Chapter 11 — Melting Glacier

11I saw him lost in his "whiteout" (snow blindness), his face rarely showing signs of panic. He saw me seasick, vomiting until the world was spinning, with no image left. In this isolated place, we are each other's only support. Our feelings, like the ice here, forged in harshness and purity, became incredibly strong. “Lin Nhien.” He suddenly called my name. "Huh?" "Do you remember the note you left that day?" I was stunned: "... Remember. Why?" That story has always been a thorn in my heart. Even though he hasn't mentioned it again, I still feel guilty. "I said, I like the wild type." He smiled softly, "Now, are you wild enough?" My face turned red, I elbowed him lightly: "Tham Duc Chi!" He grabbed my hand, took something out of his pocket, and put it on my ring finger. It's a ring. A simple platinum ring, mounted with a deep blue mineral cylinder that he polished himself. Under the pure sunshine of Antarctica, it sparkled more brightly than the aurora borealis. "Will you marry me?" I looked at the man kneeling on one knee before me - the person I once loved, hated, left, and finally returned to him. Behind him are endless ice and brilliant auroras. In the distance, a flock of emperor penguins swayed, as if dressed in formal attire, witnessing the world's coldest marriage proposal. He didn't say flowery words or make romantic promises. Just looked up at me, his eyes were respectful like a believer. "Lin Nhien, do you agree... to marry me?" My tears fell again, this time as soon as they left the corner of my eyes they turned into ice in the cold air. I burst out laughing, laughing so hard that icicles fell from my tears. I didn't say "I agree". I just leaned down and kissed him hard — like the first time in the ice tent, like in the simulator. A "Lam Nhien style" answer, the wildest. It's been a long time since our lips left each other. I looked at his slightly swollen lips from being kissed by me, along with his starry eyes, licking my lips with satisfaction. "Professor Tham," I squeezed his chin, smiling like someone who had just won a battle, "Your proposal for marriage, passed the preliminary review - temporarily accepted." "But... needs to enter the stage of observation and verification... for life." He was stunned, then his face, which was always cold and serious, blushed awkwardly. He stood up, picked me up, and strode back to the dormitory. "Obey!" He smiled in my ear, full of excitement. The long night season began. But Tham Duc Chi and I both know that in our world, there will never be any more darkness and cold. Because… we are each other's brilliant, never-ending aurora.