Miles, standing at 1.75 meters, paired with Lisa, who measured a delicate 1.60 meters.
Though Miles didn't have the advantage of height, his balanced physique complemented the trench coat perfectly, giving him a slight resemblance to a classic movie hero.
As for Lisa, words alone couldn't capture her essence. Her face adorned with soft, elegant makeup, she looked like a figure who had stepped straight out of a Renaissance painting.
She was beautiful.
A beauty that pierced the soul.
Hers wasn't the mischievous, elfin charm of Nicole, nor the mature and icy allure of Mary. Lisa was uniquely herself—irreplaceable in her radiance.
"Are you daydreaming?"
Lisa waved her delicate hand in front of Miles' face.
Miles caught her hand gently, smiling. "Lisa, has anyone ever told you that you resemble someone?"
"Who?" Lisa's eyes sparkled with excitement. "Tell me, quickly!"
Miles replied with a serious tone, "Audrey Hepburn."
There were countless actresses in the world, but to Miles, only Audrey Hepburn could embody the timeless beauty that captivated at first glance.
"Well, aren't you ambitious!" Lisa raised her slender finger, playfully lifting Miles' chin as she teased, "Am I not beautiful enough for you? Tell me, Miles—who's prettier, Audrey Hepburn or me?"
"Audrey Hepburn," Miles replied without hesitation, then quickly pressed the door's passcode and swung it open.
"You're dead, Miles!" Lisa shrieked behind him, half furious and half embarrassed. "Just you wait, you're not getting away with this!"
Laughing and teasing, the two stepped out of the villa.
The moment Lisa set foot into the snow-covered world outside, she froze in place. She stood there, motionless, as if caught in a dream. Slowly, she reached out and caught a snowflake in her palm.
Before she could examine it, the snowflake melted, leaving no trace behind.
"What's wrong?"
Miles, who had just retrieved the snowmobile, turned back to see Lisa standing in the snow, her expression distant.
Lisa snapped out of her reverie, hastily shaking her head, brushing away two nearly imperceptible tears. "It's nothing... it's just been so long since I've been outside. I'm not used to it."
"Cold, isn't it?"
Miles pulled a pair of nanofiber gloves from his space storage and handed them to her.
Lisa gave him a sweet smile, quickly slipping on the gloves. Her right hand naturally slipped around Miles' arm.
It was a gesture they'd done countless times inside the villa.
But out here... Lisa could feel Miles tense slightly at the contact. Realizing this, she quickly withdrew her hand, her face betraying no emotion.
"Let's go..."
Miles smiled, taking her hand and placing it back in the crook of his arm.
Lisa smiled softly, a faint blush creeping onto her cheeks. Feigning composure, she said, "Are we walking? Don't you have a fancy snowmobile? I was hoping you'd take me for a wild ride!"
"No wild rides. The roads are too slippery," Miles replied, tightening his grip on her arm, a faint smile lingering on his face.
The two of them walked in silence, their steps crunching in the snow. The sound echoed softly, like piano notes played on a frozen stage.
"It's beautiful! Just like the glaciers described in books," Lisa exclaimed, her eyes wide with wonder, like a curious little hamster trying to take in every detail of the scenery.
Having grown up in the south, she had never experienced the awe of an endless expanse of snow and ice.
Miles, who had once traveled to the far north, chuckled lightly. "If we ever get the chance, I'll take you to Siberia. That's where you'll truly see a thousand miles of ice and endless snow-covered plains."
Lisa turned to him, her gaze serious. "By the third day of the apocalypse, temperatures in Siberia had already dropped to minus 80 degrees. Are you sure you want to go?"
"...Fine."
"Then let's go to the Arctic. I heard that during the polar night, you can see thousands of shooting stars falling at once!"
"Are you trying to freeze me to death?"
"Ha!" Lisa laughed, her silvery voice ringing through the crisp air. "Alright then, just take me to the neighborhood gate. Let's see if there's someone selling grilled cold noodles!"
"Now that, we can do!"
Miles rolled his eyes but couldn't help smiling as her laughter echoed far into the snowy landscape.
...
After what felt like hours of walking, they finally reached the gate of the neighborhood.
"Miles!"
A shout rang out from a distance.
Miles turned toward the voice.
Mary and her brother Aaron were leading a group of residents, shoveling snow to clear the paths. The peak of the disaster had passed, and the snowfall had lessened. To make life easier for everyone, Mary had taken the initiative to organize the cleanup.
Whatever else could be said about her, Mary was undeniably diligent.
The voice belonged to Aaron, who strode over with a cold expression, his voice loud and accusatory. "Don't think you're something special just because you've got a bit of power. Tell me—why did you bully my sister?"
"I bullied her?"
Miles instinctively pulled his legs together.
"Aaron, stop it! Come back here!" Mary called, running over. She opened her mouth to speak, but her eyes immediately landed on Lisa, who stood beside Miles, glowing with a radiant smile.
She was stunning.
Lisa's immaculate trench coat, her delicate makeup, her pristine snow boots, and her softly curled hair—all of it combined to create an angelic image amidst the bleak, post-apocalyptic world.
Indeed, compared to the struggling masses, Lisa was an angel.
Women are, by nature, creatures of comparison.
Mary instinctively glanced down.
She looked at her own worn, scuffed boots, her frostbitten hands, and the down jacket she'd worn for over a hundred days.
For the first time, the proud and confident Mary felt a pang of shame and humiliation. Her nose stung, and tears threatened to spill.
Why?
Why, in the same dire circumstances, did someone else get to live in such happiness that it was almost enviable?
Why was she, once so privileged, now reduced to shoveling snow with people who had no hope for tomorrow?
Aaron, oblivious to his sister's turmoil, glared at Miles. "My sister cried all night yesterday! She said she's going to kill you! What did you do to her?"
"You just answered your own question," Miles said with a helpless laugh. "She's the one who wants to kill me. Shouldn't you be asking her what she wants from me?"
Mary looked up, meeting Miles's slightly mocking gaze.
Smack!
Before she realized what she was doing, Mary slapped Miles across the face.
"Shit!"
Aaron stumbled back, instinctively shielding Mary. The bravado he had moments ago vanished, replaced with fear. After all, Miles was an ability user.
Miles was stunned, staring at Mary in disbelief. He felt both wronged and utterly confused.
"What are you doing?!"
Before Miles could react, Lisa stepped forward.
Her expression turned icy as she pushed Mary away. Whether it was her force or Mary's unsteady footing, the latter fell into the snow with a thud.
"You must be Mary," Lisa said coldly, her voice trembling with anger as she glanced at Miles's reddened cheek. "I don't care what conflict exists between you two, but what gives you the right to hit someone without explanation?"
"Uh..."
Miles finally came to his senses, awkwardly rubbing his face. Seeing the resentment in Mary's eyes, he suddenly understood why he'd been slapped.
Jealousy truly brings out the worst in people.