It rained all day. After returning from Kyoto, I went to the convenience store for my shift. I arranged the lunch boxes on the counter. With no customers around, Li Kai asked, “Xiao Bing, are you free tomorrow?” “Tomorrow? Do you want me to cover your shift?” I glanced at the calendar; tomorrow was Ye Zhengchen’s birthday, and I considered taking leave. “No!” Li Kai said. “Brother Feng said everyone wants to celebrate his birthday with dinner and karaoke.” “Oh.” “Are you coming?”
“I have the night shift tomorrow.” After the last time he made things ambiguous in front of everyone, our relationship had changed—how could I still have dinner with him? It was better not to show up and risk becoming a laughingstock.
“Xiao Bing, you and Ye Zhengchen…”
Before Li Kai could finish, I interrupted him: “Xiao Li, have you eaten?”
“Not yet.”
“What takeout do you want? I’ll make it for you.”
“Fried chicken, spicy flavor.”
“Okay!” I retreated to the back room, spending a long time and burning several chicken wings before finally completing the meal.
I brought it to him, and when I opened the lid, the convenience store filled with a rich aroma. “Sit over there and eat. I’ll help attend to customers.”
“Thank you!” He took the takeout, paid, and sat in the corner.
The door opened, and a crisp bell rang.
I greeted, “Welcome.”
Ye Zhengchen walked in, his face serious and cold. His deep, unreadable eyes fell on me.
I tightened my fists, put on a professional smile, and asked, “What can I get you?”
He glanced at his watch, looked around, and finally noticed the takeout Li Kai was eating. “That, do you have any more?”
“Sorry, none today,” I said. “Are you in a hurry? I can make another for you…”
“No need, just give me whatever.”
I took a box from the counter, grabbed two cans of his favorite coffee beer, packed them with the takeout, and handed them to him with both hands.
Seeing him reach for his wallet, I smiled and said, “No need to pay. It’s on me!”
He was slightly stunned, instinctively reaching out, his fingertips brushing my hand. I trembled, feeling his fingers quiver too. Our gazes met, and something unchanged lingered between us.
He cleared his throat and glanced at his watch. “When do you get off work?”
“Twelve,” I replied.
His car was parked outside the convenience store for a long time. Besides attending to customers, I anxiously hoped time would pass quickly, knowing he was waiting for me.
Late that night, I walked out of the store into the rain. I opened my umbrella, feeling white flower petals scattered on it, chaotic like my emotions.
I lowered my head and skirted around his car, dragging my weary legs toward the apartment.
The car door opened, and Ye Zhengchen stepped out.
I reminded myself not to go over, but my feet involuntarily moved toward him.
“Passing by again?” I asked coldly.
“Mm.” He opened the car door. “Get in.”
“Thanks! No need.” I turned toward the sidewalk, the wind making my umbrella sway.
“Kiddo…” He chased after me, grabbing my wrist, causing my hand to hurt and my umbrella to fall.
Fortunately, the rain hid my tears.
“Get in the car!”
“I won’t!”
“It’s so late, raining heavily.”
“It’s too dangerous for you to be alone.”
“Can you pick me up today? Will you be able to do it in the future? If not, don’t bother today.”
Seeing my resolute attitude, he dragged me to the car and pushed me inside.
“What exactly do you want?” I asked angrily. “If we’ve broken up, stop pretending to care! Have you forgotten what you said to me? Forgotten how you treated Qin Xue?!”
“You’re different from her.”
“How am I different?”
When he fell silent again, my fury grew. “Say something! Why can’t you speak clearly?!”
“You think I don’t want to say it?!” He slammed the steering wheel, causing a harsh horn. “I just don’t want to lie to you!”
I opened the door to get out, but he wrapped his arms around my waist, pulling me back.
The rain-soaked clothes stuck to my
This kiss was destined to unleash suppressed emotions, to sink rationality, and to complete what wasn’t finished last time.
On such a stormy night, in an isolated world, Ye Zhengchen held me, the faint scent of coffee and beer lingering on him, an unforgettable smell. Something softened in my heart; I closed my eyes and relaxed my tightly clenched teeth.
A momentary touch of tongues turned into an even wilder pursuit, as if today was the world’s end. I forgot where I was, unable to control myself, wrapping my hands around his neck, fingers sliding into his hair.
Only the chaotic sound of raindrops remained. My consciousness was occupied by his passion, threads of heat rising through my bloodstream.
At this point, I didn’t want to consider tomorrow. As long as Ye Zhengchen loved me and I loved him, that was enough.
I kissed him back, matching his passion. Our lips and tongues intertwined, and our bodies entwined.
My response made him even more uncontrollable, his hot palm covering my chest. Where the cool air met his heat, I trembled, tightening my arms around him. His aggressive dominance and excited response made my entire body weak, every nerve jumping with excitement.
His probing, exploration, and possession were something I didn’t refuse.
The rain poured heavily, reflecting nearby lights, misty like smoke. The cherry blossom tree swayed, floating like drifting clouds.
Bewitched by the night, I thought: I want to give him my first time, without expecting anything in return, hoping my young body would bloom before him like a cherry blossom, etching fleeting passion on my body and his memory. I wouldn’t be a passing cloud; I wanted to give my first time to the man I love most, with no regrets.
Looking back, I realize how foolish I was!
Those who have loved must have moments of madness!
Do you know the next line of ‘Pi Yi Dai Shui Yu He Qiu’? “Qing Lian Si Yi Ren Jun You…” This man! No one can match his shamelessness! But I just like him! In a tranquil world, only our heavy breathing surrounds us.
When everything ended, our fingers intertwined, wet palms pressed together. “Sweetie, I’m sorry!” “You don’t need to apologize; you didn’t force me!” I never regretted giving myself to him, not at the time or later. “I’m sorry… I shouldn’t have given up on you.” He held my shoulders and embraced me, letting my face rest on his shoulder. “I shouldn’t have proposed breaking up.”
If we were to break up, you should have been the one to say it…” His words seemed to express a desire to get back together.
“It’s already in the past,” I sighed.
“Can you forgive me?”
“No!” He broke up with me on a whim and now wants to reconcile just as impulsively—how embarrassing for me! However, one’s happiness is more important than pride. I hesitated and then said, “Unless you explain everything clearly so that I can consider forgiving you.”
“There are some things I can’t say.” He looked troubled, taking a long time before adding, “I can only tell you that during these five years in Japan, I had no freedom; everything I did was controlled by others.”
“Who? Your father?”
“You could say that.”
“Do you have to listen to him?”
“I must!” His tone was resolute.
“Why?”
He sighed, “I’ll tell you later.”
He never explained, and even years later, I couldn’t grasp what kind of coercion could strip a man of his freedom and make Ye Zhengchen willing to be manipulated. I asked again, “Did he make you break up with me?”
“You could understand it that way.” His answer was vague.
“Do you still want to be with me?”
He laughed, adopting a casual tone: “I’d rather die in pieces, suffer eternal damnation! Die under the peony flower, be a ghost and still be romantic!”
“You, even alive, are a lewd…”
