ATLAS TRANSLATES

The next afternoon, Qi Lan finally woke up.

She opened her eyes with effort, tubes attached to her body.

Feng Ning had been keeping watch by the hospital bed. She held Qi Lan’s cold hand, tears falling steadily, “Mom, you nearly scared me to death. I thought you were going to leave me.”

Qi Lan was very weak and could only stare at her daughter’s face without speaking. Shuang Yao’s mother turned away, her eyes reddening.

Qi Lan’s condition was unstable, with her health showing little improvement. She spent most of her time sleeping.

A week later, she learned about Feng Ning dropping out of school and became angry: “What are you thinking? In a few days when I’m better, I’ll take you to school and explain everything to the teachers. You need to continue your studies.”

Feng Ning stubbornly refused: “I’m not going to school. I want to stay with you.”

Qi Lan raised her voice slightly, “Even if you’re staying with me, you can’t stop going to school.”

At the hospital bed, Feng Ning quickly hugged her, “Mom, don’t be angry. I’m just taking a break from school. I’ll go back to studying, I promise. Once you’re better, I’ll go back and get into the best university. I promised you.”

Qi Lan was touched and fell silent.

Several minutes later, she sighed helplessly: “Such a stubborn personality, just like your father.”

Feng Ning went along with it: “Yes, I am stubborn, very stubborn.” She pressed her face against Qi Lan’s palm, “Mom, you have to focus on getting better. Don’t leave me alone. I’ve already lost Dad, I don’t want to be alone.”

After several days of rain, the temperature suddenly dropped.

Feng Ning was returning home after buying groceries when she reached the alley entrance. Her steps suddenly paused as she spotted someone across the street.

Sitting at the bus stop bench was someone wearing a light-colored sports jacket with the zipper open, a black hoodie underneath, dark blue jeans, and white sneakers.

As expected of the school heartthrob – even when skipping class, he dressed so fashionably.

She leaned against a tree trunk and watched for a few minutes.

Cars streamed past endlessly. He kept his head down, lost in thought. There was tree shade above him, and beneath his feet lay a thin layer of early autumn yellowing leaves.

At this time, the nearby kindergarten and elementary school students were getting out of school. Several children with colorful backpacks ran past along the road, holding newly bought candied hawthorns and laughing.

Jiang Wen suddenly snapped out of his daze when he sensed someone sitting down beside him.

Feng Ning said in a playful tone, “Where did such a handsome guy come from? How did you get lost outside my house?”

Jiang Wen looked her over.

Feng Ning leaned back and turned to meet his gaze, “Who are you looking for directions to?”

Jiang Wen remained seated without moving. After hesitating, he answered: “Shuang Yao.”

“Getting smarter now, knowing to ask around indirectly.” Feng Ning puffed her cheeks.

“Why aren’t you going to school?”

“What?”

“Your family…”

“Mm.” Feng Ning watched the sunset climbing up her calves, a orange glow. The sunlight made their shadows very long. She twisted her ankle, saying casually: “My mom is sick, I need to take care of her.”

“Can’t you hire a caregiver?”

Feng Ning smiled faintly, pretending not to hear.

Jiang Wen was silent for a very long time. He said very seriously, “I can help you.”

“Thank you.” Feng Ning pretended to think deeply. “I’m so touched. How should I repay you for helping me?” She teased him, “How about I give myself to you in marriage?”

Jiang Wen knew she was joking and stayed quiet for a moment. His face expressionless, he silently answered in his heart.

Okay.

He said: “I’m being serious.”

She burst out laughing, “I know you’re being serious.”

Feng Ning’s shoulders looked frail, her head lowered with hair covering her profile. Jiang Wen couldn’t see her expression. “So… will you go back to school?”

“Not for now, but I probably will later.” Feng Ning crushed a leaf under her foot. “It’s not like I can drop out of high school and become a factory worker, right? Though with my abilities I could probably make money easily, I promised my mom I’d get into the best university and bring glory to the Feng family name.”

He fell silent.

Feng Ning suddenly noticed how long Jiang Wen’s legs were. Even with his legs slightly bent while hers were fully stretched out, she still couldn’t reach where his feet were.

Feng Ning swung her feet back and forth, smiling: “Class must be more peaceful without me there.”

He finally spoke, making a sound of agreement.

“That’s good then. Iron Lady must be secretly happy that there’s finally no one disrupting class discipline anymore.”

She was still her usual self, talking endlessly once she started, impossible to stop. “But I’m sure some people miss me. Little Meng got a new desk mate and called me crying at night saying she misses me so much. She’s not used to doing homework without me teaching her.”

He stared at her chattering mouth and suddenly asked: “You answer her calls, why don’t you reply to my messages?”

Feng Ning stumbled over her words, “Huh? I didn’t reply?”

“No.”

Feng Ning didn’t know how to respond for a moment, touching her nose awkwardly.

Jiang Wen stared at her intently, “I’m not used to it either.”

Feng Ning realized what he was saying and seemed surprised.

The first two weeks after Feng Ning stopped coming to class.

His text messages sank like stones into the sea with no response. No one could contact her.

Jiang Wen often had the slight illusion that whenever he heard a girl laugh, he would neurotic ally think Feng Ning had returned.

But every time he habitually turned to look, that seat was empty.

Before he could think further, his throat would tighten. His heart hurt a bit, like being pricked lightly by a needle – not unbearable, but a lingering pain impossible to ignore.

He thought of how Feng Ning used to deliberately make faces to annoy him before. Jiang Wen suddenly felt lost. The same bustling scene, everyone talking and laughing, nothing had changed.

Why was he the only one who felt this way?

After a long while, he processed his emotions and said: “I don’t know why I came to find you, but I…”

Feng Ning turned to look at Jiang Wen. She had never seen him like this before. She hesitated, not knowing what to say.

Having started, the rest became much simpler. Jiang Wen finally said what he had been thinking about for a long time: “Feng Ning, I want to help you.”

For some reason, Feng Ning instantly understood what he meant to say.

Not “I can help you.”

But “I want to help you.”

At the hospital, Qi Lan asked: “Why are you so late today?”

“On my way here, I ran into a boy from my class, chatted with him for a bit.”

Qi Lan was somewhat surprised: “Did he come specifically to find you?”

“Yes.” Feng Ning pulled down the small table, put the thermos on it, and adjusted the hospital bed height.

“What did you talk about?”

“Just school stuff.”

Qi Lan didn’t ask her anything more.

While eating, Feng Ning suddenly remembered something, “I think it was last Christmas… no, not Christmas, it was the New Year’s party. Our class sports rep was singing ‘Old Boys’, his duck-like voice was really awful. You know I’ve never liked that song since I was little, it always reminds me of Dad, so I snuck out for some air.”

Qi Lan listened attentively, “Mm, then what?”

Feng Ning swallowed her food and took a drink of water: “Then he followed me out – the boy who came to find me today. He followed me like a thief, it was really funny.”

She had been in a bad mood then, but when she turned around and saw Jiang Wen’s awkward expression, she couldn’t help but laugh.

Qi Lan hadn’t heard her mention this before and was curious: “Does he like you?”

Feng Ning didn’t hesitate, nodding directly with a smile: “Yes.”

“What kind of person is he?”

Feng Ning thought for a moment before describing him to her mom: “He’s a good student, his grades are just a tiny bit lower than mine. But he’s very handsome.” She smiled, “Though his temper isn’t great, he gets angry at the slightest teasing. Really proud too, wouldn’t even look at people properly at first.”

“Sounds like an excellent boy.”

Feng Ning smacked her forehead, giggling: “Mom, I finally understand why ancient emperors liked those big-breasted, empty-headed concubines.”

“Why?” Qi Lan felt more relaxed listening to her daughter’s nonsense.

“Sometimes meeting someone completely different from yourself is actually quite interesting. Seeing him living beautifully and happily, you think, ah, life can still go on.”

“What nonsense are you talking about.” Qi Lan glared at her.

Feng Ning pouted: “That’s basically what I mean.”

Days flowed by like water. Zhao Binlin noticed that Jiang Wen had been acting strange lately.

If asked exactly what was strange, it was hard to pin down, but he had clearly become much quieter.

And—

“Why do you keep disappearing every time we have a break? You don’t answer calls or reply to messages.” Zhao Binlin asked him suspiciously, “Are you secretly going out whoring?”

Jiang Wen rested his chin on one hand, silent. Staring at the blackboard, his pen moved quickly as he copied notes.

“I feel like you’re hiding some secret from me.”

Getting no response, Zhao Binlin grew anxious and couldn’t help pushing him, “What’s going on with you, Jiang Wen? Even with Feng Ning gone and no competition, why are you still so enthusiastic about studying?! You never used to take notes!”

Jiang Wen’s expression darkened. He sighed lightly, glancing at him, “Can you be quiet for a while and let me have some peace?”

“Sure enough, you always react whenever Feng Ning is mentioned.”

Kicking his chair, Zhao Binlin asked, “What exactly happened with her family?”

“None of your business.”

Zhao Binlin: “I’m just concerned about her!”

“Are you that close to her?” Jiang Wen raised an eyebrow with a sarcastic expression.

“?”

“What right do you have to be concerned?”

“…..”

Zhao Binlin was rendered speechless by his cutting remarks. Raising his hand to slap his own mouth, “Alright, I overstepped.”

During the long break, several class representatives were moving through the classroom distributing test papers. Jiang Wen finished counting his papers, ignoring Zhao Binlin’s calls as he left the classroom alone and walked to the large office on the same floor.

Standing by the copy machine, the smell of ink in his nose. The machine made soft beeping sounds as he stood lost in thought.

The biology teacher passed by with a water cup, turning to look, “Jiang Wen, printing things again?”

Jiang Wen nodded.

Another Saturday, it was a bright sunny day with an unabashedly blue sky. Just past 7:30, Feng Ning leaned against a lamppost drinking soy milk. She was exhausted and yawned twice in succession.

A taxi stopped and someone got out.

When Jiang Wen came closer, Feng Ning handed him another cup of soy milk, “Have you eaten breakfast?”

Jiang Wen shook his head.

“Want some pan-fried buns?”

Jiang Wen refused: “No.”

“How about shumai?”

Jiang Wen still shook his head.

“Try some, they’re really good!”

Jiang Wen: “I have no appetite for dry foods in the morning.”

“I see, precious young master.”

He frowned, “Don’t call me that.”

“Why won’t you eat, are you trying to extort breakfast from me?”

She led him forward, occasionally popping a small bun in her mouth. Near Yu Jiang Lane there was a famous old noodle shop that had been open for over ten years. It wasn’t far – Feng Ning walked in front, leading Jiang Wen inside to sit down.

There weren’t many customers at this time. The noodle shop owner’s wife came over personally to serve them, her eyes lighting up when she saw Jiang Wen: “Oh, Ning Ning, who’s this?”

“This is…” Feng Ning half-joked, “my teacher.”

“My, such a young teacher.” The owner’s wife brought them each a glass of mung bean soup, “Would you like pork strips or fish noodles?”

“I’m not eating.” Feng Ning pointed at Jiang Wen across the table, “Get him a bowl of pork strip noodles.”

Five minutes later, steaming hot noodles were served, topped with fresh green onions – quite appetizing. Jiang Wen finally didn’t turn his nose up at it and actively picked up a pair of chopsticks.

She munched on her pan-fried bun.

“How much is a taxi from your house?”

Jiang Wen swallowed before speaking, “Don’t know.”

“Hm?”

“Gave him a hundred, didn’t pay attention to the change.”

Feng Ning’s eyes widened, nearly spitting out her soy milk, “Are you some kind of charity?”

“……”

Earlier, several families had discussed and arranged that Shuang Yao’s mom would stay at the hospital on Saturdays, Zhao Weichen’s mom on Sundays, letting Feng Ning rest at home.

After Jiang Wen found Feng Ning last time, he sent her a message when he got back.

Feng Ning thought about it for a long time, discussed with Qi Lan, and didn’t refuse him.

— He would tutor her during breaks.

Qi Lan was at the hospital, with only a big yellow dog at home. The mahjong room was slightly larger, but it hadn’t been cleaned in a long time and was covered in dust. Feng Ning could only bring Jiang Wen to her room.

Before opening the door, Feng Ning asked: “Do you know how to play mahjong?”

“No.”

Feng Ning patted her chest: “I’ll teach you someday.”

Jiang Wen silently followed Feng Ning into her room.

Feng Ning’s room… how to describe it? It was much more girly than her personality. Though not pink-themed, it had touches of coziness everywhere. A white dreamcatcher, wind chimes hanging on the balcony, Chibi Maruko-chan and SpongeBob stickers everywhere, and some manga casually tossed on the desk.

This was Jiang Wen’s first time in a girl’s room. There was a faint fresh laundry fragrance in the air. He felt slightly awkward, his eyes very controlled, not wandering around.

Feng Ning bent down, brought out two folding small tables to the bay window, pushed them together, and took out some soft cushions.

Jiang Wen put his backpack to one side and looked around, “We’re studying here?”

“Yes, take off your shoes and come up.”

Feng Ning was already sitting cross-legged.

Jiang Wen: “……”

“I always studied here before.” Feng Ning pulled the curtains open wide, revealing the beautiful autumn scenery. Warm sunlight filtered in slightly, “Look, from here you can see into the neighboring yard. There’s an old man who likes to cool off under the tree. When I’m bored I like to watch him. Sometimes I suddenly call out to him from here and startle him. Sometimes the old man gets so angry he wants to come complain to my mom, hahahahaha.”

When she talked about happy things, she cupped her face in her hands, laughing mischievously.

Jiang Wen copied Feng Ning, tucking in his legs. But being tall with long legs, he was a bit cramped in the small space. He adjusted his position slightly, pulled open his backpack, and took out books, notebooks, and test papers one by one, placing them on the small table.

Feng Ning flipped through the photocopied test papers, “Wow, did you print all these yourself?”

“What else?”

“Amazing, amazing.” She was deeply moved, “What did I do to deserve having the Qide school heartthrob come give me one-on-one tutoring? I must have saved the galaxy in my past life!”

Jiang Wen was pleased hearing this, though he concealed his satisfaction, “You tutored my sister before.”

“Hm? What about tutoring your sister? Your boss paid me for that.”

Feng Ning took out a pen, happily flipping through the test papers front and back, still talking nonsense, “Tutored the sister before, now being repaid by the brother.”

“Then you can owe my tutoring fees.”

As soon as he finished speaking, she immediately covered her ears, playing dumb, “I didn’t hear anything, I didn’t hear anything, anything I didn’t hear doesn’t count.”

When she lowered her hands, Jiang Wen snorted coldly and continued: “I said, you can owe me the money and pay me back later.”

Feng Ning let out a weak “oh” and asked, “So how much are your tutoring fees?”

“Charged by the hour.” Seeing her dispirited look, Jiang Wen suppressed a smile at the corner of his mouth and added after thinking: “Two hundred per hour.”

“You’re such a scammer, why don’t you just go rob people!” Feng Ning took a deep breath and decisively pointed to the door, “Leave.”

“What?”

“I can’t afford your rates, leave right now.” Feng Ning leaned back, “Even if I sold everything I own I couldn’t afford your tutoring.”

“Then how much can you afford?”

Feng Ning made a peace sign.

Jiang Wen couldn’t help laughing, playing along: “Twenty?”

Feng Ning shook her head, saying dramatically, “Two yuan.”

After holding it in for a while, Jiang Wen finally broke, a smile spreading across his fair, handsome face. He coughed once, “Fine, two yuan it is.”

“Wow, did you just smile?” Feng Ning’s face lit up like she’d discovered a new continent, “You can actually smile.”

Jiang Wen’s smile faded, feeling awkward and annoyed: “What’s wrong with me smiling?”

“It looks good! You’re already handsome, but when you smile you’re even more handsome.” Feng Ning said sincerely, “Much more sunny than when you’re scowling all the time. If you smiled more at school, that guy from Class 7 who’s competing with you for school heartthrob wouldn’t stand a chance. Our Jiang classmate would beat him by streets.”

“Let’s study.” Jiang Wen commanded.

The grade two curriculum was quite simple. Except for physics and math, Feng Ning could mostly understand the other subjects through self-study. When at the hospital, besides caring for Qi Lan, she spent her remaining time reading books.

She hadn’t fallen too far behind and could barely keep up. On a test paper worth 100 points, she could probably score over 80.

The morning passed quickly. When it was time for lunch, Jiang Wen put down his pen, “What are we eating?”

“The Feng Family Kitchen.”

“Where’s that?”

She said humorously: “In my home kitchen.”

“…..”

Jiang Wen was pulled to the kitchen by her.

Feng Ning found two navy blue aprons from somewhere, threw one to him and quickly put on her own. This apron had MSG advertisements printed on the front and back.

Jiang Wen was speechless for a moment before reluctantly following suit. Being tall, he could only roll up the sleeves and barely managed to put on the apron.

The young master Jiang who had never lifted a finger in his life was cooking for the first time, and it was in Feng Ning’s small rundown courtyard.

Feng Ning taught him how to pick vegetables, wash them, and cut potatoes. He didn’t put on any young master airs and worked alongside her.

Jiang Wen had severe OCD – when cutting things, they had to be perfectly even in thickness. Though it was his first time cooking, he got more and more into it.

Feng Ning stared at his serious profile and gave him a thumbs up, repeatedly praising: “Not bad, didn’t expect you’d have such potential.”

When cooking, Feng Ning again produced two towels from somewhere and gave him a cream-colored one.

“What for?”

Feng Ning put the towel on her head, adjusting it, “Like this, see?”

Jiang Wen refused, “I don’t want to.”

Feng Ning urged him: “Hurry up, cover your hair or it’ll smell!”

His face clouded over: “No.”

“Why not?”

The image-conscious Jiang Wen gave his answer: “Too ugly. I’d rather wash my hair.”

“But you’re not going home this afternoon, are you going to wash it at my place?”

Feng Ning turned on the gas stove, grabbed the spatula, ready to start frying potatoes. “There’s no one else here, come on, stop being so fussy.”

She poured the minced green onions and garlic into the wok. After coughing a couple times from the fumes, she turned around and almost burst out laughing.

Jiang Wen’s towel sat crooked on his head, his sleeves rolled up, and his face had two streaks of soy sauce he’d accidentally smeared on it. His delicate face was flushed red from the heat – looking at him now, he’d completely transformed from the trendy young master of this morning into a rural househusband.

— This was probably the least put-together moment in Jiang Wen’s life so far.

She took charge of the cooking: “Hey, stand back a bit, careful of the oil splatter. Just hand me the seasonings when I need them.”

Bustling with Feng Ning in the cramped and messy kitchen, Jiang Wen was forced to become covered in cooking smells. However, he surprisingly didn’t have a princely fit. His mood was unexpectedly not bad.

His phone rang several times. He took it out to look and directly hung up.

After about an hour of work, they managed to make two dishes and a soup. After setting the food on the table, Feng Ning scooped two bowls of rice and handed Jiang Wen a pair of chopsticks, “Alright, let’s eat!”

Jiang Wen pushed away her hand as she was about to pick up food, “Wait.”

“What?”

Jiang Wen stood up, took out his phone, and took several photos of the dishes on the table.

This behavior was so at odds with his usual cold image that Feng Ning smiled while biting her chopsticks, “Oh, want to capture your culinary achievements?” She waited patiently in her seat while he took photos, “Is this your first time cooking?”

“Mm.”

“How do you feel about it?”

Young master Jiang nodded gracefully: “Not bad.”

After taking photos, Jiang Wen sat down, and right then his phone rang again. He picked up.

Zhao Binlin yelled loudly: “Damn, you’re not answering my calls again, what the hell are you doing?! You’re busier than the president! Can’t even catch you at your house!”

Jiang Wen said coldly: “If you have something to say, say it.”

“Come out to play this afternoon. Meeting at Construction Street at 1:30. Lin Ru brought several girls from other schools this time, they’re super pretty, you have to come.”

“Busy, not going.”

“No way, listen to me, you must come, those girls only came because they heard you’d be there. If you don’t come we can’t even be friends anymore.”

Jiang Wen cut him off: “You guys go play by yourselves, I’m busy.”

Zhao Binlin was still trying to persuade him but heard a beep — Jiang Wen had directly hung up.

Son of a gun.

Zhao Binlin angrily stared at his phone.

Xi Gaoyuan asked: “How’d it go, is he coming?”

“Like hell he’s coming!” Zhao Binlin pouted, taking out his frustration from Jiang Wen on Xi Gaoyuan, “Why do I always have to be the one to call? Why don’t you do it?”

“This dog, being all mysterious lately, what’s he really up to? He’s not really going out whoring behind our backs, is he?”

Once Xi Gaoyuan got started on these yellow topics, he got excited, “Though, knowing our young master Jiang’s personality, he’s probably saving his virginity for…”

“Feng Ning?” Zhao Binlin finished, glancing at him sideways with a lewd smile.

Xi Gaoyuan made a sound of agreement, “If he gets the chance.”

Around 7-8 PM, Feng Ning saw Jiang Wen off at the Yu Jiang Lane entrance. The moon was already out.

She suddenly said, “You coming in the morning and leaving at night, under the stars and moon, reminds me of a poem.”

“What?”

Feng Ning’s eyes sparkled: “Planting beans beneath South Mountain, grass thick but bean sprouts sparse. Rising early to clear wild growth, returning with hoe by moonlight.”

“?”

“I’m just the beans that Jiang Yuanming planted beneath South Mountain.”

He stood by the road trying to flag down a car.

“Don’t bother with taxis, you big spender.” Feng Ning pulled two coins from her pocket.

Jiang Wen paused, “What for?”

“To send you home.” Feng Ning was quite excited as she gave him one coin, “Take the bus!”

“You’re sending me?”

“Yeah, what’s wrong?”

“Never mind, no need.”

“Okay, then take the bus yourself. Remember to get off at Xingxi Road, and call me when you get home.”

“Oh.”

Jiang Wen fell silent.

The bus came, doors opened, and just as he was about to get on, someone jumped on beside him.

Jiang Wen glanced at Feng Ning, “Why are you getting on?”

“You’re not happy, right? I’ll accompany you home.”

He instinctively denied: “I’m not…”

The bus driver urged them, “Move to the back, don’t block the doorway.”

“Stop pretending, you think I can’t tell?” Feng Ning inserted her coin, “Let’s go.”

This 452 bus route ran 24 hours, covering almost two-thirds of the southern city. After boarding, they chose a middle-rear double seat, Feng Ning by the window, Jiang Wen on the outside.

On the way, Feng Ning called Qi Lan, happily reporting what she’d done and studied that day. After hanging up, she sighed and seemed lost in thought.

Without her usual playful mask, she looked somewhat confused and tired.

Jiang Wen glanced at her and spoke up: “Are you okay?”

“I’m fine.” Feng Ning’s smile returned, “When I used to finish tutoring your sister, if I wasn’t in a hurry I’d take this bus instead of the subway. The scenery along this route is really nice.”

They stopped talking. The bus swayed gently, small TVs played random advertisements, scenery changed outside the window, and neon lights from the street glided over them. Feng Ning’s eyelids grew heavy, and finally unable to resist the drowsiness, she closed her eyes.

In the dim light, Jiang Wen lazily turned to look. Feng Ning was already asleep, her eyelashes fluttering with each shallow breath, her face alternately lit and shadowed.

He slightly raised his hand, stopping at a distance, and traced her profile with his fingertip.

The bus jolted slightly. Half-asleep, Feng Ning’s eyelashes trembled, and Jiang Wen withdrew his hand.

The lights had dimmed somewhat. The night bus stopped, some people got on, others silently got off.

The night silently covered the city’s weariness. He took earphones from his pocket, put one in his own ear and gently placed the other in Feng Ning’s ear.

She didn’t wake up.

Jiang Wen slid his finger across his phone, opening his playlist.

Author’s Note: The school arc will end in a few chapters orz