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Translated by: Peri
Jiang Qi knew the moment he said those words, the
two people on the opposite side would be puzzled. He knew it when they stared
at him as if he was crazy.
But he didn't lie. He did have the idea of finding a
cheap place to open a small supermarket.
This is something he had told Zhiqi before. Probably
when they were in sophomore year in high school.
At that time, there was a very popular convenience
store around No. 3 Middle School, one of those prototype versions of a Family
Chain. Generally, high school students like buying fast food there at noon or
after self-study in the evening.
They used to go there for 'dates' a lot. There had
been a lot of rainy and misty days in the past. After class, the two of them would often go
to the convenience store and sit by the window to eat instant noodles.
Usually, students don't like to go out when it
rains. Most of them would hide in the classroom. However, the two of them
surprisingly would run out even in the rain.
— on the bright side, there would
be fewer people.
Zhiqi's fluffy hair would be soaked at the tips and her
wet black eyes under the thin bangs would sparkle as she raises her head to smile
at him.
After many years, Jiang Qi still remembers the
feeling in his heart at that time.
He just... he really wanted to kiss her.
But Jiang Qi had already understood what not
overstepping and having restraint meant. In front of Zhiqi, he always pretended
to be a human being.
So in the end, they haven’t kissed yet.
In a serene and soft atmosphere, the little girl had
looked at the rainbow outside the glass window after the rain. Then she would look
at him with some anticipation, "Jiang Qi, it would be nice if we could
open a supermarket together in the future."
Jiang Qi listened and replied 'Um' seriously.
Thinking about it now, their idea was naive and
ridiculous. Although, it was not as unrealistic as when someone says 'I want to
be a high official and make a fortune'.
And now that he is part of the bizarre vain industry,
it is even more unrealistic and exaggerated. But Jiang Qi still misses that single
simple wish.
If only he could open a supermarket with Zhiqi.
As long as the two of them are together...actually
anything is fine.
The boy's long eyelashes drooped down and there was
a trace of loneliness in his eyes, but it was very short and fleeting to be
caught by anyone.
His whole body seemed to be enveloped by a vague
layer of void, as if refusing to be pried on and approached.
Shen Lei and Wang Zhaoqiu looked at each other and
were a little speechless for a while.
It's really... It's because of Jiang Qi's goal that
they didn’t know how to convince him.
It wasn’t the first time Shen Lei encountered an
artist who wanted to quit the entertainment industry, but most of their reasons
could be immigration, sudden wealth from a family, losing interest as an actor,
or pursuing better developmental prospects like engaging in investment and
entrepreneurship.
It was the first time to hear from a rising star of
wanting to quit the entertainment industry to go home and open a supermarket.
This, this, this… how should people persuade him?
Truly, this is even more difficult to persuade. If
Jiang Qi's wishes were unrealistic, then Shen Lei could just use fame and
fortune with low investment and high return in the entertainment industry to
keep him, but Jiang Qi's rationale is very simple and it seems that he has
thought about it carefully which is more difficult to change.
Also, Jiang Qi's reason for opening a supermarket
sounded very 'casual'.
His urgings can only keep those who have desires in
their hearts, but not people who do whatever they want.
It’s regretful seeing such a highly talented rookie
about to quit no matter how he thinks about it. He could only sigh with
embarrassment.
It took a while for Shen Lei to pretend to be stupid.
He then laughed hard, "Jiang Qi, are you kidding me?"
"No."
Jiang Qi just shook his head sincerely. He paused to
think and said, "I can attend the meeting you mentioned."
Shen Lei had said before that he would organize a fan
meeting for the crew of "Wang Tian", but Jiang Qi was reluctant to
attend the fan meeting and face the cameras, thus he kept avoiding it.
But it doesn't matter now.
Shen Lei's heart thumped and he understood Jiang
Qi's meaning almost immediately.
He wanted to take the opportunity of the fan meeting
to announce the news of his withdrawal from the entertainment industry - he
didn't even sign a company, so the press conference was saved.
***