Running away from the Love-Brain

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An appointment about "good weather," yet the weather was clearly terrible. How could both of them have shown up?

As Cui Xijin thought this, Chi Buyu suddenly raised her hand for no apparent reason and yanked her glasses off, then placed her palm against her eyelids.

After feeling around for a bit, she probably noticed they were damp, so she leaned closer.

With both hands cupping Cui Xijin's face, her palms warm and wet, she looked at her with concern and asked, "Did you just cry?"

Even if Cui Xijin had been crying, she couldn't help but smile at her.

Moreover...

"No."

Cui Xijin, with her damp eyelids lowered, felt trapped by Chi Buyu's gaze. She spoke with a hint of resignation, "It's because your hands are wet."

"Ah?"

Chi Buyu blinked in confusion. "Really?"

But she didn't let go.

Instead, she continued to lift Cui Xijin's face in her hands, raising it a little higher as if wanting to examine her more closely.

The light rain outside the umbrella formed lines, while Cui Xijin held the umbrella and cradled the flowers. Her glasses slipped down her nose, and she felt a bit ridiculous at that moment.

Yet she endured the silliness of burying her face in someone else's palms, willingly allowing Chi Buyu to gaze at her.

She didn't pull away.

At such a close distance, she said, "And Chi Buyu, I have to emphasize this once again."

Chi Buyu blinked, her eyelashes adorned with droplets, "What?"

Cui Xijin cleared her throat, "I really am not someone who cries often."

Chi Buyu nodded seriously, "Understood."

Cui Xijin shook her face, "Mm."

Chi Buyu fell silent, as if lost in thought.

Cui Xijin's colorful caladium was about to slip from her grip, and she had to speak up, "Then can you let me go?"

Chi Buyu took a moment to react.

She said "Oh, oh," and then released Cui Xijin. But then she realized her hands were empty and looked around, wanting to take the caladium from Cui Xijin.

However, Cui Xijin evaded her.

"This is a bit heavy," she said.

Chi Buyu protested, "You, the sickly little girl, can carry it, and I can't?"

Cui Xijin said lightly, "It'll get my clothes dirty."

"Ah!"

Chi Buyu decisively grabbed the umbrella from her hand, "Then I'll hold the umbrella for you!"

Cui Xijin laughed.

Chi Buyu, with her already ruined makeup, spoke in a fierce tone, "Why are you laughing?"

Cui Xijin laughed so hard she almost dropped the flowers.

She waved her hand, saying, "I'm not laughing at you."

Chi Buyu huffed, "Sure you're not."

Then, as if she was annoyed, she stomped on their shadows under the streetlight.

Cui Xijin saw their shadows—standing side by side in front of an abandoned old mall, one holding an umbrella and the other hugging flowers. Even their shadows looked confused.