During the Snowstorm by Mo Bao Fei Bao

Prologue

Translator Note:  If you want to read the full version of this novel, I posted it at ToodatFiction
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As the indoor lights dimly flickered, the shadows of pedestrians passing outside played a ghostly dance across the glass, lending an otherworldly aura to the scene. The feeble illumination from the window fought to reach the far side of the street, enveloping everything in an eerie half-light. Suddenly, a colossal, pitch-black shadow appeared, descending with a resounding thud onto the roof of a parked car. The car's alarm blared, adding to the noise.

Her friend's voice, laced with panic, broke through the phone's speaker, snapping her back to reality. "What's that noise?"

A deafening crash echoed through the streets as a massive tree came crashing down, its branches tearing into a parked car with a loud screech of metal.

"A tree just fell and smashed a car," Yin Guo shouted, struggling to hear her friend's voice over the blaring music. She cupped her left ear. "This storm is terrible. Can you believe how freezing it is out here? It's minus 25 degrees!"

"I warned you about New York winters," her friend Zhengyi teased, her voice light. "It snows a ton there. You should've known better."

Yin Guo lacked the energy to even complain anymore; her words escaped as a weary sigh. "I haven't had a shower in three days. You have to help me find a hotel room for tonight."

"Give me a moment; I'm still looking," Zhengyi's voice crackled over the phone. Yin Guo let out a frustrated sigh and ended the call.

As she returned to her cousin Meng Xiaotian's side, she shared the news, "We're just waiting for Zhengyi to find a hotel. She'll message me soon." But her cousin was too engrossed in the festive atmosphere to pay her much mind. He grinned carefreely and replied, "If that doesn't work out, we'll just party here all night."

Yin Guo, however, wasn't feeling the same festive spirit as her cousin. She reclined on the bar counter, staring out of the window, her thoughts consumed by the raging storm outside. She couldn't have predicted encountering the strongest storm in a decade. The wind howled, snow piled up against the windows, and darkness seemed to engulf everything in its path. An unsettling feeling had settled in her stomach, and she couldn't shake it off.

It was undoubtedly one of her most unfortunate moments. First, she found herself seated in the bustling airport terminal, only to hear the announcement that her flight to New York would be delayed by a grueling ten hours. Then, as she boarded the plane and gazed out over the vast expanse of the ocean, a violent storm suddenly materialized. For two harrowing hours, the plane circled the airport, unable to make a safe landing. The hurricane compelled the pilot to reroute the flight to Chicago.

Exhausted and disheartened, she eventually touched down in the Windy City, only to discover that every hotel room was fully booked. This left her stranded, without a place to stay for the night, all due to the airline's inability to arrange accommodation.

As the night wore on, Yin Guo and her cousin found themselves huddled in the dimly lit airport waiting area, surrounded by a diverse group of stranded travelers. With no other options available, they took turns sleeping on uncomfortable plastic chairs and the cold, unforgiving tile floor. The constant hum of conversation and sporadic announcements over the loudspeaker provided the only interruptions to the monotony.

The following morning, they freshened up in the less-than-ideal airport restroom, their spirits lifted by the prospect of finally departing. However, as the day progressed, it became evident that their wait would be longer than expected. They passed the time by reading, striking up conversations with fellow travelers, and observing the comings and goings of airplanes.