During The Blizzard (Amidst A Snowstorm Of Love)

Canto 53: Silent Flame

"Love is friendship that has caught fire. It is quiet understanding, mutual trust, and tender affection." - Ann Landers

Translator: Wuxia Studio, Editor: M.H Lovecraft (Enochian_)

- - -

The car splashed through puddles, kicking up water like a boat battling a storm. Inside, Lin Yiyang and Yin Guo were soaked, their clothes plastered uncomfortably to their skin.

Lin Yiyang, ever the quick thinker, darted to the back seat. He snatched a thick towel and with practiced ease, draped it around Yin Guo's shivering form. The damp fabric clung to him like a second skin, offering a meager shield against the relentless drumming of rain on the roof.

Lin Yiyang cranked up the heater, aiming the warm blast directly at Yin Guo. He reached across the console, his fingers brushing against the chilled skin of her cheek. "Are you okay?" he asked, his voice laced with worry.

Yin Guo managed a weak nod, her teeth still chattering uncontrollably. She closed her eyes, letting the warmth slowly seep into her bones, chasing away the cold that had seeped deep.

Yiyang started the engine, the sound a comforting rumble in the otherwise silent car. He pulled out onto the rain-slicked road, his headlights cutting through the thick curtain of water like sharp knives. Time seemed to stretch and contort, each minute feeling like an eternity.

Gradually, the windshield started to clear. The rain drops, once obscuring their vision, shrunk and faded like retreating ghosts. The rain, as sudden in its arrival as its departure, began to ease.

Ten minutes later, the sky had completely cleared, revealing a dazzling sun that seemed to mock their recent misery. The island, true to its capricious nature, had shed its tears and moved on.

- -

The relentless rain finally subsided, revealing a sky washed clean and a world sparkling anew. Lin Yiyang pulled the car over onto the roadside, the silence broken only by the rhythmic drip of water from the trees.

He gently nudged Yin Guo awake, his touch a silent question. Her eyes fluttered open, and a small smile played on her lips as she saw the sun peeking through the clouds.

"Let's get you out of those wet clothes," he said softly. He stand outside, offering Yin Guo a moment of privacy.

Alone by the roadside, Lin Yiyang leaned against the car, his gaze sweeping across the vast, grassy hillside. It was a welcome change from the charred landscape they had been navigating earlier. Lush green meadows stretched as far as the eye could see, dotted with half-dried bushes, a testament to the recent downpour.

Despite the beauty, a shadow crossed Lin Yiyang's face. This island paradise, he knew, was not without its challenges. The absence of natural predators had created an ecological imbalance, leading to an overpopulation of wild goats. Their presence, though seemingly harmless, posed a significant threat to the fragile ecosystem.

As Yin Guo wrestled with the button on her jeans, her gaze darted through the car window. Her breath hitched. Hundreds of wild goats dotted the undulating hills, their heads bent in the rhythmic act of grazing. But her eyes weren't just drawn to the sheer number of animals, they were also fixated on beautiful scenery that painted outside. She excitedly exited the car.