Snowfall and Unspoken Moves

Wen Yuzhi was already older than Qin Huairen.

She had once asked Qin Huairen to call her “sister,” but Qin Huairen refused, sticking out her tongue across the iron fence, teasing her, and saying, “Do I look like your sister?”

Not calling her sister was one thing.

Now she was calling her “aunt” in messages.

Qin Huairen’s final reply read: No, Aunt, we’re not meeting.

“Aunt” implied a whole generation gap.

The more Wen Yuzhi looked at it, the angrier she became.

For the rest of the meeting, her face remained tense.

Department heads didn’t dare speak loudly and carefully watched her expression.

Wen Yuzhi didn’t lose her temper.

When problems arose, she resolved them in a few sentences, assigned responsibility, and set deadlines.

After the meeting, Yan Qing immediately brought over the prepared documents, picked up Wen Yuzhi’s bag, and waited at the door.

“President Wen, it’s time to go to the association.”

While driving, Yan Qing sneaked glances.

In the past, Wen Yuzhi only checked her phone for work.

Now she held it constantly, even leaving it off silent during meetings.

Who had such influence?

Just as Yan Qing was wondering, Wen Yuzhi suddenly spoke.

“Have you noticed?”

“Huh?” Yan Qing glanced at her. “You mean?”

Wen Yuzhi raised her brows slightly.

At first glance, it seemed like displeasure, but Yan Qing knew it meant she was thinking.

Staring at her phone, Wen Yuzhi said, “Actually, Ah Ren is quite mischievous.”

Yan Qing immediately agreed.

“Do you remember in high school?

That teacher who favored boys?

When a girl got scared of a bug, he said she was overreacting to attract attention.

Huairen caught a whole bag of bugs and put them in his desk.”

The teacher was so frightened he cried.

After that, he never said such things again.

Of course, Qin Huairen was punished—she had to clean the classroom alone for an entire month.

Wen Yuzhi curled her lips, recalling, “Of course I remember.

I sat in the front row.

Thanks to her, the bugs crawled onto me.

I thought she wasn’t afraid, so I threw them back at her.

She screamed, jumped onto me, I caught her, and then she bit me…”

Yan Qing burst out laughing.

Yes, Qin Huairen had bitten her.

Wen Yuzhi, in pain, let go, and Qin Huairen fell to the ground.

After that, she spent a whole month finding ways to scare Wen Yuzhi.

Whether Wen Yuzhi was ever scared, Yan Qing didn’t know.

But she herself had been frightened several times.

“Looking at it this way, Huairen holds grudges and definitely seeks revenge,” Yan Qing kindly reminded.

“You should be careful.

She thinks your behavior last night was inappropriate.

She’s very angry and said she’ll punch you twice when she sees you.”

There was a hint of excitement in her tone, as if she had found an ally.

“You seem quite happy about that.” Wen Yuzhi said lightly.

But Yan Qing knew—she was displeased.

And that meant it was working.

As expected, only Qin Huairen could restrain her.

Yan Qing sighed dramatically.

“How can I persuade her?

Besides, your behavior last night did deserve a beating.

I just don’t dare…”

Wen Yuzhi stared at her.

Yan Qing pursed her lips and stopped talking.

Seeing her obedient yet mischievous look, Wen Yuzhi felt both annoyed and amused.

Recently, Yan Qing had become bolder—writing emotional essays to threaten her and stirring things up with Qin Huairen.

“So you’ll just watch her hit me?”

“I couldn’t bear to watch,” Yan Qing said righteously.

“I’ll close my eyes tightly.”

Wen Yuzhi was both irritated and amused.

“By the way, what happened to the noodles I told you to pack earlier?

I didn’t see them.

You didn’t waste them, did you?”

“I fed them to a stray dog.

I even told it they were from President Wen.”

“… ”

The bickering along the way made the journey more entertaining.

But when they arrived at the Jingzhou Business Association and met President Gu Tianyu, his attitude had completely changed.

Where he was once warm, he was now cold and arrogant.

Huaxin Group needed a loan for a project this year.

Normally, the process through Jingzhou Bank should have been smooth.

But the bank required a recommendation letter from the association as endorsement.

Gu Tianyu had previously agreed in principle.

But now he insisted on conducting an on-site investigation at Huaxin Group before proceeding.

Wen Yuzhi knew he was retaliating for what happened at the school anniversary.

She remained calm.

“Of course.

When would you like to come?”

“Let’s talk about it later.”

He left immediately, claiming he had another meeting.

After he left, Yan Qing muttered, “What’s wrong with him?

Coming back and forth just to make things difficult.

Power really makes people arrogant.”

She worried he would delay endlessly.

Loan approvals had deadlines—once missed, they became useless.

As they left, Wen Yuzhi looked up at the dark sky.

“It looks like the weather is about to change.”

Yan Qing glanced up.

“Clouds, maybe.

It probably won’t snow.”

On the way back, Wen Yuzhi made several calls.

She soon confirmed the person behind everything—Lin Zhixun.

“Check if Lin Zhixun and Gu Tianyu have met recently.”

Yan Qing nodded, then scoffed.

“A bank and a business association meant to benefit companies, yet they’re playing tricks behind the scenes.

How ridiculous.”

At noon, they ate outside.

Sitting by the window, Wen Yuzhi noticed a candied hawthorn vendor.

Yan Qing also spotted it and remarked it was the first time seeing one that winter.

Across the street, a child was crying, staring at the vendor.

Wen Yuzhi stood up, but Yan Qing was quicker.

“I’ll go.”

“Buy a few more.”

Looking at the sky, Wen Yuzhi murmured, “Snow wouldn’t be bad.”

Yan Qing bought several skewers, gave some to the child, and brought more back.

“There are so many kinds now—hawthorn, strawberry, candied dates…”

The glossy sugar coating looked appealing.

She handed one to Wen Yuzhi.

Wen Yuzhi waved her off.

“Save it for Ah Ren tonight.”

Yan Qing sighed.

“Even if you bribe her with candied hawthorn, she’ll still punch you.”

“Thanks for the reminder.”

In the afternoon, Wen Yuzhi held meetings with several officials—all conducted in their cars.

At every red light, they stopped and talked.

By the time they returned to Huaxin Group, it was already 3 PM.

Yan Qing reminded her of the dinner—8 PM.

Wen Yuzhi checked her high-speed train ticket—6 PM departure, arriving at 10 PM.

She stood by the window, thinking for a long time before making a call.

“I’ll attend the exhibition.

But tonight, I need you to cover for me.”

Outside, the sky grew darker.

Before work even ended, snow began to fall.

The wind howled, making it difficult for pedestrians to walk.

Yan Qing suggested leaving early for the station.

Wen Yuzhi didn’t even look up.

“No need to take me.

Go early.

Don’t make her wait in the cold.”

Yan Qing had the same thought.

But she was still worried.

“Should I arrange someone else to drive you?”

Wen Yuzhi paused, then said, “I’ll drive myself.

Wear more clothes.”

Yan Qing left first.

Snow had already caused traffic jams.

She picked up the fruits she bought the night before and rushed to the museum before closing time.

Just as she was about to message Qin Huairen, Qin Huairen walked out on time.

Yan Qing quickly offered to pick her up, but Qin Huairen refused and headed toward the bus stop.

She was dressed lightly, swaying slightly in the strong wind.

Yan Qing couldn’t stop nearby due to traffic police.

She could only drive ahead, watching from afar as Qin Huairen stood among the crowd.

Among everyone, she stood out immediately—tall, graceful, fair-skinned, with delicate features.

Even more eye-catching than the celebrities on the bus stop ads.

Who was she meeting, braving the snow like this?

Yan Qing regretted not rescheduling.

What if Qin Huairen caught a cold?

She followed the bus all the way to a high-end residential area.

Qin Huairen entered with ease—it clearly wasn’t her first time there.

Yan Qing hesitated.

Later, Qin Huairen came out and got into a red-plate car.

Yan Qing followed again.

The snow grew heavier.

Eventually, Qin Huairen got off at Maple Leaf Hotel.

After freshening up, she changed into a beige down jacket.

Just as she was about to go downstairs, she received Yan Qing’s message suggesting they meet at a nearby hotpot restaurant instead.

Qin Huairen readily agreed.

She was already exhausted.

The restaurant was lively, filled with laughter and warmth.

Before she could enter, the staff told her she needed to wait.

Just then, someone tapped her shoulder.

Yan Qing smiled.

“Go in first. I’ll handle it.”

She arranged a private room through the owner.

Soon, they were seated upstairs.

Qin Huairen received a transfer—compensation for her broken phone.

Her mood lifted.

“Order whatever you want. My treat today.”

Before they started eating, Yan Qing stepped out to hand over the candied hawthorn.

As she opened the door, a familiar figure passed by.

Even from behind, she recognized her instantly.

The next second, the figure turned—it was Wen Yuzhi.

Yan Qing’s eyes widened.

Wasn’t she supposed to be on the train?

Wen Yuzhi pressed a finger to her lips, signaling silence.

Yan Qing was still in shock.

Suddenly, someone tapped her shoulder.

She screamed and turned around—it was Lu Shiyu.

“What are you trying to do, scare me to death?”

As it turned out, Lu Shiyu was also there but couldn’t find a table.

Just then, Qin Huairen returned.

Lu Shiyu smiled.

“Mind if we share a table?”

Qin Huairen looked at Yan Qing.

Before she could respond, Lu Shiyu had already pushed her inside.

“What a strange metaphor…”

Yan Qing followed behind, her phone buzzing.

A message from Wen Yuzhi.

Her heart skipped a beat.

Tonight was bound to be anything but peaceful.