Chapter 4 Before the Polar Night (Part 2)

"Miss Ji, please let me explain..."

Ji Rendong put the mug down, the metal base hitting the table with a crisp sound. Leaning against the counter, her glasses gleamed coldly: "Hmm, I'm listening."

Shi Banxia caught a glimpse of Ji Rendong's cold face and immediately wilted: "I'm sorry... black coffee is too bitter, so I just... like to change things up sometimes..."

Ji Rendong pointed to the logo on the coffee machine, "This is my personal coffee machine."

The kitchen temperature seemed to drop a few degrees. Only then did Shi Banxia notice that the coffee machine was indeed different from the other public items—it had a Norwegian logo printed on it, and there was a label on the side of the coffee machine that read "Winter/RD: 1105".

That was Ji Rendong's employee number.

Shi Banxia's hand trembled, and the spoon hit the side of the cup—she stared at the employee number on the coffee machine: she should have realized that this was Ji Rendong's personal item!

Shi Banxia quickly waved her hand: "I'm sorry! I'll transfer you back right away!"

She frantically pressed the buttons on the coffee machine, but accidentally pressed the wrong one—the coffee machine emitted a strange "beep" sound and spat out a cloud of brown coffee powder…

The two of them froze at the same time.

Ji Rendong: "..."

Shi Banxia: "Maybe... machines in the Arctic... really are afraid of the cold too..."

Ji Rendong took a deep breath: "Don't touch it yet, let me teach you how to adjust the mode."

After a moment of silence, Ji Rendong added, "And the correct way to clean a coffee machine." Ji Rendong glanced down at Shi Banxia, ​​whose face looked completely bewildered.

"If you wash it clean, the black coffee won't taste like hot cocoa."

Hearing Ji Rendong's pointed words, Shi Banxia choked up and stepped aside to watch Ji Rendong operate the coffee machine.

Ji Rendong's finger hovered above the coffee machine's buttons: "The cleaning program will take 38 seconds, remember that."

Shi Banxia nodded and muttered softly, "Actually... hot cocoa is quite delicious, Miss Ji, would you like to try it?"

Ji Rendong didn't even turn her head: "I won't drink."

Shi Banxia: "With sugar...?"

Ji Rendong: "I won't drink."

Shi Banxia persisted: "Dark chocolate...?"

Ji Rendong finally stopped what he was doing, looked at her, and said with a hint of pressure in his eyes: "Miss Shi, aren't you focusing on the wrong thing?"

Shi Banxia covered her mouth and blinked her eyes to show that she was being obedient.

Ji Rendong pressed the clean button, glanced at Shi Banxia, ​​and whispered, "Next time you want hot cocoa... just tell me in advance."

Shi Banxia's eyes lit up. Just as she was about to praise Ji Rendong for being beautiful, kind-hearted, and magnanimous, Ji Rendong added, "If you mess with the coffee machine again, I will ask the stationmaster to replace the chocolate in the food supplies with black coffee powder."

Shi Banxia: "...I understand."

Ji Rendong nodded slightly and ignored Shi Banxia.

After the fragrant black coffee filled the mug, Ji Rendong cleaned the coffee machine, said "Goodnight" to Shi Banxia, ​​and left without looking back.

Looking at the other person's tall figure, Shi Banxia retracted her previous statement. She really still didn't know how to get along with Ji Rendong...

A week is neither a long nor a short time, but if it's a week of training, then that's a different story.

Because she was afraid of the cold and had been in training for the entire week, Shi Banxia had to stay at the research station as filming was temporarily suspended.

Aside from training, there was nothing else to do. Every day consisted of a repetitive cycle between the room, Ji Rendong's room, the observatory, and the kitchen.

The sky outside the window was overcast and dotted with snowflakes.

Shi Banxia looked out the window, feeling somewhat depressed. It was daytime, yet the light was so dim. Could she really capture a beautiful aurora in this weather? She felt suffocated, unable to get any interesting shots every day…

Ji Rendong followed Shi Banxia's gaze to the window, then turned her head back. She rolled up the documents and gently patted Shi Banxia's hand: "It's the last day of training, please hang in there, Miss Shi."

The light from the incandescent bulb shone on Ji Rendong's glasses, making it impossible for Shi Banxia to see clearly what emotions were hidden in Ji Rendong's eyes beneath those glasses.

Shi Banxia stretched and couldn't help but ask, "Miss Ji, in this kind of weather, even at night, the visibility isn't very good, is it?"

A hint of disappointment flashed in Shi Banxia's eyes: "Is it really possible to capture the 'Golden Arctic'?"

Sensing the doubt and slight disappointment in Shi Banxia's tone, Ji Rendong said softly, "Yes, it's possible. Don't worry, Miss Shi."

"real?"

Shi Banxia's eyes lit up again.

Ji Rendong's eyes lit up when he saw Shi Banxia. He secretly found it amusing, but he didn't show it on his face.

"Yes, the temperature and humidity will be just right for the next few days, and there won't be too thick cloud cover. The sun has also been quite active recently, so we should be able to see it."

Ji Rendong paused suddenly, seemingly to increase credibility, "That's what the team's meteorological observer said."

Shi Banxia flashed a bright smile, her lips almost reaching her temples, a hint of pride in her expression. Her tone was clearly filled with joy and anticipation: "Yay! That's great! Hehe... After a week of training, I guarantee I'll be able to produce some amazing footage!"

Ji Rendong stared at Shi Banxia's smile for about half a second before silently looking away.

This child, just looking at the aurora borealis, why is he smiling so brightly...?

The sunlight is so strong, I'm going to get burned.

Ji Rendong thought to himself.

Shi Banxia was making plans to see the aurora borealis, looking very excited.

"Miss Ji said she would be my tour guide! Thank you in advance, Miss Ji!" Shi Banxia suddenly turned around and looked at Ji Rendong with a smile.

Meeting Shi Banxia's smiling gaze, Ji Rendong's voice softened: "Yes, you're welcome. I'm happy to be able to help you."

The wind was still howling outside the window, and snow was falling gently on the windowpane. Inside the research station, the temperature between the two people seemed to have risen slightly.

The polar nights are truly cold. Despite the biting wind, Shi Banxia found herself completely oblivious to the cold.

Yeah, maybe that's what passion is all about.

It was only nine o'clock in the evening when Shi Banxia, ​​fully armed, arrived at Ji Rendong's room door on time.

The best time to observe the "Golden Arctic" is from 10 PM to 3 AM the next morning. The two agreed to meet at Ji Rendong's room at 10 PM.

Shi Banxia, ​​wrapped in a winter coat, wearing a fluffy hat, and carrying a large travel bag, looked like a little penguin pacing in the corridor, occasionally peeking towards Ji Rendong's room.

Ji Rendong was still organizing data at her desk, the white light from the screen reflecting on her calm face.

"Miss Ji—" Shi Banxia finally couldn't help but call out softly through the crack in the door. Just as she was about to push the door open, Ji Rendong had already put on her coat, grabbed her equipment, and opened the door first.

Shi Banxia handed Ji Rendong a thermos with a grin: "Black coffee, hot! Miss Ji, let's go!"

Ji Rendong took the thermos and gently stroked the smooth inside. The corridor lights were dim, and the engrossed Shi Banxia didn't notice the slight upturn of Ji Rendong's lips.

"Okay, let's go. Oh, by the way, you're wearing your gloves inside out."

The two walked side by side, trudging along the small hill outside the research station, their steps uneven. The cold wind was biting, and Shi Banxia hunched her shoulders.

"Hiss... It's so cold." Shi Banxia muttered softly, exhaling a puff of white mist.

Ji Rendong glanced at Shi Banxia's nose, which was red from the cold, and said nothing. He simply slowed his pace so that she could keep up.

Seeing Shi Banxia's backpack full of things, Ji Rendong couldn't help but ask.

"Is everything ready?"

Her voice remained as calm as ever.

"Mmm!" Shi Banxia nodded vigorously. "Learning from last time, I brought three batteries this time! I also prepared hand warmers for them, and put them all in the protective bag..."

Hearing Shi Banxia confidently introduce her preparations, Ji Rendong's expression softened, and she nodded with satisfaction: "Hmm. That's good."

The snow-covered ground was quiet at night, with only the soft, crunching sound of two people's footsteps on the snow.

Shi Banxia laid the sleeping mat flat on the snow and set up the tripod. Ji Rendong noticed that Shi Banxia had put a frost protection camera case on the camera and also attached a heating belt.

Ji Rendong thought to himself, "It seems that we are really well prepared this time. A week of training is indeed very useful."

The night sky was as black as ink, with stars twinkling. In the distance, a faint green light appeared, like a piece of silk being blown away, slowly spreading across the sky.

The aurora became more and more obvious, with green and golden light bands intertwining and changing, and starlight also shimmered in Shi Banxia's eyes.

Shi Banxia excitedly took photos, the sound of "click click click" rising and falling, her profile illuminated by the aurora.

Flipping through the photos on her camera—which were practically perfect—Shi Banxia was so happy she almost jumped for joy. She forgot again that she was in the snow… and her foot slipped, causing her to fall backward—

"careful!"

Ji Rendong reacted quickly, grabbing Shi Banxia by the back of her collar and stabilizing her like a rabbit. However, due to gravity, Shi Banxia still unexpectedly fell into Ji Rendong's arms.

Ji Rendong stumbled half a step as she was pulled along. Shi Banxia's back slammed heavily into her arms, the winter coat rustling as it rubbed against her.

—Too close!

—But it's so warm…

The moment the thought popped into her head, Shi Banxia herself was stunned for a moment. Ji Rendong didn't smell of perfume at all, only the dry, cold air of the polar region and a faint, bitter aroma of black coffee.

Shi Banxia froze, not daring to move. She only felt a pair of warm hands steadily supporting her... At the same time, Ji Rendong's hand was still on Shi Banxia's waist, and she could feel the warmth of his palm even through the gloves.

"Hold on your feet?"

A calm voice came from above, but the hand that had been supporting her waist hesitated for half a second before releasing its grip. Shi Banxia hurriedly took a step back, her ears burning: "Th-thank you..."

After both of them regained their footing, they quickly separated, each taking a step back in perfect unison. The aurora borealis swirled overhead, casting their shadows that overlapped and then receded.

Shi Banxia gave an embarrassed smile, steadied herself, and quietly moved half a step closer to Ren Dong, muttering softly, "The ground is too slippery..."

"Stand still. Even on snow, falling will hurt. You've fallen before." Ji Rendong turned her face away. "Be careful, don't fall again."

Shi Banxia scratched her head sheepishly, lowered her head, and stuck out her tongue: "I'll be careful..."

After a long while, Shi Banxia raised her head, looked at the magnificent aurora, and said softly, "It's so beautiful... Miss Ji, you must have seen the aurora many, many times before, right?"

Ji Rendong's gaze also lingered on the changing aurora, and she responded with a faint "Mm".

Ji Rendong looked away and saw Shi Banxia squatting down, intently rummaging through her backpack. Before Ji Rendong could ask anything, Shi Banxia handed him another camera.

“Miss Ji, why don’t you take some photos too? It would be such a waste not to take pictures of such a beautiful ‘Golden Arctic’.” Shi Banxia’s eyes sparkled as she gestured for Ji Rendong to get the camera.

Ji Rendong's originally calm gaze flickered slightly. After hesitating for a moment, Ji Rendong gently took the camera, fiddled with it in her hand for a bit, her fingers unconsciously caressing the shutter button, and said softly, "Nan Xingwan told you, didn't she? I used to be in the photography club."

Caught red-handed in a second, Shi Banxia awkwardly cleared her throat: "No...no, it's just that I feel it's too precious for me to appreciate such a beautiful aurora all by myself. It would be nice if more people could record it and create more memories..."

Ji Rendong smiled gently—that was the first time Shi Banxia had ever seen Ji Rendong smile.

So beautiful...she really is beautiful when she smiles...

Shi Banxia secretly admired him in her heart.

"Thank you, Miss Shi." Ji Rendong smiled and raised her camera towards the sky. Her fingertip hovered over the shutter button for half a second, as if touching an old wound.

"Crackling sounds".

When Ji Rendong finally pressed the shutter, Shi Banxia heard a barely audible sigh—faster than a shooting star.

Ji Rendong lowered her head, looked at the photos she had taken, smiled, and said softly, "My photography skills have deteriorated."

Seeing Ji Rendong's unusually relaxed appearance, Shi Banxia noticed that Ji Rendong's profile had also become much softer.

Shi Banxia leaned forward, glanced at the photos Ji Rendong had taken, and flashed a big smile: "Aren't they beautiful?! Miss Ji is amazing! So, did you enjoy taking the photos?"

Ji Rendong responded softly, without denying it.

The two remained as in sync as ever, exchanging a few words before falling silent again.

The night wind howled, the aurora borealis swirled, and the distance between the two shortened slightly. Their intertwined figures appeared exceptionally warm in the icy and snowy landscape.

As they were packing to go back, Shi Banxia suddenly had a flash of inspiration. She turned around abruptly and said excitedly to Ji Rendong, "Miss Ji, the aurora is beautiful! Let's make a wish!"

Ji Rendong raised an eyebrow slightly: "The aurora is just a physical phenomenon and has nothing to do with making wishes."

Shi Banxia pouted: "Oh, Miss Ji, let's not be serious scientists anymore! Be romantic! I'll make a wish!"

"Okay. I'll wait for you."

Watching Shi Banxia make a sincere wish with her eyes closed, Ji Rendong looked up at the aurora again and closed her eyes slightly as well.

Perhaps, this is for the best.

On the way back to the research station, Shi Banxia was still full of enthusiasm: "Miss Ji, let's take star trail photos together next time!"

Ji Rendong didn't reply immediately, but instead placed a hand warmer in Shi Banxia's shivering hand, saying, "We'll see..."

Shi Banxia took the hand warmer and, unwilling to give up, pressed on, "Then let's come together again when you have time! I'll make you black coffee next time too!"

Ji Rendong nodded and quickened her pace, without giving a direct answer: "Take the hand warmers, be careful not to freeze."

Shi Banxia clutched the hand warmer tightly, blinked, and then smiled.

"Miss Ji, please don't be so polite! From now on, please don't call me 'Miss Shi,' just call me Banxia!"

“…Banxia.” Ji Rendong pursed her lips and spoke softly.

Shi Banxia finally smiled with satisfaction and jogged to catch up with Ji Rendong.

"Then... Sister Ji? Honeysuckle? Sister Honeysuckle?"

"...Stop running, watch where you're going."

"……oh"

A note from the author:

Winter is so warm~ It's perfect for being a human-shaped heater~