Chapter 2843: Why Does My Wife Follow Me Every Day 03

The next day, it rained heavily.

The whole street was shrouded in a grayish water mist; in such weather, the coffee shop's business was naturally slow, with only five or six passersby seeking shelter in the morning.

Jin Chen made a pour‑over coffee, held the cup, and leaned against the counter, watching the street outside through the glass window.

The flower shop next door still had its lights on, with many potted plants and flowers displayed at the entrance; usually they'd be put out to attract customers on good days, but today they became a burden.

Jin Chen saw a little girl coming out of the flower shop, struggling to move a half‑person‑tall money tree back inside.

The rain was too heavy; even under the eaves she still got quite wet.

After two trips, the girl stopped to catch her breath, seeing that there were still a dozen or so pots to move outside, and her face showed worry.

Jin Chen watched for a while, set down his cup, and waved to Xiao Liu, who was organizing supplies in the break room.

"Xiao Liu, the rain's too heavy—go next door and help move the flowers."

Xiao Liu looked over, let out an oh, grabbed an umbrella from under the counter, and ran out excitedly.

After returning to the counter, Jin Chen's gaze kept drifting to the flower shop.

After Xiao Liu went over and exchanged a few words with the girl, they started working together, and their efficiency improved greatly.

After moving about seven or eight pots, the flower shop's door was pushed open again, and this time a man came out.

Yun Jian seemed to sense the gaze, lifted his head, and glanced toward the coffee shop.

Through the rain‑streaked glass, their eyes met for a brief moment.

Jin Chen did not look away, nor did Yun Jian; they stared at each other silently for two seconds, then Yun Jian gave a slight nod as a greeting before lowering his head to continue moving the flowers.

Jin Chen withdrew his gaze, turned, and went to grind fresh coffee beans.

Just as he poured the beans into the grinder, 999's voice sounded: 【Sir Jin Chen, the protagonist has arrived, the protagonist……has fainted.】

Jin Chen's motion stalled, he set down what he was holding, and hurried to the door.

He pushed the door open; the rain noise instantly swelled, he propped up the spare umbrella by the door, and stepped outside.

Sure enough, on the two stone‑slab paths lay two people completely soaked by the rain, motionless.

Xiao Liu and Xiao Ye had just finished moving the last pot of flowers, standing under the flower shop's eaves catching their breath; seeing this scene, they gaped, clutching empty flower pots, glancing left then right.

A few seconds later, the flower shop's door opened again, and Yun Jian walked out.

He first glanced at the person collapsed at the doorway, frowned slightly, then lifted his eyes to look toward Jin Chen's side.

The two exchanged a glance through the rain curtain.

999 isn't very skilled; its announcement came late: 【Detected this world's plot villain, triggering Blackening Value—currently Blackening Value: 68!】

【Mission requirement: reduce Blackening Value to zero, change the villain's tragic ending!】

Yun Jian crouched, checked the breathing of the person on the ground, then looked up at Jin Chen: "Boss Jin, that one over there……"

"Alive." Jin Chen also crouched to check, "Breathing and heartbeat are present—he probably just fainted."

The two clerks: "……"

Jin Chen asked: "Boss Yun, what do you plan to do with him? Or should we call the police to handle it?"

Yun Jian shook his head, voice gentle: "No need, he's my friend's younger brother; he said he'd come play here for a few days and asked me to look after him—probably he's been running around and got sick from the rain."

After explaining, he turned back to Jin Chen: "Boss Jin, this is……?"

"Me?" Jin Chen bent over, grabbed one of Tan Quan's arms, lifted him effortlessly from the wet, cold ground, half‑supporting, half‑clamping him at his side like a sack, "Just doing a good deed."

The man made a vague sound when pulled, but didn't wake.

Yun Jian watched his motion, his gaze lingered on Jin Chen's arm for an instant before shifting away; his dark pupils reflected the swaying waterlight.

"I'll take him inside first." Yun Jian said, "The rain's heavy—Boss Jin, you should head back soon."

Entering the shop, Jin Chen hoisted the man and carried him straight up to the second floor.

The building is laid out this way: the lower floor is for business, the upper floor is living area and a small storage.

Jin Chen doesn't usually stay at the shop, but the upstairs is fully equipped, perfect for temporarily lodging this mysterious protagonist gong.

Jin Chen flung the person from his shoulder onto the living room sofa; the man gave a couple of grunts from the toss, but still didn't wake.

Jin Chen stood beside the sofa, lowering his head to size up this protagonist gong.

In the original plot, Tan Quan is described as how vicious and ruthless his methods are, his black‑boxing technique superb, and he even indulges in that forced‑love thing……

How could this person……

He's thin, his wet clothes cling to his body, no muscle lines visible, his whole form curled up, even seeming a bit fragile.

Could this be the tough guy who scared the protagonist's love interest into not resisting, almost wrecked the villain's flower shop, and finally died in the boxing ring?

But he's unconscious, so we can't see any further clues.

Jin Chen turned and went downstairs, intending to finish the coffee that had been interrupted.

As he carried the cup back upstairs, the person on the sofa had already woken.

Tan Quan sat on the sofa holding his head, looking dazed from a hangover; hearing footsteps, he snapped his head up, and the instant he saw Jin Chen he sprang from the sofa—so violently he almost toppled over.

"It‑it was you who saved me……you, are you some kind of monster?"

He thought himself not short, close to 1.9 m, yet the man before him was actually half a head taller! He only reached his shoulder—what kind of monster is this!

Jin Chen: "……"

He felt a bit amused: "What about your quality?"

Tan Quan stiffened his neck, wanting to argue righteously—'What does a two‑meter‑plus monster like you need my quality for?'—but caught sight of the floor‑length mirror in the corner of the living room out of the corner of his eye.

Tan Quan froze for a moment, then rushed to the floor‑length mirror in the living room corner.

Then Jin Chen witnessed a splendid face‑changing performance.

Tan Quan first stared at his reflection in the mirror for three seconds, his expression shifting from bewildered to shocked to terrified, his whole face turning white.

He jerked back from the mirror, then darted to the sofa's side, curled up holding his head, and screamed.

Jin Chen: "……?"

He put down the coffee cup and asked, "What are you howling about?"

Tan Quan clutched his head; he... he had become small!

No, this ordinary person before us must not know any of this!

Tan Quan's eyes were slightly red, whether from earlier anxiety or hunger unknown, he stared fixedly at Jin Chen... at the coffee in his hand.

He swooped over, eyes fixed on the coffee cup, "What are you drinking? It smells so good... let me have a sip!"

Jin Chen fell silent again, suddenly uncertain whether this cup of coffee had been contaminated with Tan Quan's saliva.

He rubbed his forehead, too lazy to quibble, "Here."

Tan Quan's eyes lit up; he snatched it up, heedless of the heat, and gulped a large mouthful.

"Ahhhhhh, it's so bitter!"

Tan Quan stuck out his tongue, tears welling up.

Jin Chen was now completely certain.

The original plot is definitely off; this protagonist attacker looks nothing like someone capable of playing a cruel forced‑love role—instead he seems like a possibly simple‑minded fool dog.

Tan Quan stubbornly gulped down the rest of the coffee; after finishing, he squatted where he was, lifted his head, and said, "I'm starving... you took me in, can you give me something to eat? I'm about to die of hunger."

"On what basis?" Jin Chen asked.

Tan Quan thought for a moment, then produced a solid gold bar from his pocket.

Jin Chen: "Deal."

Jin Chen took out his phone and opened the food delivery app.

Tan Quan immediately leaned in, eyes glued to the phone screen, swallowing nervously, "I want eight bowls of rice."

Jin Chen's finger twitched, almost dropping his phone.

Suddenly he recalled someone in the Quick Transmigration Bureau who likewise had a huge appetite.

Hopefully the delivery person won't be frightened by this order.

After the order was placed, Jin Chen recalled the situation downstairs and said to Tan Quan, still squatting by the sofa, "By the way, besides you, someone else also fainted earlier—at the flower shop next door, who looks about your age. Do you know them?"

Tan Quan buried his face in the sofa cushion, sinking into it, "... I don't know them."

Jin Chen's vision darkened.

Soon after, Jin Chen went downstairs to get the delivery, arrived at the shop, and found Yun Jian there as well.

Meanwhile the delivery person stood at the counter, holding two large bags, and upon seeing Jin Chen called out loudly, "Hello, here are your nine orders of honey‑glazed grilled rice."

The words hung in the air, and the shop fell silent for an instant.

Xiao Liu timidly poked his head out from behind the prep counter, and Yun Jian also lifted his gaze.

Jin Chen: "..."

He took the bags without changing expression, set them down on the prep counter, then turned to Yun Jian and said, "Boss Yun, would you like something to drink? It's on me."

Yun Jian replied gently, "A latte, please. Thank you."

"Just a moment," Jin Chen nodded, turned back to operate the coffee machine behind the counter.

Yun Jian took a small table by the window and sat; his gaze naturally, perhaps unintentionally, fell on Jin Chen's hand.

The bright café lighting revealed every detail of that hand: Jin Chen's skin was very pale, making his veins stand out; his palm was broad, his fingers slender, his fingertips bearing thin calluses, his knuckles slightly red, and the muscles of his sleeve‑bound arm evenly toned.

Yun Jian lifted his water cup, took a sip, and gazed out at the rain‑tossed camphor tree outside the window.

Jin Chen sensed the gaze, looked up puzzled, but saw Yun Jian looking out the window; he then brought over the finished latte, its delicate foam forming a simple heart shape.

As he drew near, Yun Jian caught the rich coffee aroma; beneath it lay a fainter scent.

Yun Jian's fingers twitched slightly; he lifted his eyes to meet Jin Chen's gaze.

Jin Chen said, "Try it and see if it suits your taste."