The Gravity of a Rainy Night

Lin Wanzhao rubbed her eyes as she woke, her vision gradually focusing and her mind sharpening. “Dinner is done?”

“Yes, it is,” Yu Qingkong said, pulling herself together and standing up. She gave a curt nod. “It’s getting late, I should head back now.”

She felt instinctively that if she stayed a moment longer, something might happen—something she wasn’t ready to name.

Hearing that she was leaving, Lin Wanzhao was momentarily stunned. At the same time, she started cursing herself internally for falling asleep. She had finally managed to get Yu Qingkong into her home, only to doze off like an idiot.

“You worked so hard for so long, aren’t you going to eat with me? You haven’t had dinner either, right?” Lin Wanzhao pulled her slipped shoulder strap back up and picked up the blanket from the floor. She looked at Yu Qingkong hopefully, wanting her to stay.

“I’m not hungry. You eat. I still have things to do at home,” Yu Qingkong replied.

Lin Wanzhao bit her lip, finally nodding with a deflated expression. “Oh.”

“Also, I forgot to ask if you prefer light or heavy seasoning, so I don’t know if it’ll suit your taste. If you don’t like it… well, try to eat a little anyway. It won’t be poisonous, and it’s better than an empty stomach.”

“I’d eat it even if it were poisonous,” Lin Wanzhao muttered under her breath.

“Hmm?” Yu Qingkong looked up. “If it were actually poisonous, that wouldn’t do. I’m not particularly interested in experiencing life behind bars.”

Lin Wanzhao burst into a laugh, her eyes curving like crescent moons.

Yu Qingkong watched her for a beat, scratched her head, and started toward the door. “Eat well. I’m going.”

“Yu Qingkong!” Lin Wanzhao called out to her back.

Yu Qingkong turned around. “Is there something else, CEO Lin?”

Lin Wanzhao fiddled with her fingers nervously. “There have been a lot of bad people in the news lately. Be careful on the drive.”

“Don’t worry about me. Go eat before it gets cold, or you’ll get a stomachache. Goodnight.” With that, Yu Qingkong stepped out and closed the door.

***********************************************

Lin Wanzhao sighed at the closed door, then looked at her white cat, Qiuqiu. Suddenly remembering something, she grabbed her crutches and hurried to the window to look down.

From her vantage point, she could see the driveway. She watched intently until she saw Yu Qingkong’s car vanish into the darkness. Only then did she turn back to the dining table.

The bowls of rice and the beautifully prepared dishes looked incredibly appetizing. Seeing the effort put in for her made her heart flutter.

She stared at the food and smiled for a long time. Then, she took out her phone. She took horizontal shots, vertical shots, and selfies with the food. She was so serious about it that one might think she planned to print the photos and frame them.

Finally, she sent a photo to her brother, Qi Jianfeng.

Lin Wanzhao: “Big progress! My White Moonlight cooked for me—”

A few seconds later, Qi Jianfeng replied:

Qi Jianfeng: “It’s just a meal. What’s the big deal?”

Lin Wanzhao: “What’s the big deal? It means she cares about me in her heart—” She typed with a smile.

Qi Jianfeng: “Keep dreaming.”

Straight men were so boring. Lin Wanzhao remembered his last breakup happened because when his girlfriend told him she was lonely and needed company, he sent her a link to an article titled “Everyone is Lonely in This Life, Just Get Used to It.” He was blocked a second later.

Lin Wanzhao tossed her phone aside and picked up her chopsticks.

The food was truly delicious. Before she knew it, she had finished a whole bowl of rice and was going back for seconds. This time, she didn’t hold back at all.

***********************************************

On the other side, Yu Qingkong sat in her car, hands resting on the steering wheel. She sat in silence for a long time, replaying the recent chain of events in her head before finally driving off.

Her mind felt cluttered lately. She couldn’t even understand her own thoughts.

“Idiot,” she muttered to herself, thinking about the flash of heat she felt when she saw Lin Wanzhao waking up. She turned the wheel and headed home.

Once home, she took off her glasses, set them on her desk, and washed up. But despite being exhausted, she lay in bed for half an hour, unable to sleep. She was restless.

She turned the bedside lamp on and off, on and off. She buried her face in her pillow, but her mind was filled with chaotic images.

***********************************************

Lin Wanzhao, having showered and curled up in bed with a plushie, decided to seize the moment. She sat up and typed:

Lin Wanzhao: “I finished every last bit!”

She followed it with a photo of the empty plates and waited for a reply.

Half an hour passed. No response. Her high spirits began to sink.

Suddenly, her phone buzzed. She grabbed it, only to find a news alert about a man dressed as Pikachu who got stuck in a manhole while proposing.

“Go away, Pikachu…” she sighed, feeling dejected.

But just as she was about to put the phone away, a message from Yu Qingkong popped up:

Yu Qingkong: “Glad you liked it.”

Followed by:

Yu Qingkong: “Wait, did you just finish? That’s quite a lot of food. Stay up for a bit before sleeping, or your stomach might act up tomorrow.”

Lin Wanzhao bolted upright, staring at the message and smiling. It was late, but she replied! Then, she felt a sharp twinge in her abdomen.

Lin Wanzhao: “Actually, it does hurt a bit… I don’t usually eat much, I might have overdone it today.”

Yu Qingkong: “Are you a hamster in a past life? Silly…”

Lin Wanzhao pouted.

Lin Wanzhao: “It’s your fault for making it too tasty! I couldn’t control myself!”

Yu Qingkong: “Where specifically does it hurt?”

Lin Wanzhao: “Upper abdomen. It feels bloated and painful.”

Yu Qingkong: “Indigestion. Do you have any digestive tablets at home?”

Lin Wanzhao’s smile grew, and even the pain seemed to lessen. She quickly screenshotted the chat and sent it to Qi Jianfeng.

Lin Wanzhao: “Look! She’s checking on me! She’s worried about my stomach [Laughing.jpg]”

Qi Jianfeng sent back a string of ellipses and a “Smiling” emoji.

Qi Jianfeng: “Sister, wake up. This is just a polite reply and common sense advice.”

Lin Wanzhao: “You can stay silent now [Smile.jpg].”

She thought back to Yu Qingkong’s words: “Would I go to that cashier’s house to cook dinner?” The phrase looped in her mind, making her grin. She picked up Qiuqiu and showered the cat with kisses, ignoring the cat’s expression of “unhand me, you lunatic.”

Then she realized she hadn’t replied.

Lin Wanzhao: “I just checked, I don’t have any medicine here.”

As soon as she sent it, her stomach cramped again, hard. She broke out in a cold sweat.

Yu Qingkong: “Is the pain severe? Is there a pharmacy nearby?”

Lin Wanzhao: “My foot hurts and my stomach hurts, it’s a mess. There aren’t many pharmacies around here, and they’re all closed by now anyway. Guess I’m not sleeping tonight.”

On the other end, Yu Qingkong stared at the screen.

Yu Qingkong: “Nothing to be done then.”

Lin Wanzhao replied instantly:

Lin Wanzhao: “It’s fine, I can handle it. I’m a ‘Viking’ in a past life!”

Yu Qingkong stared at the message for a long time, eventually sighing and leaning her head back against the wall.

Yu Qingkong: “…Don’t sleep yet. Wait a moment.”

She flipped out of bed, opened her medicine cabinet, and grabbed her first-aid kit. She pulled out a few boxes of digestive aids, threw on a coat, and headed out the door.

***********************************************

Minutes later, Yu Qingkong sat at a red light, leaning her head on her hand. The city lights reflected in her eyes. She couldn’t believe she was doing this. She was going back.

When she reached Lin Wanzhao’s door, she took a breath and rang the bell.

The door clicked open. Lin Wanzhao stood there, leaning against the frame. “Qingkong? What are you doing here…?”

She was still in that silk nightgown, leaning lazily against the door. Her curves were on full display, looking effortlessly beautiful.

“I have medicine,” Yu Qingkong said, handing over the boxes. “Take these.”

“You came all this way just to bring me medicine?” Lin Wanzhao asked, her eyes wide with surprise.

“I happened to have some. You should keep a stock of basic medicine, CEO Lin, so you aren’t stuck next time,” Yu Qingkong said, checking her watch. “It’s late. I’m going.”

“Okay… I’ll buy some tomorrow. But it’s so late, and it’s a long drive back. Are you sure you want to go through all that trouble?” Lin Wanzhao stepped a little closer, her voice soft.

Yu Qingkong met those watery eyes and felt her resolve waver. She forced her gaze away. “It’s no trouble—”

Suddenly, a gust of wind caught the living room curtains. A deafening crack of thunder shook the building, followed immediately by a torrential downpour.

“Look, it’s pouring,” Lin Wanzhao said, looking out the window. She reached out with a slender, pale hand and gently tugged on Yu Qingkong’s sleeve. “It’s dangerous out there. Why don’t you… just stay the night?”