Chapter 014: Following One's Heart Is Not Cowardice

"Ah, thank you, but I’ll pass..." Since it was made by his mother, the taste was probably just a coincidence. Even though he offered generously, it still felt strange to accept it so directly.

Qin Shishen was unaware of Lin Luyou’s internal struggle. At that moment, he was mulling something over in his mind:

His mother's greatest hobby was experimenting with all kinds of desserts and using the family as guinea pigs. It wasn’t enough to "torment" just her own children—the neighbors had all fallen victim to her culinary escapades. Yet, as far as he could remember, few people actually liked this particular homemade candy, so sweet and sour at once.

Who exactly was this little girl before him—whose daughter from the neighborhood could she have been back then?

"Have you ever thought about doing something else?" Lin Luyou suddenly asked. Then, as if realizing she might have been too abrupt, she quickly explained, "Don’t get me wrong… I was just wondering—if it were you, when faced with several choices, would you regret not picking the others? And if you regret it later, what would you do?"

"Those are two different things," Qin Shishen replied, his hands never pausing in their work. "When you make a decision in the moment, all you need to do is take responsibility for it then. As long as you don’t regret it at the time, it’s not the wrong decision."

"As for the future, who can predict what will happen? All you can do is make the best of each present moment. If you do regret it later, there are only two paths: grit your teeth and see it through to the end, or choose a new path and start over. How you decide depends on whether you can afford the cost of failure."

"Why overcomplicate things at your age? When you’re young, you should take risks and chase after things—don’t wait until you’re almost thirty to start. Whatever you do, following your own heart is most important. Otherwise, even if you make the 'right' choice, you won’t be happy."

Perhaps recalling his own story, a hint of melancholy clouded Qin Shishen’s gaze.

But soon he suppressed the emotion. Turning away, he pushed a drink adorned with a mint leaf toward her. "Your 'Meteor Shower' is ready."

Lin Luyou leaned over, sipping through the straw, savoring the rich grape flavor that blossomed in her mouth. Cool and sweet, it felt as if all her negative feelings had been swept away.

"Is it always this quiet here?" she asked, having nearly finished her drink and still not having seen another customer enter.

"Not always. It gets busier around noon, and then again after five or six, when people finish work." Qin Shishen glanced at the wall clock and asked, "It’s almost noon. Would you like to try something from our lunch menu?"

Reminded by his words, Lin Luyou realized it was nearly eleven thirty. She quickly took out her phone and sent a message to Jiang Xiaohan:

[My Princess Hanhan~]
[Would you like to grab lunch and chat together?]

Not two minutes later, Jiang Xiaohan replied:

[Where are you? If you’re near the park, I’ll come!]

Grinning, Lin Luyou sent the café’s address, then looked up at Qin Shishen and said, "Absolutely! There’ll be two of us!"

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By the time Lin Luyou had drained her drink, the café was gradually filling up. She was immensely glad she’d come early and managed to snag a good spot in the corner.

As soon as Jiang Xiaohan walked in, her eyes were drawn to Lin Luyou in the corner, utterly enchanted by the resident cats.

"No wonder you said this place was nice! There are cats, after all."