Chapter Text
The rain had lost its ambient temperature of early autumn, freezing and paling the young man's skin on contact. The rain spills from the black lustrous graphite sky in crazy chaotic drops, the gusting wind carrying them in wild vortices one moment and in diagonal sheets the next.
On a day like this, not many would be out and about. The young man, Shen Jiu, however, didn't really have much of a choice but to head out. Though he wasn't exactly heading out, he was on his way home after a very tiring argument that seemed to still follow after him.
Shen Jiu had a fairly decent appearance: narrow eyebrows, a high nose and beautiful lips. However, his lips were always either curved downwards or set in a scowl, making him look like an indifferent and aloof beauty.
Even as Shen Jiu lay under siege of the downpour, one would without a doubt say that the youth was very beautiful. From his long ink-coloured hair that was dark as the night, to his face that was as white as the snow of winter. He had an exquisitely delicate look, and his appearance under the torrential rain made him seem like a faerie tale prince that had leapt out of a children's fantasy book.
Shen Jiu pulls at the thin coat wrapped around him, shrouding him in its attempt of giving feeble warmth. His grip on his umbrella tightening, as the wind whipped the frigid drops upon it.
The path through the park is unpaved, inescapable to the wetness of each drop hurtling in every direction making puddles on the already damp soil.
His footsteps made a squelching sound as his feet made contact with the ground, his shoes becaming filthier each time Shen Jiu took another step forward. It was as though the earthen surface would end up swallowing his shoes with its dankness that even the mud splashed to the rims of his coat.
He trekked onward through the watery pathway before finally reaching the cab he had called up.
"Xiao Jiu."
"Leave." He says quietly, although soft-sounding there was a sharpness in his tone.
Shen Jiu opens the cab's door, he closes his umbrella before he tries to seat himself down.
The man latches unto his thin wrists. "Please—"
He slaps it away with his umbrella on hand, better yet he threw the damn thing at the man. "I said leave, stop following me around!"
Shen Jiu slams the door shut, he locks it. As he sat down he could hear the beat of the rain against the taxicab's window and of course the stupid man's frantic rapping upon it as well.
He proceeds to ignore both, "Please stay, Xiao Jiu—"
"Siji. What are you waiting for?" Shen Jiu's voice snaps at the driver. "Are we not leaving yet?"
The old man seated behind the wheel flinches at the vitriolic tone used on him. He nods stiffly, preparing to start the car whilst ignoring the poor man outside still rapping his knuckles, begging his current passenger to stay.
The rain was hammering down mercilessly, it was as though the sky shot down hails of bullets down to the earth. It was not the best weather to stand outside pleading. The driver silently lit a candle for the young man.
He sighed, poor boy. Children these days were so cruel.
The old man felt a silver of pity rise from him but the horrifying expression on the person seated behind him made him start the car before deciding to drive off.
The other man still called out pitifully and the old driver felt as though a knife had stabbed through his heart. Whoever this young master was, he was unbelievably apathetic and remorseless.
Ah, the world nowadays was so cruel. But it wasn't his business to pry, he could only hope that the young man wouldn't catch a cold.
A blinding light spills through the overhung sky blanketed by grey clouds. Then the sound of thunder resounds, it runs an immense exhilaration through Shen Jiu's veins, the roar rings in his ears. His mind wanders back to moments before and a phantom ache rises from his chest.
Did he feel guilty? Was he feeling an ounce of regret for leaving that man there under the pouring rain?
Highly unlikely. He reassures himself. Although a part of himself contradicts that.
This might just teach the stupid man a lesson. Shen Jiu was the one being unreasonable? No, absolutely not. He wasn't going to live being downgraded by that Qiu Jianluo, but that damn man would endure it like an idiot!
He was furious. What was that stupid man thinking, what was Qi-ge thinking? Shen Jiu wasn't a child, he could figure what to do with himself. He didn't need anyone to— to patronize him like he was unable to make decisions.
He was too kind. Shen Jiu would conclude but then his mind would warp and his thoughts would whisper that Qi-ge was, as always, being an absolute idiot. And like he— the rational one between the both of them, should make a move to find a way out of the damned pit they fell into.
That man was just an idiot, he was a horrendous pushover, a coward and- and he loved...
Another burst of anger bloomed in Shen Jiu's heart. He felt so stupid being frustrated over this, he had better things to do. He needed to find a job and a better place to live in but flashbacks of their previous conversation muddled his brain.
The rain crashed deafeningly on the corrugated metal roof of the cab leaving a comfortable white noise. He needed to calm down, he desperately needs to calm down. Shen Jiu reminded himself not to carelessly express his anger on unwitting individuals, he couldn't afford to do that. He knew he was better than that.
His sharp nails dug unto his clenched fists while he repeated a mantra of 'calm down' again and again in his chaotic head.
As his anger started to boil and his temper flaring the old driver's gravelly voice sounds out hesitantly, "Laofu suggests that you not clench your hands so tightly, it will leave unsightly marks."
Shen Jiu's eyes lock on with the old man and he sends out a glare that can compete with the horribly spine-chilling weather. The old man couldn't help but cry without tears, he was just worried that the boy would hurt himself with all that pent up anger. Maybe he should have stayed silent, this young master was far too terrifying.
But despite that, the driver notices that his passenger did heed his advice. He sees the younger man relax and unclench his hands before his passenger shifts their eyes downwards, still looking quite upset.
After a moment passes the old man was tempted to ask why the young master behind him looked so enraged. But that was pushing his luck so not another word left his mouth.
Shen Jiu didn't want to look so scathingly at the poor old man but he couldn't control his expression on time, he couldn't restrain himself quick enough. His thoughts had strayed and that roused his ire even more.
As they drove along the road, the rain pelted down on the cab's window. With eyes closed, Shen Jiu forced himself to focus on something else: on the hissing of tires on the wet asphalt, on the steady hum of the car's old engine, or the loud pitter-patter of the rain outside. Anything to soothe his anger.
He desperately tried not to think of his previous actions towards that stupid man, actions that might've hurt that idiot– Qi-ge. But as he sat there quietly a thread of regret started to worm its way into his heart, this worsened his disastrous thoughts. It left a sour taste in his mouth and he couldn't help but scowl. Why was life so unkind to the living? Sometimes he just—
The car stops, temporarily distracting him from his intrusive thoughts. The driver announces quietly, "Gongzi, we’ve arrived at your destination."
Shen Jiu nods, he pays the old man before leaving the cab. The walk to his apartment is long and dreary, each raindrop sits on his skin like a puddle that will never leave, perfectly formed, perfectly cold. Shen Jiu feels the water steal his body heat just a tiny bit at a time as it soaked his coat, rendering the article of clothing absolutely useless.
Perhaps before he would have sought for warmth or shelter— but not anymore. He was tired, exhausted even. He had become accustomed to the harsh elements, to the wind and the chill. There was a sense of familiarity in his suffering as if life has and will always be this way. There was comfort in predictability.
Then the rain abruptly stopped. There were no more drops, no more splashes. Just silence. All that’s left now were vacant puddles and a smell that showed what used to be there. He was given no solace as the weather unexpectedly switched over.
This was life reminding Shen Jiu how cataclysmic it was, that nothing was ever truly predictable because life loved to screw over the living. He, unfortunately, was in that category, Shen Jiu inwardly scoffs at himself.
What kind of fuckery could he have possibly done in his past life to live through this shitty one now?
Shen Jiu ignores his meddlesome thoughts, he continues on his way back to his destination.
Mottled walls, rusty fences and originally clear windows covered in stains. The faint sunshine peeking from the dark grey clouds shining into the old apartment made the whole building more bleak and unkempt to look at.
Despite how terrible the whole place looked Shen Jiu enters. The walls of the corridor he passes by were covered with various advertisements while the concrete staircase was full of potholes and even vomit. The smell doesn't even unnerve the young man as he treks upward.
He reaches the sturdy iron door of 201, his apartment. He heaves out a tired sigh, he reaches for the keys in his coat pocket. His warm fingers touch cold metal and he pulls it out before inserting it in the keyhole, a click sounds and soon the door is wide open.
Shen Jiu walks into the house, its shabby exterior a now welcoming sight to him.
The place was small. There was a cramped single room and the decorations were old and decrepit. The floor was made of uneven cement and the composite wood tables and chairs had long chipped and faded with age. The clock on the wall had a small crack on its surface but it still worked fine and made an old ticking sound.
Despite how small it was, his apartment was very clean and neatly organized. Of all things, he was thankfully not a slob.
Another sigh leaves the young man's mouth, as he takes his wet coat off of his already damp body.
Shen Jiu decides that he might need to take a bath in case he catches a cold, he had a job interview coming up and getting sick wasn't an option. Though he’d have to take the trouble of heating water, his apartment did not provide hot water for its tenants. That’s how scummy they were but who was he to complain, the place was cheap he should have expected that.
The whole day for Shen Jiu was no good, more misunderstandings aroused and he didn't feel all too well with his actions towards Yue Qingyuan. It was far too late to regret them but it was plaguing his waking thoughts.
The young man tiredly prepares to heat some water when he notices a sealed letter on his table. He curses under his breath, something about the landlord letting just about anyone in as long as they paid money. He loathes how those bastards ignore his privacy; he wonders why he even bothers to lock the door of his apartment.
He walks over to the damn thing atop his papers. When he sees the sender, he curses loudly. Damn Qiu's.
He snatches it up and rips it apart before tossing its pieces into his single trash bin. Like he said he didn’t need to be patronized by anyone. He stalks back to start his bath, hot water be damned. A cold shower wouldn’t kill him.
Shen Jiu grumbles as he dresses, he still had a lot of things to finish. He should’ve stayed home instead of heading out. His fingers felt numb and he wonders why he even decided to leave his apartment today. Qi-ge for all he cares can go and wait for disappointment, he shouldn’t have shown up. But Xiao Jiu was too soft, he scolds himself. He ended up leaving his small shelter to meet up with the man and between the two of them, he was the one who had to wait for disappointment.
The young man repeatedly berated himself for not thinking his decisions through. He always made so many damn mistakes when that man was involved.
He seats himself down on a chair by the table where his various papers littered atop it. He needed to finish this tonight, he groans seeming to become more exhausted at the mere thought of filling them up properly. Like with most things in his life, he didn't have much of a choice.
But as hours slowly pass his vision blurs, he must be seeing things. He notices a flower appearing before him and soon he feels a headache coming. A blinding bright light fills his sight and Shen Jiu couldn't help but shut his eyes tight to protect his vision.
A beat passes and the sound of soft murmuring resound in his ears. Cautiously he opens his eyes and a strange sight greets him.