ATLAS TRANSLATES

“Ouch, it hurts.”

“I know, I’ll be gentler.”

Hao Ming carefully poured the medicinal wine into his palm, then rubbed it on his injured area.

Yang Shikun grimaced in pain but dared not open his mouth too wide as it would pull at his injured lip.

Hao Ming sighed in relief after finishing applying the medicine. “Lie down, big head.”

“What for?” Hao Ming looked up at him.

“To put medicine on you. I barely got hit today, you took all the hits.” “

Your small frame couldn’t have handled those hits anyway.”

“Screw you big head, looking down on your dad. Hmph, your dad is brave and mighty.”

Hao Ming watched him gesture with the medicine: “Still want to apply it?”

“Don’t rush, your dad’s coming.”

…

“Little Teacher, why didn’t you give up on me?” Xu Si thought they would become parallel lines never to meet again from now on. He had almost given up on himself, but she hadn’t.

Jiang Rang looked at him: “Because the Xu Si I know isn’t like that.” “Then what am I like?” Jiang Rang felt her ears grow hot as he suddenly leaned closer. She replied seriously: “Very good, very very good.”

Free-spirited and radiant. Excellent and resilient.

Hearing her say “very good” three times in a row, Xu Si chuckled: “So Little Teacher thinks so highly of me?”

Jiang Rang didn’t respond to his teasing, instead asking: “Was it cold outside on New Year’s Day?”

She didn’t want to ask why he hadn’t told her. Because if it were her, she might not have been able to do the same.

Thinking back to Xu Si’s appearance that day, along with what that aunt had said, Jiang Rang finally understood why Xu Si had wanted to wear a scarf when he saw her. Because his neck and face were injured.

“It was cold. The dumplings Little Teacher gave me all got cold, and several got dirty.” Seeing tears forming in her eyes, Xu Si quickly corrected himself: “Not cold at all, not cold at all. I was wearing very thick clothes that day.”

Others might feel pity, but Jiang Rang felt genuine heartache for him.

“I’ll cook more for you another day, hot ones.” “Okay.” Xu Si looked at her, couldn’t help smiling again, and said: “That day wasn’t cold, I just felt a bit unhappy.”

They all said happy new year, but he wasn’t happy.

Jiang Rang looked at him – how could he be happy when he had to return to the only place that could be called home during New Year’s? While others were enjoying the New Year festivities, he only had loneliness and struggle.

Had he ever complained about heaven’s unfairness, even for a moment, wondering why others could enjoy the New Year but he couldn’t?

She suddenly felt reluctant to leave, but these things weren’t up to her. She didn’t know if she could make it to the next New Year, but if she could, she would definitely wish him a happy New Year.

“More happened that day than what I know about, right?” Jiang Rang looked at him, gently trying to get him to talk about his unhappiness that day.

Xu Si didn’t want to lie to her, so he nodded: “Yes.” “What else did he say?” Xu Si paused, choosing the less harsh words: “He said I was garbage, that without being attached to him, I was nothing but garbage.”

Before he could finish speaking, a pair of soft hands started stroking his head. Her voice was gentle and soft, each word striking his heart: “You are you, you don’t need to depend on anyone, and you’re definitely not the garbage he called you. Don’t look down on yourself, okay?”

“Okay.” Xu Si said, then added: “Thank you Little Teacher for not giving up on me.” “You didn’t give up on yourself.”

They were on the same bridge as before, feeling the evening breeze, looking at the bustling city.

“My dad wants to train me to be an assistant for that brother who isn’t related by blood, but that so-called brother is too innocent and quite likes coming to play with me.”

“Can I say something?” Xu Si looked at her: “Go ahead.” “About what you just said, I think it’s not just absurd, it’s ridiculous.”

Jiang Rang looked at Xu Si’s profile: “Do you hate him?” “Who?” “Your brother.” “Can’t say I hate him, can’t say I like him either. After all, he hasn’t done anything wrong.” “But you haven’t done anything wrong either, Xu Si. The ones who are wrong are them.” Jiang Rang looked at him, her tone serious.

Xu Si had thought about this many times, but hearing it from Jiang Rang felt very different.

“Little Teacher cares for me the most, taking my side unconditionally.” Seeing him becoming playful again, Jiang Rang just gave him a look.

“I want to ask you something seriously – don’t you think tutoring me is troublesome?” “Doing something that makes me happy and watching you improve – why would that be troublesome to me?”

The last taut string in Xu Si’s heart snapped. Before, he thought he was bothering her. But it turned out she didn’t see it as trouble at all.

Now he suddenly understood. Why couldn’t he be the one to catch up to her?

“That’s good then.”

Jiang Rang thought for a moment, then spoke: “Getting to know you during this time, I’ve done many things I’ve never done before, and felt many kinds of happiness I’ve never felt before. I really enjoy it and like this feeling.”

Before, the thing she did most was reading books or doing practice problems in her room. Undeniably, she learned a lot and felt fulfilled, but there were many fun things she had never tried, never experienced. She had never felt that kind of infectious happiness.

The relaxed feeling when being with him made her feel very comfortable.

They smiled at each other. His eyes reflected her image as she smiled with curved eyes, looking very well-behaved.

“I forgot to say, Little Teacher looked really good on stage.” “I knew it was you that day.” Xu Si was surprised: “You saw me?”

He had wrapped himself up completely and left early before it ended. How could she have seen him?

“I recognized you at first glance, though I wasn’t completely sure.” “Indeed, can’t escape Little Teacher’s eyes.”

…

“You should go back now, your injuries still need medicine.” Xu Si got up from the bridge, then let out a hiss of pain. “Where does it hurt?” “Everywhere hurts.”

Jiang Rang brushed aside the hair on his forehead and saw the injuries on his hands again: “You have many more injuries on your body, right?” She had only heard the doctor mention multiple bruises.

“Want to see them, Little Teacher?” Jiang Rang realized he meant seeing through video chat, and her ears immediately turned red: “No.” Xu Si saw her red ear tips: “I’m just teasing you.”

Yuan Yuan seemed to sense the atmosphere between them and stared at Jiang Rang.

Jiang Rang looked up at him: “Xu Si, if you keep fighting like this, you’ll end up with scars one day.” “Would Little Teacher dislike me then?” “I don’t know, probably.” “Then I’ll have to trouble Little Teacher to keep looking after me.”