Since Jiang Shining was working so hard at her part-time job, Gu Yan, afraid of hurting her self-esteem, had resorted to this compromise.
But… fifty thousand.
In the three months Jiang Shining had been in this world, her wallet had never held a five-digit sum.
Song Ya left.
Before exiting the café, she had added Jiang Shining’s contact information, saying they should keep in touch.
Inside the café, Jiang Shining was still staring at her phone’s balance.
Gu Yan: “Stunned?”
Jiang Shining nodded honestly, “A little.”
“Fifty thousand is too much! I’ve never had that much money before.”
Jiang Shining gazed eagerly at the money in her hand, silently counting the zeros several times.
It was fifty thousand!
Over the past three months, the money she earned from part-time jobs was usually spent within three days.
Whether it was buying medicine for Jiang Wan or covering living expenses, the money in her wallet always hovered around three or four digits—never this wealthy.
Jiang Shining looked at her wealthy father, unable to hide her excitement. She put away her phone and sat down opposite Gu Yan.
“Mr. Gu, you’re too kind. How can I possibly accept this?”
Jiang Shining decided to follow Chinese etiquette and politely decline.
Gu Yan calmly sipped his coffee, “If you really want to repay me, do you have time tomorrow?”
Was he asking her out?
Jiang Shining didn’t hesitate and nodded directly, “Yes, I have time.”
Gu Yan: “Then tomorrow it is. I’ll come pick you up at your apartment.”
Jiang Shining: “Okay.”
“I’ll let the café owner know tomorrow and ask for a day off.”
Was she supposed to work another part-time shift tomorrow?
Gu Yan looked at Jiang Shining and frowned, “There are many ways to make money. You don’t have to work so hard.”
Gu Yan advised her unhurriedly.
Jiang Shining nodded obediently, “Mm-hmm.”
Then she promptly treated her wealthy father’s advice as background noise.
Before returning to her wealthy family, how could she not earn money?
Gu Yan: “By the way, do you know how Wan’er ended up on Obsidian Street?”
Gu Yan asked, unable to understand why Jiang Wan would choose to live in this chaotic, dirty Obsidian Street.
Jiang Shining shook her head, “My mother never mentioned it.”
She had asked this question before, but Jiang Wan always avoided talking about it.
“If Mr. Gu is my mother’s friend, you should ask her directly.”
Jiang Shining felt that her wealthy father would eventually have to face her mother anyway.
Gu Yan fell silent.
He looked at Jiang Shining across from him and, after a few minutes, finally spoke, “I’ll wait for the right opportunity.”
Jiang Shining nodded, then returned to the coffee counter.
Some things only needed to be hinted at—no need to say more.
Not long after, Gu Yan also stood up and left the café.
The café doorbell kept ringing.
Business was about the same as yesterday, with nearly all the seats occupied.
Jiang Shining finally understood how Lin Momo felt yesterday.
Her hands were truly sore!
She gazed longingly at the entrance, praying no more customers would come.
However, ding-dong.
The wind chimes rang again.
Jiang Shining’s hopeful expression instantly faded, her eyes turning numb. But when she saw Qin Wang at the door, her eyes lit up slightly.
“Qin Wang, why are you still here?”
Wait.
Jiang Shining suddenly realized—Qin Wang had gone to take a call earlier and hadn’t actually left.
Qin Wang explained, “Someone from South Street called me just now to discuss some matters. It took a while.”
South Street was next to Obsidian Street, and it was just as turbulent. But she had no interest in any of that—she just wanted to protect her own little corner of the world.
Jiang Shining let out a faint “oh,” then took the prepared food from beside the counter.
She shook it gently.
“The ice has melted a bit. Let me make you a new one!”
Qin Wang: “No need.”
He glanced around the café, then looked back at Jiang Shining.
“Tired?”
Jiang Shining paused while pouring coffee, looked up, and pouted.
“Tired! I’m exhausted.”
The customers had only started coming after her wealthy father left, and Jiang Shining hadn’t stopped working since.
In despair, she raised her hands, letting her fair, delicate little hands hang down, looking utterly worn out.
Her watery almond-shaped eyes blinked, appearing innocent and pitiful.
Qin Wang found it a little endearing.
He walked straight behind the counter. Lin Momo, who had been leaning there, instantly perked up at Qin Wang’s arrival, standing up straight.
Jiang Shining looked at him, stammering slightly, “W-what are you doing back here?”
With so many people around, he couldn’t possibly be planning to show affection, could he?
Thinking this, Jiang Shining grabbed a coffee spoon and held it in front of her chest. “Don’t try anything funny with so many people watching!”
Seeing the tiny coffee spoon, Qin Wang couldn’t help but chuckle.
He reached out and effortlessly took the spoon from her hand. With a clatter, it landed in the nearby sink.
Watching Jiang Shining take a step back, now defenseless, Qin Wang moved closer to her.
Lin Momo watched eagerly from the side, while Qin Wang gently pressed Jiang Shining against the cashier’s spot.
As Qin Wang leaned in, Jiang Shining nervously gripped the ceramic countertop, her face flushing red.
Help!
She had no interest in public displays of affection.
Qin Wang’s breath brushed against Jiang Shining’s ear. “There’s not much time left until closing. I’ll take over for a bit—you take a break.”
He untied the café apron tied around her waist.
“Huh?”
Before Jiang Shining could react, the café’s dark brown apron was draped over Qin Wang.
Looking at her cool, handsome boyfriend wearing a café apron—
He was still handsome.
But Qin Wang’s icy, unapproachable aura somehow felt out of place.
But that wasn’t the main issue right now.
A hint of suspicion crept into Jiang Shining’s eyes as she tentatively asked, “You’re really going to cover for me?”
Qin Wang: “Yes.”
Jiang Shining: “Do you know how to make coffee?”
Qin Wang: “Yes.”
Jiang Shining pressed further: “Can you do latte art?”
Qin Wang: “No.”
Jiang Shining’s face went blank. “You can’t, and you’re still covering for me?”
Qin Wang replied calmly, “I can make sure they don’t order lattes.”
No lattes meant no need for latte art.
Jiang Shining: “…”
She was starting to lose her composure.
Who ever heard of not letting customers order lattes?
Jiang Shining was gently pushed by Qin Wang to a seat inside the café.
Ding-dong.
The wind chime rang.
There was no “Welcome,” only the cool, handsome barista with a stern face.
Jiang Shining watched as a customer, having just entered, took a few steps back upon seeing Qin Wang at the counter, then turned around and left the café.
Jiang Shining: “…”
Driving away customers who had already stepped inside was a skill in itself.
But soon, she realized Qin Wang’s skills didn’t end there.
Just as he had said, every customer who managed to reach the ordering stage either took an Americano and left or simply ordered a plain coffee.
Within an hour, the café had emptied out significantly, with only a handful of new customers remaining.
Even Lin Momo, who was originally busy, had become idle and taken off her hat, fanning herself boredly.
A few minutes later, a male student finally entered the coffee shop.
After glancing at Qin Wang, the male student ordered a drink. Once the new customer found a corner seat in the coffee shop, he immediately snapped a few photos of the café.
【Warning!!】
【What beautiful coffee shop waiters? It’s all fake!】
After taking the photos, the male student began editing the materials, planning to post them online.
Jiang Shining, who witnessed the entire process: …
If she hadn’t seen it, it would have been one thing, but she had seen it all.
Jiang Shining sighed and walked over to the person’s table.
“Hello, is there something about our coffee shop’s service that you’re dissatisfied with?”