Chapter 38: Warmth in the Snow

Jiang Yu paused mid-reach for a dish, his eyelashes fluttering twice, but he didn’t look away.

This subtle gesture was like a whisper of electricity, silently crackling between them.

After the meal, Jiang Qing took charge of washing and cleaning, shooing Jiang Yu and Li Xiao out of the cramped kitchen area.

Jiang Yu walked to the window, wiping the condensation from the glass.

Outside, the sky had darkened completely. Streetlights glowed, and sporadic snowflakes began to fall again.

Footsteps approached from behind. A warm body drew near, carrying a familiar faint scent.

Li Xiao stood behind him, so close that Jiang Yu could feel the slight stir of air from his breath brushing against the hair on the nape of his neck.

“What are you looking at?” Li Xiao asked in a low voice, his words right by Jiang Yu’s ear.

“It’s snowing.”

Jiang Yu stared out the window, his voice a little dry.

“Mm.”

Li Xiao responded, but didn’t look outside.

Instead, his gaze lingered on Jiang Yu’s pale, slender nape, his eyes darkening.

From the kitchen came the sound of Jiang Qing humming and the running water.

In the living room, this small corner of the world held only the two of them.

The air suddenly seemed to thicken, the temperature silently climbing.

Li Xiao’s hand slowly rose. He hesitated for a moment, then let it rest lightly on the windowsill beside Jiang Yu, forming a loose, half-enclosing posture.

His chest nearly pressed against Jiang Yu’s back, his body heat seeping through two layers of fabric.

Every muscle in Jiang Yu’s body tensed. His heart pounded fiercely in his chest.

He didn’t move, didn’t turn around. He just stared at a single spiraling snowflake outside the window until it vanished from sight.

Time seemed to stretch, every second crisp and distinct.

“Jiang Yu.”

Li Xiao suddenly called his name, his voice pitched extremely low, hoarse with restraint.

“…Mm?”

“Today, I…”

Li Xiao paused, his breath brushing Jiang Yu’s earlobe.

“I was really happy.”

Jiang Yu’s Adam’s apple bobbed. He lowered his lashes.

“Because of Jiang Qing?”

“Because of her, but even more because of you.”

Li Xiao’s voice was close, hot with emotion.

“Seeing you happy for her, seeing this home feel alive, seeing you…”

He didn’t finish the sentence, but the meaning was unmistakable.

Jiang Yu felt as if his back might be burned through by that gaze.

His fingers unconsciously scraped at the seam on the windowsill, his heartbeat so fast he was sure Li Xiao could hear it.

The kitchen water stopped. Jiang Qing’s footsteps approached.

Almost simultaneously, Li Xiao withdrew his hand from the windowsill and stepped half a pace back, returning to a normal social distance.

Jiang Yu let out an almost inaudible sigh of relief, but oddly, his taut back felt a hint of… emptiness.

“I’m done cleaning!”

Jiang Qing wiped her hands as she walked out, glancing at the two by the window with a smile.

“Brother Li, it’s getting late. You’re taking my brother to work soon, right?”

Li Xiao raised his wrist to check his watch. It was already past seven in the evening.

He looked at Jiang Yu.

“I’ll drive you.”

“No need, I can take the bus—”

“It’s snowing. The bus will be slow.”

Without letting him argue, Li Xiao grabbed his coat from the sofa.

“Let’s go. I should be heading back anyway.”

Jiang Yu didn’t insist further.

After saying goodbye to Jiang Qing, they walked downstairs one after the other.

The sensor lights in the stairwell flickered on and off with their footsteps.

When they reached the building entrance, Li Xiao pushed open the unit door first. A gust of wind carrying snowflakes rushed in.

He turned sideways and instinctively raised his coat sleeve to shield Jiang Yu from the wind.

“Watch your step, it’s slippery.”

This small protective gesture made Jiang Yu’s heart skip a beat.

Once inside the car, the heater enveloped them again.

The car drove toward the “Lost” bar. The interior was quiet, broken only by the low hum of the engine and the faint whisper of warm air from the vents.

Li Xiao gripped the wheel with one hand, the other resting naturally on the center console. His fingers were less than an inch from Jiang Yu’s hand, which lay on his thigh.

“The hotpot was a bit spicy,” Li Xiao started, his voice especially deep and laced with amusement in the closed cabin.

“Your lips are all red.”

Jiang Yu had been looking out the window. At the words, he unconsciously pressed his lips together. They were still a bit numb.

He didn’t reply, but his ears reddened.

“That part-time job at the restaurant…”

Li Xiao shifted topics smoothly, his gaze sweeping across Jiang Yu’s profile.

“Maybe you should quit?”

Jiang Yu turned to look at him.

“It’s cold, the roads are slippery. Running back and forth every day is too exhausting.”

Li Xiao continued.

“Your current hourly wage at the bar has gone up, and you have afternoon shifts on weekends. The income is enough to cover your living expenses. There’s no need to push yourself during the day.”

Jiang Yu’s voice was calm.

“Jiang Qing is about to start college. Tuition, living expenses, dorm fees… and possible costs for winter camp. Even though she’s been approved for a financial aid plan and has a grant, I want to save up more for her.”

“I can—”

“No need.”

Jiang Yu cut him off, looking directly at his profile with clear, stubborn eyes.

“Li Xiao, for Jiang Qing’s matters, you helped contact the professor. I’m already very grateful. But when it comes to money, I want to rely on myself.”

Li Xiao’s fingers drummed lightly on the steering wheel.

He was silent for a few seconds before speaking again, his voice much softer than before.

“I didn’t mean anything else. It’s just… I worry about you.”

“All these years, you’ve delivered takeout during the day, tended bar at night, and taken odd jobs on weekends. Every hour spent working, every thought focused on your sister.”

“Jiang Yu, you’re only twenty-three.”

Li Xiao’s voice was low.

“Now that Jiang Qing’s college situation is basically settled, she has her own future. Try… living for yourself, okay?”

Jiang Yu was stunned.

Live for himself?

That idea was too luxurious, too extravagant for him to ever dare contemplate.

Every day since his parents died, the first thing on his mind upon waking was calculating—rent, utilities, tuition, debt.

Every penny had to be carefully budgeted, every minute had to be used to make money.

Live for himself? With what?

“I…”

Jiang Yu opened his mouth but didn’t know what to say.

Li Xiao saw the flicker of confusion and struggle in his eyes, and it felt like a needle prick to his heart.

Suddenly, he reached out and took Jiang Yu’s hand where it lay on his thigh.

Jiang Yu’s hand was icy cold; Li Xiao’s palm was scorching hot.

“I know you can’t take this in right now.”

Li Xiao’s voice was very soft, his thumb gently stroking the back of Jiang Yu’s hand.

“But Jiang Yu, you deserve a better life. Not just living for others, but also for yourself.”

Jiang Yu’s fingers trembled slightly in his grasp.

He wanted to pull his hand back, but Li Xiao held on tightly. The warmth spread from the back of his hand, threatening to burn into his heart.

“Li Xiao…”

“I’m not forcing you.”

Li Xiao interrupted him, turning to look at him with deep, tender eyes.

“If you want to keep the part-time job, I respect that. But promise me: don’t push yourself too hard. Rest when you’re tired. Don’t go out if it’s too cold. Okay?”

Jiang Yu’s throat tightened.

He looked at Li Xiao’s soft profile in the dim light, and the naked concern and ache in those eyes.

Finally, he nodded slightly.

“…Mm.”

Li Xiao smiled, a smile of relief.

He didn’t let go. He kept holding on until the car slowly stopped in front of the “Lost” bar.

“We’re here,” Li Xiao said, but still didn’t release his hand.

Jiang Yu looked out the window. The bar’s neon sign flickered in the snowy night.

He moved his fingers.

“I should go in.”

Only then did Li Xiao slowly loosen his grip. His fingertips lingered over Jiang Yu’s palm, tracing a faint trail that sent a slight shiver.

“I have something to do tonight, so I won’t go in,” Li Xiao said.

“Work well. After your shift… if it’s still snowing, send me a message. I’ll pick you up.”

Jiang Yu unbuckled his seatbelt and opened the door.

A gust of wind carrying snowflakes hit him. He instinctively hunched his shoulders.

“Jiang Yu.”

Li Xiao rolled down the window and called out to him.

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