Xi Yan shook her head. "I don't like playing this."
"So what do you like to do? Everyone needs hobbies, right? Some people like playing cards, some like drinking. What about you? What do you like?"
Xi Yan looked at him, her eyes swirling with complex emotions, but ultimately returning to calm.
He nodded in agreement. "Let's go."
I bought a complete set of ski equipment nearby, and in the lobby, Bai Le was playing with the goggles with great curiosity.
Just as he was about to look up and speak to Xi Yan, a figure not far away suddenly caught his attention. In the blink of an eye, the person disappeared again, as if it were his imagination.
"What's wrong?" Xi Yan down slightly to tie his scarf.
Bai Le shook his head. "It's nothing." Maybe he was mistaken.
The person I just saw looked somewhat familiar, but I couldn't remember where I'd seen him before. Anyway, he gave me a rather uneasy feeling.
"They're gone."
While riding the cable car, Bai Le was afraid of heights and clung tightly to Xi Yan the whole time, afraid that he would leave him behind.
Even sitting in the cable car, his limbs were stiff, but he held tightly to Xi Yan's arm and didn't want to let go. A young couple sitting opposite him saw this, and the girl couldn't help but chuckle softly.
Xi Yan gave the girl a cold look, and she immediately fell silent, frightened by his gaze.
The boy next to her was about to stand up for his girlfriend when his eyes inadvertently glanced at the watch on his wrist. He immediately looked away nonchalantly, showing no sign of wanting to say anything.
He was quite knowledgeable and immediately recognized the watch as a limited edition from a high-end luxury brand, a watch owned by only one person in China.
Bai Le didn't dare to look at the scenery outside, keeping his eyes closed in a tense manner.
A gentle, deep voice sounded in my ear, "Don't be afraid, try opening your eyes."
It's unclear what magic those words held, or if it was just his gentle tone, but Bai Le actually opened his eyes obediently.
Surrounded by transparent glass windows, Bai Le cautiously opened his eyes a crack, taking in the breathtaking view of the snow-capped mountains below.
The golden rays of the rising sun spilled onto the snow-white mountain surface, where white and gold blended together, refracting a dreamlike halo.
"So beautiful..." he exclaimed involuntarily, more impressed by the view than by the fear of the height.
Upon arriving at the ski resort, Bai Le and Xi Yan chose the least crowded and most secluded ski slope, because at times like this, they both wanted to be quiet and undisturbed.
It wasn't the busiest time of day at the ski resort yet; there were only a few people scattered around on the slope that Bai Le and his friends had chosen.
Bai Le was completely bundled up from head to toe, wearing a hat, gloves, and scarf, looking as bulky as a big, clumsy bear, and awkwardly following behind Xi Yan.
He followed in Xi Yan's footsteps, walking forward step by step.
He guessed correctly; he really did like snow.
The softness of the snow underfoot gave him the illusion that he was sitting on cotton, feeling light and airy.
Xi Yan didn't seem to like playing with these things; he only slid for a short while before stopping.
However, judging from his skiing movements, even a novice like Bai Le could see how nimble and clean he was.
The ski area is very large and there are no obstacles or anything to surround it; there are only a few warning lines to prevent people from going deep into the snow.
Before they knew it, the two had reached the end of the road, where the warning line was in front of them, and there were no more skiers around.
Exhausted and slightly out of breath, Bai Le carefully sat down on the snow. "I'm so tired, let me rest for a bit."
Xi Yan frowned slightly and said in a deep voice, "The ground is cold."
Bai Le refused, saying, "I'm wearing thick clothes, it'll be fine."
Surrounded by snow-capped mountains, the silence was profound, and Bai Le felt a sense of tranquility that brought him a sense of inexplicable relaxation.
"I really like it here," Bai Le said softly.
Xi Yan turned to look at him, "Since you like it, how about we live in a place like this from now on?"
"Later? What later?"
"When I get old."
Bai Le paused slightly, then awkwardly looked away. He was now certain that Xi Yan was indeed after him...
But what about his feelings for Xi Yan?
For the first time, Bai Le wanted to seriously consider this issue and no longer wanted to run away from it.
Xi Yan looked around and said, "Wait here for me."
Bai Le had no idea what he was up to. Was he secretly preparing a birthday present for her?
Thinking of this, the smile on his lips involuntarily widened. Just as he was secretly looking forward to it, a figure appeared not far away. He must also be here to ski, wearing goggles and a black mask.
Bai Le frowned slightly, somewhat puzzled, because very few people would slide down to the border. Was he also looking for a quiet place?
As the person drew closer, Bai Le began to sense something was wrong. His target was clear; he seemed to be heading straight for him.
Bai Le slowly stood up, but it was too late.
The man had already appeared in front of him. Without uttering a word, he pulled out a knife from his pocket and stabbed at Bai Le the next second.
The blade tip gleamed coldly in the sunlight. Bai Le's eyes widened slightly. His speed was too fast, giving him no time to react. He thought he wouldn't be able to dodge this time, but the next second, instead of the expected sharp pain, his arm was gripped tightly by a strong force.
Bai Le's heart pounded with fear and trepidation. When he looked up and saw Xi Yan's cold face, his whole body relaxed instantly, as if all his strength had been drained, and his hands and feet felt weak.
Upon seeing Xi Yan, the man slowly removed his mask, revealing a very ordinary face, except for a long scar on his left cheek. He grinned, seemingly with some regret, and said, "Almost."
The moment Bai Le saw his face, he immediately remembered that he was the man who had been loitering around his house, and that the man in the living room was probably him too.