Chapter 10: Chapter 10 Starting Over, He Intends Not to Waste Any More Time.

The small noodle shop where they went to eat was still in its trial opening since not many people in the alley knew about it.

When they entered, there were only two or three tables occupied, so they could choose a good spot.

Xie Xiao handed over the menu to the waiter after Luo Yanran ordered and said, "Just make mine the same as hers, and oh, one of the bowls should have no green onions or cilantro."

Luo Yanran uttered an "Ah" and said, "I don't want those in my bowl either."

The waiter asked, "So that's both bowls without those?"

Xie Xiao quickly waved his hand, "No, it's just one bowl—I was speaking for you."

He said the last sentence to Luo Yanran.

Luo Yanran looked at him curiously, "How did you know I don't eat cilantro and onions?"

Xie Xiao thought to himself that he knew much more than that.

But of course, he couldn't say that, he just smiled and said, "I overheard it once before in the canteen when I was behind you and your classmate."

Luo Yanran blinked, unsure if she had ever mentioned that in the canteen.

She had no recollection of it, but there was no reason for Xie Xiao to lie to her.

So, Luo Yanran just nodded.

The atmosphere between them suddenly became a bit awkward, as they actually didn't seem to know each other well, at most they were classmates from the same school.

Now, suddenly sitting together for a meal, awkwardness was inevitable.

Xie Xiao's gaze kept involuntarily resting on her face. After she had passed away in his previous life, he had suffered for over a month, then one night after taking sleeping pills, when he opened his eyes, he was back to the night of that party.

He had not seen her for over a month before that.

"Is there something on my face?" His gaze was too direct and obvious, making Luo Yanran nervous. She couldn't help but touch her cheek. seaʀᴄh thё Nôvel(F)ire.nёt website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.

Xie Xiao shook his head with a smile, "No, it's just that you're really beautiful, senior."

Luo Yanran was taken aback for a moment; many people had said that to her, but this was the first time she heard Xie Xiao say it.

After he spoke, Xie Xiao felt that something was off, damn, why did that sound so flirtatious?

He cleared his throat softly, "No, I mean, senior, you have a very distinct appearance, you don't really look like the other girls."

...It would've been better not to explain.

Xie Xiao felt perhaps it would have been better if he just kept quiet.

Indeed, Luo Yanran gave him a puzzled look, "Who looks completely like someone else, unless they're twins?"

After that, both of them fell silent.

The previous times Xie Xiao had interacted with Luo Yanran, she had initiated the conversation, and he, not being in the best state of mind then, naturally couldn't remember what they talked about.

Now enveloped in an awkward silence, Xie Xiao sighed inwardly.

Why couldn't he be more assertive? Wasn't he always able to pick up any conversation easily?

He glanced at Luo Yanran, who was looking down, seemingly lost in thought.

After a while, she spoke, "Actually, if you feel awkward eating with me, you don't have to force yourself. I didn't really want to come out to eat either."

In Luo Yanran's view, Xie Xiao must be feeling awkward just sitting with her because he couldn't refuse her due to getting her information.

So she blurted it out directly, thinking Xie Xiao must be quite uncomfortable, right?

Xie Xiao looked at her and denied directly, "No, I'm not, I just suddenly couldn't think of a topic."

He sighed, "I'm a bit nervous."

Luo Yanran looked up at him, "Nervous about what? You weren't nervous facing so many people in the debate competitions."

Xie Xiao then remembered that he had met Luo Yanran in the debate club. Back then, he was only a freshman, and Luo Yanran, a year his senior, was the vice president.

They had also participated in a debate competition together, and their team even won an award.

Later, because Zhou Mianmian looked so dejected when she said that he spent too much time at the club and that he was too dazzling on stage to approach,

Xie Xiao decisively quit the debate club.

Xie Xiao remembered that Luo Yanran seemed to have privately asked him why he was quitting, but Xie Xiao was in such a hurry to find Zhou Mianmian that he couldn't remember his excuse.

Now, seeing Luo Yanran mentioning the debate competition, Xie Xiao couldn't help but interject, "You still remember that after all this time?"

"I don't remember," Luo Yanran blurted out without thinking, then she remembered she had just brought it up, and saying she didn't would be too fake. She tapped her fingers on the table, "I mean, I heard the juniors mention it and suddenly it all came back to me."

"Ah, if only there were a recording. I never saved any," sighed Xie Xiao with a tone of regret, "I hardly remember my performance back then."

And I don't really remember what you were like then either.

Luo Yanran gave him a look, "There are recordings, the club has kept them. But they would need to be found."

Xie Xiao couldn't hide his surprised expression, "Really? But I probably can't get in, right?"

After all, he had only stayed for one semester before quitting, so he probably didn't have the rights to access them, right?

Seeing him concerned about whether he could get in and really wanting the recordings, Luo Yanran said indifferently as if it was nothing, "I'll look for them when I have time, but only when I'm free."

In reality, she also had backups saved on her phone.

She had watched them countless times. That was when she began to feel something.

Thinking about this, Luo Yanran couldn't help but glance at Xie Xiao, only to meet his smiling eyes.

Her heart skipped a beat and she wanted to look away, but she felt that would be even more awkward, so she tried to maintain a poker face as she held his gaze.

But her ears and cheeks were betraying her, starting to heat up uncontrollably.

Her skin was naturally pale, so even a bit of redness was very noticeable.

Like now, as Xie Xiao's gaze inevitably drifted towards her ears, which were growing redder.

Eventually, he shifted his gaze away gently, "Senior sister seems to blush easily."

Luo Yanran couldn't help but touch her hot ears and cheeks while retorting, "I blush at the slightest bit of heat, it's a physical condition."

But they were still wearing their jackets at the time.

Fortunately, Xie Xiao just nodded with a smile, "That is indeed a unique condition."

Luo Yanran couldn't tell if he was being deliberate or if it was unintentional.

The thing was, it was obviously a lie, a clumsy one at that, yet Xie Xiao said it with such sincerity.

In the end, Luo Yanran decided to just look down and stop talking. Their noodles arrived just then,

Which served as a great relief from the awkwardness.

Xie Xiao glanced at her, "Let's eat."

They began to eat their noodles quietly.

They finished the meal without talking, but Luo Yanran felt the awkwardness between them was fading away slowly.

It turned into a natural coexistence, as if they had eaten noodles together countless times before.

The thought was quite bizarre but it gave her a secret thrill. The idea that this could be their normal interaction didn't seem too bad.

After they finished eating, Xie Xiao suddenly spoke up, "I've thought about contacting senior sister countless times, but I never had the courage."

Luo Yanran looked up at him, "Why? Did you need something from me?"

"Not really something I needed, I just wanted to ask what senior sister was trying to tell me that night?" Xie Xiao looked straight at Luo Yanran.

This time, he didn't plan on wasting any more time.

He would claim his treasure all for himself.