Chapter 36
In fact, Qin Wanshu and Zuo Qinghuan didn't meet often. Although Qin Wanshu had a flexible schedule, she wasn't idle, and Zuo Qinghuan was busy with her newly opened coffee shop. After more than two months of operation, Zuo Qinghuan and Li Xin's café had settled into a routine, generating steady profits, which made both Zuo Qinghuan and Li Xin satisfied.
"I really want to take a day off," Li Xin said as she brought out breakfast. Ever since becoming the pastry chef at the shop, she hadn't had a single day off, marking a complete departure from her previous lazy lifestyle. It seemed like she hadn't been to a bar since opening the coffee shop.
"We should hire another pastry chef," Zuo Qinghuan suggested. She herself could occasionally slack off—brewing coffee wasn't difficult, and with a little training, the waitstaff could handle it. But Li Xin hadn't taken a single break in over two months. It was too exhausting for her, especially considering she was a part-owner of the café. So, Zuo Qinghuan thought it was necessary to hire another pastry chef.
Zuo Qinghuan had slept at Li Xin's place the night before. She liked to come over for meals, especially since, back when they were both mistresses living idly, they would often spend time together. Strangely enough, no matter how close they were, there were never any romantic feelings between them.
"How are things going with Qin Wanshu and Han Shibin?" Li Xin asked.
"I haven't seen Han Shibin since we had that falling out. As for Qin Wanshu, whenever I invite her, she'll come if she's free, but if she's not, she'll directly refuse. Sometimes I think she's quite cold, but at other times, she's incredibly gentle and considerate. Right now, we're closer than friends, but not as intimate as lovers. Qin Wanshu is not someone you can warm up to easily," Zuo Qinghuan said. Qin Wanshu wasn't the type to open up about her feelings, at least not yet with her. On the other hand, Zuo Qinghuan found herself occasionally confiding in Qin Wanshu, who would just quietly listen without offering much of an opinion. However, her tea-making skills had improved, and her tea was getting more delicious.
Li Xin still found Zuo Qinghuan's taste unique, daring to challenge such a difficult person. Qin Wanshu seemed too perfect, making her feel unattainable. Li Xin thought that someone like Qin Wanshu was best admired from a distance—she had no desire to get closer.
"Aren't you anxious?" Li Xin raised an eyebrow. A woman with a low sex drive typically suppressed her desires, yet Zuo Qinghuan, who lived in the moment, didn't seem the least bit hurried.
"With Qin Wanshu, rushing won't help," Zuo Qinghuan said calmly. "And you? Do you still think about Yan Ruomei?"
"Lately, I've been so exhausted that I fall asleep as soon as my head hits the pillow. I don't have much time to think about her, but when I do, there's still a bit of pain in my heart. But it's much better now—I've learned how to cope with it," Li Xin replied with a smile. She had realized that no one was indispensable in life. No matter how much it hurt, she had survived.
"That's a good sign," Zuo Qinghuan said with a genuine smile, happy for Li Xin.
Li Xin smiled too, feeling grateful to Zuo Qinghuan. If it weren't for Zuo Qinghuan's suggestion to open the café, she wouldn't have found a sense of purpose in life. It was a good start.
But this peaceful life was about to be disrupted.
"Sis, is that really you?" Li Yao looked at her sister in disbelief. She hadn't seen her since she had fallen out with the family. She never expected her sister to give up surgery and become a pastry chef, which she found to be such a waste.
"Li Yao?" Li Xin was also surprised. It had been years since she'd seen her younger sister, who had grown up a lot since she last saw her.
Zuo Qinghuan had known Li Xin for two years but had never met any of her relatives. The sudden appearance of a sister piqued Zuo Qinghuan's curiosity. She observed Li Yao, who bore a resemblance to Li Xin but wasn't as striking. She lacked Li Xin's captivating allure, but as Li Xin's sister, she wasn't unattractive either.
Zuo Qinghuan didn't know what the sisters discussed, but shortly after, three more people arrived. One was a young man, not particularly handsome but with an intriguing presence and glasses. The other two were a well-maintained couple with stern faces who looked like they came from an intellectual background. It was clear they were a family. Strangely, in their presence, Li Xin seemed out of place. Whatever they were discussing, the couple didn't seem pleased, and Li Xin's face wasn't much better—it seemed like a negotiation.
Seeing that their conversation wasn't going to end anytime soon, and with no one making desserts, Zuo Qinghuan decided to close the shop.
They talked all afternoon before Li Xin finally saw them off. Looking dejected, she turned to Zuo Qinghuan, who handed her a cup of coffee.
"What's going on?" Zuo Qinghuan asked.
"It seems I'll need to hire another pastry chef," Li Xin said softly.
"Did they ask you to go back?" Zuo Qinghuan could guess based on Li Xin's demeanor.
"Yes," Li Xin nodded.
"Are you planning to return?" Zuo Qinghuan felt conflicted. Her once wild and reckless friend, now her fellow café owner, was finally going home, while she herself had no home to return to.
"I gave them a condition—that if I return to surgery, they won't interfere with my sexual orientation," Li Xin said. It was ironic, she thought. Her younger sister, who loved medicine the most, had no talent for it, while she, who hated it, was the most gifted. Though they said they'd think about it, Li Xin knew they would eventually agree to her condition. Her return was inevitable.
"That sounds like a good arrangement. We can just hire another pastry chef for the café," Zuo Qinghuan said, thinking it was actually a good thing for Li Xin to return. Being a doctor had more future prospects than being a pastry chef. She could already imagine the increase in male patients once Li Xin became a doctor, which amused her.
"I have a junior from pastry school who's even better than me. I'll ask her if she's interested. I won't leave until we've found someone to replace me," Li Xin said.
Zuo Qinghuan shrugged. It made sense to leave the search for a new pastry chef to Li Xin, given her picky standards for food—she'd only hire someone better than herself.
"When you go back and become a doctor, I'll be so envious!" Zuo Qinghuan exclaimed. Li Xin, the seductive vixen, had turned out to be a brilliant doctor—a true case of not judging a book by its cover.
"Hmph, I haven't held a scalpel in so long—I'll have to start over as an intern," Li Xin replied, unsure if she could still perform surgery. But given how skilled she was at cutting vegetables, she figured she'd manage.
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