Chapter Sixty-Seven

At six o'clock in the evening, the sky seemed to be blurred by layers of ink, and the sound of rain arrived before the darkness.

First came sporadic drumbeats, which quickly coalesced into a wall of white noise, pounding against the French windows. Inside, no lights were on, only the small kitchen chandelier casting long shadows of the two figures, like two wet plants entwined together.

Xu Li was pinned between the refrigerator door and the kitchen counter by Tan Yuze. The cold metal penetrated her thin dress, forcing her back to arch slightly, while his burning body temperature pressed against her.

The sound of rain blurred all boundaries—the panting, the heartbeat, the tiny sounds of lips and tongues touching, all were enveloped in the rain curtain, like a whispered song no one could hear.

"Baby..." Tan Yuze's voice was so low it was barely a whisper, a little hoarse and out of control. He kissed the softest spot behind her ear, his fingers tracing the small indentation on her lower back, his fingertips slowly caressing it. "I want to be in love with you forever."

Xu Li tilted her head back, the lines of her neck edged by the dim yellow light. She didn't speak, but simply nuzzled his nose against hers, like a cat confirming a familiar scent.

The next second, his lips covered hers again, his tongue deftly parting her teeth, feeding her the word "forever" deep into her throat.

The rain intensified, and the windows rattled from the pounding.

Tan Yuze's hand slid down her waistline to her back, finding the bottom button of her skirt, and gently lifted it with his fingertips. The fabric loosened, letting in a blast of cold air, which was immediately covered by the warmth of his palm.

Xu Li couldn't help but flinch, and he picked her up and placed her on the kitchen counter. The marble countertop was cold, and she gasped softly, her legs instinctively wrapping around his waist.

"Baby wants you..." he murmured against her lips, his voice breaking into a moist murmur.

Xu Li opened her eyes and saw that his forehead was damp with sweat, and his eyelashes were still wet with the moisture from their kiss. She reached out to brush it away, but he grabbed her wrist and pressed it against his chest—where it pounded like a drum, a sound entirely caused by her.

The sound of rain is like a giant protective shield, keeping the world outside.

Tan Yuze lowered his head and kissed the hollow of her collarbone, then moved down to the second button of her dress. He moved slowly, as if unwrapping a gift he had been anticipating for ten years. With each button he unbuttoned, he placed a light kiss on her bare skin, like stamping a seal, or declaring his ownership.

“Ah Li…” he called her name, his voice low and sticky, “For the past seven years, every single day I’ve wanted to hold you like this, and then think of ***.”

Xu Li's fingertips brushed against his hair, tightening slightly, her breath breaking into short, rapid beats. Only a nasal sound, tinged with a sob, escaped her lips. Then Tan Yuze smiled, his chest heaving, and pressed his lips to hers to complete the sentence: "I know you don't mind."

"I...didn't say that."

He almost ignored her words, "Baby, you smell so good, I want to do it right now." Then he buried his head in the crook of her neck and took a deep breath.

A porcelain bowl on the counter was knocked over, chopsticks rolled off, and the sound was quickly swallowed by the sound of rain.

He picked her up and carried her to the living room. His steps faltered, knocking over a floor lamp; the bulb cast a flickering arc of light before fading back into darkness. Xu Li sank into the soft sofa, and he pressed down on her. In the rhythmic patter of the rain, their shadows overlapped, deepening the night's darkness.

“From now on, on every rainy day,” Tan Yuze kissed her earlobe, his voice low and husky but solemn, “I will kiss you like this, from dusk till midnight, and then into the dawn.”

Xu Li answered with a kiss. Outside the window, the rain pattered like drums; inside, breaths surged like a tide.

Only one sentence echoes in the world—forever, forever, forever.

He then carried Xu Li into the bedroom, where they made love.

The bathroom light hadn't been turned on yet, and the only light coming from the living room was a sliver of orange light.

Hot water splashed into the porcelain white bathtub, creating a thin mist that seemed to separate the sound of rain into another world.

Tan Yuze first adjusted the water temperature to the most comfortable level before turning around and carrying Xu Li inside.

She was limp all over, her face pressed against his neck, her eyelashes still glistening with tiny beads of sweat from their kiss.

"Close your eyes if you're tired, I'll help you wash."

The sound was so low it almost melted into the mist.

He had her sit on a non-slip stool on the edge of the bathtub, while he knelt on one knee on the tiles, scooped warm water in his palm, and poured it little by little down her hair.

The water flowed down her collarbone and down her back like a quiet stream.

Xu Li hummed softly, her voice hoarse with weariness and a sense of relief.

Tan Yuze's fingers ran through her hair, his fingertips gently massaging her scalp.

He moved very slowly, as if he were polishing a precious piece of porcelain.

Occasionally, a few bubbles would get behind her ear, and he would lean down and kiss them away. His lips would only lightly brush against her skin, but they would quickly warm it up.

Xu Li slightly opened her eyes and saw that the wisps of hair on his forehead were damp with moisture, and under the light they shone with a gentle curve.

She raised her hand, her fingertips tracing his brow bone, and whispered, "You're wet too."

Tan Yuze smiled, took her hand in his, brought it to his lips, and gave her a dry kiss.

He felt he hadn't showered yet, so he plunged into Xu Li's bathtub again, and pulled Xu Li into the tub several more times until Xu Li was exhausted.

He filled the bathtub with warm water and sank in with her in his arms.

The water was up to my chest, and steam rose from it.

Xu Li leaned against him, her back pressed against his chest, and could clearly hear his steady heartbeat.

He picked up a bath sponge, squeezed out her favorite white tea-scented shower gel, rubbed it to create a fine lather, and then rubbed it in circles along her arms, shoulders, and waist.

The foam bursts at your fingertips, making a very soft "poof" sound, like a hidden rhythm.

"It feels like all the rain from the whole day has been washed away."

She said softly.

Tan Yuze didn't answer, but lowered his head, rubbed his nose against her earlobe, and then very gently took her earlobe into his mouth.

Their breaths mingled, and the water rippled slightly.

His lips slid down behind his ear, stopping at the point where the water met his skin, leaving a trail of damp, warm marks.

Xu Li turned her face and rested her forehead against his chin.

The mist softened each other's outlines, like an oil painting blurred by rain.

She raised her arms and wrapped them around his neck, her fingertips brushing against the ends of his wet hair.

“Tan Yuze…”

The voice was so low it was almost inaudible, yet it felt like a feather landing on his heart.

Tan Yuze tightened his arms and pressed her closer to his chest, so that their shadows overlapped in the flickering light.

The hot water was changed twice, and the foam gradually dissipated.

He wrapped her in a large towel, like holding a sleepy cat, and gently placed her back in the bedroom. The bedside nightlight shone with a warm yellow glow, and the sound of rain finally subsided, leaving only a few scattered drops.

Xu Li sank into the soft bedding, her eyelids heavy, yet she stubbornly held onto his fingers. Tan Yuze leaned down and kissed her between the eyebrows, his voice low and gentle: "Sleep, the rest... save for your dreams."

The lights went out, and the rain stopped.

The night gently silenced the last sound.

the next day.

Xu Li got up, rolled over, and put her hand on Tan Yuze. She touched him again, opened her eyes, and saw Tan Yuze leaning against the headboard smoking.

She pulled up the blanket again to look at her naked body, then turned to look at Tan Yuze.

Tan Yuze exhaled a puff of smoke, looked at her, and smiled, saying, "I've done everything I should have done, and even things I shouldn't have done."

What a lunatic! He did all that, you scumbag.

She looked at the cigarette in his hand and said, "I want to smoke too."

He took a drag of his cigarette and leaned down to feed her. "How's it? Is your husband's cigarette good?"

"It's not good to suck, I want a new one!" Xu Li pouted.

Tan Yuze smiled and said, "Okay."

Xu Liyan put the cigarette in her mouth, and Tan Yuze lit it for her. The flame of the lighter flickered wildly, and the cigarette butt was lit.

The two leaned against the headboard and smoked.

*

June is here in the blink of an eye.

Today is Children's Day, but Xu Li received enthusiastic invitations from a group of "big kids": Mu Mu, Bai Chuan, Lu Yi, Zhu Yu, Leng Yuxuan, Tan Yuqi... A string of names popped up on her phone screen like rainbow candies, sparkling brightly.

"Little Li, it's a holiday! Just bring your childlike heart!"

At six o'clock in the evening, they rushed into the bar—the balloon arch at the entrance was mint blue and strawberry pink, the DJ booth was covered with cartoon stickers, and even the cocktail menu had been renamed "Ultraman Fighting Monsters" and "Little Witch Bubbles".

Mu Mu was the first to put the sequined headband on Xu Li's head: "Today you're the center of attention!"

Bai Chuan ordered a whole row of "Ultraman Fighting Monsters"—vodka as the base, blue curaçao liqueur mixed to create a cosmic color, and mini Ultraman figures stuck in the rim of the glass.

Lu Yi hung the Polaroid camera around his neck, looking like a homeroom teacher on a school trip: "Come on, one, two, three, cheese! Children's Day graduation photo!"

"Haha, how childish."

Zhu Yu was in charge of the game: the loser of the dice roll had to sing a rap version of "Two Tigers" in public. Tan Yuze lost three rounds in a row and was forced to use a broom as a guitar, shouting until he was hoarse, which made Leng Yuxuan laugh so hard that he sprayed his cola all over himself.

Xu Li secretly stuck the birthday candles into the small cake: "Children's Day is also 'June 1st,' Tan Yuqi, make a wish!"

The lights suddenly dimmed, leaving only the warm glow of candles. Tan Yuqi clasped her hands together and saw a circle of people forming a crescent shape, their eyes sparkling like candy wrappers.

She closed her eyes:

"I hope that next Children's Day, we will still be like this—a group of over-aged children opening a star the size of a bottle of soda at night."

"bite--"

The sounds of camera shutters clicking, cheers, and clinking glasses erupted simultaneously.

The bartender behind the counter smiled and rang the bell: "Happy Children's Day! Today, all adults can enjoy a free refill of childlike joy!"

Bai Chuan tossed the dinosaur key into the air: "Let's go, let's go to the warehouse to find my childhood."

Zhu Yu downed the last glass of "Ultraman Fighting Monsters" in one gulp, letting out a blue burp: "Whoever doesn't go has to post a ten-shot selfie in the group chat!"

The crowd burst into laughter and pushed each other out of the bar.

The night breeze carried the scent of gardenias, and they lined up in a row, like children walking home from school.

Leng Yuxuan wore the sequined headband backwards, using it as a navigation tool: "Destination: Tongmeng Warehouse, 2.3 kilometers away, requires telling twenty lame jokes to walk there."

then--

Lu Yi: "Why does Little Red Riding Hood always win against the wolf? Because she has the protagonist's halo!"

Tan Yuze: "Why can't Boonie Bears ever finish cutting down all the trees? Because Bald Qiang has unlimited resurrection coins!"

...

Laughter echoed across the ground, clattering like glass marbles rolling into the grass. Leng Yuxuan asked softly, "Where do you think we'll be on Children's Day ten years from now?"

Tan Yuze: "Maybe I'm working overtime, maybe I'm taking care of the baby, or maybe—"

He pointed to the ceiling, “Back to this warehouse in my dreams.”

Xu Li held the plush bear high, like raising a flag:

"Let's make a promise—if we ever get separated, on the next Children's Day, set our alarms for midnight and see each other in our dreams."

They rode their tricycles, balloons bobbing overhead, drifting back to the city. As the first rays of sunlight shone down, all seven of them simultaneously let out a burp—"burp—"

Silver light flew from everyone's mouths, like fireflies, or like unspoken wishes.

They formed a string of glowing words in the air:

See you next June 1st.

Then, the light spots dispersed, and the sky became completely bright.