During The Blizzard (Amidst A Snowstorm Of Love)

Canto 60: Faded Embers

"A familiar spark battled with a lingering unfamiliarity, leaving them grasping for a connection that once felt effortless."

Translator: Wuxia Studio, Editor: J.C Forester (Mrphysit)

- - - -

Yin Guo arrived home, the familiar sight of her building offering a fleeting sense of comfort. Her cousin, Meng Xiaodong, pulled away from the curb, the taillights of his car disappearing into the twilight. With a sigh, she unlocked the door and stepped inside.

Taking out her phone, she opened WeChat and sent a message to Lin Yiyang.

Fruit in the Forest: I'm home, are you there yet?

Lin: Soon.

Fruit in the Forest: Do you know that my cousin told me he and Lin Lin had a past?

Lin: I know.

A beat of silence hung between their messages, Yin Guo frowned.

Fruit in the forest: He said you might not know about them. Makes you wonder... does he even like Lin Lin?"

Lin: Are you interested in their affairs?

Yin Guo bristled at his clipped tone.

Fruit in the Forest: After all, it's my brother. He confided in me for the first time since we were kids. Kinda heartbreaking, you know?

Lin: Meng Xiaodong has his own life. Pay more attention to me.

Lin: My wife has always cared about others, and it doesn't feel good.

Yin Guo reread his messages, a knot of unease tightening in her stomach.

****

Nightlights on the commercial street.

Lin Yiyang hopped out of the commercial car, sneakers crunching on the pavement. A row of darkened shop facades stretched before him, illuminated only by the glow of neon signs. To his left, a milk tea shop displayed photos of enticing drinks and promotions through its glass windows. On the right, a gold shop glittered with an air of opulence.

"This staircase used to lead to an old-fashioned hot pot restaurant," Jiang Yang explained, pointing towards a building entrance. "Prime location better than ours in Dongxin City, though a bit smaller. The second and third floors are all yours for the rental."

Sun Yao echoed his sentiment with a sigh. "It'll do, Brother Yang," he said, his gaze sweeping across the building's facade. "Big things are coming for us when we return to China, after all."

Lin Yiyang corrected him with a slight smile, "Rented, not bought."

The pre-dawn light cast an eerie glow on the deserted corridor. Construction debris – discarded decoration bags, broken bricks, and slabs of cement cluttered the narrow passage, obscuring the underlying floor, whether tile or concrete, beneath a layer of crumpled newspapers. The elevator shaft gaped like a black maw, its door yet to be installed.

The entire building was undergoing a transformation, a prelude to a new lease on life.

Lin Yiyang ascended the stairs, each step echoing in the stillness. Reaching the second floor, he stood before a red-painted gate secured by an old-fashioned black lock. He hefted the key Jiang Yang had provided, the weight a curious contrast to the flimsiness it implied. "One good yank and this thing pops open," he remarked, turning the lock twice in his hand. "Just for show?"