Chapter 340 Pursuer
Anna blinked and kept teasing, "Curious about the kitchen? Then why isn't he staring at you all the time? He must be drawn to your cooking skills and beauty. But honestly, our shop does have quite a few beauties. You, me, and Lily—we're all a lovely sight."
Bella chuckled and shook her head, saying, "Let's focus on our work and not let these things affect our mood."
Anna giggled, "But those people earlier were probably from Colin and Sterling's company. If that guy knew he was trying to pursue the boss lady, do you think he'd go crazy?"
Bella listened to their conversation with a hint of helplessness and shook her head. Anna turned to ask Lily, "How did you know Bella was married?"
Lily replied calmly, "You told me, remember?"
"Did I? I don't recall," Anna scratched her head, while Lily, uninterested in continuing the conversation, walked away.
As the holiday season ended, "Small Opportunities" gradually returned to its usual bustling state. Serafina's return brought new energy to the shop, and the newly posted job openings attracted many applicants.
Anna and Lily busily prepared various ingredients and desserts, while Bella helped organize the cash register and bar area.
They all looked forward to the new year, hoping "Small Opportunities" would thrive even more.
"Looks like we're going to have a big year!" Anna said excitedly.
When Serafina went to the office building across the street to deliver desserts, she was stopped by the man from before. "Hi, can I get Bella's number?"
Serafina, being quite straightforward, asked, "Why do you need the boss's number?"
The man smiled slightly and explained, "Our company often needs to order desserts and coffee. It would be more convenient to contact the boss directly."
Serafina thought his reasoning made sense, hesitated for a moment, and then gave him Bella's number.
Back at the shop, Serafina intended to tell Bella about it, but the shop was too busy, and she eventually forgot.
In the following days, the man from the office building continued to call to place orders, but he never mentioned Bella's number again.
One day, while Bella was busy in the kitchen, her phone rang.
She glanced at the caller ID and saw an unfamiliar number. After a moment's hesitation, she answered.
"Hello, this is 'Small Opportunities'," Bella said gently and politely.
A man's voice came from the other end, "Is this Bella? I'm from the office building across the street. We've met before."
Bella paused, then remembered the man who had visited the shop a few times. She smiled faintly, "Oh, it's you. What can I do for you?"
The man laughed awkwardly, "Actually, I just wanted to invite you for a cup of coffee. Do you have time?"
Bella immediately understood his intention. She politely declined, "Thank you for the offer, but I'm very busy lately and don't have time."
The man seemed persistent, "How about when you're not busy? Can we arrange something then?"
Bella smiled wryly, "There's really no need. I'm married, and I hope you understand."
The man was silent for a moment, then said softly, "I'm sorry for bothering you."
Bella gently hung up the phone, feeling relieved. She knew that some things needed a clear refusal to avoid trouble.
Later that evening, Bella received a text message on her phone: [One hot milk, less sugar.]
Bella found it odd that a customer would text her directly, but she replied: [What's the address?]
The response came: [Just make it first, I'll tell you the address once it's ready.]
Bella felt something was off but didn't think much of it. She prepared the hot milk with less sugar as requested and waited for further instructions.
She placed the hot milk in a thermal bag, wrote the order number, and set it on a table.
Then she replied: [It's ready. You can come down to pick it up.]
The person seemed urgent: [I'm not able to come down right now. Can you bring it up?]
Bella frowned, not liking the extra request. She replied politely: [Sorry, our shop policy doesn't allow deliveries upstairs. You can send someone down to pick it up.]
After a moment of silence, the person replied: [Alright, I'll come down myself.]
Bella waited for a while but no one showed up. She picked up her phone to inquire, only to find she had been blocked.
She shook her head, realizing it was likely the man who wanted her number playing tricks.
She didn't let it bother her, as such incidents had happened before.
She put away her phone and started cleaning the shop. Anna and Lily helped out.
"Do you think that guy will cause more trouble?" Anna asked worriedly.
Bella smiled and shook her head, "Don't worry, he won't come back. We've made it clear, and he won't embarrass himself further."
Anna stretched, "Finally, I can go home and sleep. Right now, my bed is my best friend, besides you, of course. I need to pamper it so it doesn't feel lonely."
Lily laughed at Anna's words, "If your bed knew, it would be thrilled."
Bella laughed too, "It's been a tiring day. We all need a good night's sleep."
Anna rubbed her shoulders, "Yeah, it feels like a battle every day. But seeing the business grow gives me a sense of accomplishment."
As they chatted, they reached the shop's entrance. Lily locked the door and left first, while Bella and Anna walked home together.
The night was quiet, with only their footsteps echoing.
On the way home, the cold wind cut through the air like a knife, and the temperature dropped sharply, turning breath into frost.
It felt as if the whole world was frozen.
The streetlights cast a warm, yellow glow, stretching their shadows long on the cold ground, contrasting sharply with the chilly winter night.
Anna seemed unaffected by the cold, bouncing ahead like a playful deer, occasionally turning to make funny faces at her shadow, as if playing with it.
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