There was a snowfall on New Year’s Eve 2014. Initially the snow wasn’t that heavy, but the Shicheng municipal government canceled the New Year’s fireworks show. Young people keen on New Year’s rituals complained loudly, all finding other entertainment. KTV was the first choice, dance halls and bars were almost packed full, and quite a few simply went to nearby tourist cities.

Sun Xi and Yu Jiuqi were among them. They decided to go to Yanji, already a popular online cultural tourism city at that time, to see the New Year folk show, eat authentic Korean food, and what attracted them most was that there would be a larger-scale fireworks display there.

That’s right—they hadn’t planned to elope at first.

Elopement was the crime assigned to them after the accident occurred, when no one believed they simply wanted to complete this ritual.

It seemed only this rebellious crime name carrying a sense of taboo could explain why they defied their parents’ demands, secretly left home, and caused a disaster.

However, they didn’t dislike this term. To some degree, that night they did want to rebel once, wanted to resist once, wanted to use this insignificant escape to prove they had the courage to overturn fate.

“Sun Xi, let’s just play in Yanji for three or four days!”

Fifteen-year-old Yu Jiuqi strode through the rustling snow like small rice grains, turning back to ask Sun Xi with a smile. Her black wool hat was dotted with sparse snowflakes, her plump cheeks frozen into two patches of light red, the corners of her eyes curved. Under the winter night, her eyes were blazingly bright.

“Then you’re not going to school?”

“I have New Year’s holiday! Silly!”

Sun Xi lowered his head and smiled, smiling naturally. At seventeen, Sun Xi was no longer so gloomy. Occasionally he’d think he wasn’t so terrible, and even—he secretly glanced at the girl walking ahead happily—when she was by his side, he felt lucky.

Yu Jiuqi turned back again to look at him: “Is it okay or not?”

Sun Xi thought about it: “What about your parents?”

“I’ll tell them once we get on the bus.”

“What if they get angry?”

“Who cares.”

“What if your mom hits you again?”

“Who cares.”

Xiao Jiu suddenly stopped: “Do you not want to?”

“No.”

“Then are you afraid of Wen Wen? Or are you afraid of Brother Erkai? Or are you afraid your grandmother will force you to go to prison again?”

Sun Xi smiled and said loudly: “Who cares about them!”

The snow gradually grew heavier, but there was no wind. The temperature wasn’t too low. They hummed out-of-tune popular songs, without avoiding anyone, walking openly side by side toward the bus station in Shicheng’s western suburbs.

New Year’s Eve streets were lively, with cars constantly roaring past. Sun Xi strode over, putting his arm around Xiao Jiu’s shoulder, moving her to the inside. His hand didn’t let go again.

Xiao Jiu secretly glanced at him and dodged her shoulder. As his hand fell away, she took the initiative to hold it.

This was the first time they’d met after being used as revenge tools by their parents, after each enduring three months of torment and depression.

They didn’t complain about hardships, didn’t grumble once, didn’t even mention that period. They just suddenly didn’t want to hide anymore. At least tonight, they wanted to be more open and honest.

We haven’t done anything wrong—why should we pay for past grievances?

That’s what they thought at the time.

When they arrived at the bus station, it was exactly eight o’clock. They bought tickets for the 8:40 bus—they’d arrive in Yanji before 11 o’clock, just in time to see the fireworks.

The western suburbs bus terminal was privately operated, running only a few provincial routes. Regular buses had all stopped running at this hour. Yu Jiuqi didn’t have an ID card and couldn’t buy train tickets, so they could only go this way.

The ticket lady tore off two thin tickets and handed them over, saying wait for a while first. If it’s cold, go to the billiards hall next door. When it’s time, they’ll call you.

The billiards hall was two shops connected, very spacious. One side had several billiard tables with a group of young people playing. The other side had several rows of paid waiting seats where you could watch TV, with drinks, snacks, and sausages sold beside it.

Sun Xi chose two seats near the edge. After Xiao Jiu sat down, he said he’d go buy two hot drinks. During the wait, amid the noisy clamor, he heard a whistle with a frivolous trailing note.

At first he paid no attention, but then a familiar rough voice followed.

“Yu Jiuqi!”

Sun Xi turned around, following the sound, looking across several rows of noisy scattered seats to the other side, seeing Yuan Xuan who’d fought with him since childhood and had already dropped out to mess around.

Yuan Xuan stood holding a pool cue, looking at Xiao Jiu: “You’re alone?”

Sun Xi picked up the two drinks and strode over, directly giving Yu Jiuqi one cup, then looked over coolly, his eyes cold.

Xiao Jiu paid no attention at all to Yuan Xuan’s frivolous call and wasn’t afraid. Yuan Xuan’s father, Brother Dacheng, had formed a grudge with Yu Kaixuan when they were young, so he especially loved to provoke Yu Jiuqi since childhood. But it was all just minor harassment—if you ignored him, he had no recourse.

But today was different. Yuan Xuan looked at the two people holding matching ginger teas, swore under his breath, muttered that they really were dating, then turned his head and said something to a tall bald guy at his table.

That bald guy looked a few years older than them, seemingly nearsighted, squinting as he sized them up. Then he put down his cue, his steps unhurried, and walked toward Sun Xi.

Sun Xi stood beside Xiao Jiu, his thin tall body blocking her.

Thinking he was coming to compete, that bald guy suddenly nodded at Sun Xi after approaching, extending a large long hand, smiling wanly: “Hello, just call me Chen Hua, pleased to meet you.”

Sun Xi sized him up, not believing this politeness had any good intentions. On the contrary, those eyes that were extremely cold even when smiling, like a snake with no warmth, made him think of another person and made him especially alert.

Sure enough, that bald guy withdrew his hand and said: “I’m a fan of your father. I’ve watched that episode about your father over and over many times. He’s really a charismatic person.”

“Compared to that mastermind, I admire your father more.”

“Especially that poem—written so well.”

Then squinting, observing Sun Xi: “Has anyone ever told you that you and he…”

Sun Xi’s expression soured. Just as he was about to interrupt, Yu Jiuqi sitting beside him poked her head out, raised her head, and crisply snatched the words.

“He’s not like him.” Xiao Jiu glanced at that bald guy. “Thank you, he’s not like him.”

That bald guy bent down, tilted his head, and looked at Xiao Jiu intently, as if only noticing her now, his eyes inquiring. Yuan Xuan beside him understood and said something in his ear. His voice wasn’t small—Sun Xi heard it clearly, heard Yuan Xuan introduce her, saying she was the niece of the girl who died.

Then Sun Xi saw that bald guy’s eyes, devoid of warmth, slowly widen, revealing a trace of unexpected scarlet. He became more alert, shifting a step to block Yu Jiuqi.

“Do you need something?”

Yuan Xuan said: “Play a game together?”

“I’m not available.”

Yuan Xuan pursed his lips: “Brother Huazi wants to make friends with you.”

Sun Xi looked at the bald guy. Sensing it wouldn’t be easy to shake them off, he was silent for a moment and said: “I need to go out. When I come back.”

The bald guy asked: “Are you two going together?”

Sun Xi didn’t answer.

The bald guy suddenly went around him, lowering his head to look at Yu Jiuqi: “Aren’t you afraid?”

Xiao Jiu was baffled, retorting: “What should I be afraid of?”

The bald guy glanced at Sun Xi: “Not afraid of him?”

Xiao Jiu glared at him, thinking he was sick.

The bald guy smiled: “Interesting.”

Yu Jiuqi was annoyed. She shot up, tugging at Sun Xi’s sleeve. Sun Xi understood and also wanted to leave first. But before they could walk away, a middle-aged man dressed as a driver in a long thick cotton coat walked in, wrapped in cold air, saying the snow had gotten heavy outside, the roads were closed, they couldn’t leave tonight—everyone should go refund their tickets.

The crowd erupted in clamor. Everyone waving their little tickets, cursing and asking questions one after another. The driver shouted loudly that he had no solution either—if they couldn’t go, they couldn’t go. All routes were closed. Being anxious was useless. Who wasn’t anxious? He also wanted to make money. Everyone should hurry home. With such heavy snow, even taxis would be impossible to catch.

Sun Xi pulled Yu Jiuqi, saying let’s go.

Xiao Jiu turned her head slightly at the door, not seeing those two guys Yuan Xuan and the other.

But inexplicably felt a pair of ice-cold eyes staring at her.

Sun Xi held Yu Jiuqi’s hand, trying to hail a car on the road beside the station.

The snow had indeed gotten heavier. The sky hung low. Dense large snowflakes appeared especially glaring under the dark night sky. Though falling silently, they made people’s hearts anxious.

Taxis on New Year’s Eve were already in demand, and with buses stopping en masse, supply couldn’t meet demand. They couldn’t bring themselves to be shameless, couldn’t compete with those uncles and aunties with families cutting in line. After standing outside for over half an hour, they gained nothing.

Actually they could walk back, but to reach the city they’d have to pass through a wasteland. Coming over it was fine, but for some reason, Sun Xi didn’t dare risk it now.

He turned his head, seeing Xiao Jiu’s face frozen red, and took off the gray scarf from his neck, covering her face and wrapping it around her once more.

Xiao Jiu looked at his white crew-neck sweater, the exposed skin. Snowflakes landing on it instantly disappeared and melted.

“Aren’t you cold?”

His Adam’s apple rolled up and down: “Not cold.”

Suddenly a car stopped behind them, honking twice—sounding cheap and shrill.

“Want us to give you a ride?”

Sun Xi turned around—it was still Yuan Xuan’s group. There was one more person driving. Yuan Xuan sat in the passenger seat. The one speaking was that bald guy in the back, making room for two empty seats, smiling with pursed lips, looking at Sun Xi.

“No need!” Xiao Jiu pulled the scarf down slightly and shouted at them.

“Alright.”

They drove off.

Sun Xi became more anxious. He saw a taxi parked diagonally across with a passenger inside. He told Xiao Jiu to wait a moment while he went to ask if they could share. After speaking, he hurriedly dodged two cars and crossed the road.

The passenger inside wasn’t going their way. Sun Xi said they could drop the other person off first—he could help pay the fare too. Please help out. That passenger saw he was truly anxious, and the driver also said nice things. Finally they agreed.

Sun Xi smiled and said thank you, wanting to call Yu Jiuqi. Turning his head, the road across was empty.

His heart jumped in alarm. He looked around in panic, then ran back. Still no one.

Only messy tire tracks and footprints remained on the ground.

“Sun Xi!”

A scream cut through the dense snow, as if layered, attacking from all directions. He held his breath, suppressing the fear spreading up his chest, carefully discerning, then ran toward a narrow alley behind the station.

Just entering the alley entrance, he saw a familiar gray bundle on the ground—the scarf he’d just wrapped around Yu Jiuqi. His scarf.

Snow had already fallen in a shallow layer. The narrow alley was dim, the snow bright as a lamp, clearly showing messy footsteps on the ground. He lowered his head, following that mess all the way forward.

At the end of the alley, he saw another familiar thing—the black wool hat Xiao Jiu was wearing.

“Sun Xi!”

He raised his head. The sound wasn’t far. He started running.

Feeling hot, he simply took off his coat, leaving only the crew-neck white sweater inside.

All the way following the deliberately left clues, he chased to a small hillside behind the end of the alley. That hillside was piled with nearby construction waste. Sun Xi casually picked up two broken bricks and climbed up. After a few steps, he saw Xiao Jiu being dragged by them and placed on a flat bottom.

The surroundings were pitch black, almost no one around. The brightest light was at the station several hundred meters away. He knew there was no time to seek help from anyone. He strode over and fiercely threw the two bricks.

One brick aimed at the bald guy’s head gripping Yu Jiuqi’s neck, but he nimbly dodged his head and avoided it.

One brick accurately hit the back of Yuan Xuan’s head. He clutched his head, swearing viciously in pain.

“If you take one more step forward, I’ll strip off one piece of her clothing!” That bald guy crouched behind Xiao Jiu, pinching her neck, saying to Sun Xi.

Sun Xi didn’t hear clearly and strode forward again. Yuan Xuan suddenly crouched down, pulling open Yu Jiuqi’s down jacket zipper, stripping it off inside out. Then hearing that scream that shattered his heart, Sun Xi stopped.

Only then did he dare to look down tremblingly, seeing her already terrified face. Not a single tear had fallen. Shaking, she raised her head and stared at him blankly.

Snow fell on her face, taking a long time to melt.

Sun Xi steadied himself, recovering some rationality. He knew clearly this bald guy’s target wasn’t simply Yu Jiuqi. He’d deliberately left those obvious clues along the way, plus those inexplicable words in the billiards hall—all showing that what he cared about most was Sun Xi.

Sun Xi had encountered this kind of person before. Since that CCTV legal program episode aired, whether online or in life, many perverted fanatic fans of Sun Yuwen found him through various channels. Besides wanting to befriend him, there were those who wanted to give money, take photos, date him, even invite him to imitate committing crimes together.

And this person—Sun Xi had an intuition he inclined toward the last category.

“I really admire your father.” Sure enough, he emphasized again. “He’s an artist. Don’t you think so? To be able to write that kind of masterpiece at a murder scene—aren’t you proud?”

Sun Xi felt nauseated, enduring it to say: “What exactly do you want?”

“Want to discuss art with you.”

Sun Xi was more certain of his judgment: “Let her go first. I’ll discuss it with you alone.”

“How can that work? She’s very important. If not for her aunt, could Sun Yuwen have written that poem?” His hand on Xiao Jiu’s neck loosened somewhat. His eyes excitedly stared at Sun Xi, commanding:

“Come, listen to me. I’ll strip off one piece of her clothing, you compose one line of poetry. If you finish before I strip her naked, she might be luckier than her aunt.”

Sun Xi felt like vomiting, clenching his fists: “I can’t.”

“Then recite your father’s poem!”

“I don’t remember it.”

The bald guy’s hand tightened.

Sun Xi’s whole body tensed, looking at him viciously: “I really don’t remember.” Then said, “Something else okay?”

“What else?”

At this time, Yuan Xuan still rubbing his head glared at Sun Xi, saying your fucking hands are so loose, how about we chop them off! Sun Xi froze, not making a sound.

That bald guy thought he was scared, thought it was a good way to control him. He exchanged a glance with the driving companion sitting on a rock beside them. That person understood, pulled out a spring knife from his pocket, and threw it over.

The bald guy casually said: “One finger is enough.”

Yu Jiuqi saw Sun Xi looking down at that spring knife and suddenly panicked, shouting no! Then kicking her legs, struggling to get up, saying no, absolutely not!

The bald guy couldn’t hold her for a moment. Yuan Xuan also came over to help, pressing her legs, holding her hands, making her unable to move.

The bald guy grabbed Xiao Jiu’s hair, pulling her head back, leaning down to stare at her coldly, saying are you cheap or what, why do you care about him? You’re even dating him, you like him? Love him? Do you know what the case was about back then, do you know what his father and them did to your aunt? And you’re not afraid? You’re really not afraid? If you’re not afraid, I’ll let you see, let you experience it!

“I’ll cut it.” Sun Xi loudly interrupted him.

Everyone looked over, seeing him pick up that spring knife, half-kneeling on the ground, opening it, pressing it against his right index finger.

Xiao Jiu desperately called to him, crying for help, but her mouth was tightly covered. Her vision blurred—she couldn’t tell if her eyes held snow or tears. In the icy coldness, she saw his equally hazy gaze.

“Cut it!”

“Hurry up!”

He lowered his head, finger in front of him, the sharpest side of the spring knife pressed on it. Arching his body, he paused, then forcefully pressed hard. Almost instantly, drops of red viscous liquid fell onto his white sweater.

Then, gritting his teeth, he pressed hard again, fiercely turning a circle, then another circle…

Silence all around, only his rough breathing mixed with pain. Yu Jiuqi’s mind went blank, but she could feel the force controlling her getting smaller. Everyone was scared stupid.

Sun Xi’s waist bent down further. His strength seemed almost exhausted. Yu Jiuqi blinked, suddenly bursting out with a surge of strength. Taking advantage of their distraction, she forcefully broke free, randomly picked up a large cement block beside her, found a person at random, and smashed down.

She didn’t know who she was hitting at all, didn’t know what the consequences would be. She just told herself she couldn’t stop. Keep smashing. Can’t stop.

If she stopped, that finger would really be ruined.

She closed her eyes, concentrating fully, counting numbers. One smash, one count. Until counting to seven, she completely lost strength in her hand. The eighth time she barely raised it, the cement block slid down from her hand.

Then she just stood there, feeling the deathly silence around her.

Next, as if in a dream, she heard someone calling her, over and over.

The voice from far to near, gradually clear. Like just waking from a dream, she opened her eyes and looked at the person before her. She saw him kneeling, unable to straighten from pain, his left hand tightly gripping his right index finger, his white sweater a bright red patch.

He called her: “Yu Jiuqi, Xiao Jiu…”

Xiao Jiu crouched down. Only then did she see his face clearly. His already dark complexion now had not a trace of blood color, only terrifying pallor remained. He looked so ugly.

“Jiu, listen to me. It’s okay, it’s okay.”

That ugly face chattered on.

“Listen to me. It wasn’t you, you didn’t do it. It was me, understand? It was me.”

What was he saying?

Xiao Jiu followed his gaze and saw a person lying on the ground, a pool of blood on his head, his whole body motionless. She recognized him—it was Yuan Xuan.

Then she suddenly gasped sharply.

At this time, the phone in her pocket rang. She took it out, but her hand was shaking too much. The phone fell to the ground. The caller ID was especially bright in the dark night—it was Yu Kaixuan calling.

Sun Xi glanced at Xiao Jiu. Using that bloody hand, he picked it up, lying right there on the ground, voice trembling, explaining in the most concise way everything they’d suffered.

Coming back to her senses, Yu Kaixuan and Wen Wen had already arrived.

Xiao Jiu stood beside, seeing someone crying, someone shouting, seeing Sun Xi still kneeling in the snow, getting scolded one moment, beaten the next.

An ambulance seemed to come. Wen Wen followed the doctor, carrying Yuan Xuan away first.

Not far away was the sound of police cars. Yu Kaixuan pulled Xiao Jiu’s arm, standing high before Sun Xi, harshly saying something. Sun Xi nodded crying, agreeing to everything.

Then like dragging a soulless paper doll, Yu Kaixuan pulled her away first. Midway, Xiao Jiu stumbled and fell. Turning back, she saw him prostrate there, a layer of white snow fallen on him, his whole person motionless, like a tombstone merged with the snowy ground.

It was at that moment Yu Jiuqi suddenly woke, shook off her father, and ran back.

She ran to that tombstone and knelt before him.

He raised his head. She looked at him.

They gazed at each other for a long time, saying nothing.

Heavy snow still falling. Wind suddenly rose.

Snowflakes slapped their faces with the wind, rustling loudly.

2014 passed silently in their mutual gaze.

……

Nine years later, the end of 2023.

On Yu Jiuqi’s birthday, her team leader gave her half a day off.

Mainly because of the kidnapping case she’d just experienced with no real danger, the bank bore some responsibility, so they specially took care of her.

After work, she stood at the intersection near the bank for a long time.

Wang Huan, who’d just finished lunch, saw her and came over to ask: “Why haven’t you gone home yet?”

Xiao Jiu smiled.

“Didn’t you say your parents were going to celebrate your birthday?”

“Right.”

“Didn’t you book a big restaurant?”

“Mm.”

“Hurry back. The wind is so strong.”

A fierce strong wind struck, blowing her hair into disarray. Xiao Jiu still stood there, looking forward into the wind.

She suddenly became curious, wanting to see what the wind brought.

Besides hatred, what else would winter wind bring?

Then suddenly, she turned and walked in the opposite direction.

She walked to a nearby hotel, bypassed the front desk, entered the elevator, went up to the third floor, and stood before a room in the middle.

Knocked on the door.

Soon, the door opened.

Sun Xi in a white short-sleeved T-shirt, sweatpants, his hair messy, lazily standing at the door.

“Aren’t you going home?”

“I was supposed to.”

“Aren’t you supposed to celebrate your birthday with your family?”

“I was supposed to.”

“What happened?”

Yu Jiuqi thought of everything she’d just felt in that winter wind. Her heart sour, she hesitated a moment before saying.

“…The wind was too strong.”

Sun Xi looked at her, went over, gripped her wrist, and forcefully pulled her in.

The door slammed heavily shut.