“Xu Wanzhi rhetorically raised an eyebrow, looking at his thoroughly attentive expression, then smiled: ‘Where the heart finds peace is the way home.’ He was searching and firmly believed he would find it. ‘A Zhi, your words always make so much sense,’ Shen Kuang praised, then seemed to untie an inner knot, lowering his head to immerse himself in the delicious food. This pure-hearted thought made the person opposite him smile silently.
Xu Wanzhi liked thunderstorm days, especially after crossing over. On such days, he would wash up and lie down early, listening to the intermittent thunder and rain outside from within the warm blankets, feeling an extraordinary clarity in his heart. Originating from the crossing over’s ‘thunder piercing’, if there was truly a thunderstorm, he would devoutly hope a sudden lightning bolt would strike him directly back. Although each time he ultimately only enjoyed a peaceful rainy night’s sleep.
The dark clouds had gathered since the afternoon. Qi’er saw a gradual calm joy emerging in his eyes and silently let him stand alone in the corridor for an entire hour, though worried about rain splashes and wind, still carefully not disturbing him. Having nothing else to do, Xu Wanzhi had an early dinner and went to bed after extinguishing the lamp.”
Outside, lightning flashed and thunder rumbled, yet he felt no fear at all, just quietly watching until he fell asleep.
Knock, knock, knock.
Clear knocking sounds mixed with the rain penetrated inside. He sat up and asked, “Who?”
Qu Xiaojue’s voice responded from outside: “A Wan, it’s me.”
After a while, footsteps could be heard from inside, and then the door opened. Xu Wanzhi, wearing a light garment, slightly raised his eyes to look at her in the night: “What is it?”
Qu Xiaojue stood in the corridor, her clothes slightly damp. She stared at him silently for a moment, then stepped inside. He frowned to block her: “Qu Xiaojue, I’ve already gone to bed. If there’s nothing urgent, please come back tomorrow.”
“Husband,” she called out to him, reaching behind him to close the door. Knowing he would resist, she pulled him into her embrace, tightly gripping his waist, and forcefully kissed him.
Xu Wanzhi was stunned, instinctively grabbing her waist and biting down hard. Qu Xiaojue winced and took a step back, looking slightly annoyed.
