029 So, we’re friends now, right?

Mo Bai never dreamed that one day he would actually be wearing this butler uniform to serve a guest.

After all, although he was a butler, the shop’s signature was maid service; most guests who came here preferred that, so who would visit a maid café looking for male service? It wasn’t like he was in Chengdu (lol).

But now, the time had finally come for him to put this butler uniform to good use.

Mo Bai stood beside the pink-haired girl with a smile, looking polished and professional, much like Sebastian from Black Butler: "Ojou-sama, how may I be of service to you?"

"Here is the menu, please take a look."

Although this was Mo Bai's first time serving, he had seen enough to know the drill. Under the influence of various works, let alone acting like a normal butler, Mo Bai could easily perform a "Good Night, Ojou-sama" routine on the spot!

How was it? With his incredibly serious and dashing movements, surely this delicate girl who came specifically for him must be completely mesmerized, right?

As it turned out...

The pink-haired girl glanced at Mo Bai: "What are you mumbling about? Call me Gu Ran."

Mo Bai: "..."

Damn, what a familiar vibe. With that irritable temperament, you really are Red Moon, aren't you?!

I had just finished saying I liked pink hair, and you actually went and dyed your hair pink? This efficiency would make college students fall silent and salarymen burst into tears.

"Understood, Gu Ran. No problem, Gu Ran."

Glancing at the three little maids peeking from the side and Sister Li, who was openly filming, Mo Bai leaned closer to Gu Ran, bent down, and whispered, "Hey, Red Moon..."

"What Red Moon?" Gu Ran looked up, feigning innocence: "I am not, I didn't, I’ll sue you for slander."

"I am Gu Ran, definitely not some Red Moon."

"The moon is white, of course. How could there be a red moon?"

The look on Mo Bai’s face, which hadn’t been serious for more than a minute, gradually turned into dead fish eyes.

Tsk, why won’t this silly child just admit it? Does she really think she hasn't been recognized? Thinking about it, she’s actually kind of cute.

Although he wasn't sure if he could see it, Mo Bai wanted to check Gu Ran's "profile" first. It was like when you encounter some bizarre person while surfing the web and habitually click on their profile, only to be enlightened after seeing "XXX."

However, before he could even start looking, Gu Ran’s expression shifted, and she slammed the table:

"You are not allowed to check my profile!"

Mo Bai shuddered and almost knelt before her, letting out a dry laugh: "Fine, fine, I won't check. Don't get excited, calm down."

It seems he really could see her profile, and she had some hidden secret...

As expected, it would be better to save that for another day.

"Would you like to eat something?"

"Let me see..." Gu Ran flipped through the menu, her slender fingers pointing at the items: "What is this 'Floating★Pure-Viscous Magic Omelet Rice'?"

Mo Bai smiled: "It’s just ordinary pre-made omelet rice."

"Then what about this 'Unicorn’s Dreamy Cute-Sparkling★Omelet Rice'?"

"That is also just ordinary pre-made omelet rice."

Gu Ran: "..."

She pointed at the corner of the menu: "Not-gonna-work-gonna-work-Super-Passionate★Love Omelet Rice... then this is also just ordinary omelet rice, I suppose?"

"Hey! This one is different."

Mo Bai said proudly: "This isn't ordinary omelet rice."

"This is extra-spicy omelet rice made with ghost peppers."

Gu Ran clenched her fists: "Who puts ghost peppers in omelet rice!"

"This is, of course, to bundle sales with our best-seller—'Sweet Love♡Maid’s Secret Holy Water'."

"And by the way, it’s just ordinary pre-made lemonade."

The only "chef" in Mo Bai's shop was the microwave in the back.

Gu Ran: "...Who came up with the names on this menu?"

Mo Bai looked proud: "It was me."

As expected.

"You really are a little genius."

Gu Ran sighed in resignation: "Give me an order of pre-made omelet rice and a glass of pre-made lemonade."

"Coming right up! Please wait a moment while I go start the chef."

Mo Bai rushed to the back to awaken the sleeping chef—the microwave. Five minutes later, a steaming plate of omelet rice was ready.

If nothing else, just looking at the presentation—the golden egg covering smeared with crimson ketchup, garnished with a bit of greenery—it was still quite appetizing.

Placing the omelet rice on Gu Ran’s table, Mo Bai maintained his usual smile: "Enjoy your meal~"

He turned to slip away, but Gu Ran grabbed the hem of his fluttering butler uniform as if catching a tail: "You, get over here."

"Running away after serving? Is that how you treat guests in this shop?"

Sure enough, this person had come for him.

Mo Bai looked helpless: "Then, what other service do you require?"

It couldn't be that she wanted him to bite a lighter and perform a stunt right now, could it?

Under Mo Bai’s gaze, Gu Ran revealed a sincere smile that he couldn't quite fathom.

She pointed at the steaming omelet rice: "I want you to personally..."

"Feed. It. To me~"

Two minutes later.

In the back, Sister Li looked at Mo Bai’s retreating figure and sighed: "Damn it, why did I only just realize this now?"

"Mo Bai, does he actually have a talent for being a host... cough, for attracting girls?"

"I should have put host... cough, butler service on the menu sooner!"

Watching the regretful shop manager, Xie Ziyun tilted her head: "Maybe... it’s because Brother Bai has a screw loose in his head?"

If he didn't speak, he looked like a normal, melancholy youth; but the moment he opened his mouth, the "screw loose" vibe would hit you right in the face.

Sister Li nodded in agreement: "I’ve decided."

"I’m changing the menu tomorrow!"

Mo Bai had escaped the miserable fate of cross-dressing; congratulations, congratulations.

But for now, he still had to take care of his own Ojou-sama.

"Ah-woo~"

The white spoon gently scooped up a mound of rice wrapped in the aroma of egg and slowly brought it to the girl's lips, which she swallowed in one bite.

Through the spoon, he could feel the pressure of Gu Ran’s lips and the ambiguous collision between her teeth and tongue.

Gu Ran: "Chew, chew, chew..."

"Average. Not very good," she commented.

"Of course, nobody comes to a maid café just for the food..."

After that quip, Mo Bai continued feeding Gu Ran: "But, regarding you, I want to ask."

"Why are you so concerned about me?"

Being targeted by an existence like Red Moon for no reason wasn't something that could be brushed off just by being a pretty girl. He wasn't some loser guy.

Gu Ran paused, swallowed the rice, rested her chin on her hand, and showed a pleasant smile.

"Concerned? Is that so? You think that way, do you?"

"Then let me ask you, Mo Bai," Gu Ran leaned back in her chair: "Do you remember how many pieces of bread you have eaten in your life?"

Mo Bai: "?"

He narrowed his eyes: "Are you saying I’m your little loaf of bread?"

Everything Gu Ran did was to make him softer and more delicious? So that, in the end, she could eat him up in one bite?

"If you want to think of it that way, that's fine. But what I mean is..."

Gu Ran said seriously: "You won't remember how many things you've done that, to you, are completely mundane and daily."

"But in reality, those mundane things are absolute miracles."

Gu Ran’s gaze softened. She stood up and stroked Mo Bai’s face: "Of course, even if I tell you this, you won't understand, right?"

"After all, you don't even know what lies at the end of the universe."

Mo Bai nodded sincerely: "True."

"In any case, whether you suspect I have ulterior motives or think I’m a wicked woman..."

"I am simply being loyal to my own desires."

Gu Ran pulled a sticky note from the bow on her chest and waved it like a trophy: "But don't forget."

"It was you who took me in."

This was the evidence.

The girl wore a wicked smile: "I can’t wait to see..."

"The expression on your face when you regret it."

The note fluttered gently, and at the tip of his nose, he seemed to catch a faint, ethereal fragrance.

It was the scent of "Mother's" embrace from his dreams...

He had long forgotten the true scent of his mother's embrace; what he had kept in his memory for these past eight years was the desire known as companionship.

Mo Bai curled his lips.

He pushed the spoon into the girl's mouth without a word and watched her stunned expression.

"So."

"We're friends now, right?"