What a coincidence.

The New Year had yet to arrive, but its festive atmosphere was already in the air.

Though Lin Yu knew he would be spending this last New Year’s Eve alone, that didn’t stop him from decorating his small rented apartment to feel more celebratory.

Couplets, paper cutouts—nothing could be missing!

As for dumplings...

Emmmm...

Recalling his disastrous dumpling-making skills, Lin Yu decided that for the sake of his own peace of mind this New Year’s Eve, it was best to just buy some ready-made ones.

After listing the items he needed to buy in his phone’s memo, Lin Yu put on his coat and stepped outside.

As he left the residential building, a gust of icy wind hit him in the face.

The cold wind, mixed with snowflakes, made it hard for him to keep his eyes open. Pulling his jacket zipper all the way up, he squinted and trudged forward against the biting wind.

This winter in H City had been unusually harsh, with snow falling generously—one storm after another, each heavier than the last.

This kind of weather was actually quite abnormal for H City, a riverside metropolis.

In the memories of the original owner, Huang Mao, H City had never seen winters with so much snow, let alone storms this severe.

Still, Lin Yu found himself enjoying this cold and snowy winter.

The harsher the winter, the more precious a warm home felt. After freezing outside, huddling against the cold, stepping back into the warmth of heated indoors was nothing short of healing.

The drastic contrast made it easy to appreciate the luxury of happiness.

Well, except for that day he saved Tang Qinqin!

Damn it!

He almost froze solid that day!

Literally!!!

Come to think of it, he hadn’t visited her since dropping her off at the hospital.

He’d have to find time for that.

There were still a lot of questions he needed to ask her.

Leaving the neighborhood, Lin Yu strolled leisurely toward the nearest supermarket.

While waiting at a crosswalk near a small bar, he spotted a few familiar faces.

"Brother Long!"

A group of guys with hair dyed in various colors grinned as they approached.

Lin Yu nodded at the members of the Black Blood Gang, exchanging brief greetings before asking about the gang’s current situation.

"We’re doing alright now," the Blue-haired guy explained in detail.

"Under the combined pressure from the Fire Scorpion Gang and those out-of-town gangs, we were almost done for."

"Just when we were all feeling hopeless and ready to disband, Brother She joined us."

"That guy’s a real beast!"

The Blue-haired guy sighed, sounding genuinely impressed.

"Brother She somehow managed to drive a wedge between the Fire Scorpion Gang and the outsiders, making the out-of-town gangs pull out overnight—not a single one stayed behind."

"And then..."

At this point, the Blue-haired guy glanced around cautiously. Seeing no one nearby, he leaned closer to Lin Yu and lowered his voice mysteriously.

"Brother Long, you heard about the Fuyun Hotel fire a while back, right?"

Lin Yu searched his memory and quickly recalled the incident, nodding.

"Yeah, vaguely. Didn’t it make the news?"

"I think the report said it was caused by a gas explosion."

"Wait, was he involved?"

Lin Yu instinctively lowered his voice as well.

The Blue-haired guy didn’t answer directly. Instead, he gave a meaningful look and whispered,

"Whether Brother She had a hand in it, we don’t know for sure."

"But that fire was weird as hell. The gas tank didn’t explode in the kitchen—it was in a private room."

"When it blew, seven of the Fire Scorpion Gang’s key members were inside."

"Three died, and the other three are still in comas at the hospital."

Here, the Blue-haired guy gave another loaded look. Lin Yu silently returned the gesture before the guy continued,

"Anyway, the very next day, Brother Yuan announced Brother She as the Black Blood Gang’s third-in-command."

"Now, aside from Brother Black Tiger and the gang leader, he’s the one calling the shots."

Listening to the story, Lin Yu couldn’t help but nod in admiration.

"That’s seriously impressive."

The Blue-haired guy agreed, then looked at Lin Yu and asked,

"Brother Long, we haven’t seen you around lately. You...?"

"Ah!"

"Don’t even ask."

Lin Yu sighed, waving his hand dejectedly.

"Ever since that Fire Scorpion bastard hit me with a brick, my head hasn’t been right."

"I keep forgetting things, and if I move too suddenly, I get dizzy and my head starts pounding."

"Seems like it left some permanent damage."

He sighed heavily again, his voice filled with frustration and guilt.

"Seeing you guys fighting hard while I’m stuck on the sidelines—it kills me that I can’t help."

The Blue-haired guy suddenly straightened up, looking at Lin Yu with newfound respect.

"Brother Long, if anyone else said that, I’d think they were just scared and making excuses to stay out of the fight."

"But coming from you? I don’t doubt it for a second!"

Before he could finish, the Crew-cut guy beside him cut in,

"Who doesn’t know Brother Long’s loyalty?"

"Risked his life for the gang leader!"

"If anyone’s fearless, it’s him!"

The rest of the Black Blood Gang members chimed in with agreement.

Lin Yu licked his lips, trying to keep a straight face, but ultimately failed, breaking into a grin.

Just as he was about to say something else, his smile suddenly froze. His expression shifted from amusement to shock—even horror.

The group before him:

The Blue-haired guy stood in the center, hands half-tucked in his pockets, smiling.

The Pink-haired guy stood with one leg straight, the other kicked out to the side, exuding a cocky vibe.

The Crew-cut guy beside him seemed cold, hunched over with both hands buried in his coat pockets.

The others’ postures, positions—everything perfectly matched a scene from Lin Yu’s memory.

In the coldest winter H City had seen in decades, beads of cold sweat formed on Lin Yu’s forehead, only to be quickly dried by the freezing wind.

Slowly, he turned his head.

There, standing beside him, was a strikingly beautiful girl, smiling shyly.

Her clear, spring-like eyes held a mix of nervousness and excitement, but nothing could hide the admiration shining in them.

"Hello," she said softly, her voice as sweet as her rosy lips.

"Didn’t expect to run into you here. What a coincidence."