bacchusnovels Chapter 433 The Sound of Rain
Chapter 433 The Sound of Rain
Chapter 433 The Sound of Rain
Sean nodded and followed Lovegood into the house.
The room was filled with the aroma of burning firewood, and the flickering flames of the fireplace bathed the entire room in warmth.
Sean took off his wet cloak and hung it by the door, then handed over the gift he was carrying: "Xenophilius, long time no see. I brought you something that I think you'll be interested in."
Xenophius took the rain-soaked cloth bag and carefully untied it.
His eyes lit up when he saw what was inside: "Newt Scamander's latest research? My God, Phillips! This is amazing!"
"That's not all there is to the research." Sean smiled and pulled a small glass bottle from his pocket, containing a few pale green seeds. "These are plant seeds that Newt sent along with the seeds. He said that this plant can attract certain rare magical creatures. If they are successfully cultivated, we might be able to observe some very unusual biological behaviors."
Xenophius's mouth gaped slightly, his face filled with disbelief.
He took the glass bottle, examined it carefully for a while, and his eyes were full of joy: "This is simply incredible! Phillips, your support for magical creatures makes those of us who love and study them extremely happy."
Just then, a soft footstep sound came from the living room.
Sean turned his head and saw Luna slowly walking over.
She wore a light gray sweater, the soft and close-fitting fabric perfectly outlining her slender waist and elegant curves.
Below, she wore a dark blue long dress, the hem of which just brushed past her ankles, swaying gently with her steps and revealing a small section of her fair ankles.
"Dad, who's here?"
"It's Phillips," Xenophilius replied cheerfully. "He brought Newt Scaramucci's research materials, and some very interesting things. Luna, you'll love them!"
Xenophilius’s voice was filled with excitement as he quickly placed the gifts Sean had brought on the table. He then began to explain at length the importance of the materials and Newt Scamander’s achievements. Luna stood to the side, her hands gently folded in front of her, her calm gaze fixed on Sean.
Sean noticed her gaze, nodded slightly, and smiled in response.
As Xenophilius flipped through the manuscript, he suddenly looked up at Sean as if he had just remembered something: "Phillips, you've traveled so far, and it's getting late... You probably haven't eaten yet, have you?"
Sean paused for a moment, and before he could answer, Xenophilius clapped his hands enthusiastically: "Great! This is the perfect time to entertain guests. I'll go to the dining room and prepare some food for you! Luna, you and Phillips wait in the living room for a bit, I'll be right there!" As he spoke, he quickly grabbed the blanket draped over his shoulders, strode towards the dining room, and disappeared behind the door.
The room fell silent instantly, save for the soft flickering of the flames in the fireplace, occasionally punctuated by the creaking of burning embers.
A "snap" sound.
Sean subconsciously sat back on the sofa, his hands on the armrests, his gaze slightly withdrawing as he followed the direction Xenophilius had left.
Just then, a soft footstep broke the silence.
He turned his head and saw that Luna had walked from the table to his side.
She still maintained that ethereal air, her gaze fixed intently on Sean, before slowly sitting down in the seat next to him.
The firelight reflected on her face, making her skin appear even whiter.
Before Sean could react, Luna suddenly leaned close to him, her lips brushing against his in surprise, and gave him a light, brief kiss.
Sean didn't have a chance to stop him and just sat there, stunned.
Seeing that Sean didn't react, Luna kissed Sean's lips again, this time more passionately, as if she wanted to draw him into her breath.
"Haa..." Sean let out a sigh, his hands unconsciously climbing up Luna's back, deepening the unexpected kiss.
Their lips and tongues intertwined, absorbing each other's warmth and breath, until the sound of Xenophilius's footsteps returning to the restaurant reached them, at which point they were reluctant to part.
Luna smiled shyly, got up and left the sofa, while Sean could only cover his forehead, trying to process this sudden enthusiasm.
When Xenophilius reappeared in the living room, several exquisite dishes were already laid out on the dining table.
"The food is all ready! I hope you like it, especially the ghost soup I've been researching lately—it's absolutely unique!"
Luna had already stood up, her face bearing her usual gentle smile.
However, there was a hint of shyness in those clear eyes.
She lowered her head and straightened her skirt, as if deliberately avoiding eye contact with Sean.
Sean remained seated on the sofa, maintaining the same posture, his body slightly leaning forward, his fingers unconsciously pressed against his forehead.
The intoxicating kiss from just moments ago kept replaying in his mind, refusing to leave.
To be honest, he really enjoyed the feeling of kissing Luna—an indescribable ethereal sensation. Luna always gave off an ethereal, otherworldly quality, as if she maintained a distant relationship with the real world around her, always carrying a touch of indifference and detachment.
But in that instant, her actions were unwavering; her straightforward passion and intense desire gave him an irresistible shock.
At that moment, the girl who was usually ethereal and otherworldly showed such intense emotions when facing him.
This stark contrast stirred ripples in Sean's heart—ripples that were both captivating and unsettling.
Yes, her feelings only existed for him.
"Phillips," Xenophilius greeted warmly, "come and have a taste! I specially prepared these dishes for you today."
Some recipes were developed through countless experiments.
Sean forced a smile, stood up, and followed the two into the restaurant.
The restaurant's decor has also changed slightly from last time; a small, glowing statue sits in the center of the table, occasionally emitting soft music.
Several dishes were already laid out on the table, each one brimming with the Lovegood family's specialties—so much so that Sean suspected Xenophilius was possessed by Pandora.
The last time he saw this vegetable here was when Pandora was still alive.
"What's that?" Sean's gaze fell on one of the plates of food that was emitting a light wisp of steam.
"Oh, that's 'Jumping Mushroom Risotto'!" Xenophilius explained enthusiastically. "It uses magic mushrooms that 'jump' slightly when you eat it, giving your taste buds a completely different experience!"
"That is indeed—quite special," Sean replied cautiously, glancing warily at Luna, who was sitting elegantly at one end of the table, quietly leaving a spoonful of "ghost soup," blowing on it gently, then taking a sip, a satisfied expression appearing on her face.
"Dad's soup was delicious today," Luna said softly, glancing up at Sean. "Professor, you should try it."
Sean nodded and took a spoonful.
The soup had a pale silver color and a strange aroma. He took a sip, and it tasted better than he had expected, even having a subtle coolness to it.
"It's really good." Sean put down his spoon and nodded in approval.
"Of course it's great! This is the culmination of several years of research," Xenophilius said proudly. "The Ghost Soup is not only delicious, but..."
It can also help cleanse the body of impurities, which is very beneficial to health!
Luna appeared quiet, focusing on her meal most of the time, but occasionally she would look up and give Sean a faint smile when their eyes met.
That smile made Sean feel a pang of guilt, and the scene in the living room just now resurfaced in his mind.
Xenophilius seemed completely oblivious to the subtle tension between the two, and continued his theory with great enthusiasm: "...Did you know? These magical plants are not just decorations; they can also form a unique resonance with magical creatures!"
Just like the "magical ecosystem" Newt mentioned, I think this is a major breakthrough for future magical research!
"That sounds interesting." Sean replied, following up on the topic, while lowering his head to hide his emotions.
After dinner, Xenophilius warmly invited Sean to stay the night: "Professor, the rain hasn't stopped outside; it's not safe to go out in this weather. Why don't you stay at our place for the night? There's a very comfortable guest room next to Luna's!"
Sean hesitated for a moment, his gaze involuntarily sweeping towards Luna's direction.
Luna was gently wiping her mouth with a napkin when she heard her father's suggestion. She looked up at Sean and said softly, "Professor,"
Stay. Traveling in the rain at night is indeed very tiring.
Sean finally nodded: "Then I'll take my leave."
Xenophilius laughed and patted him on the shoulder: "It's no trouble at all! You're our guest. Come on, let me show you the room!"
He got up and led Sean toward the bedroom, while Luna stayed in the dining room to tidy up the dishes.
Just as Sean left the restaurant, he glanced back and happened to see Luna following him. The two made eye contact briefly, and then Luna gave him a meaningful smile.
The room is the same one as before.
Nothing has changed.
The only difference was that the blankets, sheets, and pillowcases were all new, neatly laid out on the bed, carrying the fresh scent of sun-dried fabric.
Sean stood in the center of the room, his gaze sweeping over everything familiar, before taking off his robe and hanging it on a hook behind the door.
"Phillips, I hope you sleep well tonight." Xenophilius stood in the doorway, holding an old-fashioned oil lamp, his smile warm. "The rain is probably going to continue until tomorrow morning, so it's not too late to leave tomorrow."
"Thank you for the arrangements." Sean nodded, his tone gentle. "It's very quiet here; I like it very much."
Xenophilius nodded in satisfaction, placed the oil lamp on the bedside table, and patted the door frame, saying, "Then I won't disturb you any longer. If you need anything, just call me or Luna."
"Okay," Sean replied with a smile.
Xenophilius left with a smile, and as he closed the door, the room fell silent.
Sean stood there stunned for a moment, his gaze unconsciously sweeping towards the window.
The rain continued to patter against the windowpane, sounding like a piano piece.
He walked to the bedside, sat down, put his hands on his knees, looked down at the floor, and thought about what had happened recently.
Perhaps I'm just too tired?
Take a shower.
Sean sat for a while, rubbed his temples, made up his mind, stood up, took off his coat and hung it on the back of the chair, then unbuttoned his cuffs.
Slowly rolling up the sleeves of her shirt, she walked towards the bathroom.
The moment he pushed open the door, the rush of hot air brought him a sense of warmth—clearly, Xenophilius had thoughtfully prepared hot water for him.
The bathroom is small, but it's decorated in a fun way.
Several paintings hung on the wall, and the creatures in the paintings seemed to move, occasionally winking at Sean.
Although this feeling seems a bit strange.
On the sink were several small bottles filled with various magical bath salts, each with a handwritten label that read something like "refreshing" or "relaxing muscles."
Sean glanced at it, then finally picked up a bottle of bath salts labeled "calming" and poured some into the bathtub.
The hot water was already filled, and fine steam rose from the surface. The aroma of bath salts slowly permeated the air, carrying a faint herbal scent.
Sean took off his clothes, folded them neatly and placed them aside, then stepped into the bathtub and slowly sat down.
The moment the hot water enveloped his entire body, his fatigue seemed to vanish instantly. Sean let out a long breath, leaned against the edge of the bathtub, closed his eyes, and tried to calm his thoughts.
But somehow, Luna's image kept popping into his mind.
Her smile at dinner, her gaze in the living room, and the soft, gentle sound she made as she carried the milk into the room—all these silent images replayed in his mind over and over again.
Tonight, her gaze, her words, even that subtle approach, seemed to carry a hidden emotion.
This feeling made Sean suspicious and uneasy.
He shook his head, trying to shake off those thoughts.
After all, this is the Lovegood family home, and he is here as a guest. How could I overinterpret some unintentional details?
Perhaps this is simply Luna's inherent purity and straightforwardness.
The bathroom was quiet, with only the sound of hot water gently sloshing around and the patter of raindrops hitting the window.
The tranquility gradually calmed Sean's thoughts. He closed his eyes, feeling the warmth of the hot water surrounding him, and his breathing slowly became even.
After taking a shower, Sean put on a bathrobe, dried his wet hair with a towel, and felt much more relaxed.
The rain continued to patter softly, but the chill seemed to have been completely dispelled by the hot water.
He let out a long sigh of relief and walked back to his bedroom with relaxed steps.
Pushing open the bedroom door, the familiar scent of wood wafted towards him. The room was exactly as he had left it, but something was amiss.
Sean's gaze fell on the bed, and his steps faltered, his hand holding the towel freezing in mid-air.
On the bed, a snow-white figure lay quietly, her hair spreading out on the pillow like a golden stream.
Luna.