Although They're Mentally ill, They're Extremely Easy to Comfort - Chapter 6

Chu Xi gently pushed open the wooden door of the cafe, triggering the crisp chime of the wind chime above the entrance.

The bar on the left was simply and cleanly laid out, with the silver pump espresso machine polished bright white, and the air filled with the rich, lingering aroma of coffee.

The shop was casually furnished with a few dark brown solid wood tables, each topped with an antique green-shaded lamp. The warm yellow light complemented the dark green wall paint, creating a cozy and peaceful atmosphere in the small space.

The dark tones naturally pulled customers away from the city’s hustle and bustle. This place felt like an unknown secret base, spontaneously making people want to hide away.

A horn-style vinyl record player sat on a nearby decorative stand, playing soothing blues music.

The solid wood floor creaked with every step, and at the far end, an antique European-style spiral wooden staircase was visible.

Knowing Qiao Bo’er disliked noisy environments, Chu Xi walked directly towards the staircase.

The staircase area featured a contrasting bright orange wall paint, and the exhaust window on the wall had been converted into a church-style stained glass panel.

The cafe space was not large, but its unique sense of age earned Qiao Bo’er’s praise: “A Shanghai Republican-era style cafe, rare.”

“It seems I brought you to the right place,” Chu Xi smiled, turning around, just in time to see Su Yunjin walking out of the utility room.

“Welcome, what would you like to drink?”

“Two lattes, less milk, no sugar,” Chu Xi ordered, catering to Qiao Bo’er’s preference.

“Alright, please take a seat anywhere, and your order will be ready shortly.”

Just then, the wind chime at the door rang again.

“Yunjin! I was bullied… I want sweet and sour pork, scrambled eggs with tomato, shredded pork with green pepper, and how about a soup too?”

Ling Xi approached Su Yunjin limply, suddenly hugging her, her voice trembling with a weeping tone to elicit sympathy, before heartlessly rattling off a menu of dishes.

“Can’t you see I’m serving customers? Both of you get lost.” Seeing the two beggars, Su Yunjin didn’t give them a kind look.

Was this a cockroach nest that Ling Xi had stumbled into? Why was she everywhere?

Qiao Bo’er’s grip tightened on the wooden banister, a strange surge of irritation showing in her eyes, her delicate, well-manicured nails digging deep marks into the wood.

Compared to getting a big slap, what was with that lazy cat hugging and cuddling with another woman? It was truly upsetting and an eyesore.

Qiao Bo’er’s initially relaxed expression suddenly turned cold. She silently turned and walked up to the second floor, preferring to be out of sight and out of mind, lest it ruin her leisure time.

Su Yunjin walked into the bar to prepare the coffee beans. Before Xiao Mo could speak, she quickly began talking about the events of the afternoon.

“Xiao Mo, it’s not me saying this, but you know what CPU configuration Ling Xi’s brain is, right? Letting her handle the negotiation is equivalent to adding an enemy buff to yourself! You should have contacted me immediately. Now what? The compensation talks collapsed, and you were even publicly kissed. You’ve been thoroughly taken advantage of.”

“I figured the cafe was busy, so I didn’t want you to make an extra trip,” Xiao Mo stammered. Su Yunjin rolled her eyes: “Well, is the problem solved now? Two troublemakers, incapable of success and only good at screwing things up.”

As soon as Ling Xi saw the soft sofa, she felt her bones turn to jelly. She quickly lay down and didn’t join the conversation.

Staring blankly at the ceiling, she raised a hand to rub her lips. That soft sensation was subtle, and her mind was filled with Qiao Bo’er’s distinct contours and those mesmerizing eyes.

What kind of gem were those pale amber eyes? She couldn’t find a magnificent match for them at the moment.

How strange. Why am I thinking about that crazy woman? Isn’t there enough trouble already?

To clearly hear the conversation downstairs, Qiao Bo’er chose a seat next to the wooden railing.

Chu Xi looked down and chuckled, summarizing: “One is sharp and capable, one is honest and simple, and the other… looks like a salted fish. The three archaeology oddballs are indeed odd… But speaking of which, it’s a wonderful coincidence that we run into them everywhere.”

Like a salted fish? A very apt description.

Qiao Bo’er lowered her eyes, coldly staring at Ling Xi, and couldn’t help but sneer: “I’ve lived this long, and it’s the first time I’ve been slapped by a salted fish. Don’t you think that’s strange?”

“So she was the one who did it. No wonder you had an impromptu meeting at Rongzhi. It’s very much in line with your style of action.”

Qiao Bo’er stopped talking and leisurely picked up the napkin from the table. Her slender fingers were as nimble as a magician, skillfully folding the napkin into a full, blooming rose.

She took out lipstick from her clutch, intending to gradually color the petals. But she glanced at the lazy cat downstairs and abandoned the romantic notion.

She held up the paper rose to admire it, occasionally adjusting the angle of the petals, focusing on the small details until the rose was lifelike.

Qiao Bo’er’s eyes slightly curved, expressing satisfaction with her masterpiece, or perhaps the flower concealed a hint of secret joy from the unexpected encounter.

Her personality was twisted, and she could never speak genuine feelings.

Feigning annoyance at having her mood spoiled, she simply stood up and left directly: “Let’s go.”

Accustomed to her boss’s unpredictable moods, Chu Xi also stood up: “Not having coffee?”

“I’m hungry. Find a place for dinner.”

“Understood, I’ll make the arrangements now.”

Xiao Mo was still discussing the compensation plan with Su Yunjin.

Qiao Bo’er quietly walked next to Ling Xi, throwing the paper rose onto her chest, mockingly saying, “With this posture, and a white rose on your chest, you’d look particularly suitable lying in a coffin.”

A familiar, refreshing scent of perfume hit her, accompanied by sharp words. Ling Xi opened her eyes, and the haunting face suddenly appeared.

Staring up at Qiao Bo’er’s eyes, she was momentarily stunned. The crazy woman was indeed incredibly beautiful.

A string of nonsensical character codes popped into Ling Xi’s mind:

A vampire, whose beauty was enhanced by a Western deity’s photo-editing app, had his beloved hand-held glasses crushed. Annoyed, he kissed someone randomly, then got slapped.

Oops, her CPU configuration didn’t seem to be very good.

By the time she scrambled up to sit, the crazy woman was gone with the sound of the wind chime.

Chu Xi followed behind to pay the bill.

Before leaving, she deliberately leaned close to Ling Xi, examining her carefully, her eyes curving in a smile as she teased: “You’re the first person to dare to hit CEO Qiao. You’re really something.”

The sudden scene caused Su Yunjin and Xiao Mo to exchange confused glances.

Ling Xi looked at the two of them, utterly bewildered, and pointed a finger vaguely towards the door: “Did… did I just see a ghost?”

Xiao Mo affirmed: “Yes, you saw a ghost.”

“What did that crazy woman say about me?”

Su Yunjin handed the complimentary coffee to Xiao Mo and added with a laugh: “She said you look like a dead person lying down, and wished you an early death.”

Whenever she encountered Qiao Bo’er, Ling Xi seemed to inject herself with a pound of adrenaline and became a different person.

She sprang up like a fish and rushed out the door. However, Qiao Bo’er and Chu Xi were long gone. She cursed loudly at the empty alley: “You’re the one who belongs in a coffin! Hey, long legs!”

Returning resentfully to the bar, Ling Xi cupped the other coffee in her hands, took a sip, and the blend of milky sweetness and bitterness washed over her tongue, giving her a refreshing jolt.

Su Yunjin teased: “An interview with the person concerned: What’s it like to be forcefully kissed by such a beautiful woman? It seems you didn’t lose out.”

“Hiss… are we not going to let this go?” Ling Xi complained, putting down the cup. Su Yunjin made her even more exasperated: “Stop whining. That cup of coffee was paid for by her.”

“Let’s set aside the compensation for now and talk about something serious.” Xiao Mo intervened just in time, pulling out a document from his backpack to explain the situation: “This was sent to me by Boss Xiang of Qizhenge last night. Take a look first.”

Taking the file, Ling Xi fumbled with it and lay back down on the sofa, her laziness incurable.

Su Yunjin, however, read intently. Xiao Mo pointed to the content and explained: “Boss Xiang received two treasures and is a bit indecisive, so he decided to package them both for us to appraise and auction—a one-stop service. I agreed on a 5% service fee with him. What do you two think?”

Flipping through the documents carelessly, Ling Xi clicked her tongue: “An ancient bronze vessel and a phoenix coronet. Couldn’t he have gotten some genuine calligraphy or paintings for me to mess with? It’s clearly leaving me out of the action. You two take this job. I’ll focus on the compensation issue.”

Support