Chapter 73: Trapped by the Rain
It was a hot summer afternoon.
Even under the dense shade of the courtyard trees, the heat rising from the ground was still suffocating.
Gu Hanling, always busy, had gone to discuss the grandma’s health condition with the head of the inner courtyard.
Meanwhile, Shen Xi strolled alone in the shade of the trees to digest her meal.
The light gradually dimmed, and when she looked up, she saw dark clouds gathering at the horizon, rolling in fast.
She couldn't help but shiver, let out a soft 'tsk', and muttered under her breath, "How annoying."
Growing up in the rainy mountains, Shen Xi knew this was the sign of an approaching thunderstorm.
She quickly left the trees and headed back to the private suite prepared for Gu Hanling. Not to avoid the rain, but to avoid the lightning.
Why lightning?
Shen Xi considered herself fearless. But there were two things she truly couldn’t stand. Thunder and lightning.
And it wasn’t because she was scared!
As a child, in the mountain courtyard, there was a tall loquat tree that her grandmother had planted herself. It had stood there for decades, watching over the old woman.
That day, there was a thunderstorm with heavy rain, and the thunder was unusually close. A young and innocent Shen Xi played alone under the eaves, catching the waterfall-like rain.
Suddenly, a huge thunderclap sounded almost simultaneously with the lightning, accompanied by a 'boom' explosion. The loquat tree was struck by lightning, as if detonated by explosives.
The tree shattered like it had been hit by a bomb, wood splinters flying everywhere.
Only those who had witnessed nature’s power firsthand could understand just how terrifying it was.
That moment had etched itself into her memory, becoming one of her deepest childhood fears.
Once inside the suite, despite it being the middle of the day, Shen Xi immediately went to the floor-to-ceiling windows and closed the curtains.
Then, she curled up on the living room sofa, tucking her small feet beneath her.
She pulled out her phone and opened the new Weibo account she had created. Last time, she had only posted a masked stage photo and then ignored it.
Now, opening the app, she saw that her followers had shot up to 300,000. The comments and messages were already at 99+.
Considering she hadn’t even promoted this account and hadn’t even verified it with a V badge,
gaining 300,000 followers from just one selfie was already pretty impressive.
She tapped into the comment section.
“Goddess! Please reveal your face! I need to see the beauty behind the mask!”
"If she reveals her face before winning, isn’t that the same as losing?"
"‘I Know’ and ‘Ai Ya Ai Ya’ are such good songs! Been playing them on repeat! Please release a high-quality single or album!"
………………………………………
Of course, there were also some people stirring up drama and insulting her, but Shen Xi ignored them completely.
After skimming through the comments, she suddenly remembered. She still hadn’t released the recorded version of “I Know.”
Without thinking about charging for copyrights, she uploaded it for free on an online music platform.
There was plenty of time for that later. She had tons of songs, but right now, building her name was more important.
As for signing with a company? Hmm… she’d think about it later.
Shen Xi wasn’t aiming for the music industry. Her real goal was to break into the film industry and make big money.
Just then, her phone vibrated. It was a message from An Yufei:
[Sorry for causing you trouble yesterday, Xixi. I hope we can still be friends.]
[Are you free this afternoon? Want to record your new song ‘Ai Ya Ai Ya’? I happen to be at my friend's studio.]
Shen Xi hesitated. She did want to use this rare free time to record the song and ask about copyright matters.
She had a clear conscience. She neither flirted with An Yufei nor had any interest in him. But if someone found out, he’d probably accuse her of bringing shame to the Gu family again.
Now that An Yufei knew she was married, Shen Xi figured there was no need to overthink things. She still saw him as a normal friend.
And let’s be real. Even if she were to fall for someone, who could possibly compare to the man at home?
She didn’t even have feelings for Gu Hanling, let alone someone else.
Hehe… So maybe she could just sneak out…?
But before she could decide. A bright flash lit up outside the curtained window, followed by a deafening thunderclap.
BOOM!
Shen Xi jumped in fright, her hand shaking so hard that her phone fell to the floor.
At that exact moment, the door swung open. A tall figure stood in the doorway.
Gu Hanling.
As soon as Gu Hanling stepped inside, his eyes landed on the floor-to-ceiling window. The curtains were shut tight in broad daylight.
And on the sofa, Shen Xi was curled up like a frightened kitten, her lips slightly pale. Her small figure was huddled up, while her phone lay on the floor.
The moment she saw Gu Hanling return, she quickly sat up straight, forcing a calm expression. She even let out a small cough, trying to cover up her nervousness.
No way was she letting him think she was scared.
Gu Hanling’s lips curled slightly. He had always thought Shen Xi feared nothing. Except when it came to deducting her money.
But it turned out, she did have a soft side.
Closing the door behind him, Gu Hanling walked straight to the window. With a swift motion, he pulled the curtains open.
The storm clouds outside were rolling in thick and heavy, clearly visible through the glass. Then, he turned to the sofa and frowned slightly.
"Why are the curtains closed in the middle of the day?"
He spoke casually, but there was a faint, almost amused smirk at the corner of his lips. Shen Xi bit her lip, forcing herself to stay calm.
"I… I was full and got sleepy. I wanted to take a nap. What’s so strange about that?"
"Oh? With the lights on?"
Gu Hanling found her flustered reaction surprisingly entertaining.
Just then, a huge bolt of lightning split the sky outside, much larger than before. The silver streak slashed down from above, lighting up the dark clouds. Through the glass window, it was shockingly clear.
BOOM!
A thunderous roar shook the entire room. The lights suddenly went out, plunging everything into darkness.
"AHHH!"
Gu Hanling felt something soft suddenly crash into his chest. And then, a pair of arms wrapped tightly around his waist.
A faint, delicate fragrance filled his senses. It was Shen Xi’s unique scent, light and refreshing. Very pleasant.
Her soft, delicate body was like the most dangerous poison to a man. The sensation was almost addictive...
Gu Hanling’s hands lifted on their own, his fingers itching to hold her slender waist.
But just as he was about to, the lights flickered back on.
Gu Hanling lowered his hands immediately. His voice turned cold.
"I'm not Shi Jingyan. Why are you hugging me?"
Shen Xi snapped back to reality. Realizing how embarrassing her reaction was, she quickly let go. She didn’t want this big boss to misunderstand and think she was trying to seduce him.
She stepped back a few paces. Her cheeks flushed bright red, but her tone remained stubborn.
"I... I was just a little afraid of the dark! That was an accident, I didn’t mean to hug you, big brother!"
She paused for a moment, thinking about escaping this awkward situation. And at the same time, heading over to An Yufei’s place to record a song. Then, she could return early to the hotel at Su City TV Station.
The recording studio had great soundproofing, so she wouldn’t hear the thunder at all. And who knows? Maybe it wasn’t even raining over there!
"Um… big brother, can you ask the driver to drop me off somewhere I can get a taxi?"
The moment she said that, Gu Hanling’s gaze darkened slightly. Even when she was scared, she was thinking about running to that guy with the surname Shi?
"The driver is gone. If you want to leave, you can walk."
His voice was cold as ice, completely devoid of warmth. The inner courtyard only allowed Gu family cars, so ride-hailing services couldn’t enter. And if she tried to walk out, it would take at least an hour to reach the main road.
Not to mention, it was pouring rain with thunder rumbling in the distance. How was she supposed to walk through that?
Shen Xi immediately deflated like a withered eggplant. She looked at the heavy downpour outside, accompanied by the low rumbles of thunder. She was trapped here by the rain.
Shen Xi suddenly had a flash of inspiration. Singing! When she was singing, she wouldn’t be afraid at all!
Her eyes sparkled as she looked at Gu Hanling.
"Big brother, let me sing you a song! It’s called 'June’s Rain'!"
For a brief moment, a hint of light flickered in Gu Hanling’s usually cold eyes. But his voice remained indifferent.
"It's July."
Then, his gaze turned slightly sharp.
"How many people are you planning to sing it for?"
Hearing his strange question, Shen Xi frowned in confusion. What was he even talking about?
This song was an insert song from a drama called Chinese Paladin in her past life. But in this world, that show didn’t exist.
Without the drama’s popularity, even if she released the song, it probably wouldn’t do that well.
So, Shen Xi tilted her chin up slightly, and with a proud tone, as if she was doing him a huge favor, she said,
"Just for you, big brother."