30. Wait for the snow to stop

Seven days after the harvest was complete, the air in the valley began to feel different.

Su Lin was the first to notice this change. That morning, as usual, he pushed open the wooden door, and was met with a chilling breeze, even colder than usual. The white mist he exhaled lingered in the air for a long time, as if frozen. The sky was an abnormally leaden gray, and the clouds hung low, as if ready to crash down to the mountaintops.

"The weather's going to change." Mu Lin had stood behind him without him noticing, her long silver-blue hair fluttering slightly in the cold wind. He handed Su Lin a cup of hot water with fresh mint, his brows slightly furrowed. "This snowstorm is going to be quite severe."

Su Lin took the ceramic cup, and his fingertips were immediately enveloped by warmth. He took a sip of the hot water, his eyes scanning the pile of firewood already piling up in the yard—the firewood Lei Qing and A Yan had been frantically preparing these past few days. Even so, the uneasiness in his heart remained.

"Do we have enough food?" he asked softly.

Mu Lin nodded, then shook his head, "If it's just a normal winter, it will be enough for us to eat until spring. But if it's extremely cold..." He didn't say anything else, but Su Lin understood what he meant.

The atmosphere at breakfast was more solemn than usual. Lei Qing, unusually, didn't immediately head to the training grounds. Instead, he sat at the table, carefully examining the cracks in the window. A Yan stopped laughing and quietly sipped his oatmeal, his eyes occasionally drifting toward the gray sky outside.

"Let's harvest the last batch of radishes today." Su Lin broke the silence, "Before the ground is completely frozen."

Stardust immediately put down the bowl and said, "I'll get the basket!"

Lei Qing held the boy's shoulders and said, "Wear something thicker first." His voice was as steady as ever, but Su Lin noticed that his fingers stayed on Xingchen's shoulder for a moment longer.

A Yan finished his porridge in a few mouthfuls, and when he stood up, he rubbed Su Ling's hair and said, "Don't worry, I'm here. Even if the sky falls, I can hold it up for you."

Su Lin slapped his hand away, but couldn't help laughing, "You are the best at bragging."

"I'm not bragging." A Yan came closer, a serious look on his bronze face, "I mean what I say."

They walked together toward the vegetable garden. The grass beneath their feet was covered with a thin layer of frost, making a crackling sound when they stepped on it. Most of the radish leaves had withered, with only a few green ones still stubbornly standing.

Su Lin squatted down and used his hands to push aside the dead leaves, revealing the bright red radish heads underneath. His fingers shivered as soon as they touched the soil - the soil was even colder than he had imagined.

"Let me do it." Lei Qing had crouched beside him at some point, his large hands easily grasping the radish leaves and, with a slight effort, pulling the entire radish out. Crumbs of dirt splashed onto Su Lin's face, and Lei Qing naturally wiped them away with his thumb.

This movement was too gentle, forming a sharp contrast with Lei Qing's usual cold and hard image. Su Lin was stunned, and his ears felt slightly hot.

"Wow! This one's huge!" Xingchen exclaimed excitedly, holding up a carrot not far away. The boy, chubby and wearing a thick cotton-padded jacket, scurried around the vegetable patch like a busy little animal.

A Yan teased him while working, "Be careful, don't fall down."

"I won't!" Xingchen retorted unconvincedly, but he slipped as soon as he finished speaking. Just as he was about to fall, Mu Lin reached out and caught him.

"Focus," Mu Lin said softly, brushing the dirt off Xingchen's trouser legs. A faint blue light shone from his fingertips, and a warm current instantly dispelled the boy's chill.

Su Lin watched this scene, and the uneasiness in his heart eased a little. No matter what happened, as long as they were together, they could always find a way.

Around noon, tiny snowflakes began to fall. At first, they were scattered specks, but soon they became a heavy, fluttering curtain of snow. The wind picked up, howling across the valley and tinkling the wind chimes under the eaves.

"Come inside." Lei Qing looked up at the sky. "This snow won't stop."

They returned to the house with their harvested radishes. Mu Lin immediately lit a fire in the fireplace, the dancing flames dispelling the chill that seeped in through the cracks in the door. A Yan busied himself checking the seals on the windows, plugging any leaks with old cloth.

Su Lin and Xingchen were sorting the freshly harvested vegetables in the kitchen. The boy's fingers were red from the cold, but he still carefully wiped the dirt off each radish.

"Are your hands cold?" Su Lin held Xingchen's hand and rubbed it gently to keep him warm.

Xingchen shook his head, his eyes sparkling. "It's not cold. Brother Su Lin, how long do you think this snow will last?"

"I don't know." Su Lin said honestly, "But no matter what, we will be safe."

By dusk, the snow had piled up thickly. The world was dyed pure white, and only the outline of the distant mountains could be vaguely discerned. The wind blew even harder, and occasionally the sound of branches snapping under the weight of the snow could be heard.

After dinner, everyone gathered around the fireplace. Lei Qing sharpened a new hunting knife, A Yan maintained his weapon, and Mu Lin read a worn medical book by the firelight. Xingchen leaned against Su Lin, already feeling drowsy.

"Go to sleep." Su Lin said softly to the boy.

Stardust rubbed his eyes and shook his head, "I want to stay a little longer."

A Yan put down the work in his hands and sat down on the other side of Su Lin. "How about I tell you a story?"

"Come on," Mu Lin said without looking up, "all your stories are about fighting or snatching things. Don't scare the children."

"Who said that!" A Yan was unconvinced, "I have a heartwarming story too, okay?"

Lei Qing looked up at them, his lips curled up slightly. The fire cast a flickering light and shadow on his angular face, making him look much softer than usual.

Finally, Xingchen couldn't hold on any longer and fell asleep on Su Lin's shoulder. Su Lin gently adjusted his posture, letting the boy rest his head on his legs, and took a blanket to cover him.

"You've spoiled him." Lei Qing said in a low voice, but there was no blame in his tone.

Su Lin smiled, his fingers unconsciously combing Xingchen's hair, "He's still a child."

The wood in the fireplace crackled, and the warm firelight cast the shadows of the five people on the wall, interweaving them together. In this isolated valley, on this night surrounded by wind and snow, this cabin became the only safe haven in the apocalypse.

It was late at night, and the snow was still falling. Su Lin helped the sleeping Xingchen back to his room and carefully tucked in the quilt for him. When he returned to the living room, he found that the other three were still awake.

Mu Lin was checking the herb inventory, her long silver-blue hair gleaming softly in the firelight. A Yan idly fiddled with a homemade gadget, while Lei Qing stood by the window, gazing out at the endless snow.

"This snow is unusual." Mu Lin suddenly spoke, his voice soft but clear in the quiet night. "I can feel the energy in the air is very chaotic."

A Yan raised his head and asked, "What do you mean?"

"This means this might not be an ordinary snowstorm." Lei Qing turned around, his face solemn. "Mu Lin's intuition is rarely wrong."

Su Lin walked over to Lei Qing and peered outside through the icy glass. He could see nothing but the howling wind and snow. But he could sense some unknown danger approaching.

"No matter what," he whispered, "we're in this together."

Lei Qing's gaze fell on his face, his eyes, always sharp as an eagle, appearing particularly profound in the darkness. He reached out and gently grasped Su Lin's wrist. The movement was gentle, almost restrained, but the warmth from his palm was incredibly real.

"Go to sleep," Lei Qing said, "I'll keep watch tonight."

A Yan immediately jumped up and said, "I'll accompany you!"

Mu Lin also stood up, "Me too..."

"No need." Lei Qing interrupted them, "You all go and rest. We'll need everyone to be in top condition tomorrow."

In the end, Su Lin was the one who stayed. He had a good reason to convince the others—he had slept the most today and was the most awake right now. But the real reason was that he didn't want Lei Qing to face this long snowy night alone.

When everyone else had gone back to their rooms, they were the only two left in the living room. The fire in the fireplace had grown smaller, so Lei Qing added a few more sticks. In the flickering flames, their shadows flickered gently on the wall.

"What are you worried about?" Su Lin asked softly.

Lei Qing sat down in front of the fireplace and motioned for Su Lin to sit beside him. The two sat side by side, their knees occasionally touching.

"This kind of weather has been mentioned in the records of the Northern Base." Lei Qing's voice was low, as if he was afraid to disturb the tranquility of the night. "The last time it happened was twenty years ago. The snow fell for three whole months."

Su Lin held his breath, "What happened next?"

"The population of the northern base has dropped by one-third." Lei Qing said calmly, but Su Lin could hear the heaviness in his tone. "They either froze to death or starved to death. Since then, they have built an underground city."

Su Lin was silent for a moment. He recalled what he had seen at the northern base: those buildings buried deep underground, and those strict material rationing systems. It turned out that they were all designed to deal with such disasters.

"We are better prepared than them." Su Lin finally said, "We have enough food, firewood, and Mu Lin's special ability."

Lei Qing turned to look at him. In the flickering firelight, Su Lin's face appeared exceptionally gentle, his eyes, always filled with a gentle smile, now filled with determination.

"You're always like this." Lei Qing's voice was filled with a barely perceptible tenderness. "Even in the darkest times, you can still see the light."

Su Lin was slightly stunned, then smiled, "Because you are my light."

The words were spoken softly, but Lei Qing's gaze deepened. He reached out, his rough fingertips gently brushing the side of Su Lin's face. The action was so sudden, yet so natural, that both of them were stunned.

The fire crackled in the fireplace, casting a warm orange glow across the room. Lei Qing's hands were warm, their palms calloused from years of gripping weapons, a rough yet reassuring touch.

Su Lin didn't shy away. He lowered his eyes, feeling his heartbeat quicken. On this snowy night, at this moment of potential life-or-death struggle, the emotions he'd been hiding deep in his heart suddenly became clear.

"When the snow stops," Lei Qing said in a low voice, "I have something to tell you."

Su Lin raised his head and met those deep eyes. He nodded gently, "Okay."

At this moment, the wind and snow outside seemed to have gone away.