Chapter 18
Karl bought the highest tier called 'A Smut Criminal.'
"Well, at least I can read it earlier than the others," he thought, shrugging.
However, when he glanced toward the store entrance, a couple of customers walked in, as if reminding him that his enjoyment was about to come to an end.
A man in a suit with a stiff face headed for the drinks section, while a young woman who appeared to be in a hurry walked straight to the counter with a carton of milk in her hand.
"You again," the woman mumbled. Her hair was tied back, and her face looked familiar, as if Karl had seen her before—maybe one of the gym visitors. "Why are you always the one at the chasier?"
Karl straightened his back, putting on a half-hearted smile. "Destiny, maybe," he replied while scanning the barcode on the milk carton.
The woman glanced at Karl's phone screen, which was still lit up on the counter, showing the title of the novel he was reading.
"Oh, you're reading some web novel too?" she said, her eyes widening slightly as if she had discovered something interesting.
"Uh, yeah," Karl scratched the back of his head. "Just passing the time."
The woman smiled faintly. "I like reading web novels too. Sometimes they're more interesting than regular books."
Karl stared at her for a moment, trying to gauge whether this was a sign that a romantic relationship might begin with an exchange of social media IDs.