Time passed quickly before the final exams.
Studying textbooks, reviewing key points, interspersed with a monthly test, they soon faced final exams.
The weather was too cold. Lin Zhexia, sneezing and catching a cold, took exams for three days.
After finishing her exams and receiving winter holiday assignments, she went home dizzy with exhaustion and buried herself in sleep.
Half-asleep, she heard Lin He enter her room saying, “Xiaxia, your Uncle Wei and I are going to the neighboring city tomorrow.”
She vaguely remembered this.
Wei Ping had to go to the neighboring city on business for a few days, and Lin He had also taken time off to go with him—a rare “vacation” for the two.
“You’ll stay home alone. I’ve made dumplings for you to cook yourself, and there are noodles and other things in the refrigerator.”
“Be careful, keep doors and windows locked, remember to take your keys when you go out, or no one will let you in—make sure you remember.”
Lin He continued listing safety precautions.
Lin Zhexia responded with a sound.
When she woke up from her nap, she was alone in the house.
She opened the refrigerator, stared at the rows of prepared dumplings, pondered for a long time, then took out her phone to message Chi Yao-
Ding ding ding-
Have you had dinner yet?-
If not, let’s eat together?? (^??^*).
Ten minutes later.
Lin Zhexia sat at Chi Yao’s dining table, chopsticks in hand, looking toward the kitchen.
In the kitchen, Chi Yao, wearing only a sweater, was dropping dumplings into the steaming pot. The hand that had taken down three people was now pinching dumplings and putting them into the pot.
He had a face that didn’t look very domestic, didn’t seem like someone who would enter the kitchen, more like someone who would be waited on—
Just as Lin Zhexia was thinking this, she heard the owner of that face ask:
“Vinegar or soy sauce?”
“Vinegar!”
“Chili oil?”
Lin Zhexia nodded: “Yes, please.”
“You dare to ask for that?” Chi Yao said. “Not content with how long you’ve had a cold? Not coughing hard enough?”
“…”
Then why did you ask?
Midway through the meal, Lin Zhexia said, “How about I wash the dishes later?”
Chi Yao did not react.
Lin Zhexia prompted: “I’m just being polite. You’re supposed to refuse.”
Chi Yao: “Why would I refuse?”
Lin Zhexia said slowly: “Because I’m a guest at your house. You can’t really make me wash the dishes.”
“Sorry,” Chi Yao said, “my house doesn’t have that many rules. I don’t stop guests from washing dishes.”
Lin Zhexia closed her mouth, not wanting to continue the conversation.
She ate very slowly. By the time she finished chewing and swallowing, looking at the clock, it was almost 8:30.
While they ate, the living room TV was broadcasting a weather report, though the volume was turned down, relegated to background noise: “…The above areas may experience short periods of heavy rainfall tonight, with local thunderstorms, strong winds, and other severe convective weather. Citizens are advised to take precautions when traveling.”
At 1:30 that night.
Lin Zhexia was awakened by a clap of thunder.
“BOOM—”
The thunder sounded like a sharp blade, cleaving the ink-like sky.
Where it passed, lightning flashed and thunder roared.
Wrapped in her blanket, she vaguely remembered having a nightmare. Opening her eyes, she involuntarily shuddered at the sound of thunder.
But this trembling wasn’t because of the nightmare.
It was the thunder.
Lin Zhexia thought it was fine during the day, but how could there be thunder at night?
Then she remembered she was alone at home now.
…
There were a few things she truly feared, but thunder was one of them.
“RUMBLE—”
Thunder came one after another, showing no sign of stopping.
Lin Zhexia seemed to hear several thunderclaps playing on a continuous loop in her ears. The thunderclaps from deep in her memory also struck in her mind.
That was also a thundery day.
A child’s tender voice, four or five years old, crying:
“Dad.”
“…Dad, don’t go, Dad.”
The fragmented voices in her memory shifted, replaced by Lin He’s artificially hardened voice.
“If you want to leave, then leave. From now on, you have nothing to do with us. Don’t contact us, and don’t appear again.”
“—Take your things and get out!”
Her head felt dizzy. By the time she came to her senses, she realized she was trembling under the blanket.
Lin Zhexia reached out to find the switch by her bed, wanting to turn on the light, but couldn’t locate it.
Finally, she lowered her hand, her palm pressing against the phone by her pillow.
She grabbed the phone like a lifeline, using the screen’s glow, and opened that familiar cat head icon. Curled up in her blanket, she slowly typed: Are you asleep? If not, can I…
Can I come to your place to find you?
Before she could finish typing, a voice call came through.
[‘Chi Dog’ invites you to a call…]
“I’m at your door.” After the call connected, the familiar voice of the young man reached her ears, drowning out the thunder outside. “Open up.”