Xu Xinghe slept for a long time, and when he opened his eyes again, he found that it was dark outside.
He turned over suddenly and sat up, wondering why no one came to wake him up. Wen he raised his hand to check the time, he realized it was not yet four o’clock in the afternoon.
Recalling the fact that Nanga City is in the extreme north, it’s reasonable for the skies to grow dark very early in the day.
Xu Xinghe put on the bathrobe, got up, got out of bed, and walked to the window.
The sky in the distance is a quiet and deep inky blue, like the night at three o’clock in the morning of Nebula City, clear and secluded, spotless.
When the sun set and the moon rose, the snow-white Nanga City instantly entered a world of bright, colorful neon lights.
Above the blue night sky, countless colorful lights appeared.
The decorative lights in the ice sculptures also lit up, and together with the neon lights on the street, they add a splendid color to the snowy city at night.
Xu Xinghe stood alone by the window for a while, then suddenly looked down at the time. He quickly turned back to prepare. After putting on a sweater, a down jacket, a scarf and gloves, he went out tightly wrapped.
Everyone agreed to gather at the hotel lobby at 4:15, and then visit the observation deck by the Baisong River, before going to a five-star restaurant in Linjiang for dinner.
Xu Xinghe just pushed open the door of his room, and saw a familiar figure walking out from the next room.
Xu Xinghe: “…”
As soon as Gu Nai turned around, he bumped into Xu Xinghe in the corridor. His black eyes flashed behind the lens, and he immediately greeted with a smile: “Team Leader Xu, good afternoon.”
Xu Xinghe asked: “Do you have a single room too?”
Gu Nai nodded: “Well, I specially applied for a single room from Team Leader Conrad.”
He seemed to see Xu Xinghe’s doubts, and explained with a smile, “I snore when I sleep, and fear disturbing my roommate.”
Xu Xinghe: “…Oh.”
Gu Nai asked, “Why, did Team Leader Xu also want a single room?”
Xu Xinghe tilted his head and asked, “Put it another way, who would I share with?”
Gu Nai smiled meaningfully, then glanced at him, and deftly changed the topic.”It’s almost time to gather, let’s go.”
Xu Xinghe glanced at him. With the mindset of someone in charge of this trip and responsible for the safety and health of the group members, he kindly reminded: “You’ll be cold dressed like this.”
Gu Nai, who was wearing a long dark blue trench coat, glanced at Xu Xinghe, who was wrapped like a ball, and said with a half-smile, “Has Team Leader Xu never been to an extremely cold city? The cold here is different from the cold in Nebula City. In this kind of place, a few degrees below zero is nothing, you will get hot dressed up like that.
Xu Xinghe looked at him suspiciously, debating whether to listen or not. He swayed left and right for a while, and finally chose not to listen.
Who’s he kidding, with the absolute low temperature, how can it not be cold?
But he didn’t plan to continue to convince Gu Nai, and said simply: “Then if you are cold later, you can come back early.”
Gu Nai smiled: “If you are hot for a while—” He swept his black eyes around him, and answered neither lightly nor seriously: “You can take it off.”
Xu Xinghe: “…”
The two took the elevator downstairs together, and Gu Nai asked as they walked, “What are the arrangements for the next few days?”
Xu Xinghe said: “Aren’t we going to climb the snow-capped mountains tomorrow? We have free time the day after tomorrow. I may rest in the hotel, or go to the nearby park. Oh, by the way, Ryan and the others also invited me to play cards.” Then he turned his head and asked Gu Nai, “What about you?”
Gu Nai said, “I’ll just go with the big group. I just want to come back early today to rest, after all, there are many things to do in the next few days.”
“You have plans the day after tomorrow?”
“En.”
“What plans?”
Gu Nai smiled softly: “Secret.”
Xu Xinghe: “…”
When the two came to the lobby, a dozen people had already gathered in the hall.
When there are many people, mouths will loosen, and the atmosphere naturally becomes lively.
When everyone arrived, they got into the hotel’s car and set off towards the Baisong River.
The technological development of Nanga City is far less than that of Nebula City, but it is a little more classically beautiful than Nebula City.
Many old ruins have been reconstructed and renovated, and their original appearance is still preserved.
There is a curving stone bridge on the river, which leads directly to the pavilion in the heart of the lake.
Perhaps it was because winter had just arrived, the river water had not completely frozen. Lotus-shaped colorful lanterns drifted on the still waters, illuminating the pavilions.
The fog on the riverside wove a magical forest scene. Crystal clear snow, trees, and ice flowers bloomed all over the ten-mile long embankment.
When everyone got out of the car, they started crazily snapping photos.
Xu Xinghe followed the main group along the river bank, occasionally stopping to take pictures of the scenery.
However, after walking for a while, he was embarrassed to find that Gu Nai was right, he really wore too much.
It was obviously several degrees below zero outside1celcius, so below 32F.. In Nebula City, it would be so cold that he couldn’t go out. But now he started to sweat from walking a little.2Its the difference with dry vs. humid cold. Dry cold isn’t that cold, whereas humid cold can be bone-chilling.
Fortunately, he wasn’t the only one who wore too much. Several people took off their jackets while running around and making trouble. Don’t know who made the first snowball and threw it at the crowd.
Although everyone hid quickly and no one was hit, the snowball seemed to be a sign and a signal. Everyone rushed to follow suit, and the situation quickly intensified. In the end, snowballs flew all over the field, and a vigorous snow melee was officially staged.
At first, Xu Xinghe planned to pretend to maintain order, but when a certain snowball hit him, he couldn’t pretend anymore. He threw his jacket aside and officially joined the snowball fight.
The scene was chaotic for a time, and the snow on the branches was shaken and fell.
The elderly team lead Conrad stayed where he was, speechless.
He opened his mouth several times, but not a word came out. In the end, he just silently hid to the side so as not to be hurt by his crazy colleagues.
As for the scenery, no one cares.
The group had a good time before they went to Linjiang Pavilion for dinner.
Having just experienced a hearty snowball fight, as soon as everyone sat down, someone started to order wine.
Xu Xinghe was also a little tempted, but after hesitating again and again, he finally restrained his little alcohol addiction. Refusing the repeated persuasion of his colleagues to drink, he asked for juice.
After all, when going out, basic safety awareness is still necessary. What’s more, if he’s drunk like that again, how can he still work with his colleagues in the future?
After dinner, it was snowing heavily outside, but everyone was enthusiastic and wanted to find a place to sing.
In the end, it was ruthlessly stopped by Conrad. “Have you all forgotten that we are climbing the Nanga Snow Mountain tomorrow? You’re already crazy this afternoon, but if you guys continue this evening, will you be able to climb tomorrow? Hurry back and have a hot bath then go to bed early. Can’t you go sing karaoke back in Nebula City?”
So everyone had to give up and take the car back to the hotel obediently.
However, even when they returned to the room, the people who were in high spirits had no intention of going to sleep at all.
Of course, they won’t sleep early.
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