Unwavering Resolve in the Snow

The snow continued unabated, and the cold wind still howled, yet the atmosphere seemed to freeze in an instant. Ye Xingmian appeared not to notice her, nor did the other girl approach. The silence stretched, fraught with an unspoken tension.

In the end, it was Liu Yinuo who silently walked to her side.

The girl gently lifted her gaze, a hint of surprised amusement gracing her features.

“Class Monitor? Why did you follow me out here…?”

Liu Yinuo’s gaze sharpened slightly as she gently brushed a strand of the girl’s shoulder-length hair.

“Why did you just run off without a word? In this heavy snow, do you even know the way home?”

“I do,” she replied, though a flicker of weariness in her eyes betrayed the forced cheerfulness behind her smile.

As Liu Yinuo gently brushed the snowflakes from the girl’s shoulders, an profound silence settled upon the snowy night. Only the biting wind whispered through the deserted streets, making it feel as though they were the sole inhabitants of the world.

Even in the silence, Liu Yinuo couldn’t help but notice a change in the girl’s appearance.

“You changed back into your clothes?”

The hand she had unconsciously held to her chest stiffened, then dropped awkwardly. The girl nodded faintly.

“Yes, because I’m going home. It wouldn’t be right to wear your clothes.”

“But you didn’t have to take off your underwear too, did you? Even if it was a little small, it’s still better than nothing, isn’t it?”

Liu Yinuo leaned in slightly, hoping to break the heavy atmosphere between them with a jest. However, the girl remained silent for a long moment.

“Those are your things, after all.”

After uttering those words, she said nothing more.

“Why are you staying here? Did something happen?”

“I want to wait until the snow lessens before I go home.”

“Home? Why would you go back to that place? You know your adoptive parents will never treat you kindly.”

“…”

“How about this: come back with me. I’ll prepare a guest room, and you can stay at my place for a while. It’s fine; I’ll handle my parents, and they won’t say a word.”

“…”

“It’s just that tonight might be a bit complicated. Cleaning the room might take some time, so how about you just sleep in my room tonight? My bed is quite large; it can fit two people…”

“I’m sorry, Class Monitor, but I still have to go home.”

“Why? Is it because of my parents? No, it’s really fine, Ye Xingmian. I’ll be there, and they won’t say anything about you. I… I can even help you with your studies. My house has heating, and I can buy you proper underwear. I even have plenty of pocket money. It’s so cold tonight; please don’t go back, okay? Just come with me.” Liu Yinuo’s words tumbled out, almost incoherent. She couldn’t bear the thought of Ye Xingmian returning to that cold, unfeeling home. Why wouldn’t she just agree? Wasn’t it better with her? She was the only one who offered kindness and genuinely cared for Ye Xingmian.

‘Why? Was it just because of my parents’ conversation with you?’

Unconsciously, her fists clenched. Liu Yinuo couldn’t decipher her own emotions, only an overwhelming sense of frustration, a deep agitation.

“It’s alright, Class Monitor. This is my own decision.”

The girl lifted her head and offered a faint smile. It was as beautiful as her smile at noon, yet tinged with a subtle weariness that was still enough to calm the agitation stirring within Liu Yinuo’s heart.

Liu Yinuo stood momentarily stunned.

“Thank you, Class Monitor.”

Rising to her feet, the girl gave Liu Yinuo a soft bow before pulling up her hood. By the time Liu Yinuo snapped back to reality, the girl’s figure had already vanished into the darkness of the snowy night.

Driven by an inexplicable impulse, she didn’t pursue her. Instead, she remained rooted to the spot, lost in thought.

She pondered, trying to understand why the girl had so stubbornly refused her, why she was so determined to return to that cold home where she was treated as nothing more than a lifeless tool. Why wouldn’t she stay by Liu Yinuo’s side? She had poured all her effort into this, yet still, no answers emerged.

Dazedly, she rose and began walking in the direction of her own home.

Who was truly to blame for all of this? Herself, her parents, or perhaps Ye Xingmian herself?

She could find no answer.

****

Her perfectly laid plans had ultimately crumbled. It wasn’t until she arrived back home that a dazed realization struck her: she hadn’t brought the girl back, returning instead with empty hands.

As she opened the door, a wave of warm air instantly enveloped her. Her parents seemed to have already prepared dinner, and the enticing aroma wafted from afar, lingering at her nose.

“Nuo Nuo, you’re back? Did you bring Ye Xingmian? Mom’s already made dinner; tell her to come eat with us… Oh, and Mom noticed we’re a bit low on groceries in the fridge. You usually order takeout, so did she cook for you? What a good child…”

When Liu’s mother peeked out from the kitchen, she saw only her dejected daughter. The ever-humble girl, however, was nowhere to be seen.

A deeper worry etched itself into her eyes.

Her daughter walked straight upstairs, ignoring her calls. Liu’s mother tried calling out a few more times, but no response ever came.

Resigning herself to the situation, she eventually carried the packed meal to Liu Yinuo’s door and gently knocked.

“Regarding Ye Xingmian, Mom was wrong, okay, Nuo Nuo? Please don’t be angry. I’ve left your dinner by the door; take it in and eat quickly before it gets cold.”

Having done all she could, she descended the stairs and exchanged a look with her husband. In each other’s eyes, they both saw a shared sense of helplessness.

Perhaps she truly had made a mistake. Perhaps she shouldn’t have interfered in their affairs. She had never imagined that the usually obedient and sensible Liu Yinuo would throw such a significant tantrum.

It was clear that the young girl held immense importance in her daughter’s eyes.

****

Ye Xingmian had never intended to return.

She wished to go nowhere—not to the Class Monitor’s house, nor to her own. If only she could, she would hide in a dark alley, let the snow bury her, and remain there until someone discovered her body in the sunlight the following day.

Yet, she couldn’t comprehend why she insisted on remaining in such an exposed place. Why, even as she curled up to conserve warmth, did she find herself glancing left and right? Why, despite telling herself to wait for the snow to subside before heading home, had she still fled in such desperate haste?

She didn’t know. She truly didn’t.

The snow fell heavily, ceaselessly. Large flakes, as soft as goose down, swirled on the wind, piling upon her. Her arms, instinctively held to her chest, were already numb with cold. Through the deep, accumulating snow, she stumbled forward, her steps uneven and uncertain.

The road home felt impossibly long; she had never perceived it as such a vast distance before. Initially, she possessed the strength to run, but soon, the cold stole her breath, making even simple exhalations an effort. Along the streets she passed, numerous lights gleamed from within, accompanied by the muffled sounds of bustling life. Yet, no one emerged to cast a single glance her way.

Her consciousness began to blur, and she vaguely felt herself on the verge of collapsing. Just then, through her fading vision, her destination finally appeared.

Her adoptive parents’ house.

It was an ordinary, two-story bungalow, topped with a secluded attic. Through the windows, warm yellow light spilled out. Snowflakes, falling relentlessly, caught the light, each one momentarily gilded in a warm, golden hue before being caught by the wind, swirling chaotically and obliquely through the air.

That was her “home.”

Her destination—a place utterly unworthy of anticipation, poised to bring her only pain and exhaustion.