Prologue

The plane was late.

Because of the snow.

It was warm and comfortable inside the airport, but outside, a big snowstorm was falling.

Pang Qian was wrapped in a big coat, standing in front of the glass, watching as snow piled onto the tarmac. The endless snow, caught in the wind, fell to the ground. Against the dim lights, everything looked a bit fuzzy.

The airport staff were driving cars back and forth, transporting luggage and clearing off the snow. Pang Qian lifted her wrist to check her watch. It was already 8 PM. Originally, she should have landed in E City by now.

The gate door was closed, and there were no staff present. Half an hour earlier, someone had come to distribute some meal boxes and mineral water. Pang Qian and a bunch of anxious passengers lined up to get one. After she hurriedly finished eating, she began to wonder about the actual chances of getting home that night.

She traveled up north for a business trip on her own, in this cold season, to an icy and snow-filled city. Pang Qian was eager to return home. She’d already been here for two weeks. For an easily homesick girl, it really was long enough.

Still, no one had come to inform them if the plane would be able to take off. Pang Qian sat down in a chair and took a look at the people around her. There was an elderly man who had already fallen asleep in his chair. Next to him was a young mother, coaxing the crying baby in her arms. On the other side, there was a pair of lovers sitting close together, each with one headphone in their ear, watching and laughing at a video on their iPad. A well-dressed middle-aged man sat beside them, still as a monk in meditation…

A phone rang, and Pang Qian answered. It was her mom, Jin Ai’hua, calling.

Pang Qian told her that the plan was late, and she wasn’t sure if she’d make it home that night.

She said, “It’s snowing a lot here. Right now, they haven’t told us anything.”

Jin Ai’hua said, “Then I’ll tell Xiao Yu to go home. He’s been waiting for your call for a long time. He wanted to pick you up at the airport.”

Pang Qian furrowed her brows, “Why is he there again? Hurry and tell him to go home. If the plane flies tonight, I can just take the bus home on my own.”

When she hung up, Pang Qian decided to take a walk around. She’d already been waiting at the airport for several hours, and it was indeed rather boring.

After visiting a few souvenir and apparel shops, Pang Qian went into a bookstore. The airport bookstore didn’t really excite her. There were a lot of biographies, some books on economic tips, travel guides… Pang Qian looked over book after book without interest, when out of the corner of her eye, she spotted a book that seemed to be a best-seller.

It was an illustrated book. Normal 16 kai paper, medium thickness, beautifully printed. The cover had a ring of green leaves, drawn with a lot of detail. In the center of the ring was a tiny crab on the back of a small ostrich.

16 kai is a paper size; I think it’s a pretty standard size for books. The “normal” version is 185mm x 260mm and the “large” ones are 210mm x 285mm, for those interested.

The crab was red, and the ostrich was brown. You could see the slightest trace of feathers on its body. Its eyes were gentle and clear but dark. The crab was huddled inside its claws, sleeping soundly.

The title of the book was “My Miss Crab.”

Pang Qian involuntarily picked up the book. It was wrapped in plastic, and it wasn’t cheap.

Pang Qian found the author — Mister Ostrich.

A strange name, but it made her heart beat faster.

She took the book to the counter to pay, her hand slightly shaking.

When she returned to the boarding gate, she found that the other passengers had all gathered together. It was an airport staff member who was here to make an announcement. All flights tonight were cancelled because of the heavy snow. As for when they would be resumed, that depended on the weather.

The staff member apologized and asked us to contact the airline to arrange a refund or to change our tickets. Travelers needing to stay longer could arrange for a hotel downtown. Travelers wishing to take the train could arrange tickets at the train station.

Pang Qian stood to the side, watching as some unhappy travelers started quarreling with the airport staff. She pulled her coat tighter, feeling at a bit of a loss.

At 11 PM, Pang Qian finally arranged a hotel to stay at. The hotel was very simple, but they had arranged a single room for her. It had full amenities and the heating was very comfortable. She had no complaints.

After washing up, she got into bed. Using the orange light from the head of the bed, she finally opened the illustrated book.

Feeling the smooth cover, Pang Qian looked again at the small ostrich and crab. After she settled down, she opened the book.