Chapter 8 : " A sudden Storm "

The summer heat lingered in the air, thick and heavy, as Zhenya wrapped her arms around Huimin at the airport.

"Take care," she whispered, squeezing her friend one last time before stepping back.

"You too," Huimin said with a warm smile. "Text me when you reach home."

Zhenya nodded before turning toward the terminal exit. The airport was buzzing with travelers, but she barely paid attention. Her mind was elsewhere—on the exhausting days of shooting for the university's promotional video and on Tang Xi's endless complaints about their failed plan. But none of that mattered now. The semester was over. It was finally summer vacation.

As she reached outside, she pulled out her phone to check the cab she had booked earlier. Her fingers hovered over the screen as she frowned. Cancelled.

A sudden gust of wind swept through the area, rustling her loose strands of hair. The sky, once clear, had turned an ominous shade of gray. The storm forecast had been right after all. Any minute now, the downpour would begin.

She sighed, rubbing her temples. Finding another ride in this weather would be a nightmare.

Not far away, a sleek black car slowed down near the curb. Inside, Yuan Zi leaned back against the seat, his gaze shifting to the lone figure standing with her phone in hand. His brows furrowed. He rolled down the window and spoke to the driver.

"Stop the car."

The driver obeyed without question. Yuan Zi pushed open the door slightly and called out, "Zhenya, get in."

She didn't react.

He frowned. "Zhenya."

She still didn't look up. From the way she avoided even glancing in his direction, he realized she had no idea it was him.

Impatient, he added, "The storm's coming soon. If you don't want to be drenched, get in. Otherwise, I'll leave."

Her fingers froze mid-scroll. That voice…

She lifted her gaze, and her eyes widened.

"Mr. Yuan?"

"Who else?" he said flatly. "Are you coming or not?"

Zhenya hesitated for a moment before stepping forward and slipping into the car. As the door shut, the first few drops of rain splattered against the window.

"Thank you, Mr. Yuan," she murmured, tucking her phone away.

He glanced at her. "You can call me Yuan Zi."

She blinked at him before nodding. "Okay."

Silence settled between them as the car pulled away from the curb. The rhythmic patter of rain grew heavier, drumming against the roof. Yuan Zi adjusted his seat slightly before asking, "Where's your address? I'll drop you off."

"You're heading home too?" she asked, glancing at him.

"Mm," he hummed. "I finished my work. I have free time now."

She nodded, giving him her address. As the car sped through the rain-soaked streets, she found herself stealing a glance at him. Yuan Zi, the celebrity she had admired from afar, was now sitting beside her, casually driving her home in the middle of a storm.

The car came to a gentle stop in front of Zhenya's home. The storm had calmed for a brief moment, but the air still carried the scent of rain, hinting that it might return any second. Inside the car, Zhenya stirred, her head resting lightly on Yuan Zi's shoulder.

"Zhenya," Yuan Zi called her name softly.

She blinked awake, realizing the position she was in. Her cheeks flushed as she quickly pulled away, straightening herself. Without another word, she reached for the door handle and stepped out in haste, as if the cool night air could erase the warmth that lingered between them.

Yuan Zi rolled down the window, watching her with an unreadable expression.

She turned back, offering a small, grateful smile. "Thank you for bringing me home."

He gave a slow nod.

"Drive safe," she added before making her way to the door. Within moments, she disappeared inside.

Yuan Zi leaned back against his seat, exhaling softly. "Let's go," he instructed the driver.

As the car pulled away, the streetlights casting fleeting shadows along the wet pavement, something on the seat beside him caught his attention. Zhenya's phone. A smirk tugged at his lips as he picked it up, running his thumb over the smooth screen.

When he arrived home, the familiar warmth of his mother's voice greeted him.

"You're back," she said, smiling. "Go freshen up and come for dinner."

Yuan Zi nodded, but his gaze lingered on the phone in his hand. He had a reason to see Zhenya again. And he wasn't sure if that was a good thing—or something far more dangerous.

The moment Zhenya stepped inside, a familiar warmth enveloped her.

"Zhenya!"

Before she could react, her elder sister, Ning Ruiya, pulled her into a tight embrace. Ruiya had come all the way from her in-laws' house upon hearing that Zhenya would be home tonight.

"I missed you," Ruiya said, her voice filled with affection.

Before Zhenya could respond, the sound of tiny feet pattering against the wooden floor reached her ears. A small figure came rushing toward her—her two-year-old nephew. His face lit up the moment he saw her.

"Auntie!" he called out, his little arms stretching toward her.

Zhenya's heart melted as she bent down, scooping him into her arms. "Did you miss me, hmm?" she asked, pressing a gentle kiss to his cheek.

The family gathered around the dining table for dinner, laughter and conversation filling the room. The comforting aroma of home-cooked food wrapped around Zhenya like a long-lost embrace. It felt good to be home.

Later that night, she lay in bed, staring at the ceiling, lost in thought.

Her mind replayed the evening's events—the way the storm had softened into a drizzle, the warmth of Yuan Zi's presence beside her in the car, and the moment she had woken up to find her head resting on his shoulder.

She groaned, rolling onto her side. How could she have fallen asleep like that? And on his shoulder of all places?

She turned onto her other side.

This was the same Yuan Zi she had admired from a distance for years. The same man who seemed so untouchable, like a star shining far beyond her reach. And yet, tonight, he had been the one to send her home.

Pulling the blanket over her face, she let out a small, embarrassed laugh.

It all felt so unreal.

And yet, her heart refused to calm down

The storm had come again, this time with a vengeance. Thunder cracked through the night, shaking the windows of Yuan Zi's house as the rain poured relentlessly outside. The sweet smell of rain filled the air, a scent that seemed to linger in his lungs, almost too intoxicating.

Yuan Zi sat by the window, his eyes not on the storm, but on Zhenya's phone. Her phone. He could still feel the warmth of her presence in his hands, even though she was far away, tucked into the comfort of her own home, asleep.

His heart tugged as he stared at the screen, his fingers brushing against the edge of the device. He knew he should distance himself. He knew the consequences of getting too close. The paparazzi were always lurking, always waiting for a slip-up. If they ever got a whiff of him being involved with Zhenya, the rumors would spread like wildfire.

But he couldn't.

Not now. Not when the thought of returning her phone tomorrow felt like the hardest thing he'd ever have to do.

He sighed, the thunder rumbling in the distance, a reminder of the chaos outside. He would return it tomorrow, but tonight, he couldn't bring himself to let go of the small piece of her that lingered in his hands.