New Calendar year 49, a certain day in February.
Though the Spring Festival had passed, the northern part of the Black Marsh Wilderness showed no sign of winter ending. The ground was covered in thick snow, and as far as the eye could see, the world was cold and a vast expanse of white.
"This is much more impressive than the snow we saw in Wild Grass City," Long Yuehong said, his face close to the car window, genuinely impressed as he looked outside.
At the same time, to the right of the driver, Shang Jianyao, a small speaker with a blue background and black face was playing a song:
"Snowflakes are falling, the north wind is blowing,
"The world is a vast expanse..." (Note 1)
"Can't you play something more festive? The New Year just ended not long ago," Jiang Baimian grumbled from the passenger seat. "That song you sang at the year-end performance was very good."
Shang Jianyao sighed solemnly:
"Now that we're outside, if we're still immersed in a joyful and happy atmosphere, it's easy to overlook things.
"Although this is just a field training exercise, we have to take it seriously and not be too relaxed, otherwise it won't achieve the purpose of training."
In order to later find the last Buddhist Holy Land, go to the icefield to explore the city where Shang Jianyao's father disappeared, and lock down the real location of the Eighth Research Institute, Jiang Baimian specifically organized this field training exercise to prevent the team members, whose minds had run wild during the New Year, from being unable to get into the right state when they officially went out to perform tasks.
Moreover, she specifically chose the northern part of the Black Marsh Wilderness, where the climate was close to the edge of the icefield, so that the team members could adapt to the harshness of the snowy and icy conditions in advance.
This way, when encountering extreme weather in the icefield, the Old Task Force wouldn't be caught off guard and fall into chaos.
Originally, Jiang Baimian wanted to do this before the New Year, but considering that Long Yuehong and Bai Chen were newly married, forcibly organizing a field training exercise was really inappropriate. So, after the New Year, she formally submitted an application and reported to Minister Xi Yu.
"Wow, the way you put it, are you the team leader, or am I the team leader?" Jiang Baimian rolled her eyes at Shang Jianyao.
She then instructed Long Yuehong:
"When you get out of the car later, don't look at the snow scene for too long, or put on sunglasses in advance.
"I remember telling you before what snow blindness is."
"Okay." Long Yuehong always listened to reason. He took out his black sunglasses and put them on his nose.
Bai Chen, who still had short hair, looked at the passenger seat:
"Are we looking for a place to rest?"
This area was not only in the middle of nowhere, but there weren't even large rocks or conspicuous trees. It was an endless, white expanse.
"Yes, it's about time, we need to eat," Jiang Baimian explained. "In this kind of climate and environment, we must ensure that our bodies have enough energy and have enough leeway to deal with accidents and risks."
Beep! Beep! Beep!
Shang Jianyao applauded by honking the horn.
Before Jiang Baimian could respond, the jeep slid a long way sideways along the road covered with a layer of white snow, creating a scratching sound.
Fortunately, there were no other cars, no ditches, or obstacles here. The jeep finally stopped steadily.
"Be careful." Jiang Baimian didn't blame Shang Jianyao for being distracted by honking the horn, because even if he didn't, it would still have slid.
Long Yuehong breathed a sigh of relief and said:
"Didn't we already change to snow tires?"
Since the field training plan included snow survival, they certainly wouldn't forget to bring snow tires and put them on in advance.
"Snow tires aren't a panacea," Shang Jianyao laughed. "It's like when you're at home, it's impossible for Xiao Bai to say anything and that's what happens, there's always some variability."
Long Yuehong was speechless for a moment, unsure whether to agree or disagree.
"We listen to whoever makes sense," Bai Chen helped to defuse the situation.
"Yes, yes," Long Yuehong quickly nodded.
And usually Xiao Bai is the one who makes sense... Jiang Baimian smiled inwardly, stopping Shang Jianyao from continuing to stir up trouble in other people's marriage.
She pointed to a snowy area in the side front and said:
"Let's stop there, set up a stove, heat up some canned food, and have some biscuits."
Shang Jianyao responded with the gesture of wiping his mouth with his right hand.
The jeep quickly came to a stop, and the members of the Old Task Force busied themselves according to their division of labor:
Long Yuehong checked the condition of the solar panels on the roof; Shang Jianyao took out the induction cooker and the canned food and biscuits he wanted to eat; Bai Chen used instruments to measure the surrounding pollution levels; Jiang Baimian was in charge of security.
"Not much solar energy was collected," Long Yuehong was the first to speak.
He then sighed:
"It's not even enough to recharge the jeep. We can only use high-performance batteries to cook.
"If this continues, our energy will run out sooner or later. We have to plan the return trip in advance, lest the power runs out and the car is still stuck in the snow."
Jiang Baimian smiled when she heard this:
"This is one of the difficulties of carrying out missions in the icefield.
"It was good that we were there in the summer before, but even in the summer we might encounter extreme weather after going deep into the icefield.
"Don't think it's cold now, in even colder conditions, it's hard to say whether high-performance batteries can even be used."
Long Yuehong nodded slowly:
"That's why we need such a training exercise to help us adapt to all aspects of the situation."
"Are we going to have a snowball fight later?" Shang Jianyao destroyed the atmosphere of the discussion with an excited expression.
Long Yuehong shook his head:
"No snowball fight."
This guy doesn't know his own strength when it comes to snowball fights!
Shang Jianyao sighed regretfully:
"Am I going to have to wait until you and Xiao Bai have children, and the children grow up, to play with them?"
Can't you leave Xiao Hong and his family alone? Jiang Baimian muttered inwardly.
However, compared to Shang Jianyao's disappointment at not being able to have a snowball fight, she was more concerned, more interested, and more curious about another question:
Xiao Bai and Xiao Hong have been married for several months, why isn't there any movement yet?
Within Pangu Biology, once married, it means you have to start preparing for pregnancy. Every family is like this, without exception.
Although there are some people who have been married for more than a year before the wife becomes pregnant, this is a minority after all, and Long Yuehong and Bai Chen had detailed physical examinations when they underwent genetic modification, and there were no problems in that regard.
Jiang Baimian cared, but she also knew that there were some things that others wouldn't mention, and she definitely couldn't ask.
No matter how good the relationship is, there must be a sense of boundaries.
She suppressed her impulse and urged Shang Jianyao to cook:
"Hurry up!"
"Okay!" Shang Jianyao turned his attention back to the induction cooker.
Long Yuehong quietly breathed a sigh of relief.
During this period, his mother, Gu Hong, had mentioned the "More Children, More Grandchildren Charm" twice. The implication was self-evident.
He didn't want to have to endure the pressure of being urged to have children even when he came out for field training.
Before long, the braised beef stew was heated up, and the fragrant aroma filled the snow, causing Long Yuehong to swallow.
Except for Jiang Baimian, who was in charge of security, the other three members of the Old Task Force squatted there, each holding a lunch box, eating heartily.
After gnawing on a biscuit covered in gravy, Long Yuehong narrowed his eyes in satisfaction:
"I used to feel tired of it, but I haven't eaten it for several months, and I find it's still quite delicious."
Shang Jianyao sneered:
"If you eat it for another ten days or half a month, you'll be disgusted at the sight of canned food again."
"Aren't you the same?" Long Yuehong retorted.
Shang Jianyao nodded:
"Yes, yes."
With his "punch" missing its mark, Long Yuehong could only put his focus back on eating.
After Shang Jianyao finished gobbling it down and replaced Jiang Baimian, he and Bai Chen were still enjoying the braised beef stew.
Jiang Baimian ate while pretending to be casual and chatting casually:
"Xiao Bai, according to company regulations, newly married couples don't have to go on field missions.
"Why haven't you and Xiao Hong reported it yet?"
If others didn't apply, Minister Xi Yu wouldn't take the initiative to order it. She didn't know how to arrange Long Yuehong and Bai Chen for a while, so she could only bring them along as usual.
Bai Chen pursed her lips and said:
"The reason why newly married couples don't have to go on field missions is because they want to prepare for pregnancy with peace of mind and have children sooner.
"And Xiao Hong and I don't want to have children so early. We plan to enjoy a few years of just the two of us first.
"This is a bit against the company's policy of encouraging childbirth, but we've made so many contributions, we should be able to postpone it for two or three years."
Just the two of you? This doesn't sound like something you would say, Xiao Bai... Jiang Baimian frowned slightly, suspecting that Bai Chen was deliberately making up an excuse because she didn't want to leave the team.
And she just copied it directly from the Old World entertainment material!
Jiang Baimian then looked at Long Yuehong:
"Is that what you think too?"
She remembered that Xiao Hong liked children very much and hoped to switch to internal affairs with Xiao Bai.
Long Yuehong nodded:
"Yes, what Xiao Bai said is what I think."
This is unscientific, but very realistic... Jiang Baimian forced a smile and said:
"This is unlike the you I knew before."
"Of course it's unlike me." It wasn't Long Yuehong who answered her, but Shang Jianyao, who was guarding not far away.
Shang Jianyao smiled:
"It's because Xiao Bai and him had the thoughts implanted in them by me of not having children and not leaving the team temporarily."
"Ah?" Long Yuehong and Bai Chen looked surprised.
Their first reaction was to say don't joke, but when they saw Shang Jianyao's expression gradually become serious, their minds immediately "buzzed" and they regained their original cognition.
They were indeed implanted with corresponding thoughts by Shang Jianyao!
Jiang Baimian looked at Shang Jianyao and asked in a deep voice:
"Didn't you say that you wouldn't use your abilities on your teammates on serious matters?"
Shang Jianyao nodded and said seriously:
"I have something to tell you."
Note 1: Quoted from "Yi Jian Mei" by Fei Yuqing.
ps: Happy Chinese New Year to everyone, and good luck in the Year of the Tiger~