Chapter 20 [VIP]
Chapter Summary: Li Fengjian, you planned this all along!
Three months later.
Although New Year's Day is a statutory holiday, Yao Ye, as an intern, dared not take a day off. She went to the company during the day to "voluntarily work overtime" and could only step out of the company gate at night after receiving her assignments.
Whenever she felt physically or mentally exhausted, she would go to Kazamado for a while. The shop's unique, sweet aroma made her work seem less tedious. But tonight, as she stepped into Kazamado, she immediately sensed something was amiss.
To be precise, it was her nose that first noticed the difference. The milk tea aroma that used to permeate the shop was gone, replaced by a strange smell that was a mixture of sour, sweet, bitter and spicy.
She was taken aback. The last time the shop smelled strange, it was because Mr. Li had brewed her a late-night herbal tea, essentially turning the milk tea shop into a traditional Chinese medicine shop. So what was going on now?
Li Fengjian came out to greet him and revealed the answer, "It's Xiao Dong. He's working on a new product."
"What?" Yao Ye asked in surprise. Just from the smell, she could guess what was going on. "What, did he and Su Yan have another fight?" As she spoke, she sniffed again. "Wow, this time it must have been a really fierce fight. Is Xiao Dong researching a new product or poison?"
As graduation approaches, Su Yan and Xiao Dong, who were originally very close, unexpectedly developed a rift.
Su Yan is not from this city. Her parents hope that after graduating from university, she can return to her hometown, find a stable job, find a reliable man, and live the most standard happy life in their eyes under their watchful eyes.
Su Yan naturally refused and instead brought up her boyfriend, Xiao Dong. But when her parents heard that their daughter's boyfriend was just a young man working at a bubble tea shop, they became even more worried. So they frequently arranged blind dates for Su Yan from their hometown, ranging from civil servants to teachers to doctors.
Su Yan refused them all, finding it increasingly annoying.
Unfortunately, her ex-boyfriend Zhang Zhicheng also interfered. He and Su Yan were from the same hometown, and after graduation, he planned to return to his hometown to develop his career. So he would come to flirt with Su Yan from time to time, trying to persuade her to rekindle their relationship and return to their hometown together to live happily ever after.
"But Su Yan rejected Zhang Zhicheng a long time ago," Yao Ye whispered to Li Fengjian.
“Indeed. But a dramatic turn of events happened today,” Li Fengjian sighed. “Last night, Xiao Dong and Su Yan had another argument about whether or not she was going back to her hometown. Today, Su Yan bought a plane ticket to go back home for New Year’s Day, and Xiao Dong wanted to apologize for last night’s argument, so he bought a bouquet of flowers and went to the airport to find her. But then…”
"result?"
"Then I saw Su Yan and Zhang Zhicheng together in the waiting room."
"Ah..." Yao Ye stared in disbelief. "Impossible! Su Yan is definitely not the type to be two-timing!"
"Xiao Dong said he was completely stunned at the time. Su Yan explained that she and Zhang Zhicheng had met by chance, and they just happened to have both bought tickets home. But Xiao Dong was so angry that the two of them had another argument at the airport, until Su Yan and Zhang Zhicheng boarded the plane." Li Fengjian checked the time. "I guess Su Yan should have gotten off the plane by now. But she hasn't replied to Xiao Dong's WeChat messages. So, Xiao Dong ended up looking like this..."
Speak of the devil, and he shall appear.
Xiao Dong came over from the counter with a drink in hand, and handed it to Yao Ye with a sinister enthusiasm, saying, "Yao Ye, you're here! Come and try my new product!"
"Uh..." The thought that the strange smell permeating Kazamado came from the cup in her hand made Yao Ye's hands tremble with nervousness, and she dared not put it in her mouth.
But Xiao Dong continued with great emotion, "I've always wanted to open my own beverage shop, and I've saved up a lot of money for it. My parents are very supportive. Otherwise, working at Kazamado my whole life would really make girls' parents look down on me... It's okay, even if I get dumped, life goes on, and I will definitely open my own shop. This is the signature drink I designed for my shop! Yao Ye, give it a try and give me some feedback!"
Although Li Fengjian kept giving her meaningful glances, the soft-hearted Yao Ye still took a small sip. Immediately, she felt a darkness before her eyes as a strange taste rampaged through her mouth, wantonly torturing every taste bud!
Seeing that her eyes were glazed over, Li Fengjian quickly took the cup away with concern and poured her a glass of plain water.
Yao Ye finally regained her senses. "What... what kind of formula is this?"
Xiao Dong's gaze was deep and thoughtful. "I named it 'Heartbreak Tea'."
Li Fengjian whispered, "There's lemon, strawberry, buckwheat in it, and a squeeze of wasabi..."
"What???"
He said that his creativity came from the bittersweet experiences of love.
"I thought he was trying to poison Su Yan," Yao Ye exclaimed. "I've gotten to know Xiao Dong all over again... By the way, where's Aunt Sun? I haven't seen her since she came in?"
"She went to the toilet after drinking the 'Heartbreak Tea' and hasn't come back yet."
"oh……"
Xiao Dong, still oblivious to his own thoughts, continued, "What do you guys think? If you think it's too sweet, you can lower the sugar content and add some buckwheat. Isn't that touch of wasabi the perfect finishing touch? The boss just asked me how I came up with this idea, and I don't know either. Inspiration just comes so suddenly..."
"No need, no need..."
"Actually, I don't think buckwheat tea is too bitter, so it doesn't really highlight my creativity. I just thought of something else: what if I added some espresso? Would that make the flavor more complex?"
Seeing that he had gone mad with desire, Li Fengjian hurriedly said, "Fengjian Hall doesn't have coffee."
"Hehe Coffee across the street has one. Wait for me, I'll make you a second cup right away!"
"No need!" Yao Ye hurriedly refused. Fortunately, at that moment, Xiao Dong's phone rang with a WeChat notification.
Upon hearing this, Xiao Dong instantly dropped his "Heartbreak Tea" and grabbed his phone. Yao Ye and Li Fengjian also curiously leaned over to look, and thank goodness, it really was a message from Su Yan.
Su Yan sent several videos. In the first one, she said in a low voice, "See? I'm sitting in the front row, and that scumbag Zhang Zhicheng is sitting so far back! See? See? That guy who tried to chat up the pretty girl next to him, and she ignored him, that's Zhang Zhicheng! So, I really didn't buy the plane ticket with him!"
In the second video, her voice was cheerful, "See? I took a taxi home all by myself. Look closely, I was the only one in the car!" The driver in the front seat snorted, and Su Yan smiled, "Oh, sorry, and driver too! As for that scumbag Zhang Zhicheng, he wanted to share a ride with me after getting off the plane, but I turned around and left!"
The third video showed her smiling happily at the camera after gently closing the door. "I just finished talking to my parents. They couldn't persuade me otherwise, so they won't force me to go back to my hometown for now. I also talked to them about you. I told them you'll open your own shop and that you've always been planning for our future. So my parents have temporarily accepted you, but they said..." Su Yan cleared her throat and smiled sweetly, "From now on, you'll have to accompany me back to my hometown at least three times a year before they'll reluctantly accept you. Is that okay?"
Xiao Dong blurted out, "I can do it!" He then realized he was speaking to a video call, so he quickly dialed the video call number. Su Yan answered quickly, as if she had been waiting for him.
Su Yan's proud little face appeared on the screen, but before she could even speak, Xiao Dong declared his loyalty, "I can do it! Su Yan, I promise you!"
"Okay, then you'll have to come home with me for Chinese New Year this year." Su Yan smiled, her face flushed.
Yao Ye watched from the sidelines, genuinely happy for them. Su Yan greeted everyone at Kazamado through the camera. When it was Yao Ye's turn, she said mysteriously, "You'll be in for a treat when you get back."
"What delicious food?" Su Yan asked.
"Good stuff, guaranteed to be divine with just one bite."
……………………
That evening, Li Fengjian drove Yao Ye home. The two chatted casually in the car, and Su Yan and Xiao Dong, this couple whose relationship had taken an unexpected turn, naturally became the focus of the evening's conversation.
"After hanging up the video call with Su Yan, that kid was researching the new product, adding spoonful after spoonful of sugar, really..." Li Fengjian smiled bitterly, "It seems he's not mature enough yet, not mature enough to open his own shop. Otherwise, he would have lost all the money he's saved over the years."
Yao Ye laughed along, "Why do you sound like an elder worrying about him?"
“Xiao Dong has been with me for many years after all. Back then, he was just a naive kid who spent his days playing games and wasting his time. He has only grown up a bit in the last few years. To be honest, I was worried about him before. A few days before National Day, he…” Li Fengjian said, then suddenly stopped.
Upon hearing this, Yao Ye turned to look at him thoughtfully. Although he didn't continue, she knew what had happened a few days before National Day. She had originally thought he didn't know.
"Do you know what happened between them before National Day?" Yao Ye asked tentatively.
Li Fengjian raised an eyebrow. "It sounds like you know too?"
"Hmm... So we were talking about the same thing? Su Yan was really troubled about it for a while back then."
"Yes, that should be the case... It is indeed a matter that needs to be taken seriously." He turned his head and smiled at Yao Ye.
"How did you know? Did Xiao Dong tell you?" Yao Ye asked.
"Initially, I accidentally saw him searching for information about 'early pregnancy symptoms' on his phone. I became suspicious. After all, Xiao Dong was unreliable when he was young, and Su Yan was your good friend, so I took the opportunity to talk to Xiao Dong. He was looking for someone to discuss it with at the time, so he admitted it. He said he couldn't be sure yet because the pregnancy test was very faint, and he would have to go to the hospital for a blood test to confirm. I asked him what he was thinking. Xiao Dong said he regretted it."
"What?" Yao Ye almost punched him. "He regrets it? What does he regret?"
“Let me explain slowly…” Li Fengjian smiled bitterly, “He said he regretted not taking precautions. After all, for him, getting married and having a child are both joyous occasions because he truly loves Su Yan. But for Su Yan, she hasn’t even graduated from university yet, and she’s been hastily bound to marriage with a child. There must be some regrets in her life…”
"I see." Yao Ye nodded, then breathed a sigh of relief and lowered her fist.
"I'm somewhat relieved that he thinks that way. Of course, you know how it all turned out in the end."
"Hmm..." Yao Ye pursed her lips, "The pregnancy test they secretly bought turned out to be a counterfeit product. On their way to the hospital, Su Yan's aunt came to visit. What a false alarm."
"This little incident also served as a wake-up call for Xiao Dong. He suddenly realized that love is not just about infatuation and happiness, but also about responsibility. And it was time for him to shoulder that responsibility. So he was seriously studying the possibility of opening his own shop. Of course, today's 'Heartbreak Tea' was a product of his madness. Imagine, he had already made up his mind to take responsibility for Su Yan's life, but he misunderstood that Su Yan was going back to her hometown with her scumbag ex-boyfriend. How must he be feeling today?"
Yao Ye recalled the exquisite tea she had enjoyed that evening and couldn't help but laugh so hard she almost fell over. But as she laughed, a sudden flash of inspiration struck her.
The car stopped near Yao Ye's house. Li Fengjian unbuckled his seatbelt, turned to the side, and kissed her goodbye.
She wrapped her arms around his neck, her eyes half-closed in contentment. Li Fengjian smiled gently, "Oh my god, the taste of the Heartbreak Tea still seems to linger."
"Ugh, we both drank, no one's allowed to complain!" With that, she hugged him tighter, and in their tender embrace, she suddenly murmured, "So... back then, their false alarm not only served as a warning to Xiao Dong, but also to you?"
Li Fengjian paused, gave a wry smile, and admitted, "Well, I guess so."
Yao Ye's lips couldn't help but curl up. No wonder that night on National Day, he took a deep breath and said: You haven't graduated from university yet, and you still have a lot of things to do... so you can't do without that.
"Hey, what are you laughing at?" Li Fengjian pressed his forehead against hers with slight displeasure.
"No, it's nothing."
"You, have you forgotten how nervous you were that night?"
"Really? Do I?" Yao Ye blinked, feigning ignorance.
"Of course, your hand, clutching your collar, was so tense the veins were practically bulging. I was really afraid you'd faint from nervousness if I rushed out to buy an umbrella again." He couldn't help but sigh: as a man, failing at the last hurdle was indeed regrettable. But some things, he just wanted to let nature take its course, let things fall into place naturally, after all, he had said...
Being with you is already so much fun; nothing else matters.
He wasn't saying this to deceive her; it was his true feeling.
………………
It was getting late, and Yao Ye had to go home. She looked down as she unbuckled her seatbelt, then murmured, "Actually... it wasn't entirely because of nervousness..."
"Um?"
"For things you've never experienced before, besides nervousness..." She had already unbuckled her seatbelt, but still kept her head down like an ostrich, because she was too embarrassed to look at him as she said these words, "...there's also a little bit of anticipation, right..."
After all, it's something I'm trying out with someone I really, really like.
Li Fengjian heard it. Although Yao Ye spoke softer than the night breeze, he heard every word clearly, each word like Cupid's golden arrow, easily striking his heart.
"Could you say that again?" He swallowed unconsciously.
Yao Ye muttered, "Hmph, I'm not saying anything more. You clearly heard everything. I'm going home, bye-bye." She had originally planned to leave immediately after uttering those embarrassing thoughts, but she miscalculated. She gripped the car door, trying several times, then frowned and turned back, saying...
"Li Fengjian, did you lock the car doors?"
"Hmm," he replied casually.
"Why? Wait, wait a minute, I haven't gotten out of the car yet, why are you fastening your seatbelt?" Yao Ye asked, stunned.
"You'd better fasten your seatbelt again, otherwise if the passenger isn't wearing one, it'll cause me to lose points," he said matter-of-factly.
"What do you mean?" Yao Ye asked, bewildered. "Where are you taking me?"
"Let's find a quiet place. I'd like to hear that sentence from you a few more times."
"Li Fengjian, I..."
"I'm about to drive," he reminded her.
So the moment he restarted the car, she hurriedly and obediently fastened her seatbelt.
Li Fengjian glanced at her tense expression, smiled deeply, and then kindly reminded her, "Oh right, don't forget to take your things when you get out of the car. They're in the glove box in front of the passenger seat."
"What is that?"
"I didn't use it during the National Day holiday, so I've kept it in my car ever since."
Yao Ye opened the glove box and, as expected, blushed as she pulled out a box of small umbrellas. "Li Fengjian, you...you planned this all along!"
………………
More than half an hour later.
The room was dimly lit and the curtains were closed.
He leaned down and kissed her passionately, and she instinctively closed her eyes, reaching out to tightly hook her arms around his neck. Her nails dug slightly into his skin, and Li Fengjian couldn't help but let out a soft moan.
"Sorry, does it hurt?" She quickly let go of his hand and said breathlessly, "I...I...I think I was a little too nervous."
Li Fengjian shook his head and gently teased her, "You're not only nervous, but also looking forward to it, right?"
"you……"
"Tell me quickly, right...right..."
"You're such a... so annoying..."
"Tell me quickly, is it right..."
"Alright, alright...stop...oh dear...yes, yes, yes...ah, I...I already said 'yes,' you still..."
………………
When Yao Ye got home that day, it was already late at night.
Her parents went to bed early, so she tiptoed in. She expected the living room to be completely dark, but there was a light on. Oh, she forgot, her brother-in-law was away on a business trip to another city today, and her sister would be staying at her parents' house! At that moment, Yao Qin was sitting in the living room, working overtime on her laptop.
With a soft click of the door closing, the two sisters looked at each other for a moment.
As the older sister, Yao Qin couldn't help but glance at her younger sister, then at the clock on the wall, and then back at her younger sister. The younger sister, Yao Ye, was already blushing deeply from all the stares.
Yao Qin hummed in agreement, then spoke, "Yao Ye, have you...?"
"Yes!" Yao Ye, already feeling guilty, blurted out without thinking, "Yes, I'm taking precautions."
Yao Qin was taken aback, then covered her face and gave a wry smile. It took her a while to compose herself before she spoke again, "...I just wanted to ask if you had backed up last year's Tulips class schedule on your home computer. I need to use it now... As for the rest, um... you're an adult now, I believe you can handle it... Of course, being careful is a good thing, very good, very good..."
Oh my god, Yao Ye could only cover her face and flee back to her bedroom in a panic.
…………
Continue read on readnovelmtl.com
