Tan Yin spent nearly the entire afternoon in a state of frustration, channeling her misery into effort, drawing away diligently in her sketchbook.
“Tan Yin! There you are!”
As evening approached and everyone was wrapping up, Jiang Yilu finally tracked her down. Since they weren’t in the same group, and each group had been assigned its own area, Jiang Yilu and Tan Yin hadn’t been sketching together.
She glanced at Tan Yin’s sketchbook. “Why are you fighting so hard today? Drawing this intensely? There’s still all of tomorrow morning left — why the rush?”
Tan Yin let out a heavy sigh.
Jiang Yilu was puzzled. “Did Chu Hang give you a hard time? By the way, earlier this afternoon he suddenly came around asking everyone if they’d brought any food with them. In the end I think Meng Youran gave him a chocolate bar — not sure what that was about.”
Hearing this, Tan Yin’s mood grew even heavier. “Let me ask you something — if someone deceived you, secretly ate their own food behind your back, and before you discovered their true colors you’d been thinking about giving them something good you’d gathered — after learning the truth, how… how would you feel?”
Jiang Yilu answered without even thinking. “Sounds like a love triangle to me — I love you, but you love some idiot, and you’re using my money to support the idiot, right? Honestly, I think that would really hurt your self-esteem…”
Tan Yin choked on her words and decided against continuing this conversation with Jiang Yilu.
But Jiang Yilu, once started, couldn’t be stopped — she rambled on analyzing the situation at length, until she suddenly touched her own face, then looked up in surprise. “Tan Yin, I think it’s raining.”
Tan Yin was still lost in her own sorrow. “Huh? It’s raining? This endless rain — it’s like my tears, my sins.”
“Snap out of it, this rain looks like it’s going to get heavy. Look how many dark clouds there are — I have a feeling there might be thunder!”
Only then did Tan Yin finally pull herself out of her spiraling thoughts. She looked up at the sky and couldn’t help but frown too — the weather forecast had clearly said it would be clear today, yet the current situation was obviously building toward a thunderstorm.
“As long as we get through dinner, we’re fine. After dinner, you should just go back to your own room.”
Tan Yin nodded, though saying “her own room” wasn’t quite accurate. This place was too remote — there wasn’t just no restaurant, there wasn’t even a hotel. The only accommodation was a building the villagers had constructed themselves, with each floor partitioned into individual compartments, one per person, meant specifically for students who’d come to sketch. Each compartment held only a single bed and a simple desk and chair, with the bathroom and shower shared on each floor, separated by gender. Though the conditions were undeniably rough, Tan Yin was still quite satisfied — after all, having her own small space meant that during thunderstorms, she wouldn’t have to worry about being caught out.
Since they were staying off-campus, Teacher Lin, worried about the possibility of some incident befalling the students and unable to manage everyone alone, had arranged for the convenience of headcounts and safety to put each group on its own floor, with each group leader responsible for their floor, ensuring everyone was back in their rooms by eleven at night.
After dinner, the rain gradually grew heavier. This place was remote enough that no one would go out at this hour — everyone was either sitting in twos and threes in the common hall chatting, or off playing on their phones in their own rooms. So when the thunder rumbled and lightning flashed, no one paid any attention to Tan Yin’s “disappearance.”
Tan Yin had turned invisible in the bathroom. Fortunately no one was around, so it wasn’t conspicuous. She thought with relief that since she hadn’t closed her door when she left her room, slipping back in later wouldn’t draw attention either.
What she hadn’t expected, though, was that by the time she made her way back, standing in front of what had been an unattended doorway just moments ago was Chu Hang.
Chu Hang stood there frowning for a moment, then turned and knocked on the door next to it. “Lu Siqi, have you seen Tan Yin?”
Lu Siqi shook her head. “No, isn’t she in there?”
“No. The door’s open, but she’s not there.”
…
“I’m sure she’s not in the bathroom, and she wouldn’t be in the shower room either, because I just came out of there.”
Chu Hang went and asked several more classmates in succession, and every response was the same — no one had seen Tan Yin. Tan Yin followed along behind him the whole time, not understanding at all why Chu Hang was so persistent about finding out where she was.
After asking around, Chu Hang finally found Jiang Yilu.
Jiang Yilu, listening to the rolling thunder outside the window, naturally understood the situation right away. She glanced at Chu Hang and, deftly deflecting, said, “It’s already nighttime — what are you looking for Tan Yin for? A man and a woman alone together, that’s not really appropriate, is it?”
Chu Hang looked almost amused into anger. “You think I want to look for him?” — no wait, “her”? “I’m her group leader. I need to do a headcount to make sure everyone in our group made it back safely. So where exactly did Tan Yin go?”
Jiang Yilu’s eyes darted around. “Oh, right, that — Tan Yin just went out!” she lied smoothly. “She told me just now that the room felt a bit stuffy, so she went out for some fresh air!”
Chu Hang frowned, looking out at the raging wind, rain, thunder, and lightning outside, and fell silent.
Tan Yin nearly wept without tears. Jiang Yilu, oh Jiang Yilu, could you at least draft your lies in advance?! What normal person would go out for a walk in weather like this?!
Jiang Yilu had apparently thought of this too, because she added, “Actually, she’s mostly got something weighing on her mind. You know how it is — she did so badly on her final exams last semester, and her own father hung up that sarcastic banner as punishment. It was devastating for her self-esteem!”
Chu Hang was stunned. “That banner was her father’s doing?”
“It’s a long story, but anyway, it wasn’t her intention. She’s actually quite ashamed and guilty about not doing well, she’s even thought about ending it all a few times…”
Even though I admire your ability to lie smoothly under pressure, this plot is getting a bit too dramatic, my friend…
Sure enough, Chu Hang grew skeptical too. “But I haven’t seen any sign of shame or guilt from her.”
“That’s because you don’t really know Tan Yin. She’s the type who acts cheerful on the outside while she’s already riddled with wounds on the inside. She doesn’t want to burden others with negativity, so she keeps all this pain to herself. She really does want to study hard, but her foundation in science subjects is just too weak — she actually studies in the dorm every night until one in the morning, but… ugh! But she still can’t grasp it!”
“…”
Studying until one in the morning every night and still not getting it — isn’t that basically calling me stupid!
Jiang Yilu, how could you throw shade at me like this behind my back! I can hear every word!
Chu Hang fell silent again, sure enough.
Jiang Yilu seized the moment. “Anyway, don’t worry, it’s nothing serious with Tan Yin, she’s just a bit down, she went out for some air and she’ll be back soon. Go on back, no need to worry about her — I’ll make sure she gets back safely.”
Chu Hang said nothing, but at least turned and left. Tan Yin let out a breath of relief — even though Jiang Yilu had made up a whole story, at least it had smoothed things over for now.
Tan Yin followed close behind Chu Hang, watching him walk back to his own room and close the door, before she finally relaxed, ready to leave. But just as she took her first step, she heard Chu Hang’s door open again. He grabbed an umbrella, glanced out at the thunderstorm, pressed his lips together, then went downstairs, opened the umbrella, and walked out into the storm.
Tan Yin just stood there watching Chu Hang’s tall, straight figure charge resolutely into the night rain, and for a moment, her heart was a tangle of indescribable emotion and shock.
Was Chu Hang going out there to look for her?
Almost as if by reflex, Tan Yin, suppressing the flutter in her chest, followed Chu Hang’s footsteps and walked out into the rain along with him.
Surrounding the villagers’ building was a lush stretch of forest, its distance from the city’s noise making it especially quiet, with only the sound of rain and the occasional cry of insects mixed in. Chu Hang held his umbrella, switched on his phone’s flashlight, and walked along the muddy path with a serious, focused expression.
Soon his shoes and pant legs were both filthy, and the storm was too heavy — with rain-drenched leaves all around him, water dripping down constantly, Chu Hang, despite holding his umbrella, still got soaked by rain carried in on the wind as he walked.
This time Chu Hang’s umbrella wasn’t large, and the road was muddy and slick, so Tan Yin didn’t dare huddle underneath it with him. She could only follow behind him in the rain, and before long, she was soaked through to the bone.
She could have gone back — there was no real need to follow. Chu Hang probably wasn’t out here looking for her, and even if he was, if he couldn’t find her he’d likely head back soon enough. And yet, for some reason, Tan Yin’s emotions were tangled up inside; she felt as though she bore some responsibility for Chu Hang being out here.
And soon enough, Chu Hang confirmed this.
“Tan Yin!”
“Tan Yin, where are you?”
Unfortunately, though Chu Hang was calling her name, his voice was quickly swallowed up by the rain and thunder, vanishing into the forest.
“Come back, Chu Hang, come back quickly, don’t go any further.”
Tan Yin followed behind Chu Hang, calling out to him nonstop, but Chu Hang couldn’t hear her. And as time passed, instead of failing to find her and heading back, his expression only grew more serious, and he kept walking deeper into the forest.
Whether the heavens had finally taken pity on her, just as Tan Yin was about to give up hope, the thunder finally began to quiet down, and the rain started to lighten.
Tan Yin quickly slipped behind Chu Hang, under a tree — the moment the thunder stopped, she’d return to normal.
“Chu Hang! I’m here!”
Sure enough, Chu Hang could finally hear her this time. He turned around, following the sound, and finally spotted Tan Yin under the tree. Having been drenched the whole way, Tan Yin now looked utterly like a drowned rat. She hugged her arms around herself, shivering, standing up while pushing her wet hair off her face.
Chu Hang’s expression turned cold. He crossed over a puddle and quickly walked up to her, shoving the umbrella into her hands. “Hold this.”
Tan Yin stood on her toes, obediently raising the umbrella to cover both their heads.
Chu Hang didn’t say anything — he simply took off his jacket and tossed it at her. “Put it on.”
“You’re soaked too, you should keep it. I’m already drenched anyway.”
Chu Hang glanced at her, his tone commanding. “Put it on.”
This time Tan Yin didn’t resist. She wrapped herself in Chu Hang’s jacket — though she looked like a child wearing an adult’s clothes, it did shield her from a good deal of the cold wind.
Chu Hang’s expression was a bit dark, his lips actually pale from the cold. “What were you thinking, running off into the woods alone in the middle of the night, in the rain? Crouching under this tree, drenched like this, and not running back?”
“I… when I first came out the rain wasn’t very heavy yet. I only meant to walk around once and go back, but I accidentally tripped on something, hurt myself, twisted my ankle.” Tan Yin said this while hopping on one foot for effect. “And my other foot just had its cast removed and hasn’t fully healed yet, so all of a sudden I couldn’t walk, and I was stuck out here.”
Tan Yin glanced at Chu Hang. “By the way — thank you for coming out to find me.”
“Who came out to find you?” Chu Hang nearly turned his face away. “Don’t flatter yourself. In weather like this, would I have to be out of my mind to come specifically looking for you?”
Chu Hang’s tone was calm and composed — if Tan Yin hadn’t been following him the whole way, she might have actually been fooled by his righteous demeanor right now.
“…” Tan Yin choked back a retort. “Then what exactly were you doing out here in this downpour, in this little grove?”
“Why do you need to know that?” Chu Hang said, somewhat impatiently. “What are you to me? Do I have to report everything I do to you?”
“…”
“Get on.”
“Hm?”
Chu Hang crouched down slightly, glancing back over his shoulder at Tan Yin with irritation. “I said get on.”
“Huh?”
“Aren’t you crippled and unable to walk?”
Tan Yin’s instinct was to refuse. “No need, no need, I’m disabled but resilient, I can manage…” Tan Yin explained further, “Besides, I’m too heavy, I’m worried I’ll break your back…”
Chu Hang stared at her for a couple of seconds. “Is this some new tactic of yours — playing the retreat to advance, trying to get my attention?”
Chu Hang scoffed. “Trying to show me your strong, independent side? Give it up, Tan Yin. Even if you’d twisted both legs and could only crawl your way back from here, it wouldn’t change how I see you. And don’t think I have any special feelings for you either — no matter who was stuck out here today, I’d carry them back. I’m only carrying you because my upbringing won’t allow me to leave a girl alone in a place like this.”
“…”
Tan Yin thought that Chu Hang’s self-regard truly was something else. Still a bit dazed, she then heard Chu Hang add, in a low voice —
“Also, my back is perfectly fine.”
“…”
Buddy, at a time like this, how are you even reading the situation? What details are you even focused on?
Chu Hang turned his back to her, urging, “Alright, get on. It’s freezing out here.” Seeing Tan Yin still hadn’t climbed on, his patience seemed to run out almost entirely. “Why haven’t you—”
“You’re too tall.” Tan Yin looked at him, being honest. “Compared to you, I’m short. If you don’t crouch down lower, I can’t climb on.”
“…”
Chu Hang pressed his lips together, said nothing, but in the end still bent his noble knees, crouching all the way down in front of Tan Yin.
“There, now you can. Shorty.”
“…”