The Secret of Why Lin Meng Hates Winter

Lin Meng had assumed the two plane tickets Huo Yi mentioned were economy class, as usual. She checked—they cost over four thousand yuan, a third of her monthly salary.

Actually, it was fine. Over the past few months, thanks to meals from Yun Huaizhu and Huo Yi, she hadn't spent much on food, so a round trip to Switzerland was still within her budget. Most importantly, she genuinely wanted to use this trip to sort out their relationship.

Huo Yi had said she'd send someone to pick her up, so Lin Meng got up two hours early to pack. She didn't really need to bring much—she'd been on business trips before and knew what to pack for a long journey. As for ski equipment, she could rent it there.

Right—the ski resort there was probably freezing, wasn't it?

With that thought, Lin Meng added her thickest down jacket and windbreaker to her luggage.

She really didn't like cold places, and yet, ironically, pure, flawless snow was her favorite thing.

Lin Meng had woken up quite early, so after packing, she lay on the bed with her eyes closed, resting. Just then, she heard a WeChat notification.

Lin Meng thought it might be Yun Huaizhu sending a good morning message, so she checked her phone. It wasn't. A friend request had popped up in her notifications. The profile picture was blank, and the username was just a period: “.”

Wondering if it was a mistake, Lin Meng tapped into the account to read the message attached to the request.

“.”: [Little Lin-jie, this is Cen Jingshu. Could you please accept my request?]

When Lin Meng saw that message, her pupils dilated. She stared, wide-eyed and disbelieving, reading the message over and over.

Cen Jingshu was the girl she'd met at the banquet that day—the one trapped in an arranged marriage. She had her own phone now?

With that thought, Lin Meng quickly accepted the friend request.

She accepted it, but for a moment, she didn't know what to say. Then the girl's chat window popped up with a new message: [Little Lin-jie, can you see my messages?]

Lin Meng snapped back to attention and replied nervously: [Yeah, I see them! Miss Cen, you have your own phone now!]

Cen Jingshu sent a shy cat sticker: [Yes! After I got back that day, I thought about what you said for a long time, and I realized you were absolutely right. So I found a way to save up all the allowance my mom usually gives me. I also secretly sold some of my pretty dresses and bags through someone, and I saved up quite a bit. A month ago, while the people watching me weren't paying attention, I slipped out.]

When Lin Meng read that, her breath caught. She'd taught Cen Jingshu to lie so she could get a phone—not to run away from home!

A young girl who'd never experienced the world, suddenly running out of her greenhouse—she'd definitely be tricked by bad people!

Lin Meng panicked and tried to type, but no matter how she typed, it felt too slow. So she held down the voice button: “Miss Cen, when I told you that you should have your own private space, I didn't mean for you to run away from home. You're still young—there's plenty of time to go out and explore the world... How about you go home and take a look first? Or at least let your family know you're safe?”

About a minute later, a video call notification popped up on Cen Jingshu's page. Lin Meng hesitated for two seconds, then pressed accept—though she didn't turn on her own camera.

Cen Jingshu's fair, doll-like face instantly appeared on screen. After adjusting the angle, she stepped back a few paces.

Lin Meng could now see clearly: behind Cen Jingshu were rows upon rows of beautiful little dresses—it seemed to be a shop that specialized in selling dresses.

Cen Jingshu stood in the carefully decorated pink little room, smiling at the camera: “Little Lin-jie, don't worry. Before I got my phone, I'd already met quite a few clothing designers online. That circle doesn't think much of people who are young and have no capital, but I happen to have money, so I partnered with a good friend I met and opened a small shop. Don't worry—when I left home, I left a note for my mom. As long as the engagement isn't broken off, I won't go back.”

Lin Meng hadn't expected that at such a young age, Cen Jingshu would handle things so efficiently.

She'd only said those things out of sympathy for Cen Jingshu, who was so young. Now Cen Jingshu had her own shop and the right to make her own life decisions... In half a year, a person could really change that much.

Cen Jingshu was inherently an outstanding person; she'd just been trapped by her family's ideological shackles, unable to free herself. Once she broke out of the cage, she would grow into a free bird.

Seeing that Cen Jingshu wasn't in danger, Lin Meng let out a breath of relief: “Hmm... I was just worried about you, afraid that someone so young going out alone might get cheated. You left home so abruptly—your mom must be using a lot of manpower to find you, and she might even call the police. In the end, your relationship could become very strained. And all of this... is because of me...”

The more she spoke, the guiltier she felt. She'd wanted Cen Jingshu to have more freedom, to have the privacy and the right to make her own life decisions at her age. But she'd never wanted to destroy the bond between Cen Jingshu and her mother...

She'd never imagined things would turn out like this.

Cen Jingshu sensed the self-blame in Lin Meng's voice: “No, Little Lin-jie. The reason I was determined to do all this wasn't just because of what you said. I don't want to get married either—I don't want to spend my whole life with someone I don't love. I like pretty dresses, I like eating cake, and I want to go wherever I want without restraint. It was your words that gave me immense courage. If not for you, I would have been trapped in Jing City my whole life. So once I settled down, the first thing I did was contact you—to say hello and let you know I'm doing well.”

Those words were like a tranquilizer for Lin Meng. She sighed helplessly and shook her head: “Alright then... But I'm still a bit worried about you out there on your own. How about you send me a message every day to let me know you're safe?”

Cen Jingshu didn't refuse. She nodded shyly, then looked up at the camera: “Little Lin-jie, could you turn on your camera? I want to see what you look like now...”

Lin Meng had never been in the habit of turning on her camera during WeChat calls. Last time, it had taken Yun Huaizhu pleading repeatedly before she reluctantly agreed. She always felt uncomfortable with video calls... But this was Cen Jingshu's request, and she couldn't refuse the girl.

After a moment's hesitation, Lin Meng turned on the front camera. When Cen Jingshu saw her, a smile immediately blossomed on her face: “Little Lin-jie looks just the same as when I last saw you. Little Lin-jie, I have a café here too, and the desserts are all delicious. If you have time to come visit, I'll take you around for a whole day for free.”

Lin Meng lowered her head and said softly, “Hmm, of course. I'll definitely come when I have time.”

A young girl's feelings are always hard to hide. When Cen Jingshu saw Lin Meng, her anxious heart finally settled. She began to pour out the turmoil she'd been through: “Little Lin-jie, actually, the first time I left home, I was really scared. I was scared not just because I'd left the home that always sheltered me—I was afraid my family would track me down and force me back into the villa, and the fate waiting for me would be an arranged marriage. Little Lin-jie, thank you. It's because of you that I found the courage to do all this. So don't worry about me—I'll live well.”

Lin Meng patiently listened to everything Cen Jingshu said. Actually, the first time she'd left home for somewhere far, she'd felt the same way. The first time she'd severed that twisted familial bond, she'd also felt both fear and unease.

She'd been afraid that without her mother's protection, she might fare even worse. Her heart had been full of anxiety about an uncertain future.

But later, she discovered that as long as she wanted to, she could live her life well. Even after painfully cutting off what she'd once thought was her mother's overbearing love, she didn't mind anymore—because escaping her mother's control made her feel freer than ever.

Lin Meng let out a relieved laugh: “Hmm, I'm happy for you that you've found a way of life you enjoy.”

...

After Lin Meng finished her call with Cen Jingshu, the car Huo Yi sent arrived. Lin Meng had originally planned to wheel her suitcase downstairs herself, but it turned out Huo Yi hadn't just sent a driver—two assistants had come as well. Following Huo Yi's instructions, they carried Lin Meng's luggage downstairs.

The company had finally given them a long vacation, so Tang Xiaoman from next door had also packed her bags to head back to her hometown. When she saw the stretched Ghost parked at the entrance of the neighborhood, her mouth formed an “O” shape.

Just as she was staring intently at the luxury car, she heard footsteps coming from the neighborhood behind her: “Yi Yi, she's not here yet?”

“The Young Miss is waiting for you at the airport. She also said your things should be handled properly by us—please rest assured.”

Lin Meng nodded slightly at that, but when she saw the stretched luxury car parked at the entrance, she couldn't help but pause. Wait... she was just going to the airport. Was there really a need to ride in something this luxurious?

Then again, she supposed she'd ridden in even more luxurious sports cars before. But this car was just too conspicuous. Every time Yun Huaizhu or Su Yutang pulled her into a luxury car, she wanted to urge them to drive faster—at least to somewhere no one knew her before chatting.

Just as Lin Meng was about to reach the car, Tang Xiaoman, standing not far from the Ghost, called out in disbelief: “Mengmeng, is that you?”

Lin Meng turned at the familiar voice. When Tang Xiaoman saw her face, she was even more shocked.

It really was Lin Meng!

Last time, her friend had picked her up in the latest model Bentley—that was one thing. But this time, she was getting into a car worth tens of millions. And Lin Meng had two people in proper suits following her, like bodyguards.

If she didn't know Lin Meng, she really would have thought Lin Meng was some rich heiress slumming it here to experience the life of a working drone.

Tang Xiaoman ran over. When Lin Meng saw the suitcase behind her, she asked, “Xiaoman, are you going on a trip too?”

Tang Xiaoman shook her head: “No, I'm going back to my hometown.” She paused, then suddenly leaned close to Lin Meng's ear and whispered, “Mengmeng, is it your friend who looks like a celebrity picking you up again this time? She's really rich—even richer than I imagined!”

Lin Meng shook her head slightly: “No, it's another friend. You've met her before too, Xiaoman.”

Tang Xiaoman thought back carefully, then said in shock: “Is it that person who shook my hand last time and called herself Huo Yi? I looked her up when I got back—she's the daughter of the Huo Family Group in this city. Net worth in the tens of billions. Top-tier wealthy family! How do you know someone like that?”

People like that—ordinary workers like them never even got to interact with them!

Lin Meng lowered her head sheepishly: “I met her at a gathering with another friend. They're all really nice, no airs at all.”

Tang Xiaoman was even more astonished. The Huo Family's eldest daughter was already top-tier, and Lin Meng could attend their gatherings. She really was hiding her true self!

Those people were born with silver spoons in their mouths. They came into this world to enjoy life, and in Jing City, they could have whatever they wanted. Whether it was the bad-tempered beauty or the wealthy heiress, they all surrounded Lin Meng.

How could an ordinary person like her possibly compete with those rich young ladies?

Comparing herself, Tang Xiaoman couldn't help but feel inferior. She lowered her eyes and said softly, as if dejected: “Mengmeng, my sister saw how hard I've been working in Jing City, so she bought me a house back home... And I'll probably quit and move back this year.”

Lin Meng was genuinely happy for her: “Oh, that's wonderful! Xiaoman, I'm so envious that you have such a great sister. I still have to work here for a few more months—just thinking about it is exhausting.”

Tang Xiaoman didn't seem happy at Lin Meng's blessing. She looked up with a complicated expression: “I also envy that Mengmeng has so many friends. I know Mengmeng's friends are very rich and have high social status. I can't compare to them at all. But I really do treat you as a friend, because Mengmeng is a very good person...”

Seeing the somewhat sad expression on her face, Lin Meng quickly said, “No, no, Xiaoman, you don't need to compare yourself to them. You're you. Everyone in this world is special and unique. I genuinely treat you as a friend too. Even if we don't work in the same place anymore, I'll keep in touch. I'll be going back to my hometown soon too—you can come visit me when you have time.”

Tang Xiaoman's face showed an even more surprised expression. She gestured a bit helplessly with her hands: “You... you have so many rich friends here, and you're still going back to your hometown? Did something happen back home?”

Lin Meng shook her head again, smiling: “No, me going back has nothing to do with those rich friends. I just feel tired of life here and want to go home and lie flat for a while.”

Tang Xiaoman had seen plenty of people who latched onto rich friends and integrated into that circle. Once someone got a taste of luxury and wealth, they'd drown in it and never want to return to their ordinary life.

Sure enough, Lin Meng was still the same Lin Meng.

This Lin Meng was worth everyone's love.

Tang Xiaoman smiled gently and stepped forward to hug Lin Meng: “Alright. When I have time, I'll definitely come find you.”

Lin Meng hugged her back and nodded: “Okay.”

Tang Xiaoman stood at the neighborhood entrance waving at her, while Huo Yi leaned slightly out of the car and waved too.

...

Lin Meng had assumed that once she arrived at the airport, she'd follow those people to find Huo Yi and then go to the check-in counter to get her boarding pass. Jing City had two large airports, and Lin Meng had been to both on business trips—she was fairly familiar with the entrances and exits.

But this time, the assistant Huo Yi sent led her somewhere different from where she usually entered. Had Huo Yi bought business class tickets? Those cost nearly ten thousand for a round trip—she might not be able to afford to pay her back!

With an uneasy heart, Lin Meng followed the assistant. When the people ahead led her all the way to the boarding gate, she finally realized something was off and asked in confusion: “Excuse me, don't we need to get our boarding passes and go through security first? Can I board without doing those things?”

The assistant leading the way heard her question and replied, “Miss Lin, please rest assured. The Young Miss has arranged everything for you. Please just board.”

Lin Meng was baffled. Was the boarding process for business class different from economy?

But she'd seen others fly business class before—there wasn't much difference in the boarding process. Business class passengers could use the VIP channel and rest in the VIP lounge.

With that confusion, Lin Meng boarded the plane. When she stepped inside, she found there were no cramped rows of side-by-side seats, which made the interior feel less narrow. There weren't even overhead luggage compartments.

Lin Meng looked around, suddenly at a loss, then turned to head back toward the exit. Just then, Huo Yi heard her and came over. Seeing Lin Meng standing outside, she hurried forward and warmly took her hand: “Ah, Mengmeng, you're finally here! I've been waiting for you so long.”

Only when Lin Meng saw Huo Yi did she confirm she wasn't dreaming. She looked at Huo Yi in astonishment: “Yi Yi, didn't you say you bought me a plane ticket? Why is this place so different from the planes I've been on before?”

Huo Yi didn't answer. Instead, she took Lin Meng's hand and led her to the sofa in the cabin, pressing her shoulders to sit down. Once both of them were aboard, the cabin door slowly closed. Seeing this, Huo Yi sat down across from Lin Meng as if her scheme had succeeded: “Mengmeng, I didn't mean to hide it from you. This is my private plane. I was afraid you'd refuse me, so I lied and said I bought you a ticket. The journey to the ski resort is too long—I was worried it would tire you out, so I arranged this plane. You won't blame me, will you?”

Hearing Huo Yi's words, Lin Meng felt even more like she was dreaming. Her brain couldn't even process it: “P-private... private plane?”

Huo Yi's plane shocked her even more than Su Yutang's Grace building. After all, when she'd read novels before, she'd thought private planes were a joke. Even if someone had one, how could it just take off so easily? Didn't it need layers of approval in advance?

But the reality was, Huo Yi could easily take her into the sky.

It really was like a dream.

Seeing Lin Meng's shocked, disbelieving expression, Huo Yi moved closer and took her hand to comfort her: “I have a meeting there anyway this time. Even if I bring you along, it's on the way. Mengmeng, don't feel too burdened.”

Only then did Lin Meng slightly recover. The light gradually returned to her eyes: “I... I just find it so unbelievable. Because this is my first time—no! This might be the only time in my life I ride a private plane. I feel like I'm dreaming, an incredibly luxurious fairy-tale dream...”

Huo Yi couldn't help but lean forward and hug her: “Mengmeng-jie really has such a childlike heart. If you want to think of it that way, you can imagine it as a dream. This trip is a beautiful dream—one that's just with me. Okay?”

Lin Meng was stunned for a long time. In her heart, she yearned for it—flying into the sky not for business but for the joy of travel was everyone's dream. But she was also afraid. She was afraid of discovering that her feelings for Huo Yi were more than just friendship, afraid of confusing joy with love.

Her heart felt pierced by a chill, tangled like knotted strings.

Huo Yi leaned against her: “It's okay. I'll make sure Mengmeng enjoys this trip.”

...

Seven hours after takeoff, the sky gradually darkened. The plane flew steadily above the clouds, where the sun's glow was more dazzling than on the ground. Clouds of all shapes and sizes filled the view.

When Lin Meng usually flew, her seat was either in the middle or by the aisle. Even when she had a window seat, she rarely saw scenery this beautiful.

Gradually, the red glow at the horizon turned into brilliant purple. The sunset above the clouds was more vivid than on the ground—like the flame of a lighter, brightest at the outer edge, then purple, until it became a blue flame. That was what the sunset in the sky looked like.

Huo Yi had prepared Lin Meng's favorite desserts. Lin Meng finally emerged from her dazed state.

After eating a vanilla pudding, she walked to the round window to look outside. Maybe it was her imagination, but the window seemed larger than on the planes she'd flown before.

She could even see the sparkling stars right outside, and below the plane were deep blue clouds like sea mist. She wondered if, in the next moment, a cloud whale might leap out from beneath them, just like in fairy tales.

She was gazing absently at the dreamlike colors when the plane hit a small patch of turbulence. Lin Meng lost her footing and fell backward. Huo Yi quickly caught her: “Mengmeng, are you okay?”

When she looked at Lin Meng's face, she was startled to see crystal tears on her eyelashes.

Huo Yi panicked. She quickly cupped Lin Meng's face: “Mengmeng, what's wrong? Did I do something to upset you?”

Lin Meng wiped the tears from her eyelashes with the back of her hand: “No... no, it's just that everything is so beautiful. The stars here look exactly like the ones in my dreams. I find it incredible.”

Huo Yi was briefly stunned, then frowned and gave a dry laugh. She gently pinched Lin Meng's cheek: “Mengmeng is crying because she's too excited?”

Lin Meng nodded lightly: “Hmm... I'm happy to see such beautiful scenery. I'll never forget this moment for the rest of my life. Thank you, Yi Yi.”

When Huo Yi heard Lin Meng say she'd never forget this, a bittersweet joy rose in her heart. Finally, she had a place in Lin Meng's heart.

The bed on the plane was similar to the one in her rented apartment. Before sleeping, Lin Meng knelt on the bed, staring out at the night view for a long time.

This might really be the only time in her life she'd have an experience like this. Every glance at the night scenery now felt precious. As the plane gradually left Asia and entered European airspace, the moon rose. The moon in the sky was bigger and brighter than on the ground.

It made one feel happy just looking at it.

Seeing Lin Meng hold the same position for so long, Huo Yi reached an arm around her from behind: “Mengmeng, let's sleep first. If you like it, I'll bring you again like this in the future, okay?”

Lin Meng snapped back to reality. She could finally distinguish dream from reality. She didn't answer the person behind her; she followed Huo Yi's arm and lay down on the bed.

Huo Yi lay beside her, burying her face in Lin Meng's embrace like a girl in the throes of passionate love. She actually wanted to do something, but seeing Lin Meng so happy, she forgot what she'd originally intended.

Lin Meng finally reached out and hugged Huo Yi: “Hmm, goodnight, Yi Yi.”

The stars in the sky twinkled, as if whispering the feeling of a racing heart.

...

Huo Yi had booked them into Badrutt's Palace on the shores of Lake St. Moritz. From this palace-style hotel, they could see the beautiful lake view, surrounded by forests dyed in autumn colors—golden larches everywhere, and a crisp autumn scene around the lake.

Their actual ski destination wasn't here. Huo Yi told her she'd come at the wrong time—if she came in December, the snow scenery here would be even more beautiful than the autumn view.

Even so, Huo Yi wanted to bring Lin Meng to stay here one night.

The next day, they set off for the higher-altitude, year-round snowy Titlis ski resort.

Lin Meng had already prepared herself to endure the bitter cold, but Huo Yi had thoughtfully prepared ski clothes and equipment for her. The ski suit was very light, yet wearing it felt like being wrapped in down feathers—so warm.

So there really was a way to stay warm and enjoy the snow scenery at the same time.

Actually, Lin Meng had always known that, but she'd never dared to think that way. She was afraid of the cold, and that fear extended to hating winter and hating snowy days.

But she still remembered that as a child, during her most carefree days, she'd put on a cotton jacket and go out to play in the snow, roll snowballs. Back then, she'd built a snowman without even wearing gloves. Her little hands would get red and itchy from the cold, but seeing the white snow everywhere and her snowman made her so happy.

Lin Meng had never experienced skiing before, so Huo Yi helped her fasten her skis and protective gear.

Huo Yi, who had also fastened her own gear, supported herself with her ski poles: “Mengmeng, I'll ski a short distance first. You watch, and after you've seen it, I'll teach you hand-in-hand right by your side.”

Lin Meng stood beside her, leaning on her ski poles. Her legs were trembling. Without the poles, she felt like she'd fall flat on her face just trying to move forward.

She really didn't dare.

So she nodded slightly: “I'm not in a hurry, Yi Yi. Take your time.”

Huo Yi gave her an OK sign, then covered her face with a neck gaiter and put on her goggles. Once ready, she used her poles for momentum and whoosh—glided down.

She skied fast and steady, carving big S-curves and even jumping over snow slopes. Huo Yi got really into it—midway down, she even tossed her ski poles aside and started free-skiing.

Watching Huo Yi perform all those difficult moves, Lin Meng's eyes lit up. Huo Yi had always presented herself as elegant and warm; Lin Meng had never seen this blazing, dazzling side of her—like a blooming gesang flower.

The sunlight shone on the snowfield, as if gilding her with a layer of golden light.

Huo Yi didn't go far. She stopped just before disappearing from Lin Meng's view, then took the cable car back up. The whole run took less than half an hour. Clearly, she hadn't had enough, but she still had to teach Lin Meng to ski.

Huo Yi's moves just now had been so cool that Lin Meng forgot she was standing on snow. Her legs had even stopped trembling because of how awesome Huo Yi's posture was.

Huo Yi returned to Lin Meng's side, slightly breathless. She smiled and lifted her goggles, revealing a face full of smiles: “How was it, Mengmeng? Not hard at all, right!”

Lin Meng: “?”

Lin Meng felt that if she tried to ski normally, she'd end up black and blue.

Lin Meng stood there awkwardly, frozen: “Hmm... Yi Yi, those moves you just did were really cool. I-I've never skied before. I don't know anything, and... I feel like I'll fall the moment I move.”

Seeing her timid expression, Huo Yi stepped forward and patted her shoulder: “Don't worry, I'll be right by your side. And there are so many staff on the slopes—nothing will happen.”

Lin Meng nodded slightly. She finally made up her mind to try a short run first.

But things didn't go as planned. The moment she pushed off, she tumbled and rolled. Because she was wearing protective gear and the snow wasn't that hard, she didn't hurt much. But the psychological shadow remained, and her legs started trembling again.

Huo Yi coached her from the front: “Mengmeng, use your poles to support yourself and stand up. To learn skiing, the first thing is to stop thinking about whether you'll fall. Come on! I believe you can learn!”

Hearing Huo Yi's encouragement, Lin Meng wanted to cry as she pushed herself up. Trembling, she leaned on her poles and slid down a short distance—but unfortunately, she fell again.

At first, Huo Yi would help her up.

But later, Lin Meng got used to falling and suddenly found it wasn't so scary anymore. She skied more and more smoothly. Though she still fell every few meters, it was much better than falling the moment she moved at the start.

It was like learning to ride a bicycle before she started elementary school—back then, she'd fallen countless times before she learned.

Learning to ski was actually quite fulfilling.

Lin Meng had been afraid at first because she was overthinking—afraid she'd fall, faceplant into the snow, feel pain. But once she forgot all that, the only thing in her mind was gliding downward. The wind on the snowy mountain blew against her goggle-covered face. Even though she was bundled up tightly, she could feel the free, cold-laced wind.

Again and again, she forgot her old timid, cowardly self, then stood up and kept skiing forward. Once, she even did a beautiful snow arc with a slide. The soft snow sparkled under the sunlight like tiny diamond particles—so colorful, so dazzling.

On her last run, Lin Meng finally skied several hundred meters. Huo Yi was right beside her, guarding her. Because she was going a bit fast, she couldn't brake in time and rolled, headfirst into the snow.

Huo Yi quickly skied over, panicked, and rushed to help Lin Meng up: “Mengmeng, are you okay? Are you hurt?”

Lin Meng struggled to sit up. She pulled off her snow-covered goggles, revealing her cold-reddened little face. Her equally red nose sniffled, then she looked at Huo Yi and burst out laughing: “Hehe... Yi Yi, this is really fun! Skiing... it's not that scary after all.”

Seeing Lin Meng's smile, warmer than sunlight, Huo Yi couldn't help but smile too.

So making her happy was this simple.

...

The ski resort closed at five in the afternoon. As the sunlight gradually sank behind the snowy mountains, Lin Meng and Huo Yi took the cable car down.

As they descended, Lin Meng watched the beautiful sunset glow spill across the snow. From afar, the entire mountain range was dyed a warm crimson.

Seeing her smile at the snow scenery outside, Huo Yi smiled too: “Mengmeng seems to really like it here. How about we come skiing together again in winter?”

Hearing that, the smile on Lin Meng's face suddenly faded into loneliness: “Actually... I used to hate cold places the most. So I didn't like winter, and along with it, I didn't like snow.”

Huo Yi's brows furrowed slightly.

But Lin Meng had been genuinely happy when skiing just now.

Perhaps the happiness of today had lowered her guard. She gradually revealed the secret of why she hated winter: “Because winter is cold. My family used to be very poor. Summer clothes—you can pick whatever. But winter clothes, you can't. I remember it wasn't until I worked during university that I bought a real down jacket of my own. It was stuffed with broken feathers, not very good, but I wore it for three years. Only after I started working could I afford better... And wool coats—before I entered society, I thought a wool coat selling for a thousand yuan had to be a scam. But later I learned some cost over a hundred thousand. Winter clothes are really expensive, and I couldn't afford them. When I was poor, I could only endure the cold. So from then on, I hated winter.”

Huo Yi's mouth opened slightly, but she couldn't say anything.

She and Lin Meng came from different classes. She couldn't personally feel the cold days and nights Lin Meng had endured.

But at this moment, she truly ached for Lin Meng, who spoke so calmly, as if telling someone else's story.

Lin Meng lowered her head and laughed softly again: “Because I only have my mom and me at home. I couldn't be immature, couldn't compare with others. Having clothes to wear was already good. Actually... I used to love snow. I loved building snowmen. I wished I didn't have to endure the cold—then I'd still love winter, still love snow...”

Before she finished, a gentle embrace pulled her tightly into someone's arms.

Huo Yi's voice was choked: “You will! I promise you, as long as I'm here, you'll never have to endure that kind of cold again. From now on, every day will be warm.”

Lin Meng didn't understand why Huo Yi suddenly became so emotional and sad. She patted Huo Yi's back and said softly: “Yes. I used to genuinely hate winter and snow because of the cold. But today, being here with you, skiing—I found that none of it is a big deal. The ski suit Yi Yi lent me is light and warm. With you by my side, I'm not afraid of falling, and that's why I had the courage to ski down. It's also the first time I've seen stars so close to me. So, thank you, Yi Yi. Thank you for making one of my dreams come true. The days I spend with you, I'll never forget.”

Huo Yi held her tightly in her arms, as if afraid that if she let go, Lin Meng would disappear: “Hmm, me too.”

...

Huo Yi brought Lin Meng here to ski for several days in a row. On the way back to the hotel before sunset, they passed many beautiful scenic spots and photo-op landmarks.

Huo Yi had brought a professional camera. After Lin Meng got her hands on it, she took photo after photo at the beautiful spots. Her photography skills were very inconsistent—some looked like magazine landscape covers, others looked like she was deliberately blackening the place.

Besides that, she also took many photos for Huo Yi. When Huo Yi saw that Lin Meng only took photos of her, she wanted to take the camera to photograph Lin Meng, but Lin Meng politely declined.

Huo Yi found it strange—what girl didn't like having her picture taken?

When she asked why, Lin Meng said flatly that she'd never liked having her photo taken, ever since she was little.

When Lin Meng said that, her expression darkened for a moment. Huo Yi felt that Lin Meng still had some hidden, private pain she didn't want to show anyone.

Last time, Lin Meng had told her the secret of why she hated winter, which meant Lin Meng trusted her and considered her the closest person.

She believed that with just a little more effort, Lin Meng would come around and acknowledge their relationship as lovers.

Just when Huo Yi thought her dream was about to come true, she ran into an unexpected person when she brought Lin Meng back to the hotel.

Huo Yi was holding Lin Meng's hand, a sweet smile of new love on her face. Before she could emerge from that joy, she was hit hard—squarely in the face.