The soft tone, still carrying a heavy nasal quality, sounded like a spoiled plea.
Qi Rui’s blood surged, a vein throbbing on his forehead.
His fingers loosened subconsciously. As if to conceal his inexplicable emotions, Qi Rui scowled, though had his flushed ears been unnoticeable, his expression would have been far more intimidating.
“You’re so pampered. Is it that bad? It’s just a scratch, don’t cry.”
Shen Yue didn’t want to cry. As an adult, crying so easily was truly embarrassing, but she couldn’t control herself at all. Tears streamed down uncontrollably, as if they had a will of their own.
The girl’s thin eyelids were red from crying, and her fair chin bore two finger marks, making her look like she had been thoroughly bullied.
She held back her sobs, still trying to comfort the boy.
“It’s okay, I’ll be fine if I just cry for a bit.”
After all, the pain would pass in this moment.
Qi Rui felt an unease watching her. He helped Shen Yue inside and poured her a glass of water.
His gaze involuntarily drifted to the injured corner of Shen Yue’s mouth, his palms sweating.
——
By evening, a fierce storm had broken out, with torrential rain pouring from the sky like a silver curtain.
It rarely rained in the summer, so this sudden downpour delighted the villagers.
Fish, like waterfalls, were tossed by the wind, appearing misty and ethereal.
Raindrops hammered against the windowpane like a secret wire mesh.
Shen Yue had finished preparing dinner, but Qi Rui hadn't emerged yet. He was usually the most eager for meals, often coming out on his own just by the smell.
She set the table, arranged the chopsticks, and then walked to the room door, knocking a few times.
“What?”
A muffled, low voice came from inside the room.
Shen Yue said, “Come out to eat.”
“Not eating.”
The boy’s voice was quiet and dejected. 138 Reading Network.
Shen Yue sensed something was amiss, but after the previous incident, she didn't dare to open the door and go in without permission.
After trying to persuade him for a few minutes, the boy inside remained silent. Shen Yue, helpless, decided to eat by herself, leaving half the food for him, in case Qi Rui got hungry in the middle of the night.
After tending to her grandmother, Shen Yue took a bath. It was already late, and outside the thunder roared and lightning flashed. The trees swayed precariously in the wind, and the deafening thunder sounded right by her ears.
Just as she was about to enter her room, Shen Yue hesitated upon seeing the closed door of the room next door. She then gently pushed it open and went in.
The room was pitch black, the window tightly shut. Because the curtains were thin, flashes of lightning cast streaks of cool light into the room.
A large lump protruded from beneath the covers on the bed. Shen Yue walked to the bedside and discovered that the boy was completely enveloped in his quilt, not a single strand of hair exposed.
Although it was raining outside, the room felt stiflingly hot. Even though the quilt was thin, it was still warm to wear.
Fearing he might suffocate, Shen Yue pulled open a corner of the quilt.
In the darkness, Shen Yue couldn't see the boy's face clearly. She turned and felt for a candle nearby, lit it, illuminating a small area.
Qi Rui seemed to be in a bad state.
In his dazed state, he thought he heard someone calling his name.
Qi Rui opened his eyes upon hearing the voice. His vision was blurred amidst the chaos of his nerves.
Cold sweat beaded on his forehead. Having been confined in the sealed quilt for so long, his breathing was rapid, and he greedily inhaled the fresh air outside.
Shen Yue noticed the boy's distress and softly asked, "Qi Rui, are you feeling unwell?"
The boy’s eyelids drooped, casting a shadow in the dark. His face was pale, like a blank sheet of paper.
He looked dazed, lacking the vibrancy he had during the day.
"Qi Rui?"
"Qi Rui?"
After calling him twice without a response, Shen Yue reached out to touch the boy's forehead to check if he had a cold.
Qi Rui's forehead was covered in sweat, cold to the touch. His temperature seemed normal; he didn't have a cold.
Just as she was about to withdraw her hand, it was grasped by a sticky, hot palm. The grip was firm, as if he feared she would run away.
Shen Yue could feel the boy's hand trembling.
As if… afraid?
Qi Rui lay on the bed, looking up at her. His dark eyes made his pale face even more striking, his lips devoid of color. "Don't go..."
His fingers tightened, his expression appearing helpless and his mind in disarray. "Don't go..."
A deafening clap of thunder echoed from outside, followed by a blinding flash of light that lasted a second. Qi Rui flinched as if startled, his lips beginning to tremble.
More sweat streamed down his face; he looked as if he had been fished out of water. The veins on the back of his hand bulged, and his breathing was extremely erratic.
His voice, low and hoarse, seemed to carry a plea, "Don't go..."
He whimpered, like a wounded beast.
It was as if, if Shen Yue didn't agree, he would burst into tears the next moment.
Shen Yue, with her soft heart, couldn't possibly leave. Seeing the boy in such a state, her heart melted like water.
It was hard to imagine that a boy who appeared so defiant, seemingly fearless and impregnable, was actually this afraid of thunder.
He was like a child who hadn't grown up yet.
The girl's eyes softened, her voice becoming increasingly gentle, as if she were afraid of startling Qi Rui.
"I'm not leaving, don't be scared."
Qi Rui tightly gripped the girl's hand. In the dim light, his face was still very pale, his eyelashes trembling restlessly. He seemed to be trapped in a nightmare, muttering incoherently in his sleep.
Shen Yue pulled up a low stool and sat by the bed, gently coaxing the distressed Qi Rui. Perhaps it was her voice, so incredibly soft, or perhaps it was the gentle touch of her hand.
Qi Rui, who had been trembling subtly, slowly calmed down. He curled up, his cheek pressed against the girl's hand.
——
As dawn broke, the chirping of birds could be heard among the branches, and warm sunlight streamed in.
The morning sunlight was serene and elegant.
Qi Rui's eyelashes fluttered. He instinctively nuzzled against the softness pressed against his cheek; it felt cool.
A few seconds later, Qi Rui's mind finally quieted and cleared. He looked up and realized his hand was clasped with someone else's.
The fingers were cool and slender, with tips tinged pink, like tender pink buds, very beautiful.
Qi Rui seemed to hear the flow of blood in his own veins. He saw Shen Yue's face.
So, they had held hands all night.
Qi Rui looked at the girl's hand, feeling a mix of excitement, shame, and a touch of bewildered caution.
Wait!
Why were they holding hands?
Had Shen Yue seen him in his most disheveled state last night!
Qi Rui abruptly sat up in bed as if shocked by electricity. He unconsciously tightened his grip on the quilt, his back damp with sticky sweat.
He glanced at the girl again, noticing her slightly furrowed brows, which suggested she wasn't very comfortable.
It was no wonder she wasn't comfortable, having slept in that position all night.
Qi Rui quietly got out of bed and gently lifted the girl onto the bed. She was surprisingly light, her bones sharp even through the fabric. He felt as though he could lift her with just one hand.
Why was she so thin?
Qi Rui frowned involuntarily, wondering where all the food Shen Yue ate had gone to nourish her.