10 – Volume 1 Sea Salt Mousse
Pei Zhixiu’s gaze followed the woman’s retreating figure.
He watched as she tilted her head and whispered a few words to the young staff member beside her, saw her half-scoldingly, half-indulgently ruffle the young staff member’s hair, and also saw her pull open the door first to let the other person step behind the counter.
Until her figure completely disappeared behind the counter.
Slowly, he withdrew his gaze and let it fall upon the table.
On the pure white tablecloth lay a rather unique arrangement of food. Unlike the traditional presentation on a British afternoon tea stand, the afternoon tea here was served on a transparent grid plate:
Each small compartment held desserts like nut scones, strawberry tarts, and American cookies, all appearing mini and exquisite in size.
Beside them were tiny floral embellishments, adding to the aesthetic appeal.
Beautiful things are pleasing to the eye. And only someone with genuine care could create food that brings such visual delight.
But he was not, after all, someone with a sweet tooth.
Pei Zhixiu shifted his gaze to the other side, tilting his head to look at his own hand, where a matching bone china cup and saucer rested.
The coffee cup had a creamy white body with a gilded rim, echoing the golden handle. Under the sunlight, the pale gold shimmered brilliantly, radiant and dazzling.
The coffee in the cup was filled to just about eighty percent.
On the brown liquid surface was a symmetrical leaf-shaped latte art made from white milk foam. The rich and abundant milk foam covered the coffee densely.
Pei Zhixiu pondered for a moment.
After a while, he leaned forward, his slender and well-defined fingers gripping the porcelain-white handle of the coffee cup. He lifted it, first taking a sniff, then bringing it to his lips for a small sip.
The coffee was mellow, smooth, and delicate in flavor.
With a distinct nutty aroma.
Pei Zhixiu lowered his eyes, his long lashes veiling a fleeting glimmer in his gaze.
But after just one sip, he set the coffee cup down.
Zhou Wensen had just finished dealing with some tedious work messages. He put down his phone, looked up, and apologized, “I’m really sorry, I just had to handle some urgent messages.” After a pause, he asked eagerly, “Mr. Pei, how is it? Is this place acceptable?”
Pei Zhixiu responded with a faint acknowledgment, his attitude noncommittal.
He picked up the silver spoon on the small saucer, gently stirring the coffee in his cup. His demeanor was relaxed, his movements natural and elegant, revealing the upbringing of a well-cultivated family.
He showed neither aversion nor dissatisfaction.
This scene, observed by Zhou Wensen, made him wonder: Had they come to the right place for now?
Zhou Wensen carefully broached a topic, asking:
“Mr. Pei, you probably don’t come to cafes like this very often, right?”
Afraid the other might find it abrupt, he circled around to explain: “What I mean is… you’re a busy man, so you likely don’t have much free time. And even if you do have afternoon tea, you’d probably choose somewhere in a bustling area, right?”
Pei Zhixiu did not answer immediately.
He set down the spoon in his hand, leaned back, and rested his right hand naturally on the armrest of the chair, his back lazily reclining against the chair.
After a moment, he lowered his head slightly, his eyes downcast, and adjusted the cuff of his shirt at his wrist before nodding faintly and saying, “Yes, not often.”
Zhou Wensen nodded as well, showing understanding.
After all, this man was at the very top of the pyramid.
The cool, noble air in his every gesture revealed his extraordinary status.
That he had condescended to come to this cafe with him today was already quite an honor.To be honest, if his supervisor and the company’s top executives weren’t all busy with the project, it would never have been his turn—a mere manager’s underling—to guide such a deity-like figure, let alone handle this impromptu reception.
Just as Zhou Wensen was thinking this, he suddenly heard the man across from him shift the topic, asking casually as if it were nothing:
“Does Manager Zhou come here often?”
It sounded like he was probing into his whereabouts.
Although Zhou Wensen didn’t understand why Pei Zhixiu would ask such a question, he answered truthfully:
“Yes, I often come here on weekends with friends. Even though this café is in the suburbs, the food tastes great, and the atmosphere is quiet and comfortable. I really enjoy coming here myself.”
Desserts are no longer exclusively for women.
In fact, men also have a certain appreciation for delicate and beautiful things. Moreover, “sweetening away sorrows” knows no gender. The sweetness on the taste buds helps many people relieve stress and soothe their emotions.
In this regard, Zhou Wensen could deeply relate.
Upon hearing his answer, Pei Zhixiu responded indifferently, “Hmm.”
He didn’t say anything else.
It sounded like just a casual question.
Faced with such an exquisitely flawless face, even Zhou Wensen, who had seen many men, couldn’t help but sigh in admiration. In front of such an esteemed figure, finding a safe topic of conversation wasn’t easy.
After a moment of thought, he decided to continue expanding on the topic of the café:
“To be honest, there’s another reason that draws me to this café—the owner here.”
With that, Zhou Wensen gestured with his chin toward the counter.
There stood a slender figure.
Pei Zhixiu’s gaze followed his direction.
At the counter, a woman in a light-colored dress and a pale pink apron was slightly bent over, her eyes lowered as she focused intently on preparing food.
Her hair was loosely tied up, with a few stray strands slipping down to the side of her cheek, partially obscuring her small face.
Her focused expression looked gentle.
She appeared clean and pure.
Exuding a very serene aura.
Pointing at Wen Ruosui’s figure, Zhou Wensen took the opportunity to introduce her:
“The girl who just served us, the one at the counter, is actually the owner of this café.”
“She just graduated not long ago, so she’s still quite young. Not only is she beautiful, but she also has a great personality, and her words make you feel as if you’re bathed in a gentle breeze. Most importantly, she’s excellent at making desserts and cakes, and her coffee is absolutely top-notch.”
“Coming here feels like discovering a treasure.”
Several sentences in a row, each revealing the young and accomplished manager’s high praise for her.
It was clear that Zhou Wensen admired her greatly.
Pei Zhixiu naturally picked up on this.
He was the first to withdraw his gaze, turning his eyes to Zhou Wensen across from him. He noticed that the other man was still staring at the woman in the light-colored dress, and it was an unabashed kind of attention.
Instantly, the man’s expression darkened slightly as he responded, “Is that so?”
Just two short words.
His tone remained steady, yet it carried an inexplicable chill.
Hearing Pei Zhixiu’s brief and cold reply, Zhou Wensen finally turned his head back from the counter, still completely unaware that anything was amiss. Meeting the man’s gaze, he nodded and replied:
“Yes, I really enjoy spending time with this kind of girl.”After a pause, Zhou Wensen made another joke, saying, “By the way, I’m quite close with Suisui. I bet even if we sat here all night, she wouldn’t kick us out.”
However, such a small joke didn’t have the intended effect.
Instead, it made the atmosphere awkward.
Pei Zhixiu pressed his lips into a thin line and remained silent without responding.
His gaze was deep and dark, hidden beneath his refined brow ridge, making it difficult to discern his true emotions.