ATLAS TRANSLATES

Chapter 47: New Toy

Shu He had never felt such regret as she did in this moment. A dull ache spread through her blood and limbs as his tears burned hot. She soothingly stroked his face, constantly comforting him: “I’m here, I’m here.”

“I won’t leave.”

But the person trapped in the nightmare couldn’t hear her words clearly. He kept his eyes closed, his breathing hot and rapid, his dry lips murmuring something. Shu He could only turn on the light and call his name over and over.

The bright white light made his wet eyelashes tremble. He froze for two seconds, dazed and hollow, before slowly looking at the person beside him.

Shu He coaxed him: “Will you get up and take some medicine?”

His eyelids were still a bit red, his hair disheveled, and his whole person seemed confused, but he instinctively nodded obediently.

In the quiet bedroom, he watched as she brought in the medicine. After he drank it, Shu He fed the capsule directly to his lips.

The bitter taste of the capsule spread between his lips and teeth. She looked at him with such tenderness and concern that Jing Yi suddenly felt a tightness in his nose, his heart squeezed tight, his dark and quiet eyes instantly moistening.

“What’s wrong?” Shu He stroked his reddened eyes with concern. “Did you have a nightmare? Or are you feeling unwell?”

He gently nuzzled her palm, quietly shaking his head, his eyelashes lowered. When he spoke, his hoarse voice sounded as if it had been scratched by a blade: “I just suddenly realized why you hate taking medicine so much.”

“It’s really bitter.”

Shu He hadn’t expected his thoughts to jump to her at a time like this. She felt somewhat helpless, but when she saw his wet dark eyes, she couldn’t help but feel heartache.

While Jing Yi was still processing his inexplicable sadness and sentimentality, the blanket was suddenly lifted, and her soft body squeezed in.

He was stunned for a moment, his nose still red, looking somewhat confused: “You…”

Shu He somewhat forcefully squeezed against him, making him lie down, and without heeding his objections, directly turned off the light.

The view instantly became dim. Shu He wrapped her arms and legs around his hard and somewhat hot body. She gently patted his back: “Sleep now.”

“…but.” He seemed to hesitate for a moment, his voice raspy: “You’ll catch it from me.”

Despite saying this, his hands had already reflexively embraced her, as if he couldn’t resist the warmth that actively held him. He buried his head in the crook of her neck, greedily absorbing her warmth, nuzzling like a clingy puppy.

His soft hair tickled her a little.

Shu He kissed him gently, “No buts, I want to be with you. Sleep now.”

Jing Yi was quiet for a long time. Just when Shu He thought he had fallen asleep, his hoarse voice cut through the dim air: “Jiejie.”

“I won’t leave you again.”

Shu He’s heart skipped a beat, feeling him trying to embed her into his embrace. “We won’t break up again, right?”

His question spread like bitter cold medicine, trying to heal both their wounds, yet it was terribly bitter, too bitter to swallow.

“Mm, we won’t.”

Her voice seemed to carry a soothing magic. In the quiet night, their heartbeats seemed to penetrate their embracing bodies, slowly merging.

By the time his breathing became steady, Shu He was still wide awake.

Even though her vision was pitch black, she still couldn’t close her eyes.

Because once she closed them, her mind was filled with images of his helpless state trapped in the nightmare.

He hadn’t been sick much before, so she naturally assumed this time would be the same, that he would recover quickly and be fine.

She thought he had truly gotten over the marriage issue, but it had become a demon in his heart.

After learning about her past, he seemed no different than usual—obedient, occasionally acting spoiled, still clingy—but only now did Shu He belatedly realize something was wrong.

He seemed to feel that marriage had become a taboo between them, that she would leave him if it was mentioned again.

So these days, he was very obedient, extremely obedient; whatever she said went. But now it seemed he didn’t dare to want anything anymore.

Shu He remembered the kitten that Xiang Lanye had picked up was just like this.

Having been abandoned before, when picked up again, the kitten became very docile.

It didn’t dare eat too much or make noise, only dared to curl up in a corner timidly watching its owner. Occasionally it would lick its owner ingratiatingly, and was very obedient, being extremely careful, just afraid of being abandoned again.

He was now like a puppy afraid of being abandoned.

She knew he felt very insecure. Her previous cold words and distant guard had made him increasingly anxious and insecure.

No matter which of them opened their wounds, the mixture of heartache and self-blame made neither of them feel good.

The more Shu He thought about it, the more stifled she felt. She silently took a deep breath, but these thoughts kept her awake until past three before drowsiness finally came.

When she woke up the next day, she instinctively reached to feel his forehead, her eyes still closed, asking vaguely: “Still feeling unwell?”

Jing Yi wasn’t fully awake either, but obediently answered her question, his voice particularly drowsy: “…much better.”

Shu He was too tired, even her hand lacked strength, just dropping down, her fingertips lightly scratching the skin at the back of his neck: “What time is it?”

Jing Yi fumbled for his phone, squinting at the time: “Eleven o’clock.”

She vaguely responded, still keeping her eyes closed: “Send a message to Tong Yuan for me, I’m too tired… not going to the shop today.”

She seemed to have hazily forgotten he was a patient, but Jing Yi had no complaints. He couldn’t find her phone, then belatedly realized it must be in her room.

After bringing her phone over and sending the message, he embraced her again.

They both fell back into a deep sleep.

Who knows how long this sleep lasted. Shu He felt all her bones had melted together, making it hard to stretch. She instinctively kicked her leg, but hit something.

Turning her head, she met his dark, quiet eyes.

She took a moment to react, reaching to touch his face, “Have you been awake for a while?”

He nodded, his thick black curly hair somewhat disheveled after sleep, looking adorably dazed. She couldn’t help reaching out to ruffle it: “Then why didn’t you wake me?”

“Didn’t want to disturb you.”

He was excessively obedient. Shu He couldn’t help but smile, “Hungry? Shall we get up and eat something?”

He compliantly followed her up. Seeing Shu He about to return to her own room to wash up, his lips moved, but he still said nothing.

They had slept until evening, so it was time for dinner directly.

While Shu He was making soup, she was suddenly embraced from behind.

He bent slightly, resting his chin in the crook of her neck, his fluffy black hair brushing against her face.

He really liked this position, always preferring to hold her like this no matter where they were.

Shu He held back her smile, turning her head to look at him: “What’s up? Being so clingy.”

“Good thing you didn’t catch it from me.” His voice was weak and still hoarse. Shu He’s lips curved slightly. She turned around, cupping his face: “Get better soon then, I want to kiss you.”

He was stunned by her straightforward words, his gaze instantly falling on her red lips. Shu He had a smile in her eyes, and seeing him silent, she deliberately asked: “What’s wrong? Don’t you want to?”

“I do.” He responded somewhat hastily, his bright black eyes looking at her reproachfully, apparently detecting her deliberate teasing.

Shu He burst out laughing, “Silly.”

“……”

He didn’t mind being called silly. After dinner, as Shu He watched him take a bunch of medicine, she suddenly said: “How about I move into your room?”

The taste of the capsule seemed to instantly dissipate. He was stunned for a moment. Shu He rested her chin on her hand idly, deliberately asking: “Why aren’t you saying anything? Don’t want me to?”

“No.”

He refuted quickly, dryly swallowing the medicine stuck in his throat. His dark eyes noticeably brightened, yet he still pretended to restrain himself, seemingly obediently asking: “Why did you suddenly decide to move over?”

Shu He deliberately teased him: “Is it not okay? Do you have some secret you’re hiding from me?”

“No.” He denied, his bright eyes full of seriousness: “In front of you, I am completely, absolutely without any secrets.”

“Move in, or I can move to your room.”

His speech noticeably quickened. Shu He had a good memory and recalled something: “My bedroom, did you decorate it?”

He blinked, not denying it: “Mm.”

“When did you do that?”

“The day you viewed the house.”

“……”

He spoke innocently. Shu He was somewhat helpless: “That early? How did you know I would definitely choose this place?”

This question made him blank for two seconds, honestly answering: “…I didn’t know.”

“I just thought, what if? I didn’t want to miss any chance.”

“……”

Shu He felt grateful at this moment, grateful that she hadn’t rejected Li Minyu at that time.

With nothing to do that evening, she planned to move some things to his room.

But before moving, she first took a turn around his room.

There was a door connecting the studio and his bedroom. Previously, whenever she came to the studio, she hadn’t really looked properly.

This time entering, she saw not only recording equipment but also a black and white piano.

She knew he used to enjoy playing the piano when he had nothing to do, but now, she hardly ever heard him play.

“Because you said I shouldn’t disturb you, so I usually play when you’re at the shop.”

“……”

The man’s tone was plaintive, clearly not having forgotten what she had said.

She couldn’t help but curve her lips, coaxing him gently, “I was just deliberately finding fault then, if you don’t listen carefully, you really can’t hear much.”

He paused, as if not understanding why she would do that.

Shu He took his hand, “Who told someone to be like a closed bottle back then, I could only try to provoke you a bit.”

“……”

“But I didn’t expect you to hold such a grudge.”

“……”

He pursed his lips, thinking who knows what, but Shu He felt it necessary to clear things up with him.

She leaned back, still not letting go of his hand, slightly tilting her face up, arms around his neck. The man compliantly drew closer to her.

Shu He actively leaned towards his lips, lightly biting, wanting him to open them.

But he instinctively pulled back a little, his Adam’s apple bobbing, though his black pupils were gradually filling with intensity, staring straight at her: “You’ll catch it from me.”

“Even with a cold, you’re still my boyfriend. I want to kiss my boyfriend, is there a problem?” Shu He smiled, applying a bit more force, making him unable to resist her kiss.

Jing Yi’s heart pounded as he obediently opened his lips. Her warm tongue had already eagerly explored inside. Perhaps it was the fever, but his entire body was burning hot, making Shu He’s body also flush with heat, seemingly igniting mysterious desire and impulse.

Though Shu He said this, when she caught her breath, she said with unstable breathing: “Okay, let’s control ourselves.”

He looked at her uncomprehendingly, only to see Shu He touch his reddened lips: “What if we both get sick…”

She couldn’t even imagine that scene.

Two sick people lying in bed…

After a quick look around the studio, Shu He took his hand to her bedroom.

Only when she took out a small box did Jing Yi snap back from their previous kiss.

“A gift for you.”

He accepted it. There were two bracelets, with red string woven into delicate patterns. One had a small dog white jade pendant, the other was a safety charm.

“Why suddenly…”

Shu He took the one with the small dog and helped him put it on.

“I originally wanted to give it to you on your birthday.”

The red string made his skin look even whiter, the small dog pendant was somewhat cool, resting against his mint leaf tattoo.

Shu He didn’t tell him that she had woven these bracelets herself, and while weaving, strangely thought of that fortune-telling scammer. She impulsively tied one of her hairs into it, and actually… went to pray at the temple.

She found this absurd herself, that she would believe the words of a scammer.

“It seems like you don’t quite believe whatever I say, but Jing Yi, I will give you everything you want.”

After saying this, she felt somewhat awkward, but seeing his slightly parted lips, surprised yet unable to hold back his happy smile, her anxious heart gradually settled.

She wouldn’t force him now, wouldn’t accuse him of hiding away to suffer alone.

She just wanted to love him properly, hoping they could both get what they wished for.

Jing Yi slowly realized something else: “Does it have… the same meaning as a ring?”

“Mm.” She nodded, “Whether it’s a ring or a bracelet, Jing Yi, I only give them to you.”

He seemed to understand her meaning, but still anxiously asked: “Will you take it back?”

Shu He smiled, holding his hand, “No.”

The Little Prince shattered on the ground had been picked up piece by piece by her, her palm cut by the shards, blood flowing into both their hearts.

Having finally pieced him back together, how could she bear to put him down again?

“Jing Yi, don’t be afraid.” She patiently smoothed his anxious heart again and again: “Neither of us will leave the other again, right?”

After a long time, he finally gave a low “Mm.”

Shu He saw the glimmer of tears in his eyes. She stood on tiptoe to kiss his thin eyelids, “Little crybaby.”

Finally having comforted him, they began moving things.

Jing Yi fingered his bracelet, delighted yet puzzled, “Why don’t you help me put this one on?”

Shu He was figuring out which clothes to move over. Without turning around, she said, “The other one is an anklet, it’s up to you whether to wear it or not.”

Since few people like wearing anklets, she just casually made a pair. But if she were to wear an anklet herself, she would strangely resist, feeling as if… she were being confined.

Jing Yi thoughtfully fell silent for two seconds, only when Shu He called him did he put down the things and go help.

After moving some things over, he went to get her commonly used pre-sleep aromatherapy.

But after picking up the jar on the bedside table, he returned to her side like a tail, “Is this jar empty?”

Shu He looked up and saw it really was. “There should be a new one in the bedside drawer, just bring it over.”

Jing Yi obediently went to get it, but when he opened the drawer, he not only saw the unopened aromatherapy but also a… strange object.

He didn’t come back for a long time, so Shu He went to find him: “What’s wrong? Couldn’t find—”

The last word stopped abruptly when she saw what was in his hand. The man was holding a long, straight, oval-shaped light-colored toy, expressionless yet seemingly particularly confused as he asked: “Jiejie, what is this?”

“………”

Shu He was unusually embarrassed for a couple of seconds, but quickly, she took the object from him with an unchanged expression.

“It’s just… a toy.”

She didn’t know why she felt guilty. She hadn’t used this thing for a long time, but now holding it felt particularly hot, as if still retaining the warmth from his palm.

She glared at him, trying to cover up: “Isn’t this very normal? Don’t you have needs when I’m not around? Haven’t you used your hand?”

Desire exists for both men and women; this is perfectly normal.

After speaking, she walked back with slightly flustered steps.

Jing Yi slowly followed. When he returned to the room, he saw her just stuffing the object into the drawer.

“Finally I know why you rejected me that day at the hotel.”

“?”

Shu He turned around to see the man looking at her with extreme reproach: “So it wasn’t just because of my leg, it was also because you had a new toy.”

“………”