Summer was unpredictable.
Just moments ago, the sky had been blazing blue. Then, without warning, dark clouds rolled in, thunder growled, and rain came crashing down in sheets.
"I was just about to head out, and now it starts pouring," Lin lan muttered, staring out the window. "Seriously—does the sky have it out for me or something?"
Lin lan was a college sophomore. Average looks, average height, average intelligence—the kind of guy who blended effortlessly into a crowd. His parents had passed away early, though they'd left him a small inheritance. Combined with the money he earned from odd jobs, it was just enough to survive.
He'd just woken up from an afternoon nap and was getting ready for class when he noticed the rain outside. Not just rain—a full-on downpour. Fat raindrops slammed against the windows, water streaming off the eaves like silver curtains.
Honestly, weather like this was perfect for staying in bed. Unfortunately, while the class itself wasn't important, the professor absolutely was—infamously strict, obsessively punctual.
"Yeah… no skipping this one."
With a helpless sigh, Lin lan grabbed his umbrella and headed out.
Thunder boomed overhead as he hurried along, the sound so loud it rattled his ears. He glanced up to see lightning slithering through the black clouds like silver serpents.
Everyone around him was rushing, heads down. In weather like this, anyone strolling around casually had to be a little unhinged.
And yet—
There she was.
A beautiful woman wandered through the storm as if it didn't exist. She held an umbrella, kicked at puddles, and swayed freely despite the raging wind and rain.
Her pale, jade-like toes lifted lightly, splashing water high into the air before it melted seamlessly back into the rain.
She walked to Lin lan's left, holding a small pink umbrella. He could only see her profile, but her slender waist, long legs, and delicate toes were more than enough to draw attention.
Lin lan glanced ahead. The guys in front of him had all slowed down, sneaking backward looks.
The girls shot her glances filled with envy and irritation. If looks could kill, the woman would've been bristling like a porcupine.
So… what does she actually look like?
Lin lan wasn't the type to lose his mind over a pretty face—but curiosity was human nature.
Just then, the woman turned slightly.
Her face came fully into view.
Elegant brows, a straight nose, full red lips. Her short black hair framed sharp, handsome features, giving her a bold, almost heroic air—yet her shimmering eyes softened it into something dangerously captivating.
Her neck was long and pale. Hanging from a red cord was a small jade pendant resting against her chest.
The jade was a vivid green, exquisitely carved, unmistakably rare. The design was old-fashioned—something most young women would never wear.
Yet on her, it looked perfect.
Lin lan's gaze locked onto the jade pendant.
As a top archaeology student, he was almost certain its value far exceeded any diamond necklace.
His stomach tightened.
A hundred bucks… maybe?
As long as she has no idea what it's worth.
He was so lost in calculation that he completely missed the glare now drilling into him.
The woman's name was Liang Wan. A Chinese-American born and raised in New York's Chinatown, a second-generation immigrant working as a TV news reporter. Though she'd grown up in the U.S., she'd always felt a strong connection to China. This trip was meant to be a relaxing vacation—and a visit to her parents' alma mater.
It should've been perfect.
Instead, this guy was ruining everything.
Liang Wan glared at the man walking beside her. Her anger surged.
She was used to being stared at—but this was shameless. The idiot hadn't taken his eyes off her chest for a single second.
"Hey," she snapped. "Are you done staring, you pervert?"
Her patience finally snapped.
"Pervert?"
Lin lan blinked, genuinely confused, then glanced left and right.
"Don't play dumb," Liang Wan said sharply. "I'm talking to you."
It took him a moment.
Then it hit him.
Wait—me?!
I was looking at the jade!
Since when does appreciating antiques make someone a pervert?!
His annoyance flared.
Enough was enough.
Lin lan curled his lips into a mocking smile.
"Relax, miss. You look fine, sure—but you're not exactly… well-endowed. Not really my type."
"You—!" Liang Wan's face flushed. "You absolute jerk!"
She nearly blacked out from rage.
Her eyes burned as she clenched her teeth, her foot already lifting—ready to kick him.
Before she could act, Lin lan gave her a cheerful wave.
"See ya."
And walked away.
Class was about to start. No time to mess around—the professor even logged seconds of tardiness.
As he left, Lin lan felt a hint of regret. Judging by her expression, she hated him with a passion. Looks like that jade pendant was never going to be his.
Behind him, Liang Wan trembled with anger. Her chest rose and fell sharply. After several seconds, she shouted at his back with everything she had:
"You pervert! I hope Jesus strikes you with lightning!"
Lin lan snorted.
"Yeah, right. You think Jesus runs a lightning service just for you?"
The words hadn't even finished echoing—
BOOM.
Thunder exploded directly overhead.
Five massive bolts of lightning tore through the clouds and slammed straight into Lin lan's body.
Pain detonated in his head.
Then came the smell.
Burnt. Crispy. Unmistakable.
As consciousness faded, he muttered weakly,
"Damn it… you weren't joking…"
Liang Wan stared at the charred body in front of her, her eyes wide with disbelief.
She hated him—truly—but she'd only meant to vent her anger. She never actually wanted him dead.
And yet…
It had really happened.
How could this be real?
Long after the shock faded, a crushing weight settled in her chest. Though she'd never believed in gods or miracles, she couldn't shake the feeling that Lin lan's death was somehow tied to her.
I'm sorry… I shouldn't have said that.
She lowered her head, rain soaking her completely, her fallen umbrella forgotten.
She didn't notice—
At that moment, the ancient jade pendant at her neck burst into a strange, multicolored glow. The light spun into a vortex, as if a hidden passage had opened. A shadow invisible to ordinary eyes rose from Lin lan's body and was drawn into the swirling light.
News of the lightning strike spread quickly across campus. Police cars and ambulances arrived as crowds gathered in chaos.
Liang Wan left that very day, cutting her vacation short and flying back to New York.
And Lin lan—his soul sealed within the jade pendant—began an extraordinary new journey.