After the Paranoid Female Lead Lost Her Memory, She Insisted on Pursuing This Cannon Fodder - Chapter 28

“Oh, Shen Yuan, you’re here? A bit late, aren’t you? Look at the time—it’s our busiest period.”

Shen Yuan immediately adopted an apologetic expression and bowed slightly. “I’m so sorry, Manager Wang. Something delayed me on the way. I can start working right away!”

Manager Wang—also known as “Boss No. 3″—was taken aback by Shen Yuan’s excessive enthusiasm.

The Shen Yuan he remembered from his impression was diligent and hardworking, but generally mild-mannered. This current version, with her guileless expression and eyes shining like lightbulbs, was completely different.

He didn’t dwell on it, though. His gaze swept over Shen Yuan, finally settling on her still-pale face, and his tone grew even more critical.

“Tsk, you don’t look well at all. Didn’t your friend say you took leave yesterday due to a family emergency? You look like you just ran out of the hospital. Are you even up to working? Don’t end up clumsy, knocking things over and spilling things, just adding to the chaos.”

His tone wasn’t harsh, but the condescending criticism was unmistakable.

Standing by the door, Zhang Wei frowned deeply.

Manager Wang hadn’t changed a bit. He used to boss Shen Yuan around constantly, and now, before she’d even started working, he was already picking at her.

To Zhang Wei’s surprise, Shen Yuan showed no signs of displeasure or resentment. Instead, her eyes lit up even brighter.

She nodded vigorously, as if she had received some crucial guidance, her voice utterly earnest:

“Yes, Manager! Thank you for your guidance. I’ll definitely keep it in mind! Maintaining operational standards, controlling costs, and improving efficiency—these are all essential qualities for becoming an excellent manager. I’ve memorized them!”

Manager Wang: “……”

He was momentarily speechless by Shen Yuan’s overly enthusiastic response, feeling as if he had just revealed some profound business secret.

He waved his hand, cleared his throat, and tried to conceal his awkwardness.

“Alright, just remember that. Now get back to work.”

With that, he clasped his hands behind his back and strolled leisurely around the shop like a bored boss with nothing better to do, before finally returning to the kitchen.

It was unclear what he had come for in the first place.

Shen Yuan, however, didn’t dwell on it. She quickly slipped back into her role as the milk tea girl.

Though she had lost her memories, her body seemed to retain muscle memory.

Standing before the familiar workstation, surrounded by bottles, jars, and various tools, a strange sense of familiarity washed over her.

She turned smoothly, effortlessly grabbing a cup, adding ingredients, brewing tea, pouring milk, adding ice… Her movements flowed seamlessly, showing almost no signs of unfamiliarity.

Zhang Wei leaned against the wall, arms crossed, watching Shen Yuan work with focused intensity. She found the sight both amusing and a little bittersweet.

Before losing her memory, Xiao Yuan had only done this to survive, to repay her father’s bottomless debts.

But now, she was shaking milk tea with a… well, with the enthusiasm of someone saving up for a wife.

It was hard to say which was better, but the latter seemed preferable.

Zhang Wei shook her head. Forget it. If she wants to be a little silly, let her. At least she looks happy now.

Bored, she glanced away, her gaze drifting across the street opposite the milk tea shop.

Suddenly, her eyes locked onto a figure across the street.

The person was wearing a hat, sunglasses, and a mask, looking suspicious from head to toe.

Why does this person look so familiar?

Must be my imagination, Zhang Wei thought, shaking her head. We’re not novel protagonists. Who would have the time to stalk us?

Around the corner, behind a street tree diagonally across from the milk tea shop, stood Lin Zhaoyue—the very person with nothing better to do than stalk them.

Lin Zhaoyue lowered the brim of her hat and adjusted her sunglasses, which nearly covered half her face. She cautiously peeked out from behind the tree, observing the scene inside the milk tea shop.

The afternoon sun beat down harshly, making Lin Zhaoyue restless. She took off her hat and fanned herself.

System: Host, your tracking methods are truly… unique.

Lin Zhaoyue rolled her eyes inwardly.

Lin Zhaoyue: Cut the crap! You think I want to be here? I’m just making sure my subordinates are actually working properly.

System: ……

Across the street, an inconspicuous black sedan was parked in the shade, its tinted windows obscuring the interior.

Further down the road, a delivery worker pretended to check his phone, his eyes occasionally darting toward the milk tea shop’s entrance.

Nearby, a construction worker in a hard hat smoked a cigarette by the roadside…

These were Aunt Wang’s most capable subordinates, each a professional, perfectly blending into their surroundings.

Only their Young Miss, hiding behind a tree like an amateur detective, stood out like a sore thumb.

Her obviously expensive trench coat and delicate leather shoes clashed with the hurried pedestrians around her, making her conspicuously out of place. Yet she seemed convinced she was perfectly concealed.

Several subordinates responsible for surveillance communicated through hidden earpieces, their voices filled with a mix of exasperation and sympathy for their young miss.

“The young miss is still behind the tree.”

“I see her. The target is still working at the bubble tea shop. Everything’s normal.”

“…Should we remind the young miss to be more discreet?”

“…Forget it. Let’s not spoil her fun. Just make sure she’s protected.”

Lin Zhaoyue remained completely oblivious to her subordinates’ grumbling, lost in her own thoughts.

From her vantage point, she could clearly see Shen Yuan, wearing a pink apron, moving with practiced efficiency behind the counter. Sunlight streamed through the glass window, bathing her in a soft glow, highlighting the earnestness in her profile as she worked… she actually looked quite competent.

Lin Zhaoyue: I’m just checking to see if she can actually adapt to a normal social life.

System: Host, your tone makes it sound like you’re observing a pet dog released into the wild, watching to see if it can hunt independently.

Lin Zhaoyue choked slightly. What a harsh way to put it.

Regardless, Shen Yuan’s independent and resilient lifestyle would undoubtedly aid Lin Zhaoyue in completing her mission.

Lin Zhaoyue: Sister System, what’s the next task?

System: Tonight, while Shen Yuan is working, humiliate her thoroughly.

Lin Zhaoyue: ……

So my entire existence revolves around humiliating Shen Yuan?

Recalling their previous failures—the last time’s mishap and the car accident involving the “source of all evil”—the System felt compelled to issue a warning:

Host, please, I’m begging you. Hold back this time. Don’t go all-out with every mission. This task is a bit different, and I really hope you don’t mess it up…

Lin Zhaoyue: Relax! I’ve got this!

She shifted into a more comfortable—yet equally conspicuous—position against the tree. Just as she was about to observe whether Shen Yuan would misadd the sugar again, her phone suddenly—

Vibrate—

A buzz accompanied the screen lighting up.

Lin Zhaoyue frowned, impatiently pulling out her phone.

“Who is it?” she muttered, annoyed at the interruption of her observation of the enemy’s movements.

However, when she saw the WeChat message preview pop up on her lock screen, she froze completely.

The sender’s name displayed two words:

“Little Dog”

Lin Zhaoyue pressed her lips together and tapped to open the message.

Despite her initial disdain yesterday, she hadn’t bothered to change the contact name, mainly because… she couldn’t be bothered to think of anything else.

The message was simple: a picture and a single line of text.

The photo showed a cup of what looked like decent bubble tea, set against the backdrop of a milk tea shop’s counter. A slender, fair hand with distinct knuckles rested against the cup, likely to showcase the finished product.

Below the image was the text:

“Shen Yuan: Zhaoyue, look! [Image] My first cup of bubble tea! Does it look delicious? (〃▽〃)”

Lin Zhaoyue stared at the emoji-laden sentence and the hand in the photo, unmistakably Shen Yuan’s. A smile tugged at the corner of her lips.

Setting aside certain moments, the main heroine was truly adorable.

Alas, she was destined to remain a shadowy, villainous supporting character.

Lin Zhaoyue’s fingers involuntarily tapped the image, zooming in to scrutinize the milk tea with meticulous care.

System: Host, your current expression resembles a parent grading kindergarten art projects.

Lin Zhaoyue: I told you to shut up!

She tried to exit the chat, but her fingers froze.

Reply… or not?

Replying “It tastes awful” might crush her fragile, and somewhat abnormal, self-esteem. What if she starts crying?

Replying “It’s okay” would be too out of character. The System would definitely shock her again!

Should she just ignore it? That wouldn’t be very nice…

Clutching her phone, Lin Zhaoyue sank into an unprecedented dilemma, her brows twisting into a knot.

Across the street at the milk tea shop, Shen Yuan was secretly glancing at her phone, a sly smile playing on her lips.