Once fully dressed, Xiao Yu took Ye Qingli to a less crowded area to ski, so no one would accidentally bump into her.
As soon as Ye Qingli stepped onto the skis, they slid forward involuntarily. She yelped, "Mom!" and quickly hooked her arm around Xiao Yu's elbow. He couldn't help laughing. "Ye Qingli, you're scared just because the boards moved a little? Can you have some backbone?"
"Let me practice with you for a bit, get used to it."
With so many people around, she'd definitely fall if she lost control. She tightened her grip on his arm.
So Xiao Yu switched to holding one ski pole and supporting her with the other hand, guiding her forward. Along the way, he kept correcting her form—most notably, she needed to bend her knees. Hers were as stiff as a zombie's. How was she supposed to ski like that?
Ye Qingli quickly adjusted her posture. After a while, she was able to let go of his hand and glide forward on her own.
"Not bad. You've got some talent." Xiao Yu stepped onto his own skis and caught up to her.
"Of course! I can learn anything after one try." Ye Qingli raised an eyebrow smugly, even flashing a backward peace sign, showing off.
Xiao Yu laughed. "Can't you be a little modest?"
"No."
Despite her bravado, Ye Qingli had to admit that skiing well was largely thanks to Xiao Yu. Just like he'd said on the way there, he was only teasing her. He stayed by her side the whole time, pulling her up before she could fall. He was way more reliable than her dad.
Eventually, she could balance on her own, no longer needing to hold his hand. She let the wind carry her down the slope, beginning to enjoy the white expanse of snow and the bright blue sky.
In a daze, she turned to look at the young man beside her. The sunlight was just right, reflecting off his white ski suit. Ye Qingli felt that he always carried an air of cool arrogance, both intimidating and distant, yet somehow captivating. She couldn't help but be drawn to him.
She had once been so sure when she told him they had no future, even proposing a one-year deadline to make him back off. But here she was, confessing to him in the fourth month, kissing him right after they got together, meeting the parents, and doing all the most intimate things.
She had truly shot herself in the foot.
Ye Qingli smiled to herself. She suddenly realized she might never have this feeling again.
This racing heartbeat—only he could give it to her.
If possible, she wanted to be with him forever.
Never apart.
...
As the resort was about to close, Ye Qingli was a bit tired. She glanced at her butt cushion—it was still clean, barely touched by snow. Completely useless.
"What a waste of money," she clicked her tongue.
Xiao Yu smiled slightly. "What, did you want to fall?"
"Forget it." Ye Qingli laughed too.
They left the ski resort, quickly packed up, and headed to Snow Town.
The drive took over two hours. Since she hadn't slept much the night before, Ye Qingli fell asleep leaning on Xiao Yu's shoulder soon after they got in the car. She clung to him, holding his hand, her expression gentle and trusting.
He shifted to make her more comfortable. Nighttime was the easiest time to catch a cold, but luckily he had taken a blanket out of their luggage. He tucked it around her neck, wrapping her up snugly.
The driver glanced in the rearview mirror and said quietly, "You take good care of your girlfriend."
Xiao Yu never took his eyes off the girl beside him. The faint fragrance of her hair surrounded him. From his angle, he could only see the tip of her nose. He looked up and gave a small smile, replying just as softly, "I really like her."
"Are you going to get married?" the driver asked.
"Barring any accidents, yes." His answer was firm.
This was the first time he had ever liked a girl this much.
Of course, he hoped they would have a happy ending.
"What kind of accidents?" The driver's hands paused on the wheel. They looked like college students. What accidents could happen to college students? Probably just a loss of interest later on. And from the way they acted, they seemed to be in the honeymoon phase. Who knew? Maybe in a while, they'd get bored and part ways. No one could say for sure.
But then he heard the person in the backseat say, "Unless I die."
Maybe those words were too heavy, so heavy that the driver almost laughed. He tapped his fingers on the steering wheel, thinking, 'How old are you? There are so many people out there, all kinds. What is novelty? In time, feelings fade. There will always be someone better than the one beside you. Life is a series of choices. It's all about what you choose.'
In this age of fast-food relationships, finding pure, lasting love is hard.
Like finding a needle in a haystack.
The driver spoke from experience. When he was with his first love, he thought the same way. But he only felt a moment of nostalgia, because now he had a family and children. He loved them very much.
As the sun set, the car sped down the icy road. Two little sparrows huddled together on a telephone pole. The driver glanced at them, then back at the road, and said to Xiao Yu, "I sincerely wish you happiness."
"Thank you."