Chapter 4

Chapter Summary: Hmph, coffee or milk tea, you can only choose one.

The Musang King durian milk tea tastes amazing, but it's also a total calorie bomb. Even though it's good value for money, Yao Ye didn't dare to drink any more.

As the weather gradually warmed up and clothes became thinner, skirts and shorts were about to make their appearance. Yao Ye touched her little chubby body and gritted her teeth as she made a decision.

That day, she made a special trip to Kazamado, stood in front of Li Fengjian, and said in a serious tone, "Boss Li!"

Li Fengjian was momentarily startled by her serious expression, and straightened his back, saying, "I'm here! Go ahead!"

"Starting tomorrow, I've decided to follow Teacher Liu Yue and embark on a week-long 'Americano' coffee program!"

"...What exactly does the so-called 'Americano Coffee' plan refer to?"

Yao Ye pointed through the glass door to the shop across the street. She saw that the Hehe Milk Tea shop had closed down sometime ago, and a new Hehe Coffee shop had opened under a different sign, with an advertisement for "Buy One Get One Free Americano".

"This plan specifically means," Yao Ye explained, "that we decided to drink Americano coffee for a week in order to lose weight."

"...Can drinking that stuff help you lose weight?" Li Fengjian has never been a fan of coffee, especially Americano, which he considers almost no different from traditional Chinese medicine.

“It really works! Liu Yue drank Americano for more than half a month last year and lost a full three pounds!” Yao Ye said. “So, I want to try it with her.”

"Okay. But why are you telling me this?" Li Fengjian pointed to himself suspiciously.

"Because for the next week, I won't be going to Kazamado anymore; I'll be buying Hehe Coffee every day!" Yao Ye said seriously.

“Oh…” Li Fengjian paused, then asked, “But even so, why did you specifically tell me this?”

Yao Ye was taken aback. Actually, she understood what Li Fengjian meant: they were just familiar customers and the boss, and she really didn't need to explain to him why she didn't come to his shop. But she felt that she had to explain, because she never wanted to experience that feeling of being caught cheating on her husband again.

………………

And so, a week without Yao Ye's visit quickly began.

Li Fengjian was initially calm because he felt that American-style Chinese medicine could never replace Kazamado's milk tea, and Yao Ye's novelty would wear off quickly. So when he saw Yao Ye queuing across the street, he was able to calmly wave to her.

One day, he suddenly saw Hu Xiaojun also queuing in the buy-one-get-one-free line at Hehe Coffee, and then excitedly went upstairs with two cups of Americano.

Surely the other cup wasn't meant for his sister, Hu Xiaokui.

Upon seeing this, Li Fengjian frowned, lost in thought.

…………

At the end of the week, a wind chime rang as someone pushed open the door, and Yao Ye, who hadn't been there for a long time, walked wearily to the order counter.

Li Fengjian was taken aback. "What, is your Americano plan over? Have you lost weight?"

"I think I've lost a little weight, but not very noticeably. Ugh, iced Americano is so bland. I covered for Ms. Liu Yue, who was on sick leave, today, and I'm exhausted..." At this moment, Yao Ye indeed looked like a jellyfish floating in mid-air, listless, as if all her strength was going to be used to say the following sentence, "I need a bubble tea to sweeten things up!"

Li Fengjian laughed: See, he knew it all along. Coffee can never replace milk tea.

Seeing Yao Ye sipping her bubble tea, as if she had been resurrected instantly by absorbing yang energy, and then skipping away, Li Fengjian nodded with great satisfaction.

That evening, when Li Fengjian got home from get off work and spent a long time studying the new product formula, just as he was about to go to sleep, he was surprised to see that Yao Ye had posted a message on her WeChat Moments.

"I'm so tired, but I just can't fall asleep! My eyes are so sleepy I can barely keep them open, but my brain is bursting with excitement! Who understands the pain of insomnia? I have an early class tomorrow."

Li Fengjian chuckled, but then suddenly frowned: Wait a minute, this isn't the first time she's had milk tea after work, so why is she having such severe insomnia? Could it be that she consumed too much caffeine today? Could it be that she drank not only milk tea but also coffee today? And who bought the coffee?

Thinking of this, Li Fengjian, as if infected with insomnia, tossed and turned, unable to fall asleep. He wanted to ask, but couldn't bring himself to say it. While tossing and turning, unable to sleep, he saw Yao Ye post a second update on her WeChat Moments.

"Breaking my record for insomnia at 2 AM, I wonder what time I'll be able to fall asleep tonight. Let's wait and see!"

Finally, he couldn't help but leave a comment under that post on WeChat Moments, "Why can't I sleep? Is it because I've taken too much caffeine?"

Yao Ye replied quickly, seemingly confirming her insomnia: "Very likely! It seems the coffee my parents gave me and the milk tea I had after get off work had a combined effect! Mr. Li, you're not asleep either?"

“I just finished studying the recipe for the new product,” Li Fengjian replied, adding deliberately, “It seems you can only choose between coffee and milk tea.”

That night, no one knows what time they both fell asleep. In any case, the next morning, Yao Ye, who was in early class, and Li Fengjian, who was at the mall preparing, both looked like they had leftover food on their faces.

"Boss, you look terrible. Didn't you sleep last night?" Aunt Sun frowned. "You're almost thirty, staying up late isn't good for you."

Faced with the complaints from veteran employees, Li Fengjian could only silently purse his lips.

That afternoon, when Yao Ye, looking like a lost soul, staggered in and leaned against the cashier's counter, yawning, Li Fengjian and she met eyes and exchanged a knowing smile.

"What time did Miss Yao fall asleep last night?" he asked.

"If I tell you, can I get a discount?" Yao Ye chuckled, then yawned again. "The teachers are strict during morning classes, so I don't dare to doze off. At noon, I'm busy with group projects, and I have to squeeze in a bite to eat. And after eating, I feel even sleepier... I desperately need a milk tea to perk me up, otherwise I'll definitely fall asleep at the art class reception desk. I want it iced with 30% sugar... oh no... 50% sugar!"

“Forget about the discount,” Li Fengjian said, “Our profit margin is very small. But…”

He was going to offer her an extra serving of tapioca pearls for free, but through the glass door, he suddenly spotted a familiar pair of figures queuing in line at the Hehe Coffee shop across the street.

It was Hu Xiaojun leading his younger sister. Surely the coffee that was buy-one-get-one-free wasn't meant for Xiao Kui's sister.

Li Fengjian paused while placing the order, and almost blurted out, "Is that Hu Xiaokui's brother? Looks like another parent is going to buy you coffee. Are you sure you still need milk tea?"

"Huh?" Yao Ye turned around following his gaze and saw him immediately. She opened her mouth in surprise, then said, "Wait a minute..." and hurriedly ran out of Kazamado.

Li Fengjian silently observed the situation across the street. Even when Xiao Dong diligently came over to wipe the glass door, he dismissively shooed him aside. He saw Yao Ye run over to greet Hu Xiaojun, and the two talked about something, but Hu Xiaojun didn't leave. Instead, he continued to stand in the coffee shop's waiting area.

Li Fengjian's heart sank. So, between coffee and milk tea, did she ultimately choose coffee?

Fortunately, Yao Ye waved her hand and turned back. Li Fengjian's mood fluctuated with her steps until Yao Ye pushed open the door, returned to the cashier, and came back to him.

Li Fengjian looked at her and asked, "What were you two talking about?"

Yao Ye said, "I was worried he would bring me a cup, since he heard me bragging about my coffee diet before and brought me two cups. So I went to tell him that my 'Americano' plan was over! But he had already placed the order, so I asked him to give the free cup to Teacher Liu."

"Oh, are you sure the 'Americano' project is over?"

“Yes, just like you said, Americano coffee has no calories, but it’s about the same as a cup of iced Chinese medicine,” Yao Ye blinked, her slightly sleepy eyes becoming even more watery. “Besides, someone already told me last night that you can only choose one between coffee and milk tea.”

Oh my god.

These words, like a golden arrow, struck Li Fengjian's heart with a "whoosh".

He paused for a moment, then said, "So, you chose milk tea?"

Yao Ye didn't hear her. She was engrossed in looking at the menu, muttering to herself, "Oh dear, I'm so tired today. I need something sweet. How about a durian and king lotus milk tea? I've been working on my diet this week, so it's okay to splurge a little today..."

Li Fengjian then smiled and said, "Then let's have durian milk tea, no ice and 50% sugar... Oh right, I'll add toppings for you free of charge."

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