It seemed that a pattering rain began to fall at night.

The cold wind outside beat against the windows. Branches were snapped and broken in the middle of the road.

Xu You curled her body up, never sleeping quite peacefully.

In the middle of the night, she was startled awake, her feet kicking out suddenly.

She didn’t know why, but in her dazed and confused state, Xu You always felt like something was weighing on her heart.

She couldn’t quite say what it was exactly. Her body just felt very weak and she couldn’t catch her breath.

She turned over and, as if possessed by a ghost, picked up the phone placed by her pillow.

Three in the morning. There was one unread text message.

Xu You didn’t react at first, staring at the phone, but the focus in her eyes scattered. Her finger unconsciously tapped open the text.

A line of words popped out.

[Come downstairs when you wake up.]

Sent two hours ago.

Oh my god…

Xu You felt a bit chaotic. Her mind was still a bit fuzzy. She didn’t process what the situation was right now.

She didn’t know if there really was such a thing as telepathy, but just as she had finished reading the text message and was preparing to put down her phone, Xie Ci’s call suddenly came in.

Xu You was startled. Her consciousness instantly became clear.

In the silent pitch darkness, the phone’s light kept jumping.

She shivered and burrowed into the quilt, answering and greeting him in a low voice.

“Answered so quickly.”

It was as if he chuckled lowly on the other end.

Xu You didn’t dare speak loudly, saying in a muffled voice, “What time even is it? Why are you calling me?”

She was afraid her voice would be too loud and wake her parents, so she changed positions, kneeling on the bed, her head buried in the crook of her arm.

However, in this position, even less oxygen could get in.

Xie Ci laughed faintly, “Fuck, I’m freezing to death. Can you hurry up and come down?”

Xu You thought he was joking.

“Now?”

“Mm.”

“Now?!” She couldn’t believe it and asked again.

“Mm.”

“………”

After waiting a few seconds, Xie Ci said seriously, “Really. I’ve been waiting two hours, sis. Do you still want your candy or not? The seas could dry up and rocks could crumble.”

Xu You was stunned at first, then said hesitantly, “I was joking.”

“I took it seriously.” His voice was very light. He wasn’t angry either.

“I’m sorry. Hurry up and go home. I need to sleep. Goodbye.”

Xu You didn’t dare wait for him to speak. She hastily finished speaking and quickly hung up the phone.

Her heart pounded rapidly.

After emerging from the quilt, she realized she was a bit oxygen-deprived. Xu You opened her mouth and breathed in several hurried breaths of fresh air.

Xu You hugged her quilt and sat on the bed, staring blankly at the pitch-black air before her for a while. She couldn’t fall asleep.

The raindrops fell heavily on the ground, as if beating into her heart.

The stray dogs in the residential complex barked a few more times.

She finally got out of bed, put on her clothes, pressed the light on the entrance wall, and quietly pushed open the door.

The predawn hours with falling rain were bitingly cold.

Xu You’s footsteps were light as she descended the stairs. She didn’t dare turn on the voice-activated lights. With one hand holding up her phone, its faint light illuminated the path.

Her nerves were taut. This was her first time experiencing the nervousness of doing something wrong.

Xu You’s home was on the fourth floor.

She went down one floor, then turned, then down another floor.

Stopping on the second-floor stairs, her hand gripped tightly to the handrail beside her. She poked her head out, trying to peer through the gap to see if anyone was on the first floor.

Outside, a torrential rain was falling. There was only one lamp at the first-floor corridor entrance.

Dim yellowish light. Xie Ci leaned against the wall, squatting on the ground, lighting and smoking a cigarette.

A faint scent of nicotine permeated the air.

Xu You covered her mouth with one hand.

His head was tilted back, exhaling a puff of smoke. Then he turned like this, meeting her gaze directly. His black hair was completely soaked. Water droplets rolled down from his eyes.

They stared at each other like this for a while, not speaking.

Xu You really had no choice anymore.

On such a cold day, at such a late hour. His body was soaked through. His jacket still had undried water stains.

Scattered cigarette butts by his feet. Xie Ci had been in the corridor’s wind gap for who knows how long.

“You…”

She struggled internally for a while, hesitantly walking down to stand before him.

“Didn’t I tell you to go back…” Xu You gripped her phone tightly, lowering her eyes, avoiding his gaze.

She had come down in a hurry, her hair hanging loose. She had only managed to throw on a jacket, not even zipping it up. The white little rabbit on the pajamas inside peeked out, its two ears drooping, like its owner—a bit dejected and cute.

The night’s cold air was thick.

Xie Ci turned his head to the side, coughed twice, and stood up.

He put his hands behind his back, tilted his head to look at Xu You, and suddenly laughed, “Guess which hand your lollipop is in.”

That look was like a child who had done something right and wanted to get praise from an adult.

In that instant, Xu You suddenly felt guilty.

She couldn’t speak.

Xie Ci continued, “You’re quite bad, Xu You. You made me search the entire city, beg so many people, and even get rained on.”

“I’m sorry…”

Xu You looked at him blankly. “I didn’t think you would really go buy it…”

“I don’t care.”

He looked a bit tired, gazing at her. “Left hand or right hand?”

She stood in place, at a loss.

“Forget it, don’t guess.”

Xie Ci waited a while, then proactively extended his right hand, presenting the Zhenzhibo lollipop before her.

Apple flavor.

A late autumn rainy night, pitch-black and cold.

The sound of wind blowing through the corridor was faint. Both of them were very cold.

Xu You finally reached out to take it, touching his fingertips—ice cold.

“I’m sorry…” This was her second apology.

Xie Ci moved closer to her. The light only illuminated a small part of his profile—his nose bridge was refined and straight.

“Hey, I don’t want to hear sorry.”

He whispered in her ear, “You keep your word. I give you the candy, you’re mine now.”

“No!”

Xu You reflexively refuted without thinking, getting a bit anxious.

His movement paused.

She didn’t know what to say, hesitating for a long time, her fingernail picking at the lollipop’s wrapper.

“Because… because…”

“Because?”

“It’s just… I…”

“Say it.”

“What I said was a box. You only bought one.”

Xu You couldn’t find a reason, so she made something up randomly.

“Must it be a box? Can’t it be one?” he asked softly.

“Mm…”

“Can you be a little flexible?”

“No, what we agreed on was a box…”

Xu You murmured an explanation, her voice becoming very small because of guilt.

“Tsk.” Xie Ci instead moved even closer.

The damp smell of rain on his body and the light scent of tobacco rushed into Xu You’s nose.

“You should have said so earlier.”

Xie Ci’s thin lips curved up slightly. His ice-cold fingertips touched her warm cheek.

Xu You took half a step back and saw him extend his left hand that had been behind his back all along.

Under the dim light, hanging from his middle finger was a whole bucket full of Zhenzhibo lollipops.

Xu You was dumbstruck, her brain crashing.

How did he hide this for so long… this person…

“Is this okay? Stop tormenting me anymore.” Xie Ci said.

He pulled her hand over, his palm enclosing her fingertips, then laughed again. “Can you be a little more obedient for me, hmm?”

From childhood until now, in sixteen years, Xu You had never had such frequent, intimate contact with any boy.

She herself hadn’t even noticed that unconsciously, she had now become quite tolerant of many of Xie Ci’s excessive actions.

The moonlight was faint. Xu You didn’t speak and didn’t move.

After a long time, she suddenly snapped back to her senses and wanted to pull back her hand.

Xie Ci didn’t let her. She lowered her head, biting her lip, struggling and using a bit of strength.

He also became stubborn, gripping Xu You’s hand tightly and not letting go.

“Right now… I haven’t considered this kind of thing.”

Xu You lowered her head, not daring to look into Xie Ci’s eyes.

“Can we talk about this issue later? I think we’re too young, and we’ve known each other for too short a time. Actually, you don’t understand me. This is too sudden, really very sudden… this isn’t appropriate… really… studying is the most important thing…”

In the quiet deep night, she deliberately lowered her voice, rambling on. Her words, however, were all jumbled up.

Xie Ci leaned against the wall, holding one of her hands, occasionally turning his head to cough a few times. Who knows how much he actually heard.

From his appearance, he probably didn’t listen much.

Having been up until so late, after Xu You finished saying a long string of words, she was also physically and mentally exhausted.

She silently accepted the bucket of Zhenzhibo lollipops from his hand, holding it against her chest, her other hand holding her phone.

“Go back early. Take some cold medicine. I need to go up now.”

“You don’t want to be my girlfriend…”

Xie Ci’s gaze stayed on her. After pausing for a while, he said slowly, “It’s useless anyway. My patience isn’t good. You can not accept me now. I can wait a period of time for you to adapt. Nothing else is up for discussion. You’re mine anyway.”

They clearly hadn’t known each other for that long, yet he didn’t know where this strong possessiveness toward Xu You came from. He even wanted to be close to her every moment.

Liking her was very direct, completely straightforward. He was too lazy even to disguise it.

Xu You knew reasoning with him wouldn’t work well, and she was also aware she was in the wrong tonight.

She quietly sighed and urged, “Go back first. Let go. I really need to go up now.”

Xie Ci was about to speak when he turned his head and coughed twice.

After coughing, he said slowly, “Let me hug you once and I’ll leave.”

His face had already grown thicker and thicker. Making this kind of request was already very natural for him. “Really just one hug. Won’t do anything else.”

Xu You remained silent.

“Promise I won’t kiss you.” He laughed once.

“I’m holding things in my hands.” she said.

Xie Ci didn’t want to waste words. His long arm swept out, pulling her into his embrace from behind her back.

The two were pressed very close together. They could almost hear each other’s breathing.

Xu You stayed motionless in silence.

She was very thin. One of his hands could completely encircle her waist.

Xie Ci’s chin rested on her shoulder blade, the tip of his nose sweeping past the soft strands of hair by her ear, lightly sniffing that scent on her slender neck.

In this kind of deep night, time itself seemed to pass especially slowly and quietly.

After a long while, he sighed with satisfaction.

“Smells so good.”