ATLAS TRANSLATES

At 5 PM, as the written exam concluded, Zhan Xi left the examination hall amid the crowd.

She never had high hopes for this civil service exam. After finishing it, she was even more certain she had no chance. Her only worry was facing her mother’s endless nagging again.

Chi Guilan’s greatest dream was for her daughter to pass the civil service exam and secure a government position. She believed girls should have stable and respectable jobs – something to brag about and helpful for finding a good match. She didn’t even know which department or position Zhan Xi had applied for.

“As long as it’s a civil servant position, it’s good!” Chi Guilan would always say.

Outside the exam hall, amid the crowds and traffic, Zhan Xi planned to take the subway home. While waiting for the green light at an intersection, she heard a hesitant voice: “Zhan… Xi?”

Turning around, she saw a chubby young man with a girl by his side. They were holding hands, clearly a couple.

“Zhan Xi? Is it really you?” The man seemed delighted. “I’m Huang Wei, remember? We were high school classmates.”

“Ah…” Zhan Xi’s mouth opened slightly. Truthfully, she didn’t remember him. Her three years of high school had been unpleasant. She hadn’t had any close friends, male or female, and had lost contact with everyone after graduation.

“It’s been so many years! You haven’t changed at all. I thought it was you when I saw you from afar. Oh, this is my girlfriend.” Huang Wei pointed to the girl beside him, looking happy.

Zhan Xi nodded politely: “Hello.”

Huang Wei was naturally friendly. He pulled out a business card from his pocket and handed it to Zhan Xi, “I work at a car dealership now. Let me know if you need anything.”

Zhan Xi took the card. The traffic light turned green, and the three of them crossed the road with the crowd. Huang Wei asked, “Were you taking the exam today too?”

“Yes,” Zhan Xi smiled. “I was just trying my luck.”

“Same here, just testing my luck. By the way, why didn’t you come to the class reunion last year? Many classmates were asking about you.” He explained to his girlfriend, “Zhan Xi was our class beauty! So many guys had crushes on her.”

“I had something that day.” Zhan Xi felt embarrassed. It was exam day and cold, so she had worn an extra-thick down jacket and no makeup. Being introduced this way by a stranger who was once a classmate felt extremely awkward.

Huang Wei’s girlfriend looked at her curiously and asked him, “Were you one of them?”

“Hahaha… come on.” Huang Wei laughed awkwardly. Zhan Xi, wanting to end the conversation, glanced back at the subway station and made up an excuse: “I have to go, I’m meeting someone for dinner tonight.”

“A boyfriend?” Huang Wei grinned. “Here, let’s add each other on WeChat. You must come to the next class reunion!”

Unable to refuse, Zhan Xi exchanged WeChat contacts with him. Huang Wei didn’t say more and left hand in hand with his girlfriend. As Zhan Xi walked toward the subway station, she inexplicably looked back after about ten meters and saw Huang Wei talking to his girlfriend, who also happened to look back at her.

Their eyes met, both startled, before quickly turning away as if nothing had happened.

Zhan Xi knew what Huang Wei would tell his girlfriend.

As she walked, she set her WeChat Moments to “Hidden from Contact” for Huang Wei, thinking that in a few days, she could quietly delete him. Such chance encounters meant nothing to her.

It was late November, and Qiantang had just entered winter. The temperature had dropped noticeably since the afternoon. Zhan Xi quickened her pace, wanting to get into the warm subway station quickly.

Her birthday was also in November, having just celebrated her twenty-third birthday.

November 11th was easy to remember, a day of universal celebration, whether for Singles’ Day or the online shopping extravaganza.

But Zhan Xi didn’t like the number “11.”

In high school, the boys had given her a nickname: ElevenGirl.

Eleven equals 11, 11 equals 5+6, and 5-6 sounds like “boring” in Chinese.

ElevenGirl meant — the boring girl.

Huang Wei was right; Zhan Xi was indeed quite pretty, with a small face, big eyes, fair complexion, and a slim figure. But she never became popular. Boys who spent any time with her would discover that she was actually quite dull and uninteresting.

Zhan Xi had no special talents – whether in arts, fine arts, or sports, she couldn’t do any of them. She had no hobbies either, with a mild and introverted personality, only knowing how to study.

Yet she still often received love letters and confessions. Because of this, Chi Guilan had stormed into school several times to complain to the homeroom teacher, waving the colorful letters she’d found in Zhan Xi’s backpack, threatening to confront the parents of those who wrote them.

Such reactions were considered extreme in high school, and consequently, Zhan Xi had a hard time in class. Everyone knew she had an eccentric mother.

Zhan Xi took the escalator down to the subway station. Since exams had just ended, there were many people in the passageway.

She walked hurriedly, constantly brushing past others. Suddenly, there was a commotion ahead as two subway security guards in uniforms came running, waving their batons and shouting:

“That person! In black! Stop right there!”

“We’re talking to you! Stop! Did you hear us!”

Like everyone else around her, Zhan Xi quickly moved aside to make way. Looking back, everyone was stunned, except for a tall man in black walking quickly with his back to her.

No one had seen such a scene before. Someone asked, “What’s going on? Catching a thief?”

Another person said, “Don’t know, maybe he’s a wanted criminal. He won’t even stop.”

“Let’s go quickly, this is scary.”

As they spoke, the security guards had caught up to the man and grabbed his arm.

Zhan Xi wasn’t a particularly curious person. Seeing that the man had been caught, she turned back and continued walking quickly into the station.

Meanwhile, the security guards held tightly to the man’s arm, looking at him nervously.

The man was dressed all in black, wearing a down jacket with the hood pulled low over his head, and a black face mask. His hands were in his pockets, and he had been walking quickly with his head down after leaving the station.

His suspicious behavior had prompted the security guards to ask for his ID, but he hadn’t responded to their calls, making them instantly alarmed.

When they grabbed him, he seemed startled. Now turned around, his eyes above the mask showed confusion and surprise.

The two security guards fired questions at him:

“We were calling you! Why didn’t you respond? Why were you running?”

“Show us your ID.”

“What’s your name? Where are you from? What are you doing in Qiantang?”

Some brave onlookers stopped to watch. When the man took his hands out of his pockets, the security guards became even more nervous, but he only took out a wallet and handed over his ID card.

As the security guards checked his ID, the man pulled down his hood and removed his mask. They discovered he was actually a young and handsome man with fluffy black hair, fair skin, a straight nose, and gentle, clear eyes that showed no sign of aggression.

The security guards relaxed, and one asked in confusion: “Why didn’t you respond when we called?”

The young man stared at his moving lips, then pointed to his own ears and shook his hand – a simple gesture that made the security guards understand.

No wonder – he was deaf and mute.

—

The subway car was very warm, with so many people packed together. Wearing her thick down jacket, Zhan Xi’s back was covered in sweat.

After getting off at her stop, she squeezed out of the car and let out a long sigh of relief.

When she emerged above ground, the northwestern wind howled against her face, making her shiver.

Going from hot to cold like this, she worried about catching a cold. Zhan Xi put on her scarf, noting how the bright sky from when she entered the station had turned completely dark. She hunched her shoulders and walked toward home.

When she arrived home, Qin Fei was still cooking, Zhan Jie was sprawled on the couch playing with his phone, and her six-and-a-half-year-old nephew Zhan Kaiwei was doing homework in the children’s room.

While changing her shoes, Zhan Xi called out: “I’m home!”

The response was the sound of ingredients being thrown into hot oil from the kitchen.

Zhan Xi took a bag of strawberries to the kitchen and said to Qin Fei: “Sister-in-law, I bought some strawberries.”

Qin Fei, stirring the wok with a spatula, didn’t even look at her, just nodded at the counter: “Put them there.”

Back in the living room, Zhan Jie took a break from his game to ask: “How was the exam?”

“No chance.” Zhan Xi sat beside him and asked, “No overtime today?”

Zhan Jie focused on his game: “Just finished a project yesterday, taking a day off today.”

Zhan Jie was Zhan Xi’s older brother, eleven years her senior. He usually worked overtime, rarely making it home for dinner more than ten times a month.

After Zhan Xi graduated from university, Zhan Jie insisted she live with his family, regardless of whether she wanted to or not. Their parents Chi Guilan and her husband naturally approved wholeheartedly, believing it was right for a brother to care for his sister. No one bothered to ask Qin Fei’s opinion.

Her phone rang – it was Chi Guilan. Zhan Xi’s heart jumped, and she answered listlessly: “Hello, Mom.”

“Huanhuan, you finished the exam, right?” Chi Guilan asked, “How did it go?”

Zhan Xi told the truth: “Not good, no hope.”

After a moment of silence, Chi Guilan’s voice immediately grew louder: “Have you been studying at all? They say fresh graduates have the best chance! I told you to take a prep class but you wouldn’t! You just don’t care!”

Qin Fei brought dishes to the dining table one by one, glancing toward the couch.

Zhan Xi spoke quietly: “Mom, I don’t want to be a civil servant.”

“What nonsense are you talking? What else can you do if not be a civil servant?” Chi Guilan’s tone was exasperated. “You have no sense of crisis! Fine, fine, you can try the civil service exam again next year, and there are public institution exams too, you should try those as well.”

Zhan Xi was very annoyed and responded perfunctorily: “We’ll see. If there’s nothing else, I’m hanging up.”

“What do you mean nothing else? You’re already impatient before we’ve finished talking?” Chi Guilan was angry and asked, “What’s your sister-in-law doing?”

“Cooking, almost done.” Zhan Xi lowered her voice, secretly glancing toward the kitchen. Zhan Jie was completely absorbed in his phone, paying no attention to his mother and sister’s conversation.

“What are you eating today? Last time you came home, I saw you’d gotten so thin, your chin was sharp enough to pick snails. Your sister-in-law is always talking about dieting, eating vegetarian, but doesn’t think about how Weiwei is still growing, and Ajie works so hard, and now there’s you too – how can you not eat meat!”

Chi Guilan’s voice was really loud. Afraid Qin Fei would hear, Zhan Xi stood up and walked to the study: “Mom, lower your voice, sister-in-law’s cooking is good, we have meat dishes.”

As she entered the room, Qin Fei had just brought out the last bowl of soup, and they crossed paths. Qin Fei said, “Wash your hands, dinner’s ready.”

Zhan Xi pointed to her phone: “It’s Mom calling, I’ll be quick.”

“Still on the phone when it’s dinner time, can’t call at night?” As Zhan Xi closed the door behind her, Qin Fei added, “Making calls in secret, who are you hiding from?”

Zhan Jie walked over from the couch and heard the last comment, saying: “My mom hasn’t seen Huanhuan for a while, it’s normal to chat.”

Qin Fei responded sarcastically: “Just wanting to check if I’m mistreating her precious daughter, right?”

“What are you saying?” Zhan Jie put an arm around his wife’s shoulders, picking up a piece of meat from the table and popping it in his mouth. “Hey, this meat is delicious.”

Qin Fei didn’t respond and walked toward the children’s room: “Weiwei, wash your hands for dinner, you can finish your homework after eating.”

Zhan Xi sat on the sofa bed in the study – her bed, which she slept on every night and didn’t even fold up during the day. Since she moved into the study, her brother and sister-in-law had hardly used the desk; they’d moved the laptop to the master bedroom. Zhan Xi felt quite guilty about it.

Chi Guilan’s loud voice continued in her ear: “That young man is really good, I heard from your Aunt Zhu and thought his conditions were excellent – he has a secure job! His family has prepared a house for marriage. Huanhuan, Aunt Zhu has already asked me for your WeChat, said he’ll add you, you should chat with him first.”

This was already the third “excellent young man” Chi Guilan had found. Zhan Xi’s head hurt: “Mom, I just graduated, why are you in such a hurry to marry me off?”

Chi Guilan spoke rapidly: “I’m not rushing, I’m doing what’s best for you. You’re at your prime now, you know? You’re at your most beautiful, if you don’t find someone good at this age, when are you planning to wait until?”

Zhan Xi said: “I’m not waiting, I’ll keep an eye out myself, I never said I wouldn’t look for someone.”

“You can’t find someone yourself!” Chi Guilan was adamant. “Look at your brother finding someone himself, I’m not satisfied at all. You’re such a naive person, you could easily be deceived! Just like that person from university, don’t even think about someone from that kind of family!”

Zhan Xi held her head: “What are you talking about, there was nothing between us.”

“You know who I’m talking about then? There was nothing because I discovered it early, if something had happened, you’d regret it!”

There was a heavy knock on the study door, startling Zhan Xi.

“Mom!” She was tired of listening, “I need to go eat, sister-in-law is calling.”

Chi Guilan scoffed: “What right does she have to call! I’m talking to my daughter, what’s it to her?”

“…” Zhan Xi softened her tone, “Don’t always say sister-in-law isn’t good, she’s quite good. Okay, okay, I’ll chat if he adds me. I really need to go eat, I’m starving.”

Hearing her daughter was hungry, Chi Guilan immediately relented: “You’re hungry? Then go eat quickly, eat more, don’t copy your sister-in-law’s dieting.”

After hanging up, Zhan Xi walked out of the study. Her brother’s family of three was already seated at the dining table, and Qin Fei had served her rice, looking up at her: “Wash your hands, dinner’s ready.”

“Oh, thank you, sister-in-law.” Zhan Xi walked to the kitchen.

The long-standing discord between Chi Guilan and Qin Fei had affected Zhan Xi – Qin Fei didn’t like her either.

As a daughter, Zhan Xi knew Chi Guilan was a good mother, just a bit overbearing. But as an observer, she felt Chi Guilan wasn’t a good mother-in-law. Add to that Zhan Jie’s problematic personality – he would only avoid conflicts rather than mediate – and it was no wonder the relationship between mother-in-law and daughter-in-law was terrible.

Zhan Xi felt sorry for Qin Fei. Her sister-in-law must feel very frustrated – a capable and family-oriented woman who earned no less than Zhan Jie, yet she couldn’t stand up to Zhan Xi just because the house was Zhan Jie’s premarital property.

After dinner, Zhan Xi washed the dishes, then helped Weiwei with his homework. Soon she heard her brother and sister-in-law arguing in the living room.

Zhan Jie: “I’m not going! It’s so cold outside, I’ve already changed into my pajamas. Can’t I take it out tomorrow morning before work?”

Qin Fei: “There’s so much garbage, it’ll stink if left overnight. Garbage should be taken out every day.”

Zhan Jie: “Then you take it out. If you want me to do it, I’ll do it tomorrow morning.”

Qin Fei: “Zhan Jie, have you no shame? I do everything – shopping, cooking, cleaning – and you won’t even take out the garbage?”

Zhan Jie: “I rarely get a day off! I’m already tired from work! It’s too cold outside, I don’t want to go out! Whoever wants to take it out can take it out! I’m not going!”

Qin Fei: “Don’t I work? Am I not tired? Are you the only one supporting this family?!”

Zhan Xi and Weiwei exchanged glances. Weiwei shook his head and sighed: “Sigh… here we go again.”

Zhan Xi quickly walked out of the room: “I’ll take it, I’ll take it. It’s just taking out the garbage.”

As she reached for her coat, Zhan Jie suddenly grabbed her arm, his voice booming: “Don’t you dare! Whoever wants to take it out should take it themselves!”

Qin Fei trembled with anger, pointing at Zhan Jie: “What do you mean, Zhan Jie? Now it’s just you Zhans who are family, and I’m the outsider, is that it?”

Zhan Xi grabbed her brother’s hand: “Brother, garbage really should be taken out daily. I’ll do it, it’s not far.”

Qin Fei pointed at her: “You shut up! You have no right to speak here!”

Zhan Xi: “…”

Zhan Jie got angry: “Qin Fei, what’s wrong with you? If you’re angry, take it out on me! What did Zhan Xi do? She’s my sister! My only sister!”

Qin Fei shouted: “How novel! You make it sound like you have more than one wife!”

From the children’s room came Zhan Kaiwei’s shriek: “Stop fighting! It’s so annoying!”

“Bang!” The door slammed shut. Zhan Jie and Qin Fei stood face to face, breathing heavily. Zhan Xi quietly picked up the garbage bags from the kitchen, living room, and bathroom, forgetting even to put on her coat as she rushed out the door.

Late at night, Zhan Xi lay on the sofa bed lost in thought.

For these five months, both Qin Fei and she had been enduring, but now it seemed Qin Fei was reaching her limit. Zhan Xi thought she should quickly find a place and move out.

She didn’t know how Zhan Jie and Qin Fei interacted in private. They’d been married for eight years, a love marriage – weren’t they considered an old married couple? But from Zhan Xi’s observation, they rarely showed any intimacy in their daily interactions.

If this was how married couples behaved after a few years, Zhan Xi felt marriage wasn’t worth looking forward to. She didn’t understand why her mother was so eager to marry her off.

She had never dated. During her youth, she’d lived a dull life despite her pretty face. Right after graduating university, her mother had arranged endless blind dates. At this rate, she would likely end up marrying some government worker who met all her mother’s requirements. Thinking about it carefully, it was quite sad.

Actually, Zhan Xi’s requirements for a partner had always been simple. He didn’t need to be tall or handsome, just healthy with a stable job. Most importantly, he had to be interesting enough, talkative, able to make her laugh – after all, she was a boring person herself.

ElevenGirl, looking for her Mr. Funny.

Lonely nights, boring life, another day passed in a daze.

Hey, Mr. Interesting, where are you?

The desk lamp went out, and Zhan Xi wrapped herself in her blanket, drifting off to sleep.