He Feng suddenly released her, looked at her slightly open eyes, kissed her forehead one last time, then turned around, wanting to leave.

Xie Chi embraced him from behind.

He Feng stopped by the door, his hand falling on the door handle, gripping it tightly.

“Where are you going?”

“I should leave.”

“Where to?”

He Feng didn’t answer, covering her hands on his abdomen with his own, “To…” He paused and didn’t continue, “I still have things to do.”

“What things?”

He Feng deliberately spoke harshly, “It’s none of your business, let go.”

The long silence behind him made his heart clench. He Feng turned his face slightly, the back of his neck sliding against her forehead. The soft strands of hair made his breathing catch. He steadied himself before speaking, “I’m wet, don’t get your clothes dirty.”

He held her hands, trying to pull them away, but Xie Chi gripped his clothes even tighter, “Dry them off. At least wait until the rain stops, or gets lighter before leaving.”

Through the gaps in the door curtain and window, He Feng looked outside. The rain was even heavier, pouring down mercilessly.

Even heaven didn’t want him to leave.

He lowered his face slightly, looking at the slender hands on his abdomen, “Don’t take some things I say seriously. I was just deliberately trying to scare you for fun. Actually that man… is decent enough, not completely unsuitable.”

Xie Chi was annoyed, “I’m taking it seriously. If you walk out that door, I’ll go find him and sleep with him right now.”

He Feng smiled slightly and turned to look at her, “You’re trying to scare me.”

Xie Chi’s clothes were soaked through by his, making her feel both cold and hot, extremely uncomfortable against her skin. Her heart was churning with a vague ache and desire that kept trying to break free from its restraints, creating turmoil in her chest.

“I was raised on being scared.”

“I know.” She called out softly, “Young Master.”

He Feng was quiet for a moment, then curved his lips slightly, “Say it again.”

“Young Master, He San Feng, Third Master.” She moved closer to him, lowering her voice even more, speaking softly and tenderly in a way that made his heart flutter, “Pearl.”

“Yes.” He Feng cupped her face, his hands threading through her long hair. Before he could make his next move, Xie Chi stood on her tiptoes and actively kissed his lips.

He Feng remained motionless, letting her gently peck at him.

Having played the scoundrel for so long, when it came to being serious, he was actually somewhat timid.

He was someone with half his body already buried in the earth.

With Shen Zhan’s sacrifice, he no longer needed to hide among the Japanese. Having joined the army, his life belonged to the country. Having been embedded among the Japanese for so long, he knew well the vast disparity in strength between the two sides. This war would definitely not be resolved overnight.

He Feng pushed Xie Chi away, his nose against her cheek, “If you keep tempting me, I’ll have to stay with you until the rain stops.”

Xie Chi wrapped her arms around his waist, her cheeks flushed, gazing into his dark, lustrous eyes, “Then let it rain slowly.”

He Feng was lost in her gentle gaze.

Whether because of the lighting or not, her face, which had always seemed covered in clear frost, now appeared to have a warm glow, showing a tenderness he had never seen in his memories.

He Feng knew that neither of them could escape tonight.

His rationality was completely washed away. He suddenly held her tightly, burying his face in the side of her neck to kiss her, slowly moving downward, his stubbled chin making her feel both itchy and numb.

He Feng couldn’t undo her pankou buttons. The weather was already hot, and he was even more flustered with sweat. Just as he was about to bite them with his teeth, Xie Chi grabbed his head and lifted it up, “If you bite them broken, I’ll still have to sew them.”

Xie Chi undid several pankou buttons herself, seeing him motionless, “Did you learn how?”

“What’s gotten into you today?” He Feng lifted her by the waist, making her stand on his feet, “Being so proactive.”

“Is that bad?”

He smiled, his warm breath enveloping her ear, “Perfect.”

The cramped space was filled with the scent of desire.

Separated by just a door were the sounds of wind, rain, and the bells of passing bicycles.

Xie Chi pressed his hand down, “Let’s go upstairs.”

He Feng carried her in his arms toward the stairs. He glanced around at the furnishings and was about to set her on the table when Xie Chi said, “There’s a small room inside.”

He Feng went further in and saw the tiny bed, only big enough for one person, “It really is small.”

“Not enough?”

He smiled back, “It’s enough.”

He Feng gently placed her on the bed, his finger hooking down the strap of her white undergarment, looking straight at her body.

Although many years had passed, Xie Chi wasn’t uncomfortable at all, nor did she have the restraint of her younger days when she would always use things to cover herself. She raised herself slightly, “Take off your clothes.”

He Feng knelt by her legs, not moving, “You help me, I’m injured and can’t exert strength.”

“But you had strength to carry me?”

He Feng smiled lazily, “That’s different.”

Xie Chi sat up and couldn’t undo his belt buckle for a long time.

He Feng pushed her hands away, “Clumsy.”

“You’re just the same.” She rolled up his upper garment, gray coarse linen, wet and rough, “Where did you get these clothes?”

“I could hardly pull a rickshaw wearing a dress shirt.”

Xie Chi pulled it over his head, examining his firm body and various scars, her finger touching a scar on his abdomen.

He Feng caught her hand and leaned over her.

…

This small compartment was separated by cabinets, with an unsteady wooden board serving as a bed, supported by several large boxes underneath. Usually when one person lay on it there was no sound, but now with the rocking and bumping, it made creaking collision sounds.

He Feng had changed a lot. He wasn’t as impatient as before; his every movement had become more cherishing, more gentle, more patient.

Xie Chi’s feet pressed against his thighs, slowly sliding down to touch a horizontal scar, like a venomous snake hidden in sparse undergrowth, slowly writhing with the wind and grass movement.

She rubbed it with her toes, remembering the snakes and insects at Qing Village. If she hadn’t held tightly to his leg that day and had really been taken away by Song Jiao, would she still be alive?

Perhaps she would have long become a pile of white bones.

[She won’t let go]

[Otherwise Uncle Song would have taken me back together]

Remembering his expression when he said those words, Xie Chi couldn’t help but smile in her heart – he really was a mountain king who feared nothing in heaven or earth.

But that once rebellious and unruly youth had now grown into a man.

Her gaze wandered and finally settled on a painting hanging on the distant wall. Perhaps He Feng hadn’t noticed that the painting depicted those cloud mountains from the past.

“Are you spacing out?” He Feng pinched her chin and thrust forcefully.

Xie Chi cried out “ah,” her mouth slightly open, squinting at him. Suddenly she tightly embraced his neck, nipped his earlobe, and squeezed out a few words between her varying moans:

“Thank you.”

…