Facing the biting wind, Wang Jiao went even further, tightening the burgundy scarf around her neck. The edge of the scarf covered half her face, leaving only a pair of narrowed eyes exposed. Her voice was muffled inside the scarf, carrying a slightly garbled mumble.
"This wind is way too wicked.
It wasn't this strong when we left this morning, but now it's blowing so hard my ears are practically freezing off.
Luckily, my mom made me wear a thicker scarf. Otherwise, with the wind pouring down my collar all the way home, wouldn't I be shivering nonstop?"
Su Yue nodded along with her, raising a hand to tuck the strands the wind had tousled behind her ear. Her fingertips brushed her earlobe, which was ice-cold.
"Exactly. Looks like I'll have to dig out my thick coat tomorrow.
Let's go. If we stand here any longer, our hands will be stiff."
The two of them walked toward the parking shelter over a ground carpeted with withered golden camphor leaves. The leaves crackled crisply beneath their feet, while the wind sent them spiraling around their ankles. Every so often, a few stuck to the seats of electric scooters before being swept away again.
The parking shelter was filled with the faint smells of rust and damp earth.
Su Yue found her small white electric scooter, took out her key, and unlocked it. Her fingers brushed across the thin layer of dust on the seat, and she instinctively wiped it away with her palm.
Wang Jiao had already wheeled her scooter out. With one foot planted on the ground, she waved at Su Yue. "I'm heading off first. See you tomorrow."
"See you tomorrow. Take it slow on the way." Su Yue smiled as she replied. She watched Wang Jiao's scooter merge