Chapter 31: Over a Year (2)

Shi Pengpeng ultimately declined to order takeout with Yang Ruilin.

Yang Ruilin, having been rebuffed, walked away in a huff, muttering under his breath, “Putting on airs, treating my kindness like dirt. I’ll order it myself.”

Soon, it was lunch break.

Shi Pengpeng and Xiao Pan went to the management office to pick up their boxed meals.

On their way back, they happened to encounter a delivery rider bringing food to the neighboring stall.

The rider was carrying two items: one was a common insulated takeout bag, presumably containing a boxed meal.

The other was much larger a square box, exquisitely crafted, adorned with a carp design and the bold, flowing characters “Abundance Every Year.”

To save on ink, the usual red color for such patterns was replaced with black and white printing.

Just as Yang Ruilin received his takeout, he spotted Shi Pengpeng and immediately pointed to the square box, boasting, “Look, this is the cake I told you about, a freebie.”

“Wow,” Xiao Pan exclaimed, her eyes widening, “That’s huge!”

It’s not uncommon for businesses to give small gifts on birthdays, usually inexpensive items like candies or small toys.

Some do give cakes, but they’re typically just small slices, no bigger than a palm.

Earlier, when Yang Ruilin mentioned the shop owner was generous, they had assumed the gifts would be slightly better than usual.

But the box in front of Yang Ruilin was astonishingly large, easily over eight inches in diameter.

Even a cake of this size, without fancy ingredients, would cost at least a hundred yuan.

Seeing Xiao Pan’s astonishment, Yang Ruilin grew even more smug, “Now you believe me, don’t you?”

Xiao Pan’s lips twitched, “Is the owner running a charity?”

According to Yang Ruilin, the shop’s conditions for giving away cakes were quite lenient—no minimum order amount, no verification of the birthday’s authenticity.

As long as you mentioned it in the notes, you’d get a cake.

Yang Ruilin alone had freeloaded who knows how many cakes.

The fact that the shop hadn’t gone bankrupt yet was somewhat of a miracle in the food industry.

“That’s why it’s a hidden gem. I wouldn’t tell just anyone,” Yang Ruilin said as he opened the box and took out the cake.

The cake was of a retro style, round with two plump peach-shaped cream decorations on top.

The edges were adorned with intricate patterns drawn in a golden liquid.

The patterns were peculiar, not the usual decorative motifs but rather a combination of some regular symbols.

At first glance, they seemed somewhat eerie.

From a distance, a faint sweet aroma wafted over.

Xiao Pan sniffed twice and said, “This cake actually smells pretty good.”

“Yeah,” Shi Pengpeng responded, also taking a closer look at the cake.

She couldn’t shake the feeling that the patterns on the cake looked somewhat familiar.

Misinterpreting her interest, Yang Ruilin, putting on a magnanimous front, offered,

“Want a piece? I’ll share some with you.”

Yao Lucy, who had been watching from the side, sneered,

“A cake this big for ordering a ten-yuan takeout? Who knows what it’s made of. I’d advise you not to eat it.”

She and Yang Ruilin didn’t get along, never ordering meals together, and she despised his habit of taking advantage of small favors.

Yang Ruilin retorted angrily, “Yao Lucy, mind your own business.”

“Forget it, forget it,” Xiao Pan hurriedly advised. “We won’t eat…”

But Shi Pengpeng smiled and said, “Sure.”

“Uh,” Xiao Pan choked for a moment and whispered a reminder, “Pengpeng, maybe we shouldn’t?”

Eating some cake wasn’t a big deal, but the main issue was Yang Ruilin-he wasn’t a great person, and it was best not to accept his small favors.

Shi Pengpeng chuckled, “I just happen to feel like eating cake.”

Xiao Pan: “…”

Yang Ruilin’s face lit up with joy.

He quickly cut a large piece of cake and handed it to Shi Pengpeng, fawning, “Beauty, is this enough? If not, I can get you more.”

“That’s enough,” Shi Pengpeng took the cake but didn’t eat it.

Instead, she used a plastic fork to poke at it, eventually scooping up a bit of the golden liquid from the frosting and holding it up to the sunlight, making a gesture with her hand.

Yang Ruilin looked puzzled and asked, “What’s wrong? Is there a problem?”

“Nothing,” Shi Pengpeng put down the fork and smiled at him.

“May I ask where this shop is located?”

Yang Ruilin was momentarily confused but then caught on, “Do you want to go to the shop to eat?”

Shi Pengpeng: “Sort of.”

“Well, the shop’s location isn’t easy to find,” Yang Ruilin’s eyes shifted, and he patted his chest, “But I happen to be free tonight. How about I take you there?”

“You?” Shi Pengpeng looked him up and down, pondered for a moment, and then said, “Sure.”

Yang Ruilin grew even more smug.

When he returned, he even gave Yao Lucy a challenging look, “See? This beauty has better taste than you.”

Yao Lucy: “…”

Yao Lucy couldn’t help but glance next door, locking eyes with Xiao Pan, who looked just as bewildered as she was.

Xiao Pan hesitated, “Um, Pengpeng…”

“I know what you want to say,” Shi Pengpeng made a silencing gesture, her expression deep, “But he’s worth it.”

Xiao Pan: “…”

“Just walk in here, and we’ll be there,” Yang Ruilin led Shi Pengpeng into an alley.

The alley was somewhat narrow.

Yang Ruilin seized the opportunity to move closer to Shi Pengpeng, reaching out to try and hold her hand, “Be careful, don’t trip.”

Shi Pengpeng nimbly took two steps forward, avoiding his hand, “I won’t trip.”

“…” Yang Ruilin’s hand hung in mid-air, momentarily awkward.

He stiffly changed the subject, pretending to be helpful, “What are you carrying? Let me help you with it.”

Before the dual recruitment event ended, Shi Pengpeng had received a same-day delivery, and now she was holding a medium-sized box wrapped in a black plastic bag, its contents unclear.

Shi Pengpeng glanced at him, a faint smile on her lips, “Are you sure you want to help me carry it?”

Yang Ruilin fell silent.

The lesson from earlier that morning was still fresh in his mind.

Although Shi Pengpeng seemed relaxed, experience told him not to trust the weight of anything she was holding.

“Ah, it’s just a few steps away,” Yang Ruilin walked ahead nonchalantly, pointing, “Here we are.”

Shi Pengpeng looked up and saw a small shop typical of a residential area.

The decor was retro, with a wooden signboard bearing the same font as the takeout packaging, reading “Year After Year Abundance.”

Under the eaves hung a row of lanterns.

Unlike the usual red, these lanterns were black, just like the packaging.

The color was white.

However, in recent years, Japanese and Korean styles have been popular, and many lanterns have similar color schemes, so it wasn’t too strange.

What was odd was that, despite it being mealtime, the small shop’s door was closed, with a small sign hanging on it that read, “Closed for Business.”

“This is so unlucky. How did we just happen to run into it being closed?” Yang Ruilin said with regret.

“Let’s go somewhere else…”

Before he could finish, Shi Pengpeng had already stepped forward, inspected the door, and found it wasn’t locked.

With a forceful push, she opened it directly.

As she walked in, Shi Pengpeng greeted, “Hello, is anyone here?”

Yang Ruilin: “???”

Is she being a bit too lawless?

“Hey, come out quickly. Be careful, or we won’t be able to explain this…” Yang Ruilin hurriedly followed, trying to stop her.

As soon as they entered, they were momentarily stunned.

The small shop was brightly lit, but the few tables and chairs were scattered in disarray, some even overturned on the floor, as if they had been smashed.

Hearing the noise, a man emerged from the kitchen, glaring at the uninvited guests with displeasure.

“Didn’t you see the sign outside? We’re closed today.”

The man was exceptionally tall, at least over six feet, with a fierce appearance.

His brows carried a hint of menace, and his large mouth made him look even more intimidating when he frowned.

“Boss, you’re here,” Yang Ruilin recognized him and quickly apologized with a smile.

“Sorry, we came specifically to eat here. We didn’t…”

“Not today,” the boss interrupted impatiently, making a shooing gesture.

“Come back tomorrow.”

Shi Pengpeng suddenly spoke up, “What happened to your shop?”

The boss’s face turned cold. “None of your business.”

His already menacing expression darkened further, exuding an oppressive aura.

Yang Ruilin couldn’t help but feel uneasy and whispered, “Let’s go quickly…”

But Shi Pengpeng ignored him, instead looking around.

She suddenly took a few steps to the side and picked up something from the corner between a table and the wall.

Under the bright white light, a faint blue glint could be seen-it was a square-holed copper coin, the kind often seen in TV dramas.

Shi Pengpeng’s expression instantly turned cold as she looked at the boss.

“Why do you have this in your shop?”

“Oh, that’s an ancient coin I collect. It must have fallen,” the boss replied without changing his expression, reaching out his hand.

“Give it back.”

“Is that so?” Shi Pengpeng sneered and tossed the coin forward. “Then catch it.”

Without thinking, the boss reflexively reached out and caught the coin.

In the next second, his expression changed drastically.

He let out a loud cry, as if burned, and immediately flung the coin away.

The coin hit the ground with a ding.

“Who are you?” the boss glared at Shi Pengpeng, his eyes bulging, and within moments, they were bloodshot.

Looking at the palm that had caught the coin, the skin had turned black, and a thin wisp of smoke was rising from it.

Shi Pengpeng didn’t answer him but instead asked in a low voice, “Where is he?”

The boss’s eyes narrowed slightly, and a look of realization crossed his face. “You’re his friend?”

“?” Yang Ruilin was completely confused, looking back and forth between Shi Pengpeng and the boss, his eyes turning into spirals.

“What are you two talking about?”

At that moment, a clattering noise came from the kitchen, followed by a young man stumbling out awkwardly.

Yang Ruilin immediately gasped in shock.

The man in front of him was quite fashionable, with permed curly hair, dressed in branded clothes, and his face was rather handsome.

However, his hands and feet were tightly bound with duct tape, and his mouth was stuffed full of cake.

It was so full that he couldn’t swallow it or spit it out, leaving his face flushed red and his eyes brimming with tears.

He looked at Shi Pengpeng pitifully, trying to say something, but all that came out were incoherent mumbles.

Shi Pengpeng wiped her face, her expression complicated: “So it really is you.”

“Holy crap, k-kidnapping!” Yang Ruilin was horrified.

Without a second thought for Shi Pengpeng, he instinctively turned to run.

But with a loud “bang,” the door seemed to have a mind of its own and slammed shut.

Caught off guard, Yang Ruilin crashed into it head-on.

His nose heated up, and a stream of blood gushed out.

“Ahhh-“Yang Ruilin screamed.

The boss’s eyes gleamed with a dangerous aura: “It’s too late to leave now.”

Yang Ruilin clutched his nose, trembling like a leaf, his mind filled with movie lines: “Boss, p-please let me go, I w-won’t say anything, I swear…”

After a pause, he added, “R-really, I’m a regular customer, I’ve ordered your d-delivery so many times…”

“I know you,” the boss said with amusement, “You have a birthday every few days…”

Yang Ruilin: Choking

Yang Ruilin was on the verge of tears: “I didn’t mean to t-take advantage of you, how much do those cakes cost? I’ll p-pay you back…”

“Why would you think you’re taking advantage of me?” The boss’s lips curled into a sincere smile, “I’ve already marked the prices on those cakes I gave you.”

Yang Ruilin: “……Huh?”

“Don’t be so nervous,” Shi Pengpeng chimed in to reassure him, “He’s not a kidnapper.”

Yang Ruilin gave her a look that said, “Are you kidding me?”

“If he’s not a kidnapper, then what is he?”

Shi Pengpeng wrinkled her nose: “Probably just a monster.”

Yang Ruilin:”….”

Is this really the time for jokes?

Meanwhile, the bound young man finally spat out the cake in his mouth and immediately let out a sharp scream toward Shi Pengpeng:

“Senior sister, save me, save me, save me-“

Shi Pengpeng pressed her temples: “Shut up, Xiao Lingshu.”

“You’re his senior sister?” The boss frowned, “Are you a mage too?”

“Haha, scared now, huh?” Xiao Lingshu, emboldened by having backup, became instantly cocky,

“I’ll have you know, my senior sister is the top graduate of our school. She can take down ten monsters like you with one punch!”

Shi Pengpeng closed her eyes, her face expressionless as she asked the boss, “Before I punch you, could you please stuff his mouth shut again?”

The boss:”……”

Xiao Lingshu, teary-eyed:”….”

“……Senior sister, I’ll behave, please spare me.”