During the Snowstorm by Mo Bao Fei Bao

Chapter 1.2 From Storm to Clear Skies

As the train chugged along, Meng Xiaotian's breathing grew steady and deep. He had quickly fallen asleep, his face obscured by the coat he had pulled over himself. The rhythmic swaying of the train and the hum of the wheels on the tracks had done their job.

The ticket inspector made his way down the aisle, checking each passenger's ticket with a practiced eye. Yin Guo reached over and gently pried Meng Xiaotian's phone from his lax grip, scanning for the electronic ticket before handing it to the inspector. She then placed the phone back in Meng Xiaotian's hand, making sure he was still comfortably asleep.

She sat up straight, her eyes glued to her phone as Lin Yi Yang's message came through on WeChat. "No need to be polite," he wrote, his words brief and to the point.

Yin Guo's heart sank as she saw the notification on her phone that the money transfer had been rejected.

Her fingers lingered over the screen for a moment before she put her phone away, feeling dejected. She couldn't help but think, "I'll talk to him when I see him." As the train came to a stop at a small station, she looked around the carriage and saw that, with only a few passengers boarding and others getting off, the carriage now had less than ten people in it.

She leaned over to her brother and gently nudged him awake. "I'm going to the restroom," she said softly. Meng Xiaotian groggily acknowledged her before making her way to the bathroom.

Yin Guo carefully lifted her bag from the ground and slung it over her shoulder, the straps digging into her flesh as she adjusted it to rest snugly against her back. She then turned to her cousin, Meng Xiaotian. She leaned down and gently pushed the backpack carelessly under his legs.

As she stepped away from her seat for a couple of minutes, a familiar face boarded the train.

The man with glasses scanned the passengers as he made his way through. He was the one they had encountered the other day. As the train moved along its tracks, Meng Xiaotian's head lolled against the window, his face obscured by the thick coat he had draped over himself, shrouding his features from view. The man with the glasses walked passed him, completely oblivious to his presence. He was solely focused on following the instructions on his phone as he searched for Lin Yi Yang's luggage.

As he moved through the next two carriages, he eventually spotted Lin Yi Yang's bags resting beside an unoccupied seat.

He then looked towards the window and saw Lin Yi Yang, sitting alone, the African-descent woman who had been sitting next to him, holding a child, had just disembarked from the train.

"I'm glad I made it," Wu Wei exclaimed as he pushed Lin Yi Yang towards the window, taking a seat next to him. He breathed heavily as he undid his coat, "I was afraid I wouldn't catch up with you."

Lin Yi Yang knew exactly why Wu Wei was there and remained silent, avoiding eye contact.

Wu Wei leaned in, his tone serious, "Everyone's there. Why did you leave? What's going on?"

Lin Yi Yang pulled up the collar of his sportswear, concealing his face from Wu Wei's inquisitive gaze. He rested his head against the window glass, attempting to evade the impending conversation.

Wu Wei, undeterred, persisted in trying to pull Lin Yi Yang's clothes down.

Lin Yi Yang let out a sigh and whispered, "I spent all the money buying drinks for a girl that day and didn't have enough left for a train ticket."

Wu Wei's face softened with understanding. He pulled out his wallet and opened it for Lin Yi Yang to see. "I'm in the same situation, buddy. Look, all I've got left is pocket change. But hey, we'll manage. Stick together through thick and thin, right?"