The person who arrived was none other than Shao Xiuye, Lin Lan's ex-boyfriend, whom she had dumped over half a year ago.
After being thoroughly played by Lin Lan's meticulously planned scheme, his good days quickly came to an end. That proud and arrogant rich beauty could never tolerate such a humiliation. She dumped him within days and even had her father find an excuse to transfer him from the headquarters to a branch office in another city. The environment was worse than when he was with Lin Lan, and the benefits and compensation were simply incomparable to those at the headquarters.
Having grown accustomed to the glamorous and respectable life following a wealthy heiress, and still dreaming of becoming the son-in-law of a listed company's chairman, Shao Xiuye naturally couldn't accept this drastic fall from grace. He went back to the rich beauty, constantly apologizing and pleading pitifully, hoping she would change her mind.
But what kind of decent person would knowingly go after someone who already had a girlfriend?
Shao Xiuye came from a very ordinary family; it was already a struggle for them to put him through college. With such a background, how could he ever be taken seriously by that domineering heiress? From the very beginning, she only gave him a second glance because he was good-looking and knew how to play his cards. Her intention was just to snatch him away for fun. Whether Lin Lan had broken up with him in that manner or not, his outcome would have been roughly the same; it was bound to happen sooner or later.
Of course, Shao Xiuye would never admit to this. During that period when he was two-timing and playing both sides, he actually thought he was incredibly skilled, believing he had won the hearts of two women through his own prowess.
When Lin Lan discovered the truth, she revealed her own wealthy family background, kicked him to the curb, blocked all contact, and moved overseas. Although he was filled with regret—after all, he had genuinely liked her and pursued her actively—this regret didn't stop him from continuing to chase after the rich beauty. He had missed his chance with Lin Lan; he couldn't let the company heiress slip away too.
The result of his persistent pestering was that the domineering heiress completely turned on him. She had people frame him for leaking commercial secrets and directly kicked him out of the company. With that stain on his record, it became utterly impossible for Shao Xiuye to find a decent job at any reputable company in that industry. His career, which had finally started to show promise after years of hard work, was completely ruined. He had no choice but to reluctantly switch careers, starting from scratch to learn new skills and slowly build seniority all over again.
Fortunately, he was still young. Starting over, he still had plenty of time and opportunities.
After going through such an ordeal, most people would likely adopt one of two mindsets. One is to learn from the painful lesson, repent sincerely, resolve to be a better person, and stop dreaming of reaching for the stars or taking shortcuts. The other is to instinctively shift blame, ignoring the root cause of their own mistakes and relentlessly blaming others.
Shao Xiuye was the latter type. Forced into a career change, he was completely cut off from that rich beauty, but that didn't stop him from cursing her at all. He believed that woman, by willingly becoming the other woman, had destroyed his relationship with Lin Lan. Otherwise, he would have long been the son-in-law of an overseas tycoon by now, and wouldn't need to start from the bottom as a lowly clerk again, abandoning the professional knowledge he had studied for so many years to fumble around in an unfamiliar field, bowing and scraping like someone's grandson. He never once considered that it was he who deliberately flirted and eventually got involved with the other woman, nor did he acknowledge the reason he never dared to blame Lin Lan—deep down, he knew he was the one who betrayed her first and was in the wrong.
But when he accidentally saw a clickbait video online and discovered that Lin Lan, who was supposed to be living overseas as a wealthy heiress, was actually just the owner of a trendy cat café, all his previous thoughts changed completely.
He shifted all the blame and fury onto Lin Lan, who had pretended to be wealthy.
It was this woman, Lin Lan, who set him up and caused him to end up like this. It was all her fault!
Shao Xiuye was so angry he wanted to go find this woman and settle the score immediately, but afraid of being proven wrong and humiliated, he had learned to be smarter. He began asking around to investigate the situation in Xicheng. Coupled with being swamped with various work-related troubles, it took him this long to finally buy a ticket and make the trip over.
Following the address, he found the shop. The moment he saw his ex-girlfriend's face, Shao Xiuye blurted out a curse fueled by resentment.
"Lin Lan, you bitch, you've ruined me!"
Whoosh!
The instant he hurled the insult, everyone in the shop stood up, glaring at him with unfriendly expressions.
Seeing that almost everyone here was wearing the shop's uniform aprons, the aggressive momentum that had surged forth from his resentment instantly deflated. He subconsciously took a step back.
This retreat of his caused Lin Lan's own anger, which had flared up at the sudden sight of the scumbag, to subside considerably. Her icy expression softened into a neutral mask.
"Starting with insults as soon as we meet? Your manners have regressed quite a bit, Shao Xiuye. It hardly lives up to the name your parents gave you." Shop Owner Lin blocked the doorway, arms crossed, perfectly composed. "Took you this long to realize it was a setup. Your reaction time is rather slow."
"You...!" Anger flashed across Shao Xiuye's face again. After all this time, this woman was still exactly the same. Her demeanor involuntarily reminded him of that humiliating scene in the autumn square, where she could make them lose all dignity without even uttering a single curse word, effortlessly mocking and infuriating them.
As conflict flared up again, the three employees from the back, along with Cheng Fengyang and the others, had already stepped forward. Especially Cheng Fengyang, who asked, "Lanlan, who is this guy?" while trying to move directly in front of Lin Lan.
—But Shop Owner Lin pulled him back, still keeping him behind her.
"An irrelevant person. I can handle this myself." Lin Lan never had the habit of pushing her own problems onto others, especially not a messy episode from her past. Without turning her head, she blocked Cheng Fengyang's attempt and continued coolly looking at Shao Xiuye at the door. "You must have found your way here after seeing the news online, right? So, what? You want to settle the score with me for that setup that publicly humiliated you and your little mistress back then?"
She admitted it openly and frankly, and directly questioned his intentions, which made Shao Xiuye—who had come prepared with a bellyful of accusations and curses—flush red, suddenly at a loss for words.
The term "little mistress" immediately caused the three employees, Tang Xiaoya and the others, to wear expressions of confusion mixed with shock. Cheng Fengyang, however, instantly understood the man's identity: "So you're the ex who betrayed Lanlan and cheated on her?"
This highly informative addition made the three young people in the back instantly comprehend. The way they looked at Shao Xiuye immediately changed, now filled with contempt.
"Pah! Scumbag!" Tang Xiaoya cursed directly. "You were the one who found a mistress first, and yet you dare come to your ex-girlfriend's place to curse at her? Your skin is really thick! No, you have no shame at all, do you? What normal person would do something like this!"
"Exactly, how do you even have the face to come here?" Wang Jiayi couldn't help but chime in, looking utterly disbelieving that such a bizarre creature existed in the world. "Lanlan is so good to you, and you still two-timed behind her back? Someone like you is just too greedy and disgusting!"
Song Xinmin didn't speak, but he subtly took two steps forward. Having traveled extensively, he had encountered his share of romantic disputes; it wasn't uncommon for men and women to come to blows over such matters. He felt it necessary to be properly on guard.
The employees' curses flushed Shao Xiuye's face with another wave of redness. He somewhat regretted rushing over so impulsively to confront her, but when the corner of his eye caught Cheng Fengyang, who had been watching Lin Lan with concern from across the room, that regret was tossed aside by a sudden surge of anger.
He remembered the scene when he pushed the door open: Lin Lan sitting face-to-face with this man, chatting and laughing. The fury of feeling betrayed, of being cuckolded, was impossible to suppress.
Even though they had already broken up, in Shao Xiuye's subconscious, Lin Lan was still his woman. Seeing another man by her side now, he simply couldn't swallow his pride.
He let out a cold sneer. "You're really something, Lin Lan. It hasn't even been a year since we broke up and you've already found another one. Are you that lonely, that you can't be without a man for a single moment?"
This insulting, thoughtless remark truly infuriated Tang Xiaoya and the others. Someone immediately turned to grab a mop or similar tool to drive him out, but they were stopped by Manager Lin, who raised a hand without showing any anger.
She smiled faintly and retorted, "I can't compare to you, Shao Xiuye. After just three months of long-distance, you were already finding solace with another woman. What's the matter? That Miss Jiang, who was willing to be the other woman knowing full well you had a girlfriend, is she also unwilling to live with you, just like I was?"
"Whoa!" This revelation about the ex-boyfriend and his mistress made the young people present erupt again. The young lady from a wealthy family covered her mouth in shock, looking utterly disapproving. "Knowing someone has a partner and still deliberately moving in to steal them away? What a disgusting person!"
"Trashy man, despicable woman, a perfect match indeed," Tang Xiaoya immediately pronounced.
Failing to mock her and instead having another layer of his shame exposed, Shao Xiuye's face had now flushed a deep burgundy. But Lin Lan had no intention of stopping. He had come looking for humiliation himself, so she couldn't be blamed for stepping on him. Curving her lips, she continued adding salt to the wound.
"Judging by your current state, I suppose that Miss Jiang dumped you?" Surveying her ex-boyfriend's plain attire, Lin Lan tutted. "Tsk tsk. You threw away your face and dignity behind my back to cozy up to a rich girl, but you didn't succeed in becoming the son-in-law of a listed company, and ended up even worse off. And now you actually come here to take your anger out on me? Shao Xiuye, are you sure that's something a decent person would do?"
The other man gritted his teeth, but Lin Lan didn't give him a chance to speak, firing off her words in a rapid volley.
"You must be cursing me in your heart for playing you, and even shamelessly think all this is my fault, right? But don't say that's not the truth. Even if it really were that way, you brought it upon yourself, didn't you?"
"Did I encourage you to cheat back then? Or did I cause you to end up like this? From start to finish, it was entirely your own doing. Even if you're unwilling to admit it a thousand times over and push the blame onto me, the facts remain."
"Finally, before coming here, you should have had the sense to ask around about my family background, right?" Lin Lan tucked the stray hairs at her temple behind her ear, her tone condescending. "Yes, even if my family isn't as wealthy as that Miss Jiang's, it's still leagues above yours. Shao Xiuye, I'm going to say this today: you are not worthy of me. Whether it's family background, character, or even work ability, you are inferior to me."
When Lin Lan worked in Shanghai, her salary had already surpassed Shao Xiuye's. After her promotion, it would double. This was also her biggest confidence when she dared to discuss buying a place in Shanghai with him back then. Shao Xiuye knew this too, which was why when their company made personnel transfers, he didn't hesitate to choose to leave her and develop at the headquarters.
Admittedly, it was a necessary move for his career and future. But in a sense, his completely unreserved choice actually showed that deep down, he didn't care that much about Lin Lan. This led to the subsequent affair after just three months of long-distance; in fact, the signs were there all along.
For someone like this, Lin Lan showed no mercy.
Stimulated beyond endurance, Shao Xiuye's eyes turned red and he raised his hand, wanting to hit her. The two men, Song Xinmin and Cheng Fengyang, who had been watching his movements, immediately stepped forward to block him.
"What are you doing! Can't win an argument so you want to resort to violence?"
"Cheating on your girlfriend, and then having the nerve to come back causing trouble over half a year after breaking up? Even as a fellow man, I feel ashamed for you!"
With them blocking the front, Tang Xiaoya and Wang Jiayi behind them, holding mops and brooms, also looked furious. He did wrong and still wants to hit someone? What a man with no class!
"You still want to hit me?" Lin Lan, protected behind everyone, raised her eyebrows, her volume increasing accordingly. "I was already being merciful by not gathering a bunch of people to beat you up back then. Now you actually dare to show up at my door. Don't blame me for speaking harshly and skinning you layer by layer. Shao Xiuye, from beginning to end, it was you who wronged me. You have no right to stand here and curse me."
"Lin Lan..."
"Get out! If you don't leave now, I'm calling the police!" She didn't want to give this man any chance to open his mouth and utter threats, sharply cutting him off. "Having someone like you standing here is dirtying my shop!"
By the end, Lin Lan was genuinely angry. Those who sensed this emotion weren't just the humans, but also the cats that had unconsciously gathered around.
Just as Wang Jiayi and the others were about to start shouting to drive him out, a group of cats led by Momo had already slipped through their legs to the front. Arching their backs, fur puffed up, they hissed and growled threateningly at Shao Xiuye.
(Get out! Lan Lan told you to get out!)
(Anyone Lan Lan dislikes, we don't welcome either!)
(Get out of our territory!)
(I remember your scent. If you dare come again, I'll scratch you to death!)
This scene left the employees rather dumbfounded, but Shao Xiuye himself, receiving such clear signals of an attack from so many cats, was somewhat frightened. These small creatures were fast and could easily scratch hands and faces. With it being summer and people wearing less clothing, if Lin Lan really ordered these cats to attack him, the consequences would be unthinkable.
"Fine... fine! Lin Lan, you're just great!" Gnashing his teeth and uttering threats, Shao Xiuye nevertheless stepped back cautiously, keeping a wary eye on the cats with their claws out. The moment he touched the main door, he pushed it open and ran without looking back.
The glass door closed again. Apart from the swaying chime, there was no other sound in the teahouse.
This interlude wasn't long, but it was truly startling. Wang Jiayi and the others couldn't help but glance carefully at their manager.
"Lan Lan, you..." The young lady's worried words were cut short as Lin Lan waved her hand.
"I'm fine. He came looking for a scolding himself. Of course, I wasn't going to indulge him and told it like it is." Manager Lin's expression was normal, even wearing a smile. "Thank you all for defending me just now. Even my little kittens know how to protect people now. I'm really touched."
Watching the manager pick up two cats, one in each arm, nuzzling her face against them and thanking them, the employees also remembered the final scene in which the cats collectively drove out the unpleasant guest.
"When raised well, cats can actually do some of the things dogs can do too," the young lady mused.
"Isn't it generally not easy to achieve?" Tang Xiaoya patted the head of the Maine Coon beside her. "This is the first time I've seen such a situation. After all, cats are naturally quite timid creatures. Only the store owner, who is very good at taming cats, can make them so loyal."
"Give me the broom and mop." Song Xinmin took over the "weapons" from the two girls' hands and patiently educated them. "Next time there's a conflict, don't use tools to fight unless it's necessary. It's not good for business to act like this when running a store."
"Kitties, you did a great job this time. Unless someone wants to hurt you, you're not allowed to scratch people with your claws, or you'll have your cat food cans deducted." Manager Lin also took the opportunity to educate them.
Threatening the cats with cat food cans again.
The atmosphere gradually eased during the chat, but the topic related to Lin Lan was not completely diverted.
"Lanlan, when you were arguing with that scumbag just now, you said that the mistress he was having an affair with is the daughter of the CEO of a listed company? You said her surname is Jiang. Which city is the headquarters of her family's company in?" As a wealthy young lady herself, Wang Jiayi was more sensitive to this.
Lin Lan named a place, and the young lady immediately showed an expression of realization.
"Oh, it's that Jiang family." There was an unconscious sense of disdain in her demeanor, which quickly turned into a look of disgust. "I know the name of the Jiang family's daughter. I've met her a few times at some banquets. She doesn't move in the same circle as me. She has a very bad reputation and is very petty. According to what you said just now, Lanlan, you tricked both her and the scumbag. If she finds out the truth, she'll definitely take revenge."
Lin Lan looked up, not afraid at all. "What kind of revenge does she want to take? Xicheng is quite far from the business scope of their company. No matter how far - reaching the Jiang family's influence is, it won't be easy for them to cause trouble here. If they want to hire someone to target me, then..."
"Don't be afraid, Lanlan. I'm here!" Cheng Fengyang, who still hadn't had any chance to shine this time, immediately patted his chest and forcibly interrupted. "Don't forget that my brother - in - law is the captain of the public security bureau. If they really dare to send someone to Xicheng to bully you, I'll definitely ask my brother - in - law to take charge personally and throw them into prison for a long time. He owes you a favor anyway, right?"
Lin Lan was about to say that the favor her brother - in - law owed had already been paid off by him, but suddenly she remembered the murder case she almost got involved in because of a wallet. She realized in her mind that Cheng Fengyang's brother - in - law was actually the captain of the criminal police brigade.
"By the time you ask your brother - in - law to avenge Lanlan, it means they've already bullied her!" The young lady pouted and retorted. Then she took out her phone and made a call. "Wait. I'll call my brother and ask him to spread the word among those playboys. As long as that Miss Jiang still cares about her father's company projects, she'll be honest. Even if that scumbag goes back and tells her the truth about Lanlan tricking them, she won't dare to do anything."
The common folks stared blankly at the back of the young lady walking away with the phone in her hand. It seemed that this time they finally felt the aura described in TV shows and novels from this girl's identity.
"By the way, what does her family do?" Song Xinmin whispered secretly.
"Don't know. Anyway, I didn't ask." Lin Lan shook her head. "But I checked. The market value of the Jiang family's company is about one billion yuan."
In other words, the Wang family is much richer than the Jiang family. That's why a single word from them can make the other party not dare to move.
Everyone fell silent again and then pretended not to know anything and went on with what they were doing.
Throughout the afternoon, Lin Lan remained very calm. The store manager closed the store as usual, carried the cat cages and took the little kittens back to the third floor one by one. Soon, everyone stopped paying attention to the incident that happened in the afternoon.
"Lanlan." At dinner that evening, Wang Xiuzhi said, "I ran into Xiao Song before going upstairs. He said that a scoundrel came to look for trouble with you this afternoon. Why didn't you tell me?"
Lin Lan's mother put it euphemistically, but those who knew the situation knew that she was aware of the process of her daughter's ex - boyfriend coming to scold her. She was complaining that her daughter didn't call her over to deal with him.
"It's not a big deal, Mom." Lin Lan smiled and picked up a mouthful of food for her. "I was able to teach that kind of person a lesson last year, and I can still make him look like a fool this year. Your daughter is going to be a landlady in the future. What kind of strange tenants haven't I seen since childhood? If I'm scared by just anyone, how can I do things in the future?"
"That's not what I meant..." The setbacks in business and the wounds in love are not the same. Wang Xiuzhi wanted to refute a few words, but considering her husband and mother - in - law who didn't know the situation, she didn't dare to say much. "Okay, if you can handle it yourself, I won't ask any more questions."
"Hey, just trust me!"
The conversation between the mother and daughter left Lin's father and grandmother confused. They thought it was just another encounter with some strange customers. After all, when the teahouse became an internet - famous store, there really were some strange people coming in, and Lanlan had dealt with them all. So they didn't think much about it and continued eating.
After dinner, Lin Lan didn't stay at home. Instead, she tidied herself up and prepared to go out.
"Going out to have fun?" Lin's father asked when he saw this.
"Yes." Lin Lan replied with a smile. "Dad, don't you always like to play chess with people at night? I also want to go out and take a stroll."
"You should go out and have some fun." Grandma Lin, who was resting on the sofa, chimed in. "Since you opened the store, you've gone out shopping less and less. Taking a walk to get some fresh air is good."
"Grandma is the best." Lin Lan said with a smile. "I'll bring you a serving of your favorite herbal jelly from the old store in front when I come back."
With a smile on her face all the way, she went downstairs, turned a corner along the street and walked out of the urban village. Under the night sky, the smile on Lin Lan's face gradually faded.
When everyone came to ask her, "Are you okay?", she always replied with a smile, "I'm okay." But in fact, how could she really be okay?
At least in a secluded corner, she was hiding there and crying silently by herself.
Just as Lin's mother said, the setbacks in business and the pain in a relationship are not the same. No matter how strong Lin Lan seemed, she was still a girl. As long as she was a woman, she couldn't really not care about a relationship she had taken seriously at all.
Just then, someone gently patted her on the shoulder. She instinctively turned around quickly and saw a tissue being handed to her.
"Cheng Fengyang?" When she found it was an acquaintance, her first reaction was to turn her head away so that he wouldn't see her embarrassed face, but it was obviously too late. The other party had already offered the tissue.
Cheng Fengyang had been nervously paying attention to Lin Lan since the afternoon. The more she pretended to be okay, the more worried he became. So he simply stayed far away at the door of the small building and saw Lin Lan, who had made an excuse to go out for a stroll but was actually crying secretly under the cover of night.
Some people are just not used to showing weakness. Lin Lan was one of them. Cheng Fengyang had known this since he first met her. She liked to do everything on her own, but if she didn't know how to do something, she was also willing to ask others for help in an exchange - based way. She never used the methods of showing weakness or acting coquettishly to get what she wanted.
Such a her made him feel sorry for her, but all he could do now was to hand her a tissue.
"Here, wipe your face. I'll treat you to some kebabs," Cheng Fengyang said after hesitating for a while.
Hearing this, Lin Lan was silent for a moment and then took the tissue. "Okay," she replied.
Lin Lan hadn't eaten much for dinner that evening. So, she really enjoyed the kebabs with Cheng Fengyang. Good food is indeed one of the best ways to temporarily forget about your troubles.
After the meal, the sadness that had been weighing on Lin Lan's heart really subsided.
After finishing the kebabs, the two of them started strolling along the nearby streets and eventually walked into the nearby fountain square.
It was hot in summer, and the square at night was always more lively than during the day. The large rainbow fountain in the center of the square had been officially turned on, attracting many people to sit or walk around the circular steps beside the fountain to enjoy the cool breeze.
Cheng Fengyang and Lin Lan were no exception. They stood side by side in front of the fountain and started chatting over the sound of the gushing water.
"Shao Xiuye and I worked in the same office building in Shanghai, just on different floors. Coincidentally, we also rented apartments in the same neighborhood, just in different buildings. So, we often ran into each other on our way to and from work. We gradually got to know each other well, and then he pursued me, and I agreed," Lin Lan said as she recounted this past relationship. Her eyelids were lowered, and her face was expressionless, only her mouth moving dejectedly as she spoke.
"Actually, he wasn't like that at first. We had just graduated from college not long ago, and we were still relatively innocent. At least during the time he was pursuing me, he was a hard - working young man who was full of enthusiasm for the future and wanted to change his family's financial situation on his own. I wanted to protect his hard - working and self - respecting heart, so I didn't mention anything about my family background. I planned to tell him only after we had worked hard together to buy our own apartment in Shanghai. Everything was going well at first. I was about to be promoted to supervisor, and he had been transferred to the company's headquarters. It wasn't a dream for us to save up for the down payment with a little more effort. But unfortunately..."
What she was sad about wasn't the breakup with Shao Xiuye himself, but rather the fact that people's hearts are so easily changed in the big melting pot of society, and the shelf - life of love is just too short.
The rainbow fountain at night kept changing its angles, looking extremely magnificent under the neon lights. The lights also made Lin Lan's beautiful face look both melancholy and charming.
Suddenly, Cheng Fengyang felt a momentary daze and instinctively stretched out his arms. By the time he came to his senses, he had already hugged Lin Lan and was gently patting her on the back to comfort her.
His originally nervous and hesitant heart gradually calmed down when the person in his arms didn't struggle or resist. A little nervous, he subconsciously wanted to say something, but then he thought that since he was already holding the girl he liked in his arms, what else was there to say? This was the time to just hold her tightly.
After a while, the girl buried in his arms finally mumbled, "Thank you. I feel much better."
Cheng Fengyang didn't let go; he just let out a soft grunt.
Lin Lan paused for a moment and then gently tugged at his clothes. "I mean you should let go," she said.
But Cheng Fengyang was reluctant to release her. "Come on, girls usually feel sad for a long time. This little while is definitely not enough. Even if you're not sad anymore, you can just pretend to be sad for a bit longer," he pleaded.
Lin Lan didn't say anything more. Instead, she reached out again and pinched the soft flesh on the inside of his arm in annoyance.
