Gu Yu was woken by the sound of rain outside. Large raindrops beat fiercely against the window. Even through the glass, he could feel how wet and cold it was outside. Gale-force winds swirled a few stray leaves around, and thick dark clouds obscured the sunlight.
The soft sensation of the thigh his head was pillowed on caught Gu Yu’s attention the next second. He hurriedly sat up and glanced at the clean fabric of Luo Ming’s pants, feeling relieved that he hadn’t drooled on her while he was sleeping.
Thinking back now, he probably should have refused. The concepts of propriety between men and women his father had taught him were quite conservative. If it were anyone else, Gu Yu might have given up, but this was Luo Ming—the girl he liked.
He thought despondently, ‘Maybe I should just let this time be a bit more beautiful. Anyway, I know this unrequited love won’t have a happy ending for me, so I might as well enjoy it while I can.’ Besides… Luo Ming’s legs were truly comfortable.
Luo Ming was also asleep at the moment, leaning back against the sofa. Strands of her black hair clung to her cheeks, with a few touching the corners of her mouth, adding a touch of cuteness to her whole appearance.
His heart suddenly felt itchy, as if a weightless feather had landed on it. Guided by some inexplicable impulse, Gu Yu reached out his hand and slowly began getting closer to Luo Ming’s face. Close enough to touch her face.
This action was far too bold for him and undoubtedly rude to the girl, but it felt as if some magic was driving Gu Yu to try. This might be his only chance.
The girl’s face was soft and smooth, the delicate and tender skin feeling wonderful to the touch. Gu Yu couldn’t help but pinch it, but he quickly realized he had gone too far and tried to pull his hand back.
However, Luo Ming had already opened her eyes. She caught Gu Yu’s hand, which was still on her face. Her expression was part stunned and part playful. Fortunately, there was no anger to be seen; it was as if she had caught a playful child.
“Gu Yu… I didn’t expect you to be so bold, touching a girl’s face whenever you want.” She gripped Gu Yu’s hand tightly, as if she wanted to hold onto the evidence and wouldn’t let go until she had finished judging his crime.
“I, I, I… I just… I’m sorry. I couldn’t help it. You look beautiful when you sleep.”
“Is it soft?”
“Huh?” Gu Yu couldn’t keep up with Luo Ming’s pace and froze for a moment. “Yes, your skin is very soft and smooth.”
“If it were any other girl, Gu Yu, you would have been slapped.”
“I’m sorry, I’m sorry. I apologize.”
“But it’s a good thing it wasn’t another girl.”
Luo Ming suddenly gave a warm smile and let go of Gu Yu’s hand. She looked at the torrential rain outside the window. Dense raindrops fell through the air, and the sky was dark and murky.
She watched the raging storm and asked, “Do you have an umbrella I could borrow? I should head back.”
“I have one I bought a long time ago. I’ll go get it for you, but I don’t know if it’s still usable.”
Gu Yu went into his room and rummaged around for a bit. When he returned, he was holding a collapsible Three-ribbed Umbrella. The handle was somewhat rusty, and it took him a while to manage to open it.
Two or three of the rusty iron ribs suddenly snapped, causing a large section of the canopy to collapse. The way it collapsed , it was clearly unusable. Gu Yu scratched his head, feeling very embarrassed. “This… it probably won’t work. Why don’t you wait until the rain lets up before heading back? Let’s have dinner first.”
“Sure. Why not.”
Luo Ming walked to the window. Transparent droplets beat against the palm she pressed against the glass. Her clear eyes reflected the chaotic rainy scene. She suddenly wished the rain would get heavier and never stop, even if it submerged the world.
“I’ll cook dinner instead. It’s a rare opportunity.”
“Alright, sorry for the trouble.”
Gu Yu watched Luo Ming enter the kitchen and put on an apron. Her slender figure moved with ease in that small space. He couldn’t help but think of the ordinary family dinner scenes he often saw on television: a man home from work lying on the sofa reading a newspaper while a housewife bustled in the kitchen. It was a warm and beautiful image.
‘I’m delusional again,’ Gu Yu thought as he tapped his head, cursing himself for daydreaming. He had actually pinched Luo Ming’s face just now; his impression score must have taken a huge hit.
Dinner was served after Luo Ming’s hard work. Neither of them spoke, eating their meal in silence. The sound of rain outside still hadn’t stopped; it was even louder than before.
The sky gradually darkened. Gu Yu turned on the light and said to Luo Ming, “The rain doesn’t seem like it’s going to stop. If you don’t mind, would you like to stay the night? You can sleep in my room, and I’ll sleep in my parents’ room.”
He didn’t have any improper thoughts and maintained the necessary politeness. He didn’t want Luo Ming to misunderstand that he had any ulterior motives, as he cared deeply about his image in the girl’s eyes.
“Okay, then I’ll be troubling you.”
“No problem. Then I’ll go prepare some things for you to wash up with.”
Gu Yu said this as he entered the bathroom. Two towels hung on the wall where the white tiles were cracked. The blue one was the one he had given to Yun Qianxin to use the last time, and it had been hanging there ever since; it was very clean. He found a spare toothbrush, placed it on the windowsill, and returned to the living room.
“Use the blue towel. I got a new toothbrush out, and you can use my cup and toothpaste… Do you… want to take a shower?”
There were only two towels in the house, and since Yun Qianxin had only used it once, there was no need to worry about hygiene.
“Is that okay? Then thank you.”
“The body wash and shampoo are on the windowsill. Turn the showerhead switch to the right for hot water. What about Clothes…”
“I won’t change my clothes for now. I can’t exactly wear yours, right?”
“I guess that’s true.” Gu Yu felt a bit embarrassed. “I’ll go get you a pair of slippers.”
He turned around, took a pair of cotton slippers from the shoe rack, and placed them by Luo Ming’s feet. Luo Ming untied the laces of her sneakers, took off her shoes and the white lace-trimmed mid-calf socks inside, revealing slender and small ankles. Her snow-white skin looked smooth and soft.
She slid her feet into the slippers and padded into the bathroom to take a shower.
Soon, the pitter-patter of water came from inside, distinct from the rain outside. It was evocative and stirred the imagination.
Gu Yu patted his face to stop his stray thoughts and took out his phone to read a book.
This was the second time a girl had showered at his house recently. In truth, Luo Ming’s figure was slightly inferior to Yun Qianxin’s. Both had slender waists and long legs, but the age gap meant a certain physical immaturity; in terms of the curves of her chest, Yun Qianxin was much more developed.
In contrast, Gu Yu was even more nervous now. He didn’t like Luo Ming superficially for her appearance or body, but love extends to everything related to the person. This meant that the various aspects of the girl’s image in his eyes, such as her figure, would more or less gain points because of his feelings.
The bathroom door opened. The girl was still wearing the light gray sweatshirt and black casual pants she had arrived in. Her snow-white skin was flushed a delicate light red, and a few damp strands of hair hung over her exquisite face.
“Do you want to sit out her for a while? Or Do you want to go to sleep? My room is that one.” Gu Yu pointed to his bedroom door and asked Luo Ming.
“Then I’ll head to sleep. You should go wash up. Sorry for troubling you today.”
“It’s fine. Oh, my charger is by the bed. It should work for your phone too.”
“Okay, I’ve got it.”
Luo Ming turned around and entered into Gu Yu’s room, while Gu Yu went into the bathroom to wash up and get ready for bed. The steam inside hadn’t fully dissipated yet, swirling in a hazy white mist, and the girl’s faint fragrance lingered in the air.