Autumn passed, and Prime City entered winter. Su Mi’s life also became more regular.
Winter arrived, which meant finals were approaching. Prime City University’s final exams carried a lot of weight in course grades, so Su Mi, who wanted all A+ scores, reviewed even more diligently than usual. Even on days without classes, she spent the entire day holed up in the library.
The bar where she had been working part-time underwent renovations for half a month and turned into a members-only establishment with stricter security. Su Mi had her own plans, so after discussing it with Xu Nanqiao, they decided to keep working there together, but reduced the frequency to twice a week, shifting the focus of her life to her studies.
Plus, she had to go home on weekends to see her parents. Su Mi felt like her time was stretched incredibly thin; she was practically spinning in circles.
She thought she had done her best to coordinate the timings of various events, but she still overlooked something.
She forgot the dinner plans she had made with Shen Han.
Su Mi remembered it while in a meeting room for the fourth small group discussion of the day with her classmates, organizing materials for their discussion group report. Toward the end, she suddenly heard a classmate exclaim in surprise and look out the transparent glass window.
“It’s snowing!” the classmate said delightedly.
Su Mi poked her cheek with her pen cap and lifted her head from the densely packed text on the light screen, following their gaze to the floor-to-ceiling window outside.
Fine, dense snow particles like grains of millet fell against the pink-orange glow of the evening sky.
It was the first snow.
Su Mi blinked, then suddenly froze.
Wait… first snow?
She widened her eyes and suddenly remembered that morning. While flipping through literature on her light brain in one hand and carrying hot milk in the other as she walked out of the kitchen, Shen Han had been sitting at the dining table reading the news and told her there would be first snow today.
Su Mi had been focused on a tricky point at the time and hadn’t paid much attention. She had just hummed in acknowledgment, sat down, and continued sifting through files for the discussion.
Now, thinking back, she remembered Shen Han saying that the first snow held special commemorative meaning. She had booked a table at a scenic restaurant for the evening and would come to school to pick her up after work.
Su Mi was sure she had agreed.
But now…
Su Mi slowly licked her lips and checked the time.
It was almost six o’clock. Shen Han got off work at five, so no matter what…
Su Mi tremblingly opened Guangxun, which she had muted for a while.
36 minutes ago, Shen Han: I’m here. Are you in Zhiyuan Building or the library?
28 minutes ago, Shen Han: Little Pig?
25 minutes ago, Shen Han: Is class running late? I’m parked at the road in front of the library [picture].
6 minutes ago, Shen Han: It’s snowing, dummy.
Su Mi rubbed her face and replied: …Still in the meeting T^T, wrapping up soon.
Su Mi: It’ll be quick out of the library, warm up in the car!
Shen Han: No rush.
With the first snow falling, the group members’ hearts had flown away. They quickly settled on a framework for the report, divided the tasks, and disbanded.
Six o’clock was prime dinner time, and with the first snow, the students studying or discussing in the library all headed for the exit. Su Mi blended into the bustling crowd and walked out the library doors. Outside, night had fallen and the campus roads were lit by warm orange streetlamps.
Su Mi wrapped her down jacket tighter and hurried through the crowd. Looking into the distance, she spotted a tall, slender figure like a crane standing by a low-key silver-gray car across the street.
Shen Han wore only a long, dark gray coat, hands in her pockets, neck craned elegantly as she leaned against the car door. She gazed up at the snowflakes drifting down in the halo of the streetlight. The goose-yellow light, dotted with tiny falling snow, illuminated her sharply defined features, giving her an otherworldly detachment that didn’t quite fit.
Though she stood away from the crowd, her strikingly prominent features and aura drew plenty of attention. People glanced back as they passed. A group of Omegas kept stealing looks at her, giggling and egging each other on, but Shen Han’s aloof, icy vibe kept anyone from approaching.
Su Mi didn’t notice any of that. The moment she saw Shen Han, her eyes lit up, and Shen Han was the only one in her vision. She checked that no cars were coming on the road, hopped off the curb in a few quick steps, and bounced right up to Shen Han.
Afraid of the cold, she was bundled in her down jacket, her small face buried in her scarf, only her smiling puppy eyes visible. She whistled awkwardly through the scarf.
“Beauty, all alone?”
A passing Beta nearly tripped and was caught by his friend, who burst into laughter.
Su Mi: “…Cough.”
She silently pulled her scarf higher, wishing she could bury her whole face.
Shen Han chuckled softly. The cold aura that had seemed to blend with the ice and snow melted away, her brows and eyes brimming with amusement. Even the fine snow on her lashes melted.
She reached out with her index finger, tugged down Su Mi’s face-hiding scarf a bit, and pinched Su Mi’s soft cheek. Shen Han hummed a laugh: “A little dummy with all talk and no action.”
Feeling the cool touch on her cheek, Su Mi frowned: “You’re the dummy too. On such a cold day, why didn’t you wait in the car.”
Shen Han said warmly: “I wanted to see you the moment you came out.”
Su Mi’s words caught in her throat. Her face flushed red, and she stammered for a while: “…Oh, oh.”
Shen Han raised a brow. Watching Su Mi blush for a long time, she finally smiled with narrowed eyes and kindly changed the subject: “I brought you a gift. It’s in the coat pocket.”
Su Mi: “Wow, what gift?”
She reached out curiously, slipping her hand into the soft pocket of Shen Han’s coat.
She first touched a straw wrapper. Su Mi’s eyes widened: “Milk tea?”
Shen Han: “There’s more.”
Su Mi gripped the straw and felt further into the pocket, touching a velvet box.
When her fingers brushed the velvety little box, Su Mi’s heart nearly skipped a beat.
…What was this?
Su Mi almost dropped it, bit her lip, and nervously pulled out the small velvet box.
Under the streetlight, she saw there was no logo on it. It didn’t look like the branded packaging Shen Han usually gave her.
Su Mi hesitated, closed her eyes, and opened the little box.
—Inside was a bracelet.
A simple black cord like a rubber band, fastened with a transparent little cube that seemed to contain a tiny chip.
Su Mi wasn’t sure if she felt relieved or what, but she stared blankly for a moment. Then Shen Han picked up the bracelet, lifted her wrist, and lowered her eyes to fasten it on.
Shen Han often put various accessories on her, and Su Mi sometimes felt like Shen Han’s dress-up doll. She habitually extended her hand, letting Shen Han adjust the length.
This style didn’t seem like something Shen Han would buy with her means. Curious, she asked: “Did you buy it new?”
“Not exactly. It’s a new product from research over there.” As Shen Han spoke, she leaned closer and tapped the bracelet lightly. Su Mi immediately felt a warm flow like heat spreading from under her skin to her limbs.
It wasn’t just simple heating; it made her own body generate warmth.
Su Mi was amazed: “That’s awesome… I’m warming up. How does a product like this exist?”
Shen Han smiled: “Didn’t you say it was too cold last time?”
…Was that something to bring up in broad daylight?
Su Mi’s ears heated up.
In typical couple dynamics, the Alpha was supposed to be the furnace, but Shen Han, due to her pheromones, was chronically cold-bodied.
Now that winter had set in, no matter how much preparation Shen Han did, she still got cold after too long in bed.
Su Mi had even kicked her out of bed once because of it.
Thinking back now, Su Mi felt a bit embarrassed. She coughed lightly: “What about you?”
Shen Han said: “Not ready yet. Probably next week.”
“Why? Is this bracelet custom-made?” Su Mi curiously lifted her wrist to inspect it. “I searched for warming products before and definitely didn’t see anything like this on the market.”
Shen Han said: “Customized specifically to body data. Long production cycle. Can’t mass-produce, so not for public sale.”
Su Mi was surprised: “Then I’ll treasure it!”
She pulled down her sweater sleeve to cover the bracelet properly, unwrapped her scarf, and tiptoed to loop it around Shen Han’s neck.
Shen Han didn’t ask questions and obediently leaned down, lowering her head so Su Mi could wrap it the way she liked.
Once done, Su Mi stepped back half a pace and inspected seriously.
…Okay, her usual wrapping style was a bit too cute and mismatched for Shen Han.
Su Mi unwrapped it and redid it in a more standard way, then clapped her hands: “Perfect. Now neither of us will be cold… Let’s go eat?”
Shen Han: “Okay.”
Halfway there, as Su Mi sipped her milk tea, the scene of first spotting Shen Han flashed in her mind, and she suddenly paused.
She said: “Wait, that’s not right…”
Shen Han, driving: “What’s not right?”
Su Mi pondered: “You said you stood outside to see me first thing… But when I got there, you were looking at the snow in the sky.”
The more she thought, the more she felt Shen Han had been brushing her off. She turned and stared seriously at Shen Han: “You were fooling me!”
Shen Han smiled faintly: “I just zoned out a bit…”
Su Mi huffed: “You don’t have me in your eyes.”
“Why are we back to this?” Shen Han raised a brow.
