Chapter 50: The Maid’s Unexpected Success

Ever since Mo Qiu had stepped out, Bai Chen’s heart had been suspended in anxiety, constantly monitoring her situation.

Initially, with no irregularities surfacing, Bai Chen’s heart eased slightly.

However, upon seeing Mo Qiu put down her small notebook and attempt to force a smile with her fingers, Bai Chen’s heart lurched.

If no accident occurred now, one was bound to happen.

The moment the customer’s phone clattered onto the table, Bai Chen launched into a sprint from his spot, reaching Mo Qiu’s side at top speed and shielding her.

“My apologies, everyone. Please forgive us if our service at this humble establishment has been less than satisfactory.”

Bai Chen forced a smile, his gaze sweeping across their faces.

The customers exchanged bewildered glances, a pervasive sense that something was amiss.

“Bai Chen,” Mo Qiu called from behind him.

“Don’t worry, Mo Qiu, I’ll handle this.”

Turning, he gave her a reassuring glance, one that promised he would take care of everything, before his eyes once again settled on the customers.

“She’s new here and still quite inexperienced. I hope you all won’t take it to heart.”

No sooner had the words left his lips than Bai Chen noticed something peculiar about the way they were looking at him.

Though surprise was evident on their faces, their expressions weren’t particularly displeased; they didn’t seem angry at all.

What was happening? Why were they all silent? Could things truly be so dire that communication was impossible?

Bai Chen found himself drenched in a cold sweat.

After a moment of such profound silence, one of the customers finally broke it, asking:

“Is this some new marketing strategy?”

“Huh?” Bai Chen froze, dumbfounded.

“What an adorable maid. Little sister, what’s your name?”

“Mo Qiu.”

“How old are you this year, to be working already?”

“Sixteen.”

“So young. What a sensible child.”

The customers completely bypassed Bai Chen, engaging directly with Mo Qiu, their faces alight with smiles, utterly devoid of any hint of blame.

“Your manager is truly interesting, to have maids working in the restaurant.”

“The cold-faced maid, my love.”

“Your acting is superb. Are you wearing a mask?”

The ordering continued, with Mo Qiu maintaining a singular expression throughout, her tone of voice almost entirely devoid of inflection. Yet, far from being angered, these customers seemed to relish the process of conversing with her.

They had mistaken Mo Qiu’s aloofness for a novel marketing strategy of the Midsummer Night restaurant.

Bai Chen found himself utterly sidelined, only snapping back to reality when Mo Qiu led him away and handed him the small notebook filled with their ordered dishes.

“They ordered so much. Will they be able to finish it all?” Bai Chen’s first words did not, in fact, surprise Mo Qiu.

“They said they were willing to spend a bit more, for my sake,” Mo Qiu replied.

“Is that so?”

“Bai Chen, I’ve passed, haven’t I?”

“Ah, well…”

The outcome, in fact, had far surpassed Bai Chen’s expectations.

Recalling his own flustered and disoriented demeanor before them, Bai Chen instantly felt a blush creep up his neck, wishing he could burrow into the ground.

His superfluous worry had nearly hindered Mo Qiu’s efforts. Bai Chen realized he should not have acted so impulsively earlier. He ought to have left everything entirely to Mo Qiu…

‘He still didn’t understand her well enough.’

Just as Bai Chen was deep in self-reflection, he saw Mo Qiu take a step toward him, her lusterless eyes fixed upon his own.

“Bai Chen, a reward.”

“Huh?”

Suddenly, the words of his kindergarten teacher echoed in Bai Chen’s mind: “Good children receive rewards for completing their tasks.”

This was the first time she had ever asked anything of him, leaving Bai Chen utterly unprepared.

‘Refuse… no, that wouldn’t do; Mo Qiu would be sad. But what reward could he possibly give her?’

After a moment of intense contemplation, Bai Chen took a deep breath and spoke:

“Mo Qiu, lower your head.”

The young woman blinked, then complied, leaning her upper body forward, her cat ears quivering slightly atop her head.

Gazing at the crown of her dark hair, Bai Chen slowly raised his hand and placed it there.

His touch was feather-light and deliberate, akin to caressing a well-behaved child.

Mo Qiu looked up at him, but said nothing.

After a moment, Bai Chen withdrew his hand, placing both on his hips. “Alright, that should do it.”

“Only that?”

Fearing she might press him further, Bai Chen spoke almost without thinking:

“If you desire more rewards, then you must demonstrate even better performance.”

“I understand.”

In truth, Mo Qiu had been prepared for something else, but Bai Chen’s rather childish idea still surpassed her expectations.

“So, moving forward, you’ll be fine on your own, Mo Qiu?”

“Mm-hm.”

“Are you certain?” Bai Chen inquired again.

“I am certain, because I am highly capable.”

‘Why did that sound… off?’

A corner of Bai Chen’s mouth twitched. “You must not say things like that in the future.”

“Understood.”

Mo Qiu had no ulterior motive in saying this; she simply wished to convey her competence in the role of a waitress. Having experienced it firsthand, she realized the task was not as daunting as she might have imagined.

Even without a smile, and despite a cold demeanor, people would still offer unsolicited praise.

If one successful reward wasn’t enough to make Bai Chen more proactive, then she would simply accumulate several more, until he could no longer refuse.

Fueled by this resolve, Mo Qiu remained invigorated for the ensuing period, proactively approaching guests to take their orders as soon as they settled into their seats.

“Hello, ordering.”

“Adorable maid, could you favor us with a smile?”

“I cannot.”

“May I touch your cat ears?”

“You may not.”

“Can you say anything else?”

“I cannot.”

Far from scolding her for such a cold and stubborn service attitude, the customers instead chuckled with delight.

Some even proactively requested Mo Qiu to scold them, and though she inwardly disdained them, she still responded with the two words: “I cannot.” The result was their faces flushing crimson with excitement.

After half a day’s work, Mo Qiu summarized her experience with a single thought: ‘There are truly so many odd people.’

Having finished attending to that particular table, Mo Qiu looked up to see another person entering and settling into a corner seat. Before any other staff member could notice, she swiftly made her way over.

The newcomer was a young woman, her face adorned with artful makeup, dressed in trendy brand attire. As she entered the establishment, she was still engrossed in a phone conversation.

–Hello, darling, you promised to get me that bag. I was wondering when… What do you mean it’s a bit expensive? Last month you said you’d send it when you got paid. Why are you backing out now? Have you forgotten that I lowered myself to be with you? You good-for-nothing!–

The moment she ended the call, Mo Qiu promptly spoke:

“Hello, ordering.”

The trendy woman glanced up at her, then opened the menu on the table and asked:

“Just get me your signature dish?”

‘Signature dish? How was she supposed to know that?’ Mo Qiu opted for silence and a shake of her head.

The trendy woman continued to scan the menu, only looking up again after receiving no reply. She scrutinized the young woman from head to toe. “Why aren’t you speaking? Aren’t you an employee here?”

They stared at each other, creating an awkward silence that stretched between them.

“Fine then, I’ll have your most expensive latte.”

“Understood.” Mo Qiu lowered her head and jotted it down.

“Little sister, are you an adult?”

“…”

“Still not speaking? You must not be an adult then,” the trendy woman offered a faint smile. “Hothouse flowers are all like this. As someone with more experience, let me give you a piece of advice: you’d best put away your arrogance.”

Mo Qiu paid no heed to her words, turning to leave immediately after noting the order in her small notebook.

Not all guests would be met with smiles; a big forest would always house all sorts of birds (TL Note: A Chinese idiom meaning a diverse group of people, often implying a mix of good and bad).

That woman’s gaze reminded her of the team leader from her organization in her previous life.

Mo Qiu twirled the pen in her hand, glancing in Bai Chen’s direction. He was still bustling about on the other side of the restaurant.

As she returned, carrying the latte ordered by the trendy woman, she noticed the woman’s unseemly posture, one crossed leg extended almost into the aisle.

Approaching the woman’s table, Mo Qiu deliberately slowed her pace, intending to place the coffee directly on the surface. However, the trendy woman suddenly lowered her foot and, as she bent forward, her head collided directly with Mo Qiu’s chest.

Even though Mo Qiu quickly recoiled, the tray in her hands still lost its balance.

The resounding crash of the ceramic cup shattering on the floor echoed loudly, reverberating throughout the entire restaurant. The previously lively atmosphere swiftly chilled, and the gazes of most patrons converged on the scene.

Mo Qiu stood frozen in place. Although splattered with coffee, only her outer apron had been affected; her maid uniform underneath had narrowly escaped.

But that was not the crux of the matter.

“What is wrong with you?”

The trendy woman, now smelling distinctly of coffee, immediately glared, her eyes wide with fury, and raised her voice.

“Look! It’s spilled everywhere! How could you be so careless?”

She rose to her feet, towering over Mo Qiu, her once-delicate features now contorted into a menacing scowl.