The sky had darkened significantly as thick, ominous clouds gathered overhead. The air had taken on a strange, metallic scent, and there was an eerie stillness that settled over the city, as if the world itself was holding its breath.
Then, with a suddenness the first drops of rain began to fall.
At first, the rain seemed normal, just a light drizzle that one might expect from such heavy clouds. But within moments, people began to notice something was off.
The droplets that landed on their skin left a faint, stinging sensation, like tiny pinpricks.
The stinging quickly escalated to an intense itching that had people on the streets scratching at their arms, faces, and necks in discomfort.
"Hey, is it just me, or does this rain feel... strange?"
"This feels like acid rain. We need to get out of this!"
"Oh my Gosh, I just went to Palour!"
"Hiss, It's too pricky."
Panic began to ripple through the streets as more and more people realized that this was no ordinary rain. Groups of pedestrians hurried to take shelter, ducking into nearby shops, under bus stops, or any overhang they could find. A group of boys who had been playing outside quickly abandoned their game, shouting to one another as they ran for cover.
"It'll stop in a few hours, right?"
"Yeah, it's probably just a freak thing. We'll be fine!"
Inside the tall, modern apartment building where Lu Ningfei lived, the atmosphere was markedly different. The residents were mostly inside, unaware of the chaos unfolding outside as they went about their evening routines.
Lu Ningfei had already made his way down to the ground floor. He stood just inside the lobby, watching through the glass doors as the rain intensified, the drops hissing against the pavement and leaving tiny pockmarks wherever they landed.
As he observed the scene, his gaze was drawn to a group of five boys who had taken shelter just outside the building's entrance. They were talking animatedly.
One boy, taller than the others with a handsome but still somewhat immature face, seemed to be the leader of the group. His confident posture and the way the others deferred to him gave that away immediately.
Lu Ningfei's eyes narrowed slightly.
This was Xie Sheng, the protagonist of the novel.
He was the hero of the story, destined to lead his friends through the coming apocalypse, though not without making a series of mistakes first.
Standing beside him was another boy, equally handsome but with a sharper, more arrogant air about him. This had to be Jun Yan, the protagonist's lover—an aloof and haughty beauty who would soften and grow through the trials they would face together.
The other three boys were slightly apart from Xie Sheng and Jun Yan, their body language indicating a certain awkwardness or discomfort. Lu Ningfei recognized them as well, though with a different sort of interest. These were the secondary characters, each with their own role to play in the story.
As Lu Ningfei continued to watch, he could hear their conversation.
"This is just great," Jun Yan said, his tone laced with irritation.
"If it weren't for this stupid rain, we would have made it to the dormitory by now. Now it'll be closed, and we'll get scolded for sure."
Xie Sheng quickly responded.
"Don't worry, Jun Yan. I'll ask someone in the building if we can stay here until the rain stops. It'll be fine."
Jun Yan crossed his arms, his expression still sour.
"That's not good enough. I'm going to buy an apartment here. Then we won't have to deal with this nonsense again."
The other three boys exchanged uneasy glances, clearly uncomfortable with Jun Yan's arrogance but unwilling to say anything.
Lu Ningfei thought that if he should go and greet them or just let the plot go as it is but if it goes as it is...
His contemplation was interrupted when the doors to the building opened, and Shen Zhiling walked in, followed closely by his father and two younger brothers. They had evidently been out for the evening and were now returning, their expressions calm despite the strange weather.
For a moment, Lu Ningfei and Shen Zhiling locked eyes.
'Damn! You trying to seduce me.'
Lu Ningfei looked away and Shen Zhiling looked away too.
Shen Zhiling's gaze flickered briefly over the group of boys huddled near the entrance before returning to Lu Ningfei.
Shen Zhiling greeted, his voice steady and deep.
"It seems we meet again."
"It seems we do."
Lu Ningfei replied, his tone equally composed.
Shen Zhilan asked gently.
"Brother, someone you know?"
Before Shen Zhiling could speak, Shen Zhiwei interrupted.
"That's the beauty who lives in the flat opposite to us."
Shen Zhiling glared at him.
"Speak properly."
Then, he looked at Lu Ningfei and apologized softly.
"Sorry, Ningfei. He was rude."
Lu Ningfei shook his head and said, no trouble.
While in his heart, he was already weeping his in heart.
Brother, please don't speak my name so gently, I will fall for you!
Lu Ningfei quickly nodded and left the building. Seeing that he was walking outside in the rain without an umbrella, Shen Zhiling ran after him.
While Shen Tianmeng looked at his eldest son with some unknown look.
The way Xiao Ling is acting is the same as when he chased his wife...
Lu Ningfei had just walked for 2 to 3 minutes and looked around the rain when he suddenly felt that his wrist was grabbed and he was dragged back.
He looked at Shen Zhiling and was stunned.
"Wait, I need to go get my delivery."
He was not lying, he had ordered some chicken wings and they had arrived just outside the Community gate, He wanted to take this excuse and soak in acid rain for a while.
He did soak though a little but this guy just ruined his plan.
"Don't worry, I will go for you. It's acid rain."
Shen Zhiling pulled him in the lobby and saw his father and brother looking at him weirdly.
Lu Ningfei was stunned.
"No No, I will go and get it myself."
Shen Zhiling looked at Lu Ningfei up and down and shook his head.
"It's ok, I will go."
So domineering.
Ahem, That's not the point.
Lu Ningfei wanted to insist but the man had already left...