The Guide to Rising to Power: The Ultimate Schemes of a Green Tea Beauty

Shen Yao got up a little later than usual the next day. She quickly tidied herself up and went to school.

Xiang Yuchuan had very few classes in his senior year, and he didn't attend any of them.

Remembering how sleepy Shen Yao looked when she left home that morning, he suddenly had a whim and decided to buy her a cup of coffee to perk her up.

As he started the car, he instinctively thought of the chain coffee shop where Shen Yao had once worked part-time.

To be honest, given the generic decor and low prices, this young master would never have stepped foot inside if it weren't for his initial observation of Shen Yao.

Since officially getting together with Shen Yao, he has never gone there again.

Fine, let's go there then.

He made up his mind, turned the steering wheel, and drove in that familiar yet unfamiliar direction.

He parked the car on the side of the road and walked into the coffee shop.

The familiar bell rang, and the air was filled with the rich aroma of coffee beans.

He walked straight to the counter and, almost without thinking, told her the flavor of Shen Yao's favorite latte, specifying exactly how much sugar and milk to add.

Even he himself was slightly taken aback, not expecting that he could remember it so clearly.

"Please wait a moment, it will be ready soon," the clerk said with a smile.

While waiting, Xiang Yuchuan idly looked around the store's furnishings.

His gaze unconsciously swept over the quiet corner by the window.

That used to be Shen Yao's favorite place. She would always sit there quietly reading and doing her homework when there were no customers.

"Do you like this spot, sir?" A gentle male voice sounded beside him.

Xiang Yuchuan glanced at him lazily. It was the store manager, a gentle-looking man who looked to be around thirty years old.

Xiang Yuchuan wasn't interested in paying attention and simply gave a faint "hmm".

Store manager Chen Yuan didn't seem to mind his coldness, lost in some kind of reminiscence, his tone tinged with regret:

"This spot... there used to be a girl who worked part-time here and really liked to sit here and read, but unfortunately she quit later."

Xiang Yuchuan's previously nonchalant gaze suddenly sharpened, and for some reason, his heart stirred.

He spoke casually, but his tone carried a hint of inquiry:

"Really? What kind of girl?"

Chen Yuan sighed, his eyes dimming slightly: "She's a very beautiful girl, exceptionally beautiful."

He seemed to remember something and added, "I remember it very clearly. The day she came for the job was shortly after the start of summer. She was very beautiful when I first saw her."

Xiang Yuchuan's hand, holding the freshly made, piping hot coffee cup, suddenly trembled.

"Snap."

The coffee was served in a ceramic cup, which he then dropped and smashed on the ground, shattering into pieces.

Scalding hot coffee and milk foam splattered everywhere, and the dark brown liquid spread rapidly across the floor.

Like a stain that can never be erased.

Xiang Yuchuan frowned deeply, looking at the mess on the ground, his expression not good.

He told the staff who rushed over after hearing the noise, "Sorry, my hand slipped. Make me another one."

Then he took out his phone, scanned the QR code and paid for everything, including the cup, without any expression on his face.

The store manager quickly directed the staff to come and clean.

Xiang Yuchuan stood still, without moving.

His brain was shutting down, and his heart felt like it was being squeezed by an invisible hand.

Something feels off...

He turned his head irritably to look at the bustling traffic outside the window; the sunlight was a bit dazzling.

No one knows how many complex emotions flashed across his handsome face in those short two minutes.

Doubt, speculation, a faint unease...

When the floor was wiped clean by the store clerk, as if nothing had happened, Xiang Yuchuan took a deep breath, turned around, and for the first time took the initiative to walk towards Chen Yuan, the store manager who was supervising from the side.

His face returned to its usual slightly nonchalant smile, as if he were just making small talk out of boredom.

"Oh? What kind of beautiful girl could make you so hung up on her?"

Chen Yuan gave a wry smile, his eyes sincere:

"Sir, I'm not kidding you, she really is very beautiful. Did you come here a long time ago and perhaps didn't notice? That kind of beauty is something you'll never forget once you see her. Even if she's wearing the simplest clothes, it can't be hidden."

Xiang Yuchuan's smile froze for a moment, and the feeling that something was wrong grew stronger.

He forced himself to maintain the last shred of pretense and tentatively probed in a joking tone:

"Dressed simply? Are you implying she's some Cinderella in distress?"

The store manager shook his head, a look of reminiscence on his face:

"Cinderella, I wouldn't say. But the first time I saw her, she was quite disheveled. She was travel-worn, and her clothes were a bit... well... like she'd traveled a long way. She said she'd been robbed. But even so, she was still very eye-catching."

Xiang Yuchuan's smile finally vanished completely, and he stared intently at the store manager:

"Are you sure it was just after the start of summer? When she came for the job interview?"

Store manager Chen Yuan felt a little uneasy under his suddenly serious gaze, but still nodded firmly:

"Yes, it's definitely summer. There's still a long time before school starts. It's so pitiful that she has to come to work all by herself, and the weather is still very hot."

Xiang Yuchuan didn't ask any further questions.

He took the coffee the clerk made again, thanked them, and strode away from the coffee shop.

He got into the car, but didn't start the engine immediately.

Xiang Yuchuan gripped the steering wheel, staring at the steaming cup of coffee, his eyes unfathomable.

"Yuchuan, are you alright?"

Shen Yao's clear voice, tinged with concern, pulled Xiang Yuchuan back to reality from his chaotic thoughts.

She held the warm cup of coffee in her hands, tilted her head slightly, and looked at her boyfriend, who was clearly distracted, with a look of confusion in her beautiful eyes.

Xiang Yuchuan snapped back to reality, his face quickly switching back to that doting expression, revealing not a trace of his inner turmoil.

He reached out and ruffled Shen Yao's hair, his tone relaxed and natural, with a hint of a joke:

"It's nothing, I was just thinking about what gift I should give you in a few days. Our Yao Yao is so beautiful, she deserves the best."

Upon hearing this, Shen Yao's face immediately blossomed into a sweet smile. She lowered her head, took a sip of coffee, and lowered her long eyelashes, concealing the fleeting thought in her eyes.

When she looked up again, her eyes were full of dependence and happiness:

"Thank you, Yuchuan, you're so kind to me."