ATLAS TRANSLATES

Chapter 12: “Thank You for the Medicine, Classmate”

“Why are you just sitting here and not going inside?” Liang Zhengzhi finally woke up, rubbing his temples as his head throbbed with pain.

“Who is Yao Yao?” Shen Yuchun sat in front of him, demanding an answer.

“You went through my phone?”

“I was just going to make you some honey water. Right after I put down the cup, I saw your phone lighting up non-stop.”

“Did you go through my phone?”

“Yes.”

“Who the hell gave you permission to touch my phone?”

Shen Yuchun stood up and threw the phone at his face. “You have a mistress outside and you dare question me about touching your phone? How laughable. I must have been blind to fall for you.”

“Shen Yuchun, aren’t you taking yourself too seriously? I only went after you because you were pretty. I just wanted to play around. Don’t tell me you actually thought I liked you? With my conditions, I could get any girl I want. Why would I need someone like you who’s been with others?”

“Liang Zhengzhi, you were the one who said you liked me first.”

“Shen Yuchun, don’t tell me you still think you’re some innocent young girl? Why pretend to be so pure and virtuous? I only married you to save face. All these years you’ve lived off me – my food, my money, my house. How have I wronged you? It’s just a few women outside, why make such a big fuss?”

Trembling with anger, Shen Yuchun grabbed the ashtray from the table and threw it at him. Liang Zhengzhi caught her wrist and pushed her to the ground.

“Wuwuwu, Daddy, Mommy, please don’t fight. Ranran is scared.”

Shen Yuchun’s head hit the table, and blood immediately started flowing. Seeing the blood, Liang Zhengzhi crouched down and asked, “I didn’t mean to. Are you okay? Let me take you to the hospital.”

Shen Yuchun pushed his hand away. “Get out! I said get out!”

Liang Zhengzhi lost his temper too. “Fine, Shen Yuchun, you’ve got guts. There will be a day when you come begging to me.” He slammed the door as he left.

Shen Yuchun sat on the floor, wiped the blood from her forehead, and shakily stood up.

“Mommy, your head is bleeding so much.”

“Wuwuwu, Mommy won’t die, right?”

Shen Yuchun held his face and shook her head. “Mommy is fine.”

Liang Jieran ran to get the first aid kit. “Mommy, we need to disinfect it.”

Shen Yuchun stood up, took out iodine and disinfectant from the kit, and slowly cleaned the wound in front of the mirror before applying medicine.

Liang Jieran hugged Shen Yuchun and blew on her injury. “Ranran will blow on it, and Mommy won’t hurt anymore.” His eyes were full of tears, looking like he could cry at any moment.

Shen Yuchun hugged him back. “Mommy doesn’t hurt.”

—

Xu Si stayed outside for two class periods before returning to the classroom. Yang Shikun glanced at Xu Si’s expression. “Si-ge, there’s food for you in the drawer, but it’s cold now. It’s not good for your stomach. I’ll buy you something fresh next class.”

“No need, I’m not eating.”

“How can you not eat? Si-ge, your stomach is already weak. If you don’t eat, it’ll hurt again.”

Yang Shikun remembered how pale Xu Si looked like paper when his stomach hurt before, though he had insisted he was fine.

Xu Si’s dark eyes stared at Yang Shikun for a moment without speaking. Yang Shikun suddenly realized he had spoken to Si-ge in that tone. He licked his lips, wanting to say more, but heard Xu Si say: “Not hungry.”

“Okay.”

Xu Si picked up the cold drink on the table and took a sip, absently playing with his phone.

Near the end of class, a sharp pain shot through his stomach. He reached out to rub it. Jiang Rang noticed his movement, glanced at him, saw the cold drink still condensing on his table, then looked away.

Xu Si bit his lip and took out his jacket from the drawer, pressing it against his stomach. He sat lower, hoping to sleep until school ended, when suddenly a box of medicine appeared beside him. He turned his head to meet Jiang Rang’s gaze.

“It’s for stomach pain.”

“How did you know my stomach hurts?”

“I saw you rubbing it earlier.”

Xu Si paused, wanting to ask how she noticed, but meeting her clear eyes, he said softly, “Thank you.”

Jiang Rang responded with a “hmm,” placed the medicine on his desk, then turned back to her book.

Xu Si held the medicine box, glancing again at Jiang Rang quietly reading. She had noticed just that one time he rubbed his stomach.

Jiang Rang stopped writing, remembered something, and turned to Xu Si: “Take one pill at a time, but medicine only helps relieve the pain. You should really eat something.”

Xu Si looked at her serious expression – was he being lectured? Though her precise way of speaking was quite cute.

“Thanks.”

Yang Shikun, sitting in front, heard their conversation and turned to Xu Si: “Si-ge, I’ll get you some hot water.”

Before Xu Si could refuse, Yang Shikun was already running to the water dispenser with a cup.

Hao Ming watched Yang Shikun filling hot water: “Tsk tsk, Yang dog, you’re too weak. Who drinks hot water in summer?”

Yang Shikun glared at him: “Shut up, it’s for Si-ge.”

“Is Si-ge’s stomach acting up again? I’ll go buy him some medicine. Tell the teacher I went to the bathroom, I’ll be right back.”

Yang Shikun stopped him: “No need, Si-ge already has medicine.”

Hao Ming: “?”

How could someone be faster than him?

Yang Shikun pointed at Jiang Rang: “Classmate Jiang just gave him some. She even said that medicine only relieves pain, eating is more important. Si-ge actually listened to all of it without arguing.”

Though this wasn’t the first time.

Hao Ming: “If a pretty girl like Classmate Jiang reminded me to take medicine, I wouldn’t argue either.”

“Get lost, stop daydreaming in broad daylight.”

After dismissing Hao Ming, Yang Shikun put the hot water on Xu Si’s desk: “Sorry, no new cup, Si-ge, make do with this one. Take your medicine first.”

Xu Si popped a pill in his mouth and took a sip of water: “Mm.”

He put the remaining medicine on Jiang Rang’s desk: “Thanks for the medicine, little classmate.”

Jiang Rang put the medicine in her bag. Last time she wanted to argue about being called “little classmate” – she wasn’t little at all. But she felt arguing about this seemed pointless, so she just said softly: “You’re welcome.”