Chapter 74: Night Rain

—A wave of passionate fervor descended upon them at the same moment.

Her scalding tears were kissed away one by one by her lover, and the surging tide of desire had already mercilessly swallowed her whole. She had always said she was like a fish that couldn’t swim. Back then, even falling into a windless lake nearly drowned her; now, floating on this vast sea, there was no chance of escape.

He pulled her down fiercely. The mature man exuded an almost fatal allure, his strong arms tightly encircling her waist, his burning palms inch by inch caressing her back. Her rain-soaked clothes became accomplices to their rising passion, the humid air amplifying every sensation a thousandfold.

Kisses led to disarray. It wasn’t him she surrendered to—it was her own desire for him. Her body seemed to have a will of its own, automatically accepting all his intimacies. Unconsciously, her hands clung tightly to his neck. His hair was cold and wet, and even now, drops of rain occasionally fell onto her cheeks. Suddenly, the world spun, and she was pressed onto the sofa. A catastrophic tsunami crashed over her, leaving no choice but to drift along with the current.

—He had never kissed her like this before.

Even during their most passionate moments, there had always been restraint. Now, it seemed as though he had abandoned all control. Yet, she found herself captivated by this newfound forcefulness. When he bit and kissed her neck, even her fingertips tingled. Heavy breathing signaled the derailment ahead. Though many words remained unspoken, their bodies yearned to express their fervent love first.

The curves of her body were greedily claimed by her lover. In her daze, she reached out to touch his chest, only to feel his wildly beating heart pounding against her palm. An even stronger surge of desire rose within her. She couldn’t help but start unbuttoning his shirt, and when she opened it slightly, she saw his Adam’s apple bobbing up and down. His arm stiffened momentarily where it braced beside her, and then his burning hands bypassed her clothes to directly touch her…

Click—

Thud.

A sudden noise came from the doorway, and blinding light flooded the room at the same time.

“Xixi, are you back?” Min Rui’s voice rang out from the entrance, bustling and lively. “I bought some beef and sweet spicy snacks. Let’s have hot pot tonight!—What the hell is all this water? Did you bring your shoes inside? You—”

…It stopped abruptly.

Though Yin Mengxi had immediately pushed Xiao Zhi away and sat up on the couch the moment she heard Min Rui’s voice, the traces of their intimacy couldn’t be erased in just a few seconds—her disheveled hair, heavy breathing, and undone collar, her expression one of panic akin to being caught in the act…

Before she could grab a cushion to hide herself, Min Rui marched into the living room. Her teasing gaze swept over Yin Mengxi and then landed on Xiao Zhi, who had just risen from her. The teasing turned to shock, and even the ever-unflappable Min was left speechless.

“Senior… Xiao…”

How awkward was this scene? It was almost as embarrassing as when Yin Mengxi had unexpectedly met her boyfriend’s mother at his house years ago. Her entire body burned with embarrassment, and after a while, she heard Xiao Zhi clear his throat a few times, equally uncomfortable, replying, “…Hello.”

Min Rui finally realized her presence was unwelcome in this moment of rekindled passion. Embracing the pragmatic mindset of “might as well look,” she took a good, appreciative look at Senior Xiao’s half-unbuttoned, exquisite torso before slowly and awkwardly retreating toward her room, muttering, “Uh, I’ll head back to my room… You two continue, you two continue…”

…Continue what?

Yin Mengxi’s face felt hot enough to fry eggs on. She thought she’d never be able to show her face again, bowing her head and nervously fidgeting with her fingers. Even after Min closed her bedroom door, she still refused to look up. The abruptly interrupted passion still lingered, but neither of them could easily let it continue. Xiao Zhi coughed again, and after a brief silence, gently patted her back, asking softly, “…Which one is your room?”

Huh?

What kind of question was that?

Did he mean…?

“No, we can’t…” She shook her head frantically, her eyes still glistening from the earlier arousal. “The soundproofing in this apartment is terrible…”

…What nonsense.

He paused, realizing she had misunderstood. He merely wanted her to go change her clothes, not… anything else.

Her realization doubled the awkwardness. What did that make her seem like?

“I didn’t mean it like that…” This time, even her neck turned red, and she curled into an even smaller ball on the couch. “I wasn’t thinking…”

He seemed to laugh, his voice low and soft. His long arms wrapped around her waist again, and his lingering kisses returned to her lips. Desire surged back faster than she anticipated. Dazed, she heard him sigh in her ear.

“It’s me who wants to…”

He kissed her earlobe while his other hand gently stroked her flushed cheek.

“…I want to so much.”

…What was this?

Seducing her?

He seemed to know how much she loved him, how captivating his gaze was. So he kept staring at her, using his deeply hypnotic affection to lure her into endless surrender. And indeed, she couldn’t resist, easily falling into the hastily woven trap of his desire. As he kissed her deeply, she heard him ask, “…To my place?”

Such a hypocritical question—he had already scooped her up before she could answer. His embrace was the last remaining rock amidst turbulent waves. All she could do was cling tightly to his neck and elope recklessly with him in a chaotic swirl of breaths.

Anywhere would do.

I just want… to be with you.

Who knows how they made it back to his place that night?

He drove, speeding frighteningly fast. Passion had fried both their brains, and even at red lights, they kissed messily, their hands tightly clasped, palms slick with sweat.

It was still raining outside. She was so disoriented she barely knew where he had taken her, only vaguely aware it wasn’t the old family building near the school. From the underground garage, as soon as they entered the elevator, he pinned her to the corner and kissed her, his dominance making her legs go weak. Once inside his home, things escalated further. Darkness encouraged every wicked thought about desire to run wild.

“Xiao Zhi…”

At some point, “Senior” had reverted back to “Xiao Zhi.” Their breakup had been so difficult, yet now the shift felt easy. Perhaps in her heart, he had never been “Senior” or “Teacher Xiao”—just the boy she liked, her tender lover… her Xiao Zhi.

He seemed to hear her, yet maybe not. His kisses remained just as fervent. When he carried her to the bed, she was once again enveloped in his scent. Utter security and terror visited her simultaneously. She felt like the richest person in the world, yet also as if she were about to lose everything.

She cried the moment before possession, inexplicable tears sliding from the corner of her eye onto the back of his hand. The pain resonated in both their hearts—they understood, yet didn’t fully understand. He gently wiped away her tears, his breathing more hazy than the rain outside. Time’s labyrinth overlapped in that moment, making her recall a similarly beautiful rainy night many years ago.

“I’m sorry…”

He apologized again, every touch cautious, as if she might break at any moment. But she only shook her head, appearing forgiving on the surface, yet still punishing him with her relentless tears.

“I like you…”

She stabbed him with such a bittersweet confession.

“…I’ve always liked you…”

How cruel, making him bleed. Worse still, the few rare instances of “I like you” from memory crowded in to torment him, reminding him that every confession of hers had come with tears.

“I know…”

He had lost completely, at her mercy. He didn’t know how to erase those jagged scars from the past. It seemed first love could remain so obscure, even after all these years, leaving them unable to decipher it.

“…I love you.”

—What is love?

I thought I could let go, but in reality, over these seven years apart, I repeatedly remembered. At first, the regret was sharp and unforgettable. Over time, it faded, worn down by the years. I thought everything would end quietly, but the moment I saw you again, all those false healings lost their meaning.

…I still want to be with you.

Only with you.

You don’t need to know many things—like the fact that the C grade I gave you all those years ago wasn’t really mine. Or that I went looking for you the second year after our breakup. Or that every Lunar New Year, at exactly the second minute of the first day, I still send a “Happy New Year” message to your long-unused QQ account… These fragments don’t need to be recounted. Just as there are things you won’t tell me, like the umbrella you bought but lied was a classmate’s, or the calls you dialed but hung up halfway through. And more wounds you’ve endured alone, which I still don’t know about.

But there are some things you should know.

I love you with the same careful consideration you do. Many years ago, I thought it through deeply. Mundane life is nothing but repetition; some people need constant stimulation to keep going—but I’m not like that. As long as your eyes are still bright when you’re by my side, I believe our lives are still full of surprises every day.

She seemed to cry even harder, her trembling lips kissing him. Fiery waves surged ceaselessly. Perhaps the destination of first love is guarded heavily yet utterly defenseless. He kept soothing her, taking everything from her amid her sobs and giving her all of himself. She secretly resented his false tenderness, yet was conquered wholeheartedly by the genuine steadfastness behind it.

Amidst the ongoing turbulence, only the night rain outside continued to fall steadily. Spring’s whispers sounded like her unbearable moans, lingering poignantly through countless mornings and evenings. Cold and warmth were separated by the thinnest of lines—perhaps that was the most enchanting part of spring rain.

—Did you hear it?

It says I love you.