Chapter 18
That sudden kiss, like a shooting star in the summer night, briefly but brilliantly pierced through all barriers.
Persian woke up almost instantly, jerking his head up. A flicker of panic and immense regret flashed in his eyes, and the soft touch and a faint sweetness lingered on his lips. Like a child who had made a grave mistake, he instinctively tried to back away, his voice hoarse and urgent: "I'm sorry, I..."
However, his apology was cut short before he could finish speaking.
Lin Xiaotang did not give him a chance to back down.
The moment he looked up, his eyes flickering with unease, she clearly saw the unquenchable heat deep within his eyes, and the intense, heart-wrenching emotion that almost overwhelmed her. All her hesitation and shyness were swept away by a tremendous surge of courage.
She stood on tiptoe, reached out and wrapped her arms around his neck, and kissed him proactively and firmly.
This kiss was no longer a test or an accident, but a clear response and acceptance. It carried a hint of awkwardness, yet was filled with undeniable courage and passion.
Persian was completely stunned, his body stiffening for a moment, then an overwhelming wave of ecstasy and disbelief instantly engulfed him. His last shred of reason crumbled, and his right hand tightened, pulling her even closer into his embrace, responding to the kiss almost greedily and deeply.
A gentle evening breeze rustled the leaves of the roadside trees, and the noise from the distant basketball court seemed to be shut out from the world. Under the dim streetlights, the two embraced tightly and kissed passionately, melting all unspoken emotions, all past struggles and pains into this belated yet ardent kiss.
From that day on, the air in "The Corner" seemed to change. The rich aroma of coffee and the warm sweetness of desserts remained the same, but an extra layer of "sweetness" seemed to have been added, so strong it was almost overwhelming.
Persian's arm, still in a sling, wasn't fully healed, but he would linger in the shop whenever he had free time. Although he often made things worse—trying to wipe the table with one hand might cause him to knock over the sugar jar, he almost strained his back while trying to help Xiaowei move the flour sack, and he was clumsy even when handing her a cup.
Lin Xiaotang often found herself both amused and exasperated, grumbling, "Mr. Bai, you should just sit down and stop causing trouble," but her eyes held a gentle smile as she handed him a freshly brewed cup of perfectly temperatured hand-drip coffee. Xiao Wei, meanwhile, secretly covered her mouth and chuckled, feeling as if the shop was filled with pink bubbles every day.
And Persian finally found his right "place to use his talents".
At the end of the month, Lin Xiaotang frowned deeply as she stared at the table piled high with purchase orders, transaction records, and various receipts and invoices. She frantically pressed the calculator, but the totals just wouldn't add up, and she was so worried that she kept pulling her hair out.
"What's going on... I clearly remember recording this expense..." she muttered to herself, looking frustrated.
Persian sat quietly beside her for a while, a gentle smile playing on his lips. He put down his coffee cup, walked over, and said softly, "Let me try?"
Lin Xiaotang looked up, somewhat embarrassed, and pushed the messy receipts over, muttering, "Sigh, I guess I'm really not cut out for accounting..."
Per Sinian simply smiled, picked up his pen, and quickly scanned the jumbled numbers and items. He didn't even use a calculator; his fingers simply tapped rapidly across the documents, his mental calculation speed astonishing. In less than ten minutes, the pile of accounts that Lin Xiaotang considered a tangled mess was neatly organized and the final figures matched precisely.
"Alright." He gently pushed the neatly organized ledger and the calculated results back in front of her, his tone as casual as if he were simply handing her a glass of water.
Lin Xiaotang stared in disbelief at the clear and accurate accounts and the final correct figures, then looked at his calm expression that said "it's no big deal," and couldn't help but exclaim: "...I really don't understand the world of you academic geniuses."
Looking at her adorable expression of admiration mixed with a little bit of disappointment, Bai Sinian couldn't help but chuckle and reached out to ruffle her hair: "Everyone has their own expertise. I can't make the cakes you make."
Life flowed by like coffee with sugar and cream, peaceful and sweet. He was still her most special customer, but now he would naturally sit at the bar and chat with her, silently keep her company with his eyes when she was busy, and naturally take her hand and walk her home after closing time.
Those past pains, avoidances, and struggles seem to have been slowly soothed by time and warmth, sinking into the deepest corner of my heart. At least on the surface, the sun shines warmly, and life seems just right.
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