I Will Never Submit to Miss Grim Reaper - Chapter 215

Chapter 215: The Wandering Little Cat Roams the Ends of the Earth

 

After the morning meeting convened by Su Yunjin at the cafe, we roughly confirmed the future construction and operational direction of the Shangjing Cat Cafe. In simple terms, the main focus is on “keeping up with the trend of the times.”

 

This concept may involve various aspects, such as the fact that the customers coming to the cafe for consumption are mainly young people or middle-aged and elderly people who are interested in the culture of young people and the new generation. The culture of contemporary young people can be summarized as “fast-paced,” “simple,” and “dream-chasing.”

 

“Fast-paced” is straightforward. Nowadays, young people are busy with work, quickly grabbing something to eat in the morning, and heading to the office for a day of labor. Therefore, the demand for breakfast here is “quick preparation” and “fast consumption.” Foods that take a long time to cook, like extremely hot noodles that require ten minutes to cook and an additional five minutes of waiting after serving until they cool down enough to be eaten, are not recommended. The same principles apply to lunch and dinner.

 

As for “simplicity,” it is similar to “fast-paced,” but here, simplicity refers to simplicity in “style.” This means avoiding “complicated things.” Generally, customers who come to the store can either pay by scanning a QR code or with cash. For those customers who come with their families and are not familiar with downloading apps or using Alipay or WeChat, we adopt a “retro” service mode. We approach them, ask what they want, handwrite the order, serve the dishes, and collect payment. For customers who find the process troublesome or are more introverted, scanning the menu on the table completes all ordering and payment operations.

 

Su Yunjin emphasizes the key point that “we must not force customers to adapt to us but rather adapt to the customers.”

 

Some customers come to the store hoping to solve their lunch and dinner problems while enjoying the company of cats or playing with them. They are not interested in maid services, so it’s unnecessary to recommend maid photo services to them.

 

Some customers come specifically for the maid and the “Anime” elements, with no interest in cats. Forcing cat petting services on them may cause resentment.

 

Some customers are naturally introverted or strongly dislike having to download apps just to have a meal. In such cases, it’s best not to insist on forcing them to download and install any software.

 

Nowadays, the era has changed, and the mainstream ideology in society is no longer “the more, the better” or “the livelier, the better.” It’s similar to online games, where some games force social interaction, daily tasks require teaming up, and even team tasks are designed to be complex. If your equipment isn’t good, you might be criticized.

 

One person makes a mistake, and the whole team wipes out. Some major game developers still have a mindset fixed in the past, thinking that this team-based mode will compel players to socialize, creating a network of friends between players. One player connects to another, increasing game stickiness.

 

They hope to avoid player “quitting” by using this method, thinking that even if a new dungeon is challenging and new equipment is demanding, you will still log in for the sake of your friends. You’ll spend money because you are good friends and brothers, and you have to run dungeons together every day. As long as the brothers are there, you won’t quit.

 

This phenomenon was prevalent in online games during that era because there were not many competitive games, and players had a high tolerance. Now it’s different. There are so many games in this era. If a newly launched online game adopts a mode that forces players to be online or requires teaming up, players who dislike socializing will uninstall the game and switch to something else as soon as they see this setting. They won’t accommodate it.

 

“So now, some games are very clever, arranging options like ‘heroic mode’ for difficulty. This mode allows players to undertake missions solo, with low difficulty. Of course, the rewards are minimal, perfectly accommodating lone wolf players who don’t want to socialize but still love the game.”

 

In the conversation, Su Yunjin specifically used the evolution of the gaming industry in China over the past few years to explain the “fast-paced” and “simple” style of customer service at the cafe.

 

“Nowadays, many restaurants have designated areas for singles. You see, our arrangement of single-seater tables here serves the same purpose. This era is actually quite lonely. People prefer to spend their time online. This is also what I mentioned as ‘chasing dreams.’ Reality is too harsh, and everyone would rather enjoy things that reality lacks on the internet.”

 

Su Yunjin said that initially, his involvement with the cafe and the connection with Tongmeng Net had little to do with him. However, because his family noticed that he was idle every day, either writing novels or playing games, and considering that he was the one who recommended me as the “headliner” for the cafe job, he ended up becoming the “general manager” for the cafe and Tongmeng Net. It was an unpaid position, specifically responsible for conveying orders from the headquarters.

 

“As for the internet cafe on the basement floor… uh, I mean, the esports center. We will have setups similar to this first floor, with spaces suitable for a group of friends to play together and areas for individuals to relax. The single rooms will be optimized for air quality and equipment, following the standards of high-end hotels. Sound insulation will also be good. The target audience is those without computers at home or users who are constantly nagged by their parents while playing games at home.”

 

Finally, Su Yunjin placed the design drawing for the esports center on the table. “The general design plans are all here. The renovation is expected to be completed by the end of June. Then, it will take about half a month to install the relevant equipment. By the end of July, we will arrange the corresponding gaming areas, the hall, and some leisure areas. In the meantime, I will help apply for an expansion of the variety of food and beverages, including alcohol. Is that okay?”

 

After a lengthy explanation, perhaps feeling a bit thirsty, Su Yunjin took a big sip of the bottled water on the table and casually pulled out another horned melon from the box behind him. Using a small knife he carried, he cut it open and took a bite. “This thing is pretty tasty.”

 

“I have no objections.”

 

As Su Yunjin’s words fell, the person beside him, Xiongxiong, nodded and, with a Mandarin accent that couldn’t be identified, said, “It’s okay even if this project runs at a loss.”

 

“Are you sure?”

 

Su Yunjin, while munching, curiously asked, “Although I just talked eloquently and analyzed it thoroughly, the internet cafe concept is indeed a sunset industry in our country. Even though the nature of our esports section is different from a traditional internet cafe, the risks are still quite significant.”

 

“According to the size of this house…”

 

Xiongxiong paused and asked, “How big is the estimated size of the basement floor?”

 

“Bigger than the combined size of the first and second floors, and it was constructed a long time ago.”

 

Su Yunjin looked at Xiongxiong, then at me, “It’s about the size of half a football (soccer) field… I’ll make it clear. If it really loses money, it’ll be quite a significant loss.”

 

“Our family is after the cake of Shenzhen City’s development for the next ten years. By the time the Tenth District is completed, the sea area is said to be a complete technological zone, utilizing a lot of smart chips and GPUs. We are mainly interested in the cooperation projects at that time. As for this basement floor, it’s purely experimental content, included in the investment. If it makes money, great. If not, even losing for ten years won’t be that much.”

 

Xiongxiong, looking like a fearless young lady from a wealthy family, said, “An entertainment venue the size of a football field, including maintenance of electronic devices, plus electricity and labor costs… wouldn’t cost more than three million a year, right?”

 

“Do you think it’s maintaining a destroyer ship?”

 

Su Yunjin’s mouth twitched. “It won’t be that much.”

 

“Then I have no problem on my end.”

 

At this point, Xiongxiong turned a curious gaze towards Fei Luo next to me, “Is she the new maid at your café?”

 

“Oh, right.”

 

When Fei Luo was mentioned, Ouyang Xue seemed to recall something, “Fei Luo, you mentioned being a bartender for ten years before?”

 

“Yes.”

 

Fei Luo, who was nibbling on fruit, raised her hand. “But I don’t have the… cough, I don’t have a bartender’s license in this world yet.”

 

Ouyang Xue gave Su Yunjin an inquisitive look.

 

Su Yunjin nodded, “Currently, there’s no rule that mandates having a bartender’s license to sell alcohol.”

 

“In that case, let’s conduct a simple test first.”

 

Ouyang Xue turned around and retrieved three bottles of liquor, some condiments, and several small props from a box behind her. I saw sugar and mint, as well as many powders and grinding tools I couldn’t identify.

 

After arranging everything on the table, Ouyang Xue signaled Fei Luo, “Take a look and mix a drink on the spot. No specific requirements, just use these ingredients.”

 

“Only these?”

 

Seeing the bottles of alcohol, Fei Luo seemed to become interested. She stood up and walked towards Ouyang Xue, picking up one of the bottles, “Can I open it?”

 

Ouyang Xue nodded, “Feel free to use it.”

 

With a “clang,” before I could see clearly what happened, Fei Luo, in a mysterious movement, easily opened the bottle with her nimble hands. She then brought it close to her nose to smell the aroma, poured some into a glass, and took a sip.

 

Next, she picked up another bottle labeled “vodka,” examined the structure of the bottle cap, quickly unscrewed it, and took a small sip.

 

Finally, Fei Luo skillfully picked up the third glass bottle, her small hands twirling it like a magician playing with cards. When she placed the bottle back on the table, the cap had already come off.

 

This seamless and fluid series of actions left me wide-eyed. Even Ouyang Xue, sitting across from Fei Luo, wore a serious expression, staring intently at Fei Luo playing with the bottles.

 

“I think I have an idea of the taste of these liquors.”

 

With that, Fei Luo picked up a piece of rock sugar from the ground, ground it on the grinding tool with a “crackle, crackle,” and then pinched some sugar powder, eating a bit.

 

“Oh, I see now…”

 

In the same manner, Fei Luo tasted other condiments. Finally, a look of enlightenment appeared on her small face.

 

“To achieve such purity, it’s truly… well, it’s well-deserving of being the place chosen by Xiao Mo.”

 

Ouyang Xue curiously asked, “Is it possible?”

 

Even if Ouyang Xue hadn’t asked, those who had witnessed Fei Luo’s seamless and elegant actions with the bottles earlier had already grasped the situation. Someone so familiar with liquor bottles, performing actions like handling, opening, pouring, and drinking with such grace, even without official credentials, must have had experience in similar work. The “performance effect” was already up to standard.

 

The basement floor of the cafe was planned to be an “esports center” rather than a “bar,” so there wouldn’t be professional-level sommeliers looking for faults. Most people, seeing Fei Luo, a busty beauty, go through the whole process, would likely not have any objections unless the drink was genuinely awful.

 

Moreover, for most people, they couldn’t discern the difference in taste, and what they wanted was just an atmosphere. Drinking alone at home, having drinks with good friends at a street food stall while chatting, or going to a high-end bar bathed in LED ambiance and drinking in the presence of beautiful women – even if they were all consuming the same type of alcohol, the taste would probably feel different.

 

For me, alcohol always had one taste – the taste of alcohol and bitterness.

 

“Yes, I can simulate these flavors into a cocktail called ‘Ice Realm.'”

 

Fei Luo turned to Ouyang Xue, asking, “Do you have ice cubes?”

 

“Yes, one moment.”

Saying this, Ouyang Xue rushed to the kitchen and returned shortly with a bag of ice cubes.

 

“Swish, swish, swish, swish…”

 

Seeing Ouyang Xue bring back the ice cubes, Fei Luo had already begun grinding the rock sugar. After grinding the sugar into powder, she added it to a mold. Taking a bottle of vodka, she performed magician-like moves, rapidly spinning the bottle in her hand several times, catching it, pouring a small amount of alcohol into the mold, covering it, grabbing another bottle of alcohol. With one hand shaking the bottle, the other hand grinding an unknown seasoning, she eventually combined them and added ice cubes.

 

“Swish, swish, swish, swish…”

 

Prior to this, my impression of Fei Luo had always been of a somewhat noisy and straightforward girl. However, after seeing her mix the cocktail, my perception of her underwent a new change.

 

The two words that could describe my inner feelings at that moment were simply – “so cool!”

 

Fei Luo was wearing Xiao Mo’s shorts with a small T-shirt. However, because of her large bust, Fei Luo’s chest pushed the T-shirt up, revealing her petite waist and elegantly curved abdomen. With her hair simply tied into a ponytail, Fei Luo stood in front of the cafe table gracefully shaking the mold. Coupled with her somewhat mature facial features, she gave me the feeling of a cool and attractive elder sister you might encounter in a bar who would playfully tease you.

 

“Done.”

 

Finally, Fei Luo, who had added who-knows-what to the cocktail, picked up a small cocktail glass. With great elegance, she poured the drink. Accompanied by the sound of ice shards clinking against the glass, the cocktail glass was filled with a light green, slightly misty concoction.

 

From the appearance, my initial impression of this drink was… like peppermint tea, but with a sensation of snowfall in a “snowy country.” Looking at the crushed ice inside, even as someone who doesn’t drink, I felt the urge to take a sip and give it a try.

 

“I’m not good at evaluating this.”

 

Seeing Fei Luo skillfully concocting the drink, Ouyang Xue turned to Su Yunjin, “Would you like to try?”

 

“No, I’ll be driving later.”

 

Su Yunjin handed the cocktail to Xiongxiong, “You also have a stake in this esports bar, why don’t you try the taste of our newly arrived bartender?”

 

“I don’t really understand alcohol, but I’ve had quite a few cocktails outside.”

 

Xiongxiong… or rather, Sikong Yue took the glass and took a small sip of the cocktail.

 

By the way, looking at it this way, Xiongxiong’s chest seems quite large.

 

Curiously, I observed the girl who was now elegantly bringing the artistic cocktail to her lips.

 

The first time we met, she was wearing the bear outfit, and you couldn’t see her figure in that attire. The second time we met, she was wearing a loose shirt suitable for a beach vacation. I didn’t pay much attention to others’ sizes, but now, up close, I discovered… Xiongxiong’s figure and development were really good.

 

Her height was similar to Xiao Mo’s, belonging to the standard girl’s physique, but her chest was larger than Xiao Mo’s. Coupled with her blonde hair, it easily brought to mind those well-cared-for young ladies from foreign countries.

 

Moreover, the name Sikong Yue was also unique. She should have a compound surname like Ouyang, with Sikong as the surname and Yue as the single name. I didn’t remember wrongly, this surname is a very ancient one.

 

“If the maximum score for cocktails is 100, I can give this drink a score of 120.”

 

After drinking half of the cocktail Fei Luo prepared, Xiongxiong closed her eyes, reopening them after two seconds.

 

“Whether it’s the taste or the control of temperature, it can be considered perfect. Of course… this might be because I just ate that fruit, causing some flavor interference, but at least among all the cocktails I’ve had, the taste and texture of this drink can rank first.”

 

Then, Xiongxiong turned to Ouyang Xue, “Do I need to finish it?”

 

Ouyang Xue took the glass, saying, “Let me try.” With that, she emptied the half-filled glass in one go.

 

“A bit strong…”

 

After finishing the drink, Ouyang Xue took a deep breath. “Indeed, much better than the bitter beer.”

 

Curious, I asked, “And what about Fei Luo in this situation?”

 

“Passed.”

 

Ouyang Xue stood up, glanced at her phone, facing Su Yunjin, “Anything else? The guests will be increasing soon. I’ll go get the clothes for this girl.”

 

“No, I’ve said everything that needs to be said.”

 

Su Yunjin shrugged, then as if remembering something, he added, “By the way, Miss Sikong Yue, didn’t you say you brought a lot of that melon and couldn’t finish them?”

 

“Oh, right, right.”

 

Pulling out something resembling a walkie-talkie from the pocket of her dress, Xiongxiong said, “Jack, bring in that box of melons.”

 

The next second, a deep male voice came through the walkie-talkie, “Yes, Miss!”

 

Next to them, Ai Luodi yawned, “What melon?”

 

“Just this melon, not tasty?”

 

Su Yunjin gestured to the “Volcanic Prickly Slime” in his hand, “Miss Sikong Yue brought three big boxes over. Can’t finish them, so let’s consider it a gift for the cafe today. Every customer who dines in the café will receive one melon per person.”

 

“Nuo’er, Fei Luo, Xiao Mo, Jiajia, when you serve the dishes later, give the customers this melon. Explain how to eat it, introduce its origin, and say it’s brought back from Africa specifically. Thanos in ‘Avengers: Endgame’ was farming this melon.”

 

Ouyang Xue added, “Make sure to mention that this is the Thanos melon from Avengers: Endgame. This way, people coming to the café will likely take photos and share them in their regular groups, and they’ll be asked what it is and where to find it. Our café’s reputation will spread.”

 

I gave Ouyang Xue a wry smile, silently acknowledging her as a “marketing expert.”

 

A few seconds later, one of the wheat-colored “exotic muscular men,” who had been a security guard at the entrance, walked in carrying two large boxes. He placed the boxes next to Xiongxiong and, in unpolished Mandarin, said, “Boss, your melons.”

 

“These aren’t actually worth much, they’re everywhere in Africa.”

 

Xiongxiong casually took two melons from inside and handed them to Ai Luodi, saying, “I remember you worked the night shift, right? Take some back for liver protection and beauty.”

 

Ai Luodi looked at the oddly-shaped melon, resembling a wolf’s fang club, hesitated for a few seconds, and finally accepted it, saying, “Thank you.”

 

“Now that there’s nothing much going on here, I’ll take off first.”

 

Getting up and stretching lazily, Xiongxiong patted Su Yunjin on the shoulder, “Pleasant cooperation.”

 

After saying that, she followed the burly man out of the cafe.

 

“See, this is the life of a rich family’s young lady. Millions or tens of millions can be thrown around casually.” Watching Xiongxiong leave, Su Yunjin shook his head.

 

“Despite all the instructions and warnings from above to hype up this project and secure investment, whether I hype it up or not, the result seems to be the same.”

 

I gave him a disdainful look, “You talk as if you’re not a wealthy person yourself.”

 

“Cough, well, I’m leaving too. Good luck to you all.”

 

Avoiding my gaze, Su Yunjin walked past me, “By the way, Nuo’er, I’ve been following your latest yuri novel. Don’t go on a hiatus, I rely on your book every night now.”

 

What?

What did you mean by “rely”?

 

Before I could ask anything, Su Yunjin had already walked out of the cafe, leaving behind a pile of documents on the table and the design and decoration concepts for the basement.

 

“That’s how carefree the life of a wealthy person is.”

 

While organizing the items on the table, Ouyang Xue gestured that Ai Luodi could leave, “Want to grab breakfast before heading back?”

 

“No need, Lan should have made something for me.”

 

Ai Luodi, holding a horned melon in one hand, had a hopeful expression, “Right, Lan?”

 

“Why do you have to call me so sweetly?”

 

Lan Jiajia waved her hand, “Go, hurry back and rest. There are only two steamed buns at home, eat if you want.”

 

“No way? I can’t believe my dear Lan Jiajia is so heartless…”

 

“Okay, okay, I was kidding. There’s crab congee and steamed chicken in the kitchen. I specifically saved it for you last night.”

 

Lan Jiajia gave Ai Luodi a disdainful look, “You obviously didn’t rest well at night and played games all night.”

 

“It’s boring on the night shift… Besides, there were hardly any customers.”

 

Ai Luodi stood up, “How about Sister Ouyang hires another maid for the night shift to keep me company?”

 

“We are hiring, we are hiring.”

 

Ouyang Xue asked while organizing documents, “Is Fei Luo working the night shift?”

 

“Huh? Well… I can if needed.”

 

Fei Luo almost subconsciously said, “Didn’t you say I would be working as a bartender at that electronic gaming center?”

 

“That’s a month later. Now we obviously lack staff here.”

 

After finishing organizing, Ouyang Xue looked at the increasing number of customers at the entrance and walked towards the second floor, saying, “Come with me. The clothes are ready, and I brought two sample sets. See if they fit.”

 

“Sure.”

 

Upon hearing this, Fei Luo immediately prepared to follow. However, the robotic vacuum cleaner sponsored by Tongmeng Network, whether it had just finished cleaning the trash or was teased by the surrounding cats, made a big circle and returned, encountering Fei Luo along the way.

 

?Ding ding ding, humanoid girl, aged 15-17, danger level: 1.?

 

“I can’t stand this thing!”

 

Fei Luo crouched down, inspecting the scanning device on the robotic vacuum cleaner. “Can you change its evaluation of me? How could I be only 15 years old?”

 

Perhaps Fei Luo’s crouching motion changed her “image” in the core of the robotic vacuum cleaner, as the scanning device emitted a red light, scanning Fei Luo’s face and the chest pressed against her knees.

 

“Ding ding…”

 

This time, the robotic vacuum cleaner did not immediately display Fei Luo’s information but froze in place. I heard the internal cooling fan starting to spin frantically with a buzzing sound.

 

“Why is it not responding?”

 

Fei Luo, puzzled, asked, “Does it not recognize when I crouch?”

 

“I don’t know.”

I shrugged with an expression of ‘I don’t know’.

 

“This thing is an experimental product that Tongmeng Network sent over in the last few days, probably using the chip from Xiongxiong’s family. It’s not mature yet and might be a bit dull.”

 

“Clang!”

 

As soon as my words fell, Fei Luo tried to hit the robot on its head.

 

?Ding ding ding… Adult human female, lactating, danger level: 10, maximum avoidance level.?

 

This hit made the robot react, and a line of text popped up on the display screen. Then the fan inside at least doubled its speed, turning away with a buzzing sound.

 

The sudden high-speed movement of the robotic vacuum cleaner attracted a passing cat. It effortlessly leaped onto the circular robot’s head and flew with the machine to the cat’s living area. Many customers around, witnessing this scene, took out their phones and snapped a few pictures with a satisfying “click.”

 

“Is this thing sure to be okay?”

 

Watching the robot depart, Fei Luo stood up and remarked, “I feel like those catgirls you encountered before are smarter than it.”

 

I blurted out, “Are catgirls very silly?”

 

“Quite silly. Easy to deceive. Male cats might be a bit smarter, but catgirls… as a species, once you understand their characteristics, they’re easy to fool. They have a strong sense of jealousy but also tend to forget easily.”

 

Fei Luo didn’t hesitate and said, “For example, when you confirm your relationship with a catgirl, after confessing, catgirls become very clingy and make great companions. Compared to malicious angels and highly intelligent centaur girls, catgirls are genuinely ‘sweet and silly’ in Earth terms. In most cases, they prefer to follow their instincts. For instance, if you upset a catgirl, most of the time, presenting a piece of catnip can soothe her. If, while she’s enjoying the catnip, you sweet talk a bit, she might even think you went out of your way to get the catnip just to please her, and she’ll become more dependent on you. In a cat’s subconscious, if someone is willing to go out hunting for them, they’ll be devoted to that being.”

 

Hold on a moment.

 

Why does this scenario feel somewhat… familiar?

 

“So, Nuo’er, I’ll tell you, adding this catgirl gene to your body also has its considerations from Xiao Mo… Sob sob sob!”

 

Before Fei Luo could finish her sentence, Yin Xiamo covered her mouth with her hand.

 

“Let’s not say things that aren’t conducive to unity!”

 

Taking Fei Luo away, Yin Xiamo revealed a slightly mischievous smile to me.

 

“Nuo’er, good luck with today’s work!”

 

“……”

 

……