The Girl in the Rain

By the time they arrived in Tokyo, it was already eight in the morning, though the sky remained a dreary gray.

That day, Chu Lian and her companions experienced a rare May rain. Although the downpour had gradually lessened, it still shrouded the world in a misty veil, much like the view one would see when standing beside a waterfall—a scene both surreal and ethereal.

"I didn't expect rain in Tokyo. It looks like this trip will be quite interesting," Chu Lian whispered to herself with a faint smile, extending her hand beyond the umbrella to feel the cold, wet raindrops on her palm.

"Sister, what does the rain have to do with us? Isn't it a pretty ordinary occurrence?" Chu Chu, holding another umbrella beside her, overheard the soft murmur and asked in confusion, mimicking Chu Lian as she reached out to catch the raindrops.

"That's something I can't explain..." Chu Lian glanced at Inori, the girl beside her, and only after noticing that the deep amber in Inori's eyes had faded did she hold her small hand and say, "Just remember what you promised me on the plane."

"Alright, I won't ask anymore..." Chu Chu saw the silent understanding between Chu Lian and Inori, feeling somewhat stifled inside but unable to express it, so she responded dispiritedly.

Standing next to them, Li Xiuer couldn't help but softly cover her lips and chuckle, her large crescent-shaped eyes making her look exceedingly adorable.

However, this amused reaction "offended" Chu Chu, who was still feeling downcast. How could Li Xiuer laugh at a time like this?

So, with her free hand, Chu Chu quietly reached over to tickle Li Xiuer's waist, causing Li Xiuer to burst into laughter.

"Ouch, why did you flick me, Sister?" Hearing Li Xiuer's laughter, Chu Lian turned around to see Chu Chu's hand still on Li Xiuer's waist. Instantly understanding the situation, she slowed her pace slightly. When Chu Chu caught up, Chu Lian flicked her forehead lightly with her fingers, making Chu Chu yelp in surprise.

Turning back, Chu Lian hid her right hand back in the sleeve of her Hanfu and gently said, "Why aren't you hurrying up? We're heading to the outskirts of Tokyo, and the journey is quite long. It wouldn't be polite to keep our host waiting."

"Alright, alright. Don't we have a car waiting? Geez, Sister, you seem really interested in this place," Chu Chu muttered, releasing Li Xiuer's waist and pulling her, who was still catching her breath, to catch up with Chu Lian and Inori.

Chu Lian and Inori exchanged a glance and shared a knowing smile. Chu Lian squeezed Inori's small hand and said, "I have a feeling that today might be the most interesting day of our trip. Not only interesting but also quite thrilling. Though there may be danger, as long as you remember what I said, everything will be fine."

Chu Chu pouted, her eyes fixed on the hands Chu Lian and Inori were holding, and she couldn't help but squeeze Li Xiuer's hand a bit too tightly. But she forgot that Li Xiuer was delicate, unable to withstand such force, so she instinctively cried out, "Chu Chu, you're hurting me."

"Oh, sorry, Cousin Xiuer. I was lost in thought and accidentally used too much force. Are you okay?" Li Xiuer's cry snapped Chu Chu out of her thoughts, and seeing her cousin's distressed expression, she immediately felt embarrassed.

Chu Chu had already made Li Xiuer cry once during the recording of Bird's Poem because of an unguarded comment, and although Li Xiuer had forgiven her, Chu Chu still felt guilty. Now, because of her jealousy, she had hurt Li Xiuer's arm. Whether or not Li Xiuer was angry, Chu Chu worried she might have bruised her arm.

"I'm fine..." Li Xiuer was about to say "it seems swollen," but as she was about to speak, she felt a warm current rise within her, flowing to her arm, and the pain quickly dissipated. In just a few seconds, it was completely gone. So she swallowed her words and changed her response.

"That's good. I'm really sorry, Cousin Xiuer. I keep troubling you, and I feel really bad." Relieved that Li Xiuer was okay, Chu Chu scrutinized her face for a moment and, seeing no sign of suppressed pain, let out a sigh of relief and quickly apologized.

Li Xiuer shook her head, indicating that she understood, then lowered her head and softly said, "If you really want Chu Lian to treat you the way she treats Inori, you need to mature first. Don't make her feel like you're still the little sister who needs her protection, who needs her to stand up for you..."

As she said this, she looked up at Chu Lian's slender back, her voice growing quieter: "Because she also needs someone to protect her. Although she sometimes acts brave and strong, there are more moments of vulnerability that we can and cannot see. She might be carrying burdens that we can't even begin to understand. If you remain one of those burdens, she will never be able to see you as anything other than her little sister."

"Maybe one day she'll look at you differently, but by then, will you still want the position you desire?" Only Li Xiuer knew that these words were meant not just for Chu Chu but also for herself. "Chu Lian isn't your biological sister, right?"

This last sentence caused Chu Chu to tremble. She turned her head in surprise to look at Li Xiuer, but in the end, she lowered her head, said nothing, and just held Li Xiuer's hand again, following Chu Lian and Inori.

"Lian, aren't you worried they might find out?" Inori gently squeezed Chu Lian's arm and pointed to the two girls behind them, whispering.

"They'll find out eventually. I plan to help Xiuer awaken her special abilities and strengthen her powers after this trip ends. I won't let anyone around me fall into danger, including Chu Chu, who is just beginning to unlock her potential."

Chu Lian shook her head. She knew exactly what Inori meant, but she hadn't intended to avoid or hide the truth. If the timing had been right, she would have already helped Li Xiuer awaken her special abilities, increasing their safety.

"Inori, do you think I'm selfish?" As they walked, Chu Lian suddenly asked when she saw the elegant black sedan parked in the distance.

"Why would you say that?" Inori seemed unsurprised but slightly puzzled.

"For my own purposes, I've involved so many people. If it weren't for me, the alien invasion wouldn't have happened at the Qingping Grand Hotel in Jiuzhaigou, and so many people wouldn't have died. If it weren't for me, a once-happy family wouldn't have been shattered in an instant..."

"Because of me, Zhang Feng died and came back to life, and his life has been anything but peaceful ever since. Because of me, an entire class of students was put in danger, and this trip might haunt them as a nightmare for the rest of their lives. And because of me, Chu Chu, Xiuer, and Cai Ya have all faced worries and dangers."

Her voice was soft, yet it carried an indescribable bitterness, like the purest coffee whose scent alone tells you it is bitter, not sweet.

"Maybe you're right, Lian. Maybe it is all your fault. But have they ever regretted it?" Inori smiled, looking up at the rainy sky and murmured, "At least, I don't regret it, Lian. Because this journey helped me understand myself, and it helped me understand your heart, as well as mine."

"Do you know, Lian, if I could choose again..." She turned, her eyes glowing with an indescribable brilliance and gentleness, "I would want to see you the moment I opened my eyes..."

"Inori is right. We've never regretted it because this is a wonderful journey. Maybe it's a once-in-a-lifetime experience, and even if it's dangerous, it's worth the risk," Chu Chu and Li Xiuer happened to catch up at this moment and chimed in as Inori finished speaking.

Their words made Chu Lian tremble slightly. Without turning back, she responded energetically, "Yes, why am I worrying so much? As long as I have you all, I fear nothing. Even if the road ahead is full of dangers, it's nothing to worry about, right?"

Lagging half a step behind her, still holding hands, Inori, Chu Chu, and Li Xiuer exchanged glances and couldn't help but giggle.

In the rain, the silhouettes of the girls gradually disappeared as they got into the car, which then drove away into the distance.

Meanwhile, in a bamboo forest somewhere on the outskirts of Tokyo, a white-haired girl was struggling to stand, her body trembling as she propped herself up with two swords. Her emotionless blood-red eyes stared back for a moment before she silently sheathed one of her swords, holding the other in her left hand and using her right hand to steady herself on a sturdy bamboo stalk as she walked forward.

Normally indifferent to rain, she was now immensely grateful for this sudden downpour, which allowed her to escape her pursuers. Although she had hurried and slipped into the bamboo forest on the mountainside, further aggravating her already severe injuries, she had managed to evade those chasing her.

Reaching a small cave in the mountainside, the girl entered, lit a fire with some charcoal and dry branches left behind by others, and sat down by a small pool inside.

After the fire had burned for a while and she was sure it wouldn't go out, she lifted her clothes, tended to her wounds, and muttered bitterly through clenched teeth, "Damn it, it's been five years, and not only have I failed to get my revenge, but they're getting closer to catching me."

"If this continues, I won't last a year before they catch me. If I keep encountering that terrifying stranger, I might be captured within two or three more encounters."

Blood stained her hands, but the girl seemed oblivious to the pain, silently lost in thought. She stared at her reflection in the water—white hair, red eyes, a cold face, and a faint scar on her neck. Her eyes suddenly welled up with tears.

"Father, Mother, your daughter is really at her limit. I'm so sorry that I've worried you since I was young. When I finally wanted to do something for you, I could no longer see you. Those who used to talk and laugh with me no longer look my way after you passed. The dojo was taken over, and I was driven out of my hometown, chased by those who knew I wasn't dead..." She covered her pale lips, tears streaming down.

This was the first time she had cried in a year, and her tears were filled with helplessness and poignancy.

After a long time, when the rain finally subsided, the white-haired girl wiped away her tears, washed the tear stains with clean water, and resumed her cold, beautiful demeanor. If not for her youthful and striking appearance, everyone would have thought she was an adult.

Just as she was about to leave, the sound of girls playing reached her ears, making her tense up. Her eyes flashed with a sharp glint, and her killing intent surged.

She drew both swords and moved lightly towards the cave entrance. She couldn't afford to reveal her presence, even if it meant killing again. Until they were all dead, she couldn't die—not yet.

With this determination, the girl's figure disappeared into the bamboo forest...