ATLAS TRANSLATES

Qingque Garden was about a fifteen-minute walk from a large chain supermarket. After having a meal of rice with toppings, Zhan Xi wandered to the supermarket for a big shopping trip.

She had already ordered larger items like rice cookers online. This time, she mainly needed to buy items for immediate use – bathroom supplies, toothbrush and toothpaste, towels, slippers… She also needed to buy a kettle and thermos. In such cold weather, she couldn’t drink cold water.

Pushing her shopping cart to the household goods section, Zhan Xi saw a shelf full of plush toys and immediately felt tempted.

As a child, she loved plush toys and even had a puppy. But when she was seven or eight, she developed a persistent cough that wouldn’t go away. The doctor said it might be dust mite allergies and told her not to play with plush toys or keep pets.

After hearing this, Chi Guilan threw away all her dolls and gave away her puppy. Since then, she hadn’t bought a single plush toy.

Zhan Xi was no longer allergic – she even suspected the doctor had misdiagnosed her. She immediately decided to pick out a cute plush toy to sleep with.

Which one should she choose? After looking at pink bunnies, white pigs, green turtles… her gaze fell on a deep blue whale.

A whale plush toy!

It came in different sizes! The large one was over a meter long, while the small one was only thirty to forty centimeters. It had a big head, deep blue back, light blue belly, and smiling eyes. Zhan Xi picked up the small whale, squeezed it, and looked into its eyes, reminded of that cute boy from WeChat.

This is the one! She put the chubby little whale into her shopping cart.

In the afternoon, Zhan Xi unpacked at home, putting clothes into the wardrobe and starting to make the bed.

Qin Fei had already aired out the new blanket and mattress pad, and washed the bedding sets – one blue and one pink. Zhan Xi opened the blue set and looked at the pattern, feeling a crow fly over her head.

The bedsheet and duvet cover were printed with a huge Princess Elsa!

Zhan Ji probably still saw her as a child. Zhan Xi was speechless but had no choice but to use it.

While tidying up, her phone rang. She picked it up to see a message from Little Fish.

Big Fish: Egg teacher, how’s your move?

Egg Pudding: You can ask: “Have you finished moving?” or “Did your move go smoothly?” I’ll answer: I’ve already moved in and am unpacking.

Egg Pudding: Little Fish, let me show you my bedding, don’t laugh! I’m dying here!

Standing at the foot of the bed, Zhan Xi took a photo of the spread-out duvet and sent it to Little Fish. On it, Elsa had golden hair and a blue dress, looking enchanting and beautiful, surrounded by snowflakes with an ice castle in the distance.

Big Fish: I know this! It’s a princess!

Egg Pudding: Princess Elsa from Frozen. My brother bought it, but I’m not a kid anymore! [crying to laughing]

Big Fish: It’s pretty! My sister says girls are always princesses!

Egg Pudding: [covering face][covering face] I’m not!!!

Big Fish: You’re Egg Princess [grinning]

Egg Pudding: Where did you learn to be such a smooth talker?? If only you could talk like this when dating!

Big Fish: I’m not dating anymore [about to cry]

Egg Pudding: Go play somewhere else, big sister needs to continue tidying up, we’ll chat tonight.

Little Fish obediently left. After Zhan Xi finished organizing everything, she ordered takeout for dinner, took a shower, washed her clothes, and climbed into bed early.

Sleeping alone in a strange room didn’t scare her. This kind of life where she had complete control had long been something she yearned for. She could even go to the bathroom at night without wearing pants! She could run out in just her underwear, hahaha, so happy!

Room 802 didn’t have a TV, but it had internet. Zhan Xi took out her tablet to watch a movie, hugging the soft little whale while checking her phone.

Work group, family group, university class group, university club group… every group was chatting enthusiastically.

Wang He hadn’t contacted her all day, and if he didn’t speak first, Zhan Xi wouldn’t initiate contact.

Lin Yan was even more distant – this mysterious person only sent mysterious “good morning” and “good night” messages.

Zhan Xi went to check Luo Xinran’s public account.

Luo Xinran wrote an article almost every day, sometimes contributing to major self-media accounts, accumulating quite a few followers, with some posts containing advertisements.

Zhan Xi really envied Luo Xinran. Before university, she had no idea there were such free-spirited girls in the world. Her family always worried Luo Xinran would be a bad influence, but only Zhan Xi knew how greatly she had been influenced by Luo Xinran over those four years.

That day, Luo Xinran posted an article about a popular music talent show, writing it in a particularly funny way. After laughing for a while, Zhan Xi shared it to her Moments. Seeing the little whale in her arms, she suddenly remembered she hadn’t given Little Fish access to her Moments yet. After thinking for a while, she decided to wait until they met in person before giving him access.

The little boy seemed quite insecure and was afraid to meet her. Zhan Xi’s Moments contained many photos of herself, and knowing she was decent-looking, she worried Little Fish would become even more timid if he saw what she looked like.

Thinking this way, Zhan Xi directly forwarded Luo Xinran’s article to Little Fish with a message.

Little Fish quickly replied.

Big Fish: What’s this?

Egg Pudding: This article was written by my university roommate, xswl! Hahahaha

Big Fish: What’s xswl?

Egg Pudding: Laughing to death! (In mandarin: Xiao si wo le)

Big Fish: Egg teacher, I’m not well-educated, please don’t laugh at me, I really don’t understand. [wronged]

Egg Pudding: I wasn’t laughing at you, xswl = laughing to death. [embarrassed]

Luo Jingyu lay on his bed, pulling at the corner of his mouth while looking at his phone. Sigh… seems like he made a fool of himself again.

Big Fish: Oh, that’s what it means!

Egg Pudding: [covering face][covering face] Sorry, these are all internet slang, you’re so young, I thought you’d know them.

Big Fish: I’m not young!

Egg Pudding: Okay okay, you’re not young, you’re a big fish!

Big Fish: I don’t go online very often [pouting]

Big Fish: I’ll read the article first, it’ll take me a while, please wait.

Zhan Xi wanted to say he didn’t have to read it if he wasn’t interested, it wasn’t anything important. Then she thought, Little Fish’s poor conversation skills and limited reading might be related, so reading more articles would be good for him. Let him be.

She watched the movie for a while, and after about ten minutes, Little Fish replied.

Big Fish: I finished reading. Is it a show? I rarely watch TV, haven’t seen this program.

Egg Pudding: Yes, it’s a variety show. I’ve watched it. My classmate wrote it really funny. You must recognize those celebrities, right?

Those were familiar faces who appeared on Spring Festival Gala and various TV station’s New Year’s Eve concerts! But unexpectedly, Little Fish said—

Big Fish: I don’t know them.

Zhan Xi: -_-||

She thought: Even my mom knows them! Little Fish, what era are you from?

Egg Pudding: Did you watch the video? The one where they cracked while singing, I’ve watched it several times, laugh every time! Hahahaha

Big Fish: Yes, very funny, hahahaha

As he typed this, Luo Jingyu’s palms were sweating, his cheeks hot, feeling nervous and awkward. He really didn’t want to lie to Egg teacher, but what could he do? He couldn’t tell the truth, just wanted to end this topic quickly.

He really rarely watched TV, and even when he did, he wouldn’t watch music programs.

Music, singing, opera, crosstalk… these programs held no meaning for him. He had never heard sound, couldn’t imagine or understand phrases like “beautiful melody,” and consequently, didn’t recognize many singers.

Fortunately, “Egg Pudding” didn’t continue discussing the article.

Egg Pudding: Actually, I don’t watch much TV either, but many shows are related to my university major. I studied network communication, need to learn, so I occasionally watch some variety shows and dramas.

Big Fish: You said you studied Chinese in university? [surprised]

Egg Pudding: Ah, yes! I have two bachelor’s degrees, both in literature.

Big Fish: Two bachelor’s degrees?

Egg Pudding: It means I studied two majors, Chinese Language and Literature and Network Communication, got two degree certificates, double degree, heard of it?

Egg Pudding: You stole my image!!

Big Fish: You’re really amazing!!!

Egg Pudding: Not really, just somewhat capable, not as amazing as you! You’re really awesome!

Big Fish: I’m not amazing. Egg teacher, you’re the most educated person among all the people I know!

Egg Pudding: Ahhhh don’t say that! I’m so embarrassed!!

Luo Jingyu was telling the truth. In his social circle, there were no master’s degree holders, the highest education level was bachelor’s degree. Luo Xiaomei and Gao Yuan were bachelor’s degree holders, Chang Ting whom he met once was also one, he wasn’t sure about Fang Xu’s education, and other friends and teachers he knew from hot-pressing flowers, he didn’t have much contact with and never discussed education levels.

As for his high school classmates, because very few domestic universities admitted hearing-impaired students and major choices were limited, not many went to college. Most were like him, finding their own path after graduating from schools for the blind and deaf, working in various industries.

Double degree — Luo Jingyu had never even heard of it, and after learning about it, thought it was so impressive! He thought Egg teacher must be very smart to study so well, but she didn’t look down on his low education level and was willing to chat with him every day!

Luo Jingyu once again felt lucky to know such an excellent big sister.

He rolled over on his bed, staring blankly into space.

Many scenes from his life flashed through his mind.

His life had been destined to be different from birth. As a teenager, he had secretly wondered if life would be different if he could hear?

Later, he thought he had come to terms with it, probably this was fate, he had no choice.

But now after meeting “Egg Pudding,” Luo Jingyu couldn’t help thinking again, if he could hear, even with hearing aids, would he be able to meet Egg teacher confidently?

He knew she was a few years older than him, with ordinary looks and figure, but he really… wanted to meet her.

For the first time in his life, he found himself thinking about a girl he had never met.

This strange and unfamiliar feeling made him extremely depressed.

After chatting a while longer, “Egg Pudding” was ready for bed. Luo Jingyu noticed she always went to bed quite early, before 11 PM. He was a night owl, staying up until the wee hours every day.

In the two days since delivering “Good Fortune,” Luo Jingyu hadn’t been idle, already starting work on accessories. The Christmas collection had many pre-orders, and Luo Jingyu had told Fang Xu they must limit the quantity! He was just one person with two hands, and with his high standards for quality, he couldn’t handle too many pre-orders.

But Fang Xu said young people should challenge their limits.

When Luo Jingyu saw the pre-order quantity list Fang Xu sent for each accessory, he nearly spat blood, feeling that for the next dozen or so days, he’d have to work like a machine to complete all these orders before December 20th.

Getting out of bed, Luo Jingyu cooked a bowl of noodles for his midnight snack, resigned himself to his fate and sat at his workbench, continuing to burn the midnight oil.