ATLAS TRANSLATES

Chu Zhi woke up early on Saturday.

She had been sleeping since she got back last night, all the way until around six in the morning. Chu Zhi opened her eyes and stared at the ceiling for ten minutes, lost in thought.

Chu Zhi didn’t know when she had left.

She had received a call from her father saying he was at the school gate.

Without a word, she turned and left.

This time, Lu Jiaheng didn’t stop her.

Maybe because he didn’t want to deal with her anymore.

He had finally grown tired of her.

He thought she was too troublesome, too complicated, not as interesting as he had imagined.

Chu Zhi thought dryly.

She had cried so hard yesterday afternoon that her eyes now felt sore and swollen.

Her stomach was also growling, demanding attention.

Upstairs was completely silent, with no more renovation sounds, so quiet that one couldn’t be sure if anyone lived up there.

But it had been a long time, his apartment should have been renovated by now.

Being neighbors living above and below each other, she wondered if future encounters would be awkward.

Chu Zhi sat up, supporting herself with both hands on the bed. Having slept for around twelve hours straight, sitting up suddenly made her feel dizzy. She shook her head, waited a moment, then slowly crawled out of bed to wash up and left her room.

The living room was also quiet. Chu Zhi walked to the kitchen in her slippers, grabbed a box of cookies and poured a glass of milk, then carried them back to her room.

In the dimly lit room, You Cai jumped onto the bed like a little sprite.

Seeming to sense Chu Zhi’s low spirits, You Cai let out a soft meow and nuzzled against her with its fluffy head.

Chu Zhi hugged it close, burying her face in its soft, thick fur.

“Lu Jiaheng is a jerk,” Chu Zhi said, her voice muffled.

“Meow,” You Cai agreed.

Chu Zhi lifted her head and rubbed You Cai’s black-spotted head: “Do you know which one he is?”

“Meow.”

“The one who came over to eat spicy hot pot that time.”

“Meow.”

“He’s so annoying, next time you see him, bite him.”

You Cai was very enthusiastic: “Meow meow!!”

After filling her stomach, Chu Zhi slept for several more hours before groggily getting up.

She had been lying diagonally across the bed, with You Cai sprawled in her arms. Both human and cat had slept deeply, drifting in and out of sleep for nearly fourteen hours. Her consciousness felt fuzzy.

Her father had already prepared food – a delicate century egg and lean meat porridge. Since he didn’t know when she would wake up, he had left it in the pot.

After washing up, Chu Zhi snuck into the kitchen and ladled herself a bowl of porridge, bringing it to the dining table.

Her father was reading the newspaper in the rocking chair by the floor-to-ceiling window. Seeing her up so early, he raised his eyebrows in surprise: “You’re up early today?”

Chu Zhi glanced at the clock – it was already ten.

“Mm,” Chu Zhi sat down, looking listless with downcast eyes.

She had come back yesterday with red eyes and gone straight to her room without a word. Today her mood still seemed low.

Her father exchanged a glance with Ms. Deng who was sitting on the sofa. Ms. Deng mouthed: “What’s wrong?”

“How would I know?”

You Cai crouched lazily by her feet, licking its paws. As Chu Zhi slowly drank her porridge, she remembered her father mentioning going to Hainan to escape the cold. She looked up: “When are you leaving?”

The question was somewhat redundant, as Ms. Deng was already dressed in her dress and sun hat.

Sure enough, Ms. Deng observed her expression with slightly furrowed brows instead of answering: “Darling, why don’t you come with Dad and Mom?”

Chu Zhi shook her head: “I have classes.”

“Mom can ask for leave for you.”

Chu Zhi still refused: “Final exams are coming up soon, I can’t miss classes now.”

Ms. Deng and her father exchanged a glance, about to say something more when the doorbell suddenly rang.

Her father smoothly put down his newspaper and got up to answer the door.

Opening it, he took a look – a very handsome young man.

The young man wasn’t wearing a coat, just a clean, simple white shirt. He was tall and straight, with a handsome face that wasn’t feminine.

Seeing Lu Jiaheng, he smiled kindly: “Young man, it’s snowing today, we don’t have any blankets hanging out.”

Lu Jiaheng: “…”

Lu Jiaheng paused for two seconds, his gaze falling on the luggage by the door, quickly understanding.

“No, I wanted to ask if you know the property management’s phone number. I just moved in recently, and there seems to be some water leaking from upstairs.”

As soon as he spoke, Chu Zhi’s shoulders stiffened, though she was sitting with her back to the door.

She didn’t turn around, pushing away her porridge and hanging her head as she stood up to walk to her room, saying quietly: “I’m full.”

Ms. Deng was still trying to persuade her: “It’s not peak season now, we can still buy tickets at the airport this afternoon. Why don’t you come with Mom and Dad?”

Chu Zhi picked up the cat and replied glumly: “No, I need to go to class.”

Her father was the kind of good-natured, simple person who smiled at everyone, spoke unhurriedly, and was very patient with everything.

He enthusiastically helped this handsome young man who had recently moved in and didn’t know what to do about the water leaking from upstairs – a young man who rather reminded him of himself in his youth – find the property management’s phone number. Lu Jiaheng thanked him and turned to go upstairs.

As he climbed the stairs, he wanted to smile.

He finally understood who Chu Zhi’s personality took after.

He unconsciously curved his lips, opened his door, went in, and sat back on the sofa.

The apartment had been renovated for a while now. She had picked the cushions, the curtains, and most of the furniture.

But he had made her cry.

Lu Jiaheng couldn’t smile anymore.

He collapsed on the sofa, and when he closed his eyes, all he could see was that fair face.

Bright, clear black eyes round and large, rosy lips, long curled eyelashes.

When she smiled, dimples appeared on her cheeks, her eyes curved like moons. She always spoke softly and slowly, gentle and sweet like the red bean paste filling in a pastry.

He had made her cry.

For a moment, Lu Jiaheng felt like he had lost some kind of qualification.

The worst part was, he still found her cute.

Even crying, she was so damn cute, absolutely beautiful – it melted his heart.

Lu Jiaheng supported his brow bone with one hand and let out a long sigh.

As he wallowed on the sofa for a while, Cheng Yi called.

There was howling on the other end of the phone, clearly in the heat of battle. Cheng Yi’s loud voice was earth-shattering, wailing as if suffering some terrible torment: “Young Master Lu!!!!!!”

“Mm,” Lu Jiaheng held the phone to his ear, continuing to wallow like a puddle.

Cheng Yi: “Your Highness!! Come! Play! With! Us! There are girls here!!!!!!!”

Lu Jiaheng expressionlessly hung up the phone, got up and walked to the bedroom bathroom, turned on the bathtub faucet, filled it with cold water, and took off his clothes.

After soaking for ten minutes, he lifted his fingers, then turned on the shower and rinsed for a while before stepping out of the tub, sitting quietly on the edge of the bed to wait.

He waited naked for half an hour, but didn’t seem to feel anything.

Was his constitution really that good?

Lu Jiaheng was so annoyed.

Frustrated, he put on his clothes, went into the bathroom, grabbed a towel with one hand and put it on his still-wet head, roughly rubbing his damp hair.

After thinking for a moment, he went back to the bathroom, walked to the sink, plugged the drain, and turned the faucet to hot.

Lu Jiaheng filled the sink with hot water, turned and left the bathroom, rummaged through drawers until he found the medicine box, and finally pulled out a thin, long object from the very edge.

He held it as he walked back to the living room, grabbed his phone, and called Cheng Yi.

Cheng Yi picked up quickly: “Your Highness!!! I knew you would come!!! We’re at—”

Lu Jiaheng interrupted him: “Buy something for me now.”

Cheng Yi made a curious sound, seeming to move to a quieter place as the noise decreased slightly: “What thing?”

“Foundation.”

Cheng Yi: “…”

Cheng Yi was bewildered: “What?”

“Foundation, get the whitest shade, the whiter the better.”

Cheng Yi stared blankly for a moment, then seemed to understand something and asked: “You want to give it to little junior?”

Cheng Yi thought this guy was quite thoughtful.

“No,” Lu Jiaheng said flatly, “it’s for my own use.”

Cheng Yi: “…”

Her father and Ms. Deng prepared dinner before leaving.

She wasn’t hungry, so she played with You Cai for a while, did her homework, found a Doraemon DVD in the cabinet, and lay on the sofa to watch.

Around six in the evening, after Chu Zhi had watched two episodes, You Cai, who had been obediently lying beside her, suddenly twitched its ears and raised its front paws.

Chu Zhi didn’t think much of it, reaching out to pat its little head.

The next second, there was a knock at the door.

The sound was so faint, almost inaudible – at first, Chu Zhi didn’t hear it at all.

She paused the cartoon and waited a while, listening carefully.

After about ten seconds, the sound came again.

Continuous, very light knocking.

At six in the evening in winter, it was completely dark outside. Chu Zhi’s scalp tingled and goosebumps rose on her skin.

She bit her lip, quietly put on her slippers, and walked to the door.

Without speaking or responding, she secretly opened the peephole cover and looked out.

Lu Jiaheng stood at the door with lowered eyes, wearing a thin shirt, no coat.

Chu Zhi’s shoulders slumped as she let out a long breath of relief. She wondered why he hadn’t rung the doorbell and was knocking so softly.

She stood at the door without moving, paused for a moment, then turned and went back to the living room, plopping down on the sofa.

The doorway went quiet.

A few minutes later, Chu Zhi stood up again, walked back to the door, and looked through the peephole to see him still standing there.

Just as she put her eye to it, he knocked twice more.

Extremely light and weak knocks, the sound tiny, seeming somewhat feeble.

Chu Zhi bit her lip, hesitating for a moment.

After another few minutes, the knocking sounded for the fourth time.

Each time it was just two gentle taps, no more, somewhat tentative, as if afraid of disturbing someone.

Chu Zhi took a deep breath, adjusted her expression, turned the inside lock, and opened the door.

She put on a stern face, glaring at him with what she thought was a fierce look: “What do you want?”

The little girl was wearing pajamas, a pink and white cotton dress with ruffled hem, revealing a section of slender, fair calves.

Her voice was still soft and gentle, like a little kitten.

It didn’t seem very intimidating.

Chu Zhi wondered if it was because her voice was too quiet, thinking maybe she should speak louder.

Would a high or low voice sound fiercer? Maybe slightly shriller would be better?

As she was thinking, You Cai suddenly darted out from beside her feet, biting Lu Jiaheng’s pant leg with a purring sound from its throat, sharp claws extended, desperately scratching upward, its blue eyes seemingly radiating visible hatred.

Chu Zhi: “…”

Chu Zhi hadn’t expected You Cai to be so enthusiastically fierce, seeming quite happy as if it could finally take action.

With a cat frantically clawing at his feet, Lu Jiaheng remained unmoved, lowering his eyelids slightly, looking somewhat docile.

He was quiet for a moment, then spoke in a low voice that was terrifyingly hoarse, his breath very weak, like a thread: “I’m sick.”

Chu Zhi looked at him suspiciously.

She hadn’t noticed earlier, but looking carefully now, she realized he did seem somewhat off.

His black hair was a bit messy, his bangs casually pushed aside, a few strands wet, and his complexion was terrible.

Although his lips were naturally pale, now they were completely colorless, frighteningly white as if painted with some pigment, completely bloodless, making his whole person appear somewhat haggard.

Chu Zhi pursed her lips, her tone unconsciously softening a bit: “What’s wrong with you?”

Lu Jiaheng’s eyelashes trembled as he pressed his pale lips together, holding out a thermometer with his fingers, his dark peach blossom eyes looking at her wetly: “I have a very high fever. I’m so weak I don’t even have the strength to lift my hand to ring the doorbell.”

Chu Zhi looked down to see the mercury in the thermometer had shot up to the very top.

Chu Zhi: “…”

That really was quite a serious fever.