Pats Little Shrike's Tail - Chapter 33 

Chapter 33

Ji Lingyao’s cup of lemonade rested on the glass surface of the wrought-iron table, silently accumulating condensed water droplets on half its wall, which finally slowly converged into a straight line.

And dripped down.

It was a long time after the person had left that Shen Qingyi realized Shan Ling was still sitting beside her. She looked at the person holding the Peach Blossom Tea and drinking it, saying helplessly, “I’m sorry, besides this coffee shop job, I actually spend my spare time collecting some second-hand books.”

“Ah, I know.” Shan Ling’s mouth was full of sweetness, and she looked at Shen Qingyi with a smile. “That Miss Ji just mentioned it.”

Shen Qingyi felt that Shan Ling might not fully understand her side business, so she explained to her, “Actually, you can think of a second-hand book dealer as simply a book collector, except that we collect books that are relatively meaningful or valuable rare editions, and then either collect them ourselves or sell them at a markup.”

Shan Ling looked at her curiously. “Is your job reading books?”

Shen Qingyi chuckled softly. “It’s not that literary. Besides selling books on some second-hand book trading forums, I also take on book repair jobs.”

Shan Ling blinked.

“If you are curious, I have some of my books and tools in the partition on the second floor. Would you like to see?” Shen Qingyi invited, asking, “It’s quite interesting.”

“Okay.” Shan Ling held her teacup and said to Shen Qingyi, “Take me to see after you finish your work. There are so many customers in the shop right now. Aren’t you going to help out?”

Shen Qingyi looked back at the inside of the shop and then remembered that the shop was still very busy. She could only get up, slightly tilting her head to say to Shan Ling, “Sorry, I’ll go help out first. What do you want for lunch?”

“Haven’t decided yet.”

“Then sit here for a while.” Shen Qingyi pointed to the scenery opposite, and said gently, “This balcony has the best view. I’ll bring you some refreshments later.”

Shan Ling nodded, and Shen Qingyi went to work.

Close to 12 o’clock, Shen Qingyi closed the glass door and hung up the “Temporarily Closed” sign.

“Manager, you are…?” Nuonuo looked at Shen Qingyi, wondering, “No business in the afternoon?”

“No more.” Shen Qingyi untied her apron and said to Nuonuo, “It’s been too busy this week. I’m giving you half a day off in advance.”

Nuonuo’s eyes instantly lit up. She jumped up happily and said, “Really? Manager, you’re giving me half a day off?”

Shen Qingyi nodded. “I’ll adjust the prices over the next few days and plan to hire another person. You can’t handle it all alone.”

“If we raise prices, customers will definitely decrease. If the customer flow remains as it was, I can handle it alone.” Nuonuo thought seriously, comparing the salary of a new employee with the daily profit of the coffee shop, and came to a conclusion.

“Manager, you should still hire someone,” Nuonuo said very seriously. “If you hire someone, you don’t have to raise prices. Our coffee is already more expensive than others. If we raise prices and hire an employee, wouldn’t our shop revert to its former precarious state? Hiring someone is more cost-effective.”

Shen Qingyi looked at Nuonuo amusedly, feeling that this girl was even more worried about the coffee shop closing down than she was.

“You’re going to hire someone?” Shan Ling was leaning over the corner of the second floor, peering down.

“Yes.” Nuonuo looked up at Shan Ling. She had been frantically making coffee just now and only now realized that Shen Qingyi had brought back the girl who had approached her earlier. Her eyes instantly narrowed into dots. She glanced at her boss, then nudged her with her elbow, smiling playfully. “Manager, you’re so fast~”

Shan Ling: ?

Shen Qingyi lightly cleared her throat, glared at Nuonuo, and said to her, “I’m treating both of you to lunch. Tidy up, and let’s go.”

“Wow, Manager, not only are you giving me half a day off, but you’re also treating me to a meal!” Nuonuo shouted as she took off her apron and ran to the changing room. “You really are the best boss I’ve ever met!!!”

Shen Qingyi looked helplessly at Nuonuo’s retreating back, then looked up at Shan Ling, who was looking down at her. Suddenly, she felt that the sunlight spilling in from outside, the faint aroma of coffee in the shop, and the violin music playing from the speakers were perfectly harmonized at this moment.

Perfect timing, perfect person.

At this moment, they formed the shape of happiness.

The lunch was decided at a grilled fish restaurant, chosen by Nuonuo, who claimed their grilled fish was especially delicious.

“That grilled fish sauce is good even on a slipper!”—That was Nuonuo’s original quote, which made Shen Qingyi very curious about how good the grilled fish that was delicious even on a slipper could be.

Once they arrived at the restaurant, Nuonuo skillfully ordered the meal. Shan Ling was like a curious little sparrow, looking around, seemingly finding everything new.

“Xiao Ling, Xiao Ling.” Nuonuo quickly got acquainted with Shan Ling. Holding her phone, she said, “Have you seen this? It’s a popular internet-famous shop next to this restaurant. Their desserts are exceptionally delicious, especially this milk bei (a type of creamy treat). Eating a whole box won’t make you sick of it!”

Shan Ling also leaned in to look, asking curiously, “Are they all sweet?”

“They are all sweet,” Nuonuo smiled. “Xiao Ling, you don’t eat spicy food, do you?”

“No, I eat spicy food,” Shan Ling said. “I don’t like bitter things very much.”

“Then have you had the coffee at our shop?”

“Yes, it’s too bitter.”

“What about with sugar?”

“It’s still bitter with sugar.”

Nuonuo widened her eyes. “No wonder the manager started researching tea drinks recently. So that’s why.”

Shan Ling was a bit confused and tilted her head. “What?”

“Nothing, nothing.” Nuonuo glanced at Shen Qingyi, who was quietly drinking tea across the table, then quickly laughed heartily and pressed her head against Shan Ling’s again. “I’m ordering this milk bei now. Xiao Ling, see if you want anything else. Their milk tea is also delicious.”

After the two finished discussing the desserts they wanted, Nuonuo finally looked up at Shen Qingyi. “What do you want, Manager? Take a look.”

“No need.” Shen Qingyi stopped Nuonuo from handing her the phone. She looked at the waiter bringing the fish and said to them, “You two eat. I don’t particularly like sweets.”

Nuonuo blinked, looking back and forth between the two of them.

One didn’t like bitter, and the other didn’t like sweet. How were these two going to date???

“Well… I’ll go get the desserts first. You two can start eating.” Nuonuo took her phone and left, giving the two some private space.

Without the chatterbox Nuonuo, the atmosphere between Shen Qingyi and Shan Ling became a bit ambiguous.

Shen Qingyi smelled the rich aroma of the grilled fish in front of her and said to Shan Ling, “I wonder if it’s as delicious as Nuonuo says.”

“It should be delicious,” Shan Ling chuckled. “I feel like Nuonuo is amazing. She seems to know everything.”

Shen Qingyi smiled. “She’s only interested in food. Plus, she likes scrolling through some strange apps, so she knows a lot.”

Shan Ling nodded upon hearing this. She didn’t know about any apps, nor did she have much money to wander around and eat everywhere. Even the phone she lost was one Shan Ling had bought in the town. Whenever Shan Ling saw Xu Wentao and the others playing with their phones, she felt out of place without one.

The two chatted sporadically for a bit, and then Nuonuo returned, carrying a large bag of things.

“That much?” Shen Qingyi frowned slightly, saying to Nuonuo, “Can you eat all that?”

“If we can’t finish it, we’ll leave some for Xiao Ling to take back.” Nuonuo said thoughtfully to Shan Ling, “You don’t come here often, do you? This shop only has a branch here; there are none in other malls. I saw you working in that mall last time. It’s not easy for you to come all the way here. We’ll eat some of these first, and you can take the rest home.”

Nuonuo spoke very naturally. Shan Ling paused slightly, then quickly reacted. “No, no. I, I can’t accept these pastries from you.”

“What are you afraid of? I won’t eat you.” Nuonuo smiled. “If you finish them and want more, call the manager and ask her to bring you to buy more.”

Only then did Shen Qingyi realize that this little girl, Nuonuo, was trying to set her up.

If Shan Ling liked the food, Shen Qingyi would have a reason to bring her over to buy it often. Naturally, they would get closer with repeated visits.

Shen Qingyi looked up at Nuonuo and said amusedly, “You have so many ideas.”

Nuonuo smiled happily. Her boss, Shen Qingyi, was so good to her, so she had to fan the flames of her boss’s love life. This bag of sweets was only a few dozen kuai, but if Shen Qingyi and Shan Ling got together, she might get a raise!

Even if they didn’t get together, Shen Qingyi would definitely remember her kindness. Whether they succeeded or not, she wouldn’t lose out.

Nuonuo’s calculations were loud and clear.

“Alright, let’s eat first,” Shen Qingyi said calmly. She looked at Shan Ling and then said, “If you like to eat them, I can bring you over to buy them in the future.”

Nuonuo instantly gave her a thumbs-up under the table.

Shan Ling probably didn’t realize that these two were setting her up. She said with some difficulty, “That would be too much trouble…”

“It’s no trouble, Xiao Ling. My boss is usually very free,” Nuonuo said to Shan Ling. “It’s just that recently we might have become an internet-famous shop, so there are a lot of people. It will be fine once we hire someone.”

“Two people are indeed too busy. Hiring one person is better.”

“Hehe,” Nuonuo smiled. “Xiao Ling, would you like to… Ow~”

Shen Qingyi kicked her lightly, looking at her coldly. “Eat.”

“Oh.” Nuonuo scratched her head, also thinking that it was inappropriate to recruit someone to work in the shop right after meeting them. It was better to eat first for now.

After lunch, Nuonuo stuffed several unopened boxes of pastries into Shan Ling and even asked for her WeChat.

“I don’t have a phone,” Shan Ling said very plainly. “I lost my phone last month, and I haven’t been paid yet, so I haven’t bought one.”

“Ah?” Nuonuo said in surprise. “How can a modern person not have a phone? How do you pay? How do you take the subway? How do you contact people?”

“I don’t have many friends in this city. I only know Yiyi,” Shan Ling quietly glanced at Shen Qingyi, finding that she was also looking at her. She quickly turned her head back to Nuonuo and smiled. “And now I have one more.”

Nuonuo’s face flushed. She really didn’t expect Shan Ling to speak so sincerely, making her feel a bit awkward.

“I see…” Nuonuo looked at Shen Qingyi, then leaned in and smiled. “It’s so inconvenient without a phone. Let our dear manager help you pick one out. That way, it’ll be easier to contact you in the future~”

Shan Ling shook her head. “Phones are very expensive. I’ll get paid soon, and then I can buy one.”

“Then what will you do during this time?” Shen Qingyi’s black pupils stared at her. She said softly, “You’ll have to buy one sooner or later anyway. Consider it… me lending you the money.”

Support