ATLAS TRANSLATES

Xu Miyu asked Ji Feng in the darkness, “How did you come?”

Ji Feng, hugging her tightly from behind, tightened his embrace and told her, “I couldn’t sleep, so I came here to catch some rest with you.” Pausing for a moment, he planted a gentle kiss on her neck, “Let’s not talk, just sleep well.”

Xu Miyu obediently pursed her lips. Suddenly, she understood what was missing during this restless night – a sense of security.

Strangely, a tight hug, a short sentence, and a gentle kiss from him made her feel at ease. This time, she quickly fell asleep.

From the next day, Xu Miyu could clearly feel that Ji Feng was making an effort to cooperate with her in their relationship. He seemed to be trying to express, in his own way, that he cared less about her past marriage than she thought.

He even went to the extent of making a surprising move. He searched the internet specifically for questions like “What should couples do when in love.”

The first answer in the list was: “Of course, do the ‘One Hundred Things Couples Should Do’.”

Below, there was a list of “One Hundred Things Couples Should Do.”

Xu Miyu thought Ji Feng was just browsing, as this kind of thing might seem childish, especially for a stern CEO like him.

But to her surprise, Ji Feng took the answer to heart. He actually cleared his schedule, following the list of one hundred things, doing each one with her. Xu Miyu found it both amusing and heartwarming.

On one hand, she wanted to tell Ji Feng that it wasn’t necessary. On the other hand, she began to indulge in the effort he put into dating her.

Indecision quickly turned into acceptance.

She accepted the things that couples typically do – she genuinely wanted to experience a normal romantic relationship with Ji Feng.

They went to watch a movie together after dark. In the pitch-black theater, the colorful scenes on the screen didn’t matter; what mattered was that Xu Miyu held hands with Ji Feng throughout. It made her feel like a giddy teenager again.

They queued for hours at a popular restaurant. Despite the long wait, the taste of the food made Ji Feng criticize it, saying it was a thousand times worse than what Xu Miyu cooked. Although she thought the hype around the restaurant was exaggerated, she still enjoyed the meal. This wasn’t CEO Ji Feng and employee Xu Miyu eating; it was boyfriend Ji Feng and girlfriend Xu Miyu sharing a meal like any other ordinary couple.

They even went to an amusement park. Initially, Ji Feng maintained his cool and aloof CEO demeanor on the roller coaster. However, after the thrilling ride, he grabbed Xu Miyu’s hand tightly, screamed loudly, and forgot about being cool. They both ended up laughing hysterically.

They walked together in the rain without an umbrella, getting soaked.

In the bright sunshine of the outskirts, they took a distorted big-head selfie.

They wore matching outfits, strolling hand in hand in a secluded alley where no one knew them.

They rode bicycles, leaving winding tracks along the beach. Then they sat on the sand, leaning against each other, waiting for the sunrise together.

They even watched an online shopping livestream together. Ji Feng patiently accompanied her. The male host was demonstrating a straw cup, saying, “Ladies, some of you may not drink enough water normally, right? With this straw cup, you can sip easily, and finish a glass of water effortlessly. It will help you develop a good habit of drinking more water. Ladies, buy it!”

For some reason, hearing the host loudly say “Ladies, buy it,” made Xu Miyu impulsively place an order.

Confused, Ji Feng asked her, “Do you want a cup? I’ll take you to buy a better one tomorrow. The ones here are too ordinary, not what you should get.”

Xu Miyu shrugged, “I didn’t really want to buy, but I had no choice. He called me ‘lady.’”

Ji Feng shook his head, showing his lack of understanding.

A few days later, the straw cup arrived. Xu Miyu solemnly presented it to Ji Feng, reminding him to drink more water.

Looking at the orange-pink straw cup, Ji Feng’s face clearly showed disdain. He accepted the cup but promptly locked it away in a drawer.

Feeling a bit disappointed, Xu Miyu tried to take it back, saying, “If you don’t need it, give it back to me, I’ll use it myself.”

Ji Feng firmly refused, “I can’t let you keep something you got from another man.”

“…” Xu Miyu couldn’t help but laugh.

Xu Miyu knew that Ji Feng had done many things with her that he would never have done before. She knew he was trying to express compensation and care.

She was grateful and appreciated it.

But in a secret corner deep in her heart, the joy of being in love seemed unable to reach. In that hidden corner, she wished that the things he did as a couple were because he wanted to be in a relationship with her, not out of compensation and accommodation.

Many of the one hundred things had already been completed. According to the list, the next item was supposed to be “Give each other a massage.”

In the apartment Xu Miyu rented, on the long sofa in her living room, Ji Feng had Xu Miyu lie down, taking the initiative to give her a massage.

He was clumsy, and the pressure was either too light or too heavy, making Xu Miyu laugh from ticklishness or wince from pain. She wanted the torture to end quickly, praying Ji Feng would stop.

However, Ji Feng seemed somewhat reluctant to stop. His hands at her waist alternated between squeezing and lightly pinching. He appeared fascinated by a particular area.

Finally, she twisted her waist to shake off his hands, finally escaping his playful teasing.

Then, it was Ji Feng’s turn to lie on the sofa, and Xu Miyu gave him a massage.

Rubbing her hands, she jokingly said, “It’s my turn! Now I’ll let you experience what it’s like to receive an imperial-level massage.” Saying this, her hands landed on Ji Feng’s shoulders, skillfully kneading and pressing.

From shoulders to back, from back to waist, Ji Feng was blissfully lost in the massage. He groaned in comfort, as if every bone in his body was being softened, and his soul was intoxicated, drifting into a tipsy bliss without the need for alcohol.

As she massaged his back, Ji Feng felt that Xu Miyu’s hands weren’t just massaging; they were setting him on fire. He realized he was undergoing a change.

He was both comfortable and unable to resist. A burning emptiness seemed to appear in his body, urgently needing her to fill it.

When her fingertips moved down his spine, he really couldn’t take it anymore. Lying on his stomach, he turned his head back as much as he could and said hoarsely, “Do you know I’m about to lose control from your massage?”

She moved to the front so he didn’t have to crane his neck so much to see her. Smiling at him, she asked, “Didn’t I brag? Isn’t this emperor-level enjoyment?”

Lying on the sofa, he grabbed one of her hands and squeezed it in his palm: “How did it get so good at massaging? Did you specially learn it for me?”

Hearing this question, Xu Miyu’s body stiffened as she was stunned, not knowing how to answer. She had learned it specifically for Nie Yucheng a long time ago.

Seeing her dazed like that, Ji Feng immediately realized he had blurted out another stupid question like the previous “not like you.”

He quickly said, “It doesn’t matter who you learned it for. Come on, keep massaging me.”

He lay down again.

Xu Miyu tried hard to restrain the messy thoughts in her heart. She put both hands on his back and massaged even more attentively and forcefully than before.

Neither of them spoke again, as if afraid they might say something to make things worse.

In the increasingly heavy silence, he suddenly grabbed her wrist and pulled hard, tugging her down.

Everything happened silently but intensely.

This time they seemed to be more deliberate and forceful than ever before.

When it quieted down again, they were both panting and exhausted.

Xu Miyu lay limply on the sofa, too tired to move.

Ji Feng leaned over next to her ear, his warm breath going from short pants gradually to calm. He was also extremely tired, his fingertips had gone numb at the last moment. But after a brief recovery, he forced himself up from the sofa and went to the bathroom to wash up.

Xu Miyu lay on the sofa watching the bathroom door. She suddenly realized that no matter how tired Ji Feng was every time, he would always make himself get up to wash again before allowing himself to rest.

Xu Miyu couldn’t help thinking wistfully that he seemed unwilling to tolerate the intimate scents they left on each other after intimacy.

Listening to the shower water running in the bathroom, Xu Miyu’s thoughts were also drifting around messily.

He had been so forceful earlier, as if venting some frustration. Was it because something was bothering him that he was using this to let off steam? Did he feel bothered and uncomfortable about her massage skills being learned for her ex-husband?

Thinking of this, a wave of frustration and helplessness surged up in Xu Miyu.

Things had been going so well recently, she thought they had finally gotten past the thorn from that half sentence. But it turned out they still couldn’t get around it after all. So all his effort to accommodate her these days and do those 100 things couples do together was just to make up for that half sentence he had said.

But she never expected that after trying so hard to date sincerely and complete so many things together, everything still circled back to the thorn again.

They had tried so hard to date as if they were each other’s first love, yet they still couldn’t get around the fact that she had an ex-husband, that she and her ex had many experiences permeating their lives.

She suddenly understood that her past was right there. Even if she and Ji Feng tried hard not to bring it up, it wouldn’t disappear. Instead, it was turning into a ticking time bomb that could explode between them unpredictably.

She wondered at a loss, what should she do in the future? She couldn’t make herself get amnesia from a car crash or falling down stairs, so her experiences wouldn’t be forgotten. Then that time bomb would continue to exist.

If he kept minding her past with her ex, what should she do in the future?

Ji Feng came out of the bathroom after washing up. She quickly closed her eyes, pretending to be asleep already.

He walked over softly, gently cleaned her with a towel, then gently picked her up from the sofa. His movements were gentle, careful but firm. Her heart melted softly.

He carried her into the bedroom and placed her down slowly, moving very slowly as if afraid to wake her up. Then he lay down next to her and gently pulled her into his arms.

Xu Miyu’s heart was softened by his embrace. His arms told her that he did like her.

She sighed wistfully in her heart. Maybe this was enough.

According to the progress of doing 100 things couples do, they were supposed to go to KTV to sing next. Xu Miyu didn’t like KTV, and coincidentally Ji Feng didn’t either. So they decided to replace this item with something else.

A few days ago Xu Miyu discovered a little game. Actually it couldn’t be considered a game. If taken seriously, it should be called a devout yearning for the future — it was a small app called Time Capsule. Two people could write a letter here to their future selves. The contents of the letter would remain confidential until the set date to open it. When the time came for the letter to be opened, the sender could invite their partner to read it together.

Xu Miyu pulled Ji Feng along, saying they would replace the KTV singing with writing letters in the Time Capsule to their future selves. “Aren’t you curious what we’ll be like in the future, what we’ll be doing? And will we still be together?” This sounded a bit pessimistic and romantically decadent, she said to herself without actually voicing it aloud.

Ji Feng’s reaction was very direct — he gave the same level of disinterest towards writing this future letter as he would for singing at KTV. “Childish and boring again. Let’s replace it with something else.”

In the past whenever Ji Feng suggested replacing the activity with something else, Xu Miyu would always agree. But this time she stubbornly insisted. “What could be more boring than you harvesting crops and farming every day?” When it came to managing the farm, she was practically kneeling in admiration towards Ji Feng.

He never forgot to harvest crops or farm the land, whether it was windy, rainy, earthquakes or floods. Even that one time when they had passionately rolled around until exhausted and he could barely open his eyes, after washing up and lying down he suddenly remembered he hadn’t harvested the crops or farmed the land that day. He immediately opened his eyes and forced himself to get up, took out his tablet and dealt with the crops and farm before lying down to sleep again.

That night Xu Miyu dreamed that she and Ji Feng’s tablet computer were interrogating him — if Xu Miyu and the tablet with the farm program both fell into the river, who would you save? After asking, she and the tablet splashed into the river. Ji Feng unhesitatingly went to fish out his tablet.

Xu Miyu awoke with a start. She never imagined she would have such an absurd nightmare in her life. Her worth as a girlfriend was so light that she was less important than a tablet computer or a farm game.

When Xu Miyu mentioned the farm game, Ji Feng thought about it and felt she was right too. He had persisted for over ten years with such a boring thing every day, it was only a one-time play of that boring time capsule game with Xu Miyu after all, so he shouldn’t refuse her.

So he agreed, “Alright then, let’s write a letter to our future selves.”

He asked Xu Miyu, “How far into the future should we set it?”

Xu Miyu was about to say one year at first. The words were on the tip of her tongue, but she held them back.

It was like her subconscious was telling her that one year was too long.

She thought for a moment and said, “Why not set it after one hundred days? Let’s see what changes we’ll have after one hundred days.”

Ji Feng raised an eyebrow, “One hundred days? That’s too short. After one hundred days, things will probably be the same as now, nothing to look forward to. It should be at least a year.”

Xu Miyu suddenly understood why her subconscious felt a year was too much. Because their relationship lacked a sense of security. Their courtship was like walking on thin ice. Calculating in years seemed too long and extravagant. If they could manage a hundred days, two hundred days… it would already be something worth commemorating and celebrating. Their love was different from others; the gap between them was just too significant.

Xu Miyu immediately thought of a reason for choosing one hundred days, “Also, who knows if this little program can survive for a year. In case it doesn’t, wouldn’t our letters be in vain? Let’s choose one hundred days to try.”

Ji Feng nodded, “I surprisingly find your point valid. So, one hundred days it is.”

They both immersed themselves in typing on their phones, completing the letter that would simultaneously appear in front of each other after one hundred days.

Ji Feng finished quickly, burying the letter in the time capsule using the app’s instructions.

He turned to look at Xu Miyu, who was still writing with focused attention.

Unable to resist curiosity, Ji Feng leaned over to sneak a peek, but Xu Miyu noticed and covered her phone screen immediately.

“Why do you need a cheat sheet for writing a letter?” she teased Ji Feng.

He chuckled, “I’ve already submitted my paper, okay?”

Turning away, Xu Miyu blocked the phone screen and continued writing. Ji Feng, curious, asked, “What have you written that’s taking so long?”

She replied, “I’m revising.”

At this moment, Ji Feng couldn’t help but wonder if his attitude in writing the letter was too casual and hasty. Because Xu Miyu was writing with so much care and sincerity.

A slight sense of guilt surfaced in his heart, but he quickly thought, “It’s okay; we can write again after one hundred days, and I’ll be more serious then.”

After Xu Miyu finished writing the letter, she, like Ji Feng, buried it in the time capsule.

Putting away her phone, she felt as if she had accomplished a great feat, letting out a long sigh.

Ji Feng couldn’t help but start probing, “What did you write?.”

Xu Miyu countered, “And you, what did you write?”

Ji Feng played along, “You said it’s a secret until the due date, so how can I tell you now?”

“…,” Xu Miyu felt Ji Feng was being evasive. She couldn’t help but laugh, “Oh, you won’t tell me what you wrote, but you’re trying to fish out what I wrote. Do you think I’m silly?”

“Are you not silly?” Ji Feng teased her.

“If I’m silly, why did you choose me to be your girlfriend? Are you even sillier?”

“I like you silly like this. What’s wrong with that?”

While saying this, Ji Feng reached out to catch Xu Miyu. She laughed and dodged.

Ji Feng managed to catch her. Just as he was about to deal with her on the spot, a series of annoying phone ringtones echoed on the coffee table.

It was Xu Miyu’s phone. After discussing with Ji Feng, they decided he could release her for now; what he wanted to do could wait. She wouldn’t run away.

Reluctantly, Ji Feng let her go.

Xu Miyu walked to the coffee table to pick up her phone.

Surprisingly, it was a call from her second sister, Xu Mi Nan.

Xu Miyu hesitated. Her family was aware of everything, knowing that her parents, older sister, and younger brother had all cut ties with her. Calls from them usually ended up blocked. So, her second sister was the one reaching out to her.

During her hesitation, the ringing stopped. Xu Miyu breathed a sigh of relief.

Ji Feng followed her into the living room, noticing the change in her expression. He asked, “Who called?”

“My second sister,” Xu Miyu told him.

Ji Feng raised an eyebrow, “You have a second sister?”

“Yes. Only my second sister hasn’t caused trouble at the hotel, so you don’t know,” Xu Miyu self-deprecatingly laughed.

While talking, Xu Miyu’s phone rang again. It was still her younger brother, Xu Mi Nan.

“Should I answer it?” Xu Miyu asked Ji Feng.

“If you’re hesitating, it means you probably should answer,” Ji Feng advised.

Xu Miyu answered the call.

As soon as the connection was made, Xu Mi Nan’s anxious and flustered voice conveyed one urgent sentence after another.

“Lao San, why did it take you so long to answer the phone? Why is your heart so cruel? Don’t you think if there’s no urgent matter at home, I would keep calling you like this? Why didn’t you answer the phone? Are you trying to make me anxious?!”

Xu Miyu’s ears were almost deafened.

She moved her phone away from her ear, waiting for her second sister to calm down before bringing it back and asking, “So, what urgent matter is it?”

Xu Mi Nan urgently said, “Lao San, hurry back home. Mum suddenly had a heart attack, and the situation is critical. It might not be okay!”

Xu Mi Nan’s voice trembled as he spoke, and with a choked voice, he continued, “No matter what disagreements you had with Mum before, she’s still your biological mother, and you are her flesh and blood. At this moment, you shouldn’t act so immature. Hurry back and see her; this might be the last time!”

Xu Miyu stood there in shock.

“Did she really have a heart attack?” she asked Xu Mi Nan.

Xu Mi Nan immediately yelled at Xu Miyu, “Xu Mi Yu, are you speaking like a human? Are you suggesting that Mum faked a heart attack? Look at the photos that Mi Bao and Big Sister sent you in the text messages, see if Mum is lying on the hospital bed about to die! I never thought you’d say such heartless words, Xu Mi Yu!”

Hearing this, Xu Miyu’s heart skipped a beat.

She tightened her grip on the phone and asked Xu Mi Nan, “Why did she suddenly have a heart attack?”

“Isn’t it because of you!” Xu Mi Nan shouted, “Ever since she went to your workplace to find you, not only did you argue with her, but you also let others threaten and scare her, saying she owed your workplace hundreds of thousands. She has been depressed and frightened during this time, and I haven’t seen her smile once. She sighs constantly. Lao San, you really don’t understand! Your actions have made Mum sick! Just yesterday, she was eating well, but when Mi Bao mentioned your name, Mum immediately became unresponsive, lying there motionless! Thankfully, Big Sister was there yesterday and knew some first aid. She barely managed to keep Mum alive before the ambulance arrived! The doctor said her heart attack was triggered by anger. We’re not sure if she can be saved!”

Xu Mi Nan took a breath and urged Xu Miyu again, “Lao San, Mum is in this state because of you. Can you really just ignore her? Hurry and take care of her! You need to come back now!”

Regardless of Xu Mi Nan’s complaints and scolding, she replied, “I’ll call you back in a moment.” After saying this, she hung up the call.

Then, she went to the phone’s blacklist to check the blocked messages.

Xu Mi Zi and Xu Mi Bao did send her MMS photos. In the pictures, Jiao Xiu Mei had tubes inserted, lying on a crude hospital bed in the township hospital, barely moving.

Looking at Jiao Xiu Mei in the photos, Xu Miyu didn’t know what emotions she was feeling right now.

She immediately called Xu Mi Nan, “Which hospital is she in? I’m coming over.”

Xu Mi Nan told her, “Come home first. Dad says he has something to tell you. He wants to talk to you before you go to the hospital.”

Xu Miyu agreed, “I’m leaving now.”

As she was about to hang up, Xu Mi Nan remembered something important he almost forgot to mention, “Lao San, remember to bring money. Mum needs surgery, and it requires a considerable amount. Just relying on us is far from enough. You are also Mum’s child; you have an obligation to contribute to saving her life. Besides, Mum’s condition is mainly because of you. In theory, you should bear the major expenses for her hospitalization and surgery!”

Xu Miyu felt powerless. Even at this moment, her sister was still arguing about money. She told Xu Mi Nan, “We’ll share the medical expenses among the four siblings.” After saying this, she hung up again.

After ending the call, she felt a bit dazed, then started searching for her bank cards throughout the house. She remembered she left the cards in the drawer, but no matter how she searched, she couldn’t find them.

Seeing Xu Miyu appearing calm but noticing her hands trembling slightly, Ji Feng called her twice to ask what had happened. She didn’t respond and continued searching for her things.

Suddenly, Ji Feng walked over, grabbed her hand, and turned her shoulders to make her look at him.

“Calm down. Tell me what happened?” he said, his brow slightly furrowed.

Xu Miyu looked at Ji Feng’s face, took a deep breath, and tried to control her emotions as she said, “That lady, Mrs. Jiao, is hospitalized with a severe heart attack. It’s critical, and she needs surgery. I’m looking for my bank card.”

Surprisingly, she found herself able to explain the situation calmly and clearly.

Ji Feng frowned slightly. Despite his strong aversion to the woman’s vulgar behavior, she was still Xu Miyu’s mother, and she was in a life-threatening situation. He could understand Xu Miyu’s desire to break free from her mother’s control and exploitation, but he didn’t wish for her mother’s death.

He immediately took out his wallet, pulled out a card, and handed it to Xu Miyu, saying, “Take my card. The password is the day I started the farm. Oh, it’s 111213. There should be enough money inside for your mother’s surgery.”

Xu Miyu promptly refused, “No!”

She thought, absolutely not, she absolutely couldn’t use Ji Feng’s money. The failure of her previous marriage was not only due to Nie Yu Cheng’s affair but also because she allowed her family to continuously drain her household. She and Ji Feng finally got together, and this time she couldn’t plant the seed of being drained by her family again on Ji Feng.

After firmly stating her refusal, Xu Miyu saw Ji Feng’s brow furrowing and a clear displeasure on his face.

She quickly explained to him, “My family is like a bottomless pit. I can’t let you step into it! Don’t worry; I have some money now. As I told you, I got back a lot of the money I was cheated out of before. It’s all in one of my cards.”

As she said this, she suddenly remembered that she used the card as a bookmark and placed it inside the book she read every night.

She quickly walked to the desk, grabbed the top book, and started shaking it. As expected, the bank card fell out.

Picking up the card, she turned to Ji Feng and said, “Found it! I’m leaving now to go home. Why don’t you go back to the top floor of the hotel?”

Ji Feng considered for a moment and said, “It’s getting dark. I’m not comfortable with you driving alone. I’ll accompany you home.”

Xu Miyu shook her head like a tambourine, “No!” She firmly refused again, “If my family sees you driving a Rolls-Royce to drop me off, they will find ways to skin you alive through me! I’ll take a taxi back. It might be more expensive, but I can afford it now. I’ve set you as an emergency contact, so if anything happens on the way, my phone will automatically send you a message. Are you reassured now?”

To prove she wasn’t making it up, she used an app to call a cab in front of Ji Feng, setting him as an emergency contact.

As soon as a car accepted the order, Ji Feng immediately received an automatic message from the ride-hailing app, providing him with the car’s license plate number and the route it would take.

He felt a bit relieved.

However, after Xu Miyu got into the car, he couldn’t help knocking on the car window.

When the window rolled down, he said to Xu Miyu with utmost seriousness, “If anything unexpected happens, remember to call me. No matter how late it is, I will rush over immediately to help you.”

Xu Miyu’s somewhat panicked heart was instantly warmed by his words.

She nodded to him, smiled brightly, and said, “Okay, I promise!”