Rebirth 03: Starting a Business After Giving Up a Secure Job

Chapter 145 Love Under the Stars

The sky is vast, and the Milky Way stretches far into the distance.

Standing beneath it, one immediately feels one's own insignificance. Yet, perhaps it is precisely because of this insignificance that certain thoughts lingering in the mind become clearer.

Lin Xiaowen tilted her head back and gazed at the stars for a long, long time. The starlight fell into her eyes and turned into bright points of light.

She took a deep breath, turned around, and faced Lin Feng.

"Brother Feng," she called out, her voice exceptionally clear and soft under the silent starry sky.

Lin Feng turned his head to look at her. The starlight outlined the soft lines of her face, and her eyes shone brightly in the darkness.

"Hmm?" he replied.

Her chest heaved slightly as she mustered her courage and finally spoke the words that had been lingering in her heart: "I like you, Feng-ge. I like you a lot—I like you a lot—"

As soon as she finished speaking, all that remained was the faint sound of water in the distance and the thunderous pounding of her own heart.

She seemed to have unloaded a heavy burden, or as if she had brought out her most cherished possession and placed it in the icy snow, awaiting judgment.

Her eyes were filled with boundless anticipation for love as she gazed affectionately into Lin Feng's eyes.

Time passed second by second, each second feeling like it was stretched out for an eternity.

The leper looked at her quietly without saying a word.

Lin Xiaowen felt her heart was about to stop, and all the blood rushed to her head.

What is he thinking? Doesn't he like me?

Will he think he's indulging in wishful thinking?

Will you still find it troublesome and distance yourself from yourself from then on?

Then, she felt a hand reach out and gently brush away the wind-blown strands of hair from her cheek, the fingertips tracing her flushed face.

Lin Feng continued to look at her quietly. His eyes were complex, filled with emotions she couldn't understand, yet they were calm, showing no surprise, no annoyance, and no pity that she feared to see.

"Xiaowen," he called her name softly.

Her heart was pounding, and she was about to answer when Lin Feng lowered his head and kissed her.

The kiss came suddenly, yet it was so timely and blissful.

Lin Feng's lips gently covered her trembling lips. Then came an overwhelming surge of warmth and force.

He tightened his grip on her face, pulling her closer to him, and his other hand somehow wrapped around her waist, encircling her completely in his arms, pressing her tightly against his warm and firm chest.

Lin Xiaowen's mind went completely blank with a "boom".

All sounds—the wind, the water, the heartbeat—vanished instantly. Only the burning sensation on her lips and his domineering aura completely overwhelmed her.

A dizzying joy and longing swept over her. Almost instinctively, she closed her eyes, raised her arms, and wrapped them around his neck, trying to respond to him.

The icy air seemed to ignite. Her heart was pounding, her cheeks were burning, but her body softened little by little in his tight embrace and scalding kisses.

Starlight swirls overhead, while snow-capped mountains lie silent beneath our feet.

It was as if the world had shrunk to just this corner of the plateau night, leaving only two people embracing tightly and kissing passionately.

All the concerns, all the waiting, all the unspoken feelings, all burned and boiled in this kiss.

After an unknown amount of time—perhaps just a moment, perhaps as long as a century—Lin Feng finally stepped back slightly, his forehead pressed against hers, his breath equally heavy and hot, brushing against her flushed cheeks.

The two were extremely close, their noses almost touching, and they could see the lingering haze and surging emotions in each other's eyes.

Lin Xiaowen was breathing heavily, her lips were red and moist from being kissed, and slightly swollen.

She looked into the other person's eyes, so close they were still swirling with unspoken tension.

Lin Feng slowly slid his arm down, one hand scooping under her legs and the other arm around her back. With a little effort, he lifted her up in a princess carry.

Suddenly suspended in mid-air, Lin Xiaowen gasped softly, instinctively wrapping her arms tighter around his neck, completely sinking into his embrace.

His embrace was firm and warm; even through the thick clothing, I could feel his heart pounding just as hard beneath his chest.

Lin Feng picked her up and turned to walk towards the Audi.

Lin Xiaowen buried her burning cheeks in the crook of his neck. She didn't ask anything, but just snuggled closer to him, listening to his steady and powerful heartbeat, and the pounding of her own chest like a deer's.

The road wasn't long, but it felt like an eternity to Lin Xiaowen. It wasn't until Lin Feng reached the car, opened the back door with one hand, and carefully placed her inside, shielding her head.

The car was completely dark, with only a few scattered rays of light filtering in from afar. Lin Feng then bent down and got in, closing the car door behind him.

With a soft "click," the car door shut out the cold outside, and also shut out the entire world.

Before Lin Xiaowen could even sit up properly, Lin Feng's burning lips covered hers again, even more intensely than before.

Lin Feng, like a wild beast, stripped her of her clothes.

In the private space of the Audi, only the sound of their breathing could be heard.

In the darkness, the senses become incredibly sharp.

Lin Feng's strength and passion are irresistible.

Lin Xiaowen's long eyelashes trembled incessantly, her body felt like it was on fire, or like it was floating on clouds.

Half an hour later, Lin Xiaowen leaned softly against his chest, her cheek pressed against his sweaty chest. Listening to his heartbeat, which had been beating like a drum, gradually calming down, she felt as if all the bones in her body had melted. Only the marks on her body from his caresses clearly showed what had just happened.

Lin Feng picked up his coat and carefully covered her with it.

He then sat up and looked at her in the dim light coming through the window.

Lin Xiaowen's cheeks were still flushed, and her eyelashes were moist. In the darkness, her eyes shone with tears as she stared at him without blinking, her eyes filled with shyness, attachment, and complete trust.

Lin Feng raised his hand and gently wiped her moist eyes with his fingertips, his gesture filled with tenderness afterward and immense respect.

He didn't say anything, but simply lowered his head and placed a very light, very light kiss on her sweaty forehead.

Then, he straightened his own clothes, helped her tuck her coat in, and then got up and gently pushed open the car door.

The icy air rushed in instantly, making them both more alert.

"It's cold, don't get out," he said softly, stopping her from getting up as well. He got out of the car, walked to the driver's side, opened the door, and got in.

Lin Xiaowen wrapped her coat tighter around herself, curled up in the back seat, and followed his tall, straight back with her eyes. Her face was still burning, but her heart was filled with an unprecedented, overflowing sense of happiness.

It was heavy, yet so light it seemed to take flight.

The car smoothly drove away from this secret place under the starry sky, heading towards the warm lights below the mountain.

The car was quiet; no one spoke, but a close connection had been firmly established during the fierce battle.

Looking at the blurry mountain silhouettes outside the window, Lin Xiaowen couldn't help but let a slight smile creep onto her lips.

The car drove smoothly along the winding mountain road, carrying a cabin full of tranquility, heading home and towards a brand new dawn.

"Are you cold?" Lin Feng's voice rang out in the quiet carriage.

"It's not cold," Lin Xiaowen immediately shook her head.

"Take a nap if you're tired, the road ahead is still long."

"Mmm," she responded, but didn't close her eyes. How could she possibly sleep with such a heavy burden on her mind?

But Lin Feng's words eased her tension a little. He was still the same Brother Feng who would take care of her and remind her to rest.

She subtly turned her head slightly, glancing at him out of the corner of her eye. He was focused on the road ahead, his profile appearing clear and steady in the dim light of the watch face.

His hands on the steering wheel were very steady, just like him.

The carriage fell silent again, with only the sound of the engine.

But this silence was different from the previous silence. It was as if something, invisible and intangible, had entered the air, flowing slowly and enveloping the two of them.

Lin Xiaowen's heart slowly settled back into reality in this strange, flowing stillness.

The feeling of exhaustion belatedly washed over me. I had walked so much during the day, soaked in hot springs, danced, and experienced a rollercoaster of emotions.

Sleepiness crept in, and my eyelids began to feel heavy.

She tried hard to stay awake, but the warm air and the reassuring presence around her were too much for her to resist. Little by little, her consciousness began to fade.

Lin Feng noticed her breathing had become even and deep, and glanced at her. The girl was already asleep.

He slowed down and tried to drive more smoothly.

About an hour later, the car entered Lin Xiaowen's village. Scattered lights flickered in the night.

The car came to a stop, and Lin Feng turned off the engine. He turned his head and looked at Lin Xiaowen, who was still fast asleep.

She was fast asleep, her cheeks flushed from the car's heater, her eyelashes casting a small shadow under her eyes, and her lips slightly pursed, making her look like a child.

"Xiaowen, we've arrived," he called softly.

Lin Xiaowen didn't wake up, but moved unconsciously.

Lin Feng raised his voice a little: "Xiaowen, wake up, go home and sleep."

This time, her eyelashes fluttered, and she groggily opened her eyes. She looked around blankly, then at Lin Feng, and it took several seconds for her eyes to slowly clear.

A hint of embarrassment immediately appeared on her face, and she quickly sat up straight.

"I—I fell asleep." Her voice was hoarse from just waking up, and she rubbed her eyes sheepishly.

"Okay, let's get off the bus. It's cold outside, so put on some clothes."

She quickly put her clothes on.

Lin Feng got out of the car, walked around to the other side, and opened the car door for her.

Lin Xiaowen got out of the car, still somewhat dazed, and Lin Feng helped her walk home.

Father and Mother were still awake, sitting on low stools in the main room. Mother was sewing shoe soles, and Father was smoking a pipe. Lin Xiaoqiang was probably already asleep; he was nowhere to be seen.

"You're back?" Lin's mother looked up at her, her face kind. "Did you have fun?"

"Yeah, it's fine." Lin Xiaowen replied vaguely, feeling her face burning, afraid that someone would notice something was wrong.

She glanced quickly at her parents, who both had normal expressions and didn't seem to want to ask any more questions.

She lowered her head, not daring to look at Lin Feng, and whispered, "Brother Feng, I'm going back to my room to rest."

"Okay, get some rest."

Xiaowen returned to her little house, closed the door, and the world instantly became quiet.

Moonlight streaming through the window cast square shadows on the floor. Everything seemed the same as yesterday, yet everything felt different.

She took off her oversized windbreaker, not just draping it casually over the back of the chair as usual, but carefully smoothing it out, folding it neatly, and placing it on the bedside table where she could easily reach it. Only then did she change into her pajamas and slip into bed.

As soon as I closed my eyes, the image of the Audi's enclosed darkness appeared in the stillness: his burning lips, the touch of his hand on my back, his heavy, scorching breath on my ear—

Those images, those feelings, rushed up all at once, terrifyingly clear.

His cheeks were burning hot, and the force of his embrace seemed to linger on his body.

She couldn't help but bury her burning cheeks in the pillow, her fingers unconsciously tracing her lips, which still seemed slightly swollen, reminding her that everything that had happened today was not a dream.

Her heart was pounding, fast and heavy, especially clear in the quiet night. She rolled over, curling up facing the wall. In a hidden part of her body, a lingering pain and a strange fullness mixed with an indescribable fluttering sensation remained.

This night is destined to be sleepless.

Lin Xiaowen woke up just as dawn was breaking. Actually, she had barely slept; her mind was like a pot of boiling water, churning with everything that had happened the night before.

My body was very tired, and my bones ached, but my mind was unusually clear. I could clearly feel the sky outside the window even with my eyes closed.

She lay there motionless, listening to familiar sounds coming from the courtyard.

Everything was the same as usual, yet nothing was different.

She gently turned over, facing the inner wall. Beside her pillow, the neatly folded dark blue windbreaker appeared as a blurry outline in the dim morning light. She reached out, her fingertips cautiously touching the collar, then withdrew as if burned. Her face began to burn again.

Last night — it's true.

Not a dream.

The confined space of the car, his hot breath, and the last, light kiss he placed on her forehead—every detail was branded into her mind, so clear it made her heart pound.

The sound of her mother calling for Xiaoqiang to fetch water came from outside. Lin Xiaowen took a deep breath and sat up.

She got dressed and folded the blankets neatly. Then, she stood in front of the old little mirror in the room and carefully examined herself.

Because she hadn't slept well, the person in the mirror had some dark circles under their eyes, but their cheeks were flushed, and their lips—when she looked closer, seemed slightly swollen, though it wasn't noticeable unless you looked closely.

She pursed her lips, picked up a comb, and began combing her hair, trying to suppress the bittersweet feeling.

After finishing her makeup, Lin Xiaowen pushed open the door, and the morning air rushed in. In the yard, her father had already swept the yard clean and was watering the vegetable patches by the wall with a water ladle.

Lin Xiaoqiang, the older brother, had just returned from the well, carrying two buckets of water, and was walking unsteadily toward the kitchen.

"Sis, you're up?" Xiaoqiang grinned when he saw her. "I thought you were going to sleep until noon. Did you have a great time yesterday?"

Lin Xiaowen felt shy inside, but forced herself to remain calm: "It's...okay."

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