The Smile Café
"The coffee you make is excellent. I think I'll become one of your regular customers."
"Welcome."
Alex sat behind the coffee machine, while Jo Shiner sat in front of him, enjoying a cup of coffee he had made, looking deep in thought.
"How about working as my bodyguard? You're very skilled."
"Sorry, but I like my life as it is."
Jo Shiner felt disappointed but hid it by handing Alex her business card. "Alright, here's my card. If you need anything, I'll be at your service."
Alex wanted to refuse, but Jo Shiner interrupted him seriously: "And please don't refuse, because I still owe you for saving me."
"Fine, if you insist."
"Then, could you make another cup of coffee for me to take with me?"
"Certainly."
After Alex prepared Jo Shiner's coffee, she left the place slowly and got into her luxury car. As she headed to her company, she gazed at the view outside her window, feeling a pang of sadness for having to leave so quickly.
In the café, Shia Waner asked Alex, "Sir, I want to go check on my daughter, if you don't mind."
"That's fine, you can leave."
"Would you like me to bring you some food?"
"I'd appreciate that."
"Alright, sir." Shia Waner changed into comfortable clothes and left the café. Alex remained in his corner, reading one of his books, surrounded by the café's peaceful atmosphere. "Hmm, it seems we don't have many customers today; but that's alright, I'll enjoy my time here."
---
Chapter Three
When Shia Waner arrived home, she found her daughter, Yan Ran, sitting on the front steps, looking worried.
"Yan Ran, what are you doing outside?"
Yan Ran turned towards the sound of her mother's voice, and upon seeing her, ran to her: "Mom, Uncle Zan kicked me out."
"What? Why did he kick you out?"
"I don't know. He came to the house and told me to leave."
"Alright, let's go inside. I'll make you something to eat and take a little something to my boss at work, then I'll ask him about the reason."
"Okay, Mom." Shia Waner and Yan Ran entered their home, but after they had entered, they heard shouting from behind them.
"Shia Waner, come here!"
"What's going on? Why is Old Man Zan shouting?"
"Yan Ran, stay here. I'll see what's happening."
"Okay, Mom." Shia Waner went out to face Old Man Zan, who was bald and of a large build.
"What's the matter, Old Man Zan?"
"I want you to leave the house."
Shia Waner was surprised: "Why? The month's payment isn't due yet; there are still four days left."
"Sorry, Miss Shia, it's not about the money. The young master from the Shen family asked me to kick you out. I don't want to offend the Shen family."
When Shia Waner heard that the person behind her eviction was her former fiancé, Shen Min, she felt a surge of anger.
Since the incident five years ago, when she had saved an acquaintance from a fire, only to have that person repay her kindness by raping her against her will, and discovering later, after regaining consciousness, that her face had been disfigured. She found only a note from the person who did it, saying he would come back for her.
After that incident, her engagement to Shen Min was broken off and she was expelled from the Shia family. Shia Waner felt desperate and considered suicide but decided against it when she discovered she was pregnant. She chose not to harm her child's life.
She worked hard for her daughter, but Shen Min was not content with her expulsion from the Shia family; he also sought to evict her from every job and every house she rented, making her life so difficult that he even attempted to imprison her daughter in a pigsty as revenge.
"Old Man Zan, can you give me a day or two to find a place to live?"
"Sorry, I can't. I've been threatened, and I can't act."
Shia Waner sighed, realizing that Old Man Zan was powerless to help. "Alright, thank you for taking care of us all this time."
"Sorry, Miss Shia. If it were just me, I wouldn't care about the matter, but I'm worried about my family."
"I understand, and I don't blame you." Shia Waner went back inside and looked at her daughter, saying, "Yan Ran, it looks like we need to find a new place to live."
"That's okay, Mom. I didn't like this place from the beginning."
Shia Waner hugged her daughter, feeling regretful for having to impose such an unstable life on her. "We'll head to my workplace after I finish. We'll look for a new place to live."
"Great, I'll help you with work."
"Yes, dear. I'll prepare some lunch for my boss, then we'll go." Yan Ran nodded in understanding.
---
In the depths of a forest, a young man lay on the ground with an old man beside him. The young man woke up, holding his head, looking bewildered.
"Where am I? What happened to me?"
"You're awake."
As the young man, Shaiyo Fan, began to regain his senses, he recalled what had happened: "Jo Jan, why did you hit me? I was planning to hit Alex."
Jo Jan looked at Shaiyo Fan with a stern expression, saying, "First, you can't beat that boy. Second, you were wrong in dealing with him."
Shaiyo Fan felt insulted after hearing Jo Jan's words, especially after remembering how Alex had hit him severely. "Also, the young lady no longer needs your protection."
"Are you firing me, Jo Jan?"
Jo Jan did not respond to Shaiyo Fan's question but turned and left. Shaiyo Fan was left seething with anger, clenching his teeth. "Damn you, Alex and the Jo family. I will make you pay for this."
---
In the office of the Shun Company in Shanghai, the atmosphere was tense with worry and anger.
"So, you're saying that only one person impersonated Alex?"
"Yes, ma'am. After receiving a call from one of our spies, we found that Mr. Alex visited the Su family's home. However, after investigation, we discovered that the person was actually named Lin Fan and had assumed Alex's identity."
Shun Zui, sitting behind her desk, showed signs of intense anger. "I don't care what you do. I want this person in front of me immediately. I will torture him myself."
"Your order, ma'am."
Shun Zui looked out through her window and said in a harsh, threatening tone. "How dare you pretend to be Alex? I will makeyou regret the day you were bron"