Shen Xiaoyan finished her preparations and slowly lifted her foot, stepping out onto the snow-covered ground.
Once standing on the snow, she turned back and smiled at Zheng Wei and the other man, "Watch closely, okay?"
With that, Shen Xiaoyan crouched down, inserted the iron rod she was holding into the snow, but not all the way in. After pushing it in a bit, she then used it to propel herself forward.
Immediately, Shen Xiaoyan’s figure shot out like an arrow.
Shen Xiaoyan, standing on the skis, listened to the wind whistling past her ears and felt a surge of emotion.
Although there was a lot of snow here, it wasn't a real ski resort. There were no varied terrains, just flat land as far as the eye could see.
Even so, this had brought some convenience to Shen Xiaoyan and the others.
At least they didn't have to worry about getting snow all over themselves, nor did they have to trudge along with great effort.
Shen Xiaoyan circled around the open ground in front of the main entrance twice, then returned to Zheng Wei and the other man.
"How was it?" Shen Xiaoyan asked, raising an eyebrow.
"It's pretty good," Zheng Wei said, stroking his chin and nodding slightly. His eyes were full of interest as he looked at the skis beneath Shen Xiaoyan's feet.
Shen Xiaoming was less reserved. Seeing how well she skied, he felt it wasn't just convenient, but most importantly, it looked like a lot of fun.
Therefore, the moment he saw Shen Xiaoyan ski over, he couldn't wait to put on the skis.
"Sister, I'm ready."
Shen Xiaoyan was still smiling at Zheng Wei when she heard Shen Xiaoming's voice. Instinctively, she looked towards Shen Xiaoming.
"Mhm, very good," Shen Xiaoyan praised.
She was impressed that after watching her do it once, he could replicate it so perfectly.
"Brother-in-law, you hurry up and put the skis on your feet," Shen Xiaoming urged Zheng Wei.
Seeing Shen Xiaoming's eagerness, Shen Xiaoyan and Zheng Wei exchanged a smile. Zheng Wei didn't say anything and obediently went to put on the skis.
Once Zheng Wei was also ready, Shen Xiaoyan explained the basic principles of skiing to them. Then she said, "I've told you everything I can. Let's get started. After all, I've always believed that listening is just the first step; it's only through practice that you truly learn."
Zheng Wei and Shen Xiaoming both nodded, and then they walked onto the snow together.
Shen Xiaoyan didn't pay them any mind and skied ahead. However, after a short while, she noticed Zheng Wei and Shen Xiaoming catching up from behind, one on each side.
"You're quite fast," Shen Xiaoyan said to them with a smile.
"Sister, this is really fun," Shen Xiaoming exclaimed, finding it novel. It was his first time experiencing something so enjoyable.
"Xiaoyan, why don't we have a race to see who can get to the schoolhouse first?" Zheng Wei suggested with a smile.
"Sure," Shen Xiaoyan agreed.
"I want to join too!" Shen Xiaoming quickly chimed in.
"Then let's go," Shen Xiaoyan said, immediately picking up speed.
The three figures, like sparrows flying close to the ground, darted across the vast expanse of white snow, covering great distances with each stride.
As the three entered the village entrance of Baiyun Village, their carefree mood vanished, replaced by a heavier one.
Even the young Shen Xiaoming, upon seeing everything before him, felt a sense of shock that was difficult to accept.
Shen Xiaoyan stopped, standing there. Her gaze swept across the houses of a few families at the village entrance. Her nose stung, and she felt tears welling up.
"Xiaoyan..."
Seeing Shen Xiaoyan like this, Zheng Wei opened his mouth, intending to comfort her. But after calling out her name, he couldn't find any other words.
Shen Xiaoyan's attention was no longer on Zheng Wei. Her eyes were filled with the devastation before her.
The small courtyards, once filled with rural charm, were now buried under the blizzard.
Both the dilapidated courtyard walls and the roofs had collapsed under the weight of the snow. The ruins, combined with the white snow, made the scene appear lifeless, as if it had always been this way – devoid of people and vitality.
The schoolhouse was not far from the village entrance. Shen Xiaoming suddenly remembered the classmates and teacher who lived in the schoolhouse and immediately sped up, rushing towards it.
"Xiaoming, slow down!"
Shen Xiaoyan instinctively called out when she saw Shen Xiaoming's figure whiz past her.
But Shen Xiaoming's mind was preoccupied with his former classmates and his teacher, who, despite his stern appearance, cared for him deeply. Thus, he didn't stop at Shen Xiaoyan's call.
Seeing that she couldn't stop him, Shen Xiaoyan could only hurry to catch up. Zheng Wei kept pace with Shen Xiaoyan.
As they passed one house after another, Shen Xiaoyan quickly glanced into each one.
The sight further wracked her heart.
Although the whereabouts of the people in these houses were unknown, the disarray within clearly indicated how panicked they must have been when they left.
Most importantly, Shen Xiaoyan didn't know if everyone in each household had managed to escape in time.
Beneath the ruins and the blizzard, were there still people struggling desperately?
Unfortunately, this was not her previous life. This was not a world where armies could immediately launch rescue operations at the first sign of disaster.
This was not a world where help would come from all directions when one region was in trouble.
This place was too backward. By the time the disaster was reported to the imperial court, and by the time the court dispatched rescuers, who knew how many people would have already died.
Shen Xiaoyan's thoughts were a whirlwind as she walked. Her pace slowed down unconsciously. When she reached the schoolhouse gate, she saw Zheng Wei and Shen Xiaoming standing there, knocking.
They had been knocking for a while, but no one came to open the door.
After waiting a bit longer, still no one answered. Shen Xiaoyan grew impatient. She took a few steps forward, intending to take off her skis and kick the door open.
Seeing Shen Xiaoyan's intention, Shen Xiaoming quickly rushed over to stop her.
However, before Shen Xiaoyan could reach the door, it was opened from the inside.
"Ah, Xiaoming, you're here?" The person who opened the door saw Shen Xiaoming and first sighed, then greeted him.
Shen Xiaoyan looked at the person who had opened the door and saw a boy about the same age as Shen Xiaoming. His face looked tired, and his clothes were somewhat dirty.
"Brother Scholar, how is it at the schoolhouse? The rooms..." Shen Xiaoming asked anxiously, but perhaps fearing the answer he didn't want to hear, he didn't finish his sentence.
"The schoolhouse is alright. After all, the schoolhouse buildings are renovated every year. It's just that the roofs of two rooms in the dormitory in the back were damaged and collapsed in the middle of the night," the scholar said.
"And the people?" Shen Xiaoming quickly asked again.
"No one," the scholar shook his head. "There weren't many students living in the schoolhouse, and those two rooms were unoccupied. It's for the best, thankfully no one was injured."