The Utopia of the Wastewood Prince

Chapter 17

17

Zhang Muqing blinked at Shen Yi, with a complicated expression on her face, and did not speak.

Shen Yi was not surprised, he said as if chatting with Zhang Muqing: "This bookstore has been around for a few years. I used to come here often when I was in school. Back then the business of the bookstore was better than it is now." He said This one stood up and shuttled through several rows of bookshelves, which looked like a treasure hunt.Finally, he took out a copy of "A Certain Super-Scientific Electromagnetic Gun" from the bottom corner and flipped through it. He found his goal on a certain page, and happily sat back on his seat with the book.

"The book was still new when I borrowed it for the first time." Shen Yi read it with great interest while talking to Zhang Muqing, "But I took it to school to read, and I have a very stupid mind. My classmate accidentally drew notes on it, which caused me to be scolded by the boss. It’s here, look.” He turned the page to Zhang Muqing, and there was a trace of a blue ballpoint pen next to Misaka Mikoto’s head , where is it accidentally drawn, it is clearly a kaomoji, it is deliberate at first glance.

"Why...you can draw something on a comic book." Zhang Muqing finally spoke, but her voice was very low, "It's annoying."

"Yes, very annoying." Shen Yi said, "Because I haven't talked to him for more than a week. I struggled for a long time and didn't know how to tell the boss. Although I was scolded in the end, but The boss thinks that I am a regular customer, so he made an exception. When did you find this place?" He changed the subject suddenly.

"Me?" Zhang Muqing really thought about it, and said, "When I was in junior high school, I came here to buy tutorial books, only to find out what was inside."

Shen Yi asked: "At that time, did you know nothing about comics, or were you already interested?"

Zhang Muqing shook her head: "I've only watched cartoons on TV before, I didn't know there were such things as comics."

"It seems to be almost the same." Shen Yi smiled, "Unconsciously, I found that this world is really interesting, much more fun than real life. When I was in school, my parents were very strict about my pocket money. Not to mention the comic books. Comic books are not cheap, so I often come to borrow them, or squat here for a long time on weekends to read them. There are some exchanges, after all, in my era, there are really not many people who like to watch anime." He paused, and asked Zhang Muqing with the same interest, "It should be much more convenient for you children now, the Internet It’s so developed, you can read whatever you want, and you don’t have to travel all the way here. The physical book has finally fallen…” Speaking of this, Shen Yi seemed to be a little sad.

There are only the two of them and the boss in this empty small bookstore.The boss played games as usual, and even cursed at critical moments. He didn't care if the two people inside would steal anything. Maybe in such a crappy place, there were old books and nothing of value. something.

"The boss was still a friend back then." Shen Yi pointed quietly, and said in a low voice, "At that time, he was young and thinner than now. How time flies, he has become a good-for-nothing uncle."

Zhang Muqing said: "I, I think this is very good..." He lowered his head, his shoulders were retracted, and he looked very reserved, "There is a place where you can be free."

"But people have to face reality after all." Shen Yi said pointedly, "No matter how good the manga is, you still have to go to school and do your homework when the time comes. Happiness and freedom are always relative."

Zhang Muqing was silent.

Shen Yi also remained silent for a while, the outside noise was blocked by the window, making it a bit hazy.After a while, he tentatively asked: "Can you tell me... your story?"

"I..." Zhang Muqing only uttered this word, and said no more.Shen Yi stared at him, knowing it in his heart.No one would confide in someone they met for the first time. Although Zhang Muqing knew about V5, the Internet was too illusory. Who knew the truth?Shen Yi was able to sit here and let Zhang Muqing let go of his guard and chat with him, which was much more successful than Li Jiaoyang.Because Li Jiaoyang's way of handling things all comes from his real life, but most of these boys and girls who are addicted to animation and comics are trying their best to escape from reality.

It may be too heavy to avoid talking, but people will choose a happier way of living.

"Do you come here every day?" Shen Yi asked.

"No." Zhang Muqing said, "I will come out for a while when my parents are away."

"Oh." Shen Yi nodded.He looked at Zhang Muqing carefully. Although he looked very decadent, and his expression was cowardly and weak when he spoke, and he didn't even dare to look at him, but this child was not annoying, he only felt a little pitiful.Shen Yi guessed that Zhang Muqing's middle school days might not have been much better. The decadence and cowardice might be due to the unhealed trauma she received before, but introversion and lack of self-confidence should have always accompanied Zhang Muqing.

Zhang Muqing is a handsome boy, thin and thin, with a small face as big as a palm. This kind of boy can usually play two roles in campus life.Those with a good personality will become the "darling" among boys, and those with a bad personality may become the targets of bullying.Children do not respect the independent space and differences of others. As long as a person is a little bit different from the public, he will be laughed at. The most obvious is the prominent sexual characteristics during the development period, if the development is too fast or too good , always have to spend a shameful and cautious adolescence.

Apparently Zhang Muqing is the one with a bad personality, as can be seen from Huazhiwan's description.Fortunately, he discovered this bookstore, discovered this quiet little world in the busy city, and found a safe haven for a child of his age.There are too few bookstores now, and the few remaining ones either specialize in selling tutoring materials, or are well-decorated, with bookshelves full of literary and artistic books or bestsellers.Young students read comics and novels on their mobile phones, which is convenient and fast. No one wants to go out of the house and walk into a dilapidated small bookstore to read a few tattered comic books.

But he came in by accident, and he had a place where he could stay and breathe in the cruel life.

Shen Yi raised his head, feeling a little nostalgic for what happened ten years ago, or even longer ago.In front of that bookshelf, I can vaguely see my own shadow. The big and ugly school uniform should be neatly worn, and the hair is neatly cut. The boy standing in front of the bookshelf is flipping through comic books with relish, and there is an old man on top of his head. The ceiling fan whirred, and the summer outside and the chirping of cicadas were right next to my ears.

Many summers have been like this, and they are accompanied by the joys and pains of the youthful years, never to return.

"When do you go to school?" Shen Yi asked.

Zhang Muqing whispered, "I don't want to go."

"Why?" Shen Yi continued to ask, "Afraid of facing your classmates?"

Zhang Muqing nodded first, but then shook her head again.

Shen Yi stood up a little, leaned forward, touched Zhang Muqing's head, and said in a low voice, "I'm not afraid."

After that, Shen Yi didn't mention any school matters to Zhang Muqing, but chatted with him about cartoons for a while.There is not a small age difference between the two of them, and the animations they watch are naturally divided by ages.However, Shen Yi firmly believes that the golden age of Japanese animation has passed, and although there are more and more new episodes now, it is no longer the era when his masterpieces were flying all over the sky.

From Zhang Muqing's Otomo Keyang, he talked about "The Story of the Abroad without the Emperor's Blade", and from whether Aslan is a scumbag to murderous tennis, and then there are several new episodes that are very popular nowadays.Some Zhang Muqing had read it and could chat for a few words, while some Zhang Muqing hadn't read it and could only listen to Shen Yi's talk.

Finally, Shen Yi jokingly asked: "You learn to draw, do you also have a dream of becoming a cartoonist?"

"Yes, there is." When it came to the word dream, Zhang Muqing felt a little embarrassed, and her voice became even softer, "However, there is still a long way to go."

"Man, the most difficult thing is knowing that you are far away from your dream, but you still have to work hard to pursue it, like moths to a flame." Shen Yi said, "Young man, come on." He sighed, feeling that today's The conversation needs to stop here.He restrained and politely did not ask the bottom of Zhang Muqing's matter, nor did he inquire into Zhang Muqing's deeper privacy and secrets.Because he felt that he should have a chance to see Zhang Muqing again.

For two days on the weekend, Shen Yi really stayed at home for 48 hours without going out, and basically relied on takeaways for meals. He was not even happy when Li Jiaoyang asked him to go out to play.

"Since when did I like playing basketball?" Shen Yi scolded Li Jiaoyang, "Have you been kicked in the head?"

Li Jiaoyang said: "I just told you to come out and play sports, you don't know how to learn! How can a man not know how to play basketball?" This set of theory that "boys must be able to play basketball" has been used by Li Jiaoyang since his student days.

"I! No! Want to! Learn!" Shen Yi emphasized loudly, "Not every man has to like basketball!"

"Then..." Li Jiaoyang said, "Football is fine too."

Shen Yi vomited blood, he was really too lazy to talk to Li Jiaoyang, so he just hung up the phone.In order to prevent Li Jiaoyang from continuing to pester him, Shen Yi deliberately blocked Li Jiaoyang's cell phone number.

The whole world is quiet.

Shen Yi was not idle, he asked Zhang Chunqiang to ask if he could get in touch with the cowardly wife who was plagiarized by Xi Jiujiu.Who is Zhang Chunqiang, even though he is old and has been out of the arena for a long time, it is still easy to contact someone.In the past few days, she has contacted Qizi through the relationship of various gay friends of gay friends.

"Why are you looking for her?" Zhang Chunqiang asked Shen Yi.

"It's just to establish a network first." Shen Yi typed and replied, "Whether it can be used or not depends on Xi Jiujiu's performance."

"You've finally decided to attack her personally? All right, young man." Zhang Chunqiang made an expression of "admiration", and then asked, "Have you finished with that little puppet girl?"

"No." Shen Yi said, "It's just a preliminary chat. I didn't ask in depth. It's the first time we meet. It's not good to ask more. Let's talk about it later."

"What about Xi Jiujiu? Do you have a solution?"

"There is a way." Shen Yi only beat this half of the past, and there was nothing to say afterward.Because he suddenly remembered that what he had planned for a long time was missing an important link, that is, Xi Jiujiu is not Mu, he knows what Mu thinks but he doesn't know what Xi Jiujiu thinks, so where can he contact Xi Jiujiu? How about asking someone out after a long time?What's more, why did Xi Jiujiu come out?

In desperation, Shen Yi had no choice but to release Li Jiaoyang from the blacklist, and dialed back the phone.

But no one answered.

This call was not connected until the evening, and it was Li Jiaoyang who called back.As soon as the phone call was made, before Li Jiaoyang could speak, Shen Yi yelled angrily, "Where have you been? Why can't you get through the phone? Are you dead!"

Li Jiaoyang was stunned by the scolding, and he coaxed like a conditioned reflex: "No, I was on the court in the afternoon, maybe the signal is not very good, after the game, I went to take a shower and eat a meal, so far Oh, I just saw your missed call. What's the matter, little bird, miss me?"

"I want you to die!"

"Don't!" Li Jiaoyang snorted.

Shen Yi took a deep breath, calmed down his anger, and said, "Go and contact Lan Ye, and tell him to ask Xi Jiujiu out, no matter what tricks or tricks you use."

"Huh?" Li Jiaoyang was stuck, "What are you doing?"

"Just do it, why are there so many?"

"Okay, okay." Li Jiaoyang compromised, "What are you talking about? Wait, I'll sacrifice my appearance to get this done."