Aurora Perish pondered for a moment. The information she had gathered was enough to understand the reason. After washing her hands, she stepped out and checked the cashier area. The store wasn't too small, but it wasn't particularly big either. The reason it only had two tables was simple—it didn't have many customers.
She glanced at the menu and decided it was better to approach them now rather than later.
At the counter, the store's original owner parents were engaged in conversation while making coffee for themselves. The rich aroma filled the room. Sky Perish was preparing the coffee, while Jamie Osorio was busy cleaning the tables.
Aurora Perish was relieved that, in this life, they weren't burdened with debt. Even though they hadn't renovated the store yet, they had a stable income from their investments. Their focus remained solely on the bakery and its operations.
She waited for the right moment. When Sky Perish finally finished preparing three cups—two coffees and one milk—Aurora Perish raised an eyebrow. Without a word, Sky Perish slid the cup of milk toward her, while the two cups of coffee were placed between Sky Perish and Jamie Osorio.
Even though Aurora Perish wasn't particularly fond of milk, she chose to stay quiet—after all, she was younger now.
As the three of them took a sip of their drinks, Sky Perish bombarded Aurora Perish with questions about why she hadn't told them she wouldn't be coming home last night or why they hadn't been informed in advance. Aurora Perish nonchalantly answered each question without much concern.
Seeing this, Jamie Osorio stepped in and changed the subject. He brought up the conversation he had earlier with Aurora Perish. Sky Perish listened attentively while also observing his daughter, who seemed like she wanted to say something. Jamie Osorio noticed it too, so they both waited patiently while continuing their discussion.
When the conversation finally shifted to the topic of the store, Aurora Perish could no longer hold back and spoke up.
"Should we change something in the store?" she asked.
The two, who had been patiently waiting for her opinion, were both delighted and confused.
Instead of asking, "Why do you think so?" Jamie Osorio asked, "What needs to be changed?" Both adults turned their attention to their daughter, their expressions full of curiosity. Despite the pressure, Aurora Perish wasn't afraid to speak up.
Aurora Perish answered the question without hesitation. "The store looks plain, and it doesn't have much appeal on the outside. The interior is just as uninspiring—it doesn't reflect the charm or character that would draw people in. The front of the store has no real display or variation, just a basic wooden table. The menu is another issue; how would a non-local know what we're offering? The descriptions are unclear, and the variety isn't noticeable. And let's not even talk about the desserts—they lack any visual appeal to catch someone's eye."
Jamie Osorio and Sky Perish were both stunned; it had never crossed their minds before.
Sky Perish's eyes sparkled as he gazed at his daughter. Seeing both Jamie and Sky looking at her expectantly, as if urging her to continue, Aurora Perish began explaining the flaws in the store and how they could improve it without requiring a large investment.
She suggested several ideas to attract more customers. First, she pointed out that the menu needed an upgrade—not just in variety but also in presentation. The current menu was plain and uninspiring, so she recommended redesigning it with high-quality photos of the dishes. "People eat with their eyes first," she explained. "A well-presented menu can make a huge difference in a customer's choice." She also suggested printing a large display board with images of their best-selling dishes to place outside, drawing in passersby who might not have considered dining there otherwise.
Another issue was visibility. Aurora noted that the store's signage was old and not very noticeable. She proposed refreshing it with brighter colors and a modern font, making it easier to spot from a distance. Additionally, she suggests promoting the store on social media, sharing daily specials and behind the scenes kitchen moments to engage potential customers.
But so far, she didn't know if there were any social media platforms that allowed users to post photos in this era, so she chose not to mention it.
As they sat and discussed these ideas, the three of them didn't even realize how much time had passed—it was already late afternoon by the time they finished their conversation.
At first, Aurora Perish had been hesitant. She's worried that Jamie Osorio and Sky Perish might not agree with her suggestions, but to her surprise, they were open to her ideas. Seeing their positive reactions, she felt relieved.
Sky Perish and Jamie Osorio praised Aurora Perish for her brilliant ideas, grinning from ear to ear. They thought their daughter was incredibly smart.
Seeing them like this, Aurora Perish couldn't help but feel a twinge of envy. Even though she had been nearly thirty in her past life, she had never received parental affection. Her focus had always been on survival, constantly thinking about how to make a living.
The only thing that kept her going back then was playing video games. Some adults had pitied her and gifted her their child old gaming consoles.
From that moment on, her life had changed because of it.
She vaguely remembered their faces, but she knew for sure that they had kind and gentle appearances.
A smile unconsciously formed on her lips as she recalled those memories.
As time passed, the day of school finally arrived.
Jamie Osorio was so worried about Aurora Perish's uniform that he made sure it was perfectly clean and ironed multiple times. By the time Aurora Perish touched it, it was still warm.
He had probably ironed it several times, both at night and in the morning, just to make sure it was flawless.
Not a single wrinkle or stain could be found—it was spotless and neatly pressed, showing just how much care he had put into it.
Aurora Perish couldn't help but feel touched.
She wanted to cry at the thought of going to school again, but no tears came. Instead, her face looked as if she had been through hell multiple times.