ATLAS TRANSLATES

Someone beside Ji Feng softly called his name and handed him a bouquet of flowers. Ji Feng did not intend to accept them, but the person shoved the bouquet into his hands, nearly forcing him to take it before hurriedly rushing off.

Ji Feng cynically thought to himself that his mother was truly going overboard trying to matchmake them.

It was difficult for her – her own marriage was ruined like mud, yet she didn’t lose heart and continued tirelessly working for her son’s marriage.

Under the eyes of the surrounding audience, Jiang Zhi Chun walked off the stage, approaching Ji Feng.

She had a sweet, shy smile on her face as she looked ardently at Ji Feng.

Seeing the bouquet he held, her smile became even more dazzling and grateful, filled with delight: “Are these for me?” She took the flowers from Ji Feng’s hands and eagerly buried her face to smell them deeply like an innocent young girl. Then looking up, eyes bright, she said “I love them, thank you!”

Ji Feng briefly replied: “They were prepared by my mother for you.”

There was a flicker in Jiang Zhi Chun’s eyes.

Reporters crowded over wanting interviews. Jiang Zhi Chun suddenly grabbed Ji Feng’s arm, pulling him along as she ran outside.

Her skirt fluttered as she raced like an imperiled sweetheart princess.

She recognized Ji Feng’s car and kept running until right by its side before finally stopping. With a young girl’s impatience she pleaded for him to open the door: “Hurry let’s escape! I really don’t want the first hours of new year taken up by those reporters.”

Ji Feng also detested becoming those journalists’ focus as the rumored boyfriend of rising star returnee musician Jiang Zhi Chun.

And so he unlocked the vehicle doors for both of them to enter.

He drove off, quickly leaving the reporters far behind.

Jiang Zhi Chun tittered in delighted laughter. Looking back to check then turning to face Ji Feng she spoke with slight breathlessness from the thrill: “Exciting isn’t it? Lucky you were there to back me today, or else they surely would’ve trapped me under an endless barrage!”

Like a princess successfully breaking free from pursuing soldiers with her sweetheart whisking them towards a future of brilliant freedom.

Ji Feng kept calm eyes observing the traffic conditions ahead. He discovered it was difficult for him to enter into this little “play” Jiang Zhi Chun had created.

Maybe a youth would find this running off escapade stimulating and passionate, dangerously sweet. But for him there was only a feeling of pointlessness and tastelessness, even slight awkwardness.

He guessed perhaps this was the root cause of his inability to feel affinity or habituate towards her presence.

Seeing she was unable to elicit any matching enthusiasm from Ji Feng, Jiang Zhi Chun didn’t pay it further heed. Still riding high spirits she eagerly asked Ji Feng: “Where should we go ring in the new year together then?”

Ji Feng surveyed the road ahead. With a tone flat to the point of coldness he told her: “Sending you home.”

Jiang Zhi Chun was taken aback for a second before finally quieting down.

The car halted outside Jiang Zhi Chun’s house entrance.

Before getting out, Jiang Zhi Chun undid her seatbelt then turned to Ji Feng with a smile. Her voice was mellifluous and sweet: “Ji Feng.”

Ji Feng responded with an acknowledging glance. Eyebrows raised, he waited for her to continue speaking.

Jiang Zhi Chun beamed with a fragile yet proud brilliance. Grasping these two elements was enough to conquer most men’s hearts.

Head lifted a touch, wearing the mien of a young girl barely clinging to dignity, she gazed at Ji Feng: “From little, people always said I’m pretty, clever, cute, outstanding – so I’ve known since little that I deserve only the best to match me.” She paused for a breath then went on.

“I know you must be the same right? We’re actually just gender opposite reflections. Which is why I feel we’re a perfect destined couple.”

Another pause as she braced herself, gathering courage and motivation.

With strength shored up she continued: “Ji Feng, I can sense you also approved of me initially. But for some reason midway you subtly started rejecting me. I want to tell you today that I’m truly great and exceptional. I really can match up to you! And now that I have feelings for you, I absolutely won’t just easily give up!” She smiled again, innocent girlishness ringing in her voice as she blithely declared: “I have resilience. Things I wish for, I never relinquish easily until obtaining them through my own efforts!”

How many men could withstand a beautiful girl as sincere as she was bold? Yet Ji Feng’s heart remained placid as still water.

He had also wondered at this before. This girl ticked all the boxes for his partner criteria, so why did he not feel a shred of emotional movement?

In fact when facing her and listening to her speak, the image and voice of another woman would invariably surface unbidden in his mind.

Halting himself from following this inconceivable tangent, he revealed a trace of a ridiculing smile hiding his true feelings.

Regarding giving or being given, he did not like people arbitrarily declaring unilateral decisions. And so he plainly told Jiang Zhi Chun: “We’re actually not well-matched. I’m also not someone you can obtain. I wish your days ahead filled with splendor. Farewell.”

As his rejection left his mouth he noticed Jiang Zhi Chun’s face held unexpected emotions beyond just sadness.

After dropping Jiang Zhi Chun off, Ji Feng promptly started his car towards his mother’s location.

All along the way various well wishes for happy new year could be seen. Red banners, shopping display windows, electronic signboards on street sides, everywhere was plastered with the four words for Happy New Year flickering. As if these four words were being insatiably plastered as the most auspicious new year farewell and greeting cross the year shift.

Happy New Year. Ji Feng silently tasted these four words. It did somehow feel faintly of the new year.

Yet immediately upon entering his household it scattered, those four characters landing as resounding slap.

The house was in complete chaos.

In the dining room, the table had once again been overturned. Food and dishware were strewn on the floor looking like massacre victims in their miserable fate.

The flower vase newly replaced less than two months ago in the living room met the same destiny as its predecessors – viciously smashed upon the ground, sadly fragmented.

The wall had coffee splattered stains trailing down its side. Below, lying among the wall debris, was a shattered coffee cup corpse.

Not far away in front of the sofa, discarded was expensive haute couture menswear. The dress coat and formal pants both exhibited wrathful cutting marks sliced throughout.

A perfectly fine set of clothes. Feng Xue Lan had started the process of specially tailoring it for her husband months ago. She had fussed over it attentively, almost like she wasn’t fixated on artisans crafting an outfit but instead birthing another beloved child of her own.

Yet this gift prepared so caringly still ended up shredded to pieces on this new year’s eve.

Ji Feng sighed wearily in his heart. His mother must have erupted against his father again as usual. She was always like this. While his father was away she would obsess and agonize over preparing gifts for him. Yet the instant his father returned she flared up over the slightest thing, wantonly destroying the lovingly readied presents before his very eyes – as if tearing apart her own foolishly hoping heart.

What use was any of it? Once his father departed, her tattered remains of a heart would dismally cobble itself back together, rekindling wishes as the malicious cycle restarted.

Ji Feng walked further in towards his parents’ bedroom doorway. Similarly disastrous ruins greeted his eyes.

Amidst the chaos, in addition to pillows and bedding flung all over the floor and torn clothing fabric, the figures of his rowdily screaming parents stood.

Seeing Ji Feng’s arrival, Ji Sheng Ming pushed aside the hysterical, blistering Feng Xue Lan cursing and berating him before rapidly exiting like he was escaping incarceration.

Brushing past Ji Feng he paused briefly, telling him: “Control your mother. I kindly returned to accompany you guys for new year but look at how she’s become! No shame facing outsiders?”

Ji Feng slid a frigid sidelong glance towards Ji Sheng Ming. Kindly returned to accompany them celebrate new year? Hah. Such a generous favor he graced them with.

The corners of Ji Feng’s lips lifted with icy ridicule. “You should also restrain yourself, in case people mock you for funding another woman’s children more enthusiastically than your own son.”

Ji Sheng Ming’s complexion instantly flushed red. Too furious for words he jabbed a finger at Ji Feng but couldn’t speak.

After a long time he finally hissed angrily: “No matter what I’m still your dad! Is this how you talk to your own father?”

Ji Feng mildly retorted: “However my father has acted as father is how I’ll address him appropriately.”

Ji Sheng Ming clutched his chest while shouting shrilly about his unfilial son!

Feng Xue Lan charged over to pummel and thrash him. “What gives you the right to scold my son so? Which part of what he said isn’t right? Have you fulfilled one bit of a father’s duty that you come boasting paternal might?”

Ji Sheng Ming flung Feng Xue Lan aside before bellowing: “You’re impossible to reason with!”

Feng Xue Lan became even more hysterical. “I’M impossible to reason with? Ha! I would LOVE to hear who caused me to end up this unreasonable? Wasn’t it you? Ji Sheng Ming you’re heartless! What right do you have to do this to me? Ji Sheng Ming you come back here…!”

Ji Sheng Ming had already departed without a backward glance, righteously leaving this household.

Feng Xue Lan had painstakingly styled her hair for over two hours in preparation to watch the concert earlier. All the previous graceful nobility had vanished like fleeting dream smoke. She currently looked desolate and downtrodden.

Wanting to chase after Ji Sheng Ming and scream until she split her voice hoarse with his name’s painful sorrow.

Ji Feng held her back.

He had originally pitied his mother’s plight. But now looking at her, there was only distaste.

Pulling Feng Xue Lan from repeatedly trying to charge outside to hurl curses and railings at Ji Sheng Ming, he unconcealed his disgust questioning her: “For such a man, why can’t you leave him?”

Feng Xue Lan rounded her wrath onto Ji Feng instead.

“On what grounds should I leave him? By what right should I step aside? Has your brain ruptured to have your mum make way for outsider sluts? Rest assured under no circumstances will I divorce him. I’ll cling on to make things difficult, don’t think anyone’s getting off easy!”

Ji Feng suppressed the flames rising in his chest, wanting Feng Xue Lan to comprehend one simple truth: “Mum do you understand, in this relationship the only one suffering is yourself. The only one being clung to is also only yourself!”

This sentence instantly detonated Feng Xue Lan’s fuse. She erupted with the full force of her rage directed at Ji Feng: “What do you mean it’s only me being clung to? Why do you keep advising me to split from your father? Are you that eager to benefit that old lecher and his cheap outside whore? How could I have birthed a son who schemes against his own mother?”

As Feng Xue Lan raved, grief seemed to overcome her very bones.

“You only know to denounce me! Then what about you? If you were capable of being a proper son, of gratifying your father, he wouldn’t have to be more enthusiastic raising some slut’s children than his own flesh and blood!”

Ji Feng coldly returned upon hearing this: “I disdain being raised by him.”

Feng Xue Lan completely ignored what he said or how he felt. Immersed in her enraged world, she mindlessly plotted: “This can’t continue! It must be that vile creature deliberately provoking your father into endless impatience against me. I need to make plans now otherwise we mother and son won’t even get leftovers in the end!”

Ji Feng cynically thought to himself, why solely blame that cheap whore? The crux of the issue wasn’t his wife committing infidelity in the first place? If not that woman then there would have been other women. His mother’s tragedy was the perpetual inability to discern who was fundamentally the most sinister one here.

“So starting tomorrow,” Feng Xue Lan muttered to herself, “you have to somehow cajole your father through false affection or mixing in some genuine feeling if need be. Then get him to transfer all his assets under your name. Only once under your name can I feel assured, we absolutely cannot let your unscrupulous dad take advantage along with his tramp and their feral cubs! Understand?”

Listening to this scheming left Ji Feng utterly jaded. He disdained Ji Sheng Ming’s meager pittance and also had no wish to become his mother’s pawn.

Just then he heard sweeps swishing outside and turned to look. It was their live-in auntie housekeeper currently mopping the floor. He now felt somewhat grateful she had stayed to upkeep the household over new year instead of returning home.

He raised his voice saying: “Auntie, please get me a glass of water.” Using it as excuse to interrupt Feng Xue Lan’s ceaseless drivel.

Supporting Feng Xue Lan over to the sofa, their housekeeper swiftly delivered over a glass of warm water.

Sipping the water Feng Xue Lan finally calmed slightly.

Setting the empty cup down her expression abruptly flickered as if recalling something. She asked Ji Feng: “How come you returned home so early? Weren’t you supposed to head out with Jiang Zhi Chun to celebrate new year’s?”

Ji Feng casually responded: “She had to go back and accompany her own family.”

Feng Xue Lan’s voice pitched high. “Don’t try deceiving me! Zhi Chun told me today she was already prepared to stay out all night ringing in the new year with you. Her family all knew and were supportive about it too.” Pausing briefly she started gently advising: “Son listen to mama’s sincere advice and quit while you’re ahead alright. Nothing wrong with keeping standards high, but don’t overshoot the skies either! Zhi Chun is actually pretty outstanding already. Good family background, beautiful, capable too – what can’t she match up to you in? Besides,” her expression subtly shifted for an instant as if thinking of something, a flash of steel in her tone: “Her parents have status and pull, plus frequent business collaborations with your father. If you got together with Zhi Chun, for the sake of his in-laws’ face your father surely wouldn’t possibly divorce me for that. So you have to cherish this opportunity with Zhi Chun son, she truly is a prime catch!”

Previously no matter what Feng Xue Lan nattered about, complained on endlessly or plotted, Ji Feng listened like breezing wind – heard and then passing by.

But listening to these words from his mother now, he felt his heart go cold.

So her earnest attempts at matchmaking between himself and Jiang Zhi Chun didn’t stem from considerations about his lifelong happiness after all. It boiled down instead to her struggling desperation over her ruined marriage in the end.

In this putrid marriage she had already sunk deeply to the extent of pinning even her son’s marital hopes on it.

Ji Feng despairingly thought that accompanying Feng Xue Lan to see through this year seemed unlikely for him now.

His mother was still immersed in rambling constantly about Jiang Zhi Chun and listing the endless advantages of marrying her.

He stood from the sofa stemming her chattering. Informing her: “Mum I still have matters to handle and must take my leave first. Happy new year.”

Speaking thus he turned and exited. Feng Xue Lan’s attempts to hold him back and complaints grew louder, left in his wake.

Stepping out the household door into his car, turmoil and depression roiled his heart.

Depressing the accelerator, the engine snarled to life in an enraged rev. His emotions understood only by the sympathetic growling engine at the moment.

Happy freaking new year huh.

He thought bitterly. As if there was anything happy whatsoever ushering this inauspicious year.

Ji Feng parked outside the Sui Hotel. Glancing at his watch it was already nearing midnight.

Who knew perfectly good new year’s eve would find him solitary in this hotel ending up like this?

Passing through the hotel lobby all who glimpsed Ji Feng were given a shock.

Front desk receptionist Lu Xiao Yan had it worst. As a veteran employee she had never seen the hotel owner mysteriously return in the dead of night on new year’s eve seemingly intent on lodging here to pass the new year!

Still stunned, she determined she must absolutely pass this piping hot gossip onto room service colleague Ke Wen Xue upstairs later!

Her thoughts scampering feet had just sneakily tiptoed far away when raising her eyes she discovered boss Ji Feng’s icy countenance headed her way.

Lu Xiao Yan hurriedly redirected back her attention to stand straight in respect. She wanted to greet her superior when his arctic face and gaze froze her into stiffening nervously, tongue tripping in her mouth: “M-m-mr J-Ji, goo- ah good evening! Wh-why have y-you returned on n-new year’s eve?”

Ji Feng’s frigid expression grew even colder if possible, intensified by a frown: “This is my hotel. Why can I not come back?”

Lu Xiao Yan wanted to slap herself. What kind of nonsense question was that, just begging for a verbal beatdown?

But how should she respond now? Boss seemed exceptionally displeased, visage frostier than normal, the contempt and impatience in his eyes thicker than usual.

“Who’s working shifts today?” Ji Feng suddenly came out with this query.

Lu Xiao Yan hastily recited out staff positions matched with names like a student drilling textbook knowledge.

Ji Feng concentrated listening. Hearing name after name, he felt the little server’s litany hadn’t touched on the one critical point he hoped to catch.

The receptionist finished while staring anxiously like facing a tyrant. As if fearful of sudden execution for a wrongly spoken word.

Ji Feng derisively smiled before frowning again to repeat his question: “That’s all?”

Lu Xiao Yan panicked further, completely lost. When inspiration abruptly struck! Her eyes lit up and she exclaimed, one hand clapping the other in realization: “Ah I remember now! There’s also Sister Mi Yu…I mean, Supervisor Xu on duty too! She wasn’t originally scheduled today but was worried they’d be understaffed for the holidayrush. So she volunteered to work overtime. Although she’s not in the lobby currently, not slacking off though since she’s been continuously busy without rest…”

The little receptionist prattled on but Ji Feng had tuned out, no longer listening.

Hearing Xiao Mi Yu was also present he somehow felt the unsettled void within now anchored.

The corners of his eyes subtly lifted. Interrupting the nonstop drivel he directly asked: “Where might your supervisor be right now?”