C13 It Was More like Flirting

Ann Ling blinked dramatically, "Oh no, I'm doomed! I just got back from a trip yesterday, and now I have to revise my article and pick the best pictures. I need to get it out soon, so I better get to work."

Without waiting for Wanxing to respond, she paid for her coffee and dashed out in a flash.

Wanxing realized Ann was trying to give her some "alone time" and felt a bit awkward.

"Are you feeling unwell, Miss Mu?" the barista asked.

Wanxing pressed her lips together, recalling his kindness last time, and answered truthfully, "Melanoma, late stage."

The barista sat down where Ann had been, looking a bit serious. "Can you tell me more?"

"It's terminal, there's no cure," Wanxing replied, not wanting to elaborate. Talking about it felt like reopening an old wound.

"A tumor? Where is it? Can I see?" the barista asked cautiously.

"You've seen it before, but probably don't remember," Wanxing said, blushing as she slowly rolled up her sleeve.

She didn't want to bring up the embarrassing incident at the last party, where Kin Qier exposed her physical flaw to everyone.

Seeing the unsightly tumor, the barista's expression shifted from surprise to a focused observation. There was no hint of disgust or disdain on his face; he examined it with the seriousness of a doctor treating a patient.

Mu Wanxing couldn't help but compare Soong Yichen's attitude to the one she was facing now—what a stark contrast. The person in front of her was just a stranger. After a while, Mu Wanxing felt a bit embarrassed and pulled her sleeve down.

"Sorry, I didn't mean to stare," the barista apologized, looking away.

Mu Wanxing shook her head, indicating she didn't mind.

"Miss Mu, when you say it's untreatable, was that one doctor's opinion, or have you consulted multiple hospitals and top specialists?" the barista asked gently, always mindful of Mu Wanxing's feelings.

"It's a hereditary disease. My mom passed away from it just last month," Mu Wanxing replied, not directly answering but implying there was no point in seeking more medical advice. "According to the doctors, I might have a little over a month left... maybe not even that long."

Soong Yichen and Kin Qier's constant antics seemed only to hasten her end.

The barista's face fell. "Miss Mu, you should visit more hospitals and get thoroughly checked. You can't give up hope, no matter how slim. I have a friend who's an oncology expert, maybe—"

"There's no need," Mu Wanxing interrupted, shaking her head. She didn't have much will to fight for her life. "Thank you."

Her condition was terminal. Seeing another specialist might only buy her a few more days.

Given the current situation, being constantly watched by Soong Yichen and occasionally receiving his sharp remarks, living a few more days would just mean enduring more suffering. She had initially agreed to donate her heart in two months, and now there were only about thirty days left. If she couldn't fulfill her promise by the deadline, how furious would Soong Yichen be?

The barista shifted the conversation away from this topic, focusing instead on coffee. The atmosphere improved significantly as they chatted about everything from coffee beans to cocoa, allowing Mu Wanxing to momentarily forget she was a patient and even dream about developing new cocoa products. She recalled that on the day she received the terrible news about her mom, she was inspecting the growth of cocoa plants in the garden.

"What are you doing here? Why didn't you pick up when I called?" Soong Yichen suddenly burst into the café, interrupting their engaging conversation with his demanding questions from across the room.

"My phone was in my bag, and I didn't hear it," Mu Wanxing explained softly, then asked, "Is there something urgent?"

"As your husband, do I need an urgent reason to look for you?" Soong Yichen retorted arrogantly.

Mu Wanxing thought to herself, "He still remembers he's my husband, huh?" But she didn't want to cause a scene in public, so she decided not to argue with him. She glanced worriedly at the barista, unsure if Soong Yichen would recognize him as the person who had helped her out at the last event.

Soong Yichen's attention was already on the barista: "It's you!"

Mu Wanxing rubbed her forehead; things were spiraling out of her control.

"Mr. Soong, we meet again. I'm Kin Lan," Kin Lan said calmly.

Yichen raised an eyebrow, "You're meeting my wife here at this café. Are we making this a public matter or a private one?"

"He's the barista here," Wanxing quickly explained. She didn't want an innocent person dragged into this mess, even if Yichen was intent on humiliating her. He was openly involved with Kin Qier, yet he was trying to paint her with the same brush.

"A barista, huh? Just a lowly barista," Yichen sneered, then called over to the counter, "Get your manager out here. Tell him it's Soong Yichen from Soong's."

The manager came over promptly, glancing between Kin Lan and Yichen, wearing a polite smile. "Director Soong, what can I do for you?"

"This barista is trying to seduce my wife. I demand you fire him immediately!" Yichen declared, pulling Wanxing close, his arm around her waist, clearly staking his claim, while glaring at Kin Lan with arrogance.

Wanxing felt humiliated. "Manager, there's nothing going on. Mr. Kin and I were just discussing coffee."

Kin Lan added, unfazed, "Yes, Miss Mu and I talked about coffee, and I also asked her for some advice on fragrance blending."

"Perfume-making?" Yichen scoffed, "More like flirting, if you ask me."

Wanxing couldn't believe she was associated with such a tasteless man. She felt too embarrassed to stay any longer and tried to shake off Yichen's hand to leave.

She had barely taken two steps when Yichen yanked her back with force, holding her tightly. He bent down and kissed her forcefully, his lips dominating hers until her cheeks flushed red. Only then did he let go.

Wanxing was pale with shock. Yichen had kissed her again, but this time it wasn't out of love. Being subjected to such an intimate act in front of everyone was something her conservative nature couldn't handle.

Yichen's eyes swept over to Kin Lan with a smug look. "See that? She's my woman. Other men can only watch."

Humiliated, Wanxing seized the moment when Yichen loosened his grip to grab her purse and rush out of the café. He had once again succeeded in publicly humiliating her, making it clear to everyone that she was nothing more than his possession.

"Seems like Mr. Soong is the one who didn't see clearly," Kin Lan said slowly, his face darkening.

"What do you mean?" Yichen bristled, ready for a fight.

Kin Lan let out a small, derisive laugh. "It's not worth explaining to you. Take care of yourself."

With that, he turned away from Yichen and walked over to the counter, picking up a coffee to start brewing, his face expressionless.

Yichen, eager to regain control, pointed at Kin Lan and said to the manager, "I just told you to fire him!"

The manager glanced at Kin Lan, looking uncomfortable. "Sorry, I'm afraid I don't have that authority. You'll need to ask the owner."

"Fine, I don't have time to argue with you now. But if I come back and see him here again, you might as well close this place down!"

Yichen tapped his finger on the table, spat out the threat, and stormed out of the coffee shop.