Chapter 15 Chapter 15: “You’ve Really Gotten Handsome, Huh?” – Part 1
The young woman standing before him looked to be only in her early twenties, yet her outfit—drenched in anime-inspired flair—made her stick out awkwardly among the crowd.
Xu Yecheng took the flyer she handed him.
It was covered in flashy, colorful illustrations.
“How about coming in for a seat? We’re offering a 5% discount today~” she said with a bright smile.
“Uh… sure,” Xu Yecheng stammered, feeling instantly flustered.
Truth be told, even though *he* wasn’t the one wearing the maid outfit, he still felt a cringey sense of secondhand embarrassment.
The girl gestured politely toward the entrance. “Master, please come in~”
Her voice turned noticeably softer, and Xu Yecheng nearly choked at being called “Master.”
Wait—wasn’t she calling him “customer” just a moment ago? The second he agreed to step inside, she switched to “Master”?
Damn, how transactional.
Xu Yecheng groaned inwardly. This whole roleplay thing made him deeply uncomfortable… *[illegible spam text]*
Still, despite his reservations, he walked into the café.
Pushing open the door, he didn’t see any maids. Instead, it looked like a perfectly ordinary coffee shop with a slightly vintage interior.
Hmmmm…
He had to admit—he’d briefly entertained a fantasy: the moment he stepped in, a bunch of cute maid girls would greet him in unison, “Welcome, Master!”
But… where were they?
The air carried a delicate aroma—rich coffee mingled with milk and roasted hazelnuts. Soft violin music played in the background, gentle and soothing. Xu Yecheng held onto the flyer as he approached the counter and, after a brief hesitation, ordered a mocha.
Honestly, it was a bit pricey…
An oat milk latte cost 25 yuan—almost as much as Starbucks.
And this was *after* the discount.
Places like this were best visited only occasionally—just to savor the experience, not as a regular expense.
Still holding the flyer, Xu Yecheng found a seat by the window. The lighting was warm and soft, leaning toward a delicate, feminine ambiance. The violin melody flowed gracefully, and the small round wooden table before him bore clearly visible grain—rough to the touch, with subtle texture.
Once again, Xu Yecheng felt puzzled.
He couldn’t quite reconcile this refined, retro-style café with the idea of… *maids*.
He placed the flyer on the table and finally spotted the hiring notice in the bottom-right corner.
Instantly, he felt a pang of mortification.
Of course—it only hired girls.
The café was trialing a maid café business model.
They *did* accept male staff—but the pay was even lower than what he earned at the convenience store.
Once a week was “Maid Day,” when all female staff dressed in maid outfits and performed light roleplay.
He tried imagining himself sweetly cooing “Master~” to some random guy.
…Ugh. Gross.
A full-body shiver ran down his spine.
Just then, a female server arrived with his coffee. She set the tray down gently, lifted the cup, and placed it before him.
“Here’s your coffee. Enjoy~”
“Oh—thanks,” Xu Yecheng replied, slightly dazed.
The server picked up her tray and added softly, “We’ve already added sugar to your coffee, so it’s ready to drink. If it’s still too bitter, feel free to add more.”
Then she walked away.
Xu Yecheng’s eyes drifted back to the cup.
It *was* undeniably elegant.
The surface bore a layered, multi-tiered heart-shaped latte art. Beside it sat a small saucer with two sugar cubes and a neatly folded napkin.
As someone who’d never really experienced “high-end” coffee culture, he was amazed that real-life coffee could look just like those fancy clips on short-video platforms.
…Still, the price was brutal.
He sighed again, resigned.
But wait—
*How* was he supposed to drink this thing?
Having never done this before, he pulled out his phone and searched online. The consensus: just drink it straight.
Carefully, he lifted the cup. It looked small, and when he tested its weight, it felt lighter than his usual Starbucks order.
So… this place was actually *more* expensive?
He took a sip. The liquid slid smoothly into his mouth—silky milk, a gentle coffee bitterness, and rich chocolate notes blending perfectly on his tongue.
At first, it tasted slightly bitter—then slowly unfolded into a delicate sweetness.
The balance was just right for him.
He’d never liked overly sweet drinks.
In that moment, he was struck by a profound feeling:
Being in a classy place like this made him feel more refined, more… elegant.
He returned his attention to the flyer and found the store manager’s contact info.
His emotions grew complicated again.
Technically, if he wore that strange mask of his and dressed as a maid, no one would ever guess it was *him*—plain, utterly unremarkable Xu Yecheng. No one would connect the masked “girl” with his everyday self.
But… god, it’d still be so *embarrassing*.
He sighed.
Still, he decided to add the manager’s contact.
He really couldn’t stand another day at the convenience store—during rush hours, he got so swamped he forgot his own name.
Ever since getting that weird mask, he felt like he was becoming more and more… *bishōnen*—more androgynous, more performative.
He finished the coffee slowly, then couldn’t help but feel a pang of regret.
Thirty yuan—gone in just a few sips.
With that money, he could’ve bought a monthly game subscription and enjoyed himself for a whole month.
Standing up, he wrestled with the dilemma:
Should he really trade his dignity for cash?
He *was* a bit short on funds lately—but if he cut back a little, he could survive without this.
And even if he wore the mask and the maid outfit…
Wouldn’t someone notice? He was still, deep down, a rough-around-the-edges guy.
He nearly decided to give up—but added the manager anyway, hoping maybe there’d be *some other* job he could do.
After experiencing this taste of the luxurious life, Xu Yecheng stepped out of the café.
He had to admit—it felt *really good* to be rich, even just for a moment.
That reminded him of He Xiaohan.
That guy must come from a well-off family.
How else could he constantly chase girls? You needed cash in your pocket for that kind of lifestyle.
He Xiaohan was an enigma.
Since they’d become roommates, Xu Yecheng had *never* once seen him talk to his family.
And honestly—He Xiaohan didn’t seem to belong in the same league as the three useless losers in their dorm.
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