During her sophomore year, Lin Shuang worked part-time at a milk tea shop for a year. She still vaguely remembered the processes from back then. The shop owner, who had started that milk tea shop, now owned several beverage stores in Wancheng, offering milk tea, coffee, and desserts, all with a solid reputation.
Lin Shuang and the owner had stayed in touch, and they had recently met up after Lin Shuang called her.
"It’s been three or four years, and you've gotten even prettier," the owner remarked with a smile.
She remembered Lin Shuang well. When she was first starting her business, Lin Shuang had been the most troublesome part-timer she’d ever hired. The owner used to watch her closely all day, expecting mistakes. But no matter how much Lin Shuang messed up, with her delicate features and eyes brimming with tears, the owner just couldn't bring herself to fire her.
Over time, the two grew closer. Lin Shuang, who studied at a fashion academy and had a keen eye for fabrics and styles, became the owner’s unofficial fashion advisor. Every weekend, they would go shopping together, with Lin Shuang bargaining fiercely with shopkeepers while the owner, who had no talent for haggling, stood nervously behind her. The satisfaction she felt when they returned with bags full of bargains was almost overwhelming.
Lin Shuang explained her purpose for visiting.
The shop she had rented was diagonally opposite Beiquan High School, a spot with decent foot traffic. The nearby milk tea shops were still using instant powders, and their environments left much to be desired. Lin Shuang wanted to open a shop that offered both tasty and visually appealing milk tea.
"My stores target higher-end consumers, like university students and city professionals," the owner said with a frown. "But your customers will be high school students. Do you think they can afford it?"
"I’m not looking to franchise a brand. I just want to learn from your experience," Lin Shuang replied, outlining her plan. "I can pay a consultation fee and would like to use some of your supply channels. Don’t worry, I’m targeting a lower price point, and being in Beiquan City, we won’t be direct competitors."
In most milk tea shops, unique flavors and exceptional quality aren’t the focus. What matters is maintaining consistent taste and price, which depends heavily on the supply of ingredients.
"That’s fine," the owner said, trusting her. Then, with a sudden smile, she added, "But I have one condition... Every time you come to Wancheng, you have to go shopping with me and help me haggle."
Lin Shuang glanced at the owner’s outfit. "You can’t haggle in department stores."
In recent years, the owner had upgraded her shopping habits from street markets to mid-range and high-end malls, but she still missed the thrill of haggling—the exhilaration of driving a hard bargain with a stubborn shopkeeper.
"We’ll go to the wholesale markets," the owner insisted.
Lin Shuang was puzzled.
With a straight face, the owner added, "I just really enjoy the thrill of haggling."
Lin Shuang agreed readily, laughing. "No problem."
She stayed in Wancheng for a while, practicing her skills in the owner’s shop, which was located near a shopping district. The store specialized in high-end, Instagram-worthy milk tea and coffee, drawing students and young professionals every weekend.
Lin Shuang was in charge of preparing ingredients and cutting fruits in the kitchen. From eight in the morning until two in the afternoon, she was on her feet for seven hours straight, her back aching. Having spent too much time lounging around at home, she found the physical work exhausting.
After the lunch rush, when the shop was quiet, Lin Shuang took out her phone to play a game. Just as she was about to level up, her aunt called her again.
After the last failed blind date, Lin Shuang’s aunt had been upset with her for being uncooperative, so they hadn’t spoken for a while.
"Shuang, are you free to come over for a meal?" her aunt asked.
"Aunt, I’m not in Beiquan right now. Did you need something?"
Her aunt asked a few questions before sighing. "Well, it’s like this—my boss mentioned that the guy from your last blind date seems to really like you."
Lin Shuang was confused for a moment. "Who?"
"The high school teacher, the one whose parents passed away."
Lin Shuang frowned.
"Apparently, you two haven’t been in touch since you met, but my boss says he’s really serious. He’s been busy with work, especially with the senior class approaching their college entrance exams, but he turned down other dates after meeting you. Shuang, this guy is really good. He was a star student, a young teacher specially recruited by Beiquan High School. My boss even vouched for him at the office. I saw his photo yesterday—clean-cut and decent-looking."
"Shuang, why don’t you meet him again and have a chat?" Her aunt’s tone was gentle.
Lin Shuang could tell her aunt was under pressure from her boss.
She declined immediately. "There’s no need. We’re not a good match."
"What’s not a good match?" her aunt began to nag again. "Maybe you’ll like him more if you spend more time together."
"I don’t like teachers. They’re stubborn and stingy."
"Shuang, I need to correct that attitude of yours," her aunt said sternly. "Teaching is a noble profession. Teachers shape the future of society. Their social status is high, and the longer they work, the more respected they become. While the salary might not be great, as they move up in rank, their benefits increase each year. The income isn’t bad at all. Besides, teachers don’t work long hours, they’re free after class and get summer and winter breaks, which means they can take care of the family and help raise children..."
"And another thing," her aunt’s voice lowered, "he doesn’t have any parents. You might not realize it, but that means no in-laws to deal with, no family drama. It’s a situation a lot of people would envy..."
Lin Shuang couldn’t help but laugh.
Her aunt, hearing her laugh, shifted to a more serious tone. "Don’t laugh. If you think he’s not good enough for you, then what about yourself? Your dad will be out of prison in two years, you’ve got a complicated family situation with your mom and stepmom, plus your half-siblings. Won’t they be a burden on you? Do you have a great job? A high education? Looks don’t last forever. You’re not a young girl in your early twenties anymore. You’re 26—it’s time to think about getting married and starting a family. You really can’t afford to wait any longer."
Leaving aside Lin Shuang’s own pickiness, others could easily pick her apart as well.
"Alright, Aunt, what do you want me to do?" Lin Shuang finally asked.
"You have his WeChat, don’t you? Try to contact him more, get to know him better."
"Okay, okay," Lin Shuang said dismissively, ending the call.
She changed out of her work uniform and decided to go for a walk.
As she was leaving, a young couple entered the shop. The girl, dressed in a white dress, looked like a college student, laughing as she clung to the young man’s arm. They ordered cold drinks and chose a window seat, chatting casually.
Lin Shuang walked past them and heard the girl’s clear, crisp laughter, which made her glance over.
The young man, wearing a gray T-shirt, was leaning slightly toward the girl, saying something with a gentle smile. He patted her on the head, and the girl, pouting, scooped a spoonful of ice cream from his bowl and popped it into her mouth.
He looked familiar—one of the guys she had been set up with.
More specifically, he was the "high school teacher" her aunt had just told her "really liked her" only ten minutes ago.
Her reflection briefly flashed by in the window.
Zhou Xue, noticing her brother’s distraction, tapped his shoulder. "Bro, what are you looking at?"
"Nothing much," Zhou Zheng snapped back to reality and glanced at his cousin. "Are you heading back to Beiquan for the Dragon Boat Festival? There’s a race in town."
"Are you getting on the boat this year, bro?" Zhou Xue’s eyes lit up.
"Not this year. I’ve got things to do at school."
"Then I won’t go back either. The school cafeteria has zongzi, and I can do some part-time work to earn some pocket money."
"Alright." Zhou Zheng nodded. "Take care of yourself."
"I will. Say hi to Grandma for me, will you?"
Zhou Zheng checked the time and pushed the ice cream in front of Zhou Xue. "It’s getting late. I have evening study sessions, so I should head out."
"I’ll walk you to the station."
"No need." He patted her on the head. "I’ll take the bus. You should get back to school early too."
When Lin Shuang had some free time, she visited almost every milk tea shop in Wancheng. By chance, she found a shop that was closing down and managed to buy their equipment at a low price. After sorting everything out, she returned to Beiquan, her slightly rounded belly leading the way.
Miao Cai noticed the change in her style—a high-waisted camo pants paired with combat boots, a black T-shirt exposing a sliver of her pale waist, a high ponytail, and smoky makeup. "What’s with the new cool-girl look?"
"I’ve gained six pounds." Lin Shuang sighed, touching her small belly. "My old pants are too tight now."
Her cheeks puffed up with soft flesh, like plump snow, and her chest had also grown a cup size, accentuating her curves. Miao Cai, green with envy, clicked her tongue. "Honestly, forget about opening a milk tea shop. Why not go back to your old business and open a boutique? With your sense of style, just stand at the door, and business will boom!"
"I don’t want to do that anymore," Lin Shuang said flatly. "Too exhausting."
"And a milk tea shop isn’t exhausting? Starting fresh in a new field might be even harder."
Miao Cai herself had moved back to Beiquan from Wancheng to open a nail salon and had gone through plenty of ups and downs with it over the years.
"Well, I’ll give it a shot. Better than doing nothing," Lin Shuang said, unconcerned. "The investment is small, so if it fails, I’ll just close up shop."
Although she spoke lightly, she quickly threw herself into the work, getting business licenses, preparing the store, and running to the renovation market. One particular license was tough to obtain, and with Miao Cai’s experience, the two of them had to make several trips.
"You’re really different from before," Miao Cai remarked with a smile. "Shuang, you’ve changed a lot."
"What was I like before?" Lin Shuang asked.
"Back in school, you always had people running errands for you. You never did anything yourself, not even taking out the trash on duty days. You were, well…a bit of a princess."
At that time, Lin Shuang’s family was well-off, she was beautiful, and she was surrounded by friends, carrying herself with an air of superiority.
Lin Shuang chuckled. "I must’ve been quite annoying, huh?"
"But everyone still liked you. There was a time when beaded necklaces were all the rage among the girls, and you, with your pocket money, bought a bunch and let everyone pick one. One girl liked a gourd-shaped one, but they were all gone. You gave her your best one. And the boys liked you too. They would say privately how sweet and cute your smile was."
Lin Shuang didn’t quite remember the necklace incident, but she could tell she had been a classic case of “dumb and rich.”
As the weather grew warmer, Lin Shuang spent her days at home perfecting milk tea recipes, sending different flavors to Miao Cai’s shop for taste tests—two buckets a day, never the same.
The flavors exceeded expectations, rivaling those of commercial shops. Miao Cai started advertising, "Get a free double milk tea with your manicure," and business picked up for several days.
After the stationery store closed post-exams, Lin Shuang took over. The shop wasn’t large, about 20 square meters, rectangular in shape. After leaving space for the counter, there was still room for tables and chairs. Lin Shuang drew up the design herself, opting for a bohemian chic style, and hired an interior designer to oversee the details.
The renovation was done by the same team that had worked on Miao Cai’s shop. Lin Shuang took charge of buying materials and supervising the work. The workers knocked down walls and ceilings, and she ended up spending several days covered in dust. Since she was in a hurry to finish the electrical work and install the equipment, she even persuaded the workers to work overtime, often staying late at the shop herself.
One evening, after the workers had finished late, Lin Shuang, having spent the entire day running errands, stopped by the shop, stood in a corner, lit a cigarette, and checked her phone.
【What hobbies do you have, Miss Lin?】
Mr. Polo Shirt might have been at the gym, as he sent a photo of a high-rise view overlooking the river, with gym equipment reflected in the glass.
【Quite a few. Watching movies, listening to music, exercising, traveling…】
【You have a wide range of interests. You seem to be someone who loves life.】
【Sorry to disappoint you, but I usually lose interest after three minutes. I change my mind quickly.】
Lin Shuang sent back an emoji of a lazy cat.
He replied with a smiley face.
【But there is one hobby I've kept up for years.】
【?】
She slowly typed out two words: **"Liking men."**
The person on the other end sent a voice message, filled with laughter. "What a coincidence, Miss Lin. We have that in common."
Voices of students chattering passed by in front of her.
"Has this stationery store closed down? What kind of shop is opening here?"
"We’ve graduated, so it doesn’t matter what shop it is."
"We can still come back during winter and summer breaks to hang out."
Lin Shuang turned around and saw a group of students passing by—seven or eight boys and girls, all with young, innocent faces. The boys' cheeks were flushed with a bit of drunkenness; they were likely students who had just finished their college entrance exams, gathering near the school to celebrate.
Two students were walking beside a young man, chatting animatedly.
The man casually glanced around, his gaze eventually landing on Lin Shuang, who was standing in the corner.
"Come on, come on, they’ve already booked a private room. They’re waiting for us."
"Tonight, I’m going to be the karaoke king. No one better steal the mic from me."
The group, laughing and joking, moved forward.
Lin Shuang stepped inside the shop, removed her apron, turned off the lights, and pulled down the shutters as she prepared to leave.
Footsteps sounded behind her, and someone called out, "Lin Shuang."
"Mr. Zhou." Lin Shuang raised an eyebrow. "What a coincidence."
This time, he wasn’t wearing his usual shirt and trousers. Instead, he was in a gray T-shirt and black sweatpants, his movements more relaxed and fluid.
"Hello..." He strode over. "Long time no see."
It had been over a month since their blind date.
Lin Shuang smiled, her hands in the pockets of her overalls, waiting for him to speak.
"I’m having dinner with my students nearby." Zhou Zheng turned to look at the milk tea shop, his expression curious. "This place..."
"I rented the shop. I’m planning to open a milk tea store. It’s being renovated right now."
Zhou Zheng’s expression cleared, and he nodded in understanding. He glanced at her, then at the shop. "Is there anything you need help with?"
"There’s nothing I need help with, but thank you for the offer, Mr. Zhou."
He nodded, paused, and seemed a bit uneasy. "After our last meeting, I tried calling you a few times, but I couldn’t get through..."
Lin Shuang hadn’t saved his number. She smiled apologetically. "I’m really sorry. I’ve been so busy lately that I might have mistaken it for a spam call and accidentally blocked it."
She also hadn’t accepted his friend request.
Zhou Zheng lowered his gaze, pressing his lips together.
"Oh, Mr. Zhou," Lin Shuang remembered her aunt’s call and smiled. "About our last blind date—was there some sort of misunderstanding? I thought it was all over, but my aunt brought it up again."
She smiled directly at him. "Mr. Zhou, you know... we’re not really compatible in many ways. There’s no need to waste each other’s time."
He looked up at her bright smile and moved his lips. "What you said last time... none of that is an issue for me. If there’s a chance... maybe we could..."
Lin Shuang, as if she had just heard a joke, shook with laughter. Watching her laugh, the words he wanted to say stuck in his throat.
Her voice was as sweet as a melody. "I’m sorry, Mr. Zhou, but everything about you is an issue for me."
"Mr. Zhou, you’re just not my type."
She smiled—a beautiful, confident, and decisive smile, one that knew she could handle anything.
Zhou Zheng’s eyes flickered like a flame in the wind, but his expression remained calm, even slightly amused. He smiled weakly, looking at her for a long time before softly saying, "Alright..."
Neither spoke for a moment.
Lin Shuang glanced at the students waiting behind him and turned to leave. "It looks like your students are waiting for you. I won’t keep bothering you. Goodbye, Mr. Zhou."
He nodded to her and turned to leave as well. "Goodbye."
Under the dim streetlights and in the cool evening breeze, they walked in opposite directions, their paths now clearly separated by the distance between them.