Chapter 50: An Old Acquaintance-A Cat for Every Cat Owner(Wise as snow, cold as ice.)

Unable to resist the lure of a little snack, the adorable feline put on a show, perfectly embodying the phrase “a sharp tongue but an honest body.” As she stroked the cat, Lin Luyou didn’t forget to keep her eyes glued to her phone, watching programming tutorials.

But people aren't built for multitasking. When her attention was fixed on the phone, her hand would unconsciously stop moving, neglecting the cat. This immediately sparked the cat’s displeasure. She turned her head and rubbed against Lin Luyou’s arm. When that got no reaction, she gave her a gentle nibble:

Human, I’m giving you a chance. You’d better cherish it!

“Miss, may I take your order?”

Lin Luyou was lost in running lines of code through her mind, completely absorbed, when the sudden voice of the staff member Xiao Song interrupted her thoughts. Only then did she realize that she hadn’t ordered anything—she was freeloading!

“Ah, let me take a look…”

A bit embarrassed, Lin Luyou took the menu with an awkward smile, scanning it line by line.

“No problem, Miss Lin, take your time,” Xiao Song replied.

Just then, after putting the mischievous Cola back on the cat tree, Qin Shishen gently led Xiao Song away toward the bar.

“Next time that girl comes, you don’t need to worry about her. If she wants to play, just let her amuse herself with the cats,” Qin Shishen instructed quietly.

“Bro, is this the beginning of a romance?” Xiao Song asked teasingly, eyes full of mischief.

“Nonsense!” Qin Shishen retorted, smacking him lightly on the head. “Just an old acquaintance, that’s all.”

“Bro, I don’t remember Aunt Shuang ever mentioning you had a friend who works nearby,” Xiao Song said, unconvinced. He’d been present the last time Lin Luyou visited, and he had clearly felt the distance between the two.

Now, he was even more convinced that Qin Shishen had feelings for the girl. For the sake of his boss’s happiness, he offered advice without reservation:

“Take it from your bro—if you like her, you should make a move early… Ow!” Before he could finish, Qin Shishen gave him a swift kick.

“Get lost! Has the dessert at Table 7 been served yet? If not, get back to your kitchen!”

“Touchy, aren’t we? What’s that supposed to mean?” Xiao Song laughed as he retreated. Teasing the boss was fun in small doses, but if he pushed too far, he’d be the one in trouble.

Xiao Song was a year younger than Qin Shishen, but he’d worked at Starry Rain Café far longer. He’d been an employee even before Qin Shishen took over, back when he worked under Qin Shishen’s mother, Lyu Yushuang.

Lyu Yushuang took pride not only in her skills but also in her two children. Those who worked with her in the shop spent their spare time listening to her family stories.

Back then, she always said her son was perfect in every way, except that perhaps, after spending so much time helping others sort out their feelings, he’d lost all his own. She would joke that if any family had a girl who didn’t mind and would take him off her hands, she’d count her blessings.

Because of this “certified by his own mother” statement, Xiao Song couldn’t believe for a second that Qin Shishen had no special feelings for that girl.

After all, the way Qin Shishen acted around Lin Luyou was far too unusual. He was always gentlemanly, but never did anything out of character. Like last time—he, the boss, left the café to make a delivery himself? That was unheard of before.

Plenty of beautiful customers had come and gone, some even more striking than her, but had Qin Shishen ever taken the initiative? He smiled warmly at every guest, but always with a polite distance. The idea of him personally delivering something? Not a chance—not even a crack in the door.

———————

[Mini Theater 1]

Xiao Song: I bet a spicy strip that those two are definitely having a secret romance!
Qin Shishen: You’re too noisy—one day’s pay deducted.
Xiao Song: Boss, you’re just trying to cover it up! I’ll up the bet to a whole box of spicy strips! [slaps money on the table]
Qin Shishen: One month’s pay, gone.
Xiao Song: Bro, I was wrong—I’ll buy you spicy strips right now!

[Mini Theater 2]

Qin Shishen: Hey, when is my love story finally going to start?
Ruixue: When fate decrees, it will happen naturally.
Qin Shishen: And when will that be, exactly? [frowns]
Ruixue: Well… when Luyou finally pays attention to you.
Qin Shishen: And when will she stop focusing only on my cats?
Ruixue: That’s something you’ll have to tell her yourself. [shrugs]