Yan Sui could hardly believe her ears.
“Supervisor Zhou, you’re saying I can receive next month’s salary immediately on my first day of reporting, only need to work two hours a day, and even get weekends off?”
Zhou Yue wore a warm, professional smile.
“That’s right, Student Yan. Our benefits have always been this good.”
“Wow—no wonder your requirements are so high,” Yan Sui said.
She felt even more certain that asking Jiang Yuan for help had been the right choice.
“Yes,” Zhou Yue replied. “Our requirements are very high, but aside from your academic qualifications, you meet them all. Especially your appearance—it’s a huge plus.”
That last sentence was sincere.
Yan Sui did have a face that anyone would like at first sight.
Delicate and cute, completely non-threatening, and always smiling.
It even felt like the iced Americano she made would turn sweet.
“This is your prepared work uniform. Change into it, and I’ll show you around the shop.”
Yan Sui took the clothes and walked into the changing room.
At this time of day, there weren’t many customers.
Two staff members at the bar quietly discussed her.
“Who is she? We went through interviews and training, and she just got parachuted in? Why? Some rich young lady?”
“No way. Would a rich girl work in a coffee shop?”
“True.”
“She doesn’t look like she’s from a wealthy family. Probably latched onto some young master from Griffin Academy and got arranged here to make it easier to date.”
“Yeah, she’s exactly the type those rich guys like—pure and cute on the outside, but actually way more calculating than anyone.”
“Being smart doesn’t help. Those rich guys just play around. When it comes time to marry, they still pick someone from the same class.”
Yan Sui didn’t hear any of it.
Her attention was fully on the outfit.
Echo’s work uniform didn’t look like a uniform at all—it looked like a high-end, minimalist princess dress.
Light apricot in color, exquisitely tailored, with delicate fabric and no chemical smell, only a faint clean fragrance.
The skirt reached slightly above the knees, with a cute white lace trim inside.
It felt like it was custom-made for her.
A strange sense of déjà vu flashed through her mind.
This perfect fit… felt similar to the dress that had once mysteriously appeared in her wardrobe.
She stared at her reflection for a moment.
When she walked out, Zhou Yue was already waiting.
Seeing her, Zhou Yue’s eyes lit up again.
Yan Sui looked even more delicate and cute than she had imagined—like a little peach blossom.
As for why the higher-up had taken such special care of her—
As a regional manager, Zhou Yue was smart enough not to ask questions. Just follow instructions.
She began guiding Yan Sui through the workflow.
At that moment, a car stopped outside.
A black-tinted window, understated luxury. No one got out, and nothing could be seen inside.
Zhou Yue noticed it. Yan Sui did not.
The girl was still amazed—this job was unbelievably easy.
All she had to do was stand at the counter, wait for customers to request adjustments, and pass them to the manager.
Most of the time, no one even had requests.
Was she basically just a mascot?
This felt suspiciously like easy money… almost like a scam.
“No cleaning? No need for me to make coffee?” she asked.
“No need,” Zhou Yue smiled. “We mainly just need this position filled. But sometimes, if the barista is busy, you may need to make one or two cups.”
“Oh, but I don’t know how. Can you teach me now, sister?”
The word “sister” came out soft and sweet.
Even Zhou Yue, who had seen everything, felt her mood improve.
“Alright, I’ll teach you the simplest one—iced Americano.”
She demonstrated once. It was more complicated than Yan Sui expected.
Many steps, some technique required—as expected of a high-end café.
After finishing, Zhou Yue’s phone rang.
She glanced at it and paused.
“Suìsuì,” she said. “Something came up. Could you help watch things here for a moment?”
Before she left, she also called two other employees away.
Then she was gone.
Yan Sui was left alone.
She was still thinking she didn’t know anything yet—hopefully no one would come.
But fate immediately proved her wrong.
A clear bell rang at the entrance.
A man in a tailored black suit walked in.
He looked as though he had just left a work setting; his steps were slightly unsteady, his thin lips tightly pressed together.
There was always something cold and sharp about him—an aura that rejected everything around him.
His strikingly pale face remained expressionless, his narrow eyes half-lowered as usual.
“Mr. Jiang!” Yan Sui greeted happily, her eyes curving into crescents. “What a coincidence!”
Jiang Yuan did not look up.
He shouldn’t have come. He hadn’t planned to.
But…
“Iced Americano,” he said quietly.
Yan Sui tilted her head apologetically.
“I’m not familiar with it at all. Could you wait for someone else to help make it?”
Jiang Yuan pressed his lips together.
He hesitated between not troubling her and wanting to drink coffee made by her own hands.
He took a deep breath and clenched his palm, forcing himself to restrain.
He had to restrain himself.
“…Then forget it,” he said, turning to leave.
“Ah, Mr. Jiang, wait,” Yan Sui called. “How can I let you come for nothing? If my coffee tastes bad, you’re not allowed to fire me~”
Her tone rose slightly at the end, soft and feather-light, brushing against the heart like a tickle.
Jiang Yuan felt his heart tremble.
He was the one making things difficult for her again.
“…No,” he managed to say stiffly.
He stood by the counter without sitting.
Eyes lowered, unreadable as always.
As if he were in a hurry to leave.
Anyone else would have felt immense pressure standing before someone like him.
But not Yan Sui.
She recalled the steps and carefully prepared a cup, placing it in front of him.
“How is it?” she asked brightly.
Jiang Yuan took it, stepping back slightly as if maintaining distance.
He took a sip.
“Is it good?” she asked expectantly.
“…Very good,” he said.
“Really?” she smiled happily. “I’m glad I didn’t disappoint you.”
He nodded faintly and kept drinking—sip after sip—letting the cold liquid linger on his tongue as if reluctant to swallow.
He didn’t want to leave, yet forced himself to turn away.
No looking back.
“Goodbye, Mr. Jiang~” she called cheerfully.
Only after his car left did Zhou Yue return.
She had already recovered from her earlier shock.
“Suìsuì, did someone come just now?”
“Yes. I made an iced Americano. I think it turned out well. There’s a bit left in the measuring cup—do you want to check?”
Zhou Yue smiled and took a sip.
Her perfectly controlled expression almost broke.
So bitter her soul nearly left her body.
How many shots of espresso did she put in?!
Is this even drinkable?!
Yan Sui watched her reaction and subtly raised an eyebrow.
So it really was extremely bitter.
And yet Jiang Yuan… drank it without a single change in expression.
And even said it was good.