During The Blizzard (Amidst A Snowstorm Of Love)

Canto 64: Unspoken Longing

"Our fight only proves how much we care."

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

- - -

Yin Guo slumped in the car, the armrest digging into her side. The air is heavy with the pungent aroma of fermented tofu, emanating from a cardboard box the driver clutched in his hand. He hadn't taken a bite yet, his weathered face etched with worry.

Yin Guo mumbled a polite refusal when he offered her the box. Food was the last thing on her mind.

T

he driver scanned the deserted street before pulling out his phone. His voice, roughened by years of use, rumbled through the car as he spoke to his son. The gist? A marital spat over a seemingly trivial matter of unwashed socks. He pleaded with his son to intervene, a hint of sheepishness coloring his tone despite the bravado of a stereotypical tough guy.

The call ended. Sunlight dappled through the leaves overhead, casting a cool mosaic on the driver's face. A rare vulnerability peeked through his gruff exterior.

"It's not like I never wash them," he grumbled, a defensive note creeping into his voice. "Every other day I washed it like clockwork. But this one time, I slacked off. Figured one day wouldn't hurt. Well, it did. Bloody socks and a bloody earful from my wife."

Yin Guo couldn't help but stifle a snort. A fight over socks? It did seem rather absurd.

"Though, thinking about it," the driver continued, a touch of defiance lingering in his voice, "Isn't that what marriage is all about? Sharing your life, even the smelly socks?"

A reluctant smile tugged at Yin Guo's lips. He had a point. Maybe some battles were best fought together, socks and all.

****

Lin Yiyang unlocked his apartment door at noon, the midday sun momentarily blinding after the cool outdoors. Jiang Yang was hunched over his closet, rummaging through clothes with a furrowed brow.

"I have a date today, need to borrow something," Jiang Yang mumbled a touch of desperation in his voice.

"Date? Who'd you meet?" Lin Yiyang quirked an eyebrow, tossing his keys onto a bowl by the door.

"Met on a blind date, actually," Jiang Yang clarified, pulling out a light gray shirt and wrestling his arms into the sleeves. "The girl who got divorced last year. Seen her twice, seems alright. Maybe I will get married before you."

He finished buttoning the shirt and turned, his gaze landing on a pile of brochures and receipts Lin Yiyang had carelessly thrown on the table. Jiang Yang picked one up, flipping it over to scan the glossy images.

A faint memory flickered in his mind. Just last month, they were tearing down dusty backroads together, wind whipping at their faces. The image was a stark contrast to the neatly dressed men adorning the brochure.

"A nice motorcycle, huh," Jiang Yang remarked, a hint of amusement in his voice. "Fancy suits and polished bikes a trend from Australia?"

Suits and high-performance cars were the lifeblood of Dongxincheng. Jiang Yang, ever the thrill-seeker, had a habit of borrowing fancy cars for a few laps around town. One such instance involved Lin Yiyang, dressed in a black suit minus the tie, observing Jiang Yang in a dark gray suit, meticulously putting on contact lenses just for the helmet. It was a day filled with pure adrenaline.