After four years of living alone after marrying far away, he went back to his parents' home and

Each time she picks up a cup of coffee, from observing, smelling, and tasting it to confidently answering a question, the entire process takes no more than ten seconds.

There was even a mouthwash time interspersed in between, after tasting the previous coffee.

Ten pots of coffee were lined up on the table. She sipped them all at once, completely absorbed and focused.

The audience below instantly held their breath and became quiet, as if everyone was waiting for a good result.

Number 7 and number 9 on the stage were also completely dumbfounded without realizing it.

By the time the two realized what was happening, Lan Yujuan had already stopped the timer, looked up, and smiled:

"I'm all better!"

It wasn't until then that people number 7 and 9 next to them suddenly realized what was happening and quickly filled in the names and origins of the last few coffees, vying to hand in their papers one after the other.

The results for this third competition were tallied very quickly; in less than five minutes, the host brought the results to the stage.

"Contestant number 7 correctly guessed 4 types of coffee in the blind coffee tasting segment."

"Contestant number 9 may have made a slight mistake in judgment in this round, only guessing one type of coffee correctly."

"That's okay, just go back and practice hard, and try again next time! Anyone who makes it to the finals is definitely an excellent barista!"

"The main thing is that the last event in our final is indeed difficult. It not only requires a very solid foundation, but also a bit of good luck."

The host's words only made things worse. After hearing the explanation, number 9 next to him burst into tears, tears streaming down his face.

But the other person seemed to still have a stubborn streak in their heart. While wiping away tears, they glared at Lan Yujuan with resentment.

That look seemed to say: Don't underestimate me, I don't believe she can be that good.

Even though I only guessed one, what if she doesn't guess any of them correctly?

Lan Yujuan stood calmly in the center of the stage, but out of the corner of her eye, she could feel the unfriendly gaze from her opponent next to her.

But she kept smiling, looking ahead, quietly waiting for the answer.

Although the scores hadn't been released yet, she already had a good idea of ​​what to expect.

A while ago, the Banshan Xiaoyin Coffee Shop opened, and in order to select the products, she tried almost every coffee available on the market.

Now, it's as if a giant coffee tree has grown in her mind, and each type of coffee is like a fruit growing on a corresponding branch.

As soon as the aroma and taste of coffee are entered into the system, she can automatically retrieve the information from her mind.

This blind tasting competition might be a bit challenging for other baristas.

But for her, it was a sure thing.

"Finally, congratulations to contestant number 8, Lan Yujuan, the excellent barista from Banshan Xiaoyin Cafe!"

"Congratulations to her for correctly guessing all 10 coffees in the shortest amount of time during the third blind coffee tasting competition!"

"Furthermore, the coffee brewing process was extremely smooth and aesthetically pleasing, earning high praise from both the audience and those watching the online live stream!"

So far in the finals, Lan Yujuan is the first and only barista to correctly identify the varieties and origins of all 10 coffee beans in the blind tasting segment.

When the host announced the results, thunderous applause erupted in the audience.

Especially in the audience, people were clapping excitedly while whispering among themselves with curiosity:

"Where is the Hidden Corner Cafe on the Hillside? I've never heard of it before."

"I never expected such a small coffee shop to be full of hidden gems; I definitely have to try it sometime!"

Lan Yujuan was happy to hear her results, but overall she remained calm as she stepped off the stage.

But to her surprise, Qin Shuyi, who had squeezed to the side of the stage to wait, rushed over like a cannonball, hugged her, and excitedly yelled "Awoo!"

"Auntie, you're amazing! You're incredible! You're so cool!"

Lan Yujuan felt dizzy from being shaken, and quickly smiled and whispered to comfort her:

"Alright, alright!"

"With so many people watching, and the competition not over yet, let's try to keep a low profile."

"After all, there are still 6 teams that haven't played yet. Who knows if there are any hidden experts among them?"

Lan Yujuan knew very well: there are always mountains beyond mountains, and people beyond people.

Before we knew it, it was lunchtime.

The remaining two groups, comprising six teams, had their matches scheduled for the afternoon.

The final results of the finals will not be available until all 15 teams have finished their competitions.

"Thank you all for your hard work this morning!"

"Let's go, my uncle is treating us to lunch!" Qin Shuyi waved the membership card in her hand, linked arms with her aunt, and said to everyone with a smile.

"There's a hidden private restaurant on the top floor of the mall. Their fish is incredibly delicious, but you have to make a reservation if you want to eat there."

"However, my uncle booked a private room in advance, so we can just go there directly."

Hearing that there was something delicious to eat, Lan Qingqing quietly shifted her gaze from the English vocabulary book on the chair, rubbing her tummy as she cheered:

"I have to say, I'm actually a little hungry!"

Qi Lei laughed, "I was in a rush this morning and didn't eat much. I was thinking of eating two more bowls of rice for lunch!"

Qin Shuyi casually picked up her bag, waved enthusiastically, and led the way.

"Everyone, follow me!"

Lan Qingqing was quick-witted and saw that the vocabulary book was left alone on the chair. She quickly picked it up and chased after Qin Shuyi.

"You forgot your vocabulary book, here you go!"

Qin Shuyi turned her head to look at it, naturally took it, casually stuffed it into her bag, and smiled:

"It's okay, it's just a book."

"Anyway, it'll be back in a bit. Even if I leave it on the chair, no one will take it."

Lan Qingqing listened with an exceptionally serious tone.

"That won't do. What if someone takes a liking to it and steals it?"

Qin Shuyi clearly didn't take it to heart, and chuckled, "It's just a book, there aren't any gold leaves inside, who would steal one?"

Lan Qingqing opened her mouth, slowly following along while glancing at Qin Shuyi's profile out of the corner of her eye, unsure how to respond.

In fact, Lan Qingqing knew very well that the price of that vocabulary book was at most a few dozen yuan.

But for some reason, she felt that the book was very precious.

Or perhaps, what's precious isn't the vocabulary book, but the opportunity to attend high school.

For her, this precious learning opportunity should be cherished...

Lan Yujuan glanced back, her heart stirred, and she noticed the change in Lan Qingqing's emotions.

The group arrived at a private room in the rooftop restaurant and chatted while waiting for their food.

Qin Shuyi was very surprised to learn that Lan Qingqing was actually the same age as her, and couldn't help but ask:

"You're still so young, why aren't you in school?"

"Your grades aren't very good either, are you ready to give up on school?"

In Qin Shuyi's mind, a 17-year-old should be confined to school and studying.

Even if someone is mischievous and gets the lowest score, they still have to stay inside the school gates.

To dare to skip school at 17 is simply outrageous!

Lan Qingqing was holding a teacup, blowing on the steaming tea while staring blankly into space.

Suddenly, Qin Shuyi asked him about his studies, and he didn't react for a long time.

After a long while, she blushed and whispered:

"My junior high grades? Actually, they were pretty good in the first and second years of junior high."

"Back then, my homeroom teacher said that if my grades could remain stable, I would have no problem getting into Xiangnan No.1 High School."

Upon hearing the name of her school, Qin Shuyi immediately sat up straight, her eyes widening in surprise.

Even Lan Yujuan, who was reading a novel, and Qi Lei, who was scrolling through short videos, couldn't help but look up at the same time and silently put down their phones.

"Ah, since your grades were so good in the first and second years of junior high, why didn't you go to high school?" Qin Shuyi frowned, clearly puzzled.

Lan Qingqing scratched her head, her face turning even redder, and said shyly:

"In my third year of junior high, my grades dropped, and I didn't get into university."

"My family's financial situation is average. When I was in the third year of junior high school, many of my classmates started using cell phones."

"I also want a cell phone, but my parents won't buy it for me."

"In addition, my parents were arguing and getting a divorce around that time. In a fit of pique, I started skipping classes every few days and stopped studying properly."

"When I failed the high school entrance exam, I was quite happy, thinking that I could finally leave home and go out into society to work and earn money."

"From now on, I won't need to ask anyone for help anymore; I can be my own support!"

"But who would have thought that it would be so difficult to find a job without a degree?"

"You only realize how good it was to study after you enter the workforce!"

"If only I hadn't been distracted back then, and had studied hard enough to get into university!"

Qin Shuyi stood beside her, feeling a pang of regret for Lan Qingqing.

Lan Yujuan picked up her teacup, took a sip, and said softly:

"Actually, Qingqing, it's not too late for you to study if you really want to."

A tiny flame of hope flickered in Lan Qingqing's eyes, but it was quickly extinguished, and she hurriedly waved her hand, saying:

"Sigh, let's just forget about it for now!"

"I've been out in the workforce for a few years now. Not only have I forgotten everything I learned in junior high school, but I've also become quite wild."

"Now, I have a new goal: to learn how to make coffee properly!"

"If I have the chance in the future, I'll participate in more large-scale coffee competitions, win more awards, and strive to be as good as you guys someday!"

Lan Yujuan turned her head, looked at Lan Qingqing deeply, and said seriously:

"If one day you change your mind and want to go back to school, you can tell me anytime."

Fate is in your own hands, and the margin for error in fate is higher than you might imagine.

Even if you take a detour for a while, as long as you bravely move forward, no one can predict what the future will hold.

As they were talking, there was a gentle knock on the door of the private room.

Everyone thought the food was about to be served, but to their surprise, the waiter opened the door with a smile and led someone in.

"Excuse me, may I interrupt?"

"The guest sitting in the next private room said he is your friend and wanted to come over and say hello."

After the waiter finished speaking, he stepped aside to make way.

The band's lead singer, whom I had met briefly earlier, walked over with a warm and friendly smile, holding a bottle of vintage red wine.

"What a coincidence!"

"I didn't expect you to be having lunch here today."