Su Wei bent down, gently scooped it up, and placed it on the old blanket in front of the fireplace.
Cotton Candy snorted, rolled over, buried her nose in the blanket, and didn't wake up.
Su Wei straightened up.
On the kitchen stove, empty bowls lay upside down, and the pots had been washed clean.
At the dining table, the phone screen was off, but Catherine's business card was already saved.
Cotton Candy wrapped in a blanket sits in front of the fireplace.
Outside the window, it was pitch black.
He took two steps toward the kitchen, opened the refrigerator door, and bent down to glance at the contents inside.
Tomorrow I have to go to Old Hope's place to pick up the brown bear specimen. I might not have time to eat along the way, so I need to prepare some food to take with me in the car.
There's half a piece of venison leg and a bag of frozen blueberries left on the second shelf of the refrigerator; that's enough.
Su Wei closed the refrigerator door, picked up the cast iron frying pan next to the stove, flipped it over, and put it back.
Then he paused.
The magnet on the refrigerator door is crooked. It's a souvenir fridge magnet shaped like Kodiak Island, bought for two dollars at the town's gas station.
Su Wei reached out and straightened it.
He walked out of the kitchen, past the dining table, past the sleeping Cotton Candy in front of the fireplace, and to the living room window.
Frost covered the entire windowpane, so thick that not a single ray of light could pass through.
He reached out and ran his fingernail across the frost.
Tiny ice crystals shards fell from the glass, revealing a small, transparent crack.
Outside the window, the outline of the exhibition hall was faintly discernible in the darkness.
There were no lights, but Su Wei knew that the building was functioning internally.
Water pumps are driving the valley's circulating water system, chillers are maintaining the temperature of the tidal pool, and full-spectrum lights are simulating a sunrise without anyone watching, according to a preset program.
The birchwood in the fireplace popped again.
Su Wei withdrew his hand.
In the gaps between the frost flowers, the mark left by his fingernail was already being covered by new ice crystals.
He turned and walked towards the kitchen.
The half-frozen venison leg in the freezer needs to be taken out and thawed in advance. I'll cut it up first thing tomorrow morning and take it with me in the car as road rations.
Su Wei opened the refrigerator door and moved the venison leg to the refrigerator compartment.
He paused when his fingers touched the cold surface of the meat.
The brown bear specimen at Old Hope's place.
A 600-kilogram Kodiak brown bear.
We'll bring it back tomorrow and put it in front of the fireplace in the lobby on the first floor of the exhibition hall.
Then hang up the stag antlers.
With two perfect specimens in place, the growth rate of the Cosmos Within a Square Inch" will increase by another two percentage points.
Su Wei closed the refrigerator door.
He picked up a rag from beside the stove and wiped up the few drops of noodle soup that had splashed onto the counter.
Fold the rag and drape it over the faucet.
The stove is clean, the dishes are washed, and the Cotton Candy has been fed.
The order has been finalized, and the drawings have been given to Matt.
That's all for today.
Su Wei turned off the kitchen light and went back to the living room.
The fire in the fireplace had died down, but it was still enough to burn until late into the night.
He sat down on the sofa, took off his boots, and put his feet on the edge of the coffee table.
Then I took out my phone, opened the notes app, and typed a line of text.
Tomorrow: Old Hope, specimens, return route avoids the coastal highway (ice warning this week).
After typing that line, he added another one.
Polaris contracts will be confirmed within three business days.
The phone is on the coffee table, and the screen gradually dims.
In front of the fireplace, the Cotton Candy rolled over.
The white tail swung out from the edge of the blanket, resting on the stone surface, patting it gently and unconsciously.
Su Wei leaned back on the sofa, her hands crossed behind her head.
He stared at the swaying orange spot of light on the ceiling and counted to three.
Then close your eyes.
I'll get up at six tomorrow to pick up that bear.
Chapter 205 A Masterful Touch: The Bear King Returns to His Throne.
The alarm clock rang, but it was still pitch black outside the window.
Su Wei sat up, groping for the button on the bedside table to turn off the sharp electronic sound.
Five fifty-eight.
The Cotton Candy was curled up beside the pillow.
The white ball of fur was woken up, its ears twitched, then drooped down, it nudged its nose deeper into the blanket, and then went back to sleep.
Su Wei threw back the covers and stepped onto the cold wooden floor.
He didn't turn on the light.
He walked to the wardrobe in the dark, pulled out a clean flannel lining and put it on over a thick sweater.
The pants were work pants I'd draped over the back of the chair last night; the belt buckle could be fastened with a touch.
The windbreaker is hung by the first-floor entrance; I wear it when I go out.
Go downstairs.
The birchwood in the fireplace had burned into a pile of grayish-white charcoal, with a few red glows lingering beneath the ashes.
Su Wei squatted down, stuffed two chopped pieces of dry firewood inside, and used fire tongs to stir the ashes to let air in.
Flames suddenly leaped out from the cracks in the charcoal, licking the bark of the new firewood.
He stood up and went into the kitchen.
The venison leg meat that had been refrigerated had thawed completely.
Su Wei took it out, placed it on the cutting board, and cut four one-centimeter-thick slices of pork ribs.
Sprinkle with salt and black pepper, do not marinate, and place directly in a cast iron skillet.
The pot heated on the stove for a minute, and light smoke rose from the bottom of the pot.
Pound the venison onto it.
Sizzle.
The oil sizzled, and the aroma of meat instantly filled the kitchen.
Su Wei gripped the pot handle with one hand and pulled a thermal lunchbox from the cupboard with the other.
Add the pan-fried pork chops and cover.
I cut two more slices of whole wheat bread, put them in a plastic bag, and placed them with the lunchbox.
6:23.
He put on his windbreaker, stuffed his lunchbox and bread into a canvas bag, and slung it over his shoulder.
I glanced back at the stairs, but Cotton Candy didn't move.
There was still a small half-bowl of diced venison left over from last night in its food bowl, enough to fill its stomach when it woke up.
Su Wei opened the door.
A chill swept over my face.
The thermometer reads -17 degrees Celsius.
The skyline was still pressed down below the ridge of Pillar Mountain, with only the farthest point in the east showing a hint of leaden gray light.
He strode toward the black Raptor in the garage.
Start the engine and turn on the heater.
Su Wei waited two minutes to allow the engine to warm up fully before shifting into gear, releasing the handbrake, and pressing the accelerator.