My aunt is a magical girl, and so am I.

Chapter 28: The more words, the better!

The next morning, Chu Sheng successfully obtained permission to leave the house, and the process went very smoothly.

Gu Yanru didn't press him about where he was going: "Xiao Chu, send Auntie a message before noon, okay?"

Chu Sheng felt uneasy: "I understand, Aunt Gu. I'll go out for a while and maybe read a book."

Gu Yanru looked down at the book "Madame Bovary" in his hand, her gaze softening considerably.

"The coffee shop is crowded, so be careful with your belongings." She paused, then took out two hundred-yuan bills from her bag and stuffed them into Chu Sheng's hand. "Don't always think about saving money. Order whatever you want to drink."

Chu Sheng clutched the two hundred yuan, so moved he almost cried out, "Aunt Gu, no need, I have money."

Even so, his hand had already honestly stuffed the money into his pocket.

Gu Yanru saw his little gesture, chuckled softly, and didn't call him out: "Come back soon."

"Okay!"

Twenty-seven minutes after leaving No. 13 Junhai Road, at the street corner opposite the Haicheng Branch Bureau, a dark red light flashed in the innermost stall of the public restroom.

Lilith pushed open the door and came out.

She stood in front of the sink, adjusted her lace neckline in front of the mirror, and then tucked the small parasol under her arm.

Today is a business meeting, and she can't afford to lose in terms of momentum!

It's just coffee, isn't it? What's wrong with this small town? How much more expensive can it be than Mixue Ice Cream?

Chu Sheng raised his delicate chin, put on his thick-soled leather shoes, and walked proudly toward the coffee shop.

The café's signboard is black with gold lettering: 【L』Écume Noire

Below that is a line of even smaller text: 【Salon de café· Pâtisserie· Torréfaction】

I didn't understand a single word.

"Heh." She feigned composure and reached for the door.

It wouldn't budge. She frowned and pulled again, but the door remained firmly in place.

A small gold word, 【Poussez】, was pasted on the glass door.

Chu Sheng stared at it, a cold smile playing on his lips. *Pfft?*

This French isn't difficult, it probably means "please pull".

So she grabbed the doorknob with both hands and pulled hard!

Inside the door, a waiter in a white shirt and black vest looked at her for a few seconds, then walked over and smiled politely through the glass.

Then he gently pulled it in, and the door opened.

Chu Sheng remained with both hands on the doorknob, staring wide-eyed at the waiter. The waiter gave a slight bow: "Bonjour, mademoiselle."

Stupid pig? Are you insulting me?

She forced a smile and nodded coldly: "Idiot!"

The waiter's smile remained unchanged, displaying strong professionalism: "Do you have a reservation?"

Finally, he's speaking like a human being. Chu Sheng secretly breathed a sigh of relief: "No, I'm waiting for a friend. Two people."

"Okay, this way please."

The café was quiet. Small brass lamps hung from the ceiling, a few black and white photographs adorned the walls, and the tables were spaced far apart, each with a small bouquet of flowers. In the corner, there was an open bar where a barista in a white shirt was slowly pouring water from a spouted pitcher.

Chu Sheng was led to a window seat, where she could see the Haicheng branch police station building across the street. The ninety-nine-story building stood there silently, giving her a sense of security.

The waiter pulled out a chair for her. Chu Sheng was about to plop down when she realized that she couldn't be too casual in this kind of place, so she carefully gathered her skirt down and sat up straight.

The waiter placed a white napkin beside her. Chu Sheng hesitated for a moment, then picked it up, intending to wrap it around her neck.

The waiter's smile froze: "Madam, you can place the napkin on your lap."

"oh."

Chu Sheng unfolded the napkin expressionlessly and covered his lap.

City people have so many rules.

The waiter handed over the menu again. It had a black leather cover with gold lettering. Chu Sheng opened the first page and immediately closed his eyes.

It's all in French. Absolutely all of it.

【Les Classiques】

【Café crème】

Noisette

【Allongé】

Les Grands Crus

【Panama Geisha Hacienda La Esmeralda—Lot Mario San José—V60】

【Colombie Inmaculada Eugenioides—Siphon】

【Jamaïque Blue Mountain No.1— Wallenford Estate— Filtre】

The waiter stood beside them and asked gently, "What would you like to order first?"

Chu Sheng looked up and saw the waiter give him an elegant smile. The smile carried a meaning that said, "I know you don't understand, but I won't call you out on it."

Chu Sheng looked down at the menu again. Experience told her that the earlier items were the most basic; regular coffee was always at the front, and cheaper items were placed in prominent positions. Truly sophisticated people ordered from the back.

Her gaze fell on the area below [Les Grands Crus].

This title is the longest; the more words, the more valuable it is!

Chu Sheng traced the words over and over with his fingertip, pretending to be carefully appreciating them, and finally selected the two with the longest names.

"This one," she said, pointing to the first line.

"And this too." She pointed to the second line.

The waiter glanced at them, his tone noticeably more serious: "Madam, are you sure it's the Geisha auction batch from Panama's Emerald Estate, and also the Inmaculada Eugenioides from Colombia?"

Chu Sheng nodded immediately: "Confirmed."

The waiter then asked, "Both of these are Tibetan beans, which need to be brewed separately by hand or siphon extraction, and are not included in refills."

That sounds high-class. Chu Sheng's eyes lit up slightly.

"It's okay, I'll have two drinks. One for my friend."

The waiter took down the order: "Okay. Please wait a moment."

After he left, Chu Sheng breathed a sigh of relief, picked up the ice water on the table, and took a small sip. There was a thin slice of lemon in the water, and the glass was very cold, so it didn't taste like much.

Chu Sheng looked at the branch office building across the street, then glanced at his phone.

10:12. She arrived 18 minutes earlier than the agreed time.

She opened WeChat and sent a message to Crane Hermit.

[Lilith]: I've arrived.

There was no reply. Chu Sheng snorted and put down his phone.

At the bar, the barista began preparing the first cup of coffee she had ordered. She first took out a small silver airtight container, opened it, and then looked down to check the label. Next, she poured the beans into a white measuring cup, and the number on the electronic scale stopped at 20.0 grams.

The grinder only made a few seconds of noise. The barista then poured out some more grounds, re-grinded the coffee, and used a thermometer to check the water temperature. The filter cup was ceramic; after the filter paper was wetted with hot water, the water was poured into the waste tank. Next, she poured in the coffee grounds, gently leveled it, and slowly poured water around the center using the spouted kettle.

The more Chu Sheng looked, the more he felt something was wrong.

The second cup was even more outrageous. The barista took out a glass pot with two sections, lit a fire at the bottom, inserted a tube at the top, and the water bubbled up.

Ten minutes later, two cups of coffee were served.

The first cup was served in a thin-walled porcelain cup, next to a small glass pitcher and a card. The card read:

【Panama Geisha Hacienda La Esmeralda—Lot Mario San José】

【Variété：Geisha】

【Process: Washed】

[Notes: Jasmin, bergamote, miel, pêche blanche]

The second cup was served in a glass pitcher with a small tasting cup next to it. The card read:

【Colombie Inmaculada Eugenioides】

【Espèce：Coffea eugenioides】

【Process: Natural】

【Notes: sucre brun, yaourt, fruits tropicaux】

The waiter explained, "The first cup is from the Geisha auction batch from the Panama Emerald Estate. The Geisha variety itself has a low yield, and this batch is hand-picked from high-altitude plots, washed, and each bean has an individual number. We use a V60 hand-brewer with water at 92 degrees Celsius and a coffee-to-water ratio of 1:15, resulting in a clearer cup."

Chu Sheng nodded vigorously.

The waiter then pointed to the second cup: "The second cup is Eugenioides from the Inmaculada Estate in Colombia. It's one of the parent varieties of Arabica, low in caffeine, with a small yield, and high in sweetness, commonly found in competition beans. We use a siphon brewer to preserve its mellow sweet and sour taste."

Chu Sheng continued to nod.

The waiter placed a small silver wallet on the table as a final note: "Here's the bill."

Chu Sheng picked up the bill, his face turning deathly pale.

【Panama Geisha Hacienda La Esmeralda— 1288】

【Colombie Inmaculada Eugenioides— 988】

【Service charge 10%— 227.6】

【Total— 2503.6】

Chu Sheng stared at the last number, his pupils dilating slightly.

Two thousand five hundred and three yuan and six jiao!

She slowly raised her head and looked at the waiter: "Is this... in Japanese yen?"

The waiter, still smiling, said, "RMB."