The afternoon sun was mostly filtered out by the huge floor-to-ceiling windows of the coffee shop, leaving only a warm halo that lazily covered the sidewalk.
Shu Bai stood by the sidewalk, ready to go over when the little green figure lit up.
Li Yuheng finally stopped showing off his golden clothes. He stepped forward and blocked the way like a golden wall, while raising his hand to make a gesture to stop passage.
"Stop! I just did some calculations, and today is an unfavorable day. This person will be entangled in verbal disputes. It's best not to accept this request."
Shu Bai's gaze swept past him and landed on Qin Ren, who was busy in the coffee shop.
The young shop owner was wiping the countertop splattered with milk, his profile appearing particularly thin in the backlight.
Li Yuheng added, "The divination also says that this person's destiny palace is afflicted by evil spirits, making them prone to attracting misfortune. You are naturally blessed with a clear mind, so it's best not to get involved with such things."
Shu Bai withdrew his gaze: "...You can also do divination?"
"The guardian spirits are all-powerful, able to predict good and bad fortune with a snap of their fingers. What, you don't believe me?"
"Believe. But when a Pure Color Master acts, he does not ask about good or bad fortune, but only about his own heart."
Shu Bai took a step forward, preparing to go around this obstructive "wall".
Li Yuheng suddenly moved closer.
What if I insist on stopping them?
Shu Bai took a step back: "...I've already taken my medicine."
"...My intuition tells me that your medication won't be enough to withstand this."
Shu Bai paused for a moment, then took out his phone from his pocket. "Then I'll book an appointment for today's outpatient visit right away."
Li Yuheng watched as he actually started browsing the remaining dermatology appointments for the day, his expression changed, and he suddenly reached out and pressed down on the sparse white phone screen.
Shu Bai raised his eyes and asked silently.
“…You won.” Li Yuheng was like a deflated balloon, but still shone with golden light.
He waved his hand impatiently, and an invisible barrier silently enveloped Shu Bai.
Shu Bai felt as if the air around him had solidified for a moment before returning to normal.
He brushed his fingertips against his side, feeling the warm yet resilient barrier.
"Thank you, Guardian Deity."
Li Yuheng gave a soft hum.
Shu Bai then spoke, reciting in a chanting manner: "Supreme guardian deity Li Yuheng, you are the supreme being who holds the origin of color, and the eternal guardian worshipped by the Shu family for generations."
Since the beginning of time, it has been watching over all things in the world, maintaining a balance of color and order over the long years.
You awaken from your eternal slumber, protecting this land with your supreme divine power. You are the only true color in this world of black, white, and gray, and a witness to and guide of destiny's trajectory.
With your immense divine power, you cleanse the world of its impurities; with your eternal wisdom, you safeguard the lineage of your bloodline.
Hereby, your devout contemporary head of the household, I thank you for your protection.
As Li Yuheng listened, the corners of his mouth couldn't help but want to turn up. He tried to suppress it again and again, but in the end he couldn't hold back and a smug smile appeared on his lips.
But he quickly put on a stern face and pretended to be dissatisfied, criticizing:
"...You've memorized the opening of your prayer perfectly. But it's completely devoid of emotion! It doesn't show even a fraction of your piety and reverence for the deity. It's utterly insincere."
Shu Bai had already reached the entrance of the coffee shop when she heard this, so she paused and turned her head to look at the golden phantom floating beside her.
"So how do you know if someone is sincere?"
"Be sincere and humble. For example, say 'Your Guardian God is wise and mighty' ten times, then praise how my golden robes make me look so elegant, and finally sincerely ask me to allow you to accept this commission."
Shu Bai stared at him silently for two seconds, then raised her hand to push open the glass door and curled her lips into a smile.
"Then let's do it next time."
The bell on the door rang crisply.
"Hey! Your attitude is really problematic!"
…
Inside the shop, Qin Ren is making a mocha.
He was a young man who looked gentle to the point of being fragile, with slender white fingers and somewhat clumsy movements.
"Please hurry, I'm in a rush." The only customer kept checking his watch.
Qin Ren pursed her lips and nodded, but her wrist trembled, and the coffee she was about to pack fell to the ground.
"...Sorry, sorry, I'll redo it right away."
Inside the shop, Qin Ren had already started preparing the sauce again.
He focused intently on melting the chocolate, the steam emanating from the nozzles making a soft hissing sound.
“This person is out of his mind,” Shu Bai suddenly said.
Li Yuheng raised an eyebrow: "Oh? You can tell?"
"His hands were unsteady, and his eyes were lifeless. It was as if his bones and tendons had been removed."
He looked like he had been thoroughly fooled by the "fake color attack".
"Let's hear how miserable he is later." Li Yuheng floated to the opposite side of Shu Bai, sat down, and crossed his legs.
Qin Ren carried the prepared mocha to the guest and bowed slightly as she handed it to him.
Sunlight brushed across his drooping neck, revealing its delicate fragility.
The customer took the new coffee, his brow furrowed, his tone growing increasingly impatient: "What bad luck to run into someone as clumsy as you! Do you know how important my appointment is? Being a minute late could mean losing a huge deal! It's all your fault!"
Qin Ren lowered his head even further, his voice weak: "I'm sorry, I'm so sorry..."
"What's the use of apologizing?" the customer persisted, continuing to berate while scanning the QR code to pay. "Look at your shop, it's been open for almost a year, right? And business is still so-so. You can't even afford a part-time worker to help out? You have to do everything yourself, and your efficiency is so low, no wonder you can't grow your business!"
Shu Bai walked over and said to the guest, "If you're in a hurry, hurry up. No matter how much you curse, you won't be able to speed things up."
His voice was flat and emotionless, yet it left the man speechless. He grabbed his coffee and hurried away, looking annoyed.
Qin Ren gripped the edge of his apron tightly, his knuckles turning white, only repeating, "I'm sorry, please come again next time..."
The customer snorted and hurriedly left with his coffee, the doorbell ringing rapidly.
The shop returned to silence, with only the faint hum of the coffee machine remaining.
Qin Ren stood there, his shoulders slumped slightly. After several seconds, he slowly turned around, looked at Shu Bai, and forced a professional smile onto his face.
"Hello sir, what would you like to order?"
Shu Bai looked at him and said, "I'm not buying coffee."
Qin Ren was taken aback.
“I am Shu Bai. The purifier you commissioned.”
Qin Ren's eyes widened instantly, as if a drowning person had grabbed onto a piece of driftwood, and his voice trembled: "Mr. Shu! You really came! I'm sorry, I just... I didn't expect you to be so young..."
He frantically wiped his hands on his apron, his fingertips still trembling slightly. "Please sit down! I... I'll make you a drink? A latte or..."
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