Yun Chuan got out first and opened the umbrella before letting Yu Xiuyuan step out. Before Yu Xiuyuan could even find his footing, the scenery before him stopped him dead.
Yun Chuan took his hand and led him into the pavilion nearby, then pulled a raincoat from his bag and shook it out. Yu Xiuyuan remained oblivious as Yun Chuan helped him into it and fastened the buttons one by one.
The mountain ravine in the rain was an entirely different world from the one beneath a clear sky.
On a sunny day, it was delicate and bright, like a meticulously painted landscape.
But now, it seemed to have come alive.
Rain poured from the sky, and branches and leaves swayed wildly in the wind and rain. It was hardly a raging storm, yet there was an oppressive sense that it was about to shake heaven and earth.
Along the cliffs on either side, rainwater gathered into tiny waterfalls. Mist rose, tinting the distant mountains in layer upon layer of blue-gray.
The wind kept shifting, tangling with the swirling curtains of rain as though it meant to sweep them up into the world around them.
Yun Chuan stood beside him, holding his hand. He wasn't looking at the distant scenery. He was looking at him.
After who knew how long, Yu Xiuyuan tipped his head back, closed his eyes, and took a deep breath. Then he slowly exhaled, as though releasing all the stale air accumulated inside him into the rain.
"This feels amazing!" He opened his eyes, unable to keep the excitement out of his voice. "Ten thousand times better than I imagined!"
Yun Chuan's gaze settled on Yu Xiuyuan's upturned profile. The mist had dampened his lashes, making him look as though he'd cried, but his eyes were