Chapter 78: Raindrops

A fine drizzle began to fall outside the window.

In the night, the twinkling star-like lights were captured and wrapped drop by drop by the rain, turning into a blurred, psychedelic hue.

Inky black smoke fled in a frenzy, futilely trying to escape the relentless pursuit of the fierce sound waves behind it.

"Bang!"

The fully armored steel giant, flashing with dangerous red light, had just barely emerged from the black fog when it was torn to shreds by the massive shockwave that followed closely behind.

"Ah! I'm dead!"

Xida stared at the computer screen, now turned to ash-white, and cried out in frustration, her legs kicking wildly at the innocent air that still retained a hint of pear sweetness.

"Be careful, don't cramp your legs." Yahweh sat beside Xida, extending his hands to tightly embrace her thrashing calves.

"Do you want to play?" With her feet planted on his firm abdomen, Xida rubbed her slightly sore neck and pointed her chin toward the flickering computer screen.

"I don't like playing games..." Yahweh shook his head, grabbed her trembling small feet, and began massaging her, following techniques he had looked up online, moving from light to heavy with a gentle rhythm.

"Hiss..." Xida gritted her teeth, striving not to let out a scream mixed with pain and relief.

The room suddenly fell silent, and the pattering sound of rain outside the window became clearly audible.

"It's raining outside again..." Xida turned her head to glance at the blurry view outside the window and sighed softly.

"Do you like rainy days?"

"... Not exactly." Her beautiful eyebrows twitched occasionally as Xida endured the pain and answered in a gloomy tone.

"Why?" Yahweh asked softly, gently placing her pale feet, which showed a hint of tender red, back into the pair of pink cotton slippers.

"The weather itself has no good or bad... I just... don't like the rainy days in Night City."

Gently moving her slightly sore feet, Xida stood up, walked over to the window, and looked down at the sky and earth outside, connected by the rain.

"Have you thought about leaving Night City someday and settling somewhere?" Yahweh walked to the bathroom, gently turned on the faucet, and carefully washed his hands.

"Not yet... Ah! Why are you washing so carefully! Are my feet very dirty?!"

Xida shook her head, just about to think seriously, when her peripheral vision suddenly caught her boyfriend carefully washing his hands.

She frowned in annoyance, walked over to Yahweh, who wore a mischievous grin, and gave him a light kick with her fuzzy shoe tip.

"Not dirty, not dirty..." Yahweh used his freshly cleaned hands to grab Xida's gradually rounder cheeks and gently kneaded them a few times.

Soft and tender, the texture was like fresh jelly, making him unable to let go.

"Mmm..."

Held by his mischievous hands, her whole body seemed to melt, losing all strength.

A rosy color gradually spread across her pale cheeks; Xida frowned and gently bit his mischievous hand, leaving a faint mark.

"Stop it! Or you'll sleep on the Sofa tonight!" Xida pretended to be angry, shouting, yet her tone, though angry, could not hide her happy laughter.

"Okay..."

Yahweh did not point out his girlfriend's words contradicting her heart; after pretending to be obedient and nodding, he forcefully pulled her into his embrace.

Xida closed her eyes, leaning all her mind and spirit upon that warm embrace.

"I... haven't thought it through yet..." she said softly, continuing the topic that had just been interrupted.

A seaside town and gentle sunlight were ultimately just fantasies.

As long as the person she loved most stayed by her side, whether in heaven or hell, it made no difference to her.

◎

"Laura, do you like rainy days?"

It was still that familiar restaurant, but the feeling of longing would never return.

"Huh?"

It was not until An Xianyuan called out a second time that Laura came to her senses.

"Do you like rainy days?" An Xianyuan propped her head on her hand and asked for the third time, without tiring of it.

"I like them..." Laura took a small sip of the hot chicken soup and said softly.

"Why?" An Xianyuan raised her eyebrows, somewhat surprised by the girl's unhesitating answer.

"Because it was raining on the day I met you, sister."

"So... that's why you like it?"

Her nose suddenly felt sour; An Xianyuan wiped her eye with the back of her hand, but her voice could not stop trembling.

"Mm, because of you, sister, I like it." Laura had just finished the last sip of chicken soup from the bottom of her bowl, looked up, and saw An Xianyuan constantly wiping her eyes.

"Sister? Do your eyes hurt?" She asked with some concern, took short steps with her little legs, and sat down beside An Xianyuan.

"No... just a little itchy." An Xianyuan composed her emotions, rubbed the head of the little girl who had leaned over, and answered with a light laugh.

"Oh." Laura obediently nodded, closed her eyes, and enjoyed the gentle feeling of that warm palm stroking back and forth on her head.

"It's getting cold; let's go home."

"Okay..." Laura opened her eyes again, yet still felt reluctant to part with that warm feeling just now.

"Do you like head pats?"

"I like sister."

"Pleasing me won't get you any candy."

"Compared to candy, I like sister a little more."

"Mm."

An Xianyuan smiled silently, holding the small figure tightly in her arms, letting two beating hearts slowly draw closer together.

◎

"It's okay now... sorry, it was too urgent just now, and I instinctively tackled you." V pulled Gil up from the ground and, somewhat apologetically, brushed the dust off her clothes.

"It's fine, it's fine; I'll take a shower when I get back anyway." Gil also knew V's good intentions and did not mind such trivial details.

"This must be the first time you've faced something like this, right?" V chuckled lightly, glancing at Misty and Jack outside the bar, who were equally safe and sound.

"Luckily, this building turned out to be surprisingly reliable..." Speaking of this, Gil still felt a lingering sense of fear.

An explosion had occurred right next to this small bar.

"By the way... what happened?"

"It must be a Cyberpsycho... MaxTac went a bit heavy-handed today." V tapped open the news feed for a look, speaking with a bitter smile.

They were merely collateral damage caught in a hunt.

Fortunately, no one was injured because of it.

"Do you need me to walk you home? It doesn't seem very safe on the streets right now."

"That would be truly appreciated." Gil breathed a sigh of relief; having her walk home alone at this hour would have made her legs feel like jelly.

"No problem, let me just tell my friends." V gently patted Gil's slender shoulder, then lightly vaulted over the bar counter.

"Misty, Jack, are you two okay?"

"I'm fine, V."

"I'm fine too, just a bit dizzy." Jack rubbed his head; having just downed an entire bottle of the strongest liquor in the shop, he still felt somewhat groggy.

"Good to hear. I'm going to take Miss Gil home; you two stay safe as well."

"See you tomorrow, V."

"Let's come out for drinks again next time, V!"

Misty and Jack bid farewell to V together, watching her escort the slightly leg-weakened bartender out of the small bar.

"Something like this happening today, leaving early... I wonder if the boss will deduct my pay..." Gil rubbed her head, muttering to herself with some distress.