Seeing Jiang Cheng wasn't angry, the other man exhaled in relief and gave a respectful nod. "All right, I'll get back to work."
Realizing Jiang Cheng owned the shop, Si Qing couldn't hide her surprise.
Jiang Cheng looked a good deal younger than the store manager, yet he was actually the boss?
Once the manager left, Si Qing asked, "You're the owner of this place?"
Jiang Cheng nodded. "Mm, from now on your bubble tea is on the house—my treat."
Watching the packed milk-tea shop, Si Qing's eyes flicked thoughtfully.
Opening a place like this in the capital city already cost a fortune, and they'd even hired Su Wan as their spokesperson.
Several million at minimum.
The flyers said Simple Tea had four branches.
Four stores together would need tens of millions in start-up capital.
She hadn't expected her little sister to know such a Second-generation rich kid—and keep it secret.
Si Qing's mind began to wander.
Suddenly she didn't feel like telling Jiang Cheng who she really was.
After a moment she blurted, "I can't today—another time. My teacher just messaged that I've got to rehearse. I don't even have time to buy the tea; next time I'll treat you. Let's talk on wechat."
Although Jiang Cheng didn't know why Si Qing was pretending to be Si Nian, he didn't expose her.
Actually, this suited him—he could keep "mistaking" her for Si Nian.
Maybe the next time he "slipped," they could skip straight to negative-distance contact.
After all, it wouldn't be on purpose; he simply hadn't known they were twins. Even if he had, so what?
Who told them to look so alike? Mix-ups weren't his fault.
He really hadn't meant it, right?
Yep, perfect—flawless logic. Jiang Cheng felt pretty pleased with himself.
He nodded. "All right, should I drive you back?"
Since Si Qing hadn't even told Jiang Cheng her real name, she dared not agree.
She waved it off. "No need. I came with a classmate; she's shopping nearby. We'll head back together. I'm off—chat on wechat."
With that, Si Qing spun away.
Jiang Cheng didn't stop her; there was no rush to swap contacts.
He already had Si Nian's wechat, and the two sisters clearly attended the same university—there'd be chances. After Si Qing left, Jiang Cheng turned and walked into the Simple Tea branch.
He didn't notice Si Qing hadn't gone far.
The instant he turned, she secretly snapped a photo of him.
She quickly opened wechat and sent it to Si Nian.
Si Nian replied at once. "??? How did you run into him?"
When Si Qing saw Si Nian really did know Jiang Cheng, she shot back: "That Handsome Guy just mistook me for you—said he dropped you off at school??? Didn't you tell me you were going to the bookstore? Secret date, huh? Who exactly is he?"
Si Nian: "You weren't pretending to be me again, were you?"
"Of course I was—he's so hot I forgot to deny it."
Si Nian: "Hopeless flirt."
Si Qing rolled her eyes and sent another shot of the Simple Tea storefront. "He's the owner of this milk-tea shop?"
Si Nian was only mildly surprised. "He's the boss? That… I didn't know."
"You don't know?? Aren't you two close?"
Si Nian recapped her trip to the bookstore and added, "I didn't know about the tea shop, but he drove a Lamborghini when he took me home. I checked—the car costs over ten million."
She followed up with a photo from their restaurant meal and a selfie of herself in the Lamborghini.
Si Qing felt a twinge of envy.
Not because her sister got to ride in a luxury car.
As a food-lover, she envied the feast Si Nian had eaten.
Si Qing replied sourly: "So he's no ordinary second-gen rich boy. Next time there's good food, can I go in your place?? I'll only eat—nothing else."
"I told him I'd treat him; you can stand in for me—after all, even Mom and Dad can't always tell us apart."
At the thought of paying, Si Qing fired back: "Get lost~~"
…Meanwhile Jiang Cheng stepped inside the shop and found it just as crowded.
One corner table, though, was ringed by onlookers.
"She's gorgeous—first time I've seen an Internet Celebrity this close."
"She's prettier than some actresses."
"They say she has millions of TikTok followers—big-time V."
"What's her handle? I'll follow—stunning!"
The male manager hurried over. "Boss, an Internet Celebrity is filming a store visit. Said it's free promo, so I let her be."
Jiang Cheng nodded. "Fine—cooperate if it helps. Back to work."
He strolled over to join the crowd.
Peeking through, he saw the vlogger was none other than Qiao Yinyin.
Ever since he'd had Shen Chong sign her to his media company, her shoots had turned professional.
Before, she'd propped up a phone by herself.
Now a cameraman handled the DSLR.
The footage looked sharper, and a team edited her videos.
There she was, holding two cups of milk tea, filming calmly as if no one else existed.
A far cry from the timid streamer he first met.
Back then she'd lacked confidence; now she coolly discussed angles with the cameraman despite the crowd.
He'd asked her to feature Simple Tea, but he hadn't expected her to pick this branch.
What a coincidence.
Jiang Cheng merely watched from the side without interrupting.
With so many spectators filming, if he accidentally appeared on camera he'd have to request deletions—too much hassle.