Chapter 1434: Are We Together? (8)

As the movie ended, Xiao Rou and Zhou Qi stepped out of the theater when suddenly a strong wind blew outside, prompting Xiao Rou to instinctively close her eyes and take cover. Unexpectedly, a human wall appeared in front of her.

Zhou Qi stood in front of Xiao Rou, firmly protecting her in his arms.

Xiao Rou lifted her gaze to meet Zhou Qi’s smiling eyes, and she smiled back.

Before the two could say anything, a blast of wind was followed by a torrent of rain pouring down relentlessly. The sudden downpour caught everyone off guard, prompting pedestrians to start running.

Xiao Rou froze for a moment. They had already exited the cinema and stepped into the rain, and although they hadn’t walked far, they only needed to quickly return to the mall. Somehow, Xiao Rou decided to grab Zhou Qi’s hand and dash forward.

Raindrops cascaded down like a waterfall, drenching them both, and soon, Xiao Rou and Zhou Qi were soaked through.

Finally, they reached the entrance of a closed shop and took shelter under its awning from the rain.

Strands of Xiao Rou’s hair stuck to her face, and Zhou Qi wasn’t faring much better. She looked at the person beside her and suddenly burst into radiant laughter.

Zhou Qi brushed off the rain from his body, to no avail, and upon hearing Xiao Rou’s laughter, he smiled: “Is it that funny?”

Xiao Rou casually leaned against the wall behind her, panting heavily: “Since I was young, my parents always told me not to get caught in the rain because I’d catch a cold or fever and need to take medicine and get injections. It costs money and disrupts my studies. I’ve never run wildly in the rain like this.”

Zhou Qi considered taking off his coat for Xiao Rou, but he was already soaked through. Wrapping her in a wet coat would be counterproductive, so he dropped the idea.

He just stood in front of Xiao Rou, shielding her from the sporadic raindrops while listening to her gentle yet straightforward words.

“So, how does it feel to run in the rain today?”

“Pretty good.”

Xiao Rou smiled even brighter, her gaze turning into crescent moons as she looked at Zhou Qi.

The rain had come quickly and left just as swiftly. After standing under the small awning for about twenty minutes, the rain began to subside.

“Shall we head back?”

Zhou Qi asked, and Xiao Rou nodded.

“Wait for me here.”

Zhou Qi walked to the roadside and hailed a taxi, then waved at Xiao Rou. They got in and headed home.

As for the bicycle Zhou Qi had ridden, it was temporarily forgotten by both.

The taxi stopped at the entrance of the community. After paying and getting out of the car, Zhou Qi naturally took Xiao Rou’s hand.

By now, the rain had stopped, leaving a lingering scent of rainfall in the air. They walked slowly toward the villa, and Xiao Rou finally felt a bit of chill, but she didn’t want to quicken her pace. She liked this dreamlike feeling.

The villa wasn’t far from the community entrance, and they arrived soon. The living room lights were still on, indicating someone was awake. Zhou Qi took out the keys, ready to unlock the door when Xiao Rou suddenly held him back.

“Hmm?”

Zhou Qi turned back to look at the girl behind him. Xiao Rou’s hair was still damp, and her clothes clung to her, accentuating her petite and slender frame.

Her round eyes seemed to be veiled in mist, glistening under the streetlamp.

“Zhou Qi, are we… together?”

Zhou Qi hadn’t expected Xiao Rou to say that. After a brief moment of surprise, he chuckled: “Of course.”

We are most certainly together.