Chapter 46: The Boss Arrives

At eighteen, Emma was still young enough to carry a certain innocence in the way she moved.

She was short, barely five feet tall, with a round, youthful face and bright eyes that gave her an almost playful appearance. There was something naturally lively about her, the kind of energy that made her seem younger than she actually was.

She wore a black T-shirt with a cartoon cat printed across the front, paired with a simple plaid skirt and white socks. Her dark hair was tied into two long braids, and a small cat-ear headband sat on top of her head.

She looked more like a college freshman than someone who had already stepped into the complicated world of adulthood.

Ethan studied her for a moment.

So this was Emma.

The girl who would eventually become one of the biggest problems in his previous life.

Back then, she had seemed harmless.

Cute.

Innocent.

But appearances could be deceiving.

Just as he was thinking about her, Emma seemed to notice his gaze.

She glanced over.

Their eyes met.

For a brief second, neither of them moved.

Then Emma’s cheeks suddenly reddened.

She quickly lowered her head and began fidgeting with the edge of her sleeve.

Why is the new boss looking at me?

Her heart beat a little faster.

She had heard that the new owner was young, but she hadn’t expected him to look so confident.

Ethan noticed her reaction but didn’t say anything.

A faint smile touched his lips before he turned his attention back to the counter.

There was no need to rush.

The mission wasn’t simply about winning someone over.

It was about understanding people, controlling the pace of an interaction, and never allowing someone else to dictate the terms.

In his previous life, Ethan had learned that lesson the hard way.

This time, things would be different.

He would never again allow someone to manipulate him so easily.

"Boss, your drink is ready."

Sophia’s voice pulled him from his thoughts.

She approached with a cup of the shop’s signature milk tea and placed it carefully in front of him.

"Give it a try."

"Sure."

Ethan picked up the cup and took a small sip.

The sweetness immediately hit him.

He paused.

His brows tightened slightly.

"This is pretty sweet."

Sophia’s expression changed at once.

She looked nervous.

"Is it too sweet?"

"A little."

Ethan placed the cup back on the counter.

"The flavor isn’t terrible, but it’s too heavy. If we’re planning to grow the business, we need something people can drink regularly without getting tired of it."

Sophia nodded attentively.

"Understood. I’ll keep that in mind."

She looked relieved that he hadn’t been completely dissatisfied.

Ethan, meanwhile, remembered the gym membership he had recently purchased.

He couldn’t help but sigh inwardly.

His body was still far from the condition he wanted.

When he had been reborn, he had sprinted toward the rooftop to stop his mother from making a terrible decision. By the time he reached her, his lungs had felt as though they were on fire.

Meanwhile, Sophia had barely been out of breath.

That memory had left a deep impression on him.

I really need to start exercising.

A man’s body was his foundation.

He couldn’t afford to be physically weak.

Just as he finished thinking this, the familiar mechanical voice sounded inside his head.

Ding!

[A healthy body is essential to becoming an attractive and successful man.]

[Mission: Everything is difficult at the beginning. Complete your first fitness session.]

[Reward: Opposite-Sex Information Panel.]

Ethan blinked.

"Opposite-Sex Information Panel?"

Ding!

[Human nature is complicated. Even an intelligent person can be deceived by someone with ulterior motives.]

[The panel allows the host to view basic information about members of the opposite sex, including their current level of favorability toward the host.]

Ethan’s eyes brightened.

Now that was useful.

If he’d possessed such an ability in his previous life, he might have recognized the truth about certain people much sooner.

Someone could tell him they loved him.

They could smile sweetly.

They could call him every night and promise they would stay by his side forever.

But their actual feelings might tell an entirely different story.

The system had just given him a way to see through that contradiction.

Not bad.

This reward could save me a lot of trouble.

At that moment, the shop’s door opened.

A customer walked inside.

Sophia immediately put on a professional smile.

"Welcome. What can I get for you?"

She stepped forward to greet the customer, leaving Ethan standing near the counter.

He watched quietly.

Sophia handled the customer naturally and efficiently. She took the order, prepared the drink, collected the payment, and thanked the customer without once losing her composure.

Ethan’s eyes narrowed slightly.

An idea came to him.

Perhaps he had found the right person to test.

If Sophia was capable enough, there was no reason for her to remain an ordinary employee.

A good store manager could become extremely valuable as the business expanded.

Once the customer left, Sophia returned.

Ethan pointed toward the milk tea.

"The drink needs some adjustment."

Sophia immediately nodded.

"I agree."

"You do?"

"Yes."

She hesitated before continuing.

"I’ve actually mentioned it to the previous owner several times. I thought it was too sweet, but he preferred it that way, so he never changed the recipe."

Ethan nodded.

"Then we’ll change it."

Sophia looked surprised.

"Really?"

"Of course. If something isn’t working, why keep it just because the previous owner liked it?"

Sophia smiled.

"Understood, Boss."

Ethan studied her for another moment.

She seemed responsible.

More importantly, she wasn’t afraid to point out a problem when she noticed one.

That was a quality he valued.

"One more question."

"Yes?"

"How did the shop perform last month?"

Sophia’s smile faded slightly.

She hesitated.

"Well..."

Ethan waited.

"The previous owner told me the net profit was probably less than five thousand yuan."

Ethan’s expression became thoughtful.

Less than five thousand?

That was worse than he had expected.

He looked around the small shop.

The location wasn’t terrible.

The staff seemed competent.

The product could be improved.

So where exactly was the problem?

His eyes gradually sharpened.

Perhaps this little milk-tea shop wasn’t just a reward.

Perhaps it was his first real business challenge.

And if he wanted to build something bigger, he would have to learn how to turn a failing shop into a profitable one.

A faint smile appeared on Ethan’s face.

Interesting.

Things were finally getting started.