Chapter 34: Bitter First, Sweet Later Coffee Pudding.

Upon arriving at the outskirts of the Yang Clan's territory, the group found a café.

According to Xing Yuanzhi, little sister Wangshu loves the egg tarts baked here and often orders them for delivery.

However, egg tarts are said to be at their best right out of the oven, and their taste changes slightly if left at room temperature for more than two minutes.

Therefore, to lure her out, they could use the excuse of "inviting her to eat freshly baked egg tarts."

After Xing Yuanzhi shared her idea, Cheng Jinyang raised an objection:

"I have a question: Yang Wangshu, as a shut-in who can stay in her room for years without coming out, can she be easily lured out just by food? If so, why hasn't she ever come out to eat at the many good restaurants in Jiankang City?"

"Does that make sense?"

It would have been better if he hadn't spoken. But as soon as he did, Xing Yuanzhi gave him a warm death stare.

"Is that so? Then what do you suggest?" she asked gently.

Cheng Jinyang: ...…

"On second thought," he quickly coughed and changed his tune, "there might be a flaw in the previous reasoning. Could it be that Yang Wangshu doesn't come out simply because she doesn't want to deal with the store staff directly? For shut-ins, socializing with strangers can be as hard as life and death. But if we invite her out, we would handle all the ordering and paying, and she would only need to come and eat."

"Thinking this way, Yuanzhi's plan is quite feasible. I think we should give it a try."

Next to him, Miss Qingqing was dumbfounded: You just contradicted yourself! Talking both sides of the argument? How is your tongue even attached?

I don't like sweet-talking men! Where's the simple and honest boy I knew?!!

Xing Yuanzhi put away her smile and gave him a cold look without saying anything.

Seeing Xing Yuanzhi's face turn cold, Cheng Jinyang instead felt relieved, thinking she was still not angry. He needed to find a way to make her happy.

"Let's try it this way first," Wang Wanrou said, having no objection.

So Xing Yuanzhi took out her phone and started calling Yang Wangshu.

"Wangshu," she said gently, "I'm at the café right now."

"Yes, the one you like the most... Do you want to come out for some freshly baked egg tarts? I'll treat you."

"Other people? Oh, they're with me."

"You don't want to see them? Okay, I'll talk to them... Just leave Cheng Jinyang? Okay, yes."

She hung up the phone and turned to the group:

"Wangshu said she doesn't want to deal with strangers, so..."

"We should leave," Wang Wanrou said, standing up.

"Wait, hold on!" Chu Qingqing shouted internally, wanting to eat the cake too. "Why can Jinyang stay? Yang Wangshu has never met him before, right?"

"He's my fiancé," Xing Yuanzhi said calmly, "Yang Wangshu has something to say to him."

Cheng Jinyang: ???

"Let's go," Wang Wanrou reminded again.

So Chu Qingqing had no choice but to stand up, feeling wronged, and... follow Wang Wanrou to another table on the opposite side of the partition.

"Is it okay for them to do that?" Cheng Jinyang was a bit speechless.

"It's fine," Xing Yuanzhi said indifferently, "she just doesn't want to share a table, no need to drive them out."

"Is that so?" Cheng Jinyang nodded, "Do you want anything? I'll order."

"A milk tea, please," Xing Yuanzhi replied.

"Okay."

Cheng Jinyang stood up and walked to the counter.

Watching his back, Xing Yuanzhi suddenly recalled: when she found him to break off the engagement, it was in a similar café, with milk tea... He didn't drink it and left, slamming the door.

Her heart felt a bit bitter. Are you still holding a grudge about that?

Cheng Jinyang returned with the menu and handed it to Xing Yuanzhi, who started to look through it somewhat dejectedly.

"I'll take this," she circled an item with a pencil, "less milk foam, please. Here."

"Got it." Cheng Jinyang took the menu and scanned the QR code to order.

A moment later, their desserts were served—this café seemed to have a high turnover rate.

"What's this?" Xing Yuanzhi asked, looking at a cup filled with brown jelly, glistening and tempting.

"Coffee pudding," Cheng Jinyang replied with a smile, "I heard supernaturals love it."

"Where did you hear that?" Xing Yuanzhi was exasperated. What does coffee pudding have to do with supernaturals?

"Never mind that, just try it first," Cheng Jinyang said, using a freshly unwrapped spoon to scoop a bite and offering it to her.

"I'll do it myself," Xing Yuanzhi said, embarrassed, reaching for the spoon. But Cheng Jinyang was quick, feeding her the pudding as she spoke.

Xing Yuanzhi: ???

"How is it?" Cheng Jinyang asked, amused.

"A slight bitterness," Xing Yuanzhi said, propping her chin with one hand, "I don't like it."

"Really?" He looked a bit disappointed.

Xing Yuanzhi picked up another spoon, took a small bite of the pudding, and tasted it carefully.

"If you don't like it, don't eat it," Cheng Jinyang said, "I'll order a milk pudding."

"Forget it, it's already ordered," Xing Yuanzhi said.

Even if it's bitter now, I hope it gets sweeter as I eat, she thought to herself.

After finishing the coffee pudding, she picked up her milk tea and took a sip.

"Want to try a red bean pie?" Cheng Jinyang offered a steaming hot red bean pie to her, "This one is definitely sweet."

"I'll just take a small bite," Xing Yuanzhi said helplessly, brushing the hair from her forehead to the sides and leaning forward to take a bite.

Just as she bit into it, a girl rushed in from the door, sat aggressively across from them.

The girl wore a Raiden Tengu mask (not the doctor, but the mythical creature from the Classic of Mountains and Seas), obscuring her face.

Judging by her clothes and low twin ponytails, she seemed to be a middle school girl.

She slammed her right hand on the table and pointed fiercely at Cheng Jinyang, while her left hand quickly typed on the small keyboard hanging at her waist.

As she typed rapidly, the electronic voice on her mask spoke:

"You scumbag! Cheng Jinyang! Sister Ah Zhi is not someone you can mess with! Recognize reality and give up; there's no chance for you two!!"

Cheng Jinyang: ???

"Is she mute?" He looked incredulously at Xing Yuanzhi.

"She doesn't like talking," Xing Yuanzhi said helplessly.

Doesn't like talking, so she uses a keyboard and voice synthesizer? What's wrong with this little girl?

Cheng Jinyang was a little bewildered.