This stretch of road is very quiet.
The only sounds were the soft crunch of tires on the road and gentle country music playing on the car radio.
How is your foot now?
After a moment of silence, Su Wei spoke, his voice soft and low.
Emily bit her lip, her grip on the coffee cup tightening as she gripped it more firmly.
"It's much better now. Especially..."
She glanced up at Su Wei and found that he was still looking straight ahead, maintaining a focused driving posture.
"Especially after... the massage you gave me last time."
She turned her head again to look at the reversed traffic outside the window, her ears turning slightly red.
For a moment, the atmosphere inside the car seemed to fall silent again.
But soon, Su Wei broke this strange atmosphere.
"That's good," he replied, in a flat tone.
The car fell silent again.
Seemingly sensing the discomfort in the atmosphere, Su Wei turned on the radio.
Relaxing and cheerful country music flowed out gently.
"Did you drink quite a bit last night?"
Emily turned her head and looked at Su Wei's profile as he focused on driving.
"It's alright, it's mainly Aruk and the others who are drinking."
Su Wei kept his eyes on the road ahead, his hands resting on the steering wheel.
Mr. Black was very happy; it was rare to see him smile.
"That's for sure, you're Kodiak's star player now."
Emily laughed and joked.
"This morning when I was buying bread downstairs, I overheard the shopkeepers talking about how a young Asian man had taken on the King Brown Bear in a one-on-one fight."
"That's a huge exaggeration."
Su Wei shook his head, his tone indifferent.
"Just lucky. If that mother bear had been half a second faster, or if my gun had jammed, it would be a completely different story now."
He spoke casually, not wanting her to worry.
Emily was silent for a moment.
"We still need to be careful."
She said softly.
"Don't always work so hard. That money... is enough as it is."
I know what I'm doing.
Su Wei turned the steering wheel, and the car turned onto the airport expressway.
"Tell me about yourself. What will you do after you get back? Go straight to the lab?"
Emily perked up at the mention of her profession.
"Yes, my supervisor is pressing me hard. The data on the ecological changes in the polar tundra has some abnormal fluctuations, and we need to re-model and analyze it."
She took a sip of coffee, and her tone became lighter.
"If this paper is published successfully, I can apply for graduation. As for what comes next... I haven't thought about it yet, maybe I'll pursue a PhD?"
Su Wei listened quietly.
He had only a superficial understanding of those academic terms, but he enjoyed watching Emily talk about them with confidence and focus.
"Fine."
Su Wei said sincerely.
"You belong there."
Emily paused for a moment.
She turned to look at the vast ocean rushing past the window, her slightly complicated expression reflected in the glass.
Kodiak Airport is not large.
The lobby was not crowded, making it feel somewhat empty and deserted.
Su Wei helped with the shipping procedures, and the two found a row of chairs in a corner to sit down.
There are forty minutes left before boarding.
The atmosphere suddenly became somewhat tense.
Emily put down her backpack, unzipped it, and rummaged through it for a while.
"Give."
She handed me a small item.
It was a hand-woven pendant.
It was made of some kind of tough brown hemp rope, woven into a rough yet lifelike bear head shape, with two polished white wolf teeth hanging below.
"I made this up these past few days because I was bored."
Emily nervously tugged at the hem of her dress.
"My skills aren't great, please don't mind. I found those two teeth at a flea market a while ago; they're said to ward off evil spirits."
Su Wei took the pendant.
The knot was tightly braided and carried a faint lavender scent, indicating that it had been in her bag for a long time.
That little bear head looks a bit silly, and has nothing to do with ferocity, but exudes a sense of naivety.
"Thanks."
Su Wei hung the pendant on the car key ring and gave it a shake.
"It suits you very well."
"What's suitable for her? She's clearly ugly."
Emily chuckled.
Su Wei smiled too.
He bent down, took the heavy insulated box from the bag at his feet, and placed it on Emily's lap.
"What's this?"
Emily blinked in surprise.
"Airplane food is awful."
Su Wei unscrewed the cap.
Steam rose up, and the rich aroma of soy sauce instantly masked the smell of disinfectant in the waiting area.
Emily was stunned.
Looking at the bright red beef brisket and the soft, tender potatoes soaked in broth in the box, her eyes suddenly welled up with tears.
This is her favorite dish.
"It's still hot."
Su Wei handed her the spoon.
"Eat a few bites while it's hot, just to fill your stomach."
Emily took the spoon, scooped out a piece of potato, and put it in her mouth.
The potatoes were stewed until soft and melted in your mouth, with a savory flavor and a hint of sweetness.
The familiar taste exploded on my tongue, warming me all the way down to my stomach.
She kept her head down, eating bite by bite, without saying a word.
The steam made her eyelashes slightly damp.
"Is it tasty?"
"Um."
Emily nodded vigorously, her voice slightly muffled.
It tastes even better than before.
Su Wei watched her eat more than half of the meal until the announcement rang out urging passengers to board.
"Boarding for AS66 to Anchorage is now beginning..."