During the Snowstorm by Mo Bao Fei Bao

Chapter 2.3 The World Under the Snow

As Lin Yi Yang and Yin Guo made their way through the busy street, the sounds of rushing footsteps and the rustling of umbrellas surrounded them. But the two stood out from the crowd, strolling at a leisurely pace as if they had all the time in the world. Lin Yi Yang, familiar with the neighborhood, led the way as they turned left and stepped onto a narrow sidewalk, guiding Yin Guo to his right.

On their left was a line of apartment buildings, each with a staircase that descended into the basement. On days like this, when snow covered the steps, they became difficult to see, and one misstep could lead to a dangerous slip. But Lin Yi Yang was mindful of the danger and kept Yin Guo on the right side of the sidewalk while he walked on the left side.

Of course, Yin Guo remained clueless about Lin Yi Yang's intentions as they walked.

She couldn't help but notice the strange way he walked, alternating between the left and right sides of the sidewalk. She thought this was probably a behavior stemming from some obsessive-compulsive disorder.

After another turn, she saw the narrow stairs at the subway entrance.

Lin Yi Yang made his way down the steps with ease, leaving behind a trail of wet footprints in his wake. Yin Guo followed close behind, leaving her own print. When they reached the bottom of the stairs, Lin Yi Yang stopped and waited for her, his eyes watching her carefully.

Inside the subway station, three homeless men huddled in the corners, finding refuge from the cold in the warm, fluorescent lights of the station. One of them slept soundly beside the ticket machine, with a peaceful expression on his face.

Yin Guo fumbled with her credit card, eager to insert it into the vending machine and purchase a ticket. Lin Yi Yang gave her the privacy she needed and politely stepped back two steps away.

"Follow me," he said firmly, "the train is here."

The subway rumbled into the station, its tracks grating against the concrete as it screeched to a stop. In the chaos of a New York subway during a heavy snowstorm, missing a train was not an option. Lin Yi Yang quickly grabbed Yin Guo's hand and pulled her away from the ticket machine, deftly swiping his subway card through the turnstile.

Yin Guo was whisked into the train before she even had a chance to catch a glimpse of the platform. The doors slammed shut behind her, and she was left to survey her surroundings. The train car was old and outdated, with no air conditioning or electronic display screens in sight. She wondered if the loudspeaker even worked. This was not the train she had imagined taking.

Yin Guo settled into her seat, and she couldn't help but notice the emptiness of the train car. The only other presence was Lin Yi Yang, who sat beside her. He leaned back against the hard plastic of the bench, with his cue stick case resting by his feet.

"It's just us," she thought, feeling a hint of unease in the stillness of the car. She glanced over at Lin Yi Yang, who appeared unfazed by the solitude. He was so carefree, traveling all the way to Flushing with nothing but his phone, wallet, and a cue stick case that technically belonged to her.

The snow remnants from their shoes melted onto the floor, creating small puddles at their feet. Yet, even in the midst of this disheveled state, there was something intriguing about Lin Yi Yang's presence.

The train carriage was devoid of connectivity - the silence was only broken by the soft hum of the wheels against the tracks. With no signal and no internet, Yin Guo and Lin Yi Yang were left with nothing but the emptiness of the train car to pass the time. The darkness outside the window was all-consuming, with no glimpse of scenery to distract from the monotony of the journey.