Chapter 46: Changes in the Space

Two days later, in the imperial capital’s Qinghe Alliance office, an air of urgency permeated the room.

“Any news?” Chief Alliance Officer Li Cheng asked, his voice taut with tension as he addressed Qiu Manlai, whose grim expression spoke volumes.

“The Zhang family’s information… it concerns a major global crisis,” Qiu Manlai hesitated, the weight of his words hanging heavy in the air.

Though mentally bracing himself, Li Cheng still felt the shock of confirmation ripple through him. “Do you consider the Zhang family’s intelligence reliable?”

“I’m unsure, but they have no reason to deceive me.”

“Tell me everything.”

Qiu Manlai recounted his conversation with the Zhang family, detailing their daughter’s prophetic dreams of a looming catastrophe, each word painting a picture of a world on the brink of chaos.

“Global rain for half a year? Then droughts…” Li Cheng muttered, his mind racing with potential countermeasures. He fell silent for over half an hour, the gravity of the situation settling upon him like a heavy mantle. Abruptly returning to the present, he realized Qiu Manlai still waited, his presence a reminder of the task at hand. “Apologies, I was deep in thought. You may return for now. My secretary will inform you of the meeting time.”

Qiu Manlai nodded and departed, leaving Chief Officer Li Cheng to his thoughts. With a heavy heart, he instructed his secretary to convene a high-level meeting for ten o’clock the following morning, the fate of the world hanging in the balance.

That night, lightning and thunder tore through Qinghua skies, a dazzling display of nature’s fury. From ten in the evening, streaks of light pierced the darkness, illuminating the somber heavens. Deafening thunderclaps followed, as if the very world might shatter under the onslaught. Wind, rain, thunder, and lightning raged in a symphony of chaos, a testament to the changing times.

Bi Qiao’an, undaunted by the storm, switched off the power in the house, grabbed a small stool, and headed to the balcony with a bowl of cherries. She settled in, her eyes fixed on the night sky, marveling at the unusual electrical storm that painted the heavens in shades of fury.

Shen Yanming, disdainful of Bi Qiao’an’s stool, produced a plush double-seat swing chair from his space instead. He wrapped an arm around Bi Qiao’an, pulling her close as they relaxed together, the storm raging around them.

“Do you think this lightning storm is only in Hai City, or the whole world?” Bi Qiao’an asked, her voice soft and contemplative as she gazed out the window.

Shen Yanming scrolled through Weibo, his brow furrowed in concentration. “Based on what people are saying, it’s not just us. Any city with cloudy skies today seems to be experiencing this.”

Bi Qiao’an sighed, popping a cherry into Shen Yanming’s mouth, the sweet fruit a stark contrast to the chaos outside. “Amazing. Global rainfall, global thunder, now global lightning. What a time to be alive!”

Shen Yanming rubbed his cheek against her head in comfort, his touch a reassuring presence amidst the uncertainty. “It’s the change the world needs. Maybe even a prelude to a brand-new era for humankind.”

“I hope so!”

After a while, boredom crept in, the excitement of the storm giving way to restlessness. “Darling, I’m getting restless. If this is boring when we still have the internet and power, how will we cope when it’s all gone?”

“Good point! Let’s download some shows, books, anything for entertainment. We can charge everything in the space.”

“You’re brilliant!” Bi Qiao’an grabbed Shen Yanming’s phone, selecting a popular variety show. “Let’s watch together?”

“Sure!”

The show’s humor kept them engaged, the laughter a welcome respite from the storm outside. By the time they finished, it was nearly midnight, the lightning having faded into the night.

“Seems like the lightning has stopped?”

“I think so,” Shen Yanming stood, cracking the window open. Cool, humid air rushed in, making him shiver, a sense of something amiss settling over him. He looked at Bi Qiao’an, his eyes wide with surprise.

Sensing the same feeling, Bi Qiao’an got up, her focus sharpening as her eyes flickered with realization. “Yanming, I feel the space… trembling? Like it urgently needs something.”

Shen Yanming nodded, his own senses confirming her words. “Me too. I thought it was my imagination.”

The pair exchanged a look, a silent understanding passing between them as they decided to investigate.

They ventured out in pajamas and slippers, an umbrella their only shield against the relentless downpour. The closer they got to the main door, the more intense the space’s tremors became, a siren call they couldn’t ignore.

Shen Yanming held the umbrella tight in one hand, his other arm protectively around Bi Qiao’an as they dashed through the rain, the water soaking through their clothes in an instant. The second they stepped into the downpour, an urgent energy coursed through them, a jolt of vitality that left them breathless.

Bi Qiao’an held out her hand, raindrops landing on her palm, each one sending a shiver down her spine. “It’s the rain…” she murmured, realization dawning on her, “…the space craves this.”

Shen Yanming tested it himself, instantly feeling a surge of vitality wash over him, the space within him singing with joy. They found a secluded corner, putting down the umbrella and tilted their faces back to savor the rain, the urgency within them fading with each passing moment, replaced by a sense of profound connection to the world around them.

For two hours, they stood drenched, the rain washing away their worries and filling them with a newfound sense of purpose. Only then did that insistent urgency within them begin to fade.

Returning home well past 2:30 in the morning, Shen Yanming and Bi Qiao’an immediately showered and changed, their hearts light and their minds racing with the implications of what they had just experienced.

“Let’s check the space?” Bi Qiao’an’s face was alight, her smile infectious as she hugged Shen Yanming’s waist, her excitement palpable. Without waiting for an answer, she pulled him into the planting space, eager to see what changes the rain had wrought.

The sight that greeted them stunned them both. The white mist that once clung to the space’s boundaries had expanded greatly, while the fog above them had vanished entirely, revealing a clear, dazzling blue sky that stretched as far as the eye could see.

“Blue? How is there a sky?” Bi Qiao’an whispered, her voice filled with awe and wonder. “Could this truly be a miniature world?”

Shen Yanming shared her awe, his mind racing with possibilities. “Perhaps it’s a hidden realm, and we’ve stumbled upon the key.”

“Who cares!” she giggled, her joy infectious. “Darling, look at the storage space – has it changed too?”

Shen Yanming focused his mind on the space, a gasp escaping his lips as he took in the changes. The storage space echoed the transformation, more room and the same clear sky overhead, a testament to the power of the rain. “It’s expanded, just like here. I never imagined getting drenched in rain could cause this kind of change!”

Bi Qiao’an nodded enthusiastically, her eyes sparkling with excitement. “The rain today must have been special. I wonder if we’ll ever get another chance like this.”

“If we do, I’ll bring a stool for you,” Shen Yanming teased, his smile warm and playful.

Bi Qiao’an pouted, cheeks puffed in mock annoyance. “My legs were so sore after two hours! I almost took a stool out of the space right there – but I didn’t dare. It was exhausting. If you hadn’t been holding me, I might have just collapsed!”

Shen Yanming hugged her, kissing her head, his touch a reassuring presence. “I’d never let that happen. I was worried you’d catch a cold.”

The next day, in the Qinghe Alliance conference room, imperial capital…

This meeting held the potential to shape humanity’s destiny, the weight of responsibility hanging heavy in the air. Thirteen top leaders wore solemn expressions as they awaited its start, their faces etched with the gravity of the situation.

Chief Alliance Officer Li Cheng arrived with Qiu Manlai, taking the primary seat, his presence commanding attention. At his gesture, Qiu Manlai occupied the empty seat to Li Cheng’s right, specially reserved for him, a sign of the importance of the information he carried.

Sensing the tension, Li Cheng cut to the chase, his voice firm and authoritative. “I assume you all have thoughts on today’s meeting. Let’s share them openly.”

“As far as I’m aware,” a voice broke the silence, hesitation lacing their words, “no government has received any definitive information. Scientists insist this was normal rainfall.”

“Indeed. While clearly abnormal, all research data points to the opposite.”

“The most I’ve seen online are theories of an apocalypse – preposterous, of course.”

The room fell silent, the weight of the unknown pressing down on them all.