This self-service barbecue restaurant has a time limit of 100 minutes for dining.
When Song Yunshen and his group entered, it was just past 11 a. m., and it wouldn't be until almost 1 p. m.
In reality, if you really eat to your heart's content, you can eat for at most an hour and that will fill your stomach; it won't even take 100 minutes.
Song Yunshen and Xia Yunuo chatted while eating barbecue. They ate quite slowly, but by 12 o'clock, they were already full.
There was still an hour before Yingying's afternoon class, so the two of them weren't in a hurry to go back and continued to chat in their seats.
Song Yunshen wiped his mouth and asked her, "Besides treating me to dinner, what else do you plan to do with the salary you earned this time?"
Hearing his question, Xia Yunuo thought about it seriously for a moment before saying, "I should mainly save it. I can use it as living expenses for next semester... Oh, right, I was actually thinking about whether to buy a new dress."
"New clothes?" Song Yunshen's eyes lit up, and an expectant expression appeared on his face. "Do you have any ideas?"
"Not yet, I'm just thinking about it for now." Xia Yunuo shook her head, noticing Song Yunshen's expression, she also became somewhat hesitant.
Before she even received her salary, she was already thinking about whether or not to buy clothes, since she only had one pretty outfit at home: a navy collar preppy top paired with a light blue patterned long skirt.
Besides that, all that's left is a regular short-sleeved shirt and trousers, plus two sets of school uniforms.
This was more than enough for her before, so Xia Yunuo rarely considered buying herself new clothes. Usually, it was only during holidays like Chinese New Year that her mother and sister insisted on buying her something, and that's when she would get a new outfit. In this respect, Xia Yunuo had very little need.
To say something a little proud, she's known since she was little that she's pretty, so no matter what she wears, she always looks good in other people's eyes.
Therefore, she never cared much about what she wore, and even in her school uniform, she was confident that she looked much prettier than other girls.
However, when facing Song Yunshen, this made Xia Yunuo have a thought for the first time in her mind—it wasn't enough.
That's not enough.
I could be even better looking.
I must show my best side to Song Yunshen.
Once this thought takes hold, the urge to buy new clothes becomes almost unstoppable.
Especially after she received her salary and gained control over her own wealth for the first time, this idea gradually gained the upper hand.
However, having grown accustomed to a life of hardship, she still harbored an instinctive aversion to spending money on new clothes, which is why she hesitated and couldn't make up her mind.
[After all, I can tutor Yingying during the summer vacation, but I won't have any income after school starts. It would be better to save the money I earn during the summer vacation, right?]
Upon hearing Xia Yunuo's concerns, Song Yunshen across from her instantly understood, then stroked his chin in thought. He didn't have the habit of forcing others to change their views immediately, and he could understand Xia Yunuo's thoughts.
Rather than forcing the other party to change their long-held views on money, it's better to find ways to solve the problem from other angles.
So Song Yunshen continued chatting with Xia Yunuo while secretly taking out his phone and opening WeChat.
After a short while, Song Yunshen ended the conversation and said to Xia Yunuo across from him, "We've almost finished eating. Let's go first, and then stroll around for a bit to digest before heading home."
"Okay." Xia Yunuo nodded obediently, then got up and left her seat with Song Yunshen, heading outside.
The two seemed to be wandering aimlessly around Wanda Plaza, looking here and there, but in reality, Song Yunshen was consciously choosing a direction.
As the two passed a restaurant on the fifth floor, a familiar voice suddenly came from inside. Song Yunshen immediately pulled Xia Yunuo to a stop and looked into the restaurant.
" Shenshen? Yunuo?" Song Jiaxuan's voice came from inside, "Have you finished eating?"
Song Yunshen and Xia Yunuo looked inside and saw Song Jiaxuan sitting with a man, who was obviously Song Yunshen's brother-in-law.
"Yes, we just finished eating." Song Yunshen nodded, a surprised expression on his face. "So you guys ate here."
"Come in, come in, what a coincidence! Come in and have a seat," Song Jiaxuan waved to the two of them and said warmly.
"Okay." Song Yunshen nodded in agreement, then led Xia Yunuo into the shop and sat down at their table. He said to the man next to Song Jiaxuan, "Hello, brother-in-law, it's been a long time." Xia Yunuo, who had just sat down, quickly followed Song Yunshen's greeting and whispered, "Hello, brother-in-law."
Pei Yuanhe nodded slightly to the two of them as a greeting, without saying much, and handed over the reins at the dinner table to Song Jiaxuan.
"Speaking of which, sis, didn't you just say you were going to have lunch with the cat cafe owner today?" Song Yunshen asked curiously, "Where is he?"
"He's already finished eating. He had to leave early because of an emergency," Song Jiaxuan said with a smile. "I have some good news, guess what it is?"
"You've reached an agreement?" Song Yunshen raised an eyebrow. "How much?"
"A flat price of 250,000 yuan, covering the entire cat cafe." Song Jiaxuan clenched her fist in satisfaction. "We can sign the contract tomorrow."
"Congratulations!" Song Yunshen clapped his hands in a mock manner, then said with a grin, "So, from now on, if I come to pet the cat, it'll be free, right?"
"What are you saying?" Song Jiaxuan rolled her eyes at him, waved her hand, and said, "Order any drinks you like."
Pei Yuanhe chuckled softly, remaining silent, and ladled a bowl of soup for Song Jiaxuan, handing it to her before continuing to eat his own food.
In front of her younger brother and his girlfriend, Song Jiaxuan didn't stand on ceremony. She turned her head and affectionately kissed her husband on the lips, then took two sips of soup.
After finishing her drink, her eyes darted around, and she naturally turned her gaze to Xia Yunuo's face. Her eyes suddenly lit up, and she asked Xia Yunuo with a smile, " Yunuo, I heard from Shenshen Shen that you seem to be giving Yingying a lesson right now, right?"
"Mmm." Xia Yunuo felt nervous when Song Jiaxuan suddenly mentioned her, and quickly nodded in response. "Since you need a part-time job," Song Jiaxuan suggested with a smile, "After I take over this cat cafe, would you consider working part-time at our place?"
"Huh?" Xia Yunuo was stunned for a moment upon hearing this, not expecting such a good thing to happen. "A part-time job... for me?"
"Yes, yes," Song Jiaxuan nodded. "You're so pretty, and you can be a tutor. You must be a patient and meticulous person, which makes you perfect for a part-time job at a cat café."
Xia Yunuo was intrigued and couldn't help but ask, "What do I need to do?"
"It's very simple. It's just scooping the cat's litter box, brushing its fur, guiding the guests in, and making some drinks," Song Jiaxuan said, waving her hand. "I'll pay you 30 yuan an hour. It's not much, but it should be better than most part-time jobs outside."
30 per hour?
Xia Yunuo pursed her lips, her heart fluttering even more.
She tutored Yingying for 3,000 yuan a month, teaching Yingying for two hours every day, which translates to about 50 yuan per hour.
It might seem that working part-time at a cat cafe is less lucrative than being a private tutor, but that's not how it works.
After all, Xia Yunuo had to plan ahead for the two-hour lessons when teaching Yingying, and she usually spent a lot of extra time preparing lessons. In fact, the time spent on this was far more than just those two hours every day.
Moreover, during class, she had to be fully focused and keep track of Yingying's progress.
When working part-time at a cat cafe, it's impossible for customers to come in and need attention every moment. Grooming the cats and cleaning their litter boxes doesn't take much time.
So, during a one-hour workday, you can probably slack off for most of the time, and yet you still get a 30 yuan hourly wage, which is already quite good pay.
"If Sister Xuanxuan doesn't mind, I'm fine with it," Xia Yunuo said softly. "But I'm only free during the summer vacation; school starts in September."
"It's okay," Song Jiaxuan waved her hand and said, "Although the contract is to be signed tomorrow, it will probably be September before I can reopen."
"After all, I'm not entirely satisfied with some of the decorating details of this cat cafe, and I need more time to make adjustments."
"Once we reopen in September, you can come part-time on weekends, and I'll pay you daily."
Hearing this, Xia Yunuo was immediately conflicted. On the one hand, she was indeed tempted, but on the other hand, she was worried that it would affect her studies.
If I work part-time at the cat cafe every weekend, will I not have time to do my homework?
Hearing Xia Yunuo's worries, Song Yunshen said to Song Jiaxuan, "Don't seduce my Nuonuo. We're top students, aiming for the Lan River University. We don't have time for part-time jobs for you."
Upon hearing this, Xia Yunuo immediately panicked and hurriedly waved her hands, saying, "Sister Xuanxuan, that's not what I meant. Don't listen to his nonsense."
"Oh, isn't that easy?" Song Jiaxuan rolled her eyes at Song Yunshen, then said to Xia Yunuo with a grin, "You can just bring your schoolbag to work part-time. When there's nothing going on at the shop, you can do your homework, and if there's anything to do, you can help out. It's that simple!"
Seeing that Song Jiaxuan had gone this far, Xia Yunuo finally nodded seriously and said in a very earnest tone, "Since Sister Xuanxuan has said so, then of course I agree. It's just that I'll have to trouble Sister Xuanxuan." "What trouble is there? I should be thanking you," Song Jiaxuan said with a smile. "You're so pretty, you might even help me attract a lot of customers."
"Hey, hey, what are you saying?" Song Yunshen frowned in displeasure upon hearing this. "Don't use her as a gimmick to attract customers, or I won't allow her to work part-time for you."
"Okay, okay," Song Jiaxuan chuckled. "My Nuonuo... those who know, know."
Upon hearing this, Song Yunshen coughed awkwardly.
Xia Yunuo, standing to the side, blushed deeply and didn't know what to say.
[I think that's what he just said? My Nuonuo? Oh dear, how could he say that? It's so embarrassing in front of Sister Xuanxuan and her husband!]
Hearing Xia Yunuo's thoughts, Song Yunshen scratched his face, thinking to himself that it was just something he blurted out without thinking. He hadn't even considered it before speaking, and it just came out unconsciously.
"Alright, we've almost finished eating." Song Jiaxuan put down her chopsticks and said, "When are you two going back? Should I have my brother-in-law give you a ride?"
"No need, no need, I came by electric scooter," Song Yunshen waved his hand and said, "I'll have to ride it back later."
"Why are you still riding an electric bike?" Song Jiaxuan raised her eyebrows, then remembered, "Oh right, you're not an adult yet, you can't drive a car."
"Even if you're an adult, you can't drive," Song Yunshen said. "You'll have to wait until you get your driver's license in college."
"Won't you turn 18 next October?" Song Jiaxuan counted on her fingers. "You can take a driving test during winter break. If you pass, I'll have your brother-in-law buy you a car, okay?" When she said this, Song Jiaxuan's tone was somewhat joking, and she turned to look at her husband with a smile.
But Pei Yuanhe nodded indifferently and said to Song Yunshen, "Since your sister said so, you can pick one when we come to our house."
"Really?" Song Yunshen asked in surprise.
"If I just give you one, your dad probably won't agree," Pei Yuanhe said. "But we have two or three old cars sitting there, which are basically never driven and just collecting dust. We'll just let you practice."
Hearing his brother-in-law say that, Song Yunshen grinned and said, "Then I won't be polite! I guarantee I'll complete the task next year and get my driver's license!"
Xia Yunuo, standing to the side, was completely dumbfounded, wondering what all this was all about.
We were just talking about a part-time job that pays 30 yuan an hour, how did we suddenly switch gears and start talking about giving Yunshen a car?
Even if it's not a new car, but a used one, it would still cost at least tens of thousands, right?
They actually gave it away as a gift...
Xia Yunuo opened her mouth slightly, her eyes wide with shock, feeling the overwhelming wealth and power rushing towards her.
Is this how rich people spend their money?
Starting a gift with a car? How are other people supposed to live? After finishing the conversation about giving a car, Pei Yuanhe got up and went to the front desk to pay the bill.
Song Jiaxuan led the two out of the restaurant, affectionately linking her arm with Xia Yunuo's, and told her about the future plans for the cat cafe, while also adding Xia Yunuo on WeChat.
After Pei Yuanhe finished paying the bill and came out, Song Jiaxuan let go of Xia Yunuo's hand and waved goodbye to the two of them. "Then I won't see you off. Let's keep in touch on WeChat when the cat cafe reopens."
"Mmm." Xia Yunuo nodded and waved to Song Jiaxuan.
After watching Sister Xuanxuan and her husband leave, Song Yunshen also took Xia Yunuo downstairs. They walked out of the Wanda Plaza gate and found an electric scooter by the roadside.
Riding his electric scooter with Xia Yunuo on the back, Song Yunshen chuckled and said to her, "Next winter break, when I get the scooter, I'll take you for a ride!"
Xia Yunuo hugged Song Yunshen's waist, her two small hands overlapping in front of his stomach, her little head resting against his back, a sweet smile on her lips, "Aren't you taking me for a drive right now?"
"Haha, that's true."
How can I casually bring up the topic of buying clothes again?
I really want to see Nono in a short skirt!
[I asked Sister Xuanxuan to arrange a part-time job for her, so she won't be short of living expenses after school starts. Now she should be able to buy new clothes, right?]
Holding Song Yunshen on the back of the electric scooter, Xia Yunuo Nuo was enjoying the atmosphere when she overheard Song Yunshen's thoughts. Her expression changed slightly, and she bit her lip. If she hadn't been able to hear his thoughts, she wouldn't have realized that she had been manipulated by Song Yunshen again.
No wonder Sister Xuanxuan kept inviting her to do part-time work; now I know why.
But to see her in a short skirt, this is really going to extremes...
Xia Yunuo had long been used to Song Yunshen's thoughtfulness towards her, so she didn't really object to it anymore. However, when she thought about his reasons for doing so, she felt speechless, amused, and a little embarrassed.
Do you really want to see her in a short skirt? It feels a little embarrassing.
However, she immediately remembered that her younger sister usually wore hot pants and white stockings when she came to visit Song Yunshen.
Even my sister, who usually dresses conservatively, has been seen wearing the outfit they specially picked out as a birthday gift a lot lately.
Her long, white legs were dazzling; Song Yunshen must have seen them countless times.
Thinking of this, Xia Yunuo pursed her lips. When Song Yunshen rode his electric scooter back to the bike shed in the western part of Tangning New Mansion, she jumped off the back seat and casually said, " Yunshen."
"Hmm? What's wrong?"
"Didn't I say I wanted to buy clothes when we were eating earlier?" Xia Yunuo said to him, "But I don't know what style to buy. How about you help me pick some out on Pinduoduo during class later?"
What's so special about older and younger sisters wearing short skirts and hot pants? If they're going to wear anything, they should wear what Song Yunshen personally picked out for them.
Thinking of this, Xia Yunuo couldn't help but proudly raise her chin slightly, puff out her chest, and her mood became extremely bright.
Upon hearing her words, Song Yunshen's eyes lit up, and he became quite enthusiastic. However, he still coughed rather reservedly and said reluctantly, "My taste may not necessarily suit you. I can only offer my opinion as a suggestion."
[Short skirt! Short skirt! Short skirt!]
Hearing the thoughts transmitted through Song Yunshen's mind, Xia Yunuo tried hard to suppress her laughter, keeping a straight face, and nodded, saying, "Yes, yes, it's just for reference. Thank you for your help."
"Leave it to me!" Song Yunshen patted his chest and solemnly promised.
After they finished speaking, the two went upstairs together to Song Yunshen's uncle's house.
Because the two of them didn't come to lunch together again today, Yingying threw a tantrum for a while before Xia Yunuo coaxed her into sitting obediently in her lap and starting class.
Song Yunshen took Xia Yunuo's phone from her, opened Pinduoduo, and began to carefully select items.
[This one won't do, it's too long, not revealing enough.]
[Holy crap, this is way too short, no way, it's too revealing!]
[Wow, this is nice. It would look even better on Nuonuo. It's just a little plain. I'll save it for later.] Xia Yunuo, who was teaching Yingying, listened to Song Yunshen's thoughts from time to time. Her cheeks flushed from time to time. She thought to herself, "This guy is quite picky. Is choosing clothes really that troublesome?"