Waiting for Rain

This was the first heavy rain of the year.

Outside the window where water met sky, umbrellas had their edges curled by howling winds, and the garden plants all bent in one direction.

The rain poured down as if dumped from heaven, exploding into misty sprays when hitting the ground.

"In weather like this, people outside must be having a really tough time,"

Lu Qing remarked while taking a sip of coffee.

It was 1 AM on the clock hanging on the wall of Room 1, 19th floor, Building C of Tianhe Platinum Apartments.

Accompanied by a series of dings, the QQ messenger on his computer started flashing.

Lu Qing glanced at the screen from afar, noticing an avatar with bunny ears frantically sending him messages.

[Editor Yao Guang has sent you a window shake]

"Teacher Qingkong! Are you there? This late at night, you must be writing, right? Sorry to disturb you, but how's the new book coming along? It's been three months already, surely you must have stockpiled 300,000 words by now? Can you continue sending them to me?"

"Also, your last completed book 'Dragged into the Abyss by Her Cuteness' has surpassed 30,000 average subscriptions! The Business Department will likely contact you soon about IP adaptation rights. When that happens, please remember to put in a good word for me in front of my colleagues, just like you promised in your book's afterword!"

"..."

"Waaah, don't ignore me... I'm just a rookie editor riding on your coattails! Please! If needed, I'll come to your home to thank you personally! I know you live in Tianhai City, hehe. (Emoji: maid hugging legs)"

Lu Qing massaged his temples and didn't reply.

As a part-time web novelist who had managed to sign a top author contract with "Endpoint" - a leading novel platform - in just a few short years, staying up late had clearly become his norm.

Besides attending university during the day, he spent almost all his time on writing.

Right now was his "decompression time" after finishing his latest manuscript.

He didn't have many hobbies, but listening to rain was one of them.

Gentle drizzles could heal the soul, while fierce storms could bring their own kind of tranquility.

However, whether one could find inspiration in the sound of rain depended entirely on heaven's mood.

"As for the new book... I'm completely stuck," he sighed softly, looking out into the pitch-black window, feeling utterly helpless about the creative ways his beautiful long-legged editor used to chase him for manuscripts.

His specialty had always been light novel romance stories.

As someone who had never seriously dated, his only secret to writing novels that garnered tens of thousands of subscribers was—

Pure imagination.

"Ridiculous, if I actually dated someone, I probably wouldn't be able to appreciate all the details and beauty anymore. I'm already swamped with work and studies, naturally I won't waste time on such things."

This had always been Lu Qing's principle, but now he was finally suffering severe consequences - creative exhaustion and writer's block.

He couldn't think of any appealing romantic plots to start a new story anymore.

"Ugh, dating is impossible, absolutely impossible! Even if I have to quit the literary world and join the adult fiction circle like my old man, I absolutely won't compromise!"

Thinking about how his updating readers were dwindling, how his fellow authors had already launched their new books, how his encouraging friends no longer had time for him, and how even rookies who used to call him "senior" had achieved featured status...

He uncomfortably grabbed his head and frantically scratched his hair several times, then picked up his coffee cup again with bloodshot eyes and took several huge gulps.

With a loud exhale, the mentally exhausted young man tried to compose himself and turned his gaze back to the night view outside.

He zoned out for who knows how long.

"Hm?"

As his pupils refocused, at the edge of his vision, a small, pitiful figure suddenly appeared, dragging his thoughts back from their wandering.

Since his window faced the complex entrance where bright street lamps stood, he could vaguely make out that the person had no umbrella and was completely soaked by the downpour, like a small boat that could capsize at any moment in the stormy seas.

"That's really rough, looks like a female student?"

Lu Qing frowned and put down his coffee cup.

Though he couldn't make out her features clearly, it was the dead of night and there wasn't another soul outside in the entire complex - even the security guard was fast asleep in his booth. Such a figure was indeed quite concerning.

From his vantage point, he could see the girl carrying a thoroughly soaked backpack, slowly walking towards his apartment building in the downpour.

She wasn't running, nor did she show any intention of seeking shelter from the rain.

"..."

Lu Qing continued watching from his window until her figure disappeared into the blind spot below his view.

"A female student, rainy night, looking lost and dejected. Pretty pitiful indeed."

"But there are countless pitiful people in this world, what does it have to do with me?"

Being an absolute realist, he clicked his tongue, walked to the shrine in the corner of his room to light three incense sticks, then returned to his gaming chair, reclined it 45 degrees, and plopped down.

Breathing in the sandalwood fragrance, he zoned out again, then tilted his head back to stare at the ceiling with lifeless eyes, muttering to himself:

"Oh God of Inspiration, grant me power... even just a little bit, can you help me continue the glory of my last book? I don't want to become one of those washed-up authors who can't maintain their success..."

"Dad didn't make a penny writing adult fiction and almost went to jail, I'm barely covering my university tuition with manuscript fees, if this fails, I might really become a homeless vagrant, I won't even be able to afford rent anymore!"

"As long as you give me inspiration, as long as you let me successfully start writing, I'll agree to any price! Please show me a sign, I'll pray devoutly every day! Really!!!"

[Ding dong].

"!"

The sudden sound made Lu Qing jump, sitting up like he'd been electrocuted, looking behind him.

Several seconds later.

"Damn, it's not the system, it's just the doorbell..."

Failed in his ritual, he dejectedly crawled up from his chair, and with extreme displeasure, slowly walked toward the security door—

"Who is it?! In the middle of the night, are you drunk?! Going around knocking on strangers' doors when you're wasted! I didn't order takeout, didn't call an ambulance, and don't have a girlfriend, it's very rude to disturb people's sleep you know..."

Looking through the peephole, his voice suddenly stopped.

Because even squinting, he could recognize that the person knocking was the same pitiful young girl who had been struggling through the torrential rain earlier.

Now, the girl was completely drenched, with rainwater dripping down her long black hair onto her chest.

She wore a navy checkered skirt from her school uniform, and a white shirt so wet it could cause criminal thoughts.

Her bangs nearly covered her eyes and half her face, and her pressed-together legs and downward gaze seemed to completely expose her nervousness.

Her chest heaving as she stood at the door, she seemed to gather enormous courage after about three breaths, then raised her head, pulled out a relatively dry cigarette box with this address written on it from her embrace, held it up with both hands, and pleaded:

"Brother, I'm Su Ling. Can you let me stay for the night?"