020 Leaning Against the Window, Enjoying the Joyful Night Rain (2)

This was a painstakingly long process. Shen Yunyi supported Ming Xichen and staggered upstairs. Then, he fumbled to unlock the door, handling her with the utmost care, fearing that he might accidentally hurt her. Meanwhile, he was constantly on edge, worried that she might suddenly regain full sobriety, turn around, and look at him with those big, innocent eyes, a look of utter bewilderment on her face.

Shen Yunyi laid Ming Xichen gently on the bed. He hesitated for a moment, then planted a soft kiss on her eyebrows. It landed like a delicate feather floating down, leaving a tingle and a warmth in its wake.

At some point, Ming Xichen had slipped into a deep slumber. Shen Yunyi sat there, quietly gazing at her peaceful sleeping face. His eyes were brimming with tenderness, a tenderness that flowed like a gentle stream. In his eyes, when she lay there quietly in the shared silence, she resembled a cute little kitten. And right now, this naughty kitten was snoring softly.

Shen Yunyi rose from the bed and walked over to the floor - to - ceiling window. He drew back the curtain and closed the window. The night wind had died down, and the lead - gray moonlight streamed in. He stared out of the huge window at the hazy night view, which was as mysterious and enchanting as the mist - covered West Lake. He cast a most sincere look at the city in the dead of night, grateful to this city for bringing him the chance to meet Ming Xichen.

Back in the bedroom, Xichen was sleeping soundly. Shen Yunyi picked up his phone. The time on the screen read 04:17. He decided not to even attempt sleep, knowing full well that slumber would elude him. He walked out of the bedroom and made his way to the wine cabinet in the living room. Bottles of fine foreign wines were neatly arranged in the ice - filled wine barrel. He wondered why they were so orderly. Maybe when one was in a good mood, even chaos could seem organized. At this thought, a faint smile played on Shen Yunyi's lips.

He poured half a glass of wine and dropped in a small ice cube. Shen Yunyi fixed his eyes on the ice cube slowly sinking in the wine. He was waiting for it to melt, secretly in a contest with it. The ice cube seemed to put up a stubborn resistance, refusing to yield. But he was in no rush. He waited patiently, engaged in this most fascinating tug - of - war.

In the end, Shen Yunyi lost. Just as he was about to finish his drink, a deafening thunderclap shattered the silence. He shifted his gaze to the window. Rain had started out of nowhere, accompanied by streaks of lightning. The scattered pedestrians on the street all scurried away in a hurry.

The continuous pitter - patter of the rain seemed to pierce through time and space.

Shen Yunyi quickly closed the living - room window. The rain was coming down harder and harder.

This city, or rather this night, gradually transformed into a vivid oil painting of a southern Chinese water town. Mist and haze cloaked everything. Pedestrians were lost in the misty rain, and the outside world sparkled. A bolt of lightning split the line between darkness and light, suddenly looking beautiful in a cruel and sharp way.

Shen Yunyi returned to the bed.

Maybe because of the thunder, Xichen stirred in her sleep. Shen Yunyi gently stroked her face and whispered, "Don't be afraid. I'm here."

Silence. Her breathing grew gentle. Only the sound of the rain persisted, adding a deeper layer to the silence, making it even more profound.

Ming Xichen was lying on the left side of the bed, and Shen Yunyi sat on the right. After a few minutes, he too lay down.

She soon drifted back into a deep sleep.

But he remained wide awake.

Lying beside her, fully conscious.

Silence. The rain continued to fall. Shen Yunyi felt not a trace of drowsiness.

He sat up, sat there in a daze for a while, and then slowly lay down in the empty space on the right side of Xichen, listening to her even breathing.

He sat up again, then leaned towards her. It was as if this was an irresistible urge. If he didn't do it, the warm current coursing through his body would never subside. Shen Yunyi gently traced the contours of her face with his fingers: the straight nose, the well - defined chin, and the soft, tender skin. Then he lightly touched her closed eyelids. Her thick eyelashes cast a shadow, and beneath them lay a pair of eyes that could break his heart. He yearned to kiss them.

But he resisted. He didn't kiss her. He just lay closer to her, face to face.

Daylight soon broke.

The rain had stopped.

The rain had come in a wild, hasty rush but left as quickly and gently as it had arrived.

Shen Yunyi got up and walked into the bathroom. Standing under the shower head, the warm water cascaded down, tickling his back. He began to relish this feeling.