Chapter 711

After a period of time, after a long wait, the two finally managed to get seated.

This was a relatively quiet corner position, but one from which they could see part of the work area corridor.

Not long after sitting down, Natsume Chikage, who was checking the material list in the back office, received a LINE message from Huang Mu Jie.

【Huang Mu Jie: Natsume-kun, Lin-chan and I have already entered the shop and sat down, in the corner by the window, why don't I see you?】

【Natsume Chikage: I'm usually in the back preparation room or the warehouse side, I don't come to the front hall often. You wait a moment, I'll come out immediately.】

【Huang Mu Jie: OK! Waiting for you!】

Natsume Chikage put down the settlement sheet in his hand, signaled to the colleague next to him, took off his apron, tidied up the collar of his uniform, and prepared to go to the front hall.

Classmate Classmate Tengyuan Kui, who was also busy in the back office, noticed his movement and leaned over curiously:

"Natsume-kun, are you going out? Is there something up?"

Natsume Chikage explained while wiping his hands with a disinfectant wipe:

"Yeah, Yue Dao senior and Huang Mu senior have come to the shop and are sitting over there. I'm going out to say hello to them and ask what they want to order by the way."

Classmate Classmate Tengyuan Kui, upon hearing this, immediately had alarm bells ringing in her heart.

Yue Dao senior? Why did she come again? And she specifically picked the time when Natsume-kun was working...

Many thoughts flashed through her mind instantly, and the more she thought about it, the more she felt the need to increase her vigilance.

Seeing Natsume Chikage had already turned and walked outside, Classmate Classmate Tengyuan Kui rolled her eyes, and just happened to see the store manager Yamamoto Kangsi, who had just become free, wandering into the back office.

She immediately stepped forward a few steps and revealed a bright but unrefusable smile:

"Manager! That... we have two very close friends who have come, and Natsume-kun and I need to go out to receive them and chat for a few words! For the front hall and the bar counter side, please help us cover for a bit!"

Yamamoto Kangsi was stunned by her sudden "entrustment of a heavy responsibility" and pointed at his own nose:

"Ah? Me? Alright..."

Classmate Classmate Tengyuan Kui, upon hearing this, also took off her small apron efficiently, and then, like a nimble little deer, chased after Natsume Chikage's back and went out.

Leaving Yamamoto Kangsi standing in place, looking at the back office that had instantly become a bit emptier, and then looking at the front hall outside that was vaguely visible and much busier than usual, he felt helpless in his heart.

Sigh... the boss's daughter has already spoken, what else can I, this small manager, say?

Even if I can't hold it, I have to hold it...

Coffee shop front hall.

Natsume Chikage had just come out and was immediately noticed by several sharp-eyed female customers, who one by one came up to strike up a conversation, and even asked for his LINE, wanting to queue up for his time.

Natsume Chikage maintained a polite but distant smile, patiently but firmly declined the requests for photos and autographs, used "working hours, not convenient to disturb other customers" as an excuse, and finally managed to break free from the encirclement of several overly enthusiastic customers and finally arrived at the corner seat where Yue Dao Lin and Huang Mu Jie were.

And Classmate Classmate Tengyuan Kui, who followed closely behind, had her gaze locked on Natsume Chikage's direction.

At this time.

When Yue Dao Lin saw Natsume Chikage wearing that well-tailored dark staff uniform walking toward them, that heart that was always calm and self-possessed began to beat faster uncontrollably.

The way he looked in his uniform... was even better-looking than she had imagined.

That regular heartbeat that could remain stable under any circumstances, at about 60 times per minute, was now, under the precise monitoring of the smartwatch on her wrist, beginning to climb significantly, rapidly breaking through 70, and even moving toward 80.

Yue Dao Lin lowered her head to look at the jumping numbers on the dial, and instead of feeling embarrassed, a sense of joy mixed with shyness and satisfaction welled up in the bottom of her heart.

Huang Mu Jie was more direct, she looked Natsume Chikage up and down and praised with a smile:

"Not bad, Natsume-kun! This uniform looks quite good on you!"

Yue Dao Lin raised her eyelids and revealed an impeccable gentle smile:

"Good afternoon, Natsume-kun."

Natsume Chikage nodded slightly:

"Good afternoon, Yue Dao senior, Huang Mu senior."

Huang Mu Jie laughed and patted the menu:

"Cut the polite talk! Hurry up, recommend a few of the best-tasting desserts in your shop to your Ai-jie! I'm planning to turn grief into appetite today and eat to my heart's content!"

Natsume Chikage agreed with a smile, took the menu, and began to recommend a few signature cakes and pancakes based on their taste preferences, and thoughtfully explained the sweetness and texture.

And just at this moment.

Yue Dao Lin's gaze inadvertently swept over the sports watch on Natsume Chikage's wrist that was hanging naturally by his side.

Her gaze froze on that sports watch with a black strap on his wrist that she had never seen before.

At first, she didn't pay much attention, perhaps it was just an ordinary item he had just bought.

However, the next second.

Classmate Classmate Tengyuan Kui also happened to walk to the table and greeted the two seniors energetically.

When Yue Dao Lin's gaze shifted from Natsume Chikage's wrist to the wrist Classmate Classmate Tengyuan Kui also stretched out to greet them...

She clearly saw that on Classmate Classmate Tengyuan Kui's wrist, she was wearing a sports watch that was exactly the same in style, color, and brand as the one on Natsume Chikage's wrist!

At that instant, Yue Dao Lin felt the air around her seem to stagnate.

A cold, sour feeling spread from the softest part of her heart without warning and swept through her whole body rapidly.

Her fingertips were slightly cold imperceptibly.

They... are wearing the same style? A couple's item?

This realization was like a tiny needle that pierced into her heart unexpectedly.

She pursed her lips gently, her long eyelashes lowered, trying to hide the irrepressible loss and jealousy surging in her eyes.

At this time.

Huang Mu Jie also noticed the glaring "same style" on the two people's wrists.

Her heart "thumped," thinking it was bad, and immediately used the corner of her eye to glance at Yue Dao Lin beside her.

Sure enough, she saw the friend's face that had instantly dimmed and the tightly pursed lip line.

She quickly coughed lightly, smiled pretending to be relaxed, and asked in a teasing tone:

"Eh? Natsume-kun, you didn't seem to wear a sports watch before, right? When did you buy it? You have quite an eye. But..."

She deliberately dragged out her tone, her gaze sweeping back and forth between Natsume Chikage's and Classmate Classmate Tengyuan Kui's wrists.

"The style of your watch, why does it look so much like the one on Fujiwara junior's wrist... could it be..."

Natsume Chikage, upon hearing this, followed her gaze to look at his and Classmate Classmate Tengyuan Kui's watches, smiled frankly, and explained:

"This, actually it's because of our collection club's activity."

He concisely explained the club's agreement to "mutually collect an important item of the other," and the matter of him collecting the old sports watch that Classmate Classmate Tengyuan Kui had worn for a long time, and therefore buying a new one as a return gift.

So... that's how it was.

It was just a club activity, a "collection" and a "return gift," not a couple's item chosen deliberately.

Yue Dao Lin, after listening to the explanation, felt as if the stone that had suddenly pressed on her heart was instantly removed.

The originally gloomy face turned from cloudy to sunny at a speed visible to the naked eye, the tightly pursed lip line loosened, and even couldn't help but curve upward into a shallow but real arc.

"So that's how it is."

She said softly, her tone returning to its usual gentleness, and that hint of sourness faded away quietly, replaced by a kind of relief as if a heavy burden had been lifted.

Huang Mu Jie secretly breathed a sigh of relief in her heart, and at the same time felt a sense of helplessness.

These two people really made her, this bystander, worry to death.

However, just when Huang Mu Jie thought this small misunderstanding had subsided...

Her gaze inadvertently fell on the face of Classmate Classmate Tengyuan Kui, who was sitting beside Natsume Chikage.

I saw this junior, who was usually always energetic and smiling brightly, at this moment, was lowering her head slightly, her gaze seemingly on the tabletop, but actually frequently glancing at Natsume Chikage, who was naturally discussing the shop's specialties with Yue Dao Lin and occasionally smiling at each other.

On Classmate Classmate Tengyuan Kui's healthy wheat-colored cheeks, she was pouting her small mouth slightly, clearly also a bit jealous.

Huang Mu Jie took all this into her eyes, and her heart immediately "thumped," secretly calling it bad.

No... why does the situation seem even more complicated.

She looked at this subtle triangular situation in front of her, only feeling that her head was twice as big, and cold sweat seemed to be dripping from her temples.

It's over, Lin-chan... there are too many love rivals around you, right?

This seemingly cheerful junior beside you, her thoughts toward your Natsume-kun are probably not simple either! ===== CHAPTER 712 =====