Chapter 18

Because the surface of the tea bowl was limited, Shen Huaiyu used Hairpin Flower Regular Script for the inscription. Outsiders who did not understand Tea Painting could hardly imagine how difficult it was to paint and inscribe words on such a tiny tea surface.

Cheng Lang glanced at Shen Huaiyu and suddenly sighed softly.

"What's wrong?" Shen Huaiyu asked nervously. "Was there something not good enough about what I wrote?"

"No." Cheng Lang shook his head. He simply had not expected Shen Huaiyu's skills to already be so exquisite at this point.

Cheng Lang turned off the camera and finished filming. As he transferred the footage from the camera to his laptop, he said to Shen Huaiyu, "You worked hard."

"Not at all." Shen Huaiyu shook his head.

A sudden idea came to Cheng Lang. "You just said that when you make Tea Painting, you like to grind the tea paste yourself. Is there a way to incorporate milk tea into it too?"

Shen Huaiyu: "?"

Cheng Lang said, "Look at the people who go to cafés for coffee—they all like having latte art on top. When we make milk tea, could we make patterns on top too? Think of a simple Tea Whisking technique we can teach the staff during training. It could count as a gimmick for our milk tea shop."

Shen Huaiyu blinked. "I'll give it a try."

Cheng Lang gave Shen Huaiyu a thumbs-up. "Good luck. I believe in you."

Shen Huaiyu looked at Cheng Lang and nodded solemnly.

Cheng Lang packed away the camera and reflector board. He had borrowed them from a photography studio and still had to return them later.

The tea Shen Huaiyu had prepared on the table was still warm. The fragrance of tea wafted through the air. Cheng Lang was a little thirsty, so he casually asked, "Can I drink this?"

"Of course." Shen Huaiyu raised the tea bowl with both hands and handed it to Cheng Lang.

Cheng Lang took the tea and drank it in one gulp. Looking at the faint whirl pattern at the bottom of the bowl, he said with a smile, "Not bad."

Shen Huaiyu stared at the way Cheng Lang received the bowl and froze slightly.

"What's wrong?" Noticing Shen Huaiyu's gaze, Cheng Lang wiped the corner of his mouth with a finger. "Did I get dirty?"

"No." Shen Huaiyu wanted to ask whether Cheng Lang truly did not understand Tea Whisking, but after hesitating, he ultimately did not ask.

Chapter 18

"Excuse me, are you hiring here? I just saw the help wanted sign outside—" A young girl with a ponytail pushed open the door. When she saw Cheng Lang and Shen Huaiyu, she was so stunned by their looks that she lost her voice.

"We are!" Cheng Lang casually set the tea bowl on the table, walked over to the girl, and greeted her. "Have a seat. Do you know how to make milk tea?"

As he spoke, he went to the water dispenser, poured a cup of water, and handed it to her.

"Thank you!" The girl stood up in flustered surprise and accepted the cup with both hands. "I know how to make milk tea. I used to work part-time at a milk tea shop."

As she spoke, her face grew redder and redder. She had never talked to such a handsome boy before in her life.

"Are you two employees at the milk tea shop too?" The girl's eyes sparkled. If she could work with such handsome boys, she would not mind even if the pay was a little lower.

"We're the owners of the milk tea shop," Cheng Lang said. "Why don't you introduce yourself first? What should I call you?"

"My name is Liang Yanyan. I'm twenty this year. I've worked as a waitress and a sales clerk. I've also worked at burger shops, barbecue restaurants, hot pot restaurants, and milk tea shops. I can do anything..."

"What was your last job, and why did you quit?" Cheng Lang asked.

"My last job was at a milk tea shop. The owner was a man, and he was always getting handsy with me, so I quit." Upon seeing Cheng Lang and Shen Huaiyu, Liang Yanyan immediately added, "But I believe you two definitely wouldn't do that."

At this point, Liang Yanyan looked at Cheng Lang and Shen Huaiyu eagerly. "I can do anything, and I'm especially hardworking. Really."

Cheng Lang and Shen Huaiyu exchanged a look. Then Cheng Lang said, "Make us a cup of milk tea first and let us try it."

"No problem," Liang Yanyan said.

Cheng Lang brought her to the kitchen. "Everything is ready. You know how to use it all, right?"

"I do." Liang Yanyan nodded, rolled up her sleeves, and immediately got to work.

Cheng Lang watched Liang Yanyan's movements closely and found that she was quick and efficient. As she made the milk tea, she cleaned up at the same time, doing everything exceptionally neatly.

Liang Yanyan made a cup of the most common Original Milk Tea. She had wanted to add pearls, but could not find any.

Cheng Lang explained, "I just took over this shop. It hasn't opened yet, and some ingredients had been sitting around too long and were no longer fresh, so I threw them out."

Liang Yanyan understood. She brought out the milk tea and looked at Cheng Lang expectantly.

Cheng Lang poured a bowl for Shen Huaiyu. "You try some too."

Shen Huaiyu nodded, held the bowl with both hands, and took a sip of the milk tea. "It tastes pretty good."

Cheng Lang took a sip as well. It was decent and standard—the sort of milk tea on the market that could be considered tasty.

"You used to work at a milk tea shop. How was your monthly salary calculated?" Cheng Lang asked.

"My base salary was three thousand, with a one-percent commission. I got two days off every month. I worked nine hours a day in rotating shifts," Liang Yanyan answered honestly.

Before putting up the hiring notice, Cheng Lang had specifically investigated several other milk tea shops near the school. Hearing that, he immediately said, "Our base salary is four thousand, also with a one-percent commission. You get four days off every month, work eight hours a day, and rotate shifts as well. Overtime comes with overtime pay."

Liang Yanyan sucked in a sharp breath.

Cheng Lang shot her a glance. "What's wrong?"

"Why are you offering such a high base salary?" Liang Yanyan looked at Cheng Lang and Shen Huaiyu in shock, unable to stop herself from saying, "With benefits this good, won't you lose money?"

Cheng Lang laughed. "High benefits naturally come with high requirements. We'll sign formal contracts with our employees. Once the contract is signed, employees cannot resign without authorization. And the special skills learned at our shop cannot be taken elsewhere."

Hearing Cheng Lang speak so seriously, Liang Yanyan carefully asked, "You're worried that employees will learn the skills here and open their own shops, right? Of course I wouldn't do something so unethical. But can I ask what special skill you plan to teach me?" They were actually serious enough to require a contract?