The first watch, asking for pink.
*******
Shen Liu led Lian Manman to a table by the window, gesturing for her to sit down opposite him. The rain outside had not stopped, pattering down gently. Through the bead curtains, they watched the twilight slowly soak in and listened to the sound of raindrops hitting the leaves and flowers. Lian Manman, resting her chin on her hands, found herself slightly entranced.
Seated opposite Lian Manman, Shen Liu called her over for a conversation but didn't speak immediately. Instead, he gazed at her with a hint of entrancement. Perhaps it was due to the two cups of wine she had just had at the banquet, Lian Manman's fair cheeks were now even more rosy and endearing, and her usually clear and lively eyes appeared somewhat misty now as she gazed at the window.
Beside them, on a small red clay stove, the spring water had already boiled, emitting a subtle bubbling sound. A young maid brought a tea tray over, then quietly retreated.
