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Su Yuanyi finally relaxed and showed me the payment QR code.
Beep—
[Payment received: six yuan. Thank you for your purchase.]
“Looking forward to your next visit~”
As the electronic voice from the counter faded, I smiled and echoed cheerfully.
Su Yuanyi seemed a little embarrassed, casting me a slightly annoyed glance.
I looked toward the wall clock.
7:42 p.m.
“Yuanyi, if you take the bus now, you should reach home by around eight-ten at the latest—it’ll be safer that way.
Or would you rather stay a bit longer and go back with me after my shift ends?”
She pressed her lips together in thought.
“I’ll wait. Let’s go together.”
“Mm, then how about I find you a book you like to read while you wait?”
She shook her head shyly.
“I want to… talk with you.”
“Alright then, come sit inside.
If you sit on the sofa, customers coming in won’t see us.”
“Mm.”
I moved a stool over for her, and we sat side by side behind the counter, talking softly about the topics she found interesting.
Later, eight more customers came in.
I sold one literary novel and, to my surprise, one calendar card.
Before I knew it, it was already 8:55, and the shop manager returned right on time.
“Oh, Zhao, good work! Your girlfriend’s really pretty.”
“She’s not—why do you always start with that kind of assumption?”
“Because you two look so close.
Hello, young lady. Did you enjoy chatting with Zhao?”
It was only natural for the manager to ask.
After all, a secondhand bookstore isn’t exactly a place for entertainment—aside from reading, chatting is all one can do.
“…Mm.”
Su Yuanyi answered softly, then hid slightly behind me, leaving the manager momentarily stunned.
“Eh? That shy?”
“Mm, she’s still trying to overcome it.”
“I see. Sorry about that, miss. Hope I didn’t scare you.”
Su Yuanyi quickly shook her head.
“No… it’s my… problem…”
“Don’t worry, and don’t push yourself too hard.
These things take time.
Just talk more with Zhao—he’s a chatterbox by nature, after all.”
“Hey~ can’t you at least save me a little face?”
“Didn’t I already leave you some?
Alright, grab your pay, lock the door and flip the sign when you leave.
I’ve got this bag to sort through, which’ll take a while.
Once I’m done, I’ll come down and turn off the lights.”
He gestured to the black plastic bag in his hand, which was bulging—almost the size of a human torso.
“Manager, not to be rude, but with your build and that bag… it really doesn’t look good.
It’s not going to suddenly start moving, right?”
“Ha! You brat—so quick to get revenge, huh?
If inanimate objects could move, I’d rather transmigrate to another world already!”
“Haha, and the title would be *‘I Became the Strongest by Controlling Inanimate Objects in Another World’*?”
“That sounds so-so.
But really, why do you youngsters all love those fighting-filled stories so much?
If you can control objects, why not *‘I Became the Most Renowned Architect in Another World and Everyone Adores Me’*?”
“Whoa~ that’s got major harem vibes!
But come on, if you’re in another world, you’ve got to have some fight scenes, right?”
“Guess people just crave excitement.
And speaking of harems, you’re not one to talk either.
Anyway, enough nonsense—I’ve got work to do.
Take care of the young lady on your way home, alright? I’m counting on you.”
“Got it. Thanks for the reminder, and have a good night.”
“Heh~ likewise, likewise.”
Waving his hand, the manager cheerfully carried the bag upstairs.
I had wanted to ask about the book Su Yuanyi bought earlier, but since it was already on the shelf for sale, and the manager seemed in a good mood after finding something interesting, I decided to leave it for next time.
Just then, Su Yuanyi gently tugged on my sleeve.
“Mm?”
“You just now… seemed kind of… like a real adult.”
Her eyes held a faint look of admiration that made me scratch my head in embarrassment.
“Haha, come on, adults don’t talk so casually, and definitely not about topics like that.”
“Really?”
She tilted her head in thought.
“Hehe, think on it slowly. I’ll go close up the shop.”
Untying my apron with the store logo, I hung it on the designated hook, then operated the register to complete the handover and counted my pay.
I walked around the store, checking all the power switches except for the lights.
Soon, Su Yuanyi and I stepped out together.
After locking the door from inside—since it would stay double-locked—I flipped the “OPEN” sign to “CLOSED.”
That marked the end of my workweek.
Though, well, there were a few little accidents along the way.
“All done. Let’s go.”
“Mm.”
We walked side by side, chatting as we went.
But because District 10 was crowded at night, I soon had to focus on shielding her from the hurried passersby rushing for who knows what reason.
Step by step, we finally reached the station.
“Good work today.”
“Ah?”
Maybe because I’d stopped for a breather—still not quite used to being in dense crowds—she mistook it for fatigue and offered words of encouragement, leaving me momentarily unsure how to respond.
She still lightly tugged at my sleeve.
“Whether it’s working… or… protecting me just now.”
“Oh, thanks for the encouragement.
But that last part’s just what a friend should do, so you don’t have to be so polite.”
“Mm~ fifty points.”
“Don’t give me the same score again. Let’s go.”
Just as I turned to step toward the station, she suddenly grabbed my right hand.
Though I was momentarily startled, I quickly adjusted—after all, I was used to it by now—and looked back at her.
“Because… Nina said… that this is actually… normal. So… I wanted to… try it…”
She stood there shyly, her eyes darting around, her left hand trembling as she held mine.
Her face gradually flushed a soft pink.
“Mm… but you might not be used to it right away. Want to take a moment first?”
I’m fine, but are you sure you can even walk straight like this?
Nina’s always been like that, so no one really misunderstands her.
But I’m not sure Yuanyi’s thought that far ahead.
Even if she doesn’t mind, I figured it’s best not to do this too often in public until she’s more confident—especially at school.
Being able to face things naturally is completely different from being timid and self-conscious.
“No need… just… give me… a moment…”
She said shyly, yet stepped even closer, her right hand wrapping around my wrist as she closed her eyes and took a deep breath.
Though the attention from nearby people made me a little uncomfortable, I couldn’t possibly back away when my friend was trying so hard to move forward.
I’m not sure how much time passed—my focus was entirely on her.
“Let’s go.”
When she finally opened her eyes again and smiled faintly at me, I smiled back and tilted my head toward the ticket gate.
Then we started walking, my pace just slightly slower than usual.
Su Yuanyi clutched her bag strap tightly, head slightly lowered, following me step by step.
But with each step, her grip on my hand grew firmer, betraying the nervousness in her heart.
That tension didn’t last long.
At the ticket gate, she let go in a hurry to pull out her transit card.
After that, she didn’t reach for my hand again—just held her bag with both hands, cheeks still slightly red, walking close beside me.
She must have realized that her feelings were quite different from Nina’s.
Still, in her own way, she had a kind of quiet courage others didn’t.
On the train, the crowd was even denser than the streets.
I had to place one hand against the wall and the other on the door to make space for her.
The real problem was her height—probably about the same as my sister’s, around one-seventy—and her loose collar.
Facing her this closely was awkward.
If I looked down, it’d be uncomfortable for both of us; if I looked up, we might accidentally make eye contact.
Thankfully, there was no sudden jolt or melodramatic stumble.
After fifteen minutes, we arrived in District 6 without incident.
Once we exited the station and the space opened up again, I exhaled in relief.
She tugged at my sleeve again.
“…You okay?”
“Yeah, I just can’t handle crowded places.
Give me a minute to catch my breath.”
“Me… too…”
She released my sleeve, clasping her hands nervously in front of her.
Heh, guess we share that trait. No surprise there.
“Haha, it’s fine now. Let’s hurry—don’t want your parents to worry.”
“Mm.”
She nodded.
But just as I turned toward her neighborhood, I felt a sharp gaze pierce my back.
“Ah, Student Liu… what a coincidence.”
“Not really.
I told you yesterday my house is nearby, so it’s not strange to run into me here.”
Liu Xiaoxue replied calmly, while the boy beside her looked puzzled.
“Hey sis, your friend?”
“…A coworker from my part-time job.”
Her tone was cold—understandably so.
I could guess the reason, but now wasn’t the time to explain.
“Oh, nice to meet you. I’m Liu Chichun—Chi as in ‘pond,’ Chun as in ‘spring.’”
“Hello, I’m Zhao Wangqiu…”
Huh?
“Oh~ what a coincidence!
Spring and Autumn—just missing Summer and Winter.
And since it’s summer now, guess that makes all four seasons complete!”
“Ahaha…”
Good thing my sister isn’t here, or we really *would* have all four seasons.
I’d thought Liu Xiaoxue’s name was just poetic, but I guess there’s a seasonal reason too…
“By the way, my sister said none of her coworkers are younger than her.
So can I call you Brother Qiu?”
“Sure, that’s fine.”
This guy’s pretty good at socializing.
“Then, Brother Qiu, could you introduce us to the lady beside you?”
“Of course.
This is my classmate, Su Yuanyi.
Yuanyi, this is my coworker, Liu Xiaoxue, and her younger brother, Liu Chichun.”
“Hello… I’m Su Yuanyi.”
She managed to say it properly, showing how far she’d come.
“Oh~ hello, Miss Su!
Hmm… or maybe Senior Su sounds more natural? May I call you that?”
“Mm… that’s fine…”
Su Yuanyi seemed to struggle a bit, half-hiding behind me.
“Haha, Senior Su sure is shy.
Totally unlike my sister—she just pretends to be cold but is actually warm inside.”
Liu Chichun chuckled awkwardly, placing a hand on Liu Xiaoxue’s shoulder.
Oof, true enough, but that was a pretty clumsy attempt to smooth things over.
“You’re so annoying.”
Liu Xiaoxue swatted his hand away without hesitation.
“Don’t be so stingy. What’s the big deal?”
“Because you’re always so careless. I wish you’d be more self-aware.”
Eh?
Wait, was that jab aimed at *me* too?
“Huh? Really?”
“Honestly… you’re hopeless sometimes.”
After sighing, Liu Xiaoxue glanced at us again.
“Sorry, Zhao, Su.
My brother can be a bit much—hope you don’t mind.”
“Of course not.
And Yuanyi’s indeed shy, but she’s been working hard to overcome it.
She also lives in District 6, so if you ever run into her, please say hi when you can.”
“I see.”
Liu Xiaoxue nodded thoughtfully, studying Su Yuanyi before continuing.
“Mm, I do kind of remember you.
But since we usually see each other in school uniforms, I didn’t recognize you right away—your vibe’s totally different in casual clothes.”
“Haha, well, she does stand out quite a bit.
Let’s hope we don’t trouble you too much.”
“Not at all. Actually…”
Liu Xiaoxue paused, then asked:
“Su, when you were little, did you often play at the small park in the middle of Tianjin Street?”
“Eh?… Mm.
Before third grade… I used to go there often.”
“Then we must’ve met a few times.
I stopped going there around third grade too, so you probably don’t remember.”
“Huh?! Wait, I used to go with you, sis!
How come *I* don’t remember her at all?”
“You were always off playing wild games with those other kids—no way you’d notice a quiet girl like her.”
“That’s not true!
It’s *because* she stood out that I should’ve noticed!”
“Who even remembers things that clearly from childhood?
Besides, you sometimes went alone too, and half the time, you and your friends were probably teasing her.”
“Eh?!~ Don’t say that! Now I feel super guilty!”
…So they *did* bully her after all.
Well, at that age, maybe it couldn’t be helped.
Su Yuanyi tugged gently at my sleeve and shook her head.
“I… wasn’t… bullied.”
“Ah~ that’s good.
I thought my sister was gonna scold me again.”
“I can’t be bothered.
Just be more aware next time.
Anyway, we should head home.”
“Huh? Already? I wanted to talk more!”
“Sigh.
Be mindful of the time and place.”
After shaking her head helplessly, Liu Xiaoxue looked at us.
“Zhao, Su—it was nice chatting, but it’s getting late.
Let’s talk more next time.”
“Mm, we should head home too. See you next time.”
“Then we’ll go first.
Good night.”
“Mm, good night.”
“Whoa~ Hey! Sis, don’t pull me—bye, Brother Qiu! Bye, Senior Su!”
Heh, that guy definitely raised his voice when calling Yuanyi.
“Good night…”
After Su Yuanyi murmured softly, I heard her exhale in relief.
“You alright?”
“Mm.
Liu’s actually… really kind.
But her brother… I’m not good at handling him.”
“But you didn’t even use your phone once today, did you notice?”
“Eh?… Oh, you’re right…”
“See? You did amazing.
Feeling more confident now?”
“Mm…”
She lowered her head slightly, gently holding my wrist without saying a word.
“Yuanyi?”
“Let’s go.”
She released my wrist—only to naturally take my hand again.
For a second, I almost thought it was Nina.
“…You sure you’re okay with this?”
“Mm!”
So, we walked side by side down the now-familiar street toward her home.
“Wangqiu.”
Halfway there, she suddenly called my name.
“Mm?”
“I… understand now… how Nina feels.”
“Huh?”
“Your hand… it’s so warm…”
“Hah~ give it a few more weeks, it’ll be *too* warm.
When summer hits, I hope you two will spare me some mercy.”
I’m not one to sweat easily, but with summer coming, that wish came from the heart.
“Hehe… thank you.”
“Hm? What’s that for?”
“Because… it’s thanks to you all… that I learned… there’s more than one person… who’ll genuinely be good to me.
So… I’ll work… even harder.”
“Careful not to overdo it. Moderation’s key.”
“Mm… so… I will.”
—
You’ve got to see this next! Not Me, The Fans will keep you on the edge of your seat. Start reading today!
Read : Not Me, The Fans
