bookbashuk Chapter 82 is here.
Chapter 82 is here.
Time did not allow Nishiki Chizuki to gain the advantage he desired, but he also lost interest in playing the game.
After putting the game away, Shichen and Jinmu Qianshu went downstairs to help with the chores.
The shop was still quite quiet at this time of day, with only two or three customers, none of whom had come specifically for the coffee. They were enjoying their coffee while working on their laptops, occasionally glancing at passersby outside, looking relaxed.
Coffee shops have a special calming atmosphere, making them a more suitable place for working.
Shichen made himself a glass of juice and sat down behind the cashier, while Nishiki Chizuka started cleaning the table.
A moment later, Thor came out of the kitchen and, without any hesitation, threw herself into Shichen's arms.
"Master Chen."
"What's wrong?" Shi Chen put the juice aside and hugged her.
"It's nothing... I'm just a little lacking in inspiration."
"Lack of inspiration?" Shi Chen looked at her in confusion.
"Hmm, I can't think of any new dishes." Thor looked up, pouted, and replied regretfully.
"That's it?" Shi Chen shook his head and chuckled, ruffling her hair. "If you can't think of anything, then don't think about it. We're a coffee shop, we don't need that many dishes."
"But I want to make it for Lord Chen."
"...Speaking so sweetly, there's no reward for it."
"Huh?" Thor tilted his head, not understanding what he meant.
"Don't worry about it." Shi Chen smiled and tapped her delicate nose.
"Oh." Thor didn't mind, and hugged Shichen tightly, letting him feel his development.
The shop was air-conditioned, so holding Thor didn't make him hot, and Shichen ignored the gaze cast at him by one of the customers.
A few minutes later, after wiping the table, Nishiki Chizuka saw Tokishi holding Tohru and came over as well.
"Brother Chen, I want a hug too!"
"No, there are no seats left!" Thor refused before Shichen could say anything.
"Hey~ you've been holding me for so long, let me hold you for a bit longer~"
"I only hugged him for a few minutes, okay!"
"How about we split it in half?"
"don't want!"
"Thor, aren't you being a bit too possessive? Can't you share things a little? Be careful, or Brother Chen might not like you anymore."
"No way! Besides, I was here first."
"First come, first served, right? I understand."
As she spoke, Nishiki Chizuki came up behind Shichen, then leaned against his back and wrapped her arms around his neck.
She looked down triumphantly at Thor in Chen's arms: "Since you want to take the place in front of Chen, then I'll take the place behind you."
"That's no problem," Thor replied nonchalantly.
"You two..." Shi Chen was being held from both the front and the back, and he was completely unable to move.
There are still people in the store.
"It's alright, they're busy," said Chizuka Nishiki.
"Really?" Shi Chen looked at the guests and saw one of them quickly look away, but he still noticed the other's envious look.
The other two were indeed engrossed in their work, intently staring at their laptops.
"Fine, whatever makes you two happy." Shi Chen gave up.
"Hehe~ Lord Chen~"
"Brother Chen is so nice."
The two hugged even tighter.
"..." Shi Chen shook his head helplessly.
He felt that it wasn't him who was doing well, but the two of them, since they were squeezed from both sides, he should be the one who was comfortable.
However, being too comfortable is not a good thing. Just then, guests arrived, and Shi Chen ruthlessly pushed the two of them away.
Reluctantly, Nishiki Chizuka went to make coffee for the guests, while Tohru, who didn't need to go to the kitchen, continued to stay by Toki's side.
Unsure when the person would arrive, I went upstairs to get a few comic books to pass the time.
Kanna is still sleeping; kids sleep a lot, so hopefully she won't be too energetic tonight.
After making coffee for the guests, Chizuka Nishiki and Tohru each took one of Toki's arms and accompanied him to read comics.
He didn't need to turn the pages himself; Tohru and Chizuka Nishiki would take turns turning them for him.
On a quiet afternoon, amidst a harmonious scene, a guest watching this moment was inspired to write a novel.
When Kasumigaoka Utaha came home from school in the afternoon, she didn't react to what they were seeing and calmly went upstairs to do her homework.
As evening approached and dinnertime arrived, the restaurant became a little busier with more customers. Tohru went back to the kitchen to work, while Toki helped Nishiki Chizuka serve the guests.
Not long after, Kasumigaoka Utaha finished her homework and came down to help.
Seeing Kasumigaoka Utaha helping out in her uniform, Tokiomi felt he should also have a set of work clothes made for her.
She may not help often, but the formality is still necessary.
Moreover, her uniform is quite recognizable, and if someone takes a picture and shares it online, it would be bad if her classmates found out and caused trouble.
There are always some people with strange ideas who, under the guise of patronizing a business, think they have been served by her.
Kasumigaoka Utaha only helps out occasionally; she's not working. She shouldn't be expected to be served by them.
Although this kind of thing is unavoidable, at least it can prevent being added to the chaos. Otherwise, if everyone comes together and there's a shortage of manpower, Kasumigaoka Utaha will definitely have to help.
Shi Chen didn't want to see their smug expressions.
With fewer people, at least we won't need Kasumigaoka Utaha's help.
They were busy until nearly seven o'clock when the last customer left, and then they began to have dinner.
Kanna woke up at this time as well.
Everyone gathered in the kitchen, but Kasumigaoka Utaha and Kanna just sat idly at the table while Toki and the others cooked.
While washing the vegetables, Shichen couldn't help but ask Jinmu Chizuka, "Chizuka, didn't DA say you were going to take care of someone? Why haven't you come yet?"
"I don't know either. I said I would come today... Maybe I got lost."
"What do you mean by taking care of someone?" Kasumigaoka Utaha, who was working on her novel, overheard their conversation and asked curiously.
"Someone needs to come from where Chizuka used to be," Toki explained simply.
"Really? Male or female?"
"It must be a woman," Chizuka Nishiki replied with a smile.
"A woman..." Kasumigaoka Utaha frowned.
"What's wrong?" Nishiki Chizuka looked at her strangely.
"No..." Kasumigaoka Utaha shook her head, glancing meaningfully at Tokichi.
"Hey! Why are you looking at me like that? Just say what you want to say!" Shi Chen said irritably.
"Hmph~ You know the truth in your heart."
"Please, am I that kind of person?"
"Who knows..." Kasumigaoka Utaha pouted, then asked Nishiki Chizuka, "Is that girl pretty? How old is she?"
"I don't know if she's pretty or not, but she's probably not as big as me," Chizuka Nishiki replied uncertainly.
"Another young girl," Kasumigaoka Utaha said cryptically.
"I already said to just say what you have to say!" Shi Chen glared at her helplessly.
"I don't have much to say. Anyway, it shouldn't be me worrying about it, don't you think, Thor?"
"Huh? What's wrong?" Thor didn't understand what was going on.
"It's okay, you'll see in a bit."
"Huh?" Thor tilted his head, looking at Shichen with confusion.
"Ignore her, she is..."
Da Da Da~
Ding-a-ling~
"Excuse me, is anyone home?"
Just then, a knock on the door interrupted Shi Chen's conversation, and as the bell hanging at the door rang, someone entered the shop.
It was a female voice, and it sounded quite young.
Shichen and Nishiki Chizuka looked at each other.
"Is it... here?"
"I think so. Brother Chen, go check first. I'll finish washing the vegetables."
"Okay." Shi Chen got up and walked outside.
Kasumigaoka Utaha glanced at it, then got up and followed.
"Shichen~ Shichen, wait for me." Kanna jumped off her chair and followed behind.
Time didn't wait for the two of them; it arrived at the store first. At the entrance, a girl with long, black hair that reached past her shoulders, dressed in a dark blue and gray outfit resembling a high school girl's uniform, stood calmly.
The girl was very pretty. Although her expression was a bit cold, her youthful face was very delicate. If it weren't for the band-aid on her face, she would have looked quite beautiful.
[Target discovered for hosting a divine fragment!]
[Target person—Inoue Takina.]
[Task: Gain her trust and let her experience the beauty of the world; in return, you can collect the Divine Essence Fragment.]