Chapter 527: Rainy Days and Final Exams Go Better Together

Chapter 527 -230: Rainy Days and Final Exams Go Better Together

「January 21st.」

The sky had yet to lighten, the winter morning steeped in an inky blackness.

A fine, silent drizzle fell, tapping against the windowpane and smearing it with a blur of moisture.

Outside, the dreary gray sky pressed down heavily as a damp chill seeped into the room through the cracks in the window frame.

Shen Yuan stood before his bedroom window, staring blankly at the drizzling curtain of rain. Droplets snaked down the glass like cold, lonely tear tracks.

“Damn it!” he suddenly cursed under his breath, rolling his eyes at the curtain of rain. “That jinx Ah Jie was right after all!”

Ah Jie’s anguished wails from the classroom still seemed to echo in his ears.

An image flashed through his mind of Ah Jie clutching his chest as he made his prediction, followed by his own stubborn retort: “I don’t think it’ll rain.”

The more Shen Yuan thought about it, the more annoyed he became, and he irritably scratched the back of his head.

Shen Yuan didn’t like rainy days, especially winter rain.

‘So damp… and cold!’

And he hated it even more when it rained during finals.

‘Is this crappy weather trying to add a difficulty buff to the exams on purpose?’

Shen Yuan sighed and picked up his phone. His fingers, still sluggish with sleep, tapped open his pinned conversation.

Shen Yuan quickly sent a message to Li Zhi, telling her to dress warmly since it was raining, and reminding her to bring an umbrella and some heat packs.

Not long after he sent the message, his phone chimed. DING.

A three-second voice message lay waiting in the chat box.

The moment he tapped it, Li Zhi’s sweet voice filled his ears.

“Got it~~, Big Bro!”

The rain outside seemed to quiet down a little.

Shen Yuan clutched his phone. That “Big Bro,” spoken with a sweet, drawn-out, and playfully teasing tone, still seemed to be swirling in his ears. It was like a tiny, honey-coated hook, tickling his heart until it ached with a sweet itch.

This one delightful moment of anticipation shattered all the damp, dreary annoyance the rainy day had brought.

He scrubbed his face hard, trying to banish the images that were flashing uncontrollably through his mind.

Once Li Zhi sent a message saying she was heading out, Shen Yuan grabbed an umbrella and left his apartment.

A blast of air, thick with icy vapor, hit him instantly.

He pressed the elevator button, then crossed the hall to Li Zhi’s front door in a few quick strides.

A moment later, the security door sounded with a CLICK.

The door swung open to reveal Li Zhi standing there, a picture of youthful charm.

“Ta-da!”

A smile graced the lovely girl’s face, like a flower bud suddenly blooming in the winter chill, carrying with it the lazy warmth of early morning.

Her clear eyes reflected his slightly surprised expression, and they rippled with a soft, bright smile.

That silent smile instantly banished the gloom of the miserable wind and rain outside, making the whole heavy morning feel vibrant and bright.

“Morning.”

Shen Yuan’s eyes took her in.

Today, Li Zhi was once again wearing a soft, cream-colored, full-length down jacket. The fabric had a subtle sheen, indicating it was waterproof.

The jacket’s stand-up collar snugly protected her neck, and peeking out from inside was the edge of an off-white cashmere turtleneck.

She wore a pair of light gray, fleece-lined, wide-leg trousers over soft, warm leggings, ensuring she stayed toasty. The pant legs were wide enough to comfortably accommodate the thick inner layer.

On her feet, she had a pair of white suede snow boots with thick, non-slip soles. The high tops securely protected her ankles.

She had even tucked all her hair under a soft beanie.

With her backpack on, the girl reached for her umbrella and issued a command to Shen Yuan.

“Let’s move out!”

Downstairs, two umbrellas opened up. As was his habit, Shen Yuan had Li Zhi walk on the inside of the sidewalk, shielding her from most of the rain that slanted in with the wind.

The fine raindrops tapped against the canopy of their umbrellas, a PITTER-PATTER that was especially clear in the morning silence.

A gust of cold wind swept past, carrying threads of damp rain. Li Zhi instinctively flinched, hunching her shoulders slightly.

“Brr… It’s freezing today,” she muttered under her breath.

Shen Yuan immediately turned his head toward her, tilting his umbrella up slightly. “Did you bring the heat packs?”

There was a hint of anxiety in his voice; he had specifically reminded her in his message that morning.

“I brought them, I brought them! Relax. Who do you think I am, you?”

Li Zhi shot him a sidelong glance, her tone cheerful.

With her free hand, she patted her stomach through the fluffy down jacket, making a muffled rustling sound.

“See? Got one right here.”

Then, she looked down and gave her ankle a little wiggle, gesturing toward her snow boots.

“I put some in my shoes, too. So warm!”

Shen Yuan smiled and nodded. “Did you bring any spares?”

“Of course,” Li Zhi said. She reached into her pocket and pulled out an individually wrapped heat pack, dangling it from her fingertips.

“Here. What’s up? You want one? Are you cold, too?”

Li Zhi thought he was cold and instinctively offered him the small patch of warmth.

Shen Yuan didn’t take the heat pack. Instead, he decisively reached out and expertly took hold of the hand Li Zhi was using to hold her umbrella.

The sudden warmth that enveloped her hand carried all of a young man’s vibrant energy, feeling like a piece of burning charcoal.

“You don’t know how warm I am by now?”

Shen Yuan’s voice was low, with a roguish, magnetic quality.

Li Zhi rolled her eyes at him. “So much for trying to be nice! Hmph!”

The girl quickened her pace, and Shen Yuan’s roguish demeanor immediately crumbled.

“Hey, hey, wait for me!”

“Watch out for the puddle.”

Shen Yuan glanced down to warn her. Quick as a flash, he grabbed her wrist and gave a gentle tug, helping her hop over a small puddle at the edge of the sidewalk.

Li Zhi glanced up at him, and they exchanged a smile.

Despite the icy air, the space beneath their umbrellas felt exceptionally warm.