Chapter 122: A Funny Incident at the Restaurant

After resting for a while and feeling the pain in his body subside, Chen Zhe prepared to have Krystal continue helping him practice skating, aiming to master it by this afternoon.

"Alright, Krystal, I've rested enough. How are you feeling? Should we continue?"

Although he wanted her to guide his practice, Chen Zhe wouldn't admit it so plainly. He simply ruffled her hair gently and asked in a low voice.

"Are you really fully recovered, Zhe? Don't push yourself! If not, let’s go to the hospital for a check-up first; we shouldn't risk any lasting issues."

This time, Krystal didn't indulge him. She grabbed his large hand from her hair and pulled it down firmly.

***

Having arrived at Incheon Airport, Chen Zhe and his older sister, Chen Yuqi, exchanged a few jabs before heading to the ticket machines to purchase tickets for the express train bound for Seoul.

After buying their tickets, Chen Zhe followed his sister into the carriage. Once they stowed their luggage on the rack near the exit, he navigated the aisle to find his seat.

It took a while, but Chen Zhe finally found his row. To his delight, he discovered that his seat was a row behind his sister’s—a stroke of luck that meant he could temporarily escape the "she-devil."

His seat was by the window, but the aisle seat was already occupied by a girl wearing a mask, blocking his path.

"Excuse me, could you let me pass? The seat next to you is mine," Chen Zhe said politely in fluent Korean, clearing his throat.

"Oh, sorry, I'll move right away." The girl, who had been staring blankly at her phone, stood up hurriedly, bowed to him, and stepped into the aisle to make room.

After bowing back and thanking her, Chen Zhe walked past her and took his seat. Once settled, he took out his phone, put on his earphones, and began listening to music.

He had downloaded these tracks at home via Wi-Fi before leaving. They were songs he had loved before his rebirth. However, he noticed that many of his favorite songs from his previous life simply did not exist in this world. He mused that it might be due to a shift in the timeline or the butterfly effect caused by his rebirth.

Fortunately, songs by iconic artists like Beyond, Taylor Swift, and Jay Chou still existed, untouched by the ripples of his return.

After listening to music for a while and watching the scenery glide past the train window, he felt a bit bored. After a moment of hesitation, he reached into his backpack and pulled out a sketchbook he had bought just two days prior.

Flipping through the pages filled with sketches of people and landscapes he had drawn recently, Chen Zhe couldn't help but sigh. He hadn't sketched in ages before his rebirth, yet now, the brush felt incredibly natural in his hand—his technique even more refined than before.

He lingered on a sketch he had drawn based on a private autographed photo of Sooyoung that his sister had given him. He could clearly see the marked improvement in his artistic skills.

"Excuse me, did you draw these?"

The girl in the mask sitting next to him seemed drawn to his work; she suddenly leaned in and asked in a soft voice.

"Yes, these are my sketches. Are you interested in drawing too?" Hearing her, Chen Zhe turned his attention away from his internal musings about his sudden artistic prowess. He looked at her with a gentle, friendly smile.

"I am so sorry! I shouldn't have looked without asking. But your sketches are amazing, so I couldn't help but peek. I am truly sorry!"

Upon hearing his question, the girl lowered her head, embarrassed. Peeking at someone's sketchbook without permission was quite rude.

"It's alright, you can look. Feel free to give me some feedback!" Seeing her apology, Chen Zhe waved his hand dismissively. After a brief hesitation, he handed her the sketchbook, signaling for her to take a closer look and share her thoughts.

"Okay!" The girl’s eyes crinkled into a smile. She nodded, took the book, and began to study it carefully.

"May I ask, is this person you drew Sooyoung-sunbaenim?" She scrutinized the figure in the sketch, finding the face increasingly familiar. She began to search her memory, finally connecting the image to a prominent senior she had met before.

However, the Sooyoung in the sketch was dressed in very casual, private attire. She wondered how this man had managed to see and draw her like that.

A flicker of doubt crossed her mind, causing her to frown slightly. After a moment of hesitation, she decided to look up and ask him directly.

"Yes, that’s Sooyoung-noona. But you called her 'sunbaenim'—are you an artist, or perhaps a junior from her school?"

Chen Zhe, who had been watching her since handing over the book, answered immediately. He was curious about why she addressed Sooyoung as "senior."

"I suppose I am a junior artist to Sooyoung-sunbaenim. But you call her 'noona'?"

Hearing how Chen Zhe addressed Sooyoung, the girl frowned slightly, clearly puzzled by his familiarity, and asked in return.

"Yes. My noona is a close friend and classmate of Sooyoung-noona, so at Sooyoung-noona's request, I call her that."

Hearing her response, Chen Zhe’s eyes lit up. He had guessed correctly! He really was a lucky genius. After a moment of self-congratulation, he answered her question.

"You have that kind of connection with Sooyoung-sunbaenim!" The girl's eyes brightened, and her tone became much more cheerful.

"By the way, you're an artist. Are you an idol in a group? Do I know you?"

Chen Zhe hesitated. He was genuinely curious about the girl's identity. Although he knew it was impolite to ask, he couldn't suppress his curiosity.

When he asked the question, the girl’s movements stalled. Chen Zhe could clearly feel her body tense up. The question seemed to make her nervous, and the atmosphere between them suddenly became stagnant.