Seeing her parents full of vigor again, Qin Jiao turned around, got ready, ate breakfast, and prepared to head out.

But when she pushed the door open, she realized it had snowed so heavily. The snow in the yard had already been cleared by the diligent Qin Zhonghui, but it was still quite deep outside the main gate.

Qin Jiao heard a swishing sound and turned her head to see Shen Yi from next door shoveling snow, huffing and puffing. He was wearing that familiar scarf.

Shoveling snow might seem like a simple chore, but Qin Jiao remembered how this "young master" had been in her past life. Back then, he could step right over a toppled oil bottle without batting an eye, not even bothering to pick it up.

But now, he not only helped Mr. Du with simple things—like making congee, heating up dishes, and washing bowls—but he also took care of all the physical labor around the house, like shoveling the snow.

Su Yun had even mentioned before that while Xiao Yi seemed quiet and reserved, he was incredibly hardworking. Whenever she went over to help Mr. Du, if Shen Yi was home, he would pitch in as well.

Comparing her impression of Shen Yi from her past life to the person he was now, it was like he were two completely different people.

Shen Yi saw Qin Jiao, too. He looked up, wiping the sweat from his forehead. "Heading out? The snow is pretty thick. It’ll probably be tough to ride your bike."

Qin Jiao glanced at the snow, which in some places came nearly up to her calves. "Yeah," she said. "Looks like I’ll have to walk. If I leave now, I should still make it on time."

"Okay, wait for me for a couple of minutes. I’m almost done." Shen Yi quickly swept a path from his yard to the main gate. After calling a goodbye to his grandfather, he grabbed his schoolbag and came out to walk with Qin Jiao.

They walked with about half an arm’s length between their shoulders, the snow crunching under their feet.

The sun shone on the silvery snow, casting a golden glow. It was a bit dazzling at first glance, but also looked pristine and beautiful.

Because the snow was so heavy, there were hardly any cars on the road; most people were traveling on foot. Qin Jiao knew, however, that by the time they got out of school that evening, the snow would be packed down and even harder to walk on.

Anyone trying to ride a bike would be slipping and falling all over the place.

After all, Ping’an Town was just a small county town. Snow removal was never very prompt, and they certainly didn’t have the professional snowplows that would become common later. A bike ride that normally took fifteen to twenty minutes would now take them ages to walk.

Qin Jiao sighed.

’We’re probably going to be late.’

"It’s fine," Shen Yi said. "A lot of people will probably be late today. As long as we don’t miss the first class, we’ll be okay."

It was as if Shen Yi could read her mind; the moment she sighed, he knew what she was worried about. 𝓯𝙧𝙚𝒆𝙬𝙚𝒃𝙣𝙤𝒗𝓮𝓵.𝙘𝙤𝙢

Qin Jiao froze for a second. She wasn’t sure what to call their current status—more than friends, but not quite lovers. She didn’t want to be his girlfriend, though, and hoped he only saw her as a friend.

Qin Jiao said tentatively, "There’s a nice poem by Xu Zhimo. You should check it out sometime."

"Which one?"

"’By Chance.’"

"..."

Shen Yi was quiet for a few seconds, though it wasn’t exactly a silence. He said softly, "Okay, I’ll check it out later."

’Qin Jiao felt a little relieved. She had been so clear with her hints, both subtle and direct. If Shen Yi had any sense at all, he would give up now, even if he did have some feelings for her.’

’As for Shen Yi’s friendship, however, she wouldn’t refuse that. She wasn’t so petty that she couldn’t at least be his friend for their senior year.’

By the time they reached the school, they saw that plenty of other students hadn’t gone inside yet. Shen Yi had been right. The heavy snowfall had caught everyone by surprise, making many people late—even some of the teachers.