Dawn had barely broken when a coolness swept across the world, cloaking everything in moisture. Even the usually steady whisper of the wind grew fitful. Laden with dampness, it sounded wonderfully soft, like waves at sea, raising layers of foam that faded into silence in the ear.
Grass tips drooped, leaves swayed, and pebbles gleamed as water slipped through their gaps and finally seeped into the long-parched soil. The whole world grew quieter, a stillness born of the peace within the Heart of the Earth.
This was not merely early autumn rain, but the rain of the Chaos Season. It seemed especially remarkable: every drop was crystal clear, every stream brought life. The rain was rain, yet it was also silver flowers blooming across the earth.
It was fairly sheltered beneath this tree, but droplets still fell through the gaps in the leaves onto them, soaking through their clothes and into the warm skin beneath. They brought an icy touch, like the outstretched fingers of a woman carved from ice.
The chill deepened, layer upon layer, while their body temperatures gradually fell. Once the balance between warmth and cold was completely broken, they woke.
Zeng Mu opened his eyes, and fine threads of drizzle immediately settled over them. He bent forward and sat up, looking out at the hazy, peaceful land.
He turned his head. She was still asleep, her willow-leaf brows faintly knitted, adding a hint of emotion to her serene, lovely face.
As though sensing his gaze, Yenaier frowned more deeply. After a few more twitches, her brows finally tightened enough to lift her closed eyelids, revealing those two ice-blue gems and rousing her awareness.
She raised her slender, strong hand and murmured, "Is it raining?"
"Yes. I never thought we'd fall asleep while talking last night, then