The next morning.
The figure lying in bed suddenly stirred.
Lin Li turned onto his side, his shoulder brushing softly against the cotton sheets as he slowly opened his eyes.
There was not a trace of grogginess in his eyes. After a dreamless night, his mind was exceptionally clear, and the first thing that reached his ears was the patter of rain, like countless fine needles tapping lightly against the glass window, dense and unceasing.
He turned his head toward the window. Through the gap between the curtains, he could see a thin layer of mist clinging to the glass, blurring the world outside into a hazy gray.
"It's been raining all night, and it still hasn't stopped."
Lin Li muttered under his breath, his voice slightly hoarse from sleep. His finger unconsciously traced a faint line across the quilt.
He lay in the warmth of the bed for several more minutes. Only when the chill seeped in through his sleeve did he throw off the covers and get up.
He walked step by step to the window. When his fingertip touched the icy glass, he paused, then instead pinched the edge of the curtain and gently pulled it aside.
The instant the heavy curtain opened, the scene outside crashed into his eyes.
The gloomy sky looked as though it had been soaked in ink. Lead-gray clouds hung low over the rooftops, while the dense rain fell like drooping silver threads, wrapping the streets and trees in a hazy veil of moisture.
Shallow puddles had already gathered across the ground. Raindrops struck them, splashing rings of tiny ripples that were quickly covered by new ones.
Compared with yesterday, today's rain showed no sign of weakening. The only difference was that last night's thunder, which had made the windows tremble, was