Zhou Wanqing couldn’t bear to see Xixi suffer, so she immediately took the kitten to a veterinary hospital for treatment. She also bought Xixi various flavors of cat food and treats, and personally built a small bed for her in the shop.
Now, Xixi’s eyes sparkle brightly, and her fur is thick and silky, making her look like a little princess come to life.
Moreover, Xixi is remarkably intelligent and gentle-natured. When there are no customers in the shop, she will run to the entrance to attract passersby. If there are already customers inside, she immediately retreats to her bed and won’t disturb them unless they come over to play with her.
Zhou Wanqing hadn’t noticed this behavior until Ye Xuan pointed it out to her. Since then, she has made it a habit to reward Xixi with small biscuits every day.
After playing with Xixi for a while, Ye Xuan set her down. As soon as he did, his phone began buzzing incessantly with WeChat notifications.
Picking it up, he saw the group chat named “Foodie Gang.” This group was created by Old Wang specifically for his team members, totaling six people. Previously, the station manager had complained that Old Wang’s team was too small and wanted to assign more people to him, but Old Wang firmly refused, citing his inability to manage more—perhaps due to the pressure Ye Xuan had been putting on him. The station manager had no choice but to relent, given Old Wang’s status as the top performer.
【Rain or Shine: @OldWangNextDoor You’ve got some nerve, Old Wang! Sneaking off to eat without us!】
【You Are My Everything: @OldWangNextDoor You’re the worst!!】
【Dream of Nine Billion Girls: @OldWangNextDoor Don’t let us catch you, or you’ll regret it!】
【Just a Pawn: @OldWangNextDoor How selfish can you be! Ugh!】
Ye Xuan grew increasingly confused as he read the messages. He typed: 【YeYeShengGe: @Everyone What’s going on?】
【Just a Pawn: Brother Ye, check Old Wang’s WeChat Moments!】
Ye Xuan immediately opened Old Wang’s Moments. Upon seeing the latest post, he raised an eyebrow. “Isn’t that the streamer Old Wang was watching yesterday? He already took her out to eat?”
Looking closer at the lavish spread on the table, he exclaimed, “Oshang! Old Wang’s really splurging?”
Oshang was a high-end Western restaurant located in a skyscraper in the city center. The average cost per person was a staggering 2k! And that was only for those with small appetites. For someone with a decent appetite, a meal at Oshang would easily cost around 3k.
Don’t ask how Ye Xuan knew—he had been a regular there three or four years ago.
Returning to the Foodie Gang chat, Ye Xuan typed: 【YeYeShengGe: @OldWangNextDoor Did you win the lottery?】
【OldWangNextDoor: Ahem, just saved up two months’ salary (dog head/GIF)】
The other four members of the group immediately bombarded Old Wang with tags and greetings.
Ye Xuan shook his head helplessly, put down his phone, and looked at Zhou Wanqing behind the counter. “Miss Zhou, your café seems to be doing quite well. Why haven’t you hired any staff?”
Hearing this, Zhou Wanqing smirked playfully and said, “What’s the matter? Does the Night Knight no longer want to be a knight and instead wants to become a barista?”
Ye Xuan waved his hand and said, “No thanks, working a job is so boring. I’m a man who pursues freedom!”
Zhou Wanqing replied helplessly, “Forget about hiring someone. I actually prefer being busier. If I hired someone, I’d just end up competing with them for work, and then hiring them would be pointless.”
Ye Xuan gave Zhou Wanqing a strange look and said slowly, “What kind of weird preference is that? Slacking off is so much more comfortable.”
“I’m used to it. Here, your Meituan order number 15.”
Zhou Wanqing picked up the packaged coffee and dessert and placed them on the counter.
Ye Xuan stood up, took the bag, and said, “Got it. I’ll come hang out with you again next time!” After saying this, Ye Xuan waved at Zhou Wanqing, ruffled Xixi’s head, and left the café.
Zhou Wanqing glanced around the overly quiet coffee shop and muttered, “Maybe I really should hire an employee…”
Since he hadn’t worked in the morning, Ye Xuan went all out in the afternoon, delivering orders like crazy!
During the evening rush hour, he had an astonishing 18 orders at once, and not a single one was late. What’s more, he had incredible luck—none of the restaurants delayed his orders, and all the deliveries were conveniently located along the same route!
It wasn’t until 8 p.m. that Ye Xuan finally stopped accepting orders.
He parked his scooter by the roadside, looked at his phone, and said, “Today’s earnings: 450 yuan. I’ve made up for the missed orders. That’s enough for today. Time to log off!”
Just as Ye Xuan was about to head home, a piercing scream tore through the night sky and reached his ears!
Ye Xuan was instantly startled!
The scream lasted only a moment, coming and going as quickly as it had appeared, soon fading from his hearing.
Ye Xuan quickly turned to look. Since this was the outskirts, streetlights were sparse, and with the time now being 8 p.m., the entire road was pitch black.
Ye Xuan nervously swallowed, his Adam’s apple bobbing with a dry sound. His fingers tightly gripped the scooter’s handlebars, his knuckles turning white.
He slowly twisted the throttle, cautiously moving toward the source of the sound with the help of his scooter’s headlight.
When he reached a very narrow alley, Ye Xuan’s heart suddenly tightened.
Inside, it was pitch black, as if soaked in thick ink. The occasional howl of the wind sent shivers down his spine.
“Who’s in there? Is anyone there?”
Receiving no response, Ye Xuan mustered his courage, got off his scooter, turned on his phone’s flashlight, and slowly walked inside.
The narrow alley seemed endless, and Ye Xuan could only rely on his phone’s flashlight to find his way.
The walls on both sides were covered in moss, which glowed with an eerie green under the phone’s flashlight. A foul stench mixed with the smell of rust filled his nostrils, making him feel nauseous.
With every step Ye Xuan took, it felt as if he were stepping on his own heartbeat. The surrounding darkness seemed to come alive, relentlessly pressing in on his senses!
Faint rustling sounds came from deep within the alley, as if several stray cats were scurrying away.
“Who’s there!”
Ye Xuan looked up but saw nothing. Puzzled, he said, “No one’s here? Then what was that sound just now? A cat?” His voice echoed in the alley, tinged with a slight tremor.
Just as Ye Xuan was about to turn and leave, he suddenly felt something sticky under his foot, causing him to lose his balance and lurch forward, nearly falling.
“Ouch!”
“What is this?”
Ye Xuan quickly steadied himself, then pointed his phone’s flashlight at the ground.
The moment the light illuminated the ground, the sight that met his eyes instantly made his pupils contract sharply, and his heart nearly stopped beating!
It was a human head with disheveled hair, its eyes wide open!
Those hollow eyes stared directly at him, the corners of its mouth frozen in a terrified arc!
Bloody liquid continuously flowed down from the neck, soaking the bluestone bricks, winding into a dark red stream on the ground, the pungent smell of blood assaulting his nostrils!
And Ye Xuan’s white sneakers, upon contact, were instantly stained with patches of crimson!
Ye Xuan was immediately so frightened that his legs went weak, collapsing onto the ground, his face instantly turning pale with terror!
“I… holy shit! A human head!” Ye Xuan staggered backward, his back slamming heavily against the wall!
Ye Xuan swallowed nervously, forcing down his fear as he stumbled to his feet and staggered toward the exit of the alley!
At this moment, only one thought filled his mind:
Escape this alley!