Chapter 331

One Hundred and Forty Pages Intermission

Seeing no objections, the shopkeeper continued, “To be fair, I have two more requirements. First, neither side can leave the circular square during their campaigning; second, no one else can assist, and it’s forbidden to secretly gather fans. It must rely solely on their own efforts to persuade passersby.”

“Reasonable restrictions, I accept.”

Lín Zǐyè nodded in agreement and added, “But we cannot control individual fan behavior.”

“I understand, but we can only hope for their self-discipline.”

There were regular customers from two stores present, including those who had followed from the beginning and new fans who had heard about it and came afterward, right?

From this perspective, the shopkeeper’s demands weren’t entirely fair.

However, since both sides accepted, it didn’t matter. Xiàlù asked, “What’s the second requirement?”

“Second, you cannot use any benefits to gain support. Not just money, but any external advantages are prohibited!”

“Benefits other than money?”

Xiàlù seemed to understand something and said with disdain, “None of us would sell ourselves! How could we offer such benefits to guests!”

Her face turned slightly red, perhaps imagining inappropriate scenes.

The old man, however, was no better, cursing, “Brat, what nonsense are you thinking? I’m talking about store discounts! If Lín Jia’s boy offers a free buffet for voting, I won’t participate!”

His words were crude, but his logic made sense. If one side offered benefits, guests would naturally choose them, leaving the other side with only two options: lose or offer similar benefits.

Once caught in this arms race, it would be a lose-lose situation.

“You’re overthinking it, sir. I never intended to do that, and your proactive suggestion is great.”

Lín Zǐyè nodded and added, “But I need some time to prepare. Can maids not present also participate?”

My heart sank. Why drag it out?

The adhesive effect was almost gone.

“You, going to seek outside help again?”

Shopkeeper Shēnyáng pointed at Fēi Jiě, who was fixing her messy hair under Senior Lóngkuí’s help. She looked up confusedly when mentioned.

“No way~ She’s a newcomer who just joined recently. I guarantee she’s part of our team!”

The shopkeeper raised an eyebrow, leaning back slightly, displeased.

“The next round is crucial, yet you plan to send a newcomer to compete?”

Lín Zǐyè immediately denied, “No! No disrespect! But if we’re comparing attractiveness, she’s perfect for the job! Please don’t underestimate her, she’s an excellent maid.”

Hmph, mentioning the newcomer to “Peach Cat,” how could I not know his intentions?

This self-praise clearly referred to Ling Xiǎoyè after transformation.

Though they are engaged, compared to Xiàlù’s prickly personality, Lín Zǐyè is smoother and has a thick skin, much like his good friend. As Ling Xiǎoyè, he is very suitable for attracting customers, especially being a heavy maid outfit enthusiast, getting hyped up once he wears one, especially the one left by Líng Shàojié’s mother.

In my view, Jiě as “Kamehameha’s ACE” might not beat Buffed-up Ling Xiǎoyè, despite being equally outgoing. Lín Zǐyè is smart and organized…

“Good! Since you say so, I’ll use my ace too!”

The fool with curry sauce on his lips turned around.

“Oh! Finally letting me play?”

As the current top maid of “Kamehameha,” Jiě seemed eager, but the shopkeeper didn’t plan to let her play.

“Jiě thrives because of her otaku fans, but to attract ordinary people… your intelligence isn’t enough.”

“How blunt! I’ve done flyer distribution before!”

Jiě was greatly discouraged by the shopkeeper’s words.

Senior Lóngkuí thought for a moment and asked, “Are you planning to bring Chāngpú for the competition?”

“Yes, despite her studies, she remains a member. Getting her here quickly isn’t a problem. Xiaojiu can fetch her in no time.”

Shēnyáng went to make a call.

Jiě hadn’t recovered from her disappointment, muttering resentfully beside, “The real ace is Chāngpú, what am I then?”

As her boyfriend, I should comfort her, but do I have the right to speak for Xiǎokǎi?

I hesitated, but Yòuzǐ jumped off my shoulder onto Xiǎolěi’s arm, rubbing her cheek against mine, urging me with her eyes…

Right, such emotional thinking doesn’t suit me now!

If I can’t surpass them, what’s the point of fusion?

“Idiot! Being liked by some is already amazing. Who can please everyone?”

I wiped the curry off her mouth, earning her surprised look.

“Chāngpú will return in half a year. You have plenty of time to build your popularity. Whether you become the true ace maid, we’ll see.”

“Don’t comfort me. I know Chāngpú’s strength better than Zhǎizuò. Even with two to three years, I couldn’t match her.”

She lowered her head, lacking confidence, even I doubted myself when compared to Chāngpú.

Of course, fully unlocked goddess mode makes me stronger, but that’s cheating.

“I heard everything! You guys really think highly of Xiao Xi!”

Lín Zǐyè put his hand to his ear, pretending to eavesdrop, then exaggerated, “She’s truly the best maid outfit wearer… No, she’s an angel sent for maid outfits! Too bad we didn’t discover her earlier.”

When talking about Chāngpú, Lín Zǐyè seemed like a fanatic.

True, she did come to work at “Kamehameha,” which led to her becoming Li Jiànlián.

He doesn’t know she’s a transformer… To protect this fragile hope, I won’t tell him yet.

After contacting Sister Qiūluó, Shēnyáng turned and said, “Lín Jia’s boy! Xiao Xi is my treasure, a money tree, I won’t give her to you!”

“I’ll pay you more! If Xiao Xi stays with me in a maid outfit! Whatever the cost!”

Jiě commented, “I suggest you see a neurologist. Saying such things in front of your fiancée is worse than Zhǎizuò by several AJ!”

Leaving aside Xiàlù’s feelings, what’s the relationship with quantifiers here?

“Making Xiǎoyè face off against the legendary maid of ‘Kamehameha’ is like a novice hero facing a big boss…”

Despite personally taking the stage, Lín Zǐyè acted nonchalant.

“I’ll fetch the person first. Sorry, Língmèng looks urgent. Did I take too much of your time?”

He noticed my impatience.

I politely replied, “It’s fine. I miss seeing Chāngpú in a maid outfit too, so no worries.”

“Good. Lù, let’s go together!”

Xiàlù looked exhausted but stood up and followed her fiancé.

With nothing to do, I sat back in the judge’s seat, waiting, but it had been over half an hour. This time, it lasted much longer, maybe I got used to it?

Grandpa Tuōhǎi leisurely enjoyed the remaining coffee, pouring me a cup.

The pajama maid began explaining the rules for the third round to the crowd.

After a lull, most of the spectators had dispersed. The remaining were regulars and fans from both stores. Considering the game rules, these were the core supporters.

Unfortunately, the numbers weren’t balanced.

Even though the pajama maid warned them not to gather more fans, the disparity ensured an unfair competition.

“Kamehameha” had fewer supporters, so Chāngpú needed to win over neutral路人. However, I didn’t think she’d lose.

Citing Sister Miāomiāo’s idol theory, the maids in a maid café are also idols. Unlike general restaurant staff, they need personal charm to attract customers, so they can’t be uniform and must have strong personalities.

Like Jiě.

Although her body, face, and personality lack femininity (except her cute face), she has multiple times the otaku knowledge (including restricted content) and speaks freely without thinking (no filter). These traits, whether good or bad, support her as the new ace.

Even violent maids like Xiàlù, who could send customers to the hospital with egg fried rice, sometimes receive owner recommendations.

But Chāngpú is different.

She’s not extroverted, lacks a strong personality, and often misunderstands customer topics. Besides her soft voice and striking black-and-white hair, she has no other notable features.

Though the shopkeeper favored her, she wasn’t initially noticeable. Through sincere service and meticulous care, she captured the hearts of otakus who had never experienced kindness from girls, making them spend their wallets on her.

Can Ling Xiǎoyè win against such a unique opponent?

… My vision blurred.

Looks like the adhesive effect is wearing off.