TIAN GUAN CI FU Fan fic stories

ONLY FOR YOU DOES MY HEART MOVE

Chapter 1 : Flowers

Tucked away in a quiet side-street of a bustling city, a small cafe slowly came to life. Xie Lian had arrived at Puqi Cafe a few hours prior to it opening. There was much to prepare before a cafe could open its doors to guests, even for one as small as Puqi Cafe. The coffee stations needed to be warmed, plants required watering, and she needed to make sure she was there when the delivery of baked goods arrived.

Puqi Cafe was smaller than most other coffee shops in town. Its owner, Yushi Huang, had wanted to create an intimate space dedicated to minimalist drinks made from fairly sourced ingredients. The pastries that were brought in each morning were even from Yushi Huang's own kitchen — and all of them were made from ingredients she herself cultivated in a small farm she owned just outside of town. Yushi Huang was a quiet, and perhaps a bit eccentric, but she and Puqi Cafe were deeply adored. The dedication to sheer quality of the products, along with the cozy atmosphere of the space, made Puqi Cafe a comforting space to be in, and regulars poured into the cafe time and time again; most came not just for the coffee and pastries, but for the overall experience that was being in the cafe. In a city as hectic as the one Puqi Cafe was in, Puqi Cafe became an oasis with its warm wood interiors and the overflowing plants. There was no music blasting from speakers, and the only soundtrack was the humming voices of patrons, the milk steamers, and the timers they used to ensure all brews were made with exact precision.

A row of stools, the only available seating, were lined by the windows, which during the warmer months were opened to allow the warm breeze. The natural light the windows provided oftentimes reflected off of tiny trinkets scattered throughout the cafe. Some were placed between a set of potted plants sitting on floating shelves. Others were displayed on the counter, including a small ox figurine Yushi Huang was particularly fond of, which greeted all customers as they came in to place an order.

There was much dusting Xie Lian had to do as a result. Pollen from the few flowers also mixed with the dust that naturally accumulated, and she ensured all surfaces were wiped down and organized. This included the shelves behind the counter, which were filled with an array of freshly roasted coffees and herbal teas.

The aromas from the beans, along with notes of chocolate, and the herbal scents of the teas they also sold, mingled beautifully to create a unique fragrance known uniquely to the cafe. It was further accentuated by notes of cardamom and sugar thanks to the freshly baked pastries Yushi Huang's very burly — but rather gentle — assistant dropped off not long after Xie Lian had arrived. The fragrance always made Xie Lian feel warm whenever she walked into the cafe, and it even seeped into the wooden walls, mixing in with the cedar.

It was perhaps one of the most happy Xie Lian had ever been at any job in a very long time. Xie Lian hummed as she carefully watered the array of plants. Her soft voice echoed in the otherwise quiet cafe — it was a melody she had heard Hua Cheng hum a few times around their apartment. Thinking about the song inevitably also made her think about Hua Cheng and their conversation from earlier that morning. How easy it was so relive that exchange so vividly when Xie Lian all but committed to memory every one of their interactions.

"Jiejie, it's so early~" Hua Chang whined.

"San Niang, I told you I could take the bus!" Xie Lian reminded as she opened the passenger seat.

Hua Cheng feigned being offended. "I'm not complaining about driving you, jiejie. I just wish you could get more sleep."

"I'm an early riser anyway, so this is perfect." Xie Lian grinned.

Hua Cheng herself was a night owl for the most part, so her earliest morning was actually noon on most days. But since Hua Cheng was preparing for an exhibition, she was forced to start her days earlier to accommodate the gallery's schedule. Xie Lian had been fortunate that their schedules coincided enough that Hua Cheng offered to give her a ride to work.