The Smile Café
Alex sat on one of the comfortable chairs in the café, where the dim candlelight on the small tables played a role in creating a warm and intimate atmosphere. He was holding a book titled How to Live a Normal Life, and his clear glasses reflected a hint of the mystery surrounding his character. As he immersed himself in reading the book, he quietly read aloud the phrase that sparked his curiosity:
"Hmm, it seems that the best way to live a normal life is to stay away from women."
With clear boredom, Alex stood up and tossed the book into the nearby fireplace, where it landed with a soft thud amidst the flames. He then muttered aloud, as if speaking to himself:
"We can't live with women, and we can't live without them."
At that moment, the café door opened with a faint creak, catching his attention as a woman entered wearing worn-out clothes, which had become white and yellow from extensive washing. But what caught his eye the most was the half of her face that was disfigured, which she tried to cover with her long hair, but to no avail.
"Hello, my name is Xia Waner. I came to ask for a job."
Alex gave her a scrutinizing look and then said:
"I need your ID first."
Xia Waner handed her ID to Alex, who took it and examined it for a few seconds. After verifying it, he replied:
"And what can you do?"
"I can clean, cook, and do laundry."
Alex thought for a moment before responding:
"Alright, welcome to the job, Miss Xia. Please take care of me."
Xia Waner bowed deeply to Alex and said with great joy:
"Thank you, sir."
"Now, we need to sign the employment contract. I'll prepare it for you now."
Then, Alex quickly wrote down the details of the contract, including:
Position: Assistant at the café
.Salary: 80,000 per month, subject to change depending on the café's conditions.
Working hours: From 9 AM to 5 PM
.Duties: Cleaning the café, cooking, doing la,undry and attending to customers.
Obligations: Committing to work seriously and treating customers well.
He handed the contract to Xia Waner, saying:
"Sign here, please."
After reading the contract, Xia Waner looked astonished and hesitantly asked:
"Sir, isn't this amount too much?"
"No, it isn't."
Xia Waner nodded, expressing her happiness, and asked Alex:
"What should I do now, sir?"
"Well, the first thing you need to do is change your clothes and clean yourself up."
Xia Waner felt extremely embarrassed and said:
"I'm sorry, these clothes are all I have right now."
Upon hearing this, Alex took out a card from his pocket and handed it to Xia Waner, saying:
"Here you go, 80,000 yuan, and the password is six zeros. Consider it an advance payment for this month. Buy yourself some new clothes."
"Sir, isn't this too much?"
"It's alright. Also, buy some waitress uniforms."
Xia Waner bowed deeply and said:
"Thank you for your generosity, sir."
Alex waved his hand, saying:
"You can leave now; come back tomorrow, and I'll tell you what your work will be."
"Yes, sir."
Alex watched as Xia Waner left and quietly wondered to himself:
"A beautiful woman with a disfigured face. Could it be? System, display her status."
[Ding… Name: Xia Waner
Age: 29
Strength: 3
Speed: 2
Endurance: 2
Charisma: 6 (without disfigurement: 10)
Skills: Management (Trainee), Cooking (Trainee), Dancing (Trainee), Piano (Advanced), Singing (Advanced) Abilities: None Titles: Daughter of Fate - Attracts Heroes]
"Are you messing with me? Why do I keep meeting heroines? If I'm not mistaken, then Rose and Yun Ira are also heroines."
Alex sighed and sat back in his chair, lost in thoughts about his life and the choices he faces.
Xia Waner's POV
Today, after I entered the café, I felt like I was walking on hot coals. My heart was pounding like crazy, as if my entire life hinged on this moment.
"My face? Of course, it's the reason for all this anxiety."
This face that I'm used to seeing in mirrors is seen by others as something strange to be avoided. How many times has it made me turn back before even starting? Countless. It's as if every new opportunity comes to shatter what's left of my soul.
"And my ex-fiancé? Ah," I sighed as I remembered him. He was nothing but the poison poured into my open wounds. He turned my life into a continuous nightmare. But even in my darkest moments, there's someone who makes me resist. My daughter. The little one who makes me hold onto life, no matter how harsh it may be. When I see her, hope ignites in my heart always…
"I'll cook meat for her today. She'll be so happy!" I said, smiling despite everything. When was the last time we had a full meal? I felt a bit of joy, even if it was temporary, seeping into my heart.
Then I paused for a moment, remembering how the café owner was different from others. He didn't kick me out; he didn't look at me with disgust. Instead, surprisingly, he paid me a month's salary in advance! Am I dreaming? Or has luck finally decided to smile at me?
"I need to buy work clothes now and head home." I said out loud as I walked toward the store. I felt a strange mix of joy and anxiety, but I knew then that I would cling to any thread of hope, no matter how fragile it was.
After buying the clothes and some meat, Xia Waner returned to her modest home. She lived in a very rundown apartment with only one room and a bathroom. This apartment was just a place that sheltered her and her daughter from the winter cold, but it wasn't worthy of being called a home.
"Yan Ran, I'm back!" Xia called out with a voice full of longing and affection.
Moments later, Yan Ran appeared, a little girl with black hair tied in a ponytail and wide blue eyes filled with innocence. She quickly ran toward her mother, jumped into her arms, and said with a voice full of love:
"Mommy, I missed you!"
Xia Waner hugged her daughter with all her strength, trying to convey all the love and affection she had endured for her. After a moment, she smiled and said:
"I have a surprise for you, Yan Ran."
"Really? What is it?" the little girl asked, her wide eyes full of curiosity.
"Tonight's dinner will be meat," Xia Waner said with a proud smile.
Upon hearing this, Yan Ran's eyes sparkled with joy, and she began jumping around her mother excitedly.
"Awesome! Meat! Meat! Yay… Meat!"
But suddenly, Yan Ran stopped jumping, and sadness filled her eyes. She shyly whispered:
"Mommy, Yan Ran doesn't want meat… Yan Ran just wants ramen."
The child's words were like an arrow piercing the mother's heart. She sat on the ground next to her daughter and gently placed her hand on her slender shoulder. She knew then that her daughter was afraid of burdening her with additional responsibilities, so much so that she was willing to sacrifice her desires for it.
"Don't worry, Yan Ran. I got a new job, and the boss was very kind. He paid me in advance, so there's no need to worry about money anymore."
Yan Ran was relieved when she heard her mother's words, and the smile returned to her face.
"Really? That's great, Mommy!"
Xia Waner hugged her again and took a moment to feel the warmth and comfort that this moment provided. Despite all the hardships, these little moments were enough to give her the strength to face tomorrow.
In a narrow alley, a young man stood firmly as five men surrounded him, their features hinting at hostility. The young man frowned and coldly asked, "Who are you? And what do you want?"
One of the men stepped forward and sharply said, "We'll make you regret insulting the Mo family."
Xiaofan smirked sarcastically and said in a condescending tone, "The Mo family?"
The man who saw Xiaofan's mockery immediately gave the order: "Beat him until he can't walk."
The five men moved toward Xiaofan swiftly, but they were surprised by his exceptional skill, as he easily took them down. Without hesitation, he broke their legs one by one, then coldly said: "This is the price of offending me."
Xiaofan then calmly left the place and took out his phone to call someone, saying: "When will you arrive in China?"
|The reply came from the other end: "In a day or two, Mr. Shouri."|
"Alright, I have a task for you as soon as you arrive."
|"Understood, Mr. Shouri."|
Xiaofan hung up the phone and smiled cunningly: "Alex Shouber, enjoy your time now because these will be your last days. As for your information, I don't care; I don't need to know anything about a dead man. Hahaha…"
He laughed loudly, imagining the moment Alex would be killed and beg for mercy. "And you, Jo Shiner, when I'm done with him, you'll be my woman… It's just a matter of time. Hahaha"
"Hachoo!"
Elsewhere, Alex rubbed his nose, feeling a strange shiver, and wondered aloud, "Who's talking about me?"
Then he calmly resumed planting seeds. "System, since this is a merged world, are there villains of fate who can loot luck?"
The system responded: ["Yes, Host."]
Alex felt a slight concern and said, "Damn, I need to stay away from them. From what I know, they are ruthless people who destroy everything in their path. If they find out about my ability, they'll come after me immediately."
The system reassured him: ["Don't worry, Host. You've been hidden from their systems, and they won't be able to see your ability at all."]
Alex smiled with relief: "That's good. I guess I'll just sit back and watch the Heroes of Fate and the Villains clash... Hahaha."