Chapter 37 What secrets were discovered~

When Shen Qingze pushed open the carved glass door of the coffee shop, the steaming aroma of coffee and the sound of shutter clicks hit him.

The space, decorated in natural wood color, is dotted with internet-famous green plants. Girls in floral dresses tilt their heads and hold up their mobile phones, with frosted cakes and steaming mugs shaking in the camera.

The seats near the floor-to-ceiling windows were almost all occupied, and there was a queue in front of the retro telephone booth in the corner.

The girls taking photos are standing on tiptoe to adjust their pearl headbands to the best angle.

Seeing Shen Qingze pushing the door open from outside, a little girl widened her eyes and whispered to the little sister next to her,

Some were even eager to try and were walking towards him with their phones in hand.

Shen Qing smiled slightly, knowing that he might have disturbed the girls' good mood, so he turned around and walked towards the front desk.

"Excuse me, Mr. Xiao, please tell me about the private room you booked..."

Before he finished speaking, the clerk at the front desk had already handed over a brass number plate neatly, and as his fingertips ran across the price list, he showed a professional smile.

"At the end of the front corridor, behind the rose wall next to the elevator",

"Would you like to order first? Today's special 'Cloud Mousse' is very popular."

Shen Qing stroked the cold number plate and glanced at the exquisite desserts in the display cabinet.

He had never been interested in sweet things, but for some reason he ordered a caramel pudding.

When the porcelain spoon scooped open the crisp sugar shell, the creamy yellow pudding under the fine cracks trembled slightly, just like his delicate mood at the moment.

It was clearly just an ordinary meeting, but a thin layer of sweat broke out on the back of my neck for no reason.

He leaned against the vine flower stand that decorated the corridor, listening to the sweet laughter coming from the private room next door.

The phone vibrated in my palm. It was a message from Xiao Qihao.

"There's a traffic jam on the road. It'll take another ten minutes."

Shen Qing turned off the screen and looked at his blurry reflection on the glass window.

Suddenly I felt that this overly refined coffee shop, even the aroma of cinnamon floating in the air was deliberately sweet.

He refused the girls' invitations one after another and hid in the private room, not daring to move.

Xiao Qihao would book it. This private room has a wide view. There is a French window connected to the balcony, through which you can see the scenery outside the window and the hustle and bustle of traffic downstairs.

He opened the French window, intending to disperse the sweet, creamy smell in the air.

----

Shen Qing gently stirred the coffee in the cup with a silver spoon. The dark brown liquid swirled into fine vortices in the bone china cup.

There was a half-eaten caramel pudding on hand.

I have to say that this pudding is delicious, melts in your mouth, and has a sweet caramel taste. No wonder it attracts so many girls to check in.

Unfortunately, Shen Qingze is not used to desserts and he prefers to eat strong-flavored snacks.

The agreement sent by Fang Changling was very detailed. The gold-plated title glowed coldly under the warm yellow wall lamp. The string of zeros at the end of the annual salary figure made him squint.

Although he is an external consultant, he has to abide by the job standards of working from 9 am to 6 pm and sometimes working overtime.

The contract of Yeluvis was still faintly visible on his wrist. He would not let Shen Qingze wander alone in the world of the living for too long.

Those unspeakable restrictions are like chains entangled in the depths of the soul, making this seemingly tempting agreement more like arsenic wrapped in honey.

He was afraid that this agreement would bring too much burden to his future activities.

Just as his fingertips were unconsciously stroking the edge of the phone, the carved wooden door of the private room was suddenly pushed open.

Xiao Qihao rushed in, his suit collar askew, his tie hanging loosely around his neck, but his face was filled with irrepressible excitement.

"Teacher Shen! Sorry for the long wait!"

Behind him followed a tall man.

He was wearing a straight dark grey suit, and his gaze from behind his gold-rimmed glasses was as precise as a scalpel.

The moment that gaze swept over Shen Qingze, his hand holding the coffee cup suddenly tightened, and he was unaware of the scalding liquid splashing on his knuckles.

The man's eyes were so familiar - calm, sharp, and with a sense of oppression from a superior.

However, the moment it touched him, a barely perceptible ripple appeared, as if hiding some secret.

Shen Qing forced himself to return the gaze with an indifferent look. A bitter taste rose in his throat. He couldn't tell whether it was the aftertaste of the coffee or the uneasiness surging in his heart.

"This is the Taoist Master Shen I mentioned to you!"

Xiao Qihao introduced enthusiastically, not noticing the undercurrent between the two.

"This is my senior brother, Ye Xiang, Ye of Ye Zi, Xiang of Xiangjiang!"

"Although he looks like an investment banking elite, he is very good at catching ghosts and exorcising evil spirits."

As soon as the words fell, Ye Xiang had already stretched out his hand, and the coolness of his fingertips came through his palm.

The moment Shen Qing held on, he clearly felt a thin callus on the inside of the other person's thumb - that was the mark left by years of twisting talismans.

"I've heard a lot about you, Teacher Shen."

Ye Xiang looked at him very deliberately, which made Shen Qing feel particularly uncomfortable.

I always feel that this gaze is very familiar, but I can't tell where I have seen it.

Xiao Qihao took Ye Xiang to sit opposite Shen Qingze and ordered drinks for them. They seemed to be very familiar with each other.

Xiao Qihao chatted with him carelessly, but Ye Xiang's response was very ordinary, even cold.

There is an unusual taste.

Shen Qing's curious eyes wandered between the two of them, as if he had discovered some secret.

Xiao Qihao looked at Shen Qingze shyly and replied

"I'm sorry, Mr. Shen. I made you laugh. I hope I didn't disturb you when I asked you out this time."

"Go on, leave me alone"

Shen Qingze's desire to watch the fun gradually rose at this moment. He could feel that there was definitely something wrong with these two people!

This is the intuition of a married man!

As expected, Xiao Qihao's face instantly turned red, and his eyes occasionally drifted to Ye Xiang beside him.

Ye Xiang looked down at Xiao Qihao beside him and asked suspiciously,

"What's wrong?"

"No! Nothing! Don't you want to discuss Taoism with Teacher Shen? Come on, talk!"

Ye Xiang looked at Shen Qingze and smiled.

"Qi Hao said that you are also a Taoist priest. Can I ask for your advice?"

Shen Qing was still enjoying Xiao Qihao's embarrassed look, but when he was suddenly called, he didn't have time to suppress his smile.

"Ah, I just know a little bit, not that great."

"Nonsense! Teacher Shen, you are obviously amazing!"

Xiao Qihao shouted excitedly, wishing he could put a sign on his head that he was Shen Qingze's fan.

He was already deeply impressed by Shen Qingze, and had a mindless star-chasing attitude.

Ye Xiang patted his head and replied lovingly,

"Then I wonder if Ye Xiang will have a chance to learn from Teacher Shen?"

Shen Qing felt that he shouldn't be in the room.

He's like a million-watt light bulb! Can you say that?

Xiao Qihao realized that Shen Qingze might feel embarrassed, so he quickly tried to smooth things over.

"Ye Xiang and I are from the same master. He is my senior brother. Master was in his old age and has passed away for many years. He had many disciples, but Ye Xiang was the master's personal disciple."

"So I want to take this opportunity for you two to get to know each other and become friends!"

Ye Xiang looked back at Shen Qingze, the corners of his mouth slightly raised.

"I hope Mr. Shen can give me some advice."