During The Blizzard (Amidst A Snowstorm Of Love)

Canto 18: Loveblossom

"In the garden of the heart, love unfolds like delicate petals, each moment a testament to the beauty that blossoms when two souls intertwine."

Translator: Wuxia Studio Editor: J.C Forester (Mrphysit)

"You want her to ask Xiaodong?" Coach Chen smiled, warm and genuinely, but faltered around the edges. He knew the fear that clawed at Yin Guo's insides whenever her older cousin was mentioned. Still, he pressed on, his voice adopting a lightness that didn't quite reach his eyes. "Which club does he belong to? Never heard of him? Is he still active?"

"It's been over a decade since I retired," Coach Fu recalled. "We got a new coach two days ago from Dongxincheng. Wait, let me check."

After a brief pause, the new coach was contacted. When Lin Yiyang was mentioned, he laughed, "He Wenfeng, Mr. He, familiar?"

Mr. He, the industry's legend, had shaped many great players. Before Mr. He retired, he took two promising young talents under his wing: Lin Yiyang, a prodigy and genius, and Jiang Yang. Unfortunately, Lin Yiyang's rebellious streak led him to clash with his mentor in his teens and eventually leave the club.

Despite his departure, Lin Yiyang remained well-liked by his peers. When Mr. He finally retired, it was Jiang Yang who took over the reins, becoming the club's idol. However, mentioning Lin Yiyang's name remains a sensitive topic, so they avoid mentioning his name.

"I could ask Master Yang for more details if you want?" The new coach was eager to help.

But Yin Guo, her heart thudding with the fear of her cousin's nemesis, quickly declined. "No need," she mumbled, her voice barely a whisper. "And please, don't tell my cousin that I asked this question."

Yin slammed the phone shut, the sting of unanswered questions lingering. She yearned for more, anything, about Lin Yiyang. The internet, her usual haven, offered little solace.

"Dongxincheng Billiard Club," the search bar echoed. Names like "Lin Yiyang" flickered across the screen, past champions in dusty tournaments. But these were just ghosts of glory, faded photographs with no stories to tell.

A pang of sadness shot through her. In a land obsessed with a few sports, countless athletes like Lin toiled in the shadows. No World Series crown, his name is uninscribed in the global arena. His past championship, a lone star in a forgotten constellation, flickered faintly under the relentless glare of fleeting online fame.

Jiang Yang's face, etched with success, flashed in her mind. Both under the same teacher, their paths had diverged wildly. One, a star on the world stage, the other, a fading memory in a local club. Outside Dongxincheng, his name would soon be dust.

Yin closed the laptop, Lin Yiyang's WeChat profile burning into her eyes. Words formed, unsaid and heavy, before she shut it down. But the feeling wouldn't fade, a yearning to connect, to bridge the gap.

Finally, she found a picture she had taken earlier, an antique liqueur, bathed in afternoon sunlight. With trembling fingers, she sent it to a group chat. The caption, after countless edits, felt hollow: "Forgot to ask the year."

The festive chatter filled the air, a buzz of messages and compliments flooding Yin Guo's WeChat moments.

She scrolled through the messages, her finger hovering over the screen. Then, one message caught her eye:

Lin: The year you were born.

Before she could decipher the meaning, another message popped up: