snowflakes were swirling outside the window, tapping against the glass like thousands of tiny fingers. Inside the small apartment, the warmth of the heater fought against the cold, making the air thick with the smell of boiled mutton and garlic. Li Xiaoman was sitting at the kitchen table, chopsticks in hand, staring blankly at a bowl of hot pot.

She had been dating Chen Yiming for two months, and these were the first two months she had spent in Shenyang. Before that, she had lived in Beijing, bustling with activity and never seeing snow in years. Shenyang, on the other hand, was a world away, with its cold winters and the occasional, breathtaking snowstorms.

"Are you cold?" Chen Yiming asked, wiping his mouth with a napkin and sitting down opposite her.

Li Xiaoman shook her head. "No, not really. It's just that... I can't help but think about home." She sighed and picked up a piece of meat from the hot pot. "Back in Beijing, it was always so noisy, so crowded. But here, it's different. It's quiet, peaceful..."