Chapter 1

The first day of summer vacation also marked the opening of LenXiao·Merrill's "Bread Tree."

This bakery was a birthday gift from her older sister Elena Merrill for her 19th birthday, setting it apart from all other bakeries: at its center stands a large artificial tree, with colorful ribbons winding around hundreds of loaves of bread that hang like emerald leaves— customers can simply reach out and pick whatever they like. The name "Bread Tree" derives precisely from this feature.

Lensoe Merrill resembled a fragile porcelain doll: her skin was so fair it seemed translucent when pressed, and her large eyes occupied half of her face—clear yet tinged with detachment. Five years earlier, her parents had died in a plane crash; her brother, Elena Merrill, took over the family business, working tirelessly yet always shielding her. Two years ago, an accident diagnosed her with autism—a condition that, despite improvement through treatment, left her still confined to her own world and struggling with social interaction.

She had just started her freshman year at university, and fearing she might feel lonely during the summer break, her brother meticulously prepared this bakery. Although LenXiao·Merrill initially refused to take over, he ultimately agreed after seeing the earnest hope in his brother's eyes, vowing to manage it diligently throughout the summer.

Business was slow on the first day of operation, except for one man who caught her attention briefly—he took a crumbly bread while she was organizing ribbons, took a bite, and was about to leave when she stopped him; instead of paying, he rushed into the kitchen and baked ten loaves using her ingredients as compensation, speaking in a domineering manner that demanded punishment. LenXiao·Merrill was already annoyed by the difficulty finding her accounting books, and this incident made her eyes well up with anger, but she quickly dismissed it—she always paid only brief attention to trivial matters and people.

She didn't tell her brother about it, thinking it was just a minor incident that wouldn't happen again.

But the next morning, the boy appeared again.

Sunlight bathed him as his tousled hair fluttered slightly in the breeze; his smile was dazzling, and he carried a canvas bag in his hand. He walked straight up to LenXiao Merrill and said, "Hey, I saw you posted a job ad for a baker at your door—I'd like to apply."

Len Xiao Merrill was taken aback for a moment, recognizing him as the very person who had eaten for free the previous day. A hint of surprise crossed his eyes, yet he still asked softly, "Are you here to apply for a position?"

She was not a stingy person; it was merely a piece of bread, and moreover, the bread he baked yesterday tasted truly excellent. More importantly, the baker responsible for baking bread yesterday was dismissed by her with a few harsh words after losing the ledger, and then simply quit his job. She posted a job advertisement but had never held high hopes. She even thought to herself that if no one came, she might as well close the shop and go home, avoiding further trouble for her brother.

"Yeah, with nothing to do during summer vacation, I love eating bread but can't afford to open my own shop—so I figured I'd come here and make a living." The boy's gaze swept over the bread tree; a faint, barely noticeable look of admiration flashed in his eyes before he quickly reverted to his usual carefree demeanor.

Lensoe Merrill pointed to the job posting on the door: "The salary is very low—are you sure?"

"It doesn't matter—just having a salary is enough, but I have one condition," the boy said with a hearty laugh. "I can eat as much bread as I want every day; you can't stop me."

Len Xiao Merrill couldn't help but smile slightly—the request was too simple. She nodded and said, "Sure, we won't sell them all anyway."

The boy immediately dropped the canvas bag on the counter, rolled up his sleeves, and headed for the kitchen: "I'm going to work right now!"

"No, come back tomorrow," Lunxiao Merrill said urgently, holding his hand. "It's already noon. You should prepare the bread and hang it up by now; it's getting dark, and no one will buy it. Bread left overnight loses its freshness. Come at four or five tomorrow—I'll help hang it at six."

"There were buyers this afternoon too," the boy said with a raised eyebrow and a confident tone. "I guarantee that afternoon's sales will equal your total earnings from the past two days!"

Before even hearing any rebuttal from LenXiao·Merrill, he slung the canvas bag over her shoulder, turned, and rushed into the kitchen, turning back to shout, "My name's Ye Xuan—don't keep calling me 'Wai Wai Wai'! And don't say' no 'to me; we'll see!"

The kitchen door closed with a loud "bang." LenXiao·Merrill stood there, her bag still in hand, as the rich aroma of bread gradually filled her nostrils. With a helpless sigh, she walked to the bread tree, carefully arranged the ribbons, and placed the freshly delivered flowers beside it, making the entire shop look as if it had stepped straight out of a fairy tale.

Before they knew it, two hours had passed; the aroma of bread grew stronger, and LenXiao·Merrill's stomach began growling.

"Dang-dang-dang!" The kitchen door opened, and Ye Xuan stepped out, carrying a plate of steaming bread—his face slightly dusted with flour, yet his smile still radiant.

When the steam dissipated, Lunsiao Merrill was utterly stunned—the breads on the plate came in every imaginable shape: tiny flowers, plump little animals, adorable big-headed dolls, stars, and heart shapes—so exquisite that one could hardly bring themselves to take a bite.

"Impressive, right? In just two hours, you made over a hundred!" Karl Jess said proudly, shaking his chin while bringing out more loaves of bread. "Hurry—help pack them and hang them up; they'll sell out by this afternoon."

Len Xiao Meili regained her composure, put on sterilized gloves, and carefully packaged the bread—yet a doubt arose in her mind: why would this suddenly appeared young man, with such exceptional bread-baking skills, come to her humble shop to apply? Moreover, his gaze toward the bread tree seemed far more than mere curiosity.

What she didn't know was that Karl Jess stood behind her, observing her profile as she carefully packaged the bread—a flicker of complex emotions flashing in his eyes, too fleeting to capture. This encounter, which seemed accidental, was never truly accidental.