Rain Drop at Night 🌙

 "The leader of those bandits is Lei Tian. He used to run with the Tianjin dock gangs before killing one of their leaders and fleeing with stolen money. To evade the authorities, he took his men into the mountains and declared himself king," explained one of the Li family's stewards. "Over the years, Lei Tian and his gang have robbed merchants, extorted money, and murdered countless innocents. The government has tried to suppress them, but Lei Tian is too cunning—even the authorities have suffered repeated defeats, only emboldening the bandits further." Li Yuqing scoffed and said, "I suspect the local authorities aren't putting in much effort to suppress them. Who knows, they might even be taking bribes from those bandits." The steward gave a bitter smile. "That's hard to say. What's puzzling is why the third young master caught the attention of those ruthless fiends. That night, in the Li family's study. The handwritten letter fro...

"Third Young Master Li, if you please," said a tall, lean man with narrow, triangular eyes and thin lips that gave him a perpetually sneering expression. Li Ming'an was shoved forward and forced to sit at a rickety wooden table, where a sheet of paper and an inkbrush lay waiting. He wrenched his arms free from the two men gripping him, glaring furiously at the man before him. Li Ming'an had never expected to encounter bandits. A group of over a hundred ruthless outlaws, armed with guns and weapons, had surrounded his party. Their leader, a man in his forties with a broken eyebrow and thick lips, had ridden ahead on horseback, barking orders as they closed in. Li Ming'an had been traveling with his family's merchant convoy, and though he had brought attendants, they were no match for these desperate men. After a fierce struggle, he had been bound, blindfolded, and hauled up the mountain. The triangular-eyed man grinned. "No need to look at me like tha...

The candles in the room had already been extinguished, leaving it pitch black. The bright autumn moonlight crept in through the half- closed window, casting a faint glow. The bed curtains were drawn, sealing the bed tightly, but they couldn't contain the muffled gasps and moans escaping from within. The bedding on the bed had been aired on a sunny day, still faintly carrying the dry scent of sunlight. Lan Yu buried his face completely in the covers, his nape gripped by a strong, damp hand. The man's fingers were well-defined, his palm broad, exerting pressure on that slender neck out of desire, subtly betraying his impatience. Lan Yu felt unbearably hot inside the curtains. It was already deep autumn, and Beijing's autumn carried the chill of winter, especially at night. Yet Lan Yu was drenched in sweat. His knees were too weak to stay upright. Li Mingzheng's member thrust deep, the massive shaft pushing past the tight entrance into the inner chamber, grinding out s...

Yin Huan named the white kitten Yu Tuan'er (Jade Ball). At first, Yu Tuan'er was shy. It darted into Lan Yu's room and hid in a corner. Lan Yu glanced at it but didn't bother chasing it away, letting it be. Yin Huan didn't take it out either. She thought, Lan Yu has no one to talk to here. Maybe this little cat can keep him company and ease his boredom—even if it was sent by Li Yuqing. Lan Yu had no fondness for Li Yuqing, so naturally, he didn't care much for the things Li Yuqing sent either. That is, until one afternoon when Lan Yu was napping on the couch. It was already late October, and the weather had turned sharply cold. The thin quilt on the bed had been replaced with a thick padded one. As he slept, he suddenly felt something damp and cool sniffing near him. Half-asleep, he opened his eyes to see a snow-white kitten crouched beside his pillow, its mismatched eyes gleaming as it let out a few soft mews. Lan Yu watched the kitten for a while before s...

The messenger from the Zhao family in Shanghai came bearing news that Old Master Zhao was critically ill, and Third Madam was also unwell. The elderly couple missed their grandson and wished to have Li Ming'an visit them in Shanghai. Madam Zhao's body swayed as she read the black characters on the letter. Li Ming'an swiftly reached out to steady her. In earlier years, the Zhao family had been one of the most prominent clans in the capital. But as times changed—the Qing court fell, the Republic rose—the Zhao family gradually declined amidst these transitions. It was during this period that Madam Zhao married into the Li family as a concubine. Being a daughter born of a concubine, she wasn't particularly favored in the household. Fortunately, her mother, Third Madam, showed her considerable affection after giving birth to a son, allowing her to live relatively carefree for over a decade. Later, the Zhao family relocated to Shanghai, separating mother and daughter. Mada...

The fight between Li Yuqing and Li Ming'an had taken place in Lan Yu's room. Both men bore injuries, but to avoid drawing attention, they left the Li residence in silent agreement. Li Yuqing didn't return until three days later. Inside the Li family study, Old Master Li, Li Mingzheng, and Li Yuqing sat together. The old man finished a long drag from his opium pipe, the room thick with the cloying sweetness of the drug. Li Yuqing waved a hand dismissively. "Father, next time you summon me, finish your smoke first. Spare me the stench." He spoke without the slightest courtesy. The tall young man sat slouched in his chair with one leg casually crossed over the other, a hand resting against the bridge of his nose in evident disdain. Li Yuqing had seen too many opium addicts reduced to wretched states and harbored an intense loathing for the drug. The old Master Li exuded an air of sickly indolence, too lethargic to bother with Yuqing's insolence. Though advanc...

Chapter 4: Delivering the Jacket Wen Xiao truly hadn't expected to find such a "private exclusive zone" in the school's public gymnasium. But he quickly realized—the person before him was most likely one of the childhood F4. And in his memory, only one person had this hair and eye color—Leng Shucheng. As a cannon fodder character from the original story, he was all too familiar with the F4's so-called "exclusive privileges." After all, the families behind the F4 were the school's biggest "sponsors." For all he knew, this entire gymnasium might have been donated by the Leng family. Moreover, the prestige of the four great families wasn't built in a single generation. Their wealth and influence, accumulated over decades or even centuries, far surpassed that of ordinary families. Leng Shucheng draped a towel over his shoulder and was about to head to the locker room. Despite his short stature, he walked with an arrogant swagger, as...

Chapter 3: The Privileges of F4 Wen Xulai adjusted his black-framed glasses and walked toward Class 4 with his teaching materials in hand. As he passed Class 2—his own homeroom—he instinctively glanced inside. Noticing someone still in the classroom, he paused in surprise. "Song Jingbai? Isn't this your P.E. class? Why haven't you gone to the gym yet?" The moment he saw Song Jingbai alone in the classroom, he immediately sensed something was off. Out of concern for his student, he couldn't just ignore it. Song Jingbai had caused no trouble in the two months since school started—except for yesterday's fight with Huo Zhanyan. When asked why they fought, Song Jingbai had remained silent. Since he refused to explain, Wen Xulai didn't press further, knowing it might only make things worse. All in all, Song Jingbai was far less troublesome than Huo Zhanyan. Song Jingbai tossed something into the trash bin at the back of the classroom before stepping out....