Pats Little Shrike's Tail - Chapter 54

Chapter 54

On Shen Qingyi’s side, several express packages arrived, containing supplies for the coffee shop and two brand-new work uniforms.

The new aprons were printed with the coffee shop’s logo. The coffee-colored aprons and white shirts were custom-made to Shan Ling’s size, using excellent, thick, and durable fabric.

Nuonuo was confused when she unpacked the packages, thinking they were for her. Then she wondered why new ones were being bought when her own apron and shirt weren’t damaged.

After thinking it over, she realized that a new person was coming to the coffee shop!

Just then, Shen Qingyi pushed open the coffee shop door, bringing in the morning chill.

“Good morning, Boss,” Nuonuo tilted her head, holding up one of the coffee-colored aprons and swaying it from side to side. “Whose new uniform is this? Is it for our lovely Xiao Lingling?”

Shen Qingyi looked up, her expression visibly softening, and her tone became gentle: “If you think so, then it is.”

“Oh my god, Boss, did you really poach Shan Ling?” Nuonuo held the apron and exclaimed, “You are amazing! Do you think she might become our proprietress?”

Shen Qingyi took the uniform from her hand and glanced at her: “Don’t talk nonsense.”

Nuonuo smiled cheekily: “How is this nonsense? The way you look at Xiao Ling is obvious to everyone. I think it’s just you two who are too involved to notice. If you don’t believe me, just pull anyone off the street and ask if your gaze isn’t full of affection?”

Shen Qingyi ignored her, folded the new uniforms neatly, walked into the changing room, opened an unused locker, and put the items inside.

Nuonuo poked her head around the corner, asking curiously: “The clothes are here. Shouldn’t we let Xiao Ling come over and try them on?”

“No need to try them on. They are her size,” Shen Qingyi took off her scarf and coat, put on her work uniform, and said, “They’ll be too big rather than too small. No need for her to make an extra trip.”

“Alright,” Nuonuo said, a little disappointed. “Xiao Ling looks really good in our uniform. I think she’s genuinely adorable—cute personality and cute looks. She’s perfect for taking home as a wife.”

Shen Qingyi cut Nuonuo off before she could finish, glaring at her.

Nuonuo quickly shut her mouth.

“Is the shop out of orders so early in the morning?” Shen Qingyi looked at Nuonuo and said, “I’m going to water the plants. You’re responsible for wiping down the workstation in the back kitchen.”

Nuonuo mumbled, ‘Oh,’ and walked away dejectedly.

The Boss is nice, but her temper isn’t great, Nuonuo thought while wiping the workstation. Perhaps when Shan Ling arrives, she can slightly change the Boss’s temperament.

After all, the cold beauty look isn’t popular anymore!

Shen Qingyi wasn’t thinking about any of this. She filled the watering can and went out to water the potted plants outside.

Although these plants were managed by a specialized company, Shen Qingyi still watered them occasionally to prevent them from drying up.

It was strange. The potted plant Shen Qingyi had brought home before was originally wilting and lifeless. She was planning to throw them away when the balcony flowers completely withered, but unexpectedly, they had sprung back to life, which was truly amazing.

Just as Shen Qingyi was marveling at the vigorous life force of the plants, she felt her phone vibrate in her pocket.

She didn’t rush to check it. After watering all the coffee shop’s plants one by one, she took out her phone and saw a small envelope icon—a private message notification from a forum.

Forum, private message, notification?

Shen Qingyi seemed to recall something. She tapped the small envelope icon, which immediately jumped to the forum’s backend interface.

The mobile app was very basic, but thankfully, it was easy on the eyes. This forum, called “Vintage”, allowed for all kinds of second-hand transactions, even having various sections.

Some sections were for jewelry, some for bags, and the one Shen Qingyi frequented most was the second-hand books section.

She occasionally browsed for books and sold books there. The most recent post she made was about the book The Little Mermaid that Ji Lingyao had asked her to find.

People who “bumped” a post usually didn’t get this kind of private message notification. This must be someone reaching out to Shen Qingyi through the forum.

Looking at the message from the stranger, since they weren’t friends, there was only one message. To continue the conversation, Shen Qingyi needed to reply at least once.

She held the phone with both hands and quickly typed this sentence on the keyboard: “If it really is the book I’m looking for, what price are you planning to sell it for?”

Approaching December, the favorite time for e-commerce companies’ year-end sales, everywhere was filled with joy and excitement.

Shan Ling had one week left at the amusement park. On December 1st, she would officially move out of the dorm.

Originally, Shan Ling planned to have a good meal with Xu Wentao and An Xin before leaving, scheduled after 10 PM when they finished work. After all, they were all night owls who weren’t tired until one or two in the morning.

But a piece of news surprised Shan Ling: An Xin was hospitalized with acute gastroenteritis and was vomiting blood.

The last time Shan Ling saw An Xin, she already felt she wasn’t well and urged her to see a doctor. Less than two weeks later, she heard the news that An Xin was hospitalized after vomiting blood.

Vomiting blood—that sounded life-threatening!

Xu Wentao was also very worried about An Xin’s condition. She and Shan Ling took time off and planned to visit her at the hospital.

After finding out which hospital An Xin was in, the two went over with flowers and fruit.

An Xin was lying in bed and was quite surprised to see them.

“Why did you two come?” An Xin accepted the flowers from Shan Ling and had Xu Wentao place the fruit basket on a nearby table.

“We heard you were hospitalized, Sister An Xin, so we came to see you,” Xu Wentao pulled up two chairs. She and Shan Ling sat on either side of the hospital bed, looking at An Xin’s pale face. “How serious is it? I heard you were vomiting blood?”

An Xin looked a bit embarrassed, holding the flowers and saying helplessly, “Actually… I’ve been too tired lately, not eating on time, and sometimes not sleeping well. It all combined to cause gastritis. The vomiting blood looked serious, but the bleeding stopped that same day.”

“Is that true?” Shan Ling looked at her worriedly: “I was terrified when I heard the news.”

An Xin smiled: “It’s nothing, just minor issues. Yaoyao insisted I stay in the hospital for observation, so I stayed.”

“Staying in the hospital is the right thing to do,” Xu Wentao leaned closer and whispered, “She made you so angry you vomited blood. You should make her care about you more, right?”

Shan Ling nodded seriously in agreement.

An Xin gave a helpless wry smile and spoke favorably of Ji Lingyao.

Just as the three were chatting away, they heard the sound of the door opening. The three turned around and saw Ji Lingyao standing at the door, with Shen Qingyi beside her.

“Yiyi?” Shan Ling looked at her in surprise: “Why are you here?”

Shen Qingyi was also a little surprised to see Shan Ling there. She walked over and said, “I have something to discuss with Ji Lingyao.”

Shan Ling quietly stood on her toes and asked, “What do you need to talk to her about? Why did you come all the way to the hospital? I was worried that something was wrong with your health.”

Shen Qingyi was deeply touched by Shan Ling’s rare concern. She quietly wrapped her arm around Shan Ling’s waist, leaned in, and whispered in her ear: “Do you remember the book Ji Lingyao asked me to help her find?”

Shan Ling’s eyes lit up. She looked up at her: “You found it?”

“It was just mailed over this morning. I wasn’t sure if it was the book she was looking for, so I came to find her,” Shen Qingyi said. “She told me she was at the hospital, so I drove over.”

Shan Ling was very happy. Ji Lingyao had been looking for that book for a long time. If Shen Qingyi could genuinely help her find it this time, that would be a wonderful thing.

If, like the Miss Chen incident, she could receive a share of the karma again, Shan Ling would be jumping for joy!

“What are you two whispering about together?” Xu Wentao interrupted their private conversation, leaning closer and saying, “What book? What are you talking about?”

“Nothing, nothing,” Shan Ling quickly told Xu Wentao: “Just talking about something else.”

Xu Wentao had a “you’re keeping secrets” expression, but she didn’t pursue it. She just turned to look at Shen Qingyi and said, “Miss Shen, our Xiao Ling is going to work at your shop now, so can I get free coffee?”

Shan Ling was momentarily stunned, but Shen Qingyi immediately said, “Of course, you can.”

It’s just a cup of coffee. Drinking a few more is no problem.

Shen Qingyi looked at Shan Ling and said with a slight smile, “I’ll come pick you up on the evening of the 31st. If you’re free later, come back with me for a bit and try on your new uniform.”

“The uniform arrived so quickly?” Shan Ling said in surprise. “But I still have a week before I can quit.”

“That’s not a problem,” Shen Qingyi said softly. “It’s just a week.”

Unlike the pair on the side, Ji Lingyao was standing by An Xin’s hospital bed, placing the slightly worn book on her white blanket.

The cover featured a hand-drawn style image of a girl lying on a large rock by the shore with her eyes closed. Her beautiful long hair flowed down the rock onto the shore, surrounded by small crabs and starfish. In the distance was a vast blue sea.

The aged cover had a strange retro feel. The person who kept this book did not seem to treasure it much; the edges were worn and chipped, making it look quite old.

An Xin looked at the book, finding it strangely familiar but couldn’t recall where she had seen it.

“Jiejie doesn’t remember this book?” Ji Lingyao looked a little disappointed. She sat by the bed and looked at An Xin, saying helplessly, “I went through a lot of trouble to find it.”

An Xin finally looked down at the cover. She seemed to recall something, then looked up at Ji Lingyao and asked, “Is it… important?”

Ji Lingyao nodded: “It is indeed very important.”

An Xin didn’t speak.

Ji Lingyao then said, “But Jiejie is more important than it is.”

If it weren’t for the six years they spent together, Ji Lingyao would certainly not have survived intact until now.

She might have been disabled or intellectually challenged. In any case, she would definitely not be the way she was now.

An Xin had saved her, and An Xin had stayed by her side.

In this world, An Xin was more important than anyone else.

The person sitting in the hospital bed seemed to have realized something. She looked at Ji Lingyao with gentle eyes and suddenly smiled: “I understand, Yaoyao.”

An Xin said, “When I’m discharged, will you come with me to look at storefronts? I want to open a larger porridge shop, preferably… near your school. That way, we can see each other every day.”

Ji Lingyao also smiled: “No need to specifically choose a location. Wherever Jiejie is, I will follow.”

The three people on the side watched. Xu Wentao sighed helplessly: “I just love such a sweet and happy ending.”

Shen Qingyi didn’t speak. She just looked at Shan Ling beside her, feeling that she was a little too excited.

Shan Ling gripped her hands and swung them up and down, looking excitedly at Ji Lingyao and An Xin, mentally repeating, ‘It’s coming, it’s coming, it’s coming!’

This feeling was very similar to the Miss Chen incident. She could subtly sense something was about to happen!

Just as she thought this, she heard the sound of karma being credited.

“Karma +100,000”

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