TPIL - 19

Luo Andi was accustomed to taking the bus to work. Most of the time, she took the subway, but occasionally, when there wasn’t much traffic, she would opt for the bus. On this day, she boarded a bus to go to the shop for her shift. Her phone in the pocket of her denim skirt vibrated gently. The bus was crowded, and with elbows bent, it wasn’t easy to reach for her phone. She didn’t check it until after getting off the bus, walking while flipping it open. She stopped under the shade of a roadside tree and saw the questions that had appeared in her inbox.

After some thought, she replied casually: “I’m on my way to work. Since I have a shift today that goes late into the evening, unless we meet at the shop, other times might not be convenient. I don’t have a boyfriend right now.”

After sending the message, she didn’t think much of it and was about to quicken her pace so as not to miss the clock-in time when she unexpectedly heard loud crying from behind her.

Turning around, she saw a little boy sobbing loudly at the bus stop, surrounded by adults who frequently glanced back but didn’t stop during their precious commuting time.

She hurried over in a few quick steps, bending down to inquire about the situation. The little boy was crying so hard he could barely catch his breath, only pointing at the bus that had long driven away and intermittently shouting “Mommy.” A rather bold mother had boarded the packed rush-hour bus alone, forgetting that she hadn’t set out alone today, thus leaving her child behind in such a “survival-at-all-costs” manner, which terrified the child.

Luo Andi quickly squatted down, gently holding the little boy’s arms with both hands, and said in a soft yet clear voice: “Little one, don’t be afraid first. Do you know your mom’s phone number?”

Seeing the little boy nod, she finally felt relieved, took out her phone, and let him read out each digit of his mom’s number one by one.

This day, Luo Andi was wearing a lotus-pink dress with ruffled edges. When she squatted down, the hem of her dress directly touched the ground. But she didn’t pay any attention to it.

The call connected quickly, but the child’s mother, upon answering, still didn’t know what had happened. She probably started checking her phone once she got on the bus, completely forgetting everything else. After contacting her, Luo Andi also searched for the bus company’s number, asking them to contact the designated driver. While waiting for the child’s mother to return, Luo Andi stayed with the little boy.

The child cried incessantly, so she bought him a crispy chocolate bar. He cried while eating, looking quite amusing. After finally calming down momentarily, he tearfully grabbed Luo Andi’s sleeve and asked: “Is my mommy… Is my mommy going to leave me?”

“How could that be? Your mommy is coming,” she extended her hand, slowly fixing his collar, then confidently said, “Mommy and daddy won’t abandon their baby.”

After waiting for over an hour, the child’s mother finally arrived, anxiously hugging her son and quickly thanking Luo Andi. Luo Andi waved it off, saying it was no problem, watching as the mother and son gradually disappeared from sight before turning to head to work. By this time, she was already forty minutes late, and by the time she reached the shop, she was almost exactly an hour late.

Her perfect attendance bonus was gone, but fortunately, there were two employees on duty at a time, so it didn’t overly inconvenience the other colleagues. Luo Andi changed clothes, tying the linen apron behind her back as she walked out. Receiving instructions from the boss via pager, she turned and went upstairs, knocking on the partition door before entering.

The owner of Paradise Handmade Shop was a woman in her forties. Rumor had it that she used to be in real estate sales and was even the monthly sales champion in the industry, showcasing her exceptional abilities. However, standing at the peak that everyone aspired to, she chose to step back, resigning and opening this shop. Now she was undergoing treatment for stomach issues, insomnia, and anxiety, rarely visiting the shop, occasionally appearing in vintage-style outfits.

Luo Andi braced herself for a reprimand due to being late.

The boss was wearing self-made denim overalls, her hair tied up in a loose bun, greeting her: “Oh, you’re here. I have a task for you.”

Walking further in, she noticed another person standing on the other side. Zhong Shiwei turned around, nodding calmly. “This is the new employee, previously a customer of the shop. You should know him,” the boss said. “You will be responsible for guiding him.”

Luo Andi led Zhong Shiwei out. He had already changed into the shop’s uniform, his light-colored hair braided neatly. He was meticulous in front of others, but once they stepped outside, he asked: “Were you late?”

“Yeah, I haven’t managed to act like a senior yet,” Luo Andi sighed deeply, smiling faintly. “Why are you working here?”

“Didn’t I say earlier? I wanted to find a part-time job.”

“But you never mentioned coming to our shop…”

“I also never said I wouldn’t.”

They chatted and laughed as they walked out.

Zhong Shiwei wasn’t a fast learner, but given the low wages for part-time workers, it wasn’t easy to hire people. The position was mainly to handle the sudden influx of customers during peak hours, so it didn’t have a significant impact. The only slightly tricky part was that he kept pestering Luo Andi with questions. If other colleagues tried to teach him, they would feel his temperature drop sharply. However, he was indeed handsome and had a Nordic style, making him very popular in the shop. Many people actively asked for photos with him, posting them on Facebook without reminders, inadvertently promoting the handmade shop. Upon hearing this, the boss was full of pride, acting as if she had anticipated it all along, since everyone appreciates beauty: “Come to think of it, most of our customers are women. Maybe in the future, we can just replace all the staff with handsome guys.”

An employee bluntly questioned: “So are we stopping handmade crafts and turning this into a White Horse Club?”

“Xiao Ruo is so cold-hearted. Andi, why don’t you say something to her?”

Luo Andi just smiled quietly. The screen lit up with a bell signal calling for service. She promptly went out, skillfully bringing tea, snacks, and tweezers. Upon arrival, she silently scanned the area, replenished drinks, added cookies and cream puffs with tweezers, then tilted her head to listen to requests and politely responded.

Occasionally, there were challenging customers—those who made a scene, nitpicked, or whose body odor affected those around them, or intentionally wasted too many materials. People’s personalities were diverse and varied. Everyone in the world believed only they were normal, using themselves as the standard to demand others, even centering themselves and expecting everyone to revolve around them.

Luo Andi represented the highest level of service, always kind, calm, and able to face customers with impeccable composure. Even the boss was extremely satisfied with her. Generally, when receiving complaints about employees, a decision would be made after understanding the situation. However, whenever the complaint was about Luo Andi, the customer would be directly blacklisted. Because those dissatisfied with angels were mostly heretics; many were clumsy at making things yet blatantly reported that the staff didn’t teach well. They were troublemakers themselves, finding faults in others, thinking others were of low quality, incompetent, or unfriendly, never reflecting on their own attitudes or admitting their own stupidity. Typical hypocrites who held others to high standards while being lenient with themselves, feeling overly self-satisfied.

Whenever such people were mentioned, the employees couldn’t help but grit their teeth in frustration. However, Luo Andi never voiced complaints in such situations. She always smiled, stepping in to help colleagues in trouble, taking on difficulties, and offering timely comfort and encouragement afterward.

Thus, encountering someone like Zhong Shiwei, who clearly had ulterior motives, the colleagues didn’t mind. They exchanged knowing smiles, and during lunch breaks, they gossiped with him: “Have you confessed yet?” At that time, he was eating the shop-provided spaghetti, slowly replying: “I have my plans.”

As the shop door opened, he immediately put down his tray, wiped his mouth, and greeted “Welcome!” as he went out, only to see Qi Xiaochuan walk in, giving him the same unfriendly look of “What the hell are you doing here?” The two men stared at each other, and Qi Xiaochuan was the first to break the personal connection, walking over and saying: “I want to get a membership card.”

While gritting his teeth, Zhong Shiwei replied: “Alright, I’ll get that done for you. Please provide your name and phone number.”

He calmly said: “I’ve registered before…”

“I’ve only been working here for less than a week; I can’t investigate all the information yet,” Zhong Shiwei was obviously settling a personal score. “Please fill out the form again.”

Qi Xiaochuan neither angry nor upset, tilted his gaze downward, subtly raising an eyebrow, his mood imperceptibly improved. With great interest, he took out his fountain pen and methodically filled out the form.

No matter how dissatisfied he was, Zhong Shiwei couldn’t violate professional ethics. Apart from causing minor inconveniences, the only thing he could do was personally handle Qi Xiaochuan’s membership card and book courses for him: “I remember your craftsmanship is very skillful. These courses are mainly for beginners…”

“It doesn’t conflict with being a beginner and having skilled hands. Please select all of them,” Qi Xiaochuan teased, continuing with a smirk.

They glared at each other like rival characters in a TV drama, but the female protagonist had already made her entrance. They had lingered too long at the front desk; it was natural for the senior to step in. Luo Andi smoothly patted Zhong Shiwei, taking over the task: “Hello, I’ll be assisting you from now on. What courses would you like to enroll in?” Both Qi Xiaochuan and Zhong Shiwei immediately performed a dramatic change of face, shifting their attention entirely to her.

When the boss came downstairs, Qi Xiaochuan was already sipping a milk tea and reading a craft book. At this moment, there was only one group of customers working independently, and he sat at a moderate distance. She initiated a casual conversation: “Hello, Mr. Qi. We’re planning to upgrade the store. Do you know any good publicity companies?”

Qi Xiaochuan looked up, stared at her for a long time, and then blandly asked: “…Who are you?”

“I’m the owner of this shop!” Fortunately, the boss was experienced, and this minor situation didn’t shake her composure. Adaptability and flexibility were most important. Moreover, she could sense that this seemingly arrogant and conceited man wasn’t actually a bad person.

“Do you have a plan?”

“Hmm, I can give you a sneak peek,” she took out a laptop from behind the counter, opened a few preview pages, and showed them to him.

Qi Xiaochuan expressionlessly read through them, holding his teacup steadily throughout—it seemed the milk tea was really good. Finally, he coldly said: “For this scale, there’s no need to hire a company. Just choose a promotional platform and do it yourself.”

The boss had already pulled up a chair and sat down: “If you don’t make a sound, make it count. I still want to expand our influence. You have a wide network; do you know any reliable outsourcing options?”

Qi Xiaochuan’s unpleasant personality fully revealed itself at this point, though he had never intended to hide it, frowning and retorting: “What’s in it for me if I help you?”

The boss smiled meaningfully: “If you help, every time you come, I’ll arrange for Luo Andi to teach your classes.”

Qi Xiaochuan put down his teacup, closed the book, and calmly replied: “Send me the upgrade plan, pricing, and contact information…”

By the end of the workday, Zhong Shiwei had changed clothes and passed by the boss heading upstairs to the office. He saw her with a conspiratorial grin, muttering to herself: “How predictable.”

Pushing aside the curtain and stepping out, putting on his helmet and hopping onto his beloved motorcycle, Zhong Shiwei was tall and undeniably handsome. Walking around campus, countless girls cared for him deeply, but the woman he was interested in remained indifferent, treating him the same as any beggar on the street—equally and without ulterior motives.

Luo Andi was talking to Qi Xiaochuan, laughing lightly at whatever they discussed.

That scene was as irritating as it could get.

Unbeknownst to them, Qi Xiaochuan was suffering to the point of near suffocation. She was a 200-watt light, and he was like the clumsy snowman mascot from Mixue Ice Cream, melting instantly. After mistakenly sending an overstepped text, he had been agonizing over it all day. Sometimes, wanting to see Luo Andi felt like self-torture, yet he seemed addicted, which was truly pitiful.

“That… My parents… uh, they’ve actually been thinking about you,” even in his poorest times, Qi Xiaochuan had never been so awkward, stuttering like a pure teenage virgin. It was just inviting someone over for a meal, so why was he so pathetic? He repeatedly cursed himself, but it offered no relief. “If you have time…”

From start to finish, Luo Andi patiently listened to his words, never interrupting or giving any negative feedback.

He was almost done speaking: “Would you consider coming to my house—”

“Andi.”

The voice naturally didn’t belong to Qi Xiaochuan because, even to this day, he still addressed Luo Andi by her full name, showing no intimacy or familiarity—Lady Gaga and Taylor Swift were closer than they were.

Zhong Shiwei said: “Andi, can you come over for a moment? I have something to tell you.”

“Shiwei?”

Luo Andi looked confused, while Qi Xiaochuan beside her was completely bewildered, suddenly interrupted and forced to watch an uncontrollable situation unfold.

“I can’t take it anymore. What gives this guy the right…? I will protect you, cherish you, and never let you get hurt.” Instead of waiting for her to come over as he had said, he resolutely approached, quickly reaching Luo Andi’s side. “I like you.”

A handsome younger-brother type confessing publicly—a dreamlike scene that actually occurred in reality. For a moment, Qi Xiaochuan wished a Transformer would suddenly appear and flatten the place with one step. He silently averted his gaze, only to see Luo Andi blink forcefully, then cover her face in surprise.