Give Her a Chance to Flirt! - Chapter 11

Chapter 11

“CEO Yu, we have arrived.”

The all-black Cullinan pulled into a parking space and came to a smooth stop. Assistant Yu provided a soft reminder.

Yu Yihan hummed in response, handed the report back to her assistant, and relaxed her expression. “Marketing Team Two did well this time. Have Minister Wen raise the bonuses. Follow up with the subsequent plans and actively engage with Cha Qing.”

The driver sensibly opened the door, and Yu Yihan stepped out with her bag.

Assistant Yu followed. Seeing her boss was in a good mood, she smiled and said, “Mr. Ruan and Miss Ruan are your friends, so there’s naturally nothing to worry about regarding the Cha Qing side.”

“Furthermore, Cha Qing has reached a new level because of your decisions. Even my little niece, who just grew her first teeth, wanted a taste of their new dishes after seeing the trending searches.”

A faint smile hung on Yu Yihan’s lips. She hummed and asked, “What time is it?”

“2:47. You are scheduled to meet Mr. Yao at 3:00, and Miss Lin is at 3:30.”

Yu Yihan nodded. Unsurprisingly, Ruan Meng was also at Cha Qing. Additionally, Yu Yihan had invited another old friend. On one hand, it was to catch up; on the other, Yao Wei was also a Longjing enthusiast, and she wanted to introduce the two.

Recalling the taste of the Longjing brewed by Lin Jiu’s hands, the scent of orchid seemed to linger at the tip of her tongue. A phantom sweetness bloomed in Yu Yihan’s mouth, causing a smile to surface in her eyes.

Assistant Yu observed her and clicked her tongue inwardly. It seemed CEO Yu was in an exceptionally good mood today. Even when the marketing department’s performance was at its peak in the past, CEO Yu hadn’t looked this delighted. Strange.

Assistant Yu led the way. As the top shopping mall in Nancheng’s business district, it was equipped with a VIP passage. However, a “Under Maintenance” sign was placed there today. The mall staff apologetically explained that it was unusable.

This was the first time in Yu Yihan’s life she had encountered all three elevators in a VIP passage breaking down simultaneously. She suppressed a surprised arch of her brow and followed the staff to the glass observation elevators inside the mall.

Quite a few people seemed to recognize Yu Yihan, causing a stir in the crowd. It was as if her arrival brought an endless stream of whispers and small gasps to the originally quiet mall. For the moment, no one approached her.

The mall staff breathed a sigh of relief, but before they could fully relax, a figure rushed forward to block their path. The person was a young girl with a pure face that easily inspired goodwill. The mall staff, usually annoyed by such sightless behavior, softened their tone upon seeing her face: “Miss, please step aside.”

The girl, however, looked directly at Yu Yihan, her eyes sparkling. “You are Yu Yihan, right? I like you so much, I’ve always liked you.”

Her face flushed with excitement. “By the way, we met at the opening ceremony. I am Lin Momo, and my father is Lin Yuan. I heard I accidentally fainted in your arms that day. I’m truly sorry, and also, thank you.”

The crowd slowly gathered around. Those standing close enough to hear Lin Momo’s words instantly looked like melons-eating onlookers who had stumbled upon a juicy secret.

Yu Yihan’s brow furrowed for a fleeting moment before smoothing out. She said politely, “Miss Lin, is it? Hello. Among the daughters of the Lin family I know, your name is not included. As for your story, I have not heard it from the Lin family and have no way to verify it.”

“Furthermore, I do not know where you heard this, but I had no interaction with you on the day you fainted.”

“How could that be?” Lin Momo gasped, covering her mouth and standing frozen in place.

Displeasure rose in Yu Yihan’s heart. Lin Momo’s intentions were written all over her face, making her feel uncomfortable. Whether or not she mentioned the event on purpose didn’t matter to Yu Yihan; she only knew this woman was bringing her trouble, so she clarified the matter directly and bluntly.

She wasn’t lying. When Lin Momo fainted that day, she was indeed close, and based on years of etiquette training, she should have reached out to help. But at that moment, Lin Momo’s collapse caught the tablecloth. Lin Jiu’s phone, left on the table, was about to fall, and the wine glass she had used was wobbling.

It happened in a split second. Yu Yihan had no time to think and instinctively leaned down, one hand stopping the glass from tipping onto the phone while the other grabbed the phone. Lin Momo’s head hit the table, which broke her fall, and then Assistant Yu supported her before handing her over to Lin Yuan. Whether it was because observers were too far away or someone was intentionally spreading rumors, the story had morphed into this version.

At this moment, Yu Yihan had zero goodwill toward Lin Momo. Even if she was indeed the result of Lin Yuan’s past romantic affairs, the status of a “Lin family daughter” wasn’t enough to make her pay attention.

However, for some reason, though she had been in a great mental state just moments ago, her mind grew foggy during these few minutes of brief conversation. It was as if hands were pouring lead into her head.

Her poor state made the girl in front of her look blurry. For a second or two, she even saw a glowing collar on Lin Momo’s neck, but it disappeared when she blinked. Yu Yihan sensed that Lin Momo brought nothing good, and if she stayed, the situation might spiral out of control.

She had no more patience or desire to talk. Feeling as though she were physically pulling her legs off the ground, Yu Yihan stepped aside and walked away quickly. The feeling of her body and will slipping out of control was too dangerous. Alarmed, she gave a low-voiced order to Assistant Yu: “Investigate this woman.”

“Yes!”

Behind her, Lin Momo stood in place, looking at a loss and very aggrieved, lowering her head. In a place where no one could see, her eyes flickered with uncertainty.

Didn’t they say this halo could make everyone love her? Why wasn’t it fully effective on Yu Yihan? Yu Yihan’s struggle earlier was obvious. Lin Momo bit her teeth and chased after her unwillingly.

Lin Jiu had a habit of leaving early and never stood people up. She left thirty minutes early but was stuck in traffic for a full forty-five minutes. On a weekday afternoon, the traffic was so exaggerated—had everyone come out to slack off?

Standing in the elevator, Lin Jiu checked the time on her phone screen and clicked it off. She was 10 minutes late for the appointment. She pursed her lips.

There were several girls in the elevator chirping away: “My afternoon tea at Cha Qing is number 45. I wonder if we can get a seat in an hour.” “Doubtful. Ever since they released those new dishes, people who can’t get a dinner reservation come for afternoon tea and don’t leave; they drink right through until dinner.” “I managed to eat there with a friend last time. The Lemon Black Tea Ribs are amazing! To be honest, I want to wait for a dinner slot today too…” “Oh no, I’m tempted too.”

The elevator stopped. Lin Jiu, who had a slight obsession with cleanliness and disliked physical contact with strangers, stayed at the back. Once the girls left, she walked quickly toward the meeting place: Cha Qing.

As a leader in the tea restaurant industry, Cha Qing’s storefront was consistently elegant and grand. Although this branch was in a mall, it spanned three floors and was designed like a traditional tea house. At the entrance, two rows of chairs for waiting customers were full, showing a thriving business.

As soon as Lin Jiu arrived, she was respectfully led inside by the waiting manager. The girls from the elevator were at the end of the line, one of them couldn’t even get a chair, and they watched with wide eyes as Lin Jiu entered the tea house.

“Isn’t that the sister who came up with us?” “Is she a VIP? I heard Cha Qing has permanent private rooms on the third floor, but we just can’t see them…”

At this time, the manager was observing Lin Jiu from the corner of his eye. It was hard to imagine that the one who modified the recipes and triggered the new “Cha Qing Black Tea Cuisine” craze was this young and beautiful Miss Lin. She looked like she should be pampered in a wealthy household or standing in the spotlight as a popular star, rather than being a cook.

Truly a descendant of the Lin family, the manager marveled. They reached the third-floor private room, and he opened the door: “The other guests are inside. Miss Lin, please.”

Lin Jiu thanked him. Her movements as she walked in were slow, as was her raising her head to greet them. She slowly lifted her head, and her “business smile” almost fell off in shock.

There were four people in the room. Yu Yihan, Ruan Meng, an unfamiliar woman, and the last one was—

“Lin Momo?”

“Why is Lin Momo here?” Lin Jiu immediately asked the system in her mind.

[She is the female lead; she has a predestined fate with Yu Yihan.] The system was leisurely. “That’s why I told you not to worry. Even if you crawled onto Yu Yihan to seduce her, with Lin Momo there, Yu Yihan wouldn’t spare you a single glance.”

“Should I try then?”

“…Be a human being!”

“Oh.”

Lin Jiu was just talking trash. She had said she would drop her feelings, so she truly wouldn’t do anything—not that she had done much before anyway. The little sprout of love hadn’t even had a chance to sway before the system yanked it out. Thinking about it, it was quite a pity.

Lin Jiu collected her emotions and sat down to join them. Yu Yihan introduced them, letting Lin Jiu figure out their relationships. The stranger was Yao Wei, a friend of Yu Yihan. When Yao Wei arrived at Cha Qing, she happened to run into Lin Momo, whom she had met at the Yuxia Tea Museum, and invited her in for tea. That was why Lin Momo was here.

Hearing the system’s words, Lin Jiu couldn’t help but focus her attention on Yu Yihan and Lin Momo. Yu Yihan previously hadn’t touched the matcha cake, but after Lin Momo praised it as delicious, she started eating it too. When Lin Momo accidentally broke a tea bowl, Yu Yihan was the first to call someone to clean up and handed over a soft cloth for Lin Momo to wipe her hands. These small gestures wouldn’t mean much with anyone else, but coming from Yu Yihan…

Ruan Meng leaned into Lin Jiu’s ear and whispered, “Is Old Yu interested in Lin Momo? She’s being so attentive.”

Lin Jiu held her cup, peaceful and detached, looking down. “Maybe.” “It’s weird. First meeting—love at first sight?” Lin Jiu smiled and focused on drinking her tea.

They were drinking tea brewed by Yao Wei. After a while, Yao Wei called out to taste Lin Jiu’s skill: “Yu Yihan praised you over and over. If I don’t get to taste it today, I’m not leaving.”

Lin Jiu’s movement paused. Yu Yihan praised her to a friend?

Drinking tea often involves exchanging tea arts. She was about to respond when Lin Momo’s voice cut in: “I also want to brew tea for everyone, is that okay?”

Though she said “everyone,” her watery eyes were fixed on Yu Yihan, her meaning clear. The room went quiet. Lin Momo acted as if everyone had consented, picked up the tea pitcher, and checked the temperature with the back of her hand. Generally, tea drinkers who aren’t sure of the temperature use a thermometer; only veteran tea drinkers intimately familiar with the equipment and water do it this way.

Seeing Lin Momo’s confident appearance, Lin Jiu rested her chin on her hand and watched her operations as she brewed five bowls of tea. Lin Jiu looked down and saw the tea liquid was yellowish and the tea buds were curled and couldn’t stand upright. Even before drinking it, she could already smell the bitterness in the air.

Her brow furrowed. The water was too hot; Lin Momo had no grasp of the temperature at all.

Lin Momo looked at Yu Yihan with an expectant face. “How is it?”

Lin Jiu looked over as well. Yu Yihan took a sip of the tea, put down the cup, and her cold voice almost sounded warm: “Very good.”

Beside her, Yao Wei and Ruan Meng hesitated to speak, their eyes on Yu Yihan filled with confusion.

Ruan Meng leaned in again: “Is this the power of love? The last time my tea looked like this was in the first year of junior high, and then Yu Yihan gave me 20 thermometers and didn’t talk to me for a week.”

After she finished, her gaze fell on Lin Jiu’s movements: “Are you preparing to brew tea?”

“Mm.” Ruan Meng whispered: “So soon? Won’t you give her some face? Although it’s hard to describe, she is your cousin after all.”

Lin Jiu said expressionlessly: “I want to rinse my mouth.” Ruan Meng stopped talking. After a while, she said very quietly: “Then hurry up, I can’t take it anymore either.”

Sensing the clear fragrance of the dry Longjing leaves, Lin Jiu suddenly wasn’t as angry. She calmly lifted the tea pitcher and brewed the Longjing. The dry leaves danced gracefully in the clear, appropriately tempered water.

Yes, for a moment just now, she had truly been angry. She could accept Yu Yihan being with someone else, but seeing Yu Yihan—who loved tea like life itself—disregard even the tea and lie through her teeth made Lin Jiu immediately look away.

The system spoke, its voice cautious. “Host, don’t be angry, this is just what the Protagonist Halo is like…”

“I think it’s an ‘IQ-lowering’ halo,” Lin Jiu said coldly.

She brewed five cups with lowered eyelids and picked one up herself, ignoring the others: “Please.”

Ruan Meng followed suit. Yao Wei said, “Let me taste,” and swapped her tea with a speed that could be called rapid. After a sip, Yao Wei looked at Lin Jiu with admiration and praised softly: “I have never tasted such beautiful Longjing. Aside from the high-quality leaves, Miss Lin, your skill is exceptional.”

Beside Yao Wei, a flash of malice crossed Lin Momo’s eyes. She looked at Lin Jiu. She had met Lin Jiu briefly and called her “Cousin” a couple of times, but because they didn’t live together, they weren’t familiar. What did Lin Jiu mean by brewing tea now? Slapping her face?

But unfortunately, she had a halo. Lin Momo’s hand inconspicuously touched the halo at her neck, her heart filled with pride and security. With the halo there, Yu Yihan would only see her. Previously in the mall, Yu Yihan had ignored her, but after being together for less than 10 minutes, hadn’t she been conquered?

The corners of Lin Momo’s mouth curled up high. Even if Lin Jiu brewed tea, would Yu Yihan drink it? Impossible; she only had eyes for her now.

Lin Momo cast a smug and disdainful glance at Lin Jiu, then turned to Yu Yihan and said softly, “You can accompany me later to pick—”

Clack!

The bottom of a teacup hit the table heavily, interrupting Lin Momo’s words. Her eyes grew wider and wider, her breathing quickened, and her fingernails dug into her palms, her knuckles turning white.

What was she seeing?

Yu Yihan had practically thrown her own tea away like a hot potato. Instead, she reached out with a long arm to grab Lin Jiu’s tea. The urgency and longing revealed in that posture, the straight tension in her ivory fingertips—it was as if the tea before her was the only salvation in a dark world.