ATLAS TRANSLATES

After dinner, they left the private restaurant, and the group decided to continue the party at a bar.

Xu You had no urgent matters, and with the great atmosphere of the class reunion and everyone’s excitement, she didn’t want to spoil the mood.

The private room was on the second floor and above, but everyone wanted more excitement, so they settled in a corner of the main hall.

Song Yifan, after a few drinks, saw that the resident singer had finished performing and customers were going up to sing. Unable to contain himself, he shamelessly took the stage.

He was particularly smug, turning to grab a waiter to ask, “Hey, can we request songs here?”

“Damn, your broken voice is torturing us enough, why embarrass yourself in front of the whole bar?” Li Jieyi laughed.

Fu Xueruili couldn’t bear to watch the drunk man, shouting: “Song Yifan, get down here!”

No one could stop him. Song Yifan grabbed the mic, closed his eyes, and started singing “Love Like the Tides.”

His voice rang out, accompanied by his duck-like tone.

“Hahahaha what is he even singing—”

Li Xiaoqiang and others sat in a circle, mercilessly teasing him, each wanting to rush up and cover his mouth.

Xu You watched them play with a smile. Xie Ci sat beside her, seeing her smile, he smiled too.

Finally, the torturous song ended, and Song Yifan returned with a satisfied face.

Li Xiaoqiang threw peanuts at him: “Embarrassing!”

Song Yifan didn’t care.

Xu Xiaocheng clicked his tongue: “With your level, you’re really lowering our standards.”

Song Yifan shot back: “Like you sing any better. How much better are you than me?”

“Yes, yes, I’m not as good as you. The problem is I don’t go up there to show off!” Xu Xiaocheng said with a grin, pointing at Xie Ci, “Our former king of love songs, who’s sung in every bar in Lin City, is sitting here quietly, can’t you learn something from him?”

Li Xiaoqiang nodded: “Exactly! Boss Ci hasn’t even sung yet, what are you singing for?”

“So what if Xie Ci sings well, he’s not going up there. Besides,” Song Yifan sat with his legs crossed, showing off, “Only I have such boldness. And after all these years, who knows if he’s still the king?”

Everyone knew Xie Ci rarely sang in public, and the close friends had nothing to say, just threw more peanuts at Song Yifan.

“You idiot, everyone’s looking at us, you’ve completely embarrassed us.”

Xu You picked a piece of fruit and put it in her mouth, smiling as she suddenly remembered singing children’s songs in the KTV and being teased by Xie Ci.

She bent over, suddenly turning to look at Xie Ci, asking: “Do you really sing that well?”

Xie Ci froze.

“He does sing well.” Fu Xueruili answered for Xie Ci, “I’m being honest, none of us sang better than Xie Ci back then.”

But Xie Ci wouldn’t sing often, thinking it was pointless. When they went out, he’d just play cards, drink, and smoke, rarely bothering to use his voice.

A few times when Fu Xueruili wanted to hear him sing, Xie Ci directly refused.

Xu You nodded, saying “Oh,” and didn’t ask further.

After a while.

Xie Ci, who had been sitting quietly beside her, suddenly coughed and rubbed his nose, “Do you want to hear?”

The words were directed at Xu You.

Xu You sat there, blushing slightly, saying, “Okay.”

“Okay what?” Li Xiaoqiang pinched a peanut.

Fu Xueruili was surprised, “You’re not actually going to show off today, are you, Xie Ci?”

Xie Ci lazily leaned against the sofa backrest, his gaze sweeping over them before settling steadily on Xu You beside him.

“Yeah.”

Xie Ci didn’t bother with backing tracks, instead getting up and casually picking up a guitar from the corner.

People below started cheering, with screams and shouts, everyone’s eyes following him.

People at other tables looked over curiously.

Xu Xiaocheng lit a cigarette, smiling, “Tsk tsk, Xie Ci gets flirty when he’s drunk.”

Xu You listened, watching him on the small round stage.

Perhaps feeling hot, Xie Ci had rolled up his shirt sleeves, exposing his forearms.

He sat down, one leg bent, holding the guitar across his lap, casually strumming a few times to check the tuning.

His posture looked professional.

After two seconds of silence, Xie Ci pulled up a smile, looking in their direction, and leaned into the microphone to sing the first line.

“—My soul tells me, it was born to love you.”

“My soul tells me, it was born to love you.”

“Perhaps no one else is like you, yet I never learn to be content.”

“…..”

His low, gentle voice, mixed with a dry hoarseness, was like a glass of intoxicating absinthe. Under the dim, dreamy lights, Xie Ci wore a white fine linen shirt, his guitar-playing gestures extremely attractive.

He was actually handsome, with refined facial features, one foot on the chair. Sometimes he could be bad, rarely showing his passionate side, but now holding the guitar and singing, humming the tune in his throat, there was a kind of casual boldness.

The bar was silent for three seconds.

After the silence, a long silence, finally someone couldn’t help but scream. Then the whole bar stirred, with many men and women cheering, creating a small climax.

Even their group was shocked watching Xie Ci.

Li Xiaoqiang stuttered, “Boss Ci, he sings so well, never heard this song before, did he write it himself?”

“‘My soul tells me, it was born to love you?’”

Fu Xueruili smiled lightly, “Even adapting Koiwai’s lyrics, Xie Ci’s pretty good.”

Except for Song Yifan and a few others who were quite calm, having been shocked before. Xu Xiaocheng swirled the wine in his glass, shaking his head in admiration.

“A Ci is still amazing, after all these years, still as cool as ever.”

Xie Ci kept his eyes lowered, light and shadow playing on his face, casting shadows beside his straight, refined nose. His long, well-defined hands seemed naturally talented, controlling the strength and speed, the guitar strings creating resonant echoes.

“Just thinking of you, I might not have the talent.”

“I can escape the lonely nights, but not the empty streets when no one’s around.”

Xu You sat in the noisy booth, watching Xie Ci, momentarily lost in thought.

When she suddenly came back to herself, she realized they’d been looking at each other for a long time. Xie Ci smiled while playing, his lips close to the microphone with slight static. His voice, slightly suggestive and dramatic, across the crowd, he stared straight at her, impossible to ignore. Xu You took a sip of the juice she was holding, in the darkness, unconsciously lowering her head to cough a few times, actually unable to meet his gaze anymore.

She felt her heart speeding up, beating, almost bursting through her chest.

Finally, when the song ended, Xie Ci came down from the stage. He casually grabbed a cold beer, pouring it down his throat.

Sitting in his spot, someone joked, “Brother Ci, how much for the whole night? 500?”

“Get lost.”

Xie Ci tossed his beer bottle and sat down on the sofa next to Xu You.

After a while, some people, impressed by Xie Ci’s performance, came over asking for his contact information. He directly refused.

They were all adults, and the beautiful women didn’t persist, just smiled and left.

He sat lazily in his seat, squeezing against Xu You’s leg, with strangers constantly passing by around them. In the cramped seating, though they weren’t talking, where their bodies touched felt like there was a fine burning current.

Xu You felt uncomfortable and wanted to move. When she moved slightly, he would follow and press closer.

“Xie Ci, don’t squeeze me.” Xu You knew he was doing it on purpose, so she pushed his shoulder. She breathed lightly, curling up her legs.

Xie Ci explained: “The space is small.”

Now he had released his nature, immediately exposing himself. Though he had matured, his personality was identical to before.

“There’s space over there.” She pointed to show him.

Xie Ci smiled and instead asked, “Did I sing well?”

Xu You heard him but didn’t want him to be too proud. So she nodded, saying contrary to her heart: “It was okay.”

“Just okay?” Xie Ci didn’t believe it, “Can you be honest?”

Xu You smiled, enjoying their rare relaxed moment together, continuing to eat fruit, “Don’t be so narcissistic.”

“I’m narcissistic?” Xie Ci questioned, taking out his phone, unlocking the screen, his fingers randomly tapping.

Not sure what he was doing.

After a while.

“Listen.” He turned on the speaker and held it to Xu You’s ear.

She froze, hearing a noisy song through the speaker, the quality wasn’t very good, like it was casually recorded in a public place.

“….Amen before a grape vine, tender tender sprouting new buds…..”

This voice….

This children’s song….

How…

It sounded more and more familiar.

Xu You listened for a few lines, suddenly realizing….

This seemed to be her singing!!

She suddenly turned her head.

Xie Ci chuckled, “How about it, don’t I sing better than you?”

Xu You’s face burned red, shocked and indignant. She immediately tried to grab his phone, gritting her teeth, “Xie Ci, how can you be so perverted, secretly recording people singing, delete it quick!”

It was unbelievable that he had kept it for so long.

Xie Ci raised his hand, eyebrows lifted, “No way, I still want to listen to it.”

“What’s worth listening to?”

Xu You was embarrassed and angry, still trying to grab his phone. She didn’t know what she was thinking, but in the heat of the moment, her knee pressed onto his leg as she reached for the phone.

Xie Ci’s playful movements paused, instinctively holding her waist to prevent her from falling.

His arm wrapped around her waist. Their position was too intimate, so passionate it caused others to shout and call out.

Song Yifan had created a temporary WeChat group and was pulling everyone in for red packets. He looked up at this scene and sighed, “You two are being too obvious in public.”

Others heard and gradually looked over.

Xu You took advantage of Xie Ci’s distraction to snatch the phone.

Her face was almost steaming as she sat properly to the side, hands trembling as she tried to delete the audio.

Xie Ci watched her actions, unhurried, saying leisurely: “Go ahead and delete it, I have plenty of backups at home anyway.”

“…” Xu You gripped the phone, biting her lip as she exited the recording app.

The desktop background suddenly appeared.

She paused.

In the photo, on a gentle, bright summer afternoon, a girl in a blue and white school uniform was napping on a desk. Just a back view, head slightly tilted, showing closed black eyelashes, a small cute nose. Stationery and books were scattered together nearby, with a light blue water bottle standing up. Golden sunlight from the window beside illuminated her soft hair, falling gently on her shoulders.

This girl…..

Xu You didn’t know how to feel, a mixture of sourness and fullness. She looked away from the phone screen, her gaze falling elsewhere.

The phone screen was suddenly turned off.

Beside her, Xie Ci said nothing, rubbing his hair as he reached over to take back his phone.

“When did you secretly take that photo of me?” she asked.

“Can’t remember clearly.”

“Besides that one… are there others?”

Xie Ci answered honestly, “Yes.”

Xu You’s heart was pounding.

It was almost midnight when they left the bar, several men stopping to smoke at the entrance, discussing how to get home.

Everyone had driven, but for safety reasons, they decided to take taxis separately.

Fu Xueruili stood with Xu You. She received a phone call, spoke briefly, and hung up.

Xu You smiled and asked, “Do you want to stay at my place tonight? My roommate won’t be back today.”

Fu Xueruili patted her head, “Xu Xingchun flew to Shanghai, he just booked a hotel.”

“Ah…” Xu You understood, then sighed, “You two have such a good relationship.”

Fu Xueruili smiled, “How are things with you and Xie Ci?”

Xu You thought seriously, then her lips curled into a smile, she smiled softly, “Not bad.”

“He had some more drinks just now.” Fu Xueruili said.

“Mm.”

“Do you have plans tomorrow?”

Xu You said: “I have an interview to go to in the afternoon.”

Fu Xueruili smiled, “Call me when you’re free, I plan to stay and play for a few days.”

“Okay.”

Finally, everyone gradually left, but Xie Ci insisted on driving his car back. No one could persuade him otherwise.

Li Xiaoqiang suddenly thought of something, “Oh right, Xu You, don’t you live close to Xie Ci?”

So Xu You became responsible for driving Xie Ci home.

She planned to park the car at his community entrance, then walk back herself, since it wasn’t far anyway.

But on the way, Xie Ci started making a fuss, “No, drive the car to your community, I’ll walk back.”

Xu You ignored him, holding the steering wheel, checking the rearview mirror as someone wanted to overtake.

“In your condition, can you walk back?”

He didn’t respond, perhaps not hearing.

Xie Ci leaned his head back against the soft leather seat, his features appearing more three-dimensional in the half-light, his eyelids lazily half-lowered.

The window was lowered halfway, letting in the slightly humid warm summer night breeze.

Xu You reached out and turned on the radio, which was playing noisy late-night news.

After listening for a while.

She asked, “Are you not busy with work now?”

Xie Ci turned to look at her, “Not busy, I’m the boss, very free.”

“Your… hand, is it okay with fixing cars?” Her voice was a bit hesitant.

Xie Ci smiled, “It’s fine, are you worried about me?”

Xu You softly mmm’ed in response.

“…..”

After a moment of silence, Xie Ci thought he had misheard. He sat up straight, asking again in disbelief, “You’re worried about me?”

Xu You didn’t speak.

The lights outside quickly passed over her face, the wind making a slight friction sound against the ground. Both fell into silence.

Xie Ci didn’t continue asking, still thinking about what she had just said, his mind wandering.

Xu You focused on driving, suddenly asking, “Xie Ci, what do you like about me?”

Seeing his silence, Xu You continued: “I can’t figure it out myself, why you liked me back then, even taking secret photos.”

Xie Ci pretended not to hear, forcibly changing the subject, “Xu You, don’t ask me such embarrassing questions, my head hurts.”

She couldn’t help but glance at him through the rearview mirror. Xie Ci was smiling, his eyes slightly curved.

In no time, his smile suddenly faded. Then he muttered to himself.

“Why would I like you, you’re not even good.”

Xie Ci remembered the first time he saw Xu You, she was holding a stack of books, standing beside him, with a quiet, undisturbed aura about her.

The sun was too bright that day, hurting his eyes.

“You weren’t even nice to me, always ignoring me.”

“Why should I like you?”

Xu You drove slowly and quietly, letting him talk to himself.

“Actually, there’s one more thing.”

Xie Ci turned his head to watch the passing traffic, lost in thought for a while, “You’re actually quite good, everything you gave me, I came to like later.”

The first time was when she brought Want Want milk from home to school, which he forcibly took from her after returning from PE class.

The second time was when he secretly followed her home after school, and she took pity on him, sharing a qingtuan with him.

The third time was when he walked her home, at a random noodle shop in the old town.

The fourth time was when he stood guard under her house on New Year’s Eve, and she fed him dumplings.

……

Xu You was in a daze.

With so many years between them, she had also thought for a long time about what she had liked about him.

She couldn’t figure it out, which was why after all this time, she was still thinking about it, still couldn’t forget.

After passing the overpass, the car entered the city center, with some shops along the road already closed.

“I want to buy cigarettes,” Xie Ci said quietly, hand against his head.

Xu You said, “Smoke less.”

“Xu You.” He called her name.

Passing through an intersection, the car slowly decelerated. Xu You responded with a sound.

“Xu You, I miss you.”

“Mm.”

“Do you miss me?”

“No.”

“But I miss you so much.”

“You already said that.”

Xie Ci laughed deeply, eyes slightly narrowed, thin lips curling up. Though Xu You was driving, she still followed Xie Ci’s suggestion and stopped at her own community entrance.

To avoid him making a fuss while drunk and insisting on walking her back, which would be more trouble.

“Go home and sleep early, come get your car tomorrow when you’re sober.” Xu You turned off the engine, passing over the keys. As she spoke, she prepared to undo her seatbelt.

Just as she touched it, her hand was pressed down by Xie Ci. He quickly undid his own seatbelt but wouldn’t let her undo hers.

“…..”

Xu You looked at him, silently saying nothing.

“Guess what I’m going to do?”

“Don’t know.”

Then, Xie Ci tilted his head.

“Always letting you see my cute side, doesn’t seem quite right?”

“Where are you cu—mmph.”

Before Xu You could finish speaking, he propped one hand by her ear against the seat and kissed her without warning.

Her breath was sealed off, head unconsciously tilting back slightly, but Xie Ci pressed closer.

He gripped her face with one hand, their warm lips stuck together.

The deep kiss lasted only about ten seconds before he let go. Xie Ci pulled back a bit, but reluctant to move away completely, he nuzzled her cheek with his nose, then couldn’t help but gently bite it.

“Don’t think too well of me.”

His temper was bad – possessive, selfish, willful, prone to jealousy. But he tried his best to hold back.

Afraid of scaring her, yet unable to suppress the restless eagerness in his heart.

But occasionally there were times he couldn’t control himself.

Pushing away the person on top of her.

The orange light in the car fell down.

Xu You took several breaths, unable to suppress her blushing and racing heart. She covered her chest, sitting in place as her face gradually turned red.

“Xu You.” Xie Ci coughed, “I need to tell you something.”

“…..”

“I might have… forgotten my keys.”