Chapter 278: Chapter 277: Walking on Ice

“Achoo!”

The little otter patient sneezed mid-air, spraying droplets onto Xu Ying’s gloves, but she didn’t show any sign of distaste.

This made the otter’s parents even more fond of Xu Ying—this human seemed different from the fussy, delicate humans they imagined!

Xu Ying held the warm little body, her fingers brushed over its ribs, and her heart sank—where there was once a plump waist, now bony ridges could be felt.

This poor little thing was using up its fat to produce antibodies.

Xu Ying knelt in front of the pet tent, gently placing the stethoscope against the furry chest of the youngest otter.

The little one’s fur still carried the coolness of the stream, but its body temperature was noticeably high.

From the stethoscope came a rapid “da-da” sound, like a string of tiny drumbeats—its heart rate was as high as 220 beats per minute, faster than a normal otter’s.

She frowned slightly and listened carefully to the lungs, indeed catching a faint hissing noise.

“Don’t be afraid, you’ll feel better soon,” Xu Ying said softly, placing the youngest otter into the prepared nest of blankets.

She flipped the switch on the rechargeable power source, and with a “ding,” the electric blanket’s indicator light turned green, enveloping the little one in warmth immediately.

The little otter’s previously tense body gradually relaxed in the warm environment, its beady eyes curiously watching this unfamiliar human.

Xu Ying took a pill from the medical kit, along with a frozen fish.

Skillfully, she mashed the fish meat into a paste with a spoon, carefully hiding the pill inside.

The youngest otter’s nose twitched; though it was ill, its instinctive reaction to food drew it forward.

“Come, eat this and you’ll feel better.”

Xu Ying placed the fish paste in her palm and offered it to the little one.

The youngest otter hesitated, glanced at its parents, and only after getting their approval, did it stretch out its tender little paws to hold the fish paste and began eating it in small bites.

Outside the tent, the otter parents and the eldest sibling, who had just said it would catch fish for its younger sister, watched the scene nervously.

Seeing Xu Ying’s attentive care for their youngest, the mother’s whiskers gradually relaxed.

When the youngest otter finished the medicine and nuzzled Xu Ying’s hand, the father otter made a contented “gurgling” sound.

The eldest sibling couldn’t contain its curiosity, sneaking into the tent and tapping Xu Ying’s medical kit.

Xu Ying chuckled, petting its head, and it instantly let out a happy “chirp” and circled excitedly around Xu Ying’s legs.

The mother otter watched this scene, the wariness in her eyes finally dissipating completely—this human was truly helping their family.

[Thank you, Station Chief.]

[We’ll go to Ice Lake with you now to help retrieve the equipment.]

Xu Ying sighed in relief, finally earning the otters’ trust.

“Then I’ll be counting on you! Once it’s retrieved, I promise—an all-you-can-eat fish feast!”

Xu Ying waved at them and turned to walk toward Ice Lake.

The three otters immediately lined up, their fluffy tails wagging like little flags as they followed closely behind her.

They walked in an adorably clumsy manner, their round bodies swaying, short limbs moving alternately, like three wind-up plush toys.

The mother otter led the way, stopping every few steps to check if the eldest sibling was following.

The youngest otter was the most playful, often leaving the line to poke the snow on the roadside with its damp nose, leaving a trail of crooked little footprints in the snow.

The father otter acted like a dutiful guard, bringing up the rear while tapping the ground with its paw, making a “pat-pat” sound, as if urging the family ahead to hurry up.

When they reached a frozen puddle, the three otters chose the most fun way to cross—they placed their bellies on the ice, pushing off with their hind legs, sliding across with a “swoosh” sound.

The youngest otter got hooked on the game, sliding over and coming back for another turn, only to be nudged along with a gentle pat on the behind by its mother: [Don’t be naughty, we need to help Little Xu Station Chief retrieve the equipment!]

Sunlight shone on their sleek fur, casting shimmering ripples as they moved.

Netizens were all charmed, exclaiming, “So cute, I want to steal them!”

[Ahhhh, otters walking is just too adorable!! They even know how to slide~]

[Help! Is this wiggly walk for real??]

[Little short legs feverishly scampering hhhh]

[Mom asked why I was grinning at the screen]

Soon the otter family of three arrived at Ice Lake with Xu Ying.

Xu Ying asked the otters to wait briefly by the lake: “Please wait here for a moment.”

The production team had coordinated to have fifty pounds of fish delivered in advance.

When they saw Xu Ying arrive with three otters, everyone was melted by their amusing and adorable way of walking. Without needing Xu Ying’s instruction, the crew quickly placed three feeding bowls in front of the otters.

They then began adding fish to the otters’ bowls from a bucket.

The three otters watched as heaps of fish plopped into their feeding bowls from the bucket, baring their big teeth in a happy grin as they held their little paws, waiting.

The eldest sibling looked blissful: [Oh my, it’s raining small fish from the sky!]

The father otter rubbed its paws together: [Are we allowed to eat before working? This feels a bit too indulgent.]

Meanwhile, the camera switched to show Xu Ying, already donned in a life jacket, anti-slip spikes on her boots, stepping onto the ice, with a safety rope tied around her waist.

Above her, a military drone, operated by Captain Zhang Yongfeng, hovered in the sky.

The other end of the safety rope around Xu Ying’s waist was attached to the drone’s metal frame.

Initially amused by the otters eating small fish, netizens soon turned their mood to worry.

Xu Ying looked especially small on the vast ice lake, with the wind howling, blowing her strands of hair and clothes.

The five celebrity guests saw Xu Ying’s figure and fell into an unplanned silence.

[Little Xu Station Chief, please return safely!]

[So admirable, Little Xu Station Chief’s presence today is through the roof.]

[It’s really tough for field workers. Made a small donation to the rescue station, and you can offer support if you’re able.]

The program’s photographer also captured a picture of Xu Ying’s back.

Xu Ying walked on the ice, feeling as if she were treading on thin, crispy biscuits, where even a slightly heavier step would elicit a faint cracking sound, sending chills through her heart.

She swallowed hard, trying to control her movements while walking on the ice.

In her previous life, during a rescue mission, she had walked on similarly uncertain ice, where the guide’s advice was to avoid sudden movements—swift actions could generate impact, causing the ice to resonate and fracture.

Xu Ying took a deep breath.

Source: Webnovel.com, updated by NovelKeep