The Onion-Cutting Ninja's Secret Crush

76 A Chat with a Stranger

Li Shui wasn't the only person from Bright Yellow Water that had a chance meeting. Xiao Ming didn't quite know where to go after splitting up with the others so finally, he walked into a nearby bookstore.

He knew that the next two weeks would be stressful. Running around outside was definitely something that would be fun every now and then but, to be honest, staying at home would probably be more relaxing. And for him, other than cooking, the best way to achieve that would be to read a nice book. He hadn't taken many along so he felt it best to stock up on some new ones while he was out.

He started to browse the shelves, looking for some familiar names in the hopes that maybe there would be a new volume to some of his favorite series or maybe something completely new. He didn't usually keep up with news on his favorite authors so it was usually a fun coincidental discovery if he got his hands on a new one.

Just when he was going to one of the shelves, somebody suddenly called out to him.

"Mister Xiao."

Xiao Ming raised his head and looked to the side, finding a good-looking and really well-dressed man standing a couple of steps away that might be in his late twenties. He looked vaguely familiar but Xiao Ming wasn't sure where he had seen him before. He looked at him blankly for a moment, not quite sure should react.

The other person was none other than Si Qi. After sitting in the coffee for a while, he had really done as he had told Si Er and gone to the closest bookstore. After browsing around for a while, he had gone to the next and then the next, and finally, he landed here.

He knew that he was just doing this to run away from his problems. Being surrounded by books had always calmed him down. If he could, he probably would've just pulled one out at random and started reading somewhere but that would really be too much even for him.

When he was trying to work up the courage to leave, he had suddenly spotted Xiao Ming. After seeing him so often on the live stream and then also seeing him in person at the casting yesterday, he had no trouble recognizing him. But judging by Xiao Ming's expression, the other man didn't quite know where to put him.

Si Qi smiled faintly and then walked closer, shaking his head at himself. "I'm sorry. You are probably busy right now. My name is Shi Ru Qiu. I'm one of the contestants in 'Golden Spoon' so we saw each other at the casting yesterday."

Xiao Ming nodded with some relief when the other person actually told him where they had met, feeling that this was nice. And he had even given him such a good excuse. "So it was Mister Shi. I'm sorry I was lost in thought just now and needed a moment. I was looking for ..." He turned to the bookshelf, wanting to point at something when he realized which book he had just wanted to pull out. It was one that had been written by none other than Shi Ru Qiu. The same name he had just heard from the other man.

Xiao Ming stared at it in confusion for a moment before he turned around, wondering if this was just a strange coincidence.

Si Qi hadn't noticed what book he was currently looking at and was just wondering if maybe he had done the wrong thing by approaching. He hurriedly looked away, rubbing his arm. He couldn't help but feel that he wasn't welcome once again. It felt like no matter where or when, he would always be rejected. "I'm sorry for bothering you. Really. I didn't want anything just to say hello since I recognized you. I should leave now." He hurriedly inclined his head and turned away.

Xiao Ming realized that he was being impolite. He hurriedly stepped to the side, stopping Si Qi in his steps. "No, it's me who should be sorry. I just saw the same name on the bookshelf and my mind just wandered off for a moment."

Si Qi looked over and then couldn't help but smile. "Oh, that. It's actually my favorite standalone novel among all of my works."

Xiao Ming stared in a daze once again, feeling like he had just found out something incredible. "I'm sorry, I probably shouldn't ask this but do you mean to say that you are that Shi Ru Qiu?"