Landlord in the Arctic

Feng Shan's pride was stung. A stubborn look crossed his face as he mumbled to himself, refusing to admit his current predicament.

The headstrong Feng Shan was about to refuse Jenny's invitation, but before he could get a word out, she strode forward. With an expression that brooked no argument, she forcefully linked her arm through his.

"Let's go. It's too late to bother anyone else. The bedding on the floor is all ready. We have a lot to do tomorrow, so let's get some rest."

"Hey, this isn't right!" While Feng Shan protested and looked embarrassed, his feet told a different story, dutifully following Jenny.

'He knew she was right, though. It really was too late to bother anyone else.'

They hurried through the cold Tundra night and soon arrived at a small wooden cabin.

Jenny gently pushed open the door, and a wave of cozy warmth rushed out to greet them. It was like a gentle hand brushing the chill from Feng Shan's body.

He looked inside. A fire was crackling in the hearth, its flames dancing merrily.

It bathed the small space in a toasty warmth, filling him with a sense of profound comfort.

A faint, elegant scent of shower gel lingered in the air, mingling with the rustic smell of the wood to create an enchanting atmosphere.

On the floor, an animal-hide rug was laid out with a thick quilt folded on top.

Now that they were alone, Jenny seemed to have lost all the assertiveness she'd shown outside. A faint blush rose on her pale cheeks. She lowered her head slightly, her eyes a mixture of shyness and anticipation, and spoke in a soft voice.

"The bedding and the quilt are both clean. Or... you could sleep in the bed with me."

'It was a blatant invitation. He'd have to be a fool not to understand after more than twenty years on this earth.'

"No, the floor is fine for me." Feng Shan's heart began to race, and he felt increasingly awkward.

He avoided Jenny's gaze and, after his hasty reply, quickly knelt to take off his leather boots and get into the bedding on the floor.

In the frozen Tundra, a pair of boots with excellent waterproofing and insulation was key to survival.

Good boots protected one's feet from the biting cold and dampness of the harsh environment.

But there's a downside to everything. While the boots were great at waterproofing and insulating, their breathability was nothing short of abysmal.

On a normal day with little activity, it was tolerable.

But after a day like today, running back and forth around camp with his feet trapped in the airtight boots for hours on end...

The stench was unbelievable.

The moment Feng Shan pulled off a boot, a white mist visibly rose from his foot.

Instantly, an indescribably acrid smell filled the small cabin.

The stench was like rotten fish and shrimp left to fester in a ditch for days—so sour and foul it made you want to clamp your hand over your nose. It was sharp enough to make your eyes water.

"Sorry, my feet sweat a lot." Feng Shan's face flushed beet-red, and he quickly shoved his foot back into the boot.

"I'm the one who washes your socks. I'm used to it," Jenny said with a serene smile, not showing the slightest bit of disgust. The acrid smell didn't seem to bother her at all.

As she spoke, she walked to the window and opened it, letting fresh air flood the room and clear out the odor.

Then, Jenny returned to Feng Shan's side. She knelt gracefully, her slender fingers gripping the heel of his boot. With a gentle tug, she pulled it off.

Then, as if tending to an injured child, she helped him peel off his smelly socks. Her hands never showed a hint of impatience.

After all that, Jenny took the socks and went into the bathroom.

A moment later, Jenny emerged from the bathroom carrying a basin of steaming hot water. Wisps of vapor rose from its surface like a soft, thin veil.

Jenny placed the basin at Feng Shan's feet and said softly,

"Soak your feet for a bit. I'm going to wash your socks."

Her tone was full of gentle concern, like a devoted wife speaking to her husband after he'd come home.

With that, Jenny turned back to the bathroom. She brought a small stool from the corner, sat down, and turned slightly so her back was to Feng Shan as she began to wash the socks.

The cabin's tiny bathroom had been designed to save as much space as possible; it was only big enough for one person and didn't even have a door. This made washing clothes extremely inconvenient, so Jenny had to make do by sitting in the narrow doorway.

Feng Shan found himself staring at her busy figure, momentarily lost in thought.

Her graceful back looked especially lovely in the dim yellow light. Strands of her hair fell casually over her shoulders, swaying gently with the motion of her hands, like a figure in a tranquil painting.

Feng Shan lowered his feet into the hot water. The warmth spread instantly from the soles of his feet through his entire body, and he let out a soft, contented sigh.

At that moment, watching everything Jenny was doing for him, Feng Shan felt a warmth that spread beyond his body. It was as if his heart were being bathed in the warm spring sun, leaving him feeling deeply moved.

And so the two of them remained.

One sat quietly in the bathroom doorway, washing socks; the other soaked his feet in contentment.

The cabin was so quiet you could hear the flames crackling in the hearth and the soft sound of water lapping against his feet.

Yet, this tranquility was tinged with a delicate warmth.

A sweet intimacy seemed to drift through the air, wrapping them both in its gentle embrace.

Just then, a faint rustling sound came from outside the window. In the silence of the night, it was remarkably clear, as if some small animal were moving about below the sill.

Feng Shan, who had been blissfully soaking his feet, was startled by the sound and instinctively glanced up.

But what a glance it was. Two heads were furtively perched at the window, their eyes peering straight into the cabin.

The two peepers clearly hadn't expected Feng Shan to look up so suddenly.

They panicked the instant their eyes met his.

Like startled rabbits, they quickly ducked their heads, trying to pretend nothing had happened.

"What are you looking at? Get in here!" Feng Shan had no intention of letting them off that easily. He bellowed at the window.

Jenny, who had been focused on washing the socks in the doorway, was startled by his shout. Her hands paused, and she turned around, asking in confusion,

"Is someone out there?"

Before she had even finished her sentence,

Erica and Tammy shuffled in, pushing and shoving each other as they opened the door. They looked like guilty children who had just been caught.

"What are you two, owls? Can't you sleep in the middle of the night?" Feng Shan glared, feigning anger.

"It was Erica! She said she couldn't sleep and wanted to go for a walk," Tammy mumbled, her face flushing red. She shyly looked down, twisting the hem of her clothes, her voice barely louder than a mosquito's buzz.

"Feng, what are you doing in Jenny's room?" Erica blinked her big eyes, the picture of innocence. Her gaze, however, deliberately swept over the bedding on the floor. She feigned surprise, her mouth dropping open in an exaggerated gasp. "Ah! You're sleeping here tonight?"

It was such a convincing performance that anyone who didn't know better might have actually believed her.

"Cut the act!" Feng Shan saw right through Erica's little scheme. A helpless but fond smile touched his lips. "Since none of you can sleep, and there are four of us, I'll teach you a card game. It's called Run Fast. Losers get a strip of paper stuck to their face."

Soon,

the small cabin was filled with cheerful laughter.

Cards flew between their hands, and every play was met with cries of surprise or groans of frustration.

Erica and Tammy, both naturally vivacious, threw themselves into the game with abandon.

One moment they'd be red in the face, arguing over a play and blaming each other for mistakes; the next, they'd be howling with laughter at a clever move.

Feng Shan and Jenny were swept up in the cheerful atmosphere, bright smiles fixed on their faces.

Feng Shan would occasionally make a teasing remark that sent everyone into fits of laughter, while Jenny attentively refilled their drinks.

The sounds of their laughter passed freely through the cabin's thin walls, drifting up into the night sky.

In the sky above, a dreamlike aurora swayed and unfurled across the darkness.

As if drawn by their laughter, the lights seemed to converge, growing ever more brilliant.

...