During The Blizzard (Amidst A Snowstorm Of Love)

Canto 20: Ambivalence

"When faced with a confession, I find myself standing at the intersection of words, lost in the map of my emotions, uncertain which path to navigate."

Translator: Wuxia Studio, Editor: Wuxia Studio

A strand of her hair slipped free from her ear and danced across the WeChat notification on the phone screen. Frozen, her fingers hovered, unable to descend further.

Each tick of the clock echoed in her ears, stretching the silence into an eternity. Had minutes truly morphed into hours?

"Is the signal bad?" Lin Yiyang's abrupt question ripped her out of her thoughts, her heart leaping into her throat like a startled bird.

"Ah?" Yin Guo stammered, lifting her gaze to meet his, surprise etched on her face.

He pocketed the phone, stood up, and stretched, his movements fluidly erasing the tension that hung in the air. "The signal's weak here. WeChat won't connect. I'll step out for a smoke."

As he spoke, he passed by the towering uncle, a mountain of a man dwarfed the slender figure of Lin Yiyang, who stood like a wisp of smoke beside him. The contrast was stark, highlighting Lin Yiyang's youthful vulnerability.

Her gaze followed him out, a frown creasing her brow as if willing him to stay.

The burly uncle, also monitoring their interaction, chuckled, his booming voice startling her.

"Hey, young couple, I thought you're not Chinese, the two of you are silent," he said, his tone softening, "Sometimes words get tangled, like knots in fishing line. But remember, a gentle tug, a clear voice, can untangle them faster than a storm." He winked.

"We're not a couple!" Yin Guo blurted out, her cheeks flushing with a mix of annoyance and embarrassment.

The uncle chuckled, the sound rumbling like distant thunder, and simply said.

"Ah, young love." His knowing smile lingered as he walked away, leaving Yin Guo speechless and slightly flustered.

Yin Guo, stealing another glance at the silent WeChat notification, rested her head on her folded arms, sprawled across the lengthy table. A whirlwind of fragmented thoughts, each word of Lin Yiyang's echoing with doubt and confusion, replayed endlessly in her mind.

Was it a joke? But his tone held no warmth, no humor. Did he walk away to avoid the truth? Or was he playing a game, pretending ignorance? His words hung heavy in the air, pressing down on her chest like a physical weight, the unanswered questions a knot in her throat.

Was it a joke? But his tone held no warmth, no humor. Did he walk away to avoid the truth? Or was he playing a game, pretending ignorance? His words hung heavy in the air, pressing down on her chest like a physical weight, the unanswered questions a knot in her throat.

****

The chill wind nipped at Lin Yiyang's skin, a stark contrast to the warmth of conversation that had just simmered and boiled over inside the laundry room. He lingered by the door, the echo of his own words bouncing around in his head like errant ping-pong balls. The burly uncle's jovial departure, humming a tune that mocked the tension Lin Yiyang felt, only added to his unease.

He shoved his hands deeper into his pockets, the thin fabric offering little protection against the bite of the night. Circling the door twice, as if contemplating re-entry, he finally turned and walked away, his footsteps echoing a retreat on the pavement.

Leaning against the building, the harsh scrape of brick against his back a physical manifestation of his internal turmoil, he fumbled with a white cigarette. The first light sputtered and died, mirroring the flicker of doubt in his eyes. Finally, a flame caught, casting an orange glow on his face etched with regret.