Famine 187: The Third Space

A few days later, Si Zhiyan went to the real estate agency to settle his overdue rent.

The agency was as busy as ever, though Aunt Zhou’s phone seemed to ring less often now, and she even spared a moment to glance over at Si Zhiyan thoughtfully.

Bian Xu was his usual cheerful self, circling around her and saying all sorts of good things, until Aunt Zhou’s perpetually knit brows finally relaxed a little.

Si Zhiyan knew that the work he was doing was, in some sense, encroaching on the agency’s business.
For people in the business like them, the agency could seem like a dangerous place; they had come prepared with contingency plans.

But Aunt Zhou only cast a few meaningful glances their way before Bian Xu’s jokes coaxed her into helpless laughter.

This surprised Si Zhiyan a little.

Still, surprise was surprise. Si Zhiyan sat opposite her, legs crossed, smiling as he stated the primary purpose of his visit:

“Aunt Zhou, there’s one more thing I’d like to discuss.”

“How many properties do you still have available? We need more rooms.”

“Not to rent, but… to discuss a purchase, if the price is right.”

……

A few days later,

Gu Ying’s café was packed with guests, crowds coming and going, the flow never ceasing.

The “Full” sign was hung early at the door, but there were still people camped outside the glass entrance, waiting for others to leave so they could get in.

Though there were so many people, most spoke quietly, their conversations hushed.

The exquisite, tranquil décor and the melodious notes of old records filled the entire space.

He Ming sat by the window, headphones on, gently blowing the foam atop her cappuccino.
The milky warmth of the coffee rose into the air.

Her phone’s screen lit up, a familiar female colleague’s WeChat message blinking:

“This is the document from today’s handoff~ You can look at it tomorrow, we’ve all been working overtime lately, but at least the cycle’s ended. Thanks for the hard work.”
“By the way, He Ming, you went to that new coffee shop again after work? :3”

He Ming smiled, picked up her phone, and quickly typed a reply:

“Yep.”
“Lots of people love this new café =w=”

Her colleague’s avatar flashed again: “Aren’t you going home early?”

He Ming stirred her coffee, smiled silently, exchanged a few polite messages, and put her phone away.

The young woman she messaged was nice, they got along fairly well. She was a local in the big city, going home at night to meals her parents prepared.

He Ming, on the outskirts, rented a shared apartment.

Rent ate up a quarter of her salary; she had a single bedroom and shared a bathroom with three other tenants. In that tiny ten-square-meter space were all her belongings—clothes, a folding mattress, bedding, all neatly packed in boxes and covered by curtains, yet still they took up precious room.

She woke beneath a low ceiling, with a table and chair set and a single cabinet beside her bed…
Home was a place to sleep. Wake up, head out.

She’d rather stay here a while longer.

The café’s environment was pleasant, the atmosphere soothing, and, as the owner was a girl about her age who wasn’t talkative, it felt comfortable just to be there.

He Ming curled herself on the sofa and stretched.

Besides, sitting here let her avoid the post-work rush and the crush on the subway.
Clearly, from the faces around her, she wasn’t the only one who thought this way.

But, after all, it was just a colleague—no need to share too much about herself.
As an adult, keeping some boundaries and not dumping negativity on others was only proper.

Rather than fret over it, she thought, why not buy herself a little dessert? That new item looked absolutely delicious!

……

At a hidden corner table by the glass door, a group of people sat stupefied.

The yellow-haired youth stared, finger trembling at the jam-packed café: “This… this…”

“There are way too many people!!”

His shock made him speak far too loudly, attracting sharp, annoyed looks from people nearby, and he hurriedly clamped his mouth shut.

It was the same group who had come before opening day. They huddled together, whispering in disbelief:

“How? How can there possibly be so many customers here?!”

“Why??”

“How is it even possible a café could survive here? Why not just get MiXue milk tea—five bucks for two drinks.”

A middle-aged man next to them tried to offer some comfort: “It’s just the décor—folks come by for the free air-conditioning, and with free lemon water and all, maybe they’re actually losing money just to make a splash…”

But his words were interrupted by a voice at the counter: “I’d like a lemon cheesecake, please~”

Looking up, there was a slightly plump girl smiling at the counter.

Behind her wound a line of other customers, stretching toward the door.

“Certainly. Seventeen yuan. Please scan here.” Gu Ying smiled softly, carefully lifting a cheesecake from the display case.

It was golden-hued, with a cookie crumb base and a luscious layer on top, instantly whetting everyone’s appetite.

In a city where every square inch of space was precious, a cheesecake of this quality would easily fetch over forty yuan elsewhere.

He Ming found herself thinking, It’s still such a great bargain—even cheaper than most other cafés.

Gu Ying seems to have found a really great supplier.

She rang up the purchase and handed over the ticket. From the order number, it was clear hundreds, nearly a thousand, had already been sold.

The middle-aged man: “…”

???

The entire group exchanged glances, faces burning in disbelief.

None felt more wretched than the yellow-haired youth.

They’d quarreled bitterly over who would get the café’s lease transfer if it failed—finally, he’d won out.

He ended up not queuing at Si Zhiyan’s for a regular rental, completely missing the best chance to get a Farm Apartment.

Now, the Farm Apartment was so in-demand that people queued days in advance—there was no way any of them could get in.

Thinking of this made the yellow-haired youth’s cheeks pale as paper with regret.

They had, in short, irretrievably missed their chance to make a killing at the perfect moment.

Still, a blessing in disguise, perhaps. None of them really had an eye for business; most would have ended up losing their shirts here anyway… but that’s another matter.

……

While some sat stunned and tormented with regret… Gu Ying was humming as she replenished the dessert display.

They’d worried Gu Ying would hold a grudge, and hid themselves in the deepest corner—but Gu Ying had long forgotten all about them.

She was too busy—replenishing desserts, making drinks, dreaming up new promotions, earning enough money to buy more supplies for the shop. She didn’t have time for grudges.

By day, she worked for Si Zhiyan, hiring someone else to watch the café. After work, she came to tend it herself. It was hectic, but watching the steady flow of money into her accounts, her mood soared higher than ever.

Sitting at the bar, Old Liang remarked, “Didn’t expect your business to be so good.”
“I must be getting old. Do young folks really love coffee this much these days?”

Gu Ying smiled and said, “It’s not really about the coffee.”

“Have you heard of the term ‘third space’?”

She gestured with her hands.

“In our everyday lives, we mostly exist in two spaces. The first is where we live—home. The second is the workspace. But the ‘third space’ is a place outside home and work, where one can relax and unwind.”

Gu Ying’s café was open till one in the morning.

The environment was bright and welcoming, the air filled with coffee’s aroma, classic records playing softly, the atmosphere serene and beautiful.
Off work, if someone didn’t want to go home, or to a smoky bar, they could just sit here for a while…

Gu Ying smiled. “This is that kind of place.”

Besides, thanks to Mr. Si’s well-priced dessert supply, Gu Ying could sell her sweets cheaply.
That brought in a constant stream of customers, with dessert sales rising rapidly.

Within just a few days, she’d already spent her entire advance and needed to buy more supplies from Mr. Si with her café’s earnings.

Every bit of revenue came straight into her own hands.

This was, truly, the perfect business.

Mr. Si Zhiyan was an exceptionally good person.
Gu Ying smiled with heartfelt gratitude.

In a little room elsewhere, unknown to her, Si Zhiyan lay on his rocking chair and also stretched contentedly.

Ah, not only had he solved his surplus dessert inventory problem, but didn’t have to pay Gu Ying’s wages out of pocket—and was even making extra profit!
Gu Ying, meanwhile, showed not a hint of negativity—she seemed happier than ever.

This business was, indeed, as good as it got!

……

Old Liang mused, “You young people really know a lot more than we did.”

“It wasn’t my original idea—it’s been around a while,” Gu Ying replied with a wink. “But tell me, Boss Liang, didn’t you rent a Farm Apartment too?”

Old Liang sighed, “Yeah, I did. But it’s not as big as yours—just a little shop, selling stationery, office supplies, odds and ends.”
“My store is on the second floor. Now that there are more shops on the third, everyone heads upstairs instead, and I’ve lost a lot of foot traffic.”

Gu Ying smiled. “Have you considered opening a second entrance right here on the second floor by the café?”

“There’s a lot of customer traffic here. If anyone needs to buy something late, it would be convenient for both.”

Old Liang’s eyes lit up as he straightened, joy written all over his face. “Really? Young lady, you’d be willing?”

Why not?

With both entrances connected, customers could flow back and forth, and both could make more money.

Gu Ying had wanted to do some promotions—give out pens and sticky notes—and hoped to get her merchandise from Old Liang’s shop.

The two quickly found common ground, and started planning out the details together, excited by the prospect.

As for those brooding and resentful souls sulking in the darkest corner behind them…
They were long forgotten. No one cared.

……

A month flashed by in the blink of an eye.

It was now time for the tenants to report sales and for commissions to be collected.

Si Zhiyan and Bian Xu lounged together in their chairs, nibbling cheesecake and contentedly watching the revenue pour in.

Knock knock!

At that moment, there was a knock at the door.

Bian Xu jumped out of the rocker and opened it to find a slightly plump female office worker standing outside—Bian Xu remembered her name: He Ming. She stepped aside to reveal a balding boss behind her, nervously wringing his hands.

The boss had put on a much-mended suit for the occasion, smiling with a mixture of anxiety and flattery as he handed Si Zhiyan a folder.

“Mr. Si, please take a look—here’s our accounts summary for the month.”