The Knock on the Rainy Night

The icy rain swallowed the entire world. Fat raindrops hammered the tiled roof, roaring like drums. Water streamed down from the eaves, forming a grey-white curtain that obscured vision, blurring the outlines of the precious plants in the courtyard.

Ling Ye stood behind this curtain of water, before a heavy oak door inlaid with brass beast heads. Rainwater flowed down his washed-out, strangely styled linen robe, pooling around his feet. Yet, this damp, cold stickiness made him feel a sliver of long-lost reality.

For billions of years in the Primordial Era, the Sign-in System's cold prompts had long since exhausted their last bit of energy. Its final message before falling silent, "Congratulations to the host for achieving the 'Primordial Retirement Reserve' achievement, do you wish to return to the Origin Universe?" sounded like heavenly music. He chose "Yes" without hesitation.

And then, he was back here. Where his ancestral home used to be in memory, a cold, luxurious modern villa now squatted, like a giant beast dormant in the rainy night.

Ling Ye raised his hand, his knuckles tapping the cool, smooth door panel.

Tap. Tap. Tap.

The sound wasn't loud, but it was exceptionally clear amidst the roaring rain.

Faint footsteps came from within. With a click, the door opened a crack. Warm yellow light mingled with dry, warm air surged out, dispelling the damp cold from outside. The light outlined a tall, slender figure.

Her black hair was loosely pinned up, revealing a graceful neck. She wore silk loungewear, her face covered in an expensive mask, leaving only a pair of ink-black eyes visible. At this moment, those eyes held undisguised scrutiny and the displeasure of being disturbed.

"What is it?" her voice came through the mask, muffled and indifferent, like an invisible wall.

"The rain is too heavy," Ling Ye's voice was calm, with a hint of sleepiness, "Can I borrow a place to shelter from the rain? Just for one night." His gaze swept over the luxurious foyer, as casually as if asking about an available hotel room.

The eyes behind the mask narrowed, her guard rising. Silence stretched for a few seconds amidst the rain.

"It's not convenient," her tone became more distant, with an undeniable decisiveness, "Go down the mountain and find a hotel." The door began to close.

"Wait." Ling Ye spoke, his tone still even. Just as the door was about to shut, he casually moved the hand holding his worn cloth bag.

A corner of the bag's strap loosened, revealing an unremarkable, dark purple clay teapot covered in fine cracks.

Instantly, an indescribable, potent fragrance spread out!

This was no ordinary floral scent, but the essence of the Origin Universe's fundamental energies, concentrated to the extreme! It carried the primal chaos of creation and a pure vitality that cleansed the soul! It forcefully penetrated the rain, the door, the air filtration system, instantly filling every inch of the entryway!

The woman's hand, about to close the door, froze mid-air! Her ink-black pupils contracted sharply, staring intently at the old purple teapot! Even through the mask, one could feel her entire body tense up instantly.

"What is this?!" Her voice changed, filled with shock and trembling disbelief. The aroma surged into her mind, making every cell in her body sing with joy!

"Oh?" Ling Ye glanced down, casually hooking the rough lid with his finger, "Just some old tea. I was thirsty from the journey, so I brewed some to quench my thirst." His tone was as casual as if he were talking about losing an umbrella.

"Old... tea?!" The woman's voice trembled violently, but her gaze pierced through Ling Ye, locking onto a corner of the courtyard behind him.

Ling Ye turned his head to look.

In the corner of the courtyard, an Ancient Orchid, meticulously protected, which had been dead for who knows how many years, leaving only twisted, black branches, was undergoing a dramatic transformation!

Under the pervasive aroma of the tea, the withered branches shed their blackness at a visible speed, decaying wood rejuvenating! A brownish-green spread, and then, on the bare branches, shockingly vibrant green buds pushed through the bark one after another, proudly unfurling in the cold, heavy rain!

The buds stretched, the leaves grew wildly!

Within a few breaths, the dead wood became lush and verdant, dripping with life! Even more soul-shaking was that at the tips of the new branches, countless jade-white flower buds swelled and bloomed in the downpour!

In an instant, the tree was covered in exquisite blossoms! The rich, clear orchid fragrance mingled with the potent tea aroma, permeating the rainy night! The white petals, crystal clear under the rain, reflected the warm light from the foyer, like a sacred flame burning on a tree!

Dead silence.

Except for the pounding rain, there was an eerie silence both inside and outside the entryway.

The woman's fingers gripping the doorframe turned white from the force, and even the mask couldn't hide her extreme shock and stiffness. She looked at the Ancient Orchid blooming like a miracle in the rain, then abruptly turned her head to stare intently at the ugly, old purple teapot, her eyes filled with immense absurdity and the bewildered horror of her worldview being overturned.

Her lips moved, and finally, the shock from the depths of her soul coalesced into an almost broken-voice question:

"You... call this... ordinary tea?!"