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◎ Go apologize to Shen Suhui. ◎
After reviewing the surveillance footage, Yu Ran was silent for a long time.
It was all because of her that Shen Suhui had to suffer through this.
She helped Shen Suhui clean up the café and then ordered an identical coffee machine online.
By the time everything was taken care of, it was already past nine in the evening. The two of them sat in the car, ready to go home, but the car remained stationary.
“How much is the damage to the café?”
“I haven’t calculated it yet,” Shen Suhui frowned. “We’ll figure it out when we get home. It’s okay…”
“Don’t say it’s okay,” Yu Ran looked at her. “Shen Suhui, don’t yield to anyone. Give me the final bill, and I’ll make Du Qiuyan pay double.”
“What do you mean by ‘How old are you?’ ‘Are you married?’ ‘Do you have a boyfriend?’ ‘When do you get off work? Can I buy you dinner?’ and other such harassing comments…”
Yu Ran couldn’t tell Shen Suhui about it, so she had to deal with it herself.
—–
At 5:30 PM, Yu Ran finished seeing her last patient and finally had a chance to message Shen Suhui. Shen Suhui had driven her in the morning, but now Yu Ran had to take a taxi.
Shen Suhui didn’t reply immediately. Yu Ran stared at the screen for a while before turning it off and looking out the window.
When she finally arrived at the café, Yu Ran sensed something was wrong as soon as she got out of the car. She rushed inside, where the strong smell of coffee beans filled the air. Coffee was spilled all over the floor and tables, and an expensive coffee machine lay broken on the ground. The place was a mess.
“What happened?”
She grabbed Shen Suhui’s arm, “What happened?”
“…”
Shen Suhui didn’t speak, looking scared. Yu Ran turned to one of the employees.
“It was…”
Shen Suhui glanced at the employee and shook her head.
“I’m sorry…”
The employee shut up and bent down to continue cleaning the floor.
“Why didn’t you tell me?”
Shen Suhui looked at Yu Ran and forced a smile, “It’s okay. We just need to clean up…”
“I know you have secrets and your own way of handling things, but shouldn’t you inform me so we can face things together, especially something this serious?” Yu Ran said sternly, “Shen Suhui, we are partners. Don’t put me on a pedestal. You don’t need to worry about crossing boundaries with me. You can rely on me. Trust me completely.”
“I’m sorry, Yu Ran, this matter…”
“Is it Du Qiuyan?” Yu Ran looked at her confidently.
Shen Suhui was easily intimidated and froze.
“If you don’t tell me, I can check the surveillance footage.”
Yu Ran walked past her to the bar, turned on the surveillance computer, and checked the records. Sure enough, Du Qiuyan appeared on the screen.
Around 4:30 PM, Du Qiuyan, wearing sunglasses, swaggered into the café and found a secluded corner to place her order.
She ordered ten cups of every type of coffee in the shop. While waiting, she started taking photos around the shop. At first, the staff didn’t recognize her and just looked anxious as they watched the order machine.
“What’s wrong?” Shen Suhui noticed something was off and asked the staff.
The staff pointed to the computer, “The customer who just came in ordered nearly two hundred cups…”
“…”
Shen Suhui looked towards the corner. Despite Du Qiuyan’s disguise, she recognized her immediately.
As the owner of the shop, she had to be the first to step up.
“Hello, ma’am.”
Du Qiuyan looked up, slowly removed her sunglasses, and met Shen Suhui’s gaze with a provocative smile, “What’s the matter?”
“Did you make a mistake with your order? Why did you order so much coffee?”
“Is there a problem?” Du Qiuyan spread her hands, “I’m a customer, creating business for you. Shouldn’t you treat me like a god?”
“But…”
Shen Suhui knew she had to be strong. Du Qiuyan was deliberately causing trouble, but Shen Suhui always panicked and trembled when faced with such situations, speaking incoherently. She hated herself for being so useless.
Whenever she faced such sudden, tense situations, she would take medicine, but now she didn’t even have time for that.
“But we can’t make that much. We don’t have enough materials. Our supplies are fresh and delivered every morning. This morning’s…”
“Don’t tell me so much. Just tell me if you can do it. You’re the boss. When faced with problems, you should find solutions. Why can Xingbaka fulfill all my orders, but you can’t? I chose your shop because I like it. Can’t I?”
“And besides, I’ve already paid for the order. Surely, Shen Boss wouldn’t turn down money, right?”
“…We can’t make that much. I’m sorry.”
Shen Suhui tried to be firm, staring at Du Qiuyan, trying to boost her own confidence.
Unexpectedly, Du Qiuyan laughed, “Then why even run a café? Don’t company bosses buy coffee in bulk for their employees? What if your shop can’t handle it?”
“I…”
Shen Suhui was about to say that their shop wasn’t in a commercial center and didn’t usually get large orders, but Du Qiuyan interrupted her again.
“If you can’t handle it, why not limit the order quantity online? Since I was able to place the order, you should fulfill it, right?”
“…”
Shen Suhui instinctively glanced at the staff.
The young staff member lowered her head in shame, whispering, “I’m sorry, boss. I didn’t have time to…”
“Your laziness has nothing to do with me as a customer. Since I placed the order, you have to make it. Otherwise…” Du Qiuyan checked her phone, “I’ll post a negative review online and expose your shop. You know my popularity. This will affect your career for the rest of your life…”
Du Qiuyan’s words sounded like the whisper of a demon, piercing Shen Suhui’s ears.
“What will it be?”
“Then please wait a moment, Miss Du. I promise to complete the order.”
Yu Ran started the car. Shen Suhui was too tired, so Yu Ran took over driving.
Neither of them had eaten. Cooking at this hour was impractical, so Yu Ran ordered takeout. Shen Suhui was clearly still shaken by the day’s events. She was clumsy in both speech and actions. Yu Ran knew she didn’t want to talk, think, or move, so she took the initiative to handle the accounting.
She also knew that Shen Suhui had already responded as best she could.
After eating a few bites, Shen Suhui went to bed after taking a shower.
Yu Ran didn’t disturb her after her own shower, instead sitting in the living room to finish the accounting.
Finally, at ten o’clock, with the accounts balanced, she took another shower but didn’t change into pajamas, putting on her coat instead.
“Are you going out?”
Shen Suhui, eyes closed but not asleep, sat up at the sound, looking at Yu Ran with a worried expression.
There was a deep unease in her eyes. Yu Ran’s heart ached, but some things had to be dealt with promptly.
“I’m going to find Du Qiuyan.”
“Don’t go!” Shen Suhui, suddenly agitated, sat up, grabbing Yu Ran’s hand, “Yu Ran, don’t go. Please…”
Her eyes were full of fear and pleading.
“Please, Yu Ran…”
“Don’t see her.”
The surveillance had no sound, so some conversations couldn’t be heard. But if Yu Ran went to see Du Qiuyan, she might find out everything.
Shen Suhui’s dark and dirty past.
Du Qiuyan would tell Yu Ran that Shen Suhui was greedy for money, and even if Yu Ran cared about her now, there was a fifty percent chance she would believe it.
Yu Ran looked at Shen Suhui’s distress, feeling immense sorrow. She stroked Shen Suhui’s hair, kissed her forehead, and hugged her.
“Are you afraid I’ll leave you for Du Qiuyan?”
“…”
“I won’t, Shen Suhui,” Yu Ran promised, “No matter what happens, I will never leave you.”
“Absolutely not.”
With that, Yu Ran released Shen Suhui and left. Shen Suhui fell back onto the bed, feeling completely drained.
Yu Ran took a taxi home, retrieved the BMW SUV from the garage, and was about to call Du Qiuyan when a trending topic popped up.
#Newly crowned actress Du Qiuyan visits Rainy Day Café
#Du Qiuyan’s bad coffee
[Du Qiuyan V:]
Visited one of the top three cafés in Zhangshan City, Rainy Day Café, and ordered dozens of cups for the crew. The owner told me they couldn’t fulfill the order.
I said I had already ordered and promised the crew coffee. Not making it would put me in a difficult position.
The owner’s attitude was terrible. She reluctantly drove to get materials, making us wait almost three hours, delaying the crew’s work. The coffee was awful. I suspect she used coffee powder instead of real beans…]
She also posted six photos, all negative shots of the shop, including an impatient staff member and a blurry side profile of Shen Suhui.
Du Qiuyan tagged many topics and locations in the same city. Instantly, negative comments flooded in.
Once something becomes a scandal, every minor flaw is magnified.
-Sunny: This café is only good for its unique decor, good for photos. The coffee is average and overpriced. I went once and never went back!
-Du Qiuyan’s Puppy: If Yan Yan says it’s bad, then it’s bad. Going to leave a bad review now!
-Love Qiuyan: How could they treat our polite little Yan Yan like this? Crying, crying, crying. JPG. I hope this café closes soon!
-Anonymous: Close soon +1
-Another Anonymous: Close soon +2
-Yet Another Anonymous: Close soon +10086
-Everyday Happy: Honestly, the only good thing about this café is the pretty owner. Otherwise, I wouldn’t go.
-Ababa: Is the owner prettier than our Yan Yan? Yan Yan says it’s bad, so none of you are allowed to go!!!
—–
Yu Ran scrolled through, her face cold. There were also some comments defending Shen Suhui.
-Little Sun: You call this expensive? Do you even know how to drink coffee
?
-Nono: People who follow Du Qiuyan’s lead are just pathetic. This café is great!
-User1234: Yan Yan is famous, so her followers are like this. Why can’t we speak our minds?
-Nana: The café has been well-reviewed for a long time. This is obviously Du Qiuyan causing trouble!
—–
Most people saw the actor’s post first and made assumptions. The negative comments far outweighed the positive ones.
Yu Ran clenched her phone, got out of the car, and called Du Qiuyan.
“Hello.”
The gentle and sweet voice made Yu Ran sick.
“Miss Du Qiuyan, I hope you’re doing well. Could we meet for a chat?”
“Who are you?” Du Qiuyan feigned surprise, “Oh, you’re Yu Ran.”
“Yes. Miss Du Qiuyan, where are you? I have something to discuss with you.”
Du Qiuyan agreed to meet and gave the location of a bar.
As Yu Ran drove to the bar, she thought about Du Qiuyan’s mischief.
What kind of play is she putting on now?
When Yu Ran arrived, Du Qiuyan was already there, dressed in a white, revealing outfit, makeup flawless, and exuding a sultry aura.
Even now, she looked like a fairy descended from the heavens.
Seeing Yu Ran, Du Qiuyan waved with a smile, “Hello, Rainy Day Café’s Miss Yu.”
“…”
Yu Ran didn’t sit down but stood facing her, expression cold, “Miss Du Qiuyan, let’s not waste time. What do you want to let Shen Suhui off?”
“Why are you so unromantic?” Du Qiuyan shook her head, “Have a drink with me.”
Yu Ran sat down without saying a word.
Du Qiuyan smiled triumphantly and asked the bartender for a cocktail. The two beautiful women, each more stunning than the other, became the focus of the bar, and the bartender gave them special attention.
“Miss Yu, you’re really pretty.”
“…”
“Do you know Shen Suhui’s background?”
Yu Ran didn’t speak, and Du Qiuyan continued, “Her adoptive father abused her, and she had no choice but to escape. She was homeless and even had to steal food from supermarkets to survive.”
“The adoptive father forced her to dance in clubs, selling her innocence for money.”
“She begged for help, but no one paid attention to her. She was once… a street rat.”
“Do you know how her adoptive father died?”
Yu Ran shook her head.
“He committed suicide. When he was discovered, the police found a letter in his room. Shen Suhui was there, scared to death, but didn’t have time to read the letter. The police read it to her. Her adoptive father wrote that he had fallen in love with Shen Suhui and couldn’t control his desires anymore, so he decided to die.”
Yu Ran gripped her glass tightly, her face pale.
“And after her adoptive father’s death, Shen Suhui went to a psychiatric hospital. It took a long time for her to recover and return to society.”
“Do you know who took care of her all that time?”
Du Qiuyan’s expression darkened, her eyes filled with hatred.
“It was me.”
Yu Ran’s eyes widened, and Du Qiuyan continued, “Yes, I took care of her, but when she got better, she left me for another woman.”
“…”
“Shen Suhui has always been an ingrate. She only thinks about her own benefit.”
“Don’t be fooled by her beautiful appearance. She’s dirty inside.”
Yu Ran felt a chill, unable to control her emotions.
She believed in Shen Suhui. Even if her past was as dark as Du Qiuyan described, she believed in her.
But she couldn’t shake the doubt.
“You must hate her very much, right?”
Du Qiuyan’s voice was full of resentment, “Yes, I hate her. I want her to live in pain forever.”
“…”
“If you love her, then go back and take care of her. But I won’t make it easy for you.”
Du Qiuyan raised her glass to Yu Ran.
“You…”
“I won’t make it easy for you, Yu Ran,” Du Qiuyan said coldly, “Take Shen Suhui back. If you dare to continue with her, I’ll expose her past and destroy her.”
“…”
Yu Ran felt dizzy, her world spinning.
She looked at Du Qiuyan, who smiled triumphantly.
Shen Suhui had been right. No one could win against Du Qiuyan.
But she didn’t want to give up.
Du Qiuyan unexpectedly lifted her hand to wrap around Yu Ran’s neck in an intimate gesture, but Yu Ran coldly pried her arm off and pushed her aside with force.
“Yu Ran…”
Du Qiuyan’s eyes began to glisten with tears, looking pitiful.
“Don’t act, Du Qiuyan. You know why I’m here.”
Yu Ran said as she started walking inside. As soon as she entered the living room, the pungent smell of alcohol hit her so hard that she could barely open her eyes.
The entire house was a mess. There were empty wine bottles everywhere—on the table, the sofa, and the floor. Yu Ran looked at Du Qiuyan with disbelief and coldness. She couldn’t believe that the seemingly glamorous celebrity was so sloppy in private.
“Have a seat. Would you like something to drink?” Du Qiuyan enthusiastically offered.
Yu Ran replied, “No, we’ll talk standing.”
“…”
Whether it was an act or not, Du Qiuyan looked even more pitiful upon hearing Yu Ran’s refusal.
After a while, Yu Ran spoke, “Why are you so addicted to alcohol?”
Du Qiuyan laughed, “So you still care about me, right?”
“…”
Yu Ran frowned. She didn’t want Du Qiuyan to misunderstand. She no longer cared about her private life.
She took out a bill from her bag and threw it onto the table in front of Du Qiuyan.
“This is the bill for the damages you caused to my girlfriend’s café. If you don’t want our conversation to turn unpleasant, I hope you sign this contract and compensate my girlfriend double the loss.”
“Why should I?”
“Because not only did you damage the items in the café, but you also caused her emotional distress.”
“I caused her emotional distress?” Du Qiuyan glared at Yu Ran, then laughed, “Such a trivial matter caused her emotional distress? Is she made of porcelain? Yu Ran, what good does it do you to be with such a weak woman?”
“Watch your mouth,” Yu Ran said coldly. “Have I not made myself clear, or do you not understand human language? No matter what Shen Suhui is like or what you do to try and win me back, it won’t change my mind.”
“I love Shen Suhui, everything about her, understand?”
“Including her mental illness?”
“…”
“Yu Ran, did you know she used to have…”
“What do you want to say? Bipolar disorder, depression?” Yu Ran stared at Du Qiuyan aggressively. “So what? I love her now, and I will continue to. I’m willing to treat her and support her; I have a lifetime to do so.”
“But it’s a pity for you. I will never change my mind. Are you going to live in such a filthy way for the rest of your life?”
“Yu Ran…”
“Sign this contract, explain the situation about the café on social media, and apologize to Shen Suhui,” Yu Ran said word by word. “If you can’t do it, if I wish… then what you did in the past…”
Yu Ran smiled, her expression suddenly turned vicious. “Guess what consequences that would bring you…”
“…”
Du Qiuyan looked numbly at the familiar yet strange face in front of her, her body trembling uncontrollably.
Yu Ran pushed the contract towards Du Qiuyan, placing a pen on top of it. Her tone was commanding.
“Sign it.”
Her slender, fair fingers tapped the table, “And I want the payment within twenty-four hours.”
“…”
Du Qiuyan hesitated, picking up the pen. When she dated Yu Ran, she was pampered and never understood the oppressive feeling Yu Ran could exert when she didn’t love someone.
Although Du Qiuyan wanted to refuse, wanted to go crazy, under Yu Ran’s guidance, she picked up the pen and slowly wrote her name on the paper.
Yu Ran took the contract, carefully checked it, and then put it back in her bag.
She didn’t intend to leave but instead leaned back on the sofa, calmly looking at Du Qiuyan.
The next second, she said lightly, “Now, immediately post on Weibo to clarify and apologize to Shen Suhui.”