Spreading out a tissue, he draped it over his head.

Tan Jin rubbed vigorously a few times.

These few rubs obviously couldn’t remedy his disheveled state.

His hair was soaking wet, and his eyes were watery too.

Ever since getting close to the petrochemical plant, Lin Shilan had felt inexplicably uncomfortable, her nerves constantly tense. Only after laughing just now did she feel much better.

Now Tan Jin was standing closer.

Sharing one umbrella, they were somewhat awkward and didn’t speak again.

Rain pattered on the umbrella surface, and the leaves in the grass across from them became increasingly glossy green, soaked by the rain.

It was Saturday and the weather was bad. After working hours had passed, no one had been seen passing by the petrochemical plant for quite a while.

He quietly glanced sideways, the corner of his eye peeking at her.

Muffled thunder rumbled from the sky, and Lin Shilan swallowed lightly.

Tan Jin gradually noticed something off about her.

As if she were cold, fine goosebumps rose on her arms.

He asked: “Are you not feeling well?”

She didn’t hide it from him: “A little. When the rain wasn’t heavy, it was fine, but now…”

Before she finished speaking, thunder sounded again in the distance.

Lin Shilan shrank her neck: “Listen, isn’t that someone talking?”

He listened carefully with her. Apart from the wind and rain sounds and occasional thunder, Tan Jin didn’t hear any other strange sounds.

He looked around in all directions. Forget about no one nearby—they were the only two people on the entire street.

Rainwater splashed onto her shoes, spreading into a wet stain. This scene stirred a sense of déjà vu in her. Lin Shilan felt uneasy and reached with her right hand toward her left wrist—the bracelet there was gone.

The feeling of loss made her brows furrow tighter and tighter.

“Lin Shilan, I want milk tea.”

The person beside her suddenly blurted out a random sentence, interrupting her thoughts.

Seeing she wasn’t focused, he spoke again, completely pulling her back from her wild thoughts.

“You owe me money for the glasses yesterday. Didn’t you say you’d pay me back? Today, you can treat me to milk tea.”

“Oh, milk tea.” Lin Shilan nodded slowly: “When do you want to drink it?”

Tan Jin’s expression was as haughty as some old master’s.

“I want to drink it now. Buy me two cups, pearl milk tea.”

She unzipped her shoulder bag to get money to pay him back.

“You go buy it.” He didn’t take the money and gave her the umbrella in his hand: “I’m too lazy to move. I’ll stand here and keep watch, waiting for the puppy.”

Lin Shilan had no choice but to go. After all, she owed him money.

She usually didn’t pay attention and didn’t know where milk tea was sold. She passed by a newsstand and a grocery store—they only had canned milk tea, not pearl milk tea. Lin Shilan took a very long detour, searching in the rain.

She must have walked for half an hour before finally stumbling upon a milk tea shop.

After packing up two cups of pearl milk tea, she returned along the same route to the petrochemical plant.

Although the journey was somewhat arduous, Lin Shilan was actually quite willing to walk around. At least she could briefly leave that environment that made her anxious for a while.

To avoid being seen by whoever was abandoning the dog, which might make them change their route and not throw the dog in the trash can, the two had deliberately found a hidden corner to hide in.

Tan Jin, leaning against the wall, drooped his eyelids, drowsy.

Lin Shilan made little noise as she walked back.

She approached from the direction his back was facing and patted his back.

“Your milk tea.”

Tan Jin was suddenly startled, swaying left and right like a tumbler toy twice before barely steadying himself.

“Scaring people can scare them to death!”

He turned around, still shaken.

Lin Shilan had a sly smile on her face.

She did it on purpose.

Before, when he played jokes on a certain someone, he was scolded for being childish.

Good grief, now that same person had turned around and played a prank on him.

Snatching away the milk tea bag, Tan Jin hurriedly took several gulps to calm his nerves.

The novice prankster, having tasted the fun, commented in a light tone: “Looks like you’re quite timid—very easy to scare.”

Huffing angrily, Tan Jin sucked hard on his milk tea.

“You scared me so much I lost my appetite. I won’t drink the other cup of milk tea. You drink it.”

He stuffed the milk tea into her hands.

Lin Shilan had just grasped it firmly.

“Pop!”

Tan Jin raised the straw and, with the posture of a milk tea veteran, jabbed forcefully.

The straw went in at an angle, piercing the very edge of the milk tea cup.

The splattered milk tea landed partly on Lin Shilan’s clothes and partly on her face.

After this interaction.

The two now-even people lost their energy physically and their smiles facially.

Tan Jin mechanically sucked on his milk tea.

After cleaning herself up, Lin Shilan also imitated him and began drinking.

With her first sip of milk tea, she choked on a pearl.

This milk tea drinking experience was too tortuous. Tan Jin offered advice: “If you don’t like it, don’t force yourself.”

Lin Shilan’s expression was bland: “Can’t waste it after buying it.”

Three minutes later.

Tan Jin had only drunk a third, while Lin Shilan had already finished.

He heard her slurping up the remaining pearls, looking like she intended to eat them all.

Watching Lin Shilan chewing pearls, Tan Jin thought of calves eating grass on a pasture he’d seen on TV—big eyes like black grapes, vacant stare, mouth constantly moving.

This association made him think she was a bit cute.

After the prolonged boring wait, they both fell into a zoned-out state.

Noticing the gaze following her, Lin Shilan shook the empty plastic cup in her hand.

“I’ve never had milk tea before. It’s actually really good.”

This drink that even elementary school students were drinking—she had never tried it.

He was puzzled: “Why didn’t you drink it?”

After thinking briefly, she answered: “At this age here, my mom doesn’t like me eating things sold outside when I’m seventeen.”

Tan Jin felt this couldn’t serve as an explanation: “But later you could buy it.”

“Yeah, why didn’t I go buy it?”

Gazing at the milk tea cup, Lin Shilan’s eyes showed confusion.

“Milk tea shops are everywhere. Every time I passed by and saw other people drinking it, I just watched, but I never thought to try it myself.”

Tan Jin wanted to say something.

However, he didn’t say it.

The violent sound of a car braking suddenly pierced through the rain sound and fell into their ears.

Both turned around simultaneously, looking toward the street behind them.

The sound came from that direction.

Both scaredy-cats were startled.

“What happened?”

“Should we go look?”

Reaching consensus, they set off.

Following the direction they had identified earlier, they moved closer.

Walking in the rain, they couldn’t go very fast even if they wanted to. After that one brake sound, it disappeared. At the fork in the road, one of them said left, the other said right.

Just as they were arguing, someone holding an umbrella walked toward them.

Glancing carelessly at that person, Tan Jin’s emotions immediately became excited.

“A dog! Is he holding a dog?”

He had excellent eyesight. Looking more carefully, he became more certain: “That person has a puppy in their hands! Yellow colored, right?”

“Right, a yellow stray puppy.” Lin Shilan also vaguely saw it.

So they quickly abandoned their plan to go elsewhere to see the commotion.

Tan Jin pulled Lin Shilan along.

They hurriedly hid back in the hidden corner they’d found earlier.

“The puppy really is being thrown away by someone.” She clenched her fists angrily.

“When he gets close, we’ll rush over and catch him red-handed.” He raised the umbrella in his hand like wielding a club.

They were ready here.

The person holding the dog unhurriedly walked toward the trash can.

The closer they got, the more they could hear the puppy’s mournful whimpering.

But when the person was truly close enough for them to rush up and catch them in the act, the two lurking people both lost their resolve.

It was a girl.

Moreover, a familiar person.

Wearing their high school uniform, slightly plump build, small steps.

Long bangs covered her eyes. The girl came from the gray, misty rain curtain, her whole body seeming to carry that gloomy dampness.

The two secretly watching subconsciously held their breath.

With her back to them, she stopped in front of the trash can.

Without a moment’s hesitation, she threw it in.

Tan Jin sucked in a sharp breath.

Turning his head, his gaze met Lin Shilan’s.

Both saw the meaningful look in each other’s eyes.

“Wow…”

Seeing he had no intention of going forward, she became somewhat sarcastic.

“It’s your Su Ge.”