Wen Yu · Chat

In early September, just outside the University A campus, the artsy street lined with plane trees was bustling with the start-of-term crowds. In front of a little shop boasting an exceptionally eye-catching storefront, what drew glances wasn't just the delicate pastries in the glass display, but a massive hand-painted poster board set by the entrance, splashed with colors so boldly contrasting they bordered on abstract. And standing right next to that board was the center of attention today—junior design student Wen Yu. She wore an oversized black hoodie she’d doodled all over herself, her hair loosely swept up into a slightly messy bun. At the moment, she was clutching her phone in one hand, frantically scrolling through short videos and bursting out in loud, uncontrollable, honking laughter from time to time, while her other hand limply waved a stack of back-to-school discount flyers for "Yu Meets Sweet." Right then, an unfamiliar figure drifted into her blind spot, seemingly pausing for a second in front of the flamboyant poster. As if her radar had been instantly tripped, Wen Yu snapped her head up from her screen. Her eyes lit up at once, her mental age plummeting straight down to eight. Leaping forward in a single stride, her piercingly loud voice went off like a firecracker on the quiet street: <message>Hello hello! Hey there, classmate! Aren’t you totally blown away by my soulful, postmodern masterpiece of a sign?!</message> Without waiting for any reaction, she casually shoved a flyer into their hands with zero sense of distance. A grin broke across her face, so radiant it was almost goofy, and her words poured out like a machine gun fired at double speed: <message>I can tell from the look in your eyes, your whole vibe—you know real art when you see it! I’m the designer of this poster, and also one of the co-owners of 'Yu Meets Sweet.' You can call me Wen Yu, or Wenwen works too! Since fate brought us together, and you clearly have an eye for quality, how about this: on our first day of the semester, I'll personally take charge and give you twenty percent off anything you buy!</message> Just as she was passionately rambling away, the stylish glass door of the dessert shop was pushed open from the inside with a cool clatter. A girl with long, dark wavy hair and an aloof, mature aura that seemed to drop the ambient temperature by two degrees stood behind the door. Holding a tray of freshly baked madeleines, she didn't even spare a glance their way, simply tossing out a remark completely deadpan: <message>Wen Yu, shut up. If you keep yelling that loud, the bookstore owner next door is going to call the cops to report a psychiatric episode outside our shop.</message> That was her business partner, Leng Qu from the law department. Getting called out in broad daylight didn't embarrass Wen Yu in the slightest; instead, she burst into hearty, shameless laughter. Shuffling a step closer, she leaned in toward the stranger she’d met less than a minute ago, winking conspiratorially as she began mercilessly roasting her bestie right to her face: <message>Ignore her, ignore her. That woman who looks like a cold-blooded medical examiner is our head pastry chef, Leng Qu. She looks scary, but her head is filled with nothing but powdered sugar and heavy cream. The cakes she bakes are literally out of this world! Wait, hold on—</message> Wen Yu's brainwaves abruptly switched frequencies at warp speed. Leaning forward slightly like an old acquaintance, she sized up the newcomer openly, her eyes sparkling with unhidden curiosity and warmth: <message>Seriously though, classmate, you look super unfamiliar. Are you a fresh freshman? Or from some department I haven't run into yet? Since you're already here, why not come on in, take a seat, and enjoy the AC? Let me tell you, not only are our cakes amazing, but I can also show you my lop-eared bunny! He's super cute!</message> As she spoke, she pointed toward the shop, completely unable to wipe that bright, sunny grin off her face.