31: Chapter 31 It rained before the Big Bang

Although the conversation between Shen Weiyue and Zhao Qingyan was short, even years later, remembering it would still make one involuntarily curl the corners of their mouth.

We love receiving praise the most, yet this world is full of criticism everywhere.

But it is precisely because criticism is omnipresent that a sincere word of praise becomes so precious, so much so that it is impossible to forget for a lifetime.

Shen Weiyue looked at Zhao Qingyan and smiled happily.

For the first time, that fox also smiled like a blooming flower while looking into his eyes.

And the third person behind them tasted the bitterness of youth alone.

Especially when evening self-study ended and Shen Weiyue said goodbye to Zhao Qingyan as usual, only to receive a 'Bye-bye' in response.

This bitterness became even more intense.

"Ning Xi, why do you look so aggrieved? Who upset you?"

"Nothing, I'm just not feeling well."

"Is it low blood sugar? Here, have a White Rabbit candy to help you feel better."

"Ah... thank you."

"I'm leaving first, bye-bye."

"Bye-bye."

Ning Xi waved with her right hand, clutching the White Rabbit milk candy tightly in her left, and laughed happily.

Zhao Qingyan glanced at her and said nothing.

...

"Master Shen, you really stole the show tonight. I won't buy you a hot dog; you should be buying one for me instead to comfort my wounded soul."

Ye Lingtao slumped his shoulders, looking listless.

Shen Weiyue teased him, "How did you get wounded?"

"Baldy Gao called me out, saying my composition score was the worst. It was like he was parading me through the streets; it's so damn hurtful."

"Oh, that's true. Then I'll buy you a sausage to heal your wounds."

Shen Weiyue treated him to a grilled sausage with extra chili powder, and they parted ways at the crossroads on time.

Just a few seconds after they left, a sudden rain shower began.

High school boys almost never have the habit of carrying umbrellas. Shen Weiyue ran desperately along the edge of the alley, but he couldn't stop himself from quickly becoming a drowned rat.

"Student Shen, Student Shen!"

The rain was pouring down like a bucket, crashing onto the ground with a loud clatter, making it difficult to hear even a shout from close by.

Shen Weiyue didn't actually hear Teacher Liang's call, but out of subconscious intuition, he turned his head as he passed by and saw her under an umbrella.

Teacher Liang's long dress was more than half wet, and her shoulders were soaked too; she was waving at him.

"Teacher Liang?"

"Why didn't you bring an umbrella? Come in quickly."

"There's no need. I'm already soaked anyway. Your umbrella is too small; just covering yourself is enough."

"I told you to come in, so come in! Hurry up."

Teacher Liang almost dragged him under the umbrella. Shen Weiyue wiped the rainwater off his face, one hand pressing tightly against his pocket.

In this day and age, mobile phones aren't waterproof; he was really afraid of getting it wet.

Seeing his awkward state, Teacher Liang couldn't help but laugh.

"Teacher Liang, stop laughing at me. Look at yourself; your dress is soaked..."

Although the dim streetlights were faint, after being drenched by the rain, Teacher Liang's dress clung to her body, revealing her perfect curves without reservation.

"Uh, the rain is really heavy."

Shen Weiyue couldn't help but exclaim.

Damn it, this encounter was too sudden. The person in the rain was like a wisteria flower blooming quietly—breathtakingly beautiful.

"Yes, it is. You are looking at... hmm?"

Teacher Liang was shocked and hurriedly reached out to cover his eyes, but in her panic, she covered Shen Weiyue's mouth instead.

A cold, rainy night, and warm, gentle breath.

Time seemed to freeze for that second. Shen Weiyue subconsciously grabbed her hand, and Teacher Liang frowned.

"You..."

"Teacher Liang, are you trying to suffocate me?"

Shen Weiyue's reaction was very quick. With a calm expression as if nothing had happened, he naturally removed her delicate hand and jokingly teased her.

"Suffocate you, you little rascal."

Teacher Liang muttered in her heart, her face filled with shyness, but her eyes kept fixed on his gaze.

Once there was any sign of Shen Weiyue's gaze moving downward, she would immediately stop him.

Two adults huddled under a small folding umbrella, as if they had propped up an independent little world. Outside was the noise of the mundane world, while inside was the peace of time.

Undercurrents of affection surged, unknown to others, while the drenched teenager shivered.

"You... move closer. Most of your shoulder is exposed; aren't you cold?"

"The May rain is actually fine, but it is indeed a bit cold when it falls at night."

Shen Weiyue squeezed closer to Teacher Liang, basically pressed against each other, counting as huddling together for warmth.

Having had the experience of sending him to the hospital for a high fever last time, Teacher Liang didn't say much and pointed ahead, saying, "The rain is too heavy. Let's go hide in that corner for a while and leave when it gets lighter."

"Okay."

Shen Weiyue carefully inched toward that side while pressing against Teacher Liang. The rainwater on the ground was like a rushing stream, flowing over their insteps and making it hard to see the road.

Teacher Liang stepped on a stone and almost twisted her ankle, so Shen Weiyue simply reached out to hold her shoulder and walked over there.

A dazzling flash of lightning streaked across the night sky, and a thunderclap boomed, causing Teacher Liang to tremble and shriek, "Ah!"

"This thunder is damn scary." Shen Weiyue was startled too and exclaimed, "Teacher Liang, are you afraid of thunder?"

"It's so terrifying, who isn't afraid?" Teacher Liang rolled her eyes at him.

Shen Weiyue nodded with a smile; no matter how old a woman is, she is still a woman, and being afraid of thunder is human nature.

Even Liu Bei said that the power of a single tremor could reach such a state, so there's nothing embarrassing about it.

The two of them supported each other and moved to the corner, so they didn't have to worry about rain blowing in from other directions, only needing to tilt the umbrella in front of them.

The wind was howling, making people feel chilled.

Shen Weiyue shivered, his arm involuntarily exerting force, as if this could make him warmer.

Teacher Liang wanted to say something but held back. Looking at the heavy rain with visibility of less than two meters, she sighed faintly and acted as if nothing had happened.

But how could the real feeling be erased? Even though it was ice-cold rain, her body temperature was getting hotter and hotter.

"Wow, you're so warm. You're not running a fever again, are you?"

"Don't speak. Close your mouth."

"Oh, you're wearing sandals. My sneakers are soaked; what a disaster."

"Don't look down."

"I wasn't looking..."

"Who are you trying to fool!"

Teacher Liang was both shy and annoyed; she pinched the flesh on Shen Weiyue's ribs, teaching him a harsh lesson.

Women are always very sensitive to the gazes of the opposite sex, even knowing by intuition who is looking and where they are looking.

Fortunately, it was night; otherwise, in broad daylight, she would probably have gone crazy on the spot.

"If you keep looking around, get out from under the umbrella and go get drenched in the rain yourself."

"I didn't mean to, but how can summer rain be so beautiful?"

"You're still talking!"

Some people feel even more shy and annoyed.

The teenager stared, and before him was a stunning beauty, flower-like and jade-like, with anger in her beautiful eyes.

A faint gaze cast into his eyes was like injecting the last bit of energy into a supernova at its critical limit. Amidst the roaring blankness in his mind, the universe exploded.

Colorful, the sky was full of meteor showers, all full of yearning.

"My God, it's so beautiful."

"What?"

"Purple rain."

"..."