ATLAS TRANSLATES

Feng Ning was gently shaken awake. She rubbed her eyes as a jacket slipped off her shoulders.

She picked it up in confusion and looked at it, then looked up.

The bus driver called out to the back, “Hey, you two in the back, it’s the last stop. Aren’t you getting off?”

After getting off the bus, they realized the temperature outside had dropped significantly. Feng Ning returned the jacket to Jiang Wen, “Why didn’t you wake me up?”

He was only wearing a short-sleeved shirt and was shivering from the cold.

Feng Ning stood beside him, waiting for him to put on his jacket while checking the route on her phone. “The last stop is half an hour from your house and an hour and a half from mine. It’s only 8 PM now, so I’ll get home around 10.”

On the return bus, Jiang Wen glanced over and noticed Feng Ning setting an alarm. He asked, “What are you doing?”

Feng Ning muttered, “Setting an alarm so you don’t deliberately miss our stop again and waste my two yuan.”

“……”

He nearly jumped up, “What do you mean ‘again’? Who deliberately missed the stop?”

Feng Ning replied matter-of-factly, “You did. Why else would we end up at the last stop?”

“You fell asleep and you’re blaming me?” Jiang Wen tried to control himself, his face turning pale. “Besides, I’ve never taken the bus before, how would I know?”

“Fine, fine.” Feng Ning didn’t argue with him anymore.

Young Master Jiang’s romantic gesture was completely ruined by the unromantic Feng Ning. He turned to face the window on his right, ignoring her for a long while.

Feng Ning was used to Jiang Wen’s spoiled temperament, knowing he wouldn’t be appeased without some sweet talk. She spoke in an exaggerated humble tone, “It was my fault, young master. Don’t be angry, I was just joking. Please forgive this lowly one.”

The night was breezy, and wind came through the slightly lowered window.

“Hey.” Feng Ning bumped his shoulder with hers.

That one bump nearly knocked Jiang Wen over. He quickly grabbed the handrail and scolded her, “What’s wrong with you!”

“Why are you so angry?”

Feng Ning crossed her arms on the back of the seat in front, lazily resting her head on them as she smiled at him: “Thank you.”

The broadcast announced: “Welcome aboard Bus Route 425. Please hold on tight. The next stop is Xingxi Road. Passengers getting off, please prepare to exit.”

“Oh… you’re welcome.”

“Also, the song was nice.”

He hesitated for two seconds, looking slightly embarrassed, “You weren’t asleep?”

“Take out your earphones.” Feng Ning checked the time, “Five minutes until our stop. Let me share my favorite song with you.”

She opened his phone and searched for the song.

When the piano intro started playing, Feng Ning asked, “Do you know this song?”

Jiang Wen shook his head.

…

I can’t find a good enough reason To stop all this intimacy …

“This is the theme song from ‘It Started with a Kiss.’”

Letting the song play in the background, Feng Ning turned off the phone screen and put it aside, happily describing to him: “Every time I rewatch ‘It Started with a Kiss,’ it’s during summer. So whenever I hear this song, I automatically think of summer – the hot weather outside, me hugging a big watermelon, sitting in air conditioning with the curtains drawn, the room not too bright, curled up in bed watching the show. Isn’t that wonderful?”

…

I suspect this encounter is just a prank I think I’m slowly falling for you I willingly fall for your prank …

Jiang Wen suddenly realized: “Jiang Zhi Shu, Yuan Xiang Qin?”

Feng Ning laughed in surprise: “Yeah, you’ve watched it?”

She leaned against the window while Jiang Wen looked forward, “I haven’t watched it, my sister has.”

“There’s a very girly line I still remember.” Feng Ning held her heart, “I love you so much that I’m willing.”

Jiang Wen mocked her, “What nonsense.”

“Come to think of it, you’re a bit like Jiang Zhi Shu. You’re both surnamed Jiang, both cold and smart students who’ve had it easy. When people confess to you, you both just ignore them.”

As she spoke, Feng Ning playfully extended her hand, “Classmate Jiang, hello, I’m Feng Ning from Class 9, Grade 2.”

He remained expressionless: “How boring.”

Feng Ning clicked her tongue.

Before she could withdraw her hand, Jiang Wen unexpectedly grabbed it.

The passengers behind them watched the two high school students’ interaction and thought to themselves, ah, youth is so beautiful.

So beautiful indeed.

Jiang Wen’s fingers curled slightly, his fingertips touching the skin of her wrist. Both their hearts were pounding.

Meeting Feng Ning’s gaze, he said: “I’m Jiang Wen.”

The bus arrived at their stop, and Feng Ning waved goodbye to him. The doors closed automatically, and Bus 425 dutifully continued to its next stop, leaving behind a trail of exhaust.

The sky had turned completely ink-blue. Jiang Wen stood by the warm yellow streetlight with his hands in his pockets. The bus quickly disappeared into the distant night.

The song started playing again in his earphones.

—I think I’ll start missing you, —But I’ve only just met you.

The moment we part, I’ll start missing you.

Time turned like pages in a book, turning past spring rain, summer thunder, autumn leaves, and falling snow. Another year passed. Qi Lan went home several times but showed little improvement, and in October she was hospitalized again.

Feng Ning usually worked part-time two days a week, and when Jiang Wen was on break, she would study with him at home. The rest of her time was spent by her mother’s hospital bed.

Saturday was Jiang Wen’s birthday. Zhao Bin Lin and Xi Gao Yuan called him from eight in the morning.

Jiang Wen was woken up by their calls, slightly grumpy with messy hair, and sat at the foot of his bed for a while. Opening WeChat, he saw Feng Ning had sent him birthday wishes at one AM.

He asked her to come out for lunch today, but she hadn’t replied yet.

Jiang Wen irritably tossed his phone aside and opened his wardrobe to choose today’s clothes. Just as he took off his pajamas, his phone buzzed, and he immediately picked it up to look.

Zhao Bin Lin: [Hurry up, everyone’s waiting for you]

Feeling disappointed and annoyed, he replied with an “oh.”

There was a large group of people who came to celebrate Jiang Wen’s birthday today, some bringing others along, and several he didn’t even know.

Zhao Bin Lin had begged his brother to borrow a limited edition sports car. Not wanting to be too flashy, they planned to have a BBQ at the reservoir in the suburbs.

Close to ten o’clock, Xi Gao Yuan went to pick up the custom cake they had ordered yesterday.

Jiang Wen sat in the passenger seat, touching the phone in his pocket, habitually taking it out to look at it for a while before putting it back.

Zhao Bin Lin glanced at him, “Waiting for someone’s call?”

“What?”

“I asked if you’re waiting for someone’s call?”

He answered absent-mindedly: “No one.”

Zhao Bin Lin had a knowing smirk, “Just tell me, how many times have you checked your phone?”

“Can’t I be bored?” Just as Jiang Wen finished speaking, his phone made another sound. He looked down – it was just a Tencent News notification. He leaned back in his seat without moving, the atmosphere around him dropping another level.

“Pei Shu Rong asked me the other day why she hasn’t seen you lately.” Zhao Bin Lin adjusted the rearview mirror, “I didn’t tell her you’re with Feng Ning.”

“Time really flies, we’re already in our final year.” Zhao Bin Lin suddenly felt nostalgic, “Is Feng Ning coming to your birthday today? Come to think of it, I haven’t seen her in ages.”

Jiang Wen remained silent, looking out the window with slight irritation.

After a moment of silence, just as Zhao Bin Lin was about to say something, he saw Jiang Wen answer a phone call and get out of the car.

“Hello, Jiang Wen! Where are you?” Her slightly excited voice came through the phone.

Jiang Wen was angry, standing at the busy intersection acting like a young master: “Do you know it’s my birthday today?”

“Haven’t you checked your phone?” Feng Ning’s voice sounded a bit out of breath, “Didn’t I say happy birthday?”

Jiang Wen’s anger subsided a bit, speaking softly: “You’re the one who hasn’t checked your phone, you didn’t reply to my message.” He kicked a stone at his feet, “Where are you? I’ll come find you.”

“Do you have friends with you?”

Jiang Wen hesitated for a moment, meeting Zhao Bin Lin’s curious gaze, he said, “No, I’m alone.”

“Oh, okay then, come over. I can give you your gift in person, it’s still warm, hehe.”

He sensed something was off: “Are you running?”

“I’ll stop talking now, I’ll send you the address, come quickly!”

Xi Gao Yuan hummed a tune as he opened the car door with the cake and sat down. He made a surprised sound, “Where’s Jiang Wen?”

“How would I know? He suddenly said he had something to do and told us to go ahead.” Zhao Bin Lin looked in the mirror, touching his growing stubble, “I guess he probably went to find Feng Ning.”

Jiang Wen hadn’t expected Feng Ning’s location to be the marathon finish line.

It was almost eleven, and people were gradually arriving. Several people had fainted at the scene and were taken away by ambulances.

People crossed the finish line one after another. He was a bit anxious, searching for Feng Ning in the chaotic crowd, unable to reach her phone. Just as he was about to redial for the fourth time, someone heavily patted his shoulder.

Jiang Wen turned around to find her wearing a sun hat, breathing heavily.

“What’s this?” Jiang Wen gestured up and down at her.

“Can’t you tell?” Feng Ning lifted her chin proudly, saying: “The great Feng just finished a marathon!”

Jiang Wen pretended to be angry, mocking: “I thought the great Feng was going to win first place as my gift.”

She laughed while catching her breath, “Brother, those are all professional marathon runners, and I’m just a high school girl! You’re expecting too much.”

Jiang Wen was infected by her happiness and held out his hand, “You said you’d give me my birthday gift in person?”

“I already gave it to you.”

“What?”

Feng Ning grinned mischievously, took a big gulp of water, and wiped her mouth: “The spirit of marathon! Never give up in life, persistence is victory. Today I ran and showed you in person, how’s that, feeling touched?”

Jiang Wen: “Not particularly touched.”

Feng Ning threw the empty water bottle in the trash, reached behind her back, and peeled off her number tag, “Here, for you.”

Jiang Wen took it and froze.

A square piece of fabric with four numbers printed on it: 1114.

—His birthday.

Feng Ning signed something with the staff and got her bag back. She took out a thin blanket from her bag and draped it over herself, wiped her sweat with a towel, and glanced at him lightly, “How about that? This gift is sincere enough, right? It took me over three hours to finish.”

Looking at the person so close to him, Jiang Wen’s breath caught, “Thank you.”

“No need to thank me for such kindness, alright, let’s go.”

Feng Ning’s words suddenly stopped as she lowered her eyes to look at the hand holding hers.

The person holding her clearly lacked confidence, his grip very light, as if she could break free with the slightest movement.

Even without looking, Feng Ning could imagine Jiang Wen’s current expression. Obviously nervous as could be, but still maintaining an icy expression.

Feng Ning laughed inwardly, moved her fingers slightly, and Jiang Wen’s arm stiffened. She gripped Jiang Wen’s hand back tightly, and his footsteps stopped with hers.

“What’s wrong?” Her voice carried a teasing smile.

“You…”

Feng Ning made a face, scrunching her lips and nose together, “What about me?”

Jiang Wen hesitated for a moment, tightening his fingers a bit more, “We…”

“Shh shh shh.”

After all this time, seeing each other daily. Though neither had spoken it aloud, ambiguous feelings had long since surrounded them both.

They were as innocent as middle school students, holding hands, walking slowly through the crowded streets.

“Where are we going now?” Jiang Wen looked ahead, not daring to look at Feng Ning.

“Back to my place, how about that?”

“Oh, whatever you want.”

The bus came, and Feng Ning withdrew her hand.

Jiang Wen’s palm felt empty, and he was a bit lost and annoyed, “What are you doing?”

“What do you mean what am I doing?” Feng Ning took coins out of her pocket, “I need to pay, don’t I?”

After paying, Feng Ning took Jiang Wen’s hand again, leading him to the back.

They sat in the back seats again, their clasped hands hanging intimately between them. Feng Ning’s hand was small, and Jiang Wen could easily enclose it completely with his fingers.

The bus started moving, and they sat in silence, their shoulders occasionally bumping together.

“Jiang Wen, are you nervous? Your palm is all sweaty,” she turned her head with a smile.

He stubbornly denied: “That’s your sweat.”

Feng Ning brought Jiang Wen into the kitchen again.

But he was already a regular here, putting on an apron without any resistance.

“What are you going to do?”

“Make you a cake!” Feng Ning took out flour, eggs, and milk from the refrigerator, “Let me show you what a manual egg white beater can do.”

She looked very serious when working, completely immersed in her own world. Jiang Wen watched her intently, his heart softening like it had been soaked in water.

Meanwhile, Xi Gao Yuan called, “Birthday Star, where are you? Everyone’s waiting for you.”

Jiang Wen stood in the courtyard making the call, unmoved: “I can’t make it today, you guys go ahead and play. Put it on my tab.”

The yellow dog recognized him and happily circled around his feet.

On the other end, Xi Gao Yuan got a bit angry too, raising his voice: “What the hell, it’s your birthday today, and you’re not coming, leaving all of us hanging here? What are you doing?” After shouting for a while, he suddenly went quiet, asking suspiciously: “Don’t tell me you’re with Feng Ning?”

Zhao Bin Lin understood the situation better, grabbed the phone and said directly, “Where are you and Feng Ning? I’ll come pick you up.”

“Get lost.” Jiang Wen rejected without thinking, “You guys go play, don’t bother me.”

“…..”

Feng Ning was bent over, concentrating on squeezing patterns with cream, and glanced at him, “What’s up?”

“Nothing.” Jiang Wen spoke casually, putting his phone on silent.

He walked closer and saw she had almost finished drawing the pattern on the cake. Jiang Wen’s expression changed instantly.

A familiar Q-version drunk little peacock, tail spread out, small pointed head wearing a crown, leaning against a big wine bottle.

Feng Ning put the cream bag aside, “Done! Mission accomplished!”

Jiang Wen stared at the cake she made by hand, a bit dazed.

Feng Ning went to rinse her hands under the tap, “What’s wrong?”

“You still remember.”

She glanced at him, smiling, “Of course I remember, it’s from the apology note I wrote when I first met you.”

Feng Ning crouched down, found the thin candles, and stuck them in the cake, lighting them with a lighter.

Jiang Wen said, “Ever since I met you, my life has been thrown into chaos by you.”

The yellow dog came in through the door gap and lazily lay down. Feng Ning stood up, facing him.

She put her hands behind her back and tilted her head slightly upward, “Alright, little prince, stop complaining and close your noble eyes.”

Jiang Wen’s heart trembled, and he obediently closed his eyes.

Perhaps due to nervousness, even his breathing seemed a bit irregular.

But after a long while with no movement, he opened his eyes to find Feng Ning’s eyes full of teasing. She laughed, “What? Did you think I was going to kiss you?”

Jiang Wen’s thoughts had been seen through, and his throat moved slightly. After a few seconds of silence, he lowered his voice: “Why did you ask me to close my eyes?”

“Oh, that.” Feng Ning gestured to the cake with her chin, “To make a wish and blow out the candles.”

Feng Ning stood beside him, watching him blow out the candles, and asked curiously: “What did you just wish for? You looked so sincere.”

Jiang Wen still maintained his sincere expression: “If I tell you, it won’t come true.”

She encouraged him: “It’s okay to tell me.”

“I want…” he mumbled in a mosquito-like voice.

Feng Ning couldn’t hear clearly, “Want what? Speak louder.”

Jiang Wen’s eyes wandered around, finally settling elsewhere.

Finally, as if having made up his mind, he leaned down and briefly kissed her lips.

Just a touch and then away.

Feng Ning didn’t dodge, her lips even curled up slightly.

In that instant, his heart was beating almost unbearably fast. He said somewhat unnaturally: “Well, for you to be even nicer to me.”

Author’s Note: Little Prince: Finally got my first kiss

Second to last chapter of the campus story countdown!

High energy warning ahead, non-combat personnel evacuate quickly! (Just kidding)