Chapter 2 Focusing on the Ice Field (Part 2)
Ji Rendong was recording observation data when he caught a glimpse of Shi Banxia dejectedly fiddling with her camera.
Before setting off, Shi Banxia was full of energy and excitement. Why did she become so depressed on the way back?
Ji Rendong shook his head slightly and rested his head against the car window. His exhaled breath condensed into a mist on the glass.
Ji Rendong is the youngest scientific researcher at the research station. Her parents travel to various places to do scientific research all year round, and she has moved frequently since she was a child—just when she gets used to the dampness of the sea breeze, she has to move to the drier inland area next month.
Ji Rendong watched her parents immerse themselves in the unknown through scientific research without ever complaining. As she grew up, she naturally followed the same path.
However, unlike her parents, she longed for stability.
Upon learning of the Chinese Academy of Sciences' two-and-a-half-year polar expedition plan, Ji Rendong was the first to submit an application.
Within a year, she obtained her WFR Wilderness First Aid certificate and, to facilitate her work, diligently studied several languages…
The tedious experimental data, nearly half a year of polar day or polar night, and being alone with ice and snow—Ji Rendong didn't care. The polar regions may be lonely, but at least you don't have to move around all the time.
If you go to the Arctic, you might even see baby seals.
Night falls quickly in the polar regions, and the stars twinkle brightly over the sparsely populated research station.
As soon as she got out of bed, Shi Banxia grabbed her camera and rushed back to her room. Ji Rendong watched Shi Banxia's trembling figure without saying a word, set up the equipment, and went into the laboratory.
The temperature at the research station is 20℃ year-round.
To preserve the collected samples and to save electricity, the temperature in the laboratory will only be lower.
Ji Rendong, who is not afraid of the cold, is already used to such low temperatures. It is even colder outdoors in the polar regions, but it is already like spring inside the laboratory.
But tonight, the lab's machines experienced an unusual heat dissipation anomaly, flashing a red warning light that read "equipment temperature too high".
Ji Rendong's gaze swept across the screen; the dial showed the source as a dangerously high value: Room 302, reaching a scorching 26°C.
That was Shi Banxia's room.
Five minutes later, Ji Rendong appeared in room 302. There was no response from the person inside, so Ji Rendong simply pushed the door open.
The result was this:
Shi Banxia was still adjusting the camera—fully armed and wrapped in a thick quilt, sitting on the bed shivering.
In contrast, Ji Rendong was only wearing a thin coat.
Seeing the "26℃" on the electric heater, Ji Rendong walked over and glanced at Shi Banxia's fingers, which were red from the cold. Her fingertips paused for half a second before she adjusted the temperature to 20℃.
"Hey! Why did you turn it down?" Shi Banxia's eyes widened as she witnessed the other person's decisive action.
"The room temperature at the research station is generally kept at around 20℃, and the outdoor temperature is only 4℃ now, so it's not cold," Ji Rendong said casually.
She paused, then softened her tone: "This isn't a hotel. You're here to work. Don't forget that."
—It was that same cold tone and expression again, and Shi Banxia finally couldn't take it anymore.
"4℃ isn't cold?! Do you know how cold my fingers are outside?! 4℃ is spring for you, but for me it's an ice cave!" Shi Banxia wailed, her voice tinged with grievance.
Ji Rendong sighed softly: "Miss Shi, the research station has limited energy, and everyone must be responsible for the overall operation."
Ji Rendong continued pressing the temperature control button: "This isn't targeting you, it's the rule."
Despite her many grievances, Shi Banxia knew how difficult the scientific expedition team's work was.
The complaints and grievances that were about to be uttered were swallowed back down.
"But…"
Shi Banxia wanted to try again.
Ji Rendong paused, then interrupted her: "That's the rule, I'm sorry."
“Okay…” Shi Banxia pursed her lips and said sullenly.
Ji Rendong looked at Shi Banxia, who had a wronged expression, lowered his eyes slightly, said "Goodnight" in a light tone, and then closed the door and left.
Shi Banxia looked at the electric heater, her fingers hovering over the buttons. Recalling Ji Rendong's words, she finally curled her fingers slightly and clenched the blanket a little tighter.
Shi Banxia rarely doubted her own abilities, but now, she began to doubt whether she could persevere.
"Does she have a problem with me... Am I really that unprofessional?" Shi Banxia buried her head in her knees and muttered softly, feeling her eyes stinging.
"Nobody said working in the polar regions was that difficult..."
A short while later, there was another knock on Shi Banxia's door.
Upon hearing the sound, Shi Banxia thought to herself: It hasn't been long, and Ji Rendong has something else to do... But she still wrapped herself in the blanket and obediently went to open the door.
"Miss Ji, I..."
He was interrupted before he could finish speaking.
The person who came was not Ji Rendong, but Mu Xueqing, the older sister in charge of logistics at the research station.
"Banxia, these are hand warmers and antifreeze batteries, here you go." Mu Xueqing smiled gently and handed over the bag.
Seeing Mu Xueqing's smile, Shi Banxia felt as if she had seen the sunshine, and the cold didn't seem so bad anymore...
"Thank you, Sister Xueqing!" Shi Banxia excitedly took the bag.
When Mu Xueqing saw Shi Banxia's lively appearance, she chuckled and said, "Why are you thanking me? Ren Dong asked me to give it to you. She said you're afraid of the cold and you'll need it."
Shi Banxia was stunned, blinking her eyes: "Huh? What she said..."
Recalling Ji Rendong's cold and indifferent voice and his merciless attitude towards her, Shi Banxia shivered.
Hmm... maybe Ji Rendong turned the heater down, and I was too cold...
Mu Xueqing ruffled Shi Banxia's hair: "Banxia, a while ago, a new person came to the research station, but they went back after only a few days..."
Mu Xueqing smiled helplessly: "Ren Dong may seem cold on the outside, but she's very thoughtful. She's probably just worried that you're afraid of the cold and won't be able to keep it up—she's just not good at expressing herself, which can easily lead to misunderstandings."
Shi Banxia looked at the hand warmer in her arms, her heart filled with mixed feelings. She didn't say much, but nodded slightly.
After a brief chat, Mu Xueqing went back to work, leaving Shi Banxia alone in the room again.
After changing the camera battery, Shi Banxia thought to herself, "She even specifically reminded Sister Xueqing... Is Ji Rendong genuinely concerned about me, or is it just to ensure a smooth shoot...?"
Shi Banxia looked down at the hand warmer on her stomach and muttered softly, "Never mind, let's take the photos first..."
Considering that this was Shi Banxia's first time shooting in the polar region, the team members discussed it and decided to give the young photographer a short-term training session first.
The person in charge of training was undoubtedly Ji Rendong.
Ji Rendong and Shi Banxia are not too far apart in age and have some knowledge of the content to be filmed, so they are the most suitable candidates.
Upon hearing this news, Shi Banxia's lips twitched slightly.
She didn't exactly dislike Ji Rendong, but she felt a strange resistance to him. Having to spend every day with Ji Rendong, studying those tedious things, made Shi Banxia feel... a little suffocated.
"Alright..."
But seeing Mu Xueqing's expectant eyes, Shi Banxia nodded.
As a senior scientific researcher, Ji Rendong has a private room, and the training location is set in her dormitory.
Shi Banxia, clutching her laptop, paced back and forth in front of Ji Rendong's door, her mind filled with worry: "Ugh... it feels like going back to school... I don't want training..."
When she finally mustered the courage to open the door, it opened a crack by itself, and a white shadow suddenly darted out.
"ah--?!"
Shi Banxia was so frightened that she backed away repeatedly. Upon closer inspection, she realized it was a Samoyed.
Shi Banxia's eyes lit up, and she excitedly squatted down to hug the Samoyed, rubbing it wildly—her favorite large dog was actually found at the research station!
Shi Banxia buried her head in the Samoyed's soft fur, took a deep breath, and looked refreshed when she lifted her head. The Samoyed obediently let Shi Banxia "rub" it.
"Can we start the training now?" Ji Rendong asked, leaning against the door frame.
Shi Banxia was startled. She quickly released the Samoyed, stood up, and coughed lightly, "Okay, let's start now."
As soon as the Samoyed was released, the puppy ran to Ji Rendong's side and rubbed against her affectionately.
Seeing this, Shi Banxia blinked in shock. She turned her gaze from the puppy to Ji Rendong—
Ji Rendong was dressed lightly again today. She wore only a brown coat over a white turtleneck sweater. There was no wind indoors, and her hair wasn't tied up. Compared to yesterday, she was only wearing glasses.
Shi Banxia had to admit that Ji Rendong was truly talented and beautiful—it was just a bit cold in personality…
Shi Banxia looked at Ji Rendong's face for a few more seconds. "High intelligence" was the most fitting description she could think of for Ji Rendong.
Ji Rendong bent down and stroked the Samoyed's head, then turned to Shi Banxia and said:
"Please come in."
Shi Banxia then took her laptop and went into the other person's bedroom.
Ji Rendong's room, like herself, was clean and simple, containing only essential personal items. Only her desk was piled high with books, documents, and files.
Among a sea of black and white books, a blue-covered book stood out. Shi Banxia's gaze flickered at "Polar Peaks" on the desk—a collection of polar photography.
The Samoyed followed them into the house, resting its little head on Shi Banxia's lap. Shi Banxia lowered her head, her eyes lighting up, and she couldn't resist rubbing it again...
Ji Rendong adjusted her glasses, the glare from the lenses obscuring the emotion in her eyes, and silently placed the photo album on the corner of the table. When the latte brushed against Shi Banxia's knee, a very faint smile appeared on her lips: "You like it?"
"Of course! Who wouldn't love such a cute, fluffy thing? What's its name?" Shi Banxia lowered her head and rubbed the puppy's nose.
"Latte, the sled dog at the research station, don't tease it, you'll spoil it." As she said this, Ji Rendong gently rubbed Latte's ears.
Ji Rendong gently pushed the latte aside: "It usually only sticks to me, so it seems to really like you."
Before Shi Banxia could even voice her question, Ji Rendong immediately turned on his computer and entered the training course.
Shi Banxia held a pen and paper and initially listened attentively, but after an hour she clearly couldn't sit still anymore.
It's not her fault; as a scientific researcher, Ji Rendong was already used to repeating this kind of dry theoretical knowledge and data models.
But this was a real ordeal for Shi Banxia. She was picky about the writing style even when reading novels, so listening to an hour of dry "scientific trivia" was pure torture for her…
Miss Shi also took "being indecisive" to the extreme.
Shi Banxia's attention was fixed on Latte, who was lying on her lap, and she drew dog paw prints on her notebook with her pen.
Ji Rendong lowered his eyes slightly, and out of the corner of his eye, he saw Shi Banxia's actions and suddenly drew a red circle on the screen.
"Miss Shi," Ji Rendong took off his glasses and wiped them, "are you planning to use your phone instead of professional equipment for shooting with the parameters written in your notebook?"
Shi Banxia hurriedly flipped through the pages, only to find that she had drawn many simple dog sketches next to the draft of the shooting composition.
Ji Rendong felt somewhat helpless and turned his head, only to see Shi Banxia and Latte's two innocent faces.
"Let's take a break. Miss Shi, is there something you want to say to me?" Ji Rendong rubbed her sore eyes.
Shi Banxia hugged her latte, overwhelmed with questions. But what she wanted to know most was why there was a photography album on Ji Rendong's desk.
She seems to be only interested in work.
Shi Banxia hesitated, unsure how to begin, and stammered, "We'll be working together for a while, but I don't know you very well yet... Don't be angry after what I'm about to say..."
Ji Rendong looked at Shi Banxia, who seemed hesitant to speak, and secretly found it amusing. What kind of image did she have in the other person's mind? Ji Rendong softened her tone slightly.
"Please speak."
"Um, how old are you this year...?"
"...29 years old"
A note from the author:
Xia (inner voice): Oh my god... I'm doomed...
Xiaodong (speechless): Do I look old?
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