurant, while 10,000 Berries could cover a regular person's monthly living expenses—if they were frugal.
Looking at purchase prices, Zhang Da Ye realized the tavern had high profit margins, often over 50% and sometimes 60%, yet customers still considered the prices reasonable.
For now, Zhang Da Ye decided to follow Bob's example.
When Zhang Da Ye returned from the cellar, Tom was snuggled on the bar, sleeping soundly. Zhang Da Ye didn't disturb him and went to the yard for exercise.
The small backyard was roughly half a basketball court, enough for Zhang Da Ye to train. Honestly, he didn't want to be "Running Da Ye."
After exercising, Zhang Da Ye remembered some previously unused items—lottery-obtained weapons:
**[Tom's Rapier: A Western-style sword used when Tom served as a palace guard, very sharp.]**
Tom's life as a cat had been adventurous; serving as a guard was minor, though he still suffered from Jerry's mischief.
Zhang Da Ye waved the rapier a few times; it felt small for him. As for Jerry's rapier or little mouse Taffy's, they were barely more than toothpicks.