Andrew recovered from the thunderclap, looked up, and saw Scarlett waiting for him.

He quickly calmed his state of mind, silently chanting, ’Calm down, calm down. If Professor Scarlett sees that I’m afraid of thunder, that would be truly embarrassing.’

Andrew walked up to Scarlett and said, "Scar, I’m sorry, I’m late."

However, Scarlett did not reply. Instead, she slightly tilted her head, scrutinizing Andrew with her bright, watery eyes.

"Wh-what’s wrong?" Andrew asked doubtfully.

"You’re afraid of thunder?" Scarlett said lightly, looking directly at Andrew.

"Who... who said that!" Andrew firmly denied it, keeping his tone relaxed, "I’m a grown man, how could I be afraid of thunder."

But in the next moment...

BOOM!!!

A clap of thunder made Andrew’s body involuntarily tremble.

When he came to his senses, he saw Scarlett still looking at him sideways, but the corners of her mouth seemed to lift slightly, and she let out a questioning sound.

"Hmm?"

"The trembling just now was because a gust of cool wind blew by, making me a little cold, not because of the thunder." Andrew laughed awkwardly as he explained.

Scarlett pursed her lips slightly. Although she didn’t expose Andrew verbally, she couldn’t help muttering inwardly, ’He’s clearly afraid of thunder, yet he’s still stubborn’

"Scar, let’s hurry back. The rain seems to be getting heavier," Andrew urged.

He actually felt the thunder getting louder and wanted to get back inside quickly for a greater sense of security.

"Mm." Scarlett nodded, walked close beside Andrew, and they shared an umbrella as they headed toward the parking lot.

Because it was late and the rain was especially heavy, the illumination from the streetlights was poor, making everything around them quite dark.

Along the way, there were several more claps of thunder, coupled with sudden, bright flashes of lightning. Each time, Andrew would flinch and stop walking, which Scarlett found quite amusing.

Finally reaching the car, Andrew felt that in his current state, he definitely couldn’t drive, so he sat in the passenger seat.

After closing the car door, Scarlett didn’t rush to start the engine, leaving the car interior completely dark.

Andrew sat motionless in the passenger seat, not looking at his phone, nervously forgetting to even buckle his seatbelt, his gaze fixed blankly on the pitch-black sky outside the window.

’This is exactly like the movie ’2012: The End of the World.’ Am I really going to be doomed?’

Andrew muttered to himself secretly, his thoughts drifting back to several years ago when Catherine forcibly dragged him to watch a doomsday movie. He had been so scared then that he hid behind the sofa.

He felt that a large part of his fear of thunder was caused by Catherine.

Having an Older Sister like that was truly his fortune.

At this moment, other than the pattering sound of raindrops hitting the car window, there was no other sound, the silence being somewhat terrifying.

Scarlett, who was about to start the vehicle, suddenly had a mischievous idea when she saw Andrew, who was extremely tense, like a frightened little mouse.

Suddenly, a bolt of lightning streaked across the sky. Scarlett, sitting inside the car, immediately imitated a clap of thunder, ’Boom!’

This ’thunder’ that suddenly appeared next to his ear scared Andrew so much that he truly thought he was undergoing a heavenly tribulation. He sprang up from his seat, hitting the roof with a yelp, and his cries of pain overlapped.

’Ah!!! Ouch~~~!’

Scarlett hadn’t expected Andrew’s reaction to be so intense. Watching him clutch his head and emit a low groan, she quickly reached out and pulled Andrew into her arms, gently stroking his head.

"I’m sorry, I shouldn’t have scared you." Scarlett said while tightly hugging Andrew and comforting him with touches.

For some reason, after being held in Scarlett’s arms, the pain in Andrew’s head seemed to disappear.

Even the subsequent, real thunderclap didn’t make Andrew subconsciously feel afraid anymore; he became very quiet.

Or rather, Andrew hadn’t had time to react before he was completely immersed in comfort. Everything around him seemed unimportant.

Only one feeling remained in his heart: So soft, so fragrant, so comfortable. Although, he almost got the hug, but not like that.

Even if he were struck dead by lightning now, it would be worth it.

A few minutes later, a flash of lightning brightening the darkness again brought Andrew back to his senses. But he didn’t leave her embrace, but still the thunder sound was too much for him. And after the hug, he felt something was awakening.

’Calm down, calm down, can’t make a mistake.’

Andrew closed his eyes and chanted silently, trying to regain his composure and suppress the unruly heat within him.

However, in Scarlett’s eyes, Andrew looked as if he had been startled by the lightning again and was frozen in place, which made her feel a bit guilty.

This Little Fellow is so afraid of thunder, and I deliberately scared him. That’s a bit too much.

Just as Andrew was chanting internally, he suddenly felt something pressing down on his head.

He opened his eyes to see Scarlett placing her palm on Andrew’s head and slowly stroking it, comforting him in a very gentle tone, "Little Fellow, don’t be afraid, Big Sister is here."

Andrew had never heard Scarlett speak in such a gentle voice before.

The moment Scarlett’s hand touched Andrew’s head, Andrew’s mind went blank, and his gaze became clear.

Scarlett’s hand seemed to possess the same magic as Galadriel’s, whoever she touched became momentarily simple-minded.

After an unknown amount of time, Andrew suddenly shook his head violently, and separated from her, while Scarlett withdrew her hand.

"Scar, let’s go back first. It’s very late."

"You’re not afraid anymore?" Scarlett asked softly again.

"Not afraid anymore."

Andrew repeatedly shook his head and quickly buckled his seatbelt, sighing deeply in his heart.

’I was so embarrassed tonight! I must overcome this shadow in my heart. A mere clap of thunder, what the heck am I afraid of!’ Andrew swore a solemn oath in his heart.

Upon returning to the rental house, Andrew immediately went to take a shower and then prepared to go to bedroom.

Scarlett watched Andrew, still a little worried, "Are you really not afraid anymore? Or maybe..."