Chapter 62: That Rainy Night
In the blink of an eye, December arrived. The cold air hit her face, and winter finally felt real.
As night slowly fell, the sky, clear for many days, quickly filled with dark clouds. The air became heavy and a bit suffocating.
Thunder rumbled again and again, and flashes of lightning cut across the sky.
When the first drop of rain fell, it was like a switch had been turned on. Soon, heavy rain poured down.
In just a moment, the rain formed a curtain. Drops of water hit the window glass, making clear, crisp sounds like endless notes of music.
“…It’s raining.”
Unlike the lonely feeling outside, the atmosphere inside the house felt especially warm.
Mu Le sat on the sofa, holding a cup of hot coffee. She took small sips from time to time, chasing away the slight chill.
The lights were a bit dim. Only the sound from the TV in front of her broke the quiet.
Just as she was getting bored and about to change the channel, the door not far away was gently pushed open.
Then, a figure walked in at a calm pace.
But compared to his calm expression, the man looked quite messy. His clothes were not completely soaked, but because the rain outside was so heavy, he was almost as wet as if he had fallen into water.
Getting wet in the rain during summer wasn’t a big deal. At worst, it felt like a cold shower. But getting soaked in winter was completely different.
Thick clothes didn’t dry easily, and with the cold wind, it was very easy to catch a cold or get a fever.
“Aze?”
Mu Le, sitting on the sofa, froze for a moment. Then she quickly put down her cup and stood up.
“Why are you back already… no, wait, how did you end up like this?”
Seeing the girl flustered, Xiao Yuze just smiled casually. “Of course, because I didn’t bring an umbrella.”
“I know you didn’t bring an umbrella! Forget it, don’t just stand there. Go change your clothes first, then go take a hot shower.”
As she spoke, Mu Le walked up to him and started pulling at his coat.
The wet clothes felt uncomfortable, and the man helplessly patted her head. “Don’t mess around.”
“Hurry up and take a shower. I’ll get you some dry clothes.” After brushing his hand off her head, Mu Le turned and ran toward his room.
Watching her back, Xiao Yuze smiled and didn’t stop her. After she went into his room, he walked toward the bathroom.
Not long after, Mu Le came back holding a few pieces of clothing.
She went into the bathroom and placed them on a rack nearby. “I’ve put the clothes outside. Wash the ones you take off later.”
After saying that, she turned to leave. But suddenly, the glass door behind her slid open.
She turned around and saw Xiao Yuze, already without his coat, leaning against the wall with a smile on his face.
His gaze made her feel a bit uneasy. Mu Le took a step back and said in a slightly strange tone, “What are you smiling at? Don’t tell me you want me to scrub your back?”
“If Lele wants to, I don’t mind.”
“Get lost!” Seeing his annoying smile, Mu Le snorted. “By the way, what do you want to eat? I’ll cook.”
It seemed he didn’t expect her to change the topic so quickly. Even Xiao Yuze paused for a moment.
Because of that, he lost the chance to tease her more.
After taking a deep breath, Xiao Yuze reached out to pat her head again, but she quickly dodged it with a look of dislike.
He didn’t feel embarrassed. Instead, he stepped closer and firmly rubbed her head anyway, messing up her soft hair.
“Anything is fine.”
“Stop touching my head! I’m not a child. And doing that will make me shorter, you know?” Mu Le slapped his hand away again and glared at him as a warning.
The man raised his eyebrows but didn’t argue.
“Hurry up and take a shower. If you catch a cold or get a fever, I’m not going to take care of you.”
After snorting lightly, Mu Le turned and left, closing the glass door behind her.
Ever since that “accident” last time, Xiao Yuze’s attitude toward her had quietly changed in some unknown way.
But what exactly had changed, even Mu Le couldn’t fully explain.
Maybe… he had become more forward?
How should she put it? Before, he was very careful, afraid that anything he did might hurt her. But now, Xiao Yuze didn’t mind more physical contact. He even seemed to want more closeness.
Mu Le didn’t quite know how to deal with it, but she also couldn’t say she disliked it.
…………………………
Taking a shower was naturally much faster than cooking dinner, especially since Xiao Yuze only rinsed off quickly.
So when he came out of the bathroom in clean, dry clothes, Mu Le was still busy in the kitchen.
Maybe because she was thinking about something, she seemed a bit distracted. Most of her attention was on cooking, so she didn’t notice that Xiao Yuze was already standing at the door.
The man didn’t disturb her. He dried his hair while quietly watching her busy figure.
Mu Le was wearing a beige cartoon apron. Her movements were more skilled than before. Maybe because she was truly a food lover, she learned cooking surprisingly fast.
Watching her move around, Xiao Yuze couldn’t help but space out for a moment.
Then, as if remembering something, the corners of his lips lifted slightly, and his gaze became softer.
While Mu Le wasn’t paying attention, Xiao Yuze walked behind her. He slipped his arms under hers, pretending to reach for the freshly cooked dish.
“Smells so good. What did you make?”
“Take your hands away!”
After a brief pause, Mu Le quickly slapped his hands away.
Of course, Xiao Yuze didn’t mind. He was just teasing her and didn’t really plan to grab anything.
Only after pushing his hands away did Mu Le realize that their position was a bit… intimate.
But after everything she had experienced, she didn’t even blush now.
Calmly, she pushed Xiao Yuze away and handed him a plate.
“Take this to the dining table. By the way, did you wash the clothes you changed out of?”
“Not yet.”
“Then go do it after this! Don’t you think you’re getting lazier?”
“……”
Before he could respond, he had already been pushed out of the kitchen.
As Xiao Yuze accepted his fate and carried the dishes to the table, Mu Le secretly glanced at him and then lightly patted her slightly warm cheeks.
Sure enough, she still couldn’t fully get used to this kind of intimate atmosphere.
After letting out a small breath, she composed herself and went back to cooking.
Before long, a few simple dishes were ready.
At the dining table, the two sat facing each other. The dinner felt unexpectedly warm and cozy.
Outside, the rain grew heavier and heavier. But no matter how cold it was, it couldn’t enter this small, warm space.
After dinner, the task of washing the dishes naturally fell to Xiao Yuze. He didn’t complain, after all, he had always been the one doing it.
When everything was done, it was already late at night.
Mu Le sat on the sofa watching TV. With nothing else to do, Xiao Yuze sat beside her and watched a comedy show together.
Mu Le laughed very easily. Often, before the man could even react, she was already laughing so hard she could barely sit straight.
Looking at the girl leaning against him, Xiao Yuze narrowed his eyes slightly, feeling like he wanted this moment to last forever.
Life doesn’t always need big excitement. Sometimes, a simple and peaceful life is the most precious.
Of course, that kind of peace only works when there is someone who fills your whole world.