The first snow of the year in Shen City fell on the evening of the Eve of the Little New Year.
However, this snowfall didn't last long, merely an hour or so, and after a flurry of delicate snowflakes, it ended without leaving a trace on the ground or rooftops. As a result, many people woke up the next day completely unaware that it had snowed the night before.
When Shu Guan left the Zouma Hall the next morning, there was no hint of snow on the steps outside, but the sky remained overcast, the weather dismal, with a biting wind that carried moisture and felt like a knife against one's face.
Pedestrians on the road all wrapped their heads and faces with scarves, or hiked their collars up and hurried on with their necks shrunk.
And as Shu Guan stepped out of the Zouma Hall, he saw Master Qian Jingan from across the street, coming out of his house in that very manner—clutching a briefcase and jogging toward the entrance of Duolun Alley.
