Chapter 21 Reunion

Ji Rendong's work in the Arctic officially ended in the second spring after Shi Banxia left.

She didn't tell anyone when she would return. Just like Ji Rendong's consistently aloof style, she simply boarded a flight home alone, without making a sound.

As the plane broke through the clouds and the familiar outline of the East Asian continent gradually appeared outside the window, she looked out the window, feeling not much excitement about returning home, but rather a sense of confusion.

Where is home?

The city she left years ago seems to be just a geographical concept.

Ji Rendong did not go straight home; her luggage contained only simple personal items and thick stacks of research materials.

As if by some strange twist of fate, she bought a plane ticket to the port city.

The reason is somewhat vague. Perhaps she wanted to experience the long-lost, bustling human world, or perhaps... it was just because the city was described so vividly in Shi Banxia's rambling sharing that it stirred a secret longing in her, someone who has spent years with ice and snow.

Ji Rendong told herself that she was just going to see the city that Shi Banxia had repeatedly mentioned, to see the sea, and then she would leave…

Shi Banxia is currently experiencing a creative block.

She tried to fill her life with work, but after returning from the Arctic, she found it difficult to put real passion into other filming projects.

Those landscapes that once amazed her now seem to lack something.

The editor said her recent work was "technically perfect, but lacked soul," a statement she couldn't refute.

After yet another unpleasant encounter with her partner, Shi Banxia dragged her weary body back to her apartment, and for the first time, she didn't turn on her computer to process the photos.

She picked up her phone, and a multinational filming project happened to require filming in the port city, which she accepted almost immediately.

This is Shi Banxia's second visit to the port city this year. When she's in a bad mood, she comes to the port city to take a look. The familiar neon lights, crowded streets and alleys, and damp sea breeze seem to have become her refuge in some way.

The first time Shi Banxia came to the port city this year was during the New Year. She still remembers sending Ji Rendong a "Happy New Year" message amidst the bustling crowd.

However, that once-active chat window has been silent for months, finally settling on a polite New Year's greeting on New Year's Eve.

In the spring of the port city, the air is filled with the damp, salty smell and the warmth of neon lights.

Ji Rendong went to the place that appeared in Shi Banxia's photos.

The night view from Victoria Peak was indeed dazzling, but the clamor of the crowds only bothered her; the Temple Street night market was full of the lively atmosphere of the streets, with the aromas of various snacks mingling together, but she had little appetite.

She found herself unconsciously searching for that familiar figure that might exist.

Ji Rendong, dressed in a simple white shirt and black trousers, stood out somewhat from the surrounding crowd of people hurrying by and dressed in bright colors.

The colors, sounds, and smells here were too intense, making her feel somewhat disoriented. Following her phone's navigation, she wandered aimlessly until she finally arrived at the Star Ferry Pier in Tsim Sha Tsui.

Ji Rendong bought a ticket and followed the crowd onto the Star Ferry. She chose a window seat and sat down, looking at the sparkling sea outside, but her thoughts drifted to the distance.

Did that girl see the same scenery here before?

The Star Ferry slowly pulled away from the shore, its engine emitting a deep roar. The sea breeze blew in through the open windows, bringing a warm and complex aroma.

Shi Banxia leaned against the ship's railing, letting the wind tousle her hair. Her mood remained low, the editor's words still echoing in her ears—"lacking soul."

She placed her camera bag on her lap, her fingertips unconsciously stroking the little cat charm hanging on the bag, a habitual action she took when anxious or lost in thought.

The ferry rocked slightly, breaking through the dark blue sea. Ji Rendong's gaze slowly shifted from the scenery outside the window to the interior of the cabin, sweeping over unfamiliar faces.

Then, her gaze froze.

At the other end of the cabin, near the ship's side, a girl wearing a light yellow cardigan was gazing into the distance, lost in thought.

The sea breeze ruffled her soft hair, and the profile of her face, illuminated by the harbor lights, was so clear that Ji Rendong's heart skipped a beat.

It was midsummer.

She looks... a bit thinner.

Her already soft facial features seemed to become more defined, and she also seemed to be a little tired.

Shi Banxia stood there quietly, separated from the tourists taking photos and chatting around her by an invisible film, her whole being shrouded in a faint sense of loneliness.

This seems somewhat different from the girl Ji Rendong saw on social media, smiling brightly under the sun around the world.

Ji Rendong thought he was hallucinating.

The figure that had lingered in her mind countless times was now truly appearing a dozen meters away.

Time seemed to slow down at that moment, and the noise in the cabin faded into a blurry background sound.

Without thinking, Ji Rendong stood up.

She walked through the slightly crowded corridor, her steps light, yet carrying an urgency she couldn't control.

She stopped a step behind Shi Banxia, ​​the sea breeze carrying the familiar, faint fragrance of the girl's hair to her nose—the scent of the fruity shampoo that Shi Banxia insisted on using even in the polar regions.

"Pinellia ternata".

Ji Rendong's voice was even hoarser than expected, with a slight, almost imperceptible tremor, which gently blended into the sea breeze.

Shi Banxia was staring blankly at the skyscrapers in Central across the river when this familiar call made her stiffen, thinking it was a hallucination caused by excessive longing.

She turned around slowly, incredulously.

Their eyes met.

The cabin lights were not bright, but they clearly outlined Ji Rendong's face.

Ji Rendong still had the same aloof appearance as in my memory, completely out of place with the bustling night in the port city, yet she stood there so real, standing in front of Shi Banxia.

Shi Banxia's eyes widened, filled with disbelief and shock, followed by an overwhelming sense of grievance and bitterness.

Ji Rendong felt a pang of unease under that gaze. She stepped forward, lowering her voice even further, with a cautiousness she herself didn't realize: "Banxia..."

Shi Banxia stood there, clutching the cat pendant in her hand. She opened her mouth but no sound came out, and her eyes quickly reddened at a visible speed.

After the initial shock, all that followed was overwhelming resentment.

All those messages that disappeared without a trace, that awkward phone call, and the heartache of countless nights spent staring blankly at the cat keychain—all of it was now stuck in my throat.

"...Sister Honeysuckle?" She finally found her voice, her tone thick with a nasal twang, as if she couldn't believe it. "How did you get here?"

"I..." Ji Rendong was speechless for a moment. His usual calmness disappeared at this moment, leaving only helplessness in the face of Shi Banxia's grievance. "I finished my work. I just... came to Hong Kong to take a look."

"By the way?" Shi Banxia repeated the word, forcing a smile that looked more like a grimace.

"Oh...I see." She lowered her head, not wanting Ji Rendong to see the tears that were about to fall, and said in a muffled voice, "Well...what a coincidence."

What a coincidence! Hong Kong is such a big city, why did we have to meet here of all places? Why did this person reappear just when she had finally built up her defenses and told herself that everything was over?

After Shi Banxia's "What a coincidence," there was a suffocating silence. She abruptly turned around, facing the sea again, leaving Ji Rendong with only a tense, slightly trembling back view.

Ji Rendong felt a pang in his heart as he watched Shi Banxia's retreating figure.

That tentative, cautious phone call, the disappointment behind those messages that seemed to have vanished without a trace—all of it now manifested in this aggrieved figure, silently accusing Ji Rendong of indifference and retreat.

"Banxia..." Ji Rendong called out again, her voice softening. She stepped forward and gently touched Shi Banxia's arm.

Shi Banxia flinched, but didn't flinch; her shoulders just trembled even more violently. She was crying, her tears falling silently onto the railing.

Ji Rendong panicked completely. She had seen Shi Banxia in many different ways, but she had never seen her collapse like this, silently and repressively.

Ji Rendong walked around to Shi Banxia's side, ignoring her slight struggles, and cupped her face in his hands.

As her fingertips touched the warm skin, Ji Rendong's heart skipped a beat. Shi Banxia also froze, seemingly not expecting Ji Rendong to do such a thing.

Shi Banxia was forced to raise her head, her eyes wet and lowered, still refusing to look at Ji Rendong.

"Don't cry..." Ji Rendong's voice was gentle as he clumsily wiped away the tears on Shi Banxia's face with his thumb. "I'm sorry..."

This apology instantly caused Shi Banxia's pent-up grievances to overflow.

She finally looked at Ji Rendong, her voice trembling with tears.

"Why are you apologizing? What have you done to apologize to me? It's my fault... I shouldn't have sent you so many messages, I shouldn't have made that phone call... It's all my fault... I haven't gotten over it yet..."

"It wasn't a disturbance," Ji Rendong hurriedly denied, her heart in turmoil at Shi Banxia's crying. "I never disturbed you..."

"Then why didn't you reply to my messages? Why...why were you so cold?" Shi Banxia sobbed, finally asking the question that had been bottled up inside for so long, "I thought...I thought you had long forgotten, that that period of time...was just an accident..."

My mind, which is usually clear and logical in research reports, is now in complete chaos.

Ji Rendong organized her thoughts, took a deep breath, and then slowly began to speak.

"I just... don't know how to contact you. Seeing how many places you've been and how wonderful your life is... I'm afraid my words will disappoint you."

She paused, her eyes filled with a bittersweet honesty, "I'm afraid if I say too much... you'll get annoyed. I'm also afraid... I'm afraid I'll miss you even more."

How can I express the longing that spans thousands of miles? How can I tell you that I have read every single one of your messages countless times, yet I am afraid that my response will disturb your wonderful new life, afraid that my inadequate words are unworthy of the vibrant world you share?

That last sentence suddenly pierced through Shi Banxia's confused mind.

Shi Banxia froze, forgetting to cry for a moment. She just stared blankly at Ji Rendong, at the same cautious yet incredibly real longing and helplessness in his eyes that were exactly the same as her own.

It turns out, she wasn't the only one indulging in wishful thinking.

All right…!

At least, this person wasn't indifferent; at least, she panicked because of her own tears…

The grievances remained, and the heartache lingered, but a strange, bittersweet warmth quietly spread.

Shi Banxia sniffed, her voice thick with nasal congestion, and muttered softly, "...Idiot."

"Yes, I'm an idiot." Ji Rendong finally breathed a sigh of relief, a very slight smile curving her lips.

Ji Rendong looked at Shi Banxia, ​​but did not let go immediately. Her fingertips gently caressed Shi Banxia's cheek, and she looked at her intently for a few seconds before finally slowly releasing her hand.

The lingering warmth and dampness on her fingertips stirred a flutter in her heart.

Shi Banxia lowered her head somewhat shyly, avoiding Ji Rendong's gaze, her cheeks slightly flushed.

The Star Ferry slowly docked, an announcement came on, and the surrounding tourists began to move. The noise returned, pulling the two back to reality from their brief and private standoff.

The two disembarked and stood on the bustling dock, momentarily speechless. After their impulsiveness and frankness, the awkwardness and uncertainty of reality quietly surfaced.

“You…” Ji Rendong hesitated before speaking.

"I..." Shi Banxia also spoke at the same time.

The two exchanged a glance, then quickly looked away.

"Where are you going?" Ji Rendong asked.

"Back to the hotel," Shi Banxia replied softly, giving the hotel's name, "It's nearby."

"I'll see you off, let's go together," Ji Rendong said almost instinctively, her tone gentle.

Shi Banxia's heart skipped a beat. She neither agreed nor refused, but silently turned and walked towards the hotel...

A note from the author:

Winter and Summer have finally reunited!

Next up is all sweetness!