The two of them got dressed and drove into town.
It has snowed during the night and everywhere is covered in white. The red walls and yellow tiles look quite beautiful against the backdrop of white snow, bringing the city back to its original old charm.
Yuan Ge points to the empty streets and says, "It's only at this time of year that Beijing feels like what it used to be, because all the out towners have gone back home for the Chinese New Year. I don't have anything against the out towners in particular, but the city is really too crowded on a normal day. It's only during these days that we can take advantage of the relatively small number of people and can slow down and really experience the leisurely pace of the old Beijingers of yesteryear, the way they carried their birdcages and chatted with their friends."
