Time ticked by amidst the monotonous hum of the sewing machine and the symphony of the torrential rain outside the window.
Meng Ruozhao made the last stitch and cut the thread.
She picked up the altered clothes, intending to let him try on the waist again.
Just as she looked up, a pale bolt of lightning tore through the dim sky, instantly illuminating the entire Fuyunxuan as bright as day!
Immediately afterwards, "Boom!" A thunderclap almost shattered the glass!
Snap!
The hanging lamp above went out in response.
The lighting in the store was already poor, and with the dark clouds gathering outside, as soon as the light went out, the whole shop was instantly plunged into darkness!
"Ah!"
The sudden darkness took Meng Ruozhao by surprise. She instinctively let out a soft cry, her heart leaping to her throat.
With her vision taken away, her hearing and touch became extremely sensitive.
She could clearly hear the soft sound of a water cup being knocked over on Pei Jiangmu's side.
And his approaching footsteps, damp with moisture.
"Sister, I'm a bit scared of the dark. Are you scared?"
Pei Jiangmu's voice sounded very close, with a soothing tone, but it seemed especially clear and pressing in the darkness.
The next second, a warm hand, with a hint of tentativeness and an undeniable strength, accurately grasped Meng Ruozhao's wrist, which was stiff in mid - air.
The grip was strong, in a posture of seeking reliance, and also seemed to offer her comfort in the darkness.
Meng Ruozhao clearly felt the thin calluses on his palm, as well as the undeniable strength and heat of a young man.
He really seemed a bit scared.
His rapid breathing was right by her ear, and his breath, with the faint scent of pine, brushed past her temple.
The two were extremely close. So close that Meng Ruozhao could feel the body heat radiating from him, and even the tense muscle lines under his clothes.
"Sister?"
He called out again, his voice hoarse and with a trace of barely perceptible tension.
The grip on her wrist tightened a bit more, as if he was grasping the only floating log in the turbulent ocean of the dark night.
"Sorry, I'm scared of the dark and also of thunder."
Pei Jiangmu's breathing suddenly became rapid, and the strength of his grip on Meng Ruozhao's wrist unconsciously increased.
Another bolt of lightning flashed by, and she saw his pale face and slightly trembling lips - it was a real physiological reaction.
"On my eighteenth birthday," his voice became even lower, tinged with a trace of pain, "I was also kicked out of my house like a stray dog."
"Because I said I wanted to learn painting."
A drop of cold sweat slid down his temple, mixing with the undried rainwater and dripping onto Meng Ruozhao's hand.
"But I didn't meet you that day. I had to walk for two hours in the stormy night and finally fainted by the roadside."
There was a slight sound of collision from the drawer beside the sewing machine.
Only then did Meng Ruozhao notice that his entire right arm was trembling uncontrollably.
"And then?"
She heard herself asking.
Pei Jiangmu suddenly bent down, getting even closer to her, but still keeping a proper distance, not touching her.
"Then," he let out a muffled laugh, and his warm breath passed through the thin fabric, "my right hand was crushed by a car, and I woke up in excruciating pain." The lightning illuminated his still - trembling arm.
The moment the thunder roared outside the window, Pei Jiangmu trembled violently.
Meng Ruozhao, as if possessed, had already reached out her fingers to touch his tense back before her consciousness caught up. Her palm felt the protruding vertebrae of his spine.
He had an aristocratic air, but couldn't even afford the rent and had his lock forcibly changed.
His watch was an antique Jaeger - LeCoultre, but the watchband was severely worn.
He was so afraid of the dark and thunder that he broke through his usual caution and grabbed her wrist...
All these unreasonable details now had answers.
It was probably an inspiring story of "rebelling against his family, being cut off financially and kicked out of the house, but still being unyielding and brave in pursuing his dream".
Meng Ruozhao also remembered the troubles she had encountered when opening this shop, and a sense of "misery loves company" welled up in her.
After all, in the eyes of those self - righteous people, they who pursued what they liked were idle and self - depraved.
The tremors from Pei Jiangmu came through their touching skin, like a young bird drenched in the rain.
Meng Ruozhao's hand hovered above his back, and she could feel the tense muscle lines under his shirt.
"Does your right hand still hurt now?"
Her gaze softened.
"It hurts on rainy days."
Suddenly, he grabbed her hand that was about to pull away with his left hand and guided it to his right shoulder.
"There are three steel nails here. I've learned to use my left hand."
The moment the thunder rolled by, Meng Ruozhao clearly felt the shape of the metal foreign object under his skin.
This action was too over - the - line, but she even forgot to break free.
I don't know how long it had passed when suddenly there was a "thud" sound.
Pei Jiangmu suddenly let go of her right hand.
When the next bolt of lightning lit up, Meng Ruozhao saw his pupils constrict suddenly - like a cat that had its tail stepped on.
His right hand, which was still holding her wrist, showed no sign of letting go. His knuckles had turned white from the force.
"Do you want some hot tea?"
It was she who deliberately knocked over the sewing box just now to break the stagnant atmosphere and make him let go of her hand.
Meng Ruozhao turned on the flashlight on her phone and only then discovered that he was actually crying.
It wasn't out of sadness, but a physiological reaction.
The light cast the shadow of his eyelashes on his face, forming a small cross.
"My father said," he suddenly spoke, his voice thick like plasma, "a self - depraved person like me has no use for hands."
The sound of the heavy rain hitting the door suddenly became more intense.
Another series of thunderclaps roared, and Pei Jiangmu got closer and closer to her like a small beast.
She smelled the faint rusty smell in his breath - it was the smell of blood from biting the inner wall of his mouth.
"The path of life should be chosen by oneself. As long as you're determined, it's not self - depravity."
Meng Ruozhao wasn't very good at comforting others.
However, this simple sentence miraculously calmed the man down.
He took a deep breath, let go of her wrist, and his tone became even more cautious.
"Yes, you're right, sister. I'm sorry. I was out of line."
"But I'm not a bad person. Please don't hate me, sister."
He seemed to be afraid that Meng Ruozhao would think he had ulterior motives, and he subconsciously took a step back.
But when the thunder roared again, Meng Ruozhao noticed that he still trembled.
He was really scared.
Meng Ruozhao felt a pang of pity for this man who was more than a head taller than her, at least 188 centimeters tall.
She softened her voice. "I won't hate you. You go and sit on the sofa first. I'll go and check the circuit breaker."
This shop was an antique - style building with a long history.
When she renovated it, the decorator had told her that the electrical circuit was aging and prone to tripping.
But due to limited renovation funds, she had to make do. The circuit had tripped twice in three months.
"I'll go with you, sister."
Pei Jiangmu blurted out without even thinking.
It was hard to tell if he was afraid of being left alone or if he just wanted to help.
Meng Ruozhao didn't refuse either. Anyway, the circuit breaker was in the compartment.
She raised her phone and walked towards the compartment.
At the same time, in a black sedan parked a hundred meters away from the shop, someone spoke in a low voice.
"It seems that the power has gone out in the shop. Should we go and check?"
The young master had a fear of darkness.
"Are you crazy or do you want to die?"
Before the young master entered that shop, he had clearly stated that no one else was allowed to enter Fuyunxuan within two hours.
Disobeying the young master was no different from seeking death.