Chapter 1
The rain had been falling for days.
The streets were still wet, reflecting the gray sky above as Chen Haoyu hurried along the sidewalk, his violin case held tightly against his side.
He was already running late for his violin class.
“Please don’t let me be late…”
Haoyu quickened his steps, carefully avoiding the puddles scattered across the road. He was so focused on getting to class that he almost didn’t notice the large frog sitting directly in his path.
He stopped.
His entire body froze.
The frog stared at him.
Haoyu stared back.
A few seconds passed.
“No…”
He slowly took a step backward.
The frog didn’t move.
“Please don’t come closer…”
Still nothing.
Haoyu swallowed nervously. His mind immediately began imagining every possible disaster.
What if it jumped at him?
What if it chased him?
What if it somehow followed him all the way to his violin class?
“Shoo! Shoo! Please go away!”
He waved his hands desperately.
From inside a parked car nearby, a man watched the strange scene with a confused expression.
His name was Li Shen.
Li Shen was Haoyu’s neighbor—a handsome man with sharp features and a naturally cold expression. He had been sitting in his car for several minutes, trying to figure out why the young man across the street was apparently arguing with a frog.
He finally started the car and slowly drove toward him.
The sound of the engine startled Haoyu.
The frog suddenly hopped away.
Haoyu blinked.
Li Shen lowered the window.
“I think it’s gone. You can walk now.”
Haoyu’s face turned bright red.
“Ah…”
He wanted the ground to swallow him whole.
“Thank you…”
Li Shen simply nodded before driving away.
Haoyu stood there for a moment, watching the car disappear down the street.
Then he covered his face.
“That was so embarrassing…”
That evening, after violin class, Haoyu went straight to his part-time job at a small café.
By the time his shift ended, the other staff had already gone home.
Haoyu stayed behind to finish cleaning.
When everything was finally done, he sighed and stretched his tired arms.
“Finally…”
He glanced around the empty café.
Since nobody was left, Haoyu decided to make himself something to drink.
He prepared a strawberry milkshake, placed it on the table, and happily took a sip through the straw.
“Mmm…”
It was exactly what he needed after such a long day.
Then—
Ding!
The café bell rang.
Haoyu looked toward the entrance.
A tall man wearing a dark coat had just walked inside.
His hair was slightly damp from the rain, and his expression looked tired and distant.
Haoyu immediately recognized him.
“Li Shen?”
Li Shen looked at him.
“You’re still open?”
Haoyu glanced at the clock.
Then at the door.
Then back at Li Shen.
“Actually… we’re closed.”
Li Shen pointed toward the sign on the door.
“It says open.”
Haoyu froze.
He had forgotten to turn the sign around.
“Oh…”
He quickly looked away.
“I forgot.”
Li Shen didn’t say anything for a moment.
Then he said, “Can I still order something?”
“I’m sorry, but I already cleaned everything.”
Li Shen looked toward the empty street outside.
“I couldn’t find another shop that was open nearby.”
Haoyu hesitated.
He felt a little bad.
“Fine. What do you want?”
“A strawberry milkshake.”
Haoyu immediately looked at the drink sitting on the table.
His strawberry milkshake.
“That one?”
Li Shen nodded.
“That’s… finished.”
Li Shen raised an eyebrow.
Haoyu panicked.
“I mean—it’s not for sale!”
Li Shen looked at the drink again.
Then he calmly said, “I’ll pay double.”
Haoyu’s eyes widened.
“Double?”
“And I’ll leave a tip.”
Haoyu looked at his milkshake.
Then at Li Shen.
Then back at his milkshake.
His brain immediately calculated all the things he could buy with the money.
Dinner.
Breakfast tomorrow.
Maybe even something sweet.
After a few seconds of internal struggle, Haoyu sighed.
“Fine…”
He picked up the milkshake.
Before handing it over, however, he secretly took one last sip through the straw.
Just a tiny sip.
Nobody would notice.
Right?
He quickly wiped the straw with a napkin.
What Haoyu didn’t realize was that he had forgotten to wipe his own lips.
A faint pink strawberry stain remained on them.
Li Shen noticed.
His eyes briefly stopped on Haoyu’s lips.
Haoyu didn’t notice at all.
He handed the milkshake over.
Li Shen took it.
He looked at the straw for a moment.
Then, without saying anything, he took a sip from it.
Haoyu’s eyes widened.
Li Shen slowly tasted the drink.
Then he gave a small nod.
“It’s good.”
Haoyu’s face became even redder.
“Thank you…”
Li Shen finished the drink, paid, and walked out.
Haoyu cleaned the table and looked down at the money.
His eyes widened.
“That’s… a lot.”
He had completely forgotten that Li Shen had promised to leave a tip.
Then he noticed something else.
A car key.
“Wait…”
Haoyu immediately grabbed it.
“His key!”
He hurried outside.
The rain had become softer, but the streets were still wet.
He spotted Li Shen standing beside his black car, a cigarette between his fingers.
“Li Shen!”
Li Shen turned around.
Haoyu ran toward him and held out the key.
“You forgot this!”
Li Shen looked at the key.
Then at Haoyu.
“Thanks.”
He took it.
Haoyu then held out the money.
“And this too!”
Li Shen glanced at it.
“Keep it.”
Haoyu stared at him.
“What?”
“The tip.”
“But this is way too much!”
“Keep it.”
Haoyu looked at the money again.
His eyes practically sparkled.
“Are you sure?”
Li Shen nodded.
“Yes.”
Before Haoyu could say anything else—
BOOM!
Thunder suddenly cracked across the sky.
Haoyu jumped.
The rain immediately became heavier.
Li Shen looked toward the sky.
Then toward Haoyu.
“Where do you live?”
Haoyu pointed.
“Nearby.”
“I’ll drive you.”
“No, it’s okay. I’ll take a taxi.”
Li Shen looked at the pouring rain.
“At this hour?”
Haoyu opened his mouth.
Then closed it.
Li Shen continued, “It’ll be difficult to find one.”
He opened the passenger door.
“Get in.”
Haoyu hesitated before finally climbing inside.
He didn’t realize how strange it felt to be sitting in Li Shen’s car.
For a while, neither of them spoke.
The sound of rain filled the silence.
Then Li Shen suddenly asked,
“I heard something.”
Haoyu looked at him.
“What?”
“The house you’ve been staying at right now…”
Li Shen’s hands remained on the steering wheel.
“Is it true that it’s haunted?”
Haoyu blinked.
“Haunted?”
Li Shen glanced at him.
“That’s what people are saying.”
Haoyu laughed softly.
“I’ve never felt anything weird.”
Li Shen was silent for a moment.
“Then it’s probably just a rumor.”
Haoyu nodded.
He looked out the window as the rain continued to fall.
