Chapter 6: The Unyielding Snow

Hao Yang brushed the snow off her head, feeling the flakes melt into her hair. The sky continued to pour snow, blanketing the world in white. Around her, people stomped their feet, trying to ward off the biting cold. Hao Yang was no different; her hands and feet were icy.

She approached a public restroom, its dilapidated washbasin catching her eye. Turning the rusty faucet, she let the liquid water flow from the grimy metal spout.

Hao Yang tested the water with her hand; it was frigid, colder than ice-cold soda. The tap water, especially from a public restroom, was risky to drink, but she had no choice. Without hot water, this was the best she could do. If she didn’t drink, she’d have to chew on ice.

People frequently passed by the restroom, and Hao Yang felt awkward drinking directly from the tap. After a moment of thought, she decided to act like she was washing her face, using the opportunity to sip water.

As she pretended to wash, she cupped her hands to bring the water to her lips. Her face, smeared with dirt, slowly cleaned itself. Once she’d had enough, she prepared to leave, but caught sight of her reflection in the mirror.

The mirror revealed a small, disheveled girl with messy hair and tattered clothes. Despite her appearance, the girl was incredibly cute. Her small, button nose, cherry-red lips, and arched eyebrows framed her eyes, which held a purity and a touch of inexplicable sadness.

Perhaps children were naturally pure, or maybe it was her previous life’s gaze, but this subtle melancholy was a part of who she was now. The girl looked malnourished, her lips pale and lacking the healthy redness of a child’s. Her cheeks were thin, lacking the plumpness typical of a young girl.

Hao Yang saw a cute child in the mirror, even with her disheveled appearance. Unfortunately, that child was herself.

She turned off the tap and found a spot to smear some dirt on her face. After all, she was a small, unregistered child. If someone had ill intentions, no one would know if something happened to her.

Hao Yang needed to retrieve her bicycle from the junkyard. The owner was awful, cheating a child over a few pieces of scrap. When she tried to reason with him, he even struck her.

As she neared the junkyard, all her carefully laid plans vanished. Peeking into the yard, she didn’t see the owner. He must have retreated indoors to escape the cold.

Hao Yang tiptoed into the yard, searching for her child-sized bicycle. She found it buried in a pile of trash, discarded like the rest.

She still had a bag, but it was missing. Spotting a better one, she took it, reasoning that her old one was nearly torn.

Hao Yang tried to pull her bicycle free, but it was stuck. In a panic, she yanked hard, and the bicycle tumbled out, landing with a loud clatter. The noise alerted the man in the house.

Shouting and the sound of footsteps followed. Hao Yang’s heart raced as she quickly mounted her bicycle and pedaled away.

The man emerged from the house, seeing Hao Yang on her bicycle. He grabbed a tree branch, growling, “You little thief, dare to steal from me! I’ll beat you to death!”

“This was my bicycle to begin with, you disgusting man! Cheating me wasn’t enough, you had to hit me too!” Hao Yang couldn’t hold back her anger. This was the first time she’d encountered such a person.

“Don’t run, you little thief!” The man raised the branch, ready to strike.

The branch was as thick as a club, and it would hurt like hell. Hao Yang pedaled faster, her heart pounding. The man chased her, breathless, but determined.

Hao Yang used all her strength, but her small body wasn’t enough to completely outpace the man. However, he was also weak, gasping for air, and slowly falling behind.

Even though he was exhausted, the man didn’t give up, pushing himself to keep up.

The road was deserted, but if she could turn the next corner, she’d reach a more populated area. The man would unlikely follow her there.

As the distance grew, Hao Yang saw the man stop and hurl the branch forward. She felt a sharp pain in her back, but didn’t stop. Seizing the moment, she increased her speed and turned into the crowded street.

Behind her, she heard the man’s angry shouts, “You little thief, don’t let me catch you again, or I’ll beat you to death!” Even breathless, he spat out his threat.

Hao Yang continued to the busy area and stopped her bicycle. Touching her back lightly, she felt a searing pain, as if her skin would split open.

****

Hao Yang stood in the restroom, her reflection staring back at her. Despite the cold, her heart was even colder. The man’s harsh words echoed in her mind, but she knew she had to be strong.

With a deep breath, she straightened her shoulders and walked out, ready to face whatever came next.