Jiang Shining took hold of her wrist, pulled out a bandage from behind, and began wrapping it around her thumb in circles.
“If you’re tired, take a rest.”
“Give me your other hand too.”
With the support, the sore and trembling wrist felt much more relieved.
Jiang Shining looked at her best friend with a gentle smile. “Feeling better?”
The coffee shop’s lights were warm, casting an even warmer glow on Jiang Shining’s face.
Before meeting her best friend, Lin Momo had only ever faced oppression and disdain at home. Her nose tingled with emotion.
“Much better.”
“Jiang Shining, you’re too good!”
Lin Momo threw herself forward and hugged Jiang Shining tightly.
There was a reason why the coffee shop attracted so many people. Even after being friends for so long, Lin Momo couldn’t help but be moved by Jiang Shining.
Jiang Shining patted Lin Momo’s shoulder lightly. “Alright, I’ll take over the coffee-making from here.”
Since she was too tired, Jiang Shining decided to let Lin Momo rest.
But as soon as she said this, she was met with a rebuttal.
“No, I can still shake it!”
“Help me up, I can keep going!”
The same Lin Momo who had seemed on the verge of despair from shaking coffee just moments ago now seemed as if she had been injected with adrenaline.
Jiang Shining: “?”
Watching Lin Momo, who had two muscle strain bandages wrapped around her wrists and was still planning to froth milk, Jiang Shining sighed and directly took the coffee cup from her.
“I’ll do it.”
She didn’t give Lin Momo a chance to refuse.
She had already interned at this coffee shop for a while, and whether it was handling the cash register or making coffee, Jiang Shining could do it all.
Grinding coffee.
Steaming milk.
She was equally familiar with the process.
Seeing Jiang Shining’s unyielding attitude, Lin Momo suggested they switch roles when she got tired later. The two then stood at opposite positions from before.
Jiang Shining took on the role of barista.
Lin Momo handled the cash register.
Ding-a-ling.
The coffee shop’s wind chime rang as a customer entered.
Lin Momo: “Hello, welcome.”
As soon as she finished the greeting, Lin Momo stared blankly at the entrance.
At the door
Gu Yan, dressed in a sharp silver-gray suit, looking every bit the elite upper-class professional, pushed the door open.
Upon entering, his eyes first fell on Lin Momo, but his attention was quickly drawn to Jiang Shining behind her, holding a coffee cup and working on latte art.
She could make coffee too.
He had already stationed his two bodyguards outside the shop, not allowing them into the coffee shop. Today, he was just an ordinary customer buying coffee.
Gu Yan asked, “Any recommendations?”
As he spoke, Jiang Shining, who had been focused on the intricate latte art, paused.
She looked toward the front counter.
When she saw him, a hint of surprise flickered in Jiang Shining’s eyes. “Mr. Gu, what are you doing here?”
Gu Yan: “I had some business nearby and thought I’d grab a coffee. I didn’t expect you to be here.”
Jiang Shining’s eyes gleamed.
The coffee shop was at least twenty kilometers away from the original Wanda Plaza.
Her wealthy father had come specifically to see her.
Gu Yan: “Any recommendations?”
Jiang Shining smiled faintly: “The cappuccino and caramel macchiato here are both pretty good, Mr. Gu. You could give them a try.”
Gu Yan glanced at the coffee in Jiang Shining’s hand—it was a cappuccino.
“Then I’ll have a cappuccino.”
Jiang Shining: “Alright.”
After paying, Gu Yan walked toward a corner of the coffee shop.
Watching Gu Yan’s retreating figure, Lin Momo turned to Jiang Shining curiously. “Jiang Shining, when did you get to know someone like that?”
Jiang Shining said, “It’s a long story. We met yesterday.”
“Yesterday… Could it be the person from the video?”
Lin Momo’s expression shifted instantly as she thought of the person her best friend had risked herself to save in yesterday’s video.
Jiang Shining nodded.
She looked toward Gu Yan.
Just as she watched him finish surveying the shop and head straight toward Qin Wang in the corner.
!!!
Jiang Shining’s hand trembled.
The freshly made cappuccino slipped right into the sink.
…
In the corner of the coffee shop
At this moment, all the other seats in the coffee shop were taken, leaving only the empty spot under Qin Wang’s intimidating aura.
Gu Yan maintained his composed demeanor as he looked across the table.
“Hello, mind if I share the table?”
Seeing Jiang Shining smile at everyone in the coffee shop, Qin Wang was already particularly irritable.
Crack.
He chewed on the ice cubes in his iced Americano, producing a chilling sound of ice shattering.
Qin Wang’s dark eyes were filled with malice and rejection.
“I mind.”
Gu Yan’s expression remained unchanged. “I can pay.”
“Hah.” Qin Wang let out a scoff, looking provocatively at Gu Yan. “Are you rich?”
Gu Yan replied, “Decently.”
Qin Wang disliked the middle-aged man across from him, especially his condescending attitude.
He toyed with the lighter in his hand, glancing briefly at Gu Yan.
Qin Wang weighed his words carefully. “Pay for everyone, and I might consider it.”
Everyone in the coffee shop paused, turning their attention to the two.
Even Jiang Shining, who had rushed over, changed expression.
“Alright.”
Gu Yan reached into his jacket, pulled out a black card, and placed it on the table. Then he sat down opposite Qin Wang.
One wore a motorcycle jacket, with a diamond-studded earring in his ear—young and rebellious.
The other wore a crisp, well-fitted suit—mature and steady.
Jiang Shining’s expression shifted slightly. She walked straight over and covered the lighter in Qin Wang’s hand.
She glared at Qin Wang. “No playing with fire in the shop.”
After saying this, Jiang Shining pushed the black card back to Gu Yan, placing the cappuccino in her hand next to the card.
“Your coffee.”
“The coffee is thirty-six. No need for any extra payment, sir.”
She saw no reason to swindle her own dad’s money.
But Gu Yan picked up the black card again, lifting it toward Jiang Shining’s hand.
“It’s fine, I don’t mind.”
He smiled faintly, taking a sip of the coffee. “Did you make this?”
Jiang Shining nodded.
Gu Yan didn’t hesitate to praise. “Very good.”
The praise from her future dad made Jiang Shining lower her head slightly in embarrassment.
Covering the entire coffee shop’s expenses brought a brief wave of excitement to the small shop.
Qin Wang said, “I want one too.”
Jiang Shining looked at Qin Wang across from her.
She didn’t understand why he was stirring up trouble again.
Seeing the half-finished iced Americano, Jiang Shining walked over and took the remaining drink from the table.
Lin Momo sighed as she watched Jiang Shining return. “This new customer is really rich!”
Jiang Shining nodded.
She tossed the cup into the sink.
Her attention returned to the two in the corner of the coffee shop.
She needed to find a way to separate these two, or else trouble would arise again.
Her phone vibrated.
Jiang Shining checked the message.
[wang: I want a cappuccino made by you too.]
Jiang Shining’s fingers slid across the screen.
She had just typed ‘dream on’ but deleted it.
[Alright.]
[But can you leave first?]
The reply came instantly.
[wang: Why?]
Taking a deep breath, Jiang Shining typed on her phone again.
【Too conspicuous, it’s affecting my work.】
Now, every time Jiang Shining took a photo of a cup of coffee, she had to glance back at the corner seat.
This was seriously interfering with her job.
She looked up and saw Qin Wang in the corner, staring right at her.
Their eyes met.
She didn’t know what Qin Wang was thinking, but she saw a slight curve form at the corner of his mouth.
Buzz.
Her phone vibrated.
【wang: Okay.】
Seeing the message, Jiang Shining let out a long sigh of relief.
In just three minutes, she made a beautiful cappuccino and brought it over.
Tap.
“Your coffee.”
Afraid that Gu Yan across from him might notice something off, Jiang Shining maintained the same attitude as she had with previous customers, her tone no different.
But… Qin Wang stared at her for a bit too long.
Jiang Shining cleared her throat softly, and only then did Qin Wang look away.