Pats Little Shrike's Tail - Chapter 112

Chapter 112

Although Shan Ling had been discharged from the hospital, the wound on her foot hadn’t healed much. She had to visit the hospital two more times during this period, and it was nearly half a month later before the doctor confirmed that she no longer needed frequent hospital visits.

During this time, Nuonuo also came to visit Shan Ling. This time, Shen Qingyi didn’t hide anything. She brought Nuonuo directly to her home and disclosed their relationship.

“That fast?” Nuonuo was extremely surprised.

She hadn’t expected her boss to be quiet until suddenly making such a shocking announcement.

Nuonuo had originally thought that if the two were having trouble getting together, she could help, but she never thought they would manage it without her intervention.

However, after everything they had been through, if they still needed Nuonuo’s help, then their relationship probably would have remained strictly friendship.

Besides visiting Shan Ling, Nuonuo’s other purpose today was related to the construction team that had contacted her a few days ago. Shen Qingyi had assigned Nuonuo to be the site supervisor, requiring her to inspect the shop twice a day until construction began.

The construction team didn’t really need Nuonuo to supervise; they had specialized design and construction teams. Nuonuo’s primary task was to set up a temporary stall nearby to sell the shop’s coffee.

“I’ve contacted the manufacturer and confirmed that all the stock will be delivered this week,” Nuonuo said to Shen Qingyi, holding a warm cup of tea. “It’s just the pricing; I’m not sure what the boss has in mind.”

Previously, the freshly ground coffee in their shop cost one to two hundred per cup. Now that it was instant coffee, it couldn’t be that expensive.

Instant coffee priced at ten or twenty on the market was everywhere. The shop’s advantage was originally its delicious coffee, serene environment, and location near Central Park, making it a scenic spot. They were selling a certain bourgeois ambiance.

Now that the shop had burned down and the coffee wasn’t freshly ground, the price couldn’t remain as high as before.

But if the price was too low, the shop might lose customers later on, as everyone would just buy the instant coffee.

Shen Qingyi thought about it. Pricing was indeed an issue, and it wasn’t something she could unilaterally decide. The instant coffee idea was purely an experiment initially, mostly used for giving away, and she hadn’t expected it to become the main sales method now.

“I’ll consult with others about this. Since we have time now, let’s go check on the shop. I have an appointment with the design team right now,” Shen Qingyi glanced at Shan Ling and Nuonuo and smiled softly: “If either of you has any design ideas, you can bring them up. Since we have to completely gut and rebuild, we might as well make it something you like.”

While the previous coffee shop was fine, it was inherited from the previous owner, and some parts weren’t simple and modern enough, maintaining a retro style. So this time, Shen Qingyi wanted to try something different.

“We… is it appropriate for me, just an employee, to participate in the shop’s design?” Nuonuo originally meant to include Shan Ling, but realizing that the other two were a couple and she was the only employee left, she quickly corrected herself.

“Besides satisfying the customers, the renovation needs to satisfy you too,” Shen Qingyi said. “Your workplace should be comfortable. Didn’t you mention before that the back kitchen was too cramped, and the changing room and storage were all crammed together, making it very inconvenient?”

“I just said it in passing,” Nuonuo laughed awkwardly. “Actually, I got used to the previous layout.”

Shen Qingyi glanced at Nuonuo, then turned to Shan Ling, and asked in a low voice, “What do you think, Xiaoling?”

Nuonuo also looked at her little boss’s partner, hoping to hear her opinion.

“Huh?” Shan Ling, who was out of it, was startled. She blinked and said, “I don’t understand, and I’m just the cashier and order-taker. I don’t care much about the kitchen and front hall layout.”

Shan Ling was very candid with this statement. She was naturally laid-back and could work even in the messy amusement park before. Now that she was working in a clean and tidy coffee shop, she genuinely had no complaints.

“It’s just a shame about all that furniture,” Shan Ling said regretfully. “It was all solid wood and genuine leather. That must have cost a lot of money.”

Even though those things weren’t hers, Shan Ling still felt pain: “The renovation will cost a lot of money too, won’t it?”

At this, the other two also fell silent.

Nuonuo was silent because she didn’t know how much the renovation would cost. Shen Qingyi was silent because she hadn’t yet inquired about the exact cost.

“Song Qinglan gave us some compensation before,” Shen Qingyi reminded Shan Ling and said to her, “Combined with the money saved from the business before, the renovation shouldn’t be a problem.”

Nuonuo was curious: “Song Qinglan? How much did she give you?”

Shen Qingyi said, “Five hundred thousand.”

Nuonuo: “Wow, that much? As expected of a big celebrity, she’s rich.”

Shen Qingyi nodded and explained, “The sasaeng fan has been sentenced. The legal team told me that, barring any surprises, he will be sentenced to 14 to 15 years.”

“How many 15 years does a person have in their life,” Nuonuo blew on her tea and lamented, “It’s better to pursue celebrity crushes rationally.”

Nuonuo found burning down someone else’s shop just to get attention from a celebrity utterly incomprehensible. Fortunately, she wasn’t a celebrity fan.

After chatting for a long time, the three finally got up to leave.

Shen Qingyi originally didn’t intend to bring Shan Ling, but Shan Ling looked at her with such yearning eyes, like a small abandoned animal, that Nuonuo couldn’t bear it and negotiated with Shen Qingyi.

“Boss, if Xiaoling wants to come, let her come with us,” Nuonuo hugged Shan Ling, wrapping her arm around her waist, and said, “It’s been half a month. Xiaoling must be recovered by now, right?”

Shan Ling quickly nodded, looking up at Shen Qingyi: “The doctor said it’s fine, and he also told me to move around more.”

“Alright then,” Shen Qingyi thought for a moment and said to the two, “Don’t move around too much at the shop later. It hasn’t been cleaned yet and is full of dust. You can’t get too close.”

“Okay~”

Shen Qingyi eyed Shan Ling, feeling uneasy because she agreed so quickly.

The three went downstairs together. Shan Ling no longer needed assistance, and walking wasn’t particularly painful, although the newly grown granulation tissue was very delicate and covered with a layer of dead skin, which looked a little scary.

Fortunately, it was still winter, and no one could see the injury since Shan Ling was dressed warmly.

Driving toward the shop’s direction, since it wasn’t rush hour, the traffic wasn’t bad. They reached Central Park after passing a few traffic lights.

Finding the parking space closest to the shop, Shen Qingyi parked the car, then looked at the surrounding area, which was fully packed with cars. She couldn’t help but complain: “It hasn’t been closed for long, and the parking spaces near the entrance are almost full.”

Shan Ling also looked back at the packed cars nearby. The area in front of the coffee shop used to be a large open space. On nice days, they would set up parasols and a few tables outside.

Sunbathing and drinking coffee there must have been a happy experience.

However, because of the fire, the coffee shop had been closed for over half a month. Some people were parking their cars here. Presumably, fewer people would park here once the renovation began.

Shen Qingyi led Shan Ling into the dilapidated coffee shop. Three people were already inside—the design team Shen Qingyi had hired. They would also be responsible for the construction. After Shen Qingyi finalized the design, she wouldn’t need to worry about it, only needing to pay on time.

“Hello, Miss Shen,” the person in charge greeted Shen Qingyi as she entered, then introduced the two designers beside him.

“These two are our designers. They will be responsible for the shop’s design. We can discuss the specifics in detail once the first draft of the design is ready,” the person in charge said with a smile to Shen Qingyi: “I wonder what style preferences Miss Shen has?”

Shen Qingyi looked around, then pointed to the large wall next to the stairs, saying, “I want a bookshelf that extends to the ceiling on this wall. Guests can pick books they want to read. The style should be as simple as possible. The back kitchen should be expanded, and we need a staff break room and storage area.”

After briefly stating her requirements, Shen Qingyi looked at Nuonuo: “What do you need?”

“I want a back kitchen that can fit two dishwashing stations, and the floor should be waterproof and non-slip,” Nuonuo thought for a moment and said, “That’s about it. I’ll give you a detailed list later.”

Seeing Nuonuo’s motivated demeanor, Shen Qingyi couldn’t help but look at Shan Ling, who was standing further back.

Shan Ling was looking up at the coffee shop, which was completely unrecognizable after the fire.

Unlike Shen Qingyi and Nuonuo, this was the first time she saw the aftermath of the fire. The thought of how much the fire had destroyed made Shan Ling feel a lump in her throat.

“What’s wrong?” Shen Qingyi walked out from the wreckage, glanced at where Shan Ling was looking, and said, “The second floor wasn’t burned too badly. After a fresh coat of paint, it should be able to maintain its original appearance. The first floor will require more effort.”

“…The reconstruction must be very troublesome, right?” Shan Ling asked dazedly. “It was completely different just half a month ago.”

“Life is full of accidents,” Shen Qingyi reached out, stood beside Shan Ling, and intertwined her fingers with hers.

The midday sun shone warmly on the two of them. Although they were facing a burnt ruin, in just a few months, it could be revitalized and reopen.

Shen Qingyi watched Nuonuo and the designers enter the back kitchen, likely to discuss how to expand the kitchen and break room. She then looked at Shan Ling and said, “Actually, we are very lucky. You only suffered a minor injury, and everything else can still be salvaged.”

This accident truly made Shen Qingyi realize that no one knows whether tomorrow or an accident will come first.

Therefore, cherishing the present and the person in front of her was the most important thing to Shen Qingyi.

If it weren’t for this accident, Shen Qingyi wouldn’t know how many more detours she would have to take before she spoke out, and she wouldn’t know how much longer Shan Ling would have hidden the fact that she was the little mountain sparrow.

In the scheme of things, Shen Qingyi felt that everything was destined.

She held Shan Ling’s hand, looking at the dusty shopfront, and said, “Shall we take Nuonuo out for a nice meal later? Last time we talked about having a staff meal after work, but she couldn’t decide what to eat. Maybe you can think of something.”

Shan Ling tilted her head and looked at her, her eyes sparkling, and said, “Anything is fine?”

“Of course,” Shen Qingyi said, “But we need to find a clean place, and you still have dietary restrictions—no lamb, no seafood, and no spicy food.”

“Then what can I eat?” Shan Ling wrinkled her little nose upon hearing this, thought for a moment, and said, “How about we go to the night market? Walking and eating there would be so much fun.”

Shen Qingyi also thought about it, pondered for a moment, and then leaned in to whisper in Shan Ling’s ear, “No.”

Shan Ling: “…”

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