Chapter 7 Temperature Difference (Part 1)

In the early morning, only a faint light shone on the snow.

Shi Banxia stood in front of the research station, watching Ji Rendong talking with the owner of the sled dogs, an uncle, to confirm the itinerary and sampling points—their plan for today was to photograph the glacial lake.

The conversation went very smoothly.

Ji Rendong put on her goggles and stood beside the sled. The big, fluffy dogs barked excitedly, eager to try.

Ji Rendong patted the head of the lead Alaskan Malamute, turned around, and saw Shi Banxia looking nervous.

"Sister Rendong, I...we're going to ride this?" Shi Banxia was a little nervous, but also a little excited. She had never ridden a dog sled before.

“Yes, this dog team is the most reliable here, no need to worry.” Ji Rendong stretched out his hand to Shi Banxia, ​​“You sit in the front, the view is more open, which is convenient for filming.”

Shi Banxia hesitated for a moment, then extended her hand. Ji Rendong was wearing gloves, but his hand holding Shi Banxia's was still warm and strong.

Shi Banxia used the momentum to climb onto the sled and sat down in the front. Ji Rendong also nimbly climbed on and sat behind her.

Shi Banxia could clearly feel the body temperature of the person behind her, and even through the thick winter coat, she could hear a reassuring heartbeat.

Ji Rendong's hands went around her sides and grabbed the handrail in front of her, in a gesture that almost encircled Shi Banxia in his arms.

Shi Banxia lowered her head slightly, fiddling with the camera somewhat helplessly, feeling her ear tips burning.

"Hold on tight!"

The uncle sitting in the front row shouted, and the sled dogs excitedly rushed out.

"Huh?!" Before Shi Banxia could react, the sled was propelled forward.

Shi Banxia felt even more nervous and subconsciously closed her eyes. She hadn't expected the sled to be so fast. After a while, Ji Rendong noticed Shi Banxia's nervousness. To drown out the wind, she leaned close to Shi Banxia's ear and said, "Banxia, ​​open your eyes."

Ji Rendong's voice was calm yet gentle.

A familiar voice rang in her ears, its tone unusually gentle. Shi Banxia felt a tingling sensation in her heart.

Shi Banxia mustered her courage and opened her eyes—the sunlight pierced through the clouds and shone on the distant glacier, making the moraine lake sparkle with light.

Shi Banxia hurriedly raised her camera, focused the lens on the lake, and saw the turquoise lake water shimmering through the viewfinder.

Shi Banxia's eyes widened as she pressed the shutter. After putting down the camera, she couldn't help but exclaim, "So beautiful..."

Ji Rendong followed Shi Banxia's gaze and smiled slightly, "Yes, she is indeed very beautiful."

A cold wind blew in, but Shi Banxia felt her cheeks burning slightly.

As the sled glided across the ground, with each bump and sway, Shi Banxia's back would unconsciously move a little closer to Ji Rendong.

Ji Rendong also noticed the close proximity and her body stiffened for a moment, but for safety reasons, she did not let go. Instead, during a larger jolt, she tightened her arms to protect Shi Banxia, ​​who was sitting in front of her.

Soon, the sled stopped beside the glacial lake. Shi Banxia jumped off the sled and skillfully took out a tripod to prepare for taking pictures.

Ji Rendong, who was standing to the side, also took off his goggles, took out a water sampler, and prepared to collect samples.

Shi Banxia set up the time-lapse photography and caught a glimpse of Ji Rendong collecting lake water out of the corner of her eye. She curiously examined the glass bottle in the other's hand.

Ji Rendong looked up and shook the glass bottle at Shi Banxia. "Do you know? The glacial lake is called 'the tears of the gods' by the locals."

Shi Banxia looked at the gently rippling blue-green lake water, her eyes flickering, "Why?"

Ji Rendong carefully put away the glass bottle and slowly said, "The Glacier Goddess shed a tear for her deceased lover, and the tear turned into a glacial lake, scattered across the world..."

Shi Banxia listened intently, and Ji Rendong gently flicked her forehead in exasperation. "It means that the water of the glacial lake is so clear, yet so cold, that people use it to describe a pure but sorrowful love."

Shi Banxia snapped out of her daze and rubbed her forehead. "That's really romantic..."

Shi Banxia walked back to the tripod, took down the camera, and changed the lens.

Shi Banxia changed her lens and began to capture the beautiful scenery through the viewfinder. She adjusted the angle, but the lens focused on Ji Rendong by the lake—

She simply stood there, the wind sweeping across the lake, ruffling her hair, the shimmering light of the lake falling into her eyes, her profile bathed in a soft glow.

Shi Banxia gently touched the shutter button, unconsciously pointing the lens at Ji Rendong, and pressed the shutter.

"Crackling sound"

Ji Rendong's profile, the shimmering glacial lake, and the glacier in the distance were captured in Shi Banxia's camera.

Hearing the sound, Ji Rendong looked up at her, her eyes filled with confusion, "What's wrong?"

Looking at the picture on the camera screen, Shi Banxia felt her heart pounding. She shook her head and said, "It's nothing! I was just adjusting the angle!"

Shi Banxia quickly turned around, pretending to be nonchalant as she held up her camera to photograph the glacier in front of her.

Ji Rendong looked at Shi Banxia's reddened ear tips and slightly trembling right hand, but did not expose her. He just smiled faintly and nodded gently.

On the way back, the two of them mounted the sled in the same way they had done on the way there.

Ji Rendong adjusted his posture slightly to make Shi Banxia more comfortable.

Shi Banxia felt a pair of warm hands placed beside her, and that reassuring aura gently enveloped her once again. The wind was strong, but close to Ji Rendong, Shi Banxia could clearly hear two heartbeats, different in frequency but resonating in each other, right beside her ear.

Shi Banxia lowered her head somewhat helplessly, then took out her camera and looked through the photos she had just taken.

When she saw the photo of Ji Rendong's profile that she had secretly taken, she hesitated for a moment, but still put the photo into the "happy with" folder along with other photos.

The road became even more bumpy, and Ji Rendong subconsciously pulled Shi Banxia closer, her cheek gently brushing against the top of Shi Banxia's hair.

Smelling the faint citrus scent from Shi Banxia's hair, she paused, turned her face away, and watched Shi Banxia's fingers tapping on the screen. She said softly, "Banxia, ​​send me a copy of the photos you just took later."

Then, Ji Rendong added, "How was the photo I just took?"

Shi Banxia's hand slipped, and the camera almost fell.

Shi Banxia buried her head in her knees, her ears turning red. She'd been discovered after all…

Shi Banxia looked up and smiled awkwardly, "It's fine, Sister Rendong."

Seeing Shi Banxia's embarrassed expression, Ji Rendong chuckled inwardly, "I mean, how do I look?"

Shi Banxia's heart skipped a beat; she hadn't expected Ji Rendong to bring up this topic so directly.

Shi Banxia wiped the lens and said softly, "It's pretty good, the lighting... the composition is excellent..."

Shi Banxia's voice grew softer and softer. Ji Rendong curled her lips into a smile. She suddenly felt that it would be quite interesting to tease this little girl.

The two fell silent again in tacit agreement, and the snowfield returned to quiet.

Shi Banxia's phone suddenly rang in her pocket. She was still on the sled, and the network in the polar region was not very stable, so it probably wasn't anything important. She didn't pay much attention to it and just touched it through her pocket.

"Sister Rendong." Shi Banxia turned around, her back to the wind, her voice hesitant, "How is that little seal...?"

Ji Rendong thought for a moment, "That little seal... I have already reported its geographical coordinates to the research station, and some team members have already gone to deal with it today. In any case, it will eventually enter the natural cycle."

“Banxia,” Ji Rendong’s voice was firm, this was the first time she had looked directly at Shi Banxia, ​​“your photo is very important, not only for scientific research, but also for remembering a life.”

Shi Banxia paused, remembering Ji Rendong's words: "Seeing is also a kind of power."

Shi Banxia nodded gently, revealing a warm smile, "Yes! That's good."

Shi Banxia suddenly realized that Ji Rendong wasn't as difficult to get along with as she had when they first met.

Shi Banxia was used to being carefree and hated being lectured, but she didn't dislike Ji Rendong's guidance.

Shi Banxia was used to being free. Although she preferred being alone and disliked close contact, she did not reject Ji Rendong's body temperature and heartbeat when she was close to him.

Coming to the polar regions was the right decision; Shi Banxia made new friends and improved her professional skills.

But deep in her heart, there was still a voice echoing in the polar sky, which she could neither explain nor articulate.

Shi Banxia couldn't understand it, so she suddenly pulled an MP4 player out of her pocket. "Sister Rendong! Let's listen to some music!"

Ji Rendong stared at the swaying earphone cord, paused, and sighed, "Are you sure?"

Shi Banxia nodded vigorously, "Otherwise, it would be so boring, and we can't even do our work right now..."

Ji Rendong sighed and rubbed her forehead in exasperation. She didn't reply, but simply pointed ahead—they had arrived at the research station.

Shi Banxia immediately deflated, hastily stuffed her headphones and MP4 into her bag, and jumped off the sled as soon as it came to a stop.

In front of Ji Rendong, she felt that she could be quite humorous at times…

Just as Shi Banxia stood at the entrance of the research station, her phone suddenly emitted a series of "beep beep beep" sounds.

Shi Banxia hurriedly took out her phone, swiped up to unlock it, and the moment she saw the screen, her breath caught in her throat—

Rather than saying it was a complete blackout...

A note from the author:

I laughed while writing this; Xia is so pitiful. Wasn't "Unlucky Bear" cancelled? Turns out they're filming a sequel here.