The day Yan Chen returned from Xichuan to Jin Hai, the flight was delayed for nearly three hours due to weather conditions, which made the originally planned ample time become tense.

The traffic near Jin Hai Airport was heavy, and several main roads in the city were congested due to sudden heavy rain, especially near the Jin Hai Academy of Fine Arts, where the road was completely blocked, and it didn’t move forward a hundred meters for half an hour.

Yan Chen got out of the car in the rain, carrying his luggage, and ran across two streets, buying an umbrella and a small cake at a convenience store. He carefully protected the cake from the rain and asked the owner of the cake shop for directions. The Jin Hai Academy of Fine Arts was just around the corner after turning the next intersection.

The pottery artist qualification exam had ended, and Yan Chen was afraid of missing An Yi, so he hurriedly took long strides.

Turning around the street corner, the gate of the academy with a red banner was within reach, and Yan Chen walked while looking around. Suddenly, his dark eyes lit up.

“An—”

He raised the umbrella, but the raised voice abruptly stopped.

Ten meters away, An Yi and Xie Nancang were sharing an umbrella, talking and laughing, walking side by side across the street and getting into a car parked on the side of the road.

The traffic near the academy began to flow slowly. Xie Nancang turned on the car radio and tuned to the music channel, asking An Yi how his exam went today.

“It feels okay,” An Yi put away the umbrella and placed it under the seat, “If I had another half an hour, I would have had a better chance.”

“You’re too hard on yourself,” Xie Nancang turned the steering wheel, gradually turning into the opposite lane, “Today’s rain is too heavy, the road is congested, let’s eat out later. It’s too late to cook at home.”

An Yi nodded in agreement.

He casually looked outside the car, and pedestrians holding umbrellas on the roadside were all in a hurry, except for a tall figure standing stiffly not far away, holding an umbrella crookedly, and half of his body was soaked.

The car moved forward slowly, and An Yi, separated by a layer of rain-dotted glass, locked eyes with Yan Chen in the rain.

Their gazes met for two seconds before parting. An Yi’s heartbeat also stopped for two seconds.

Xie Nancang asked him if he wanted Western or Chinese food, but due to a brief ringing in his ears, An Yi didn’t hear it.

An Yi stared fixedly at the increasingly distant black figure in the rearview mirror, his fingers slightly curling around the seatbelt.

Why did he come? And with luggage in tow, did he rush over right after getting off the plane? Where has he been this past month, and why did he lose so much weight? How long has he been in the rain? His hair was wet, his pant legs and shoes were speckled with mud.

“An Yi?” Xie Nancang called him again.

The car turned around the street corner, and the figure in the rearview mirror disappeared.

An Yi struggled to regain his composure, with a hint of lingering confusion and worry in his eyes. “What?”

“What’s wrong with you?” Xie Nancang asked while waiting at the red light, gently squeezing An Yi’s fingertips. “You’ve been absent-minded since just now.”

“…Nothing,” An Yi murmured, “I was just thinking that I forgot to open a can of food for Qiuqiu at noon. It might be hungry.”

“Your neighbor hasn’t come back yet, has he?” Xie Nancang asked. “He’s been on a business trip for a month.”

“Yeah,” An Yi looked out the window again, “He should be back soon.”

“Now that the exam is over, what are your plans?” Xie Nancang had been busy recently, but now he finally had some free time. He wanted to visit Ling’an in a few days. “Are you going back with me to see Grandpa in a few days?”

“Okay,” An Yi agreed, “By then, the exam results should be out.”

After dinner, the rain eased up, and the road conditions improved.

Xie Nancang dropped An Yi off downstairs. An Yi felt a bit embarrassed; it was proper to invite Xie Nancang upstairs for a while, but if he encountered Yan Chen again, they might end up fighting again.

“…I might have to deal with Qiuqiu’s handover with my neighbor and won’t be able to entertain you.” An Yi looked apologetic.

Xie Nancang smiled helplessly. “An An, when will you stop being so polite to me?”

An Yi didn’t think there was anything wrong with being polite; it was basic courtesy.

“It’s too cold today, so you should go upstairs first,” Xie Nancang put a hoodie on him and gently held An Yi’s face, “I wanted to ask you about your answer today to my proposal last time, but my intuition tells me to wait a little longer.”

An Yi looked up at him, momentarily at a loss.

Xie Nancang smiled and leaned down, lightly kissing his forehead, “You’re so silly, yet cute.”

An Yi’s throat tightened. He couldn’t help but think of Yan Chen, fearing that he would suddenly rush out and confront him with that angry and hurt expression again.

“Go upstairs,” Xie Nancang kissed his cheek gently, “Your face is cold.”

An Yi nodded and said goodbye to him.

After entering the elevator, An Yi took a deep breath. What would his answer have been if Xie Nancang had continued to ask just now?

He rubbed his face. He thought he would have agreed.

But Xie Nancang didn’t ask again, and he didn’t bring it up either.

It wasn’t about being introverted or shy; An Yi himself didn’t understand his own mentality. Neither refusing nor taking the initiative was his principle in dealing with relationships.

He wanted to take a step forward, to try starting a more harmonious and comfortable romantic relationship with someone else, but why couldn’t he speak up?

He didn’t have the courage to delve into the root cause. For the first time, amidst the sadness, he felt frustrated with his own hesitation.

Maybe it’s better to move out as soon as possible.

Standing in front of door 1202 for a long time, there was no movement inside the room. He used the spare key to open the door, and the living room was dark and empty. Qiuqiu meowed and ran over to scratch at his pant leg.

Yan Chen wasn’t there.

Why hasn’t he come back yet? Is he stuck in the rain, or does he have other plans?

An Yi wanted to talk to Yan Chen about Qiuqiu’s custody and decided to stay in the apartment to wait for him.

The rain outside pattered, and Qiuqiu ate and drank to its heart’s content.

After some parkouring, the little cat nestled comfortably in An Yi’s arms, licking its fur while purring.

The living room was only lit by spotlights, casting a dim yellow light. The carpet was soft and comfortable, and An Yi leaned against the cushion, gradually feeling drowsy.

Half in a dream, he seemed to see Yan Chen, drenched in rain, with messy black hair and deep, tumultuous emotions swirling in his calm eyes.

Suddenly, his cheek felt a bit cold, as if a raindrop had fallen on his lips.

He furrowed his brows, slowly opening his eyes. The pair of rain-soaked eyes from his dream became clear.

Yan Chen’s breath was near his cheek, and he could clearly see his moist eyelashes and the faint blush at the tips.

Sensing a strange presence, the little cat raised its head alertly.

Yan Chen maintained his posture of leaning close, sandwiching both the man and the cat between himself and the floor, steadfastly locking eyes with An Yi.

An Yi’s entire body tensed up, his heart pounding uncontrollably. He pursed his lips, one hand pressing against Yan Chen’s shoulder, trying to push him away.

But Yan Chen stood firm like a mountain, unmoving.

“Get away,” An Yi coldly scolded in a low voice.

He exerted more force, and his wrist suddenly fell into a pair of scalding hot palms.

Yan Chen’s palm trembled slightly, and his breath was not as calm as his gaze. He lowered his head as if to kiss him but stopped when he saw a hint of disgust in An Yi’s eyes.

After a while, he released his hand and stepped aside.

Yan Chen took off his rain-soaked coat and unbuttoned his shirt as he walked towards the bedroom.

An Yi’s gaze followed him to the bedroom door. The man had taken off his shirt, revealing his broad shoulders, slender waist, and long legs, which made one blush just by looking at them.

Sometimes, An Yi had to admit his shallowness. He was a creature of visual appeal, even though their relationship had soured to this point, his gaze was still drawn to Yan Chen.

He propped himself up, suppressing the palpitations, and absentmindedly stroked the little cat in his arms.

A moment later, Yan Chen emerged from the bedroom in dry clothes and brought a thin blanket to place beside An Yi.

“Why are you sleeping here? You’ll catch a cold.”

“I was waiting for you.”

The moment An Yi blurted out, Yan Chen visibly froze.

An Yi himself was also stunned for a moment, immediately adding, “I saw you at the art school and knew you were back. I wanted to discuss Qiuqiu’s situation with you.”

Yan Chen silently stared at him.

“The cat was picked up by you. It may not be appropriate for me to say this, but it’s very attached to people,” An Yi said, lowering his head. “You’re busy and can’t take care of it. Can you give it to me to raise? I’m not just talking about temporary care.”

“You waited for me just to say this?” Yan Chen stood in the middle of the living room, looking down at him.

“Yeah,” An Yi said, “You don’t need to worry about the cat food or litter. I’ll pay you the original price, and also for these toys…”

“No need,” Yan Chen interrupted him, pacing to the balcony. “You keep it.”

Originally, he had been worried about this little cat, so he had waited downstairs in the cold wind for two consecutive nights, catching the little guy.

Now, giving it to An Yi to raise also fulfilled his purpose.

Yan Chen opened the half-closed French window, letting the cold wind and the sound of rain in. He lit a cigarette and held it in his mouth.

His slightly damp and messy hair covered his eyes, and the veins of his forearm resting on the railing twisted like a snake. He quietly gazed at the dark night sky outside, his profile reminiscent of the sheltering boy An Yi had seen on the school rooftop through the rain curtains years ago.

Lonely and desolate, yet with a hint of adult sensuality.

An Yi quietly watched him for a while, then hugged the cat and stood up. “Then I’ll go first. I’ll come to pack things tomorrow, and I’ll list the details of the money for you.”

“An Yi.”

Yan Chen, with a cigarette in his right hand, turned to look at him.

An Yi paused his steps.

The storm brewing in Yan Chen’s eyes seemed ready to burst, but he struggled to control his emotions. His voice trembled slightly, “Are you… with him?”

An Yi disliked lies and deceit, but this time he chose to lie.

He lowered his eyes and softly murmured in agreement.