Yun Manman saw the sincerity in his eyes and feared he might actually transfer money to her.
She quickly became obedient: "It's fine, no need to pay. Please eat as you like."
She had already received 3 million! Plus there was more money coming from cooperating with the research institute later.
How could she have the nerve to ask Lu Qi for money?
The big snake made a snorting sound and bent down to rummage through the food cabinet again.
They wouldn't let him eat sweets before, so this time he was going to eat his fill.
Yun Manman said to Yin Qian: "Since you're here, please help use up any fruits in the fridge that are about to go bad."
Yin Qian nodded: "I've finished making the cake base." He had heard from Lu Xi that Yun Manman was being discharged from the hospital today, so he guessed she would come to the dessert shop.
Yun Manman had naturally seen it, and she also saw Yin Qian practicing piping on the cake molds.
She hesitantly asked: "Weren't you supposed to leave and return to the army?"
Yin Qian pursed his lips, his black eyes bright: "I will go back. But only after you find an apprentice."
The young man lowered his head slightly, his short ash-gray hair soft and obedient: "I withheld information from you before. I'm truly sorry."
Yun Manman looked at the remorseful youth before her and blinked.
A stuffy feeling in her heart inexplicably dissipated.
She said: "Alright. I forgive you. You've helped me a lot since coming here."
"Let me teach you how to make one last cake. It can look good without needing any piping."
Cut open the baked cake base, spread on the whipped cream, add favorite fruits and fillings, stack it up layer by layer, then place plenty of fruit on top of the cake, arrange it to look nice, and sprinkle some powdered sugar as decoration.
The naked fruit cake was complete.
A naked cake refers to a cake where the cake layers are exposed on the outside. Although it may not look as exquisite as a regular cake, it actually uses just as much cream and fruit.
The finished cake has its own rustic, wild beauty.
Under Yun Manman's guidance, Yin Qian completed the naked cake.
Looking at the cake he had made with his own hands, Yin Qian felt an inexplicable sense of satisfaction.
It was different from the sense of achievement he felt when developing weapons and researching new, more powerful armaments.
If developing weapons was an excitement that emptied the mind and body, then making desserts was a feeling of healing for body and soul.
The sweet aroma of baking and cream lingered all around, watching as the cake was decorated with colorful fruits into the form he envisioned.
Yin Qian experienced the charm of making desserts for the first time.
Before, he had treated it as a task to be completed, and with recipes it felt more like doing experiments that he was good at.
Yun Manman instructed Yin Qian to cut the cake, using a small spoon to scoop a piece into her three-petaled mouth, nodding with satisfaction: "Mm, this is the best cake you've made so far."
The desserts Yin Qian made before were also precise, but Yun Manman always felt something was missing when she tasted them.
This time it turned out quite well.
Lu Qi also agreed: "It is indeed good."
Yun Manman glanced at Lu Qi, who had very conscientiously started eating, and pouted: "General, you didn't do anything."
The man paused in his cake-eating motion and conscientiously took out his communicator: "I'll pay."
You're like an ATM! Cat speechless.jpg
Perhaps it was Lu Qi's very easygoing attitude, not getting angry even at the occasional testing swipe from the little cat.
Or maybe it was because Lu Qi had shadows of the little snake, but the atmosphere between Yun Manman and Lu Qi was no longer so awkward and stiff.
She even dared to direct Lu Qi: "Yes, yes, write '50% off' on the sign..."
"Write it bigger."
Lu Qi erased the words he had written and rewrote them larger as instructed, while muttering: "It's raining, sis. Who's going to come buy food in the rain..."
Then he was overheard by the sharp-eared cat, her voice soft and weak: "It's okay, if you don't want to write it, just leave it there. I'll write it later."
She then shook her front paw wrapped in bandages.
Lu Qi: ...
He didn't dare speak anymore, burying his head to obediently follow Yun Manman's orders.
The little cat looked at the man's obedient back, her green cat eyes narrowing in satisfaction, the white whiskers by her mouth twitching up and down.
She had discovered that although the little snake had turned into human form, his softness and tsundere nature hadn't changed one bit.
Yielding to gentleness but not to force.
When Yun Manman thought about how this seemingly cold person had once twisted into a pretzel in her hands, she couldn't bring herself to be afraid of him at all.
There were still desserts in the shop that had been made two days ago and hadn't reached their expiration date. Yun Manman figured they might go bad if left for a few more days.
It would be such a waste if they spoiled, so she thought about selling them at 50% off.
She had originally been worried there wouldn't be customers during the rainy season, but soon half the desserts in the display case had sold.
There were some beast people who weren't afraid of the rain and went out.
A good portion of the desserts had been hidden away by Lu Qi.
She could see the big snake's sneaky actions of hiding food as clear as day!
He even secretly scanned to pay.
It left Yun Manman both amused and exasperated, starting to wonder just how badly she had treated him before.
"Ding-a-ling..." The sound of the wind chimes was indistinct amid the noisy rain outside, so much so that Yun Manman only noticed the light dimming before belatedly realizing a customer had entered the shop.
Yun Manman looked up in surprise: "Jin Luo?"
The rain outside was truly heavy. The cow-cat police officer had hurried over, his clothes showing signs of being splashed wet, the black tail behind him also wet and matted together.
Jin Luo looked at Yun Manman, slightly out of breath, his gaze falling on the cat's bandaged front paws: "How did you get hurt?"
"And why are you closing the shop?"
Jin Luo had been busy all morning, and it wasn't until lunchtime that he discovered the "Perfect Dessert Shop" account had posted a message saying they were closing temporarily, with a reply to comments saying "Going on a trip for a few days, return date uncertain."
So he sent Yun Manman a message to inquire, but after waiting a long time without getting a reply, he became worried and rushed over in a hurry.
He had first gone to her home to find no one there, before coming to look for her at the dessert shop.
Yun Manman got up to get him some tissues: "It's nothing, I accidentally fell yesterday and fractured my paw."
"So I wanted to close the shop for a couple days. Then I'm going to the capital to play for a few days!"
Jin Luo looked at her bandaged paw with concern: "Is it serious?"
"How can you still go to the capital like this? Don't go, I'll bring you some bone broth tomorrow."
Yun Manman explained: "Actually, it's not just for fun, I have some business to take care of too."
"Don't worry, someone will be accompanying me."
Jin Luo followed her gaze to Lu Qi, who was casually helping pack things behind the counter, and met Lu Qi's nonchalant gaze.
The cow-cat's heart skipped a beat.
It was too familiar, to the extent that Jin Luo quickly recognized the male beast person before him.
General Lu Qi!
Why was this strongest combat force of Kashida, who only appeared in the news, here?
And he seemed very familiar with Yun Manman.
When did they get to know each other?
Even though Lu Qi was also Jin Luo's idol, the way Lu Qi looked at Yun Manman set off alarm bells for Jin Luo.
Under Yun Manman's puzzled gaze, Jin Luo pushed the small cart to the back door of the dessert shop and said in a low voice: "I have something to tell you."
Lu Qi, who was helping pack cakes, paused in his movements. Yin Qian beside him asked: "General, should I still go chase that male feline beast person away from the boss?"
Yin Qian still remembered the task Lu Xi had given him.
Lu Qi didn't know Lu Xi's intentions: "Why chase him away?"
Yin Qian said seriously: "Deputy Lu Xi said so."
Lu Qi: Meddlesome and gossipy chameleon.
He continued working on his task as if nothing was wrong, his voice cool and lazy: "No need. Let them do whatever they want, don't be a busybody like Lu Xi."
Yin Qian made an "oh" sound and turned to continue cutting fruit.
He didn't notice that after he turned around, Lu Qi's movements had stopped, as he concentrated on listening, trying to hear what was happening outside the back door.
The back door of the dessert shop was used for transporting materials and wasn't very large. It was usually locked from the inside.
Jin Luo pushed Yun Manman to stop at the doorway, then closed the door before asking: "Why is General Lu Qi here?"
Yun Manman had guessed Jin Luo would probably ask this, and had already thought of an explanation: "General Lu was passing by and helped me with something, so we got to know each other."
"What about going to the capital? Is that also related to the General?"
"Mm... he asked me to help him with a small favor."
Jin Luo crouched down, his light golden cat eyes level with the orange cat in the stroller. He said seriously: "Manman, I always feel like he doesn't have good intentions towards you. You need to be careful."
"Staying close to such an important person can be very dangerous."
"Alright, I understand," Yun Manman nodded in agreement.
The rain pattered incessantly on the canopy above, creating a sound that unsettled the mind.
Jin Luo didn't know why he felt so uneasy today, experiencing a hollow, groundless sense of panic.
The orange cat's eyes, clear and emerald green like a lake, stared at him unblinkingly, seemingly puzzled by his prolonged silence.
Jin Luo took a deep breath, the moist air permeating his entire lungs through his respiratory tract. An indescribable emotion swelled in his chest, filling it to the brim.
"Manman, I like you."