Chapter 48

Another Rainy Day (1)

Outside the window was a hazy dark blue.

After a couple of days with very little sleep, Xu Muzi was actually feeling a bit lazy, unwilling to think about anything. When she received Deng Yun’s helpless yet indulgent retort, she clutched the blanket and buried her head, stifling a laugh.

This little bit of soft laughter startled the person who was lazily blocking his eyes and preparing to sleep.

Xu Muzi was rolled up in the blanket and kissed by Deng Yun.

Her hands were pressed beneath the silk summer quilt, laughing as her body twisted left and right like a silkworm cocoon, unable to escape.

After a long struggle, she managed to free one arm, originally intending to push him away. However, when her hand fell onto him and her eyes met his, she inexplicably loosened her grip and instead wrapped her arms around his neck to kiss him.

After a few kisses, she considered herself proactive and had even been called “boss lady,” yet she said nothing about their relationship status.

With a little mischievous intent and a hint of pride, Xu Muzi cuddled back into Deng Yun’s arms and fell asleep again amidst the crackling sound of the lively rain.

This time, she slept a bit more soundly, waking up to the sound of her phone alarm.

Xu Muzi, still drowsy, relied on muscle memory and turned off the alarm without even opening her eyes.

She casually shoved her phone under the pillow and nestled back into Deng Yun’s arms, falling asleep in an instant.

Deng Yun was awake but, in a sense, was complicit in her laziness. He didn’t seriously try to wake her, gently patting her back and teasing, “Boss lady, are you not going home anymore?”

It was 4:07 AM.

Xu Muzi jolted awake and sat up in bed.

She had an appointment with the driver at five o’clock at the foot of the mountain. Wearing his short-sleeved shirt, she frantically pushed his arm and the blanket aside and jumped out of bed.

“It’s over! Deng Yun, I’m going to be late!”

Deng Yun sat up, helping to turn on a few main lights and smiling, “Just sleep for seven more minutes; don’t panic.”

Xu Muzi spun in circles in Deng Yun’s room—

She pulled her dress up from the sofa;

Picked up the hair tie that had fallen on the carpet;

Then, she rummaged under the pillow and took out her phone…

She dashed to the bathroom to change, only to realize she forgot to grab her underwear, so she had to double back.

In the midst of her frantic movements, she caught sight of Deng Yun sitting by the bed, looking refreshed and fully dressed.

Deng Yun must have woken up earlier than her. Xu Muzi hurried into the bathroom, changing her clothes while asking, “What time did you get up?”

“3:30.”

With one arm behind her back, covering the open zipper of her dress, she ran over to hit him: “Why didn’t you wake me when you got up?”

“I saw you were tired and wanted you to sleep a bit longer.”

“Well, I…”

Deng Yun helped Xu Muzi turn around, brushing aside the long hair covering her back, and pulled up the zipper of her dress: “You’ll make it.”

Deng Yun had only a few of Xu Muzi’s things. He accompanied her back to her room, letting her wash up first while he helped her pack her suitcase.

And they really did have time.

By the time everything was packed up, the suitcase was buckled and locked, it was barely 4:30.

Xu Muzi’s room had been empty all night, the doors and windows tightly closed.

The air inside was filled with her sweet almond scent, the bed sheets nearly wrinkle-free, and the comic guide laid on the bed was still new.

Stepping out of the room, her tone was somewhat regretful:

If she had known it would be like this, she might as well have left the room for other guests, which would have earned her a little more money.

After saying this, Xu Muzi noticed in Deng Yun’s amused gaze that her tone really did sound a bit like a “boss lady.”

She playfully slapped his back, embarrassedly closing her mouth, refusing to say anything further no matter how much he teased her.

The rain was still falling.

It was pouring, likely to last all day. The darkened sky made it hard to feel any energy.

It was still early, and the common area of the inn was very quiet.

Yesterday, the identity cards from the Werewolf game that Xing Pengjie and the others had played were still on the coffee table, left uncleaned;

The trash can was stuffed with drink bottles and snack wrappers;

Books and decorations quietly stood on the bookshelf, with one book lying on top, its pages revealing a concert ticket stub.

With the temperature being low, Xu Muzi wore Deng Yun’s jacket, gathered her hair, and tied it up with a hair tie.

Her face was bare, and she sat on her suitcase in a daze.

Her phone had a message from the driver, reminding her to be at the foot of the mountain by five o’clock.

Everything from yesterday had rushed by, leaving only the continuous sound of the rain, dampening her ears…

Suddenly, she felt a pang of reluctance and wanted to go back to Deng Yun’s room to sleep a little longer.

Deng Yun was at the front desk, operating the computer to check Xu Muzi out.

A voice, not quite awake, came from behind: “Miss Xu, you’re up early.”

Xu Muzi turned to see Xia Xia, wrapped in a thin blanket, walking out from the end of the hallway: “Good morning, Xia Xia.”

“Sorry to keep you waiting. I thought you’d come down closer to five, so I didn’t call you…”

Xia Xia seemed to be concerned about Xu Muzi checking out. When she saw both Deng Yun and Xu Muzi present, she paused.

Her eyes lingered on Xu Muzi’s jacket, which had oversized sleeves that bunched up at her wrists, and she blushed.

“Uh… that, Deng… eh?”

Before Xia Xia could figure out the situation, Deng Yun calmly spoke from in front of the computer: “To put it plainly, she knows.”

“Oh, then… Boss, I’ll handle it.”

Xu Muzi’s face turned a bit red too.

From Deng Yun’s words last night, Xia Xia knew her name and had probably known about her even before she arrived at the inn.

Yet she pretended not to know…

Deng Yun handed the invoicing work to Xia Xia and took Xu Muzi to the restaurant.

The pizza in the fridge had almost been eaten by the guests, leaving only two pieces of tuna and shrimp in a container.

She was allergic and couldn’t eat those.

The new supplies hadn’t arrived yet, leaving only some simple ingredients. Deng Yun took some eggs and bacon and cooked them, plating them nicely.

“Aren’t you going to eat?”

Deng Yun shook his head: “I’ll wait until seven-thirty.”

That made sense; he wasn’t leaving and could wait until breakfast time to eat with the other guests.

Xu Muzi enjoyed her fried eggs and bacon alone.

Deng Yun was actually a good cook; the fried egg yolk wasn’t runny nor overcooked and choking, but just right.

But her appetite wasn’t great.

Perhaps it was due to her lack of sleep and waking up too early, or maybe because she was about to leave.

She spoke little and was quite subdued.

Xia Xia brought over the prepared invoice and also handed her a small canvas bag.

Inside the bag were fresh tomatoes.

Xia Xia, blushing, said she thought Xu Muzi would like them and brought them for her to eat on the road.

Only then did Xu Muzi speak, thanking Xia Xia for the tomatoes and for her care.

“It’s nothing, really…”

It was still early. Xia Xia stifled a yawn, expressed her hopes that Xu Muzi would come again when she had time, and wisely left them alone, returning to her room to catch some more sleep.

After Xia Xia left, the inn fell quiet.

They continued sitting in the space obscured by duck-foot wood, the fragrance of the tomatoes in the canvas bag wafting around, their legs touching beneath the table.

Deng Yun poured a glass of juice and placed it on the table in front of Xu Muzi, tapping her hand lightly before retracting his: “Feeling down?”

Xu Muzi knew Deng Yun couldn’t leave.

The inn’s management staff originally had more than just Xia Xia; another staff member had taken a week off due to a family member’s passing.

Extreme weather conditions often led to unexpected situations, like yesterday’s power outage, last-minute guest cancellations or bookings, and transportation down the mountain…

Even if Xia Xia was busy as a spinning top, she couldn’t manage everything, so Deng Yun had to stay to keep an eye on the inn’s affairs.

She had only eaten half of the small fried egg, the edge of the yolk still bearing her bite marks.

She put down her chopsticks, not answering Deng Yun’s question, and slumped over the dining table.

Deng Yun didn’t ask again, only said, “It’s not convenient these next few days. The day after tomorrow, I’ll be able to go back.”

Xu Muzi perked up, her eyes brightening as she sat up straight: “The day after tomorrow… what time do you think you’ll arrive?”

“In the afternoon.”

She felt like a deflated balloon, slumping back onto the table: “I have a performance in the morning; it seems you won’t make it…”

After thinking for a moment, she decided it didn’t matter.

If he couldn’t make it, he couldn’t make it.

This was her first large performance since joining the orchestra, and her parents had bought tickets long ago, even giving some to a few friends they often interacted with.

There would likely be many familiar faces in the audience.

Even if Deng Yun went, it wouldn’t be appropriate to act too intimate; it would be difficult to find a moment to chat alone.

Her cousin had also mentioned that her parents wanted her to meet a child from an old friend’s family after the performance.

Xu Muzi felt gloomy while finding Deng Yun’s calm demeanor infuriatingly nonchalant.

She felt a bit provocative, cleared her throat, and, without looking at him, pretended to tell a serious joke.

“If you come back so late, the matter of your status might change.”

Deng Yun slammed his phone down on the table. “What do you mean?”

Xu Muzi, harboring her own thoughts, brought up her fourth blind date whom she had yet to meet, saying she didn’t know which day her parents had arranged for her to meet him.

Her expression hinted at:

“If he’s taller than you, better looking than you, more outstanding than you, more likable than you…”

“You’d better be careful~”

Deng Yun seemed to not understand and calmly replied, “Just meet him.”

This response annoyed Xu Muzi; her expression tightened, and she lowered her head, silently drinking her juice.

She had a million complaints in her heart.

She heard Deng Yun laugh and ask, “Are you cursing me in your mind?”

“Yes!”

Dark clouds rolled in, and the violet petals outside had almost all fallen, leaving a bare sight.

The raindrops incessantly pounded against the glass window, causing irritation.

However, when Xu Muzi glared at Deng Yun, she noticed that he too wore an extremely displeased expression.

He was usually calm, unlike her, who was much more obvious.

In this dreary, rainy morning, he furrowed his brow and gazed out the window, sighing gloomily, “Why does twenty-some hours pass so quickly?”

Xu Muzi’s anxiety suddenly vanished.

It turned out that someone felt reluctant just like she did.

Deng Yun asked, “When I go back the day after tomorrow, are you going to go on a date?”

“Depends on the situation.”

He teased her, “Why? Do you need to line up to get an appointment since you have a blind date?”

Her appetite improved slightly, and after finishing her juice, she wiped her mouth with a tissue. “Yes, yes.”

Xu Muzi finished her breakfast, feeling a bit unsatisfied. She reached into the nearby pumpkin-shaped glass jar and pulled out a piece of chocolate.

She deliberately avoided the color of the candy wrapper from last night, unwrapped it, and popped it into her mouth.

“Isn’t it too bitter for you?”

“If I change to a different color, will it be bitter too?”

“Yes, this candy only has one flavor.”

Xu Muzi, with the chocolate in her mouth, criticized the boss in front of her: “Then why did you have to pick this one…”

She didn’t get to taste the bitter filling of the chocolate because Deng Yun kissed it away.

That warmth only lasted until the kiss.

The time on the music clock showed it was already past four forty, and they needed to go down the mountain.

Deng Yun stood by the door, holding an umbrella, while effortlessly lifting Xu Muzi’s heavy suitcase with the other hand.

As Xu Muzi stepped out, she took one last look at the spacious, quiet common area of the inn.

She slipped under the umbrella and walked with Deng Yun into the rain.

The dark blue sky was saturated with water, enveloped in mist.

Streetlights illuminated every little puddle, while fallen leaves and petals clung to the moss on the stone steps…

A scene that was melancholic.

They arrived at the foot of the mountain at exactly four fifty-five, five minutes earlier than the agreed time. Initially, she thought they would have to wait, but the driver arrived early too.

As soon as they found a suitable spot to stand, a taxi pulled up in front of them.

The driver rolled down the window and asked in a local accent, “Is your surname Xu?”

Xu Muzi hurriedly nodded and gave him the last digits of her phone number.

Once the driver confirmed, he opened the trunk, and Deng Yun placed Xu Muzi’s suitcase inside.

All this happened within a few minutes.

As the farewell approached, she got into the taxi.

Neither of them were used to being overly intimate in front of strangers, so she simply rolled down the window and said stiffly, “I’m leaving now…”

“Give me your phone.”

“Mine?”

“Yes.”

Xu Muzi was puzzled but handed over her phone, watching Deng Yun quickly type on it.

When the phone was returned, it stayed on the contacts page, and a string of unfamiliar numbers had a new note: “Deng Yun.”

She thought he was just doing that and didn’t think much about it, holding her phone and looking at him.

Deng Yun held the black umbrella, raised his hand, and gently touched Xu Muzi’s cheek with his fingertip.

His fingers were slightly cool, and his voice was gentle, “Get some sleep on the way.”

The driver started the car.

The taxi drove along the road, and Deng Yun’s figure with the umbrella gradually disappeared into the noisy sound of the rain.

Xu Muzi had seriously lacked sleep these past few days and still needed to go for a rehearsal in the afternoon.

Actually, she should follow Deng Yun’s advice and take a nap during the long journey.

Moreover, the driver was very quiet, and the warm air conditioning in the car created a suitable environment for a nap.

But she forced herself to close her eyes for a long time but couldn’t fall asleep at all.

Xu Muzi stared blankly out the car window at the curtain of rain, enduring for a while before finally pulling out her headphones and calling Deng Yun.

He answered quickly.

Only two rings of busy signal sounded before his voice clearly came through her ear, “Not sleeping?”

“Yeah, have you fallen asleep yet?”

“No, I can’t sleep.”

Xu Muzi finally smiled, her voice soft, “Me too, I just can’t sleep. Did you return to your room?”

“Yes, I did. You left your hand massager behind; I’ll bring it to you next time I come back.”

When Deng Yun said this, Xu Muzi suddenly felt that the next time they would meet wasn’t far off.

Her unhappy feelings eased quite a bit.

Taking the opportunity, she brought it up, “The little paper butterfly you folded from the candy wrapper, I forgot to take it.”

“Where is it?”

“I think it’s at the entrance, I don’t know…”

“I’ll look for it later and bring it to you.”

“Okay.”

Chatting with Deng Yun like this, with each of them having their own turn in the conversation, felt more reassuring and also more hypnotic.

After talking for more than ten minutes, she gradually began to feel drowsy.

Her familiarity with the environment made it easy for her to imagine what he looked like at that moment.

With such heavy rain, there was definitely no window open in Deng Yun’s room.

He would probably take off the outfit he wore to send her down the mountain, only wearing loose, soft black pajama pants, propping up a pillow against the headboard, holding his phone while talking to her.

Thinking about that bed…

Xu Muzi vaguely remembered that the last time she woke up at night, she had flipped through her phone, seemingly wanting to find something to send to him.

Right, it was Weibo.

She said, “Deng Yun, wait a moment, I have something to send you.”

A voice came through her headphones, “Hmm.”

The lazy tone was very alluring.

Xu Muzi instinctively raised her hand and rubbed her ear before opening the Weibo app she had downloaded.

After clicking to download it last night, Deng Yun had woken up. She hadn’t logged in yet, but upon entering, she smoothly arrived at the feed page.

At first, Xu Muzi didn’t react; she could hear Deng Yun’s faint breathing beside her while her thumb unconsciously scrolled the screen a couple of times.

It was only later that she felt something was off…

She clicked on the user information and found out that the account she was logged into wasn’t hers at all.

The profile picture was a gray background with a white outline of a person, the default avatar.

The ID was a string of numbers, which didn’t feel completely unfamiliar.

It seemed to be a zombie account that had been lying in her follower list for a long time and had even sent her an ad for the inn.

There had only been Deng Yun around her, and this morning, he was the only one who had touched her phone.

Even though she wasn’t particularly sharp and was already feeling drowsy, she could still guess who had logged into this account.

But…

Xu Muzi clicked on the private message records, and there was only the inn advertisement sent to her.

She remembered telling him about this and mentioning that she had a special connection with the inn.

It turned out that what she thought was fate wasn’t just a coincidence; there was also a part of it that Deng Yun couldn’t let go of.

Xu Muzi was no longer drowsy, her heart racing as she confirmed, “Deng Yun, is this Weibo account yours?”