Chapter 11 Procurement?
At breakfast time, Shi Banxia had just found a seat in the cafeteria, with bread still in her mouth, when she caught sight of Ji Rendong walking in and couldn't wait to wave to her.
Ji Rendong's gaze lingered on Shi Banxia's slightly puffed-up face for a moment, and he nodded slightly in response.
Her expression remained aloof, but when Banxia approached with her tray, she picked up the goggles next to her seat, making room for Banxia.
Shi Banxia noticed the goggles next to Ji Rendong and asked curiously, "Sister Rendong, are you going out on fieldwork today?"
Ji Rendong nodded and hung his goggles back on his waist. "The weather's nice. Let's go to town to buy some supplies."
Upon hearing this, Shi Banxia's eyes lit up, and she quickly swallowed the bread, her tone excited, "Shopping? When are we going to town?"
Ji Rendong raised an eyebrow at her, “'We'?”
"Yes! My shopping list is full!" Shi Banxia nodded vigorously, took out a crumpled piece of paper from her pocket, which was covered with various symbols.
“I already informed the stationmaster, and he said that as long as you agree, I can go with you!” Shi Banxia said, stuffing the note into Ji Rendong’s hand, her eyes full of anticipation.
Ji Rendong quickly glanced at the list, sighed softly, but a faint smile appeared on his lips, "It seems the task is daunting."
Ji Rendong drove the snowmobile to town. Shi Banxia sat in the back seat and naturally put her arms around Ji Rendong's waist.
The two remained pressed together in an intimate posture.
The snowmobile was going very fast, but Ji Rendong drove it very steadily. Shi Banxia pressed her face against Ji Rendong's back, and even through the thick clothes, she could still feel the reassuring warmth.
Shi Banxia recalled the bumpy ride of a dog sled and subconsciously tightened her arms around Ji Rendong's waist.
Are you cold?
Ji Rendong's voice was filled with concern, and it remained clear even as it was carried on the wind.
Shi Banxia felt a warmth in her heart and shook her head, "No, it just reminded me of dog sledding; it feels more stable that way..."
After the words were spoken, both of them fell silent for a moment—back on the sled, they had also been pressed close together due to the bumpy ride…
Ji Rendong was wearing goggles, so her eyes couldn't be seen, but she exuded a calm and composed aura.
Shi Banxia's gaze unconsciously drifted to the rearview mirror, trying to get a clear look at Ji Rendong's face from that limited perspective.
Shi Banxia recalled Ji Rendong's smile from last night, and her heart stirred.
Ji Rendong felt Shi Banxia's breath brush past his ear, and her voice suddenly rang out, "What are you looking at me for?"
The voice was calm, but it startled Shi Banxia.
"Ah! It's nothing!" Shi Banxia's ears burned, and she hurriedly pointed into the distance, "I was just looking at the scenery!"
Ji Rendong chuckled lightly, mercilessly exposing the truth, "It's all snow, what's so interesting about it?"
Shi Banxia felt her heart pounding, but she remained defiant, "I'm a southerner, is it wrong for me to find everything new and interesting? This snow, after looking at it for a while... it's quite unique..."
Ji Rendong didn't ask any further questions, but said softly, "It's windy, wear your hat and hold on tight."
The town is the only bustling place in this white desert. It is small, but full of life, with gentle light shining from the shop windows.
The team members decided to split into two groups to make the purchases.
When they were divided into groups, Shi Banxia followed closely behind Ji Rendong, gently tugging at the hem of Ji Rendong's clothes.
Ji Rendong also tacitly grabbed the shoulder strap of Shi Banxia's backpack and said to the team leader, "Banxia and I are in the same group."
The grouping was completed tacitly, and Shi Banxia and Ji Rendong naturally became a group.
With the list in hand, Ji Rendong skillfully moved between several regular supplier shops, checking, inspecting, and loading the goods onto the truck with swift and efficient movements.
Shi Banxia followed Ji Rendong, occasionally handing him something or curiously glancing at the small shops on the street. But most of the time, she couldn't help but look at Ji Rendong.
Ji Rendong speaks N language with a soft tone, which is completely different from her cold and aloof tone when she speaks Mandarin.
Shi Banxia listened intently, watching Ji Rendong's slightly moving lips and focused profile as he talked to someone. Shi Banxia's heart felt as if it were being caressed by snowflakes.
"Takk skal du ha. (Thank you very much.)"
Ji Rendong accepted the last supplies, politely thanked the shop owner, and turned around to see Shi Banxia staring at him with a "lovestruck" expression.
"Sister Rendong, you speak N languages so beautifully, it's like singing, I feel like I'm getting drunk..." Shi Banxia was caught red-handed, but she wasn't embarrassed at all. Instead, she smiled and moved closer to Ji Rendong.
Ji Rendong's ears turned slightly red. She reached out and lightly flicked Shi Banxia's forehead, her tone carrying a hint of helpless indulgence, "Focus on yourself. If you get drunk, I'll just throw you in a hotel to sober up."
Shi Banxia grinned and muttered softly, "You're not happy even when I praise you..."
After the formal purchasing task was completed, the team members had some free time to relax. Ji Rendong followed behind Shi Banxia, accompanying her to visit one shop after another.
Before long, Shi Banxia's backpack was full: postcards, polar bear mugs, deer-patterned gloves... all souvenirs.
Ji Rendong sighed and rubbed her forehead, unable to resist reminding her, "Banxia, didn't you buy too much...?"
Shi Banxia didn't seem to care; she continued to look around with great interest.
Suddenly, a shop window caught her attention—several handmade animal doll pendants hung in the corner, exquisitely crafted and adorably cute.
A kitten in the shop window stood out.
The kitten's eyes were half-closed as it looked at the book in its paws, its expression focused yet somewhat lazy.
Shi Banxia stared at the kitten and found its quiet demeanor somewhat familiar.
Seeing that she wasn't leaving, Ji Rendong stopped too.
Shi Banxia smiled, tugged at Ji Rendong's sleeve, and pointed to the cat keychain, "Rendong-jie, look, doesn't this little guy look a bit like you? Aloof yet adorable~"
Ji Rendong paused slightly, her gaze following Shi Banxia's finger. "Do I look like it?"
Ji Rendong stared at the kitten for a few seconds, then said softly, "If you like it, buy it."
Shi Banxia shook her head, her tone filled with regret, "No, I already have a police dog puppy. If I take this kid back, Springer will get jealous."
With that, Shi Banxia turned and walked toward the next shop. Ji Rendong glanced at the cat pendant again, then followed Shi Banxia.
Before heading back, the two went into a small bar to rest for a while.
Ji Rendong skillfully placed the order and quickly returned with two cups, handing one of them to Shi Banxia, "Warm your hands."
Shi Banxia held the warm cup in both hands, and the rich aroma of cocoa wafted towards her. She glanced at the receipt that Ji Rendong had casually placed on the table, which read "hot chocolate x2".
Shi Banxia was a little surprised. She asked with a smile, "Sister Rendong, don't you only drink black coffee? Why are you drinking hot cocoa today?"
Ji Rendong did not answer, but simply picked up his cup and took a sip.
Shi Banxia looked at the smooth lines of Ji Rendong's neck as he raised his head, her cheeks flushed, and she quickly turned her gaze back to the cup.
“It’s nice to change things up sometimes, but it’s still too sweet,” Ji Rendong put down her cup, stood up, and said in a flat tone, “Banxia, sit here and wait for me. I’ll go say hello to the boss.”
Ji Rendong's voice was gentle, carrying a reassuring power, and Shi Banxia nodded.
Not long after, Ji Rendong returned, with a few unmelted snowflakes still on her head and shoulders.
"Sister Rendong, you're back?" Shi Banxia looked up, her eyes filled with a smile.
Ji Rendong didn't speak, but simply placed an elegant paper bag on the table in front of Shi Banxia. The paper bag was printed with "koselig" (Winter Warmth) in a language Shi Banxia couldn't understand.
Shi Banxia froze, then picked up the bag in surprise. "This is...?"
Ji Rendong turned her head away. "This is for you, consider it... a belated gift."
Shi Banxia noticed that Ji Rendong's ears turned red after she finished speaking.
Shi Banxia's heart skipped a beat. She carefully opened the bag—it was the little cat keychain she had been looking at for a long time in the shop window.
Shi Banxia looked up at Ji Rendong in surprise and saw a smile on the other's lips. "Now, Springer will be happy. It has a friend now."
Shi Banxia felt her eyes getting hot. She held the kitten keychain in her palm, gently rubbing it against her face. "Mmm... thank you, Sister Rendong, I love it so much! I will definitely cherish this child!"
Back at the research station, Shi Banxia carefully hung the cat keychain and the police dog pendant together.
A cat and a dog snuggled together, looking exceptionally adorable.
Shi Banxia gently tapped the kitten's nose. The more she looked at it, the more she liked it, and she couldn't help but smile.
Ji Rendong finished organizing the supplies and passed by Shi Banxia's room. Hearing Shi Banxia's happy mutterings, he chuckled and said, "You like them so much? It seems they get along well."
Shi Banxia turned around in surprise, "Of course! This was a gift from Sister Rendong..."
Before she could finish speaking, Ji Rendong took a step forward, reached out, and gently brushed away Shi Banxia's bangs, which were slightly damp from the wind and snow.
This intimate and natural gesture made Shi Banxia forget to breathe for a moment.
Ji Rendong's fingers lingered on Shi Banxia's forehead for a moment before slowly withdrawing, her eyes slightly lowered, her voice trembling slightly, "Get ready, it's time for the meeting."
She turned and left as soon as she finished speaking, as if the intimacy just now was merely a casual gesture.
Shi Banxia stood there, stunned, feeling a warm sensation where Ji Rendong had touched her, radiating an unusual heat.
Shi Banxia lay on the bed. She glanced at the string of N languages on the paper bag on the table, then shifted her gaze back to the cat keychain. She covered her face with the pillow and spoke in a muffled voice.
"This is too unfair, Honeysuckle Sister..."
A note from the author:
Xiaodong doesn't actually look like a cat, but her personality is totally feline! Xiaxia is a happy little puppy girl! (Both in appearance and personality!)
I've been really busy lately, so I apologize for the one-day delay in updating. I'll get back on track as soon as possible and resume updating every other day!
But the click rate is really low, sob sob... I'll try my best to update! Please give more attention to Xiaodong and Xiaoxia...
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