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

The long, drawn-out whistle of the ferry as it docked signaled the end of the dreamlike journey to Azure Sky Island, but also marked the official start of a new chapter in the relationship between Chen Mo and Su Yuqing.

Stepping onto the familiar city dock, the salty sea breeze still seemed to linger on their hair, but the air enveloping them was already permeated with a new, sweet factor that only they could perceive.

The eight people, carrying simple luggage, mingled with the bustling crowd disembarking. The noisy atmosphere of the city pulled them back to reality from the dreamlike Azure Sky Island.

The bus was a bit crowded on the way back.

After the eight people boarded the bus, they found that there were no seats left. However, the subtle sense of distance they had when they arrived had disappeared, and they naturally stood close together.

As the vehicle suddenly started moving, it swayed. Chen Mo instinctively and swiftly reached out his arm, not just to offer a helping hand, but to firmly wrap his arms around Su Yuqing's waist, pulling her closer to him and using his body to shield her from the crowd of people around them.

Unlike in the past, Su Yuqing didn't shy away. She simply turned her head slightly, her cheek almost touching the fabric of his T-shirt, feeling the strength and warmth from his arm. The tips of her ears turned red.

She even secretly placed one hand on the back of his hand that was wrapped around her waist, her fingertips unconsciously stroking the knuckles of his hand.

This would have been an unthinkable act of proactive contact in the past.

Chen Mo's arms were firmly wrapped around Su Yuqing's waist. Through the thin summer clothes, he could clearly feel the warmth of her body and her soft lines. Feeling the soft touch of her waist and Su Yuqing's small hand covering the back of his hand, Chen Mo was reluctant to let go. Unlike the tentative approach he had taken earlier, this embrace was filled with a clear sense of belonging.

Su Yuqing was initially a little uncomfortable with such intimacy in public, and her body stiffened slightly, but the steady heartbeat from Chen Mo's chest and his refreshing and pleasant scent quickly relaxed her.

Chen Mo looked down and smiled slightly at Su Yuqing, who was now much bolder in her actions, gently stroking the back of her hand, but still looked a little shy. He then held her tightly, protecting her in front of him.

As the two engaged in their shy yet bold contact, the bus slowly pulled out of the station, weaving through the city's fabric, the scenery outside the window rapidly shifting from the vastness of the harbor to familiar streets and buildings.

The crowded and noisy carriage unexpectedly became a protective shell for Chen Mo and Su Yuqing's intimate little world.

Chen Mo felt a slight itch on the back of his hand and looked down at her.

Su Yuqing also tilted her head slightly, and their eyes met. Without a word, a silent current crackled between them.

Su Yuqing's cheeks flushed instantly, like a ripe peach. She hurriedly tried to look away, but was captivated by the undisguised tenderness in Chen Mo's eyes.

She pursed her lips, and finally returned a shy yet sweet smile, leaning closer to him, hiding most of her face in the crook of his shoulder, revealing only her loving eyes and slightly red ear tips.

"Are you tired?" Chen Mo asked softly, his breath brushing against the top of her hair.

Su Yuqing gently shook her head in his arms, her voice muffled and slightly nasal: "I'm not tired. It's just... a little noisy."

She was referring to the noisy voices in the carriage.

Chen Mo understood and took out his phone and earphones from his backpack.

He naturally slipped a small white earphone into the ear closest to Su Yuqing's, his fingertips brushing against her soft earlobe, causing her to tremble slightly again.

Su Yuqing tilted her head slightly in agreement.

Then, Chen Mo put the other earphone into his ear.

A soothing intro begins, followed by a clear male voice singing tender lyrics: "...I will whisper in your ear, I love you~ I love you..."

Su Yuqing suddenly looked up, her eyes sparkling as she looked at Chen Mo, her gaze filled with inquiry and a hint of barely perceptible surprise.

Chen Mo lowered his head, his lips almost touching her earlobe, and explained in a whisper that only she could hear, with a hint of smugness and probing, "It's a new song I downloaded. I thought of you on the way back... I felt you would like it." His warm breath sprayed on her sensitive earlobe and neck, and the lyrics seemed to be recited by him, accompanied by a double heartbeat.

Su Yuqing's cheeks flushed even redder, her heart felt as if it were filled with honey, so sweet it was swollen.

She didn't speak, but buried her face deeper into his neck, nodded vigorously, and quietly tightened her arms around his waist.

Sharing the melody of the same love song, in the crowded and noisy carriage, their world consisted only of each other's heartbeats and the song that boldly declared their love, playing on repeat in their headphones.

Time always seems to fly by when people are immersed in happiness and joy.

This is exactly how Su Yuqing and Chen Mo felt at that moment.

It felt like we had just left the station, but we had already arrived at our destination.

Back in the familiar city, after saying goodbye to his friends, Chen Mo naturally hailed a taxi.

He opened the back door and stepped aside to let Su Yuqing sit down first.

Su Yuqing bent down and crawled into the car, her soft skirt brushing against the edge of the seat.

Chen Mo followed closely behind and closed the car door.

"Master, go to..." Chen Mo gave the address.

"Okay," the driver replied, and the car started smoothly.

In an instant, they were enveloped in a closed and private space, completely different from that of a bus.

There were no crowds, no noisy commotion, only the low hum of the engine and the city lights flashing past the window.

The intimacy we felt on the bus, enveloped in noise, is amplified in the quiet, creating a sense of tranquility that makes your heart race.

The two sat side by side in the back seat, with a small, polite distance between them.

However, the space in the carriage was limited, and Chen Mo could almost feel the slight heat emanating from Su Yuqing's body on the outside of his arm.

He turned his head to look at her.

The bright afternoon sunlight filtered through the tinted car windows, turning into a soft golden halo that evenly bathed Su Yuqing.

She tilted her head slightly, looking at the familiar street scene passing by outside the window. Sunlight danced on her smooth hair, outlining the delicate profile of her face. Her long eyelashes cast a small fan-shaped shadow under her eyes, her nose was straight and upturned, and her lips were a natural pink.

Her hands rested quietly on her knees, her fingers unconsciously twisting the hem of her skirt, revealing her inner turmoil.

She was able to boldly place her hand on the back of his hand and make some moves on the bus, but in this quiet and private space, she had lost all her courage.

Chen Mo's gaze fell on her slightly curled fingertips, and his heart softened.

He tentatively and extremely slowly placed his hand over the back of her hand, which was resting on her knee. (End of Chapter)