The kitchen was so quiet that only the rhythmic hum of the cream mixer and the occasional crisp clink of a metal spatula against a glass bowl could be heard.
Yue Yiqing changed into her uniform and stood silently at her workstation, but her eyes couldn't help drifting to the other side.
Lin Mo's movements were smooth and flowing, without a single wasted pause. From whipping the cream to piping the decorations, every step was as precise as if measured with a ruler.
He didn't even need a turntable; with a gentle flick of his wrist, the buttercream borders spread out evenly.
This guy was seriously too professional.
Yue Yiqing muttered in her heart, though her hands didn't stop working.
Having just inspected the front of the house, she knew which desserts were about to sell out and immediately set to work restocking them.
After all, their shop wasn't the type to receive deliveries from a central kitchen; everything was made fresh on the spot.
A two-meter-wide aisle separated the two of them. Neither broke the silence; only the mingling scents of butter and strawberry in the air communicated soundlessly.
Lin Mo quickly finished two cakes. One was a three-pound cake, a birthday gift for Jiang Yunlu.
The other, smaller one, was considered payment for borrowing the venue.
Just as he finished shaping the strawberry cake, Yue Yiqing couldn't resist leaning closer, her gaze firmly captivated by its mouth-watering, exquisite appearance.
"This... is for a girl, right?" She paused, asking tentatively, "The one from last time?"
"No," Lin Mo replied concisely.
He grabbed a packaging box and carefully placed the cake inside.
His fingertips subtly brushed the side of the box. A barely visible spiritual light flashed for a split second, instantly constructing a stabilizing array.
Now, let alone bumpy roads, even if someone dribbled the box like a basketball, the cake inside wouldn't budge an inch.
"So, what's the deal with this strawberry cake?" Yue Yiqing's curiosity was completely piqued; she couldn't tell what was so special about it.
She subconsciously took another step closer to Lin Mo.
This scene, seen through the kitchen's glass window, clearly fell into the eyes of Wu Hao, who was sitting in a booth in the outside cafe area.
Wu Hao stared intently at their backs, which were almost pressed together. His hands under the table had long since clenched into fists, veins popping on the backs of his hands.
"To be exact, it's called the Dominating Lava Popping-Boba Strawberry Cheese," Lin Mo stated the name without even lifting his head.
Yue Yiqing froze for a moment, then burst into laughter. "Why does it sound like the name of a milk tea?"
"Who cares what it sounds like." Lin Mo closed the lid of the takeout box and glanced at her. "Are you going to eat it or not? If not, I'll just take it and share it with your employees."
"I'll eat! Who said I wouldn't!"
Afraid he would go back on his word, Yue Yiqing immediately turned and took out a knife and fork from the sterilization cabinet.
She cut open the sample Lin Mo had left behind, unable to stop herself from analyzing it professionally. "Chiffon cake base stacked, cream filling... wait, what about the lava you mentioned? And where are the popping boba?"
"You'll know once you eat it." Lin Mo had already taken off his apron with swift movements.
Yue Yiqing separated a small piece with her fork, only then discovering that within the cake's layers, the cream enveloped tiny, crystal-clear red beads.
"This is?"
"Popping boba," Lin Mo replied casually, picking up the packed box. "I'm leaving, I'm in a hurry."
"Hey, let me walk you out!" Yue Yiqing immediately called out to stop him. Ignoring the tasting, she clumsily untied her apron and followed him out.
Lin Mo had already reached the kitchen door. He turned and waved his hand at her. "No need. Share the cake with everyone. I don't know when I'll be back next time."
After all, the birthdays of those three girls were practically clustered together; the next time would have to be next year.
Carrying the box, Lin Mo walked outside.
In Lin Mo's eyes, Yue Yiqing and this place were merely a tool person and a tool location.
Stepping out of the kitchen, Lin Mo greeted the staff at the counter.
"I made a larger portion this time. Share it among yourselves, don't let your boss eat it all."
"Thank you, Mr. Lin." Xiao Ling immediately looked at Yue Yiqing, who had just followed him out.
Yue Yiqing blushed and waved her hands repeatedly. "Alright, I'll save some for you. I was just going to try it. It's not like I don't know how to make one."
If she really didn't know how, at worst she could just ask Lin Bei.
At least, that was what Yue Yiqing thought.
Lin Mo said his goodbyes, walked out from behind the counter, and headed toward the door.
But just as he turned to leave, a figure suddenly stood up abruptly from a nearby table. As if losing balance, the person lunged straight toward the cake box in Lin Mo's hand.
The person was none other than Wu Hao.
He had calculated the angle perfectly. While feigning a panicked expression on his face, he was sneering inwardly.
Such a fragile cake, just a light bump would turn it into a puddle of mush!
However, Lin Mo's divine sense had already locked onto him.
A split second before Wu Hao was about to crash into him, Lin Mo's body made a minuscule sidestep. His feet seemed to glide across the floor, unbelievably light and agile.
Wu Hao's forceful, wild-boar-like charge hit nothing but air.
Unable to stop his momentum, he stumbled forward several steps before crashing to the ground with a loud thud.
It was all the fault of the staff here for mopping the floor too cleanly.
The entire room instantly fell silent.
Lin Mo stood safely in his original spot, holding the cake box, which hadn't even swayed a bit.
He gave Wu Hao, who was holding his forehead and grimacing in pain, a faint glance as if looking at an idiot.
"Are you blind? Moving so fast, in a rush to get reincarnated?"
Lin Mo did not hold back at all in cursing out someone looking for trouble.
Not to mention Wu Hao, even Yue Yiqing was stunned.
Pfft!
Someone burst into laughter first, and then more laughter followed.
Wu Hao's expression didn't change. He immediately got up from the floor and apologized politely.
"I'm sorry, my foot slipped when I stood up, so I lunged forward. My bad. Bro, where are you heading? How about I give you a ride?"
As he spoke, Wu Hao took out his BMW key and dangled it in his hand.
But Lin Mo shook his head. "No need. I'm not used to riding in such cheap cars."
Wu Hao's face stiffened, then he sneered, "Are you talking about the public bus?"
He knew this kind of joke, after all.
The corners of Lin Mo's mouth curled up. "Of course not. Want to know? Then follow me."
Saying that, he walked straight toward the door.
Wu Hao pursed his lips and followed him out.
Yue Yiqing frowned. After a moment of thought, she also pushed the door open and followed them. After all, Lin Bei had helped her a lot, so she definitely had to stand on Lin Bei's side.
Carrying the cake box, Lin Mo walked to the side of the road.
Wu Hao followed right beside him.
Seeing that Yue Yiqing hadn't caught up yet, Wu Hao suddenly spoke.
"Boy! Where is this car you mentioned? Don't tell me it's that bicycle over there?"
Lin Mo glanced at Wu Hao and sneered, but didn't say a word. He simply kept his hand in his pocket and sent out a few text messages on his phone.

u Chenyuan transmigrated into a female-oriented novel about a real and fake heiress, becoming the CEO elder brother of both. Unfortunately, the entire Lu family—including himself, the CEO—were mere cannon fodder in the story. Determined to save himself, Lu Chenyuan took action. The spoiled, attention-seeking fake heiress? Thrown into the harsh realities of the working class to learn humility. The love-struck real heiress? Pushed toward academic excellence, so lofty goals would blind her to trivial romances. As for the betrayed, vengeful arranged marriage wife… the plot hadn’t even begun yet. There was still time—if he couldn’t handle her, he could at least avoid her. "CEO Lu, are you avoiding me?" Mo Qingli fixed her gaze on Lu Chenyuan. For the first time, the shrewd and calculating Lu Chenyuan felt a flicker of unease.

ose... to cooperate with the protagonist! Shen Yuan: I have a system! Protagonist: What? System: Holy crap, you're just spilling it out like that? Shen Yuan: Let's team up, we'll split the system rewards! Protagonist: Fifty-fifty split? Shen Yuan: No way! Protagonist: What!? I'm the one getting beaten up, and I don't get half? Shen Yuan: Forty-sixty split, I get forty, you get sixty! Protagonist: Deal! Big brother, come on, hit me! As long as it doesn't kill me, beat me like you mean it! Shen Yuan: Don't worry... I will definitely protect all of you! No one but me can lay a finger on you! Guard our Heaven's Chosen Ones! I'm the only one allowed to bully them!

rowess are unmatched, commanding a million-strong army! Yet, the Emperor wants to depose him for the sake of a false prince? Hold on, are you throwing me into some female-oriented romance plot? How can I tolerate this? With a grand wave of his hand—the Nine Clan Extraction Technique! Slander the Emperor? Very well, all of you shall die! ... The False Prince: "Although I am not the biological son, Father and Mother love me more. The throne should be mine!" The Female Lead: "Qin Xiao, you are the Emperor, and I am a commoner. If you wish to marry me, you must abdicate. Otherwise, you will never have me!" The Empress: "After we divorce, you must give me half the empire!" The Transmigrator Consort: "You worthless Emperor, why should I kneel to you? All men are equal—I advise you to be kind!" The Great General: "The enemy general is my childhood sweetheart. For her sake, I willingly abandon the frontier defenses!" The Retired Emperor: "Although Yu'er was adopted, I prefer him. Qin Xiao, you should abdicate and let him become Emperor!" ... Very well! So this is how you want to play? Facing this twisted world of female-oriented tropes, Qin Xiao grins and raises his hand to unleash—the Nine Clan Extraction Technique! I am the Emperor. Why would I bother reasoning with you? Seal the gates! Leave none alive!

transmigrates into the world as the sect master of the Heavenly Yan Sect, which is on the verge of being wiped out. He binds a system that grants him cultivation power based on the number of disciples he has: for each disciple, he automatically gains a year's worth of cultivation every single day! Take one disciple: every day he gains 1 year of cultivation power. While others struggle through a year of bitter training, he gets the same just by sleeping through a single night. Take ten disciples: every day he gains 10 years of cultivation power. Foundation Establishment, Core Formation, Nascent Soul—he breezes through all bottlenecks without lifting a finger. Take one hundred disciples: every day he gains 100 years of cultivation power. Even a Soul Transformation Venerable before him can’t survive a single blow. Take ten thousand disciples: every day he gains 10,000 years of cultivation power! With a wave of his hand, he topples empires. With a single step, he crushes the sacred grounds of the universe. ... While others fight tooth and nail for secret techniques, Lin Yan casually hands out Nascent Soul-level cultivation manuals as beginner textbooks. While others strain to find talented recruits, Lin Yan opens his doors to anyone—so long as they’re human. In just three short years, the Heavenly Yan Sect went from a backwater sect made up of three crumbling huts to a sacred land that every cultivator under heaven would kill to enter. ... One day, otherworldly demon gods invade, with a million demon soldiers pressing down upon the realm. Lin Yan, yawning, rises from his lounge chair and glances at the system panel: [Current Disciples: 1.28 million] [Daily Cultivation Increase: 1.28 million years] He waves his hand casually, and the countless demon soldiers are reduced to ashes in an instant. “So noisy… interrupting my fishing.”