On a rainy night, the school beauty knocked on my door and asked for shelter

After the eight people finished washing up and getting dressed, they set off as dusk had completely swallowed up the last rays of light.

The deep, dark blue hue spreads upwards from the horizon, painting a tranquil night scene.

The winding path leading to the secret cape had long since sunk into the dark shadows.

The road I walked during the day seemed to take on a different look in the night.

The clear shadows of the palm trees during the day have now become swaying dark shadows, and the howling of the sea breeze passes through the gaps in the branches and leaves, carrying a depth that is not present during the day.

The magnificent seascape during the day is replaced by an endless expanse of ink, leaving only the deep, beast-like roar of the tide below, crashing against the unseen reefs, bringing a chilling sense of emptiness.

Eight figures moved along the barely visible mountain path, their footsteps breaking the silence, flashlight beams cutting shimmering spots of light between the dry stone surfaces and hanging vines.

The initial amazement of their arrival during the day was gone; instead, a tacit, heavy sense of anticipation flowed silently through the group.

"Have you sprayed all the mosquito repellent? The mosquitoes here are venomous at night," Zhao Yueyue asked with concern.

Huang Mao, who is as noisy as a sparrow during the day, is unusually silent at this moment.

"Yes, I've sprayed it." Zhao Yuanyuan replied softly, holding the soft cushion in her arms.

As she spoke, her gaze fell on Lin Yu'an's silent back a few steps ahead. Although she couldn't see clearly in the darkness, she could still make out a blurry but reassuring outline.

Zhou Hao walked on the outside of Qu Danwan, and his arm would occasionally brush against her arm unintentionally.

Every slight touch is like a pebble thrown into a lake, creating hidden ripples.

Chen Mo and Su Yuqing walked at the front of the group.

The powerful flashlight in Chen Mo's hand steadily cleaved through the darkness, illuminating the path ahead.

Su Yuqing stood close to him, her thin knitted cardigan protecting her from the rising night chill, her feet treading on his shadow.

Apart from Zhao Yueyue's words, no one spoke the rest of the way; only the rustling sound of shoes scraping against the stone slabs and the increasingly clear sound of the waves in the distance could be heard.

"Watch out, it's a bit steep here." Chen Mo's deep voice suddenly rang out from the front of the group, and a powerful flashlight steadily illuminated a rugged, steep slope ahead.

He naturally turned to the side and stretched his hand behind him.

Without the slightest hesitation, Su Yuqing gently placed her cool fingertips on his warm and broad palm.

That familiar, calloused touch instantly dispelled any trepidation I felt while traveling in the night.

He gently guided her, and she easily stepped onto the platform.

He didn't let go of her hand immediately, but only withdrew it very naturally after she had her feet firmly planted on the slightly flat stone slab.

In the darkness, Su Yuqing's cheeks were slightly flushed, and her heart pounded in rhythm with the waves.

She subconsciously turned her head to look at Chen Mo's serene profile in the flickering light and shadow.

Suddenly, scenes from the past half-semester began to surge uncontrollably into her mind—that desperate night of torrential rain, the warm light shining from behind him when he opened the door, like a sharp sword cleaving through the gloom of her world.

After moving into his house, he subtly adjusted his schedule to accommodate her. The aroma of milk and cereal wafting from the kitchen in the morning, the fruit he had peeled on her desk, and those eyes that could always easily see through her vulnerability but never pointed it out, only offering silent support... They lived under the same roof, breathing the same air, sharing the dawn and dusk and the silence. That bond that had long surpassed friendship settled and fermented in their daily interactions, and had long since penetrated to the bone.

...Countless silent moments surged through my mind, far beyond what a simple "like" could encompass.

Tonight, these emotions that have been brewing for so long will finally find their outlet under this starry sky, far from the hustle and bustle of the world.

She subconsciously raised her hand, her fingertips gently touching the skin of her collarbone hidden beneath her cardigan collar. There, she could almost still feel the warm, calloused touch of Chen Mo's fingertips occasionally brushing against her when he applied sunscreen during the day.

"Watch out for the stones." Chen Mo's deep voice rang out, and at the same time, a warm and strong hand steadily supported her elbow.

His hand lingered only briefly, but the sense of strength and security it conveyed instantly dispelled the coolness of the sea breeze and the last trace of unease in Su Yuqing's heart caused by the dark environment.

The warmth of his palm seeped through the thin fabric and imprinted on her skin, causing Su Yuqing's heart to skip a beat before pounding even harder against her chest.

She could clearly feel his gaze lingering on her out of the corner of his eye, carrying a silent sense of protection.

Finally, they climbed up to the secluded cape once again.

The view suddenly opened up, only to be enveloped by an even deeper darkness.

The massive black reefs embraced the small platform like silent behemoths.

The eight people stopped in their tracks simultaneously, even their breathing became soft.

Beneath their feet lay an abyss that swallowed all light. The roar of the waves crashing against the rocks was amplified countless times, dull, powerful, and carrying a primal sense of force, surging up from below and striking everyone's eardrums and heart.

Looking up, however, reveals a completely different scene—far removed from the lights and sounds of the beach below, the night sky here is remarkably clear.

The stars seemed to be densely inlaid on a deep blue velvet curtain, and the Milky Way was like a ribbon of light flowing with broken diamonds, stretching across the sky, so clear that it seemed within reach, so magnificent that it left people speechless.

The evening wind howled through the air without any obstruction, carrying a biting chill and a strong ocean scent, causing the clothes of the group to flutter and their hair to dance wildly.

"Hiss... The wind is so strong here tonight!" Zhao Yueyue wrapped her coat tighter, her voice broken by the wind, but when she looked up, her heart was instantly replaced by a solemn feeling of facing the vastness of the universe, and her face was filled with pure shock. "Wow, the night sky is so beautiful tonight!"

"Indeed." Huang Mao's voice was much lower. His gaze swept over Zhao Yueyue's profile outlined by the starlight. The playful thoughts he had during the day had long since vanished, leaving only the pounding of his heart in his chest.

Without needing to say a word, everyone tacitly found a sheltered spot from the wind.

Zhou Hao and Qu Danwan spread out the thin blanket they had brought and sat down on the familiar large rock where they had sat during the day.

Zhou Hao carefully pressed the edges of the blanket down to insulate the stones from the cold of the night.

Qu Danwan handed him a bottle of water. Their fingertips briefly touched as they passed the bottle, and both of them trembled slightly. Then, under the starlight, they exchanged a knowing, warm look.

Lin Yu'an and Zhao Yuanyuan walked towards the depression next to the large rock they had discovered during the day.

The wind has subsided considerably here.

Zhao Yuanyuan took out a soft cushion and quietly handed one to Lin Yu'an.

The two sat down side by side, gazing up at the boundless sea of ​​stars. Their quiet conversations about seabirds and fish during the day had turned into a deeper silence, yet strangely, there was no awkwardness, only a sense of peace enveloped by the beautiful night. (End of Chapter)