Chapter 87: The First Milk Tea of ​​Autumn?

Everything returned to its original track, and Lu Weizhu quickly found her rhythm again.

Just like before her injury, she greeted customers with a sweet voice, serving them delicious drinks and desserts.

During her time resting in the hospital, Lu Weizhu always had the illusion that she’d become a rusted gear, and the world would discard her at any moment if it didn’t need her.

But now, the rust on this gear had been polished away. She could function normally again and devote herself to her work.

“Xiao Lu, you’re back?”

“Xiao Lu, how did you become even cuter? Come, chat with your sister for a bit?”

“Xiao Lu, I thought you’d changed jobs.”

The regulars all seemed to like her.

Receiving their recognition, Lu Weizhu’s face bloomed with a genuine, heartfelt smile.

She felt a rare sense of happiness and contentment—feelings that were severely lacking in her life.

Behind the counter, Bai Yun saw that sweet smile she’d been yearning for yet again. Her hands, which had been making coffee, paused. She liked Lu Weizhu’s smile.

But for some reason, even seeing that sweet, sunny smile didn’t bring Bai Yun any joy.

Maybe it was because that smile didn’t belong to her.

Bai Yun looked at the vase on the counter. The lilies inside were wilting, even though she’d taken meticulous care of them. No matter how beautiful these flowers were, without roots, they would still wither.

Bai Yun pursed her lips.

The entire morning passed in a flurry of activity. Everything seemed no different from before Lu Weizhu’s accident—or at least, it seemed that way.

But Bai Yun keenly sensed the problem: the whole morning, Lu Weizhu hadn’t taken the initiative to speak to her even once.

Had her feelings been discovered? She didn’t know, but it felt as if her heart were being gnawed by ten thousand ants—restless and itching. The thing she liked was right before her eyes, yet she couldn’t touch it.

Bai Yun’s mental state was starting to deteriorate.

By noon, the customers had all left. Just as Lu Weizhu was about to leave the café with the last guest, Bai Yun grabbed her hand.

“Weizhu, where are you planning to go?”

Her voice was gentle.

The moment her palm touched Bai Yun’s, Lu Weizhu felt a flush of heat in her hand.

She snuck a glance at Bai Yun’s eyes, and didn’t dare move.

“It’s not even time to get off work yet, is it?”

There was a trace of dissatisfaction in Bai Yun’s tone.

“Ah… um, isn’t it lunchtime now? I wanted to go out and get something to eat.”

Lu Weizhu stammered.

“Let’s eat together.”

Bai Yun’s tone was firm and brooked no refusal.

“Uh… okay, okay.”

Lu Weizhu nodded, a bit timid.

She followed behind Bai Yun as the two of them headed to the kitchen in the back.

Bai Yun ordered delivery, and while they waited, she left the kitchen for who knows what reason.

Lu Weizhu sat in her chair, feeling uneasy.

Actually, she liked spending time with Bai Yun, and liked chatting with her, too. But she was certain that what she felt for Bai Yun was friendship—nothing more.

She really couldn’t accept Bai Yun’s feelings.

Besides, friendships always lasted longer than romances. Lu Weizhu didn’t think she had any redeeming qualities—her looks were the only thing worth a glance.

Even if she became lovers with Bai Yun, after a while, someone as useless as her would probably just be dumped, right?

Not to mention, she still had those tangled, messy relationships with her two patrons.

Her mind was a mess. Lu Weizhu sprawled out on the table, her long hair loose and falling across most of the tabletop.

“So hard…”

She muttered, clenching her fists and closing her eyes.

After waiting anxiously in the kitchen for a while, Bai Yun finally came back.

She glanced at the girl lying on the table. Unlike her previous happiness, now there was an almost tangible air of gloom about her.

Did being with her make Lu Weizhu so uncomfortable?

Bai Yun felt even more disheartened.

“Here, have something to drink.”

She pushed a cup of milk tea in front of Lu Weizhu.

“Mm… thank you, Sister Yun.”

Lu Weizhu softly thanked her as she took the milk tea and sipped it in small gulps.

“The first cup of milk tea of autumn—it’s for you.”

Bai Yun looked at Lu Weizhu.

“How does it taste?”

“It’s delicious.”

Lu Weizhu nodded. The milk tea was strawberry-flavored, with soft, chewy pearls inside. Lu Weizhu really liked it.

“Thank you, Sister Yun.”

She thanked her while her light blue eyes darted away evasively.

She was accepting Bai Yun’s kindness while at the same time avoiding her. Didn’t that make her a jerk?

Troubled, so troubled.

Bai Yun fell silent.

She mimicked Lu Weizhu’s posture and lay down as well, her usual spirit gone.

“Weizhu, do you really hate me?”

Bai Yun’s voice was muffled.

“Ah! How could I!”

Lu Weizhu shot up in her seat, shaking her head frantically.

Bai Yun stared at her, saying nothing.

“…Uh, uh…”

Feeling pinned by that gaze, Lu Weizhu clutched at her knees.

The pressure was so intense that a bead of sweat slid down her face.

“Ha.”

“So you do hate me after all…”

Bai Yun buried her face in her arms, sulking.

Looking at Bai Yun before her, it took Lu Weizhu quite a while to steady her nerves.

Bai Yun didn’t say another word, just sniffled softly.

Lu Weizhu had the illusion that Bai Yun in front of her was about to fall to pieces.

“I don’t hate you, Sister Yun! Not at all!”

She waved her hands in panic.

“Really?”

Bai Yun’s shoulders twitched slightly; she didn’t lift her head.

“Really, Sister Yun, I really don’t hate you. You’re so good to me, gave me a job, and even after I made so many mistakes you never fired me. How could I hate you?”

Lu Weizhu was practically babbling.

“Sister Yun, you’re my best friend. I like you the most, I could never, ever hate you.”

The girl explained anxiously, her voice rising a notch.

“But you keep avoiding me… wuwu…”

Bai Yun’s voice had a hint of a sob.

“You’re really important to me too, so why do you avoid me?”

Bai Yun lifted her head, wiping at her eyes.

Her eyes were red, tears welling up inside. With a plop, a single teardrop fell onto the table.

Lu Weizhu froze. She’d never imagined Sister Yun would actually cry in front of her.

“Sister Yun, please don’t cry.”

She rushed to Bai Yun’s side.

She tried to wipe away Bai Yun’s tears with her fingers, but the tears fell like a string of pearls, one after another.

Lu Weizhu completely panicked.

“I’m sorry, I’m really sorry! It’s just… I just don’t know how to repay you for everything you’ve done for me… please, stop crying, forgive me, okay?”

Her attempts to wipe the tears were in vain.

After hesitating for a moment, Lu Weizhu hugged Bai Yun from behind.

Pressing close to Bai Yun’s back, Lu Weizhu was filled with regret. She shouldn’t have deliberately neglected Bai Yun. Her own avoidance had caused even greater hurt to the person in front of her.

Like a bone stuck in her throat, Lu Weizhu hugged Bai Yun tightly.

“I won’t avoid you anymore, Sister Yun. I won’t do that again. Please forgive me, okay? Please stop crying.”

Lu Weizhu asked cautiously, her voice barely above a whisper.

“…Really?”

Really.

Receiving the girl’s promise, and feeling her embrace, Bai Yun slipped the onion she’d been hiding in her palm up her sleeve.

“No taking it back.”

“I won’t take it back. Please, forgive me, okay?”

“…Okay…”

Bai Yun nodded, her voice still a little stuffy.

Where Lu Weizhu couldn’t see, a small smile curled at Bai Yun’s lips. It was a bit underhanded, perhaps—but hadn’t she gotten what she wanted?