ski

The cold December wind swept through the empty streets, carrying snowflakes and blowing the remaining dead leaves from last night into the gray sky.

Morning light streamed through the gauze curtains onto the dining table. Gu Hanzhi's sandwich froze in her tracks as her phone vibrated against the wooden tabletop. Shen Zhihe's profile picture flickered on the lock screen, and the moment she clicked on it, her heart skipped a beat for no apparent reason.

"Um... today is Saturday. If you have time, can we go skiing together?"

Bread crumbs rustled onto the tablecloth. Gu Hanzhi stared at the cursor in the lower right corner of the screen. The bubbling sound of the coffee machine was particularly clear in the silent kitchen.

Meanwhile, Shen Zhihe sat on the sofa, his sketchbook spread open across his lap, an unfinished snow scene. He stared at his phone's screen, which kept displaying the message "The other party is typing," his Adam's apple twitching nervously. Morning light slanted in through the slits in the blinds, casting streaks of light and dark across the knuckles of his charcoal pencil. As he sent his second message, the pencil tip snapped, sending sawdust scattering across the paper.

"If you already have an appointment, just ignore what I said."

The moment he pressed send, Shen Zhihe slammed his phone upside down on the sofa. As he stood up, he knocked over the mug at his feet, and the brown liquid spread a dark stain across the carpet, a perfect reflection of the emotions surging in his chest. He grabbed his paintbrush and scribbled, trying to cover the suddenly burning tip of his ear with lead, but when he heard his phone vibrate, he nearly knocked over his paint palette.

"Is this afternoon okay?"

Those six short words exploded like fireworks on his retina. Shen Zhihe stumbled, holding onto his easel, his breathing as rapid as if he'd just finished an 800-meter run. He spun twice, his sketchbook clattering to the floor, his paint-stained fingers leaving a trail of colorful fingerprints on the phone screen.

That afternoon, Shen Zhihe, wrapped in a thick black down jacket and clutching his brand-new pair of ski gear, waited outside the Gu family's door. He stamped his feet from time to time, his breath condensing into tiny ice crystals in the cold air, but the anticipation in his eyes didn't diminish in the slightest.

Finally, the door slowly opened, and Gu Hanzhi emerged, dressed in a beige coat. Her long, dark hair, a few strands blew by the wind, shimmering softly in the winter sun. Their eyes met, and Shen Zhihe's heart skipped a beat. Gu Hanzhi was momentarily stunned, as if a subtle emotion were quietly growing in the air.

Gu Hanzhi hurried forward and said, "Have you been waiting for a long time?" Before she finished speaking, Shen Zhihe awkwardly handed over a small box. The box was carefully decorated with floral paper and tied with a small bow, revealing a lot of care.

"For you."

Shen Zhihe's voice was a little muffled, and the tips of his ears were slightly red.

Gu Hanzhi took the box and opened it curiously. Inside lay a delicate red rose hairpin. The rose petals were vibrant and lifelike, reflecting a charming glow in the sunlight.

She looked up at Shen Zhihe with a teasing look in her eyes: "Why are you giving me this hairpin for no reason? Are you trying to get me to give up the top spot in the final exam?"

Upon hearing this, Shen Zhihe turned his face away in panic, and the blush on his face quickly spread, even his neck was stained with a thin layer of red: "No, this is just... a gift to thank you for agreeing to go skiing with me." His voice became smaller and smaller, and finally turned into almost a mutter.

Gu Hanzhi looked at his bewildered expression, and the corners of her mouth lifted unconsciously, revealing a warm smile. She whispered, "We're friends anyway, so agreeing is just a small matter." But as she said this, a strange ripple arose in her heart, as if a small butterfly was gently flapping its wings.

Shen Zhihe secretly glanced at her and saw her carefully put the hairpin into her bag. He felt an inexplicable joy in his heart. The cold wind was still howling, but the atmosphere between them gradually became warmer, as if a warm sun had dispelled the winter chill.

A chill wind swept across the ski resort, carrying fine snowflakes. Gu Hanzhi wrapped her scarf tightly around her, her eyes following the graceful figure on the slopes. Shen Zhihe, swift and graceful, swooped down the slopes like a bird, his figure agile and graceful, each turn sending up a mist of shimmering snow. As she gazed at the towering figure, a gentle curve of her lips curled up.

"The way the girl looks at the boy is so charming, they must be a couple or a couple in love!"

Sweet teasing suddenly filled her ears, and Gu Hanzhi spun around, a dazzling pink outfit catching her eye. Jiang Wanning, wearing a furry pink hat and a matching down jacket, stood behind her like a soft and adorable little bunny, her eyebrows curved and her eyes filled with smiles.

"Why are you here?" Gu Hanzhi asked in surprise. Before Jiang Wanning could answer, Lu Chenzhou leaned out from behind her and naturally put his arm around Jiang Wanning's shoulders.

"It's because I had nothing to do and wanted to find her to go skiing with me, but I didn't expect her physical condition was so poor that she sprained her ankle while skiing." Lu Chenzhou had a helpless smile on his face.

Jiang Wanning scratched her head embarrassedly: "I've never skied before, and I accidentally tripped over my left foot and fell." As she spoke, she gently shook her ankle.

The atmosphere gradually became awkward. Jiang Wanning was the first to break the silence, her eyes curved and her tone full of teasing: "Why don't you two go skiing together? Let me see how you two, a young couple, show affection to each other and make eye contact as you gallop on the snow track?" Before she finished speaking, she blinked mischievously.

Gu Hanzhi's ears turned slightly red, and she hurriedly waved her hands to deny: "What do you mean by eye contact and mutual affection? We are just friends!" Her voice unconsciously rose a few degrees, with a panic as if her secrets had been exposed.

Jiang Wanning refused to give in. She put her arm around Gu Hanzhi's shoulders with a smile, and her warm breath blew into her ears: "We are friends now, lovers in the future, and after that, maybe even husband and wife!" She nodded seriously, her eyes full of the certainty of "I have seen through everything."

Shen Zhihe, who was standing aside, watched the interaction between the two, raised a barely perceptible smile at the corner of his mouth, and said calmly: "Then let's go skiing together and show you two." His voice was steady and gentle, but with a hint of anticipation, as if he had already foreseen the story that was about to happen on the ski slope.

A chill wind, carrying a fine layer of snow, brushed past Gu Hanzhi's ears. She stared blankly at the distant snowy path when a gentle push suddenly struck her waist. She stumbled, falling into a warm, cedar-scented warmth. She looked up and met Shen Zhihe's dark jade eyes.

"I'm... sorry!" Gu Hanzhi hurriedly pushed herself to her feet, her fingertips touching the cool snow. She brushed the snow off her coat, her lashes drooping to hide the ripples in her eyes. "Let's start skiing." The last words faded in the howling mountain wind.

Shen Zhihe's slender fingers pushed his ski goggles up his forehead, revealing his elegant features. As he bent down to adjust his ski straps, his sleeve slipped down, revealing a cold, white wrist bone. "Hmm."

At the top of the slope, Jiang Wanning elbowed Lu Chenzhou beside her, a smile barely concealed in her eyes. "Look at them!" The girl's exclamation was mixed with the splattering of snow, and two figures, like white cranes dancing in the forest, traced overlapping silver arcs across the snowy path. When Gu Hanzhi leaned over to turn, Shen Zhihe perfectly raised his hand to protect her side; the moment he accelerated his descent, she always managed to adjust her sliding rhythm in perfect sync.

"How can this be called skiing? It's clearly figure skating pairs!" Jiang Wanning skipped towards the returning couple, the pompoms in her hair trembling with movement. "Tell me the truth, when did you two secretly start dating?"

Gu Hanzhi's fingertips unconsciously stroked her ski poles, and out of the corner of her eye she caught sight of Shen Zhihe untying his scarf. The silver chain on his wrist was faintly visible, gleaming against the snow, making her eyes hot. "Maybe it's just a coincidence." Before she could finish her words, she and Shen Zhihe tilted their heads simultaneously. The moment their eyes met, even the whistling mountain wind turned to heat.

Jiang Wanning blinked her foxy eyes and looked back and forth between the two of them: "Oh, I understand, I understand~" She deliberately dragged out the last syllable, emphasizing the word "understand", "This is the legendary 'telepathic connection'!" After that, she pulled Lu Chenzhou and turned to run away, leaving behind the sound of falling snow, and two streaks of crimson gradually spreading to the tips of her ears.

Dusk dyed the snowy plains a honey-colored hue. Shen Zhihe followed Gu Hanzhi, skiing in the footprints of his boots. Her hair was still stained with fine snowflakes, and her scarf swayed with each step, leaving a winding, warm trail across the snow.

"What a beautiful day today!" Gu Hanzhi suddenly turned around, the white mist she exhaled condensing into stars under the streetlight. Shen Zhihe looked at the ice crystals on her eyelashes, his Adam's apple moving: "Yes."

The wind whipped up snow foam, sweeping across the space between them. The scraping sound of skis was particularly clear in the quiet street. As they turned the third intersection, the carved iron gate of the Gu family villa was faintly visible. Gu Hanzhi stopped under a tree, the small box in her pocket glowing softly.

"Just take me here first." Her fingertips unconsciously rubbed the hairpin, "I like the hairpin you gave me." The tips of Shen Zhihe's ears instantly turned crimson. The streetlight stretched his shadow so long that it almost touched her down jacket. "As long as you like it."

After watching her walk into the porch, her back engulfed in the warm yellow light, Shen Zhihe realized he had been clutching his ski gloves, his palms already sweating. Sporadic fireworks could be heard in the distance. He looked up at the night sky, snowflakes landing on his burning cheeks, fleeting.

The setting sun cast a dark red glow behind the clouds. A bitter wind blew dead leaves across the frosty streets. The lights of the distant buildings gradually lit up, smearing them in the chill air like hazy patches of light before being swallowed up by the thick darkness in an instant.