During The Blizzard (Amidst A Snowstorm Of Love)

Canto 71: Silent Devotion

"I carry your heart with me (I carry it in my heart)" - E. E. Cummings

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

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Darkness pressed against the window, the only fightback a sliver of moonlight or perhaps the soft glow of street lamps struggling through a gap in the curtains. The fabric billowed slightly, pinned to the wall by the night wind, revealing the faint outline of the windowpane. Leaning against his arm, she tilted her head up. Her gaze traced the sharp angle of her own jaw, then flicked to the telltale bob of his Adam's apple a physical reminder of the man beside her.

A sudden, jarring image surfaced in her mind the glint of a razor blade in the bathroom cabinet, its thin edge a sliver of danger. The memory clashed with the decadent reality of his unshaven beard, a dark shadow that whispered of secrets and hidden desires.

His birthday. Washington D.C. The billiard hall is abuzz with anticipation. She'd snuck him in, a secret held close. When Lin Yiyang emerged from the elevator, he was a mess - hair disheveled, clothes rumpled, a shadow of stubble gracing his jaw. It looked like he hadn't shaved in weeks.

The sight had ignited playful chaos. Everyone had insisted on a celebratory kiss, a public display to match the joy of their star falling from the sky. The teasing had backfired, resulting in a playful retaliation from Lin Yiyang for each insistent voice.

He wasn't one for grand displays. Even in that room overflowing with laughter, there had been no grand gesture, no sweeping hug. Yet, in the quiet space between them, she'd seen it a happiness that radiated from him like warmth from a hidden fire.

"Lin-Jie, talked to me once during the training camp," Yin Guo said, and she thought about Lin Lin.

Lin Lin knew Lin Yiyang and Yin Guo were inexperienced, placing blind faith in flashy tricks that could jeopardize the World Championships. Lin Lin had confided in her, revealing a past deception. Yin Guo's hand instinctively reached for the teapot, a nervous habit, as the news sparked a flicker of gossip in her mind. But Lin Yiyang's youthful innocence and the awkwardness of betraying a confidence especially her brother stopped her cold.

Yin Guo turned the corner and asked, "Has she ever liked anyone else? Except my brother, of course."

Lin Yiyang leaned against the head of the bed and shook his head "It shouldn't be." Although there was no connection in the past, looking at the atmosphere between Lin Lin and Meng Xiaodong that day, from what he knew about Lin Lin, she should still like Meng Xiaodong. Lin Lin has been making decisions since she was a child.

"You said my brother has been out of the state for more than a year, will it be related to emotional problems?"

"No." He knew that his old rival wouldn't be so vulnerable. "Since he was 19 years old, he was directly promoted to the Open and never played in the qualifiers. But the European Masters Cup fell out of the top 16 and went to the qualifiers. I heard that it took a toll on him for weeks."

Yin Guo was brought into the industry by Meng Xiaodong. Although the relationship is not usually close due to Meng Xiaodong's character, he has a very deep loyalty to him. When it comes to Meng Xiaodong's low period, she is very worried.

Lin Yiyang reached for a strand of her hair, gently tucking it behind her ear. "It will pass, trust me."

"He's younger than you," Yin Guo pressed, a tremor in her voice. "He should still have time to turn it around, right? If his career goes downhill I don't think he could handle it."

Meng Xiaodong started playing at seven, a prodigy who'd always outshone his peers. For over a decade, Meng Xiaodong had been snooker royalty, his name synonymous with clutch victories and impossible trick shots. The idea of him retiring, of that life ending, was simply unbearable.