Chapter 15 Intoxication (Part 1)
Ji Rendong's "thank you" and the rare, unreserved warmth in his eyes made Shi Banxia's heart feel as sweet as if it were soaking in a honey pot.
Shi Banxia was almost drowning in those star-like eyes, and subconsciously tightened her arms around Ji Rendong's waist.
The two were so close they could see each other's eyelashes. The air was filled with the sweet smell of cake, the burnt smell of candle wicks, and the sound of their heartbeats echoing in each other's ears.
Shi Banxia's gaze unconsciously fell on Ji Rendong's lips, and a bold idea popped into her mind: what if she kissed him now...?
Shi Banxia tiptoed and leaned slightly closer...
Seeing the expectation and fervor in the girl's eyes, Ji Rendong's breathing became slightly erratic. She, too, did not let go, but merely lowered her gaze slightly...
When she felt Ji Rendong's breath, Shi Banxia seemed to wake from a dream, her face flushed red as she let go of his hand, took a small step back, and stammered to change the subject, "Um... the cake is about to collapse...! Let's eat the cake first!"
Ji Rendong took in Shi Banxia's panic. A knowing smile flashed in her eyes. She picked up a spoon, scooped out a small piece of cake, and held it to Shi Banxia's lips. "You've worked hard. Little chef, have some too."
Is this considered an indirect kiss...?
Shi Banxia's mind was buzzing. She almost instinctively reached over and put the spoon in her mouth. The taste of chocolate melted on her tongue, but more than that, she felt dizzy from the intimacy of sharing a spoon.
The birthday "party" ended in a subtle and ambiguous atmosphere.
Satisfied, Shi Banxia tidied up the "mess" and skipped back to her room with her camera, wanting to print out the best photos she had taken that night and give them to Ji Rendong.
Ji Rendong looked at the desk, now neat and tidy, and gently stroked the gift box containing the film camera, a smile playing on her lips…
Over the next few days, Shi Banxia practically became Ji Rendong's shadow. Even though the two often met due to work, Shi Banxia couldn't help but want to spend more time with Ji Rendong...
We would eat together, visit her during work breaks, and always find various excuses to stay longer in Ji Rendong's room at night.
Ji Rendong remained aloof, but the line of "indulgence" seemed to keep shifting, tacitly approving this "taking an inch and wanting a mile".
That afternoon, Shi Banxia finished her shooting task early and excitedly carried a stack of freshly printed photos, wanting to go to Ji Rendong's office where she was on duty to share them with her.
The office door was ajar. Just as Shi Banxia was about to knock, she heard a clear laugh coming from inside.
"Dongdong, the data results are in, and they match your prediction model very well. You truly are worthy of being our Dr. Ji!"
Shi Banxia stopped in her tracks. It was an unfamiliar female voice…
Shi Banxia peeked through the crack in the door and saw a strange girl sitting side by side with Ji Rendong, very close to each other, pointing at the computer screen as if they were discussing something.
Ji Rendong looked focused, occasionally nodding or giving a brief reply.
Although they maintained their calm demeanor while working, the atmosphere was one of natural, skillful understanding.
The little flame in Shi Banxia's heart suddenly went out with a "poof".
She heard the stranger say with a smile, "By the way, I didn't get to see you last year. The new coffee beans they have at the station are pretty good. I have a new coffee cup; I'll give it to you later as a belated birthday present."
Birthday? She knew it was Sister Honeysuckle's birthday? And she prepared a gift?
A sudden alarm bell rang in Shi Banxia's heart, and a strange, bittersweet emotion crept up on her like vines.
She suddenly realized that she actually knew very little about Ji Rendong.
Shi Banxia knew almost nothing about Ji Rendong's life before she came to this research station, her relationship with her colleagues at the station, her habits, and her preferences.
Is this girl very close to Sister Rendong...?
Ji Rendong's voice rang out calmly, "No need to trouble yourself, thank you."
The girl seemed used to Ji Rendong's rejections, and smiled nonchalantly, "Why are you being so polite with me..."
Before he could finish speaking, Ji Rendong turned his head and looked sharply towards the door.
Who's outside?
Shi Banxia's heart skipped a beat. She instinctively hid the photo behind her back before pushing open the door and forcing a smile. "Sister Rendong, it's me. I... took some new photos and wanted to show them to you..."
When Ji Rendong saw her, his eyes softened, his lips curved slightly, and he nodded.
Seeing this, the girl tactfully waved her hand, "You two chat, I'll go do my work. Dongdong, please reconsider what I just said?"
Shi Banxia forced a smile in response, but felt a little uneasy inside.
What I was just talking about?
Is it about coffee, or something else?
Shi Banxia walked over to Ji Rendong and handed her the photo, somewhat absentmindedly. Her gaze couldn't help but drift to Ji Rendong's profile before quickly looking away.
"The composition of this glacier photo is excellent," Ji Rendong commented, picking up one of the photos.
"Hmm..." Shi Banxia responded listlessly, then suddenly mustered her courage and asked casually, "Sister Rendong, who is that...?"
Ji Rendong looked up at her and said in a flat tone, "Chen Ye, a colleague from China, is a meteorological observer. He was transferred back for two days to assist with the work."
Just... colleagues?
When Shi Banxia recalled Shen Ye's familiar tone and the naturalness of those "dong dong" sounds, the little knot in her heart had not been completely untied.
The unease and subtle jealousy that arose from knowing so little about Ji Rendong's world quietly took root and sprouted in my heart.
Looking at Ji Rendong's profile as she intently examined the photograph, Shi Banxia suddenly felt a strong urge to learn more about her past, her work, and her relationships with others...
She wanted to occupy a more special and unique place in her seemingly calm and uneventful life.
This unfamiliar possessiveness made Shi Banxia both flustered and inexplicably certain—she seemed to like this aloof yet gentle Sister Rendong even more than she had imagined.
Ji Rendong noticed the subtle change in her emotions and asked softly, "What's wrong?"
"Ah? It's nothing!" Shi Banxia immediately shook her head, put on a smile again, and tried to lighten the mood. "Sister Rendong, I'll leave the photos with you for now. I still have some work to do. See you later!"
After saying that, Shi Banxia left as if fleeing.
Ji Rendong was about to say something, but after watching Shi Banxia's figure disappear, he just smiled and shook his head.
Ji Rendong continued flipping through the photos, when suddenly, her fingertips paused…
Shi Banxia sat at the table, her thoughts becoming increasingly confused.
Ji Rendong is no ordinary person; she is a scientist—calm and professional.
And what about myself?
He was just a photographer who was only staying for a short period of time for work, and at most, he had only a little over three weeks left.
Just as summer in the Arctic is short and fleeting, her stay also has a definite time limit.
Can this ambiguity, which has arisen due to the special circumstances and grown stronger with Ji Rendong's indulgence, really withstand the separation and distance of reality?
Leaving here and returning to their original worlds, one is a promising scientific research elite, and the other is a freelance photographer traveling around. Their paths are completely different.
Could the so-called "good feelings" be like snowflakes blown away by the wind, disappearing without a trace in an instant?
For the first time, Shi Banxia's little calculations yielded a bitter result.
All her previous "taking an inch and wanting a mile" was simply because she took advantage of the present moment and Ji Rendong's gentleness.
This gentleness might just be Ji Rendong's polite response or a momentary soft-hearted one, and it doesn't necessarily have any deeper meaning.
Isn't it a bit presumptuous of me to rush headlong into this?
"Are you shooting honeysuckle again? She's become Xiaxia's personal model now~" Mu Xueqing's voice interrupted her thoughts.
Shi Banxia snapped out of her daze, put down the photo in her hand, her face flushed, and forced a smile: "Sister Rendong has a great temperament, she looks good no matter how you take the picture."
“Yes,” Mu Xueqing sat down next to her and chatted casually, “That’s how honeysuckle is; she looks cold, but she’s actually very soft-hearted. There was a young man at the station who pursued her for a long time, but she never agreed, saying her heart wasn’t in it. We all thought she might just be planning to stay single forever.”
What was said in jest was taken seriously by the listener. Shi Banxia's smile froze slightly.
A young man pursued her for a long time... but she rejected him every time... her heart wasn't in it...
Mu Xueqing's words instantly unleashed the chaotic thoughts she had been trying so hard to suppress.
See, Ji Rendong has always been like this; she is cautious and even distant when it comes to relationships.
So, that special indulgence in oneself might just be because, in this isolated environment, one has temporarily let down one's guard.
Once she returns to normal society and meets more outstanding people who can stand shoulder to shoulder with her for a long time, she, this impulsive little photographer whose life trajectory is full of uncertainty, will probably be forgotten very soon.
A strange, sour feeling, like a cold front, suddenly swept over Shi Banxia.
Shi Banxia quickly lowered her head, pretending to focus on the camera screen, but her mind was in turmoil.
So this is what it feels like to be jealous?
It was not only sour, but also carried a hint of frustration at one's own powerlessness.
She looked at Ji Rendong's photo on the camera screen; his profile looked aloof and independent.
Shi Banxia sighed softly, a fearful thought of retreating looming over her like a dark cloud.
She suddenly felt a little scared, afraid that when the day came for her to leave the research station, she would feel reluctant to leave and would be even more sad.
Or... while we're not completely caught up yet, should we keep a little distance?
That evening, as Banxia stood at the door of Ji Rendong's room as she had a few days before, she was still torn between two conflicting thoughts, wondering whether she should go in and "bother" Ji Rendong.
Ji Rendong had just finished showering, her hair still dripping wet. When she saw Shi Banxia, she was somewhat surprised by her hesitation today: "What's wrong?"
"N-nothing!" Shi Banxia hesitated for a moment before walking in, but tonight, she deliberately kept a distance and didn't immediately get close like she had a few days ago.
Ji Rendong paused in drying his hair, glanced at her back, said nothing, and simply sat down on the edge of the bed as usual.
The two sat side by side, very close, and Shi Banxia could clearly smell that familiar, cool fragrance.
She felt a ticklish urge, a desire to get closer, yet she desperately resisted. She thought her previous thoughts were ridiculous and pretentious, but that unease just wouldn't go away.
Just as Shi Banxia was struggling with the thought of running away, an arm suddenly reached out, gently put its arm around her shoulder, and pulled her closer to its embrace.
Shi Banxia's body stiffened.
"Why are you so distracted?" Ji Rendong's voice carried a hint of languor as she asked, "Are you going back to rest?"
The warmth and heartbeat emanating from beside her were so real, instantly shattering all of Shi Banxia's wild thoughts. She almost immediately relaxed, obediently nestling into his embrace, and whispered, "Sorry, I was distracted for a moment..."
"I want to spend more time with you..."
Who cares? Shi Banxia thought to herself.
At least for now, in this moment, this embrace is real.
As for the future... let's talk about it when the future arrives.
A note from the author:
Actually, Xiaxia is a very sensitive and delicate baby. Xiaxia's understanding of "love" and its underlying tone is "inferiority complex". Baby, you are actually very, very good!!
Dongdong is cold on the outside but warm on the inside! She's not an avoidant type at all!
My two babies will definitely be sweet from now on~
We've got so many more clicks lately! It's so touching! I'm so happy that people have seen Xiaxia and Dongdong's story~
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