Yang Lixue froze at the sight of a policeman approaching her, the presence of another man felt overbearing.
It didn't help that the man was suddenly standing too close to her too.
He turned to her as he wrote on his notepad, his mouth moving, probably asking her questions about the accident.
Yang Lixue made an effort to read his lips, but his mouth moved too quickly, and the words slipped past her like water through her fingers. Her anxiety kicked in, breath coming fast as she stared at him in confusion.
But then, the tall stranger next to her moved forward, his torso pressing against her back as he made his way between her and the officer.
His tall frame shielded her from the policeman's view. Even his posture carried a commanding presence, and the air around them shifted immediately.
The policeman hesitated, he was clearly not comfortable under the man's penetrating gaze.
Yang Lixue couldn't hear the man speak, but she read the policeman's expression while the man in front of her did the talking for her.
Eventually, the officer stepped back, giving her a kind smile as he walked away, he received a shaky little wave from her in return.
Yang Lixue turned back to face the man as soon as the policeman left. Her small hands fumbled with the bag she had left on the bench.
Her eyes brightened when she saw that her things were still dry and unharmed despite the crazy rain that had fallen earlier.
She pulled out her tablet and typed a message.
"Thank you very much for everything, sir."
He read the words, his face softening for a brief moment as he mouthed, "You're welcome."
Yang Lixue's cheeks flushed hot again, her heart racing as she scrambled to think of more words to show how grateful she was that he saved her and didn't mind staying here to help her. She wanted to say something — anything — but no words came.
Frustration bubbled in her and she bit on her lip, her eyes fluttering nervously.
From the corner of her eyes, she saw the man stretching something out to her, —her ID card.
'Oh,that must be how he knew my name.'
Her cheeks reddened as she remembered how he had whispered Lixue as if he had known her forever, his deep voice kept ringing in her mind like a song she didn't want to forget.
He raised her chin with gentle fingers, angling her face up. Her breath caught when his glinting -green eyes met hers again, the coldness in them mellowed a little as his lips moved slowly for her to read them.
"How do you want to get home?
After taking a second to think, Yang Lixue fished out her phone and dialed Xu Lian's number. The call went unanswered, but she knew her friend would return it as soon as she could — it was an emergency signal between them.
She showed him the call log on her phone and her silent explanation was met with his calm nod of approval.
They sat in silence once again while she waited for Xu Lian.
'How can I ask for his name?', the question dancing on the tip of her tongue.
Her hands shook as she finally summoned the courage to type her question out on her tablet.
But before she had a chance to, he brought his face closer again, his hands brushing hers lightly.
His lips grazed her ear, voice low and deep as her hearing aids caught his words.
"Azrael."
Heat pulled in her belly, her hands gripping his forearms as a shiver raked through her.
She gazed up at him, her heart racing.
" My name is Azrael Li "
Azrael Li pulled away, his eyes boring deep into hers, as if waiting for her reaction.
Yang Lixue's reaction was comical, the way she bobbed her head, like a little bird pecking for crumbs on the ground nodding as a sign that she had heard him.
She was just too adorable.
A smile almost escaped Azrael Li's lips at the cute sight—Almost.
Azrael Li couldn't shake the feeling of warmth in his chest. She clearly wasn't used to the way he spoke to her in close proximity
But he couldn't help himself from wanting to be close to her, he is taking any chance he sees, and any stupid excuse he could find, to breathe in that addictive flowery scent of hers without looking creepy.
It was as if she was actively holding herself back from being free with him, she was very cautious, like a wounded little kitten.
A frown pulled to his face the moment a thought came to him, ' Is she maybe this way because she was used to people dismissing her or being rude to her because of her impairment?'
His eyes darkened.
Maybe it was trauma, he could sense it in her skittish looks, the way her body tensed when she clearly wanted to tell him something.
And even though he had the ability to read minds, he didn't want to use his powers on her.
The only time he had used it was when he saw the fearful expression on her face when she wanted to ask for his name.
He had immediately told her because he couldn't bear seeing that frown, it didn't suit her beautiful face.
For the love of the creator on high, how on earth was she human? She had an otherworldly appearance, her features so delicate they probably could have been sculpted with utmost care.
Her eyes — blue like winter crystals — seemed to shimmer in the night. Her flowing red hair was pulled into a bun with a blue scrunchie that made the color of her eyes pop beautifully.
A few errant strands of her hair framed her palmsized face, light freckles dusted her rosy cheeks and her pale, unblemished skin was glowing faintly under the streetlights.
Every time their eyes met, her cheeks burned with shy heat, a reddish hue that cutely matched the color of her hair.
She sat before him so small that she merely reached his chest, despite the fact that he was kneeling, and yet she couldn't be more perfect.
He was obsessed. An obsession so strong that he could feel his false control slipping away.
His hands itched to pull her close and hold her to him, never letting go. But he restrained himself. Barely holding on to his sanity.
She fit seamlessly inside his world, like the universe had designed her specially for him.
He could feel the faint bond between them.
She was without a shadow of doubt or question, the most captivating human he'd ever met in all his existence.
And she had no idea.
A voice cut through the moment, stopping their staring session.
A woman's voice called out his girl's name—Yang Lixue.
His piercing gaze shifted, narrowing on the couple walking toward him.
His brows furrowed as he realized that the two people coming closer were the match he had fated together today.
The nervous girl rushed toward Yang Lixue, her blonde hair flying with every hurried step, the familiar boy right behind her.
Yang Lixue didn't seem to hear her name being called as she faced him. Her undivided attention was on him, and her lips curled into the gentlest, most hesitant smile he had ever seen.
The deep dimples that pierced her rosy cheeks caused his heart to race against his chest.
A cold frown creased his forehead when he saw her flinch slightly at the sudden hug from her friend who finally got to where they were.
The girl's face was filled with worry as she kept saying sorry. "Sorry, sorry," her hands signing the words almost frantically as she drew back to scan Yang Lixue's body to check if she was alright.
Yang Lixue's hands made tentative gestures in response, her eyes brightening on seeing the blonde. Azrael Li remained silent, observing the exchange.
They were conversing in sign language he realized,
He could see how much the blond girl loved Yang Lixue, her concern was clear in the way she continued to fuss over her.
Yang Lixue must have told the woman something in the sign language they conversed in, because the girl soon turned over to look at him.
"Good evening sir, my best friend told me all that happened here. Words can't express how grateful we both are, thank you very much for saving her and staying here with her till we got here. "
Eva said earnestly, also signing the words for Yang Lixue to see as well.
Azrael Li gave a curt nod, his expression unreadable, though his heart fought itself.
Despite his polite attitude, the coldness in his eyes was back, and even Xu Lian who was normally fearless felt the pressure. The temperature seemed to have dropped several degrees.
His eyes darkened further when Xu Lian announced that they were about to leave, and the boy next to them was going to drive them home.
He knew very well that Xu Lian and the boy were soulmates— after all, their coming together was what caused today's storm.
'No, I want her to be with me.'
The thought of letting Yang Lixue go, made his mind rebel. It made him want to hold her and not let her out of his sight for even a second.
But he knew not to meddle anymore… At least for now.
Yang Lixue moved to him shyly, she hesitated, looking back and forth between him and her tablet.
Shakily skimming her fingers across it, she typed something rapidly before holding it up for him to see. The words were simple but they pierced his heart.
"Thank you once again Mr Li ." he frowned at that.
" Azrael. Please call me Azrael." he insisted.
" Azrael." she mouthed slowly, confirming that she had heard him.
" Thank you Azrael," she repeated on her tablet
The smile that followed was deeper this time, her dimples pressed into her flushed cheeks as she looked up at him with those crystal-clear eyes.
His world spun, the weight of her gratitude and innocence breaking every cold wall he'd ever built between himself and others.
He followed her with his eyes as she began to walk away and did not take them off her petite frame.
He watched intently as she moved with an air of uncertainty, as if the burden of the night still weighed on her shoulders.
She hesitated before getting into the car, turning to look back at him once more.
Their eyes met.
And Azrael Li could not help but think to himself …
'I miss my girl already'.