CHAPTER 22: CHAPTER 21: HEAVEN SENDS CHANGE

It was almost eleven o’clock when Kang Xuan came out.

Not having seen each other for a long time, Kang Xuan seemed a bit thinner than before. Zhou Huaiyi saw her pushing her luggage out and started waving at her from afar.

Upon spotting her, Kang Xuan ran over energetically, grabbing her hand and shaking it: "Where’s Xiang Qichen, where’s Xiang Qichen, where’s Xiang Qichen!"

"He’s already left." Zhou Huaiyi pinched her mouth, abruptly silencing the chatter.

"I’m so mad, I’m so mad. Sitting on the plane for an extra two hours is one thing, but then missing my idol by a hair!" Kang Xuan stamped her foot in frustration, "So! Annoying! Why did it have to rain today! Before the flight, I checked the weather forecast in Yanchuan, and it said cloudy!"

Zhou Huaiyi pulled her suitcase and walked towards the exit: "It’s been sunny in Yanchuan all this time, and it only rained when you arrived. Could it be that you brought the rain with you?"

Kang Xuan hooked her arm around her neck and caught up, rolling her eyes dramatically: "Ha! So you’re blaming it on me now!"

Zhou Huaiyi laughed, "Blame me, blame me."

As the words fell, another roar of thunder startled the two just as they stepped out the door.

Kang Xuan: "My god, that scared me to death..."

Zhou Huaiyi looked up at the swirling dark clouds in the sky, shuddering with a sense of foreboding, and hailed a cab with an outstretched hand: "Those clouds don’t look inviting. Let’s hurry and get in the car back to the hotel."

The night was deep, and with the earlier thunderstorm, the wind that blew in through the car window was a bit chilly. Zhou Huaiyi rubbed her arms, raising the window.

Suddenly, her phone vibrated with a notification.

Zhou Huaiyi opened it, and upon seeing the contact name starting with "Xiang," her heart skipped a beat, leaving her stunned.

Hearing the commotion, Kang Xuan turned and couldn’t help but peek over, asking, "Who is it?"

Zhou Huaiyi instinctively exited the message and pretended to check her social feed, laughing nervously: "No one... just my roommate..."

Kang Xuan: "Oh."

Zhou Huaiyi had never mentioned to Kang Xuan about adding Xiang Qichen on WeChat. Although she felt a bit guilty, without Xiang Qichen’s consent, she couldn’t disclose his WeChat to anyone.

[Xiang: You’re picking someone up at the airport too?]

Zhou Huaiyi, trying to act calm, replied: [Yes, I’m here to pick up my friend]

After sending it, Zhou Huaiyi frowned, realizing belatedly.

Could it be that my idol is asking if I’m one of the fans picking him up?

Pausing for a moment, she quickly added before he could reply: [She wants to get a ticket to your birthday party, the friend I told you about when I asked for your autograph.]

[Xiang: Didn’t get a ticket in the draw?]

[Zhou Luobu: Haha, we’re both ticket-luckless types...]

[Xiang: Hmm]

[Zhou Huaiyi: o(^▽^)o]

The taxi drove safely to the hotel, and it was already midnight. Both of them were extremely tired, took a shower, and fell asleep as soon as they hit the bed.

...

Outside, the wind and clouds moved, thunder rolled, and large raindrops pelted the windows, blurring the night view. The streets quickly filled with water, and vehicles were barely moving.

Xiang Qichen stood by his window, looked at the rain-washed glass, and walked into his bedroom with a cup of water.

——

The next morning, the weather cleared up. The sky was an endless, bright blue, with sunlight piercing through clouds, casting dappled light on the hanging orchid outside the balcony.

Everything was so calm, as if the thunderstorm from last night had never happened.

Zhou Huaiyi turned over in bed, feeling uncomfortable in the bright light, she raised her hand to cover her closed eyes and pulled the blanket over her head.

She remembered closing the curtains before going to sleep last night...

Slowly waking from the light, Zhou Huaiyi gradually opened her eyes under the blanket, adjusted to the light, and then pulled the blanket off.

The first thing she saw was a half-drawn curtain on the floor-to-ceiling window, Zhou Huaiyi paused for two seconds, increasingly feeling that something was off.

When did this hotel get a floor-to-ceiling window?

Instinctively, Zhou Huaiyi reached out to feel for Kang Xuan beside her, but her hand landed on an empty space.

Zhou Huaiyi quickly turned her head, her eyes widening larger and larger.

Where’s Kang Xuan?!

Zhou Huaiyi suddenly sat up, looking at the unfamiliar room, she screamed—

"Old Kang!"

The next moment, Zhou Huaiyi was fully awake.

She lifted a hand to cover her mouth, inhaling sharply in shock.

That deep, hoarse voice just now... was it hers?