Li Sitong was being extremely forward this time; after the kiss she wouldn't let go, her beautiful eyes fixed tightly on Ye Chen.
In that moment, Ye Chen felt a fire burning fiercely in his heart.
Ye Chen realized he couldn't continue like this.
If the two of them kept this up, something would definitely happen tonight.
Ye Chen reached out and tickled the spot on Li Sitong's waist.
Li Sitong hurriedly and nervously let go, laughing out loud.
Ye Chen finally breathed a sigh of relief and teased, "You girls are such liars—claiming you're scared of thunder yet doing this."
Li Sitong's beautiful eyes stared at Ye Chen; she hooked her small hand around his chin and said dominantly, "Ye Chen, I like you."
Ye Chen's face flushed red as he stepped back two steps.
Li Sitong suddenly noticed the Guitar nearby and asked, "Can you sing me a song?"
Ye Chen replied, "Uncle is sleeping, not really appropriate."
Actually, Ye Chen sang just for fun; he didn't enjoy showing off.
Singing and playing the Guitar in front of a girl made Ye Chen a bit embarrassed.
Li Sitong's voice softened, "It's okay, he's a deep sleeper. I'm really scared of thunder, but I think hearing you sing might make me less afraid."
"Because your singing is truly beautiful."
Ye Chen thought for a moment, picked up the Guitar, and said, "Alright, I'll play a piece for you."
Even though this stormy weather was perfect for sad songs,
Ye Chen chose only cheerful tunes.
Li Sitong sat beside Ye Chen, nestled against him, listening quietly.
She quietly watched Ye Chen's profile.
For the first time, Li Sitong felt that stormy days weren't that scary.
Why do I like Ye Chen so much?
After three songs, Ye Chen stopped singing.
Li Sitong looked at Ye Chen, "Why stop?"
Ye Chen pointed to his throat, "My throat feels a bit dry."
Li Sitong quickly got up and brought Ye Chen a glass of water.
Ye Chen said, "Do you want me to finish the water and keep singing?"
Li Sitong's fingers lightly brushed Ye Chen's throat, then, affectionately, "Of course not, I can't bear to see you get tired."
Ye Chen finally relaxed and drank the water.
After drinking, Li Sitong sat on the bedside, gazing out the window, and suddenly asked, "Ye Chen, aren't you curious why I'm scared of thunder?"
"Not really."
Li Sitong looked at Ye Chen, "Why not?"
Ye Chen smiled, "Everyone has private things; trying to uncover them is like exposing a wound—it hurts the other person."
Everyone has little secrets they might not want others to know.
If you care too much, it can make the other person embarrassed or even more uncomfortable.
That's not Ye Chen's personality.
Li Sitong stared at Ye Chen, her affection deepening.
She whispered, "Ye Chen, I want to share my story with you."
"I'm scared of thunder because, on the day my mother died, it was raining heavily with thunder. I was alone at home; Mom was worried about me, drove a bit fast, and then had a car accident."
Ye Chen was stunned—another stormy day!
Xia Yingluo's parents seemed to have met their fate on a stormy day as well.
Li Sitong only said that, but Ye Chen could understand why she feared thunder so much.
"It was just an accident, unrelated to thunder, and it has nothing to do with you."
Ye Chen didn't know how to comfort Li Sitong, thought for a moment, and said this.
Li Sitong stayed silent, though her eyes were a bit red.
Ye Chen thought again, took an A4 paper from his desk and picked up a pencil.
"Let me draw a picture of lightning for you."
"A picture of lightning?" Li Sitong was taken aback.
Ye Chen nodded, "There was a German physicist who, using scientific methods, captured the shape of lightning."
As he spoke, Ye Chen began drawing on the paper.
Soon, a bolt of lightning appeared on the sheet.
A thick lightning bolt with many branching currents.
Li Sitong was stunned, "You can draw too?"
Ye Chen smiled, "Hmm, a little bit."
Li Sitong replied, "You call that a little? This lightning looks gorgeous."
There were also some art students beside Li Sitong.
But their techniques weren't as skillful as Ye Chen's.
Without any reference, he drew directly on the paper and still did it so well.
Ye Chen smiled and continued, "Do you know what lightning represents?"
Li Sitong shook her head.
Ye Chen said, "Lightning stands for power, and it also represents beauty."
He kept extending the lightning's pattern outward.
Soon, the lightning shape turned into a tree.
Li Sitong was dumbfounded.
Ye Chen continued, "Lightning can also be a butterfly, even a flower. Want to try?"
Li Sitong shook her head, "I can't draw."
Ye Chen said, "No worries, I'll teach you."
Ye Chen held Li Sitong's hand.
Li Sitong's small hand was slightly cool, very smooth and supple, like solidified cream.
Ye Chen kept holding her hand and started drawing.
Their bodies were almost pressed together, and they could even hear each other's breathing.
But at that moment, both of their attention was on the paper.
Soon, Li Sitong also finished a drawing.
Although it had a few flaws and wasn't as perfect as Ye Chen's, it was still beautiful.
It was a butterfly with outstretched wings.
Ye Chen smiled and asked, "Are you still scared now?"
Looking at the butterfly‑shaped lightning pattern, Li Sitong suddenly felt that thunder wasn't so terrifying after all.
At the moment Ye Chen grabbed her hand to draw,
Li Sitong felt Ye Chen gave her a lot of courage.
Her beautiful eyes stared at Ye Chen and suddenly said, "Ye Chen, may I hug you?"
"Just a hug?"
"Do you want to do anything else?"
"Better not."
"Alright, just a hug then."
Ye Chen opened his arms and let her hug him.
In his embrace, Li Sitong whispered, "Ye Chen, why are you so kind?"
"It's probably innate."
Li Sitong: "Thank you."
Fear of lightning and her mother's death have always been her wound.
But she felt that wound was healed today by Ye Chen.
Li Sitong suddenly realized she was becoming more dependent on Ye Chen.
However, Xia Yingluo was still by Ye Chen's side.
She knows Xia Yingluo also likes Ye Chen very much.
Ye Chen seems to like Xia Yingluo as well.
But I really love Ye Chen so much.
I mustn't let him run away.
The two embraced for ten minutes, and the rain outside stopped.
Ye Chen patted Li Sitong, "It's almost nine o'clock, I should go back."
Though reluctant, Li Sitong let go of Ye Chen.
Watching Ye Chen leave, Li Sitong's mouth twitched into a faint smile.
She seemed to still smell the lingering scent of Ye Chen.
"Ye Chen, I love you so much."