Chapter 492 - 491: What If: Did the Big Shot Vie for Favor Today? 60

Chapter 492: Chapter 491: What If: Did the Big Shot Vie for Favor Today? 60

For the next two or three days, Shi Lan began pre-launch promotions for her shop. She named it "Friend, Have a Cup of Tea." The name was simple and direct, reflecting her hope that people would take a moment out of their busy lives to relax and enjoy themselves.

Life is hard enough as it is; living it well is even harder. But what’s wrong with finding small ways to relax within one’s means and ease a tense mind?

At the very least, Shi Lan had long understood that loving herself was a more tangible and lasting endeavor than chasing the fleeting, illusory love of others.

Shi Lan had already purchased all the necessary ingredients and equipment during the renovation, so her main focus now was on promotion. She filmed a promotional video for her little shop to post online and hired two part-time students to hand out flyers. Chen Xinyi helped out as well, giving a flyer to each customer at the cat café.

Once the flyers were being distributed, Shi Lan got busy preparing various flower teas, pastries, and drinks. To ensure she wouldn’t be overwhelmed on opening day, she also hired an experienced clerk and a server.

As for whether she had enough staff, she wasn’t expecting much foot traffic in the shop’s early days anyway.

Shi Lan had a clear vision for the shop’s main products, so finalizing the menu was a quick process.

Her main task was taking photos of the items and uploading them to a mini-program, which would allow customers to place orders conveniently.

Since it was summer, the shop’s main offerings were cold teas. When winter came, she could introduce various hot brewed tea options, which she thought would be a lot of fun.

This thought filled Shi Lan with motivation.

The shop’s business hours were from 12:00 PM to 9:00 PM. On the day of the grand opening, Shi Lan finished lunch early and headed over, first dropping off her clingy cat, Ping’an, at the cat café.

This time at the cat café, Ping’an happily went off to play with Fufu. The two kitties became close friends again, unlike the last time when they’d gotten into a fight.

Relieved, Shi Lan went to her shop, put on the custom apron, and got ready to welcome her customers.

But to her surprise, her very first customer was none other than He Hanshi.

He Hanshi had even sent four large floral stands. Shi Lan already had two "Grand Opening" arrangements by her door, and now they were flanked by two more on each side, all filled with what looked like very expensive flowers.

Her server, Xiao Liu, assumed he was a friend and immediately brought him inside before running over to tell Shi Lan.

"Boss, there’s a really handsome guy at the door! He sent those opening arrangements. Is he a friend of yours?"

Shi Lan, who had been wondering who it could be, walked over. Her eyes met He Hanshi’s face, and her astonishment only deepened.

"Mr. He, what brings you here?"

He Hanshi smiled. "Well, Assistant Chen mentioned you were opening a shop. You helped me out last time, and I wasn’t sure how to thank you, so I just sent a few arrangements."

"I’m not disturbing you, am I?"

Shi Lan shook her head, unable to suppress a smile. "Not at all. You’re early; I don’t have any other customers yet."

"Would you like a cup of tea? Our specialty is flower tea, though. I’m not sure if it’s to your taste."

He Hanshi nodded slightly. "Yes, please. I’m not picky; anything is fine."

"Then please, have a seat."

Shi Lan showed him to a nearby seat and returned to the service counter, watching his figure from a distance.

Shi Lan had adjusted the shop’s decor midway through the design process. Her initial idea was a pink and purple theme, but considering she might have male customers, she pivoted to a more traditional tea pavilion style with vintage and natural wood elements.

However, she hadn’t cut back on the flowers or the photo-worthy spots she’d planned. The little shop was filled with floral elements, creating a lush, blooming atmosphere. Seeing He Hanshi sitting there, Shi Lan couldn’t help but feel he looked completely out of place.

He didn’t look like someone who had come for tea. He exuded the stern, cold aura of a man in power. Rather than relaxing, Shi Lan thought he looked more like he was there to close a deal worth hundreds of millions.

She chuckled at her own thought. As if sensing her gaze, He Hanshi glanced up at her.

Shi Lan immediately wiped the smile from her face, obediently lowering her head to pour the tea. She also plated a serving of rose-flavored pastries for him.

She brought the items over to him herself.

He Hanshi looked up, the angle highlighting the sharp, handsome line of his jaw. He nodded politely. "Thank you."

Then, he paused and asked, "What kind of tea is this?"

"This is Albizia flower tea," Shi Lan explained. "It’s calming for the mind and spirit, and it helps with relaxation."

She’d noticed over their past few meetings that he had faint dark circles under his eyes. While it didn’t diminish his handsomeness, she had seen him looking even better; right now, he just seemed tired.

’But that makes sense,’ she thought. ’He’s a workaholic. Now that his leg is better, he’s probably even less able to sit still.’

An imperceptible warmth entered He Hanshi’s dark eyes. ’Pumpkin is still so thoughtful,’ he mused. ’Even as a human, she still secretly worries about me.’

His gaze lowered, and his fingers lightly grazed the side of the cup before he lifted it for a sip. "The flavor is nice."

Noticing his small gesture, Shi Lan explained, "Since it’s summer, I made a cold brew. That’s a rose and red bean pastry. It has a filling, but it’s not too sweet. It pairs well with the tea."

"Alright."

He Hanshi obediently followed her suggestion. He immediately picked up the pastry, took half a bite, and after chewing a few times, took another sip of tea.

"Mm, you’re right. It is very good."

Shi Lan couldn’t help but smile. Just then, she noticed Assistant Chen standing outside the door and called him in, serving him a cup of tea as well.

"It’s so hot out, Assistant Chen. Why were you just standing outside?"

Assistant Chen gingerly sat down across from his boss. He didn’t dare admit he was afraid of being a third wheel, so he just accepted the tea from Shi Lan with a flattered expression. "Thank you, Miss Shi Lan. I was just admiring the flowers outside and lost track of time."

"They are beautiful," Shi Lan said, not awkwardly protesting the gift but graciously agreeing.

He Hanshi glanced at Assistant Chen’s cup. Though their tea was the same, Shi Lan hadn’t brought a pastry for his assistant. He was the only one with the rose pastry.

At this thought, the corners of his mouth curled up a bit more as he took a sip of his tea.

A few minutes later, other customers began to arrive.

Shi Lan wasn’t in the mood to continue making small talk, and frankly, she didn’t know what else to say. The new arrivals gave her the perfect excuse to step away.

He Hanshi didn’t stop her.

One had to admit, the power of a handsome face was immense.

He Hanshi was seated near the open entrance. The first wave of customers had been drawn in by the half-price offer on the flyer or the shop’s attractive storefront. But soon, new arrivals were unconsciously filling the seats in a circle around him, with people constantly sneaking glances his way.

However, with his elite air and a cold, unsmiling expression, everyone just watched from a distance. Not a single person dared to approach him.

Shi Lan felt that He Hanshi was like a living signboard. In the half-hour he sat there drinking tea, the shop was suddenly flooded with customers. Business was booming, and Shi Lan and her staff were so busy they were run off their feet.

The flood of customers only began to subside after he finished his tea, said goodbye to her, and left.

Shi Lan had planned on letting them have it on the house, but Assistant Chen paid before he left and even got an order of the rose pastries to go.

It was strange. He’d rarely seen his boss eat desserts before, yet today, Mr. He had polished off all five pieces of the rose pastry himself without offering him a single bite.

He absolutely had to try one and see just how delicious it really was.