Chapter 12: Gentle Eyes, Countless Stars

Lin Shenlu gazed upward at An Muxi above him.

An Muxi looked down at Lin Shenlu below.

The two of them quietly watched each other.

Neither spoke.

The wind seemed to grow stronger.

It tugged at the hem of Lin Shenlu’s jacket.

It fluttered the edge of An Muxi’s skirt.

As if remembering something, An Muxi gently pulled at her skirt, turned, and retreated inside.

From beginning to end, neither exchanged a word.

Perhaps neither wished to disrupt the exquisite hush between them.

The light on An Muxi’s balcony went out.

Lin Shenlu turned away, reached into his pocket—no cigarettes left.

He took a deep breath; a raindrop landed on his brow.

The first night by Erhai Lake.

Rain began to fall.

Facing the lake, he noticed—at some unknown moment—a small boat weaving across the tranquil surface, heading toward him.

It seemed to slice through the mist.

Fine raindrops brushed against his arm, cooling him.

Scattered lights shimmered, casting oblique reflections on the water.

The delicate rain, strung like a curtain of beads, spread across the lake, stained red by the glow of lanterns, resembling a ripened field of crabapple blossoms.

Quietly, the faint red mist enveloped Lin Shenlu, a haze slowly tinted by the light.

Time’s fleeting brilliance abandons people easily—leaving behind faded blossoms, clear moonlight.

Amid the gentle rain, the fragrance of flowers drifted, rising and falling.

Lin Shenlu watched as the small boat came closer.

A shadow, cloaked in a straw raincoat, approached the shore.

The hunched figure lifted two baskets of fresh flowers from the boat.

It was the old man from earlier in the day.

“Uncle, what a coincidence?” Lin Shenlu stepped forward with a smile.

The old man set the baskets on a stone, wiping the raindrops from his face.

“It’s you, boy? Why are you waiting for me here?” The old man looked surprised.

“Lend me a cigarette,” Lin Shenlu stretched out his hand.

The old man pulled out a pack from his raincoat and handed it over.

The cigarettes weren’t particularly good, but Lin Shenlu still took one and lit it.

In the fine rain, the droplets threatened to soak the cigarette.

It felt pleasant.

“What were you busy with?” Lin Shenlu asked curiously.

“Buying flowers for the boss’s house—need to plant them in the morning, so I rushed back.” The old man lit a cigarette as well.

Standing in the rainy mist, the two chatted idly.

Through the drizzle, An Muxi upstairs gently parted her curtains, watching Lin Shenlu in the rain below…

Wait—why are there two people now?

…

“My home is nearby, so I have to come ashore here,” the old man said, extinguishing his cigarette.

After Lin Shenlu’s curious inquiry, the old man picked up his baskets and prepared to leave.

Before departing, Lin Shenlu asked for a flower.

For reasons unknown, Lin Shenlu felt inexplicably cheerful.

The moment he turned and looked up, the third-floor window’s curtain fluttered—An Muxi’s.

Lin Shenlu smiled and entered the house.

An Muxi hid behind the wall, uncertain if Lin Shenlu had spotted her earlier.

It was a strange coincidence: she simply wanted to see Erhai Lake on a rainy night, but who would have thought that fool was still out in the rain.

An Muxi admitted—being alone indoors was indeed rather dull.

…

Lin Shenlu’s room was right beside An Muxi’s.

He had checked in after lunch.

He remembered that at check-in, the innkeeper was a woman with a child of about three or four.

That detail had piqued Lin Shenlu’s curiosity.

The innkeeper truly had an eye for things, choosing such a spot for her inn.

Even if no one else stayed, just being here every day would bring happiness.

As Lin Shenlu entered, he happened to see the child running in the lobby downstairs.

Behind the boy was the woman who had registered him.

“Huh? Back so early?” the woman looked up as Lin Shenlu walked in.

“Yes, I spent the afternoon drinking at a bar in the old town. Got a bit drunk, but the rain sobered me right up,” Lin Shenlu replied with a smile.

“If you’re sober, that’s easy—just keep drinking. The timing’s perfect. Where’s that pretty girl who had lunch with you?” the woman said, scooping up the running child.

“We’re not together. She’s probably in her room.”

“Don’t stay in your room alone at night in Dali,” the woman advised.

She paused, then added, “At least two people.”

A bead of sweat slipped down Lin Shenlu’s forehead—perhaps a raindrop from his hair.

“Sit down, I’ll fetch some wine,” the woman said, carrying the child off to the other side.

Lin Shenlu quietly took a seat at an empty table and waited.

Soon, a small figure ran over—not the woman, but the child.

The boy stood beside Lin Shenlu, gazing at the flower in his hand.

It was a rose, roots still attached.

The old man had brought it back so it could be planted the following day.

Outside, Lin Shenlu had shaken the soil from its roots.

A pale pink rosebud, yet to bloom.

“Do you like it?” Lin Shenlu smiled, asking the child.

The boy blinked his large eyes, looked up at him, and nodded.

Lin Shenlu paused—the boy’s eyes were strikingly beautiful.

A handsome, delicately carved boy, but his eyes bore a subtle gray sheen, as if stars were swirling in his pupils.

Surely a child this young wouldn’t be wearing colored contacts.

“Do you like it? Can you give it to me?” the boy smiled, dimples appearing.

“No…” Lin Shenlu set the flower aside and gently ruffled the boy’s hair. “What’s your name? Boys shouldn’t play with flowers—you should be playing with Transformers.”

The boy fished a small toy car from his pocket and showed it to Lin Shenlu. “My name is Xuxu. This is my Autobot. It can transform.”

Before Lin Shenlu could reply, someone nearby spoke, “Don’t bully the child.”

The voice was familiar.

Lin Shenlu turned his head—it was An Muxi.

She wore the same slip dress as before, only now with a jacket draped over her shoulders.

Gently, An Muxi picked up the flower from the table and handed it to the boy.

“Go play,” she said.

“Thank you, sister. You’re so pretty.” The boy named Xuxu took the flower and ran off, leaving his toy car behind in Lin Shenlu’s hands.

“Hey, I gave you that flower, and you just handed it away?” Lin Shenlu said, both amused and exasperated.

“You gave it to me, and I gave it away. Any objections?” An Muxi replied, fixing her gaze on him.

Lin Shenlu waved his hand, saying nothing more.

Silence stretched for five seconds.

An Muxi tossed a bath towel to Lin Shenlu.

“Wipe your face.”

Lin Shenlu, still damp from the rain, had droplets on his head and face.

“It’s hot during the day and cold at night—hard to get used to. Why the sudden concern?” Lin Shenlu was genuinely surprised.

Seeing her come down at night, after he’d been caught in the rain, and handing him a towel—it seemed the air between them was growing subtly charged.

Could this be the prelude to one of those legendary post-rain stories?