Unexpected Snowfall and Lingering Shadows

A city unaccustomed to snow today welcomed its first snowfall. The snowflakes, before reaching the ground, melted into raindrops, scattering across the surfaces below.

This unexpected light snow brought an unusual surprise to the people of New City.

Many who had always lived in New City were seeing falling snow for the very first time, their excitement palpable.

At the gates of New City Private High School, students surged out like a tide.

Joyful smiles adorned their faces, not because of the snow, but because the long winter holiday was almost upon them.

A short-haired boy with captivating ‘peach blossom’ eyes, Lin Yi, gazed at the sky. A hint of nostalgia flickered in his amber eyes.

Snowflakes melted slowly in his palm. Lin Yi had lost count of how many times he had seen snow.

Yet, this particular snowfall was different from what he remembered. In his memories, snow always meant a boundless expanse of white.

Whether it was towering trees, verdant grasslands, or flowing rivers, everything stretched out, an unbroken canvas of white.

Bare tree branches would occasionally shed a flurry of snowflakes, giving a delightful surprise to those standing beneath.

Under the eaves, rows of icicles, thicker than a thumb, hung upside down like sharp spears.

As he mused, Lin Yi found his thoughts spiraling.

His consciousness drifted far away, leaving his body standing inertly at the school gate, like an empty shell.

“Hey, what are you thinking about?”

A brown-haired girl squeezed out from the crowd. Spotting Lin Yi lost in thought, Qin Ruoxue playfully patted his shoulder.

Lin Yi, whose mind had retreated into the past, gave a startled shiver at her touch and quickly turned around.

“Class Monitor Qin, you scared me to death!”

Seeing it was Qin Ruoxue, Lin Yi patted his chest and let out a soft sigh of relief.

He had thought it was Chen Sishi.

However, ever since that day, Chen Sishi seemed to have refrained from any drastic actions.

Now, the two of them were like strangers, which left Lin Yi feeling a little downhearted.

Shaking off his erratic thoughts, Lin Yi immediately discarded those strange notions. ‘How could I be sad?’ he thought. ‘I should be happy Chen Sishi isn’t bothering me.’

Cold snowflakes landed on Lin Yi’s face. He looked up at the sky, then shifted his gaze to Qin Ruoxue.

“Hehe, I’m sorry. I won’t do it again next time.”

Qin Ruoxue smiled apologetically. She had merely acted on a whim, wanting to tease Lin Yi a little, and hadn’t expected such a strong reaction from him.

However, the latter half of her statement was a lie. Opportunities to tease Lin Yi like this, Qin Ruoxue would certainly never let them pass.

The two of them strolled through the snow, along streets that felt both familiar and strangely new.

The white snowflakes partially obscured their vision, as if a filter had been placed over their eyes.

They walked in silence. Lin Yi simply walked shoulder to shoulder with Qin Ruoxue.

After he crossed the traffic light, a chilling sensation rose within him.

Lin Yi glanced around. He had a persistent feeling that someone was following him, yet his gaze swept in a full circle, finding nothing amiss.

Noticing Lin Yi’s expression, Qin Ruoxue beside him also looked around in confusion. Her eyes lingered on a particular corner for a moment before she turned back to ask Lin Yi.

“What’s wrong?”

“Nothing.”

Lin Yi shook his head in response.

Ultimately, it was just a feeling he had. Lin Yi wasn’t certain if he was truly being followed.

“Alright, I’ll head back then.”

“Mm, goodbye.”

After bidding farewell to Qin Ruoxue, Lin Yi walked alone down the street.

His mood today was exceptionally relaxed, not only because of the holiday, but also because he had achieved good results.

The rankings would be released in a few days. If all went as expected, his score should place him in the top ten of his class.

At this thought, a triumphant smile bloomed on Lin Yi’s face as he happily made his way home.

Behind him, in the dim corner, the silver-haired girl clutched her chest, her eyes devoid of any light.

Her heart felt as if it were being torn apart by something. Waves of searing pain assailed her fragile nerves.

Chen Sishi turned her gaze to Qin Ruoxue on the other side. A fierce flame burned in her eyes.

A storm of fury raged within her. ‘Lin Yi should be mine,’ she thought.

Everyone should have the right to choose who they love. Chen Lujun’s words echoed in her mind at that moment.

Like a chain binding a wild beast, it tightly reined in the fury within Chen Sishi.

Her rationality told her it was right, that she shouldn’t prevent Lin Yi from liking others.

Yet, every time such a thought arose, her heart would ache with unbearable pain.

This was a desire rooted deep in her bones, a flaw she could never overcome in this lifetime.

‘If this continues, I’ll break,’ she thought. ‘Like a battery drained of power, left for a while, it would short-circuit and become useless.’

Thus, Chen Sishi decided to observe him in silence. By eliminating every other woman around him, Lin Yi would have no choice but her.

No longer concealing the twisted smile on her lips, Chen Sishi produced a small knife and turned to walk down a different path.

****

Downstairs, at the apartment building, Lin Yi glanced at the door on the other side. He wondered if Chen Sishi had given up her apartment here, as he hadn’t seen her in the complex for a long time.

Not giving it much thought, Lin Yi simply assumed Chen Sishi no longer wished to live there.

Walking alone to his front door, Lin Yi took out his key. The key slid into the lock with a crisp click, and the old security door swung open.

Once inside, the apartment was eerily silent. Even the little kitten, usually meowing, was nowhere to be heard.

The light in the room was dim. Lin Yi fumbled along the wall for a moment before switching on the light.

The empty apartment felt somewhat desolate.

Lin Yi walked a puzzled circle around the rental apartment.

It was one thing for Lin Yiting not to be home, as she usually had work. But for the little kitten to be absent too, that truly perplexed Lin Yi.

Thinking this over, Lin Yi pulled out his phone and dialed Lin Yiting’s number.

After a prolonged busy signal, Lin Yiting’s voice finally came through.

– Xiao Leng? –

– Sis, where are you right now? –

– I’m at the hospital. I’ll be back soon. –

– The hospital? –

Hearing this, Lin Yi’s heart tightened. He knew Lin Yiting’s job was dangerous. Could she have been injured and gone to the hospital?

– Sis, are you alright? Are you hurt anywhere? –

The other end of the line seemed busy. Faintly, a cat’s meow could be heard, but the distance was too great for Lin Yi to make it out clearly.

After a long moment, Lin Yiting’s hurried voice finally spoke.

– I’m fine. I’ll be back in a bit. –

– Oh, okay. –

After hanging up, Lin Yi’s anxious heart finally settled. Lin Yiting’s earlier words had truly frightened him; he had genuinely thought something had happened to her.

His mood soothed, a wave of hunger washed over him. Lin Yi rubbed his stomach and retrieved a packet of instant noodles from the fridge, intending to make do with a quick meal.