ATLAS TRANSLATES

After viewing the apartment, Zhan Xi and Luo Xinran went to Pizza Hut for dinner. After filling their stomachs, they each got a drink and sat down to chat.

Zhan Xi’s college entrance exam scores were decent. Though not good enough for the 985-ranked University A in Qiantang, she could have tried for some good universities in other provinces. However, Chi Guilan firmly opposed her leaving the province, so she ended up attending the highly-ranked G University in Qiantang.

Luo Xinran came from another province and was in the same major as Zhan Xi – they both graduated from the Chinese Language and Literature Department in the School of Humanities. During college, she wrote articles for various public accounts. After graduation, she became a freelancer, specializing in movie reviews and entertainment articles. She had written several articles that reached over 100,000 views. Currently, she rents a place in east Qiantang and lives quite freely.

Compared to her, Zhan Xi was just a poor office worker. As Zhan Xi talked about her work, Luo Xinran asked, “So what are your plans? Will you listen to your mom and take the civil service exam next year?”

Zhan Xi shook her head and looked up at her: “No more exams. I’m planning to request a department transfer.”

Luo Xinran was surprised: “To another department in your company? Which one?”

“The Planning Department,” Zhan Xi explained. “I recently looked through the employee handbook. The company encourages department transfers, with one opportunity each year during mid-year. I want to try.”

Luo Xinran asked, “Don’t you like HR work?”

“It’s not that I don’t like it.” Zhan Xi took a sip of her drink. “It’s just that there aren’t really any extra positions in the department. I got in through connections, so it feels like I’m just killing time. After graduation, I wanted to do challenging work. You know, I had that other offer lined up, but my mom wouldn’t allow it, saying the company was too small and unstable.”

During her graduation internship, Zhan Xi worked at a small media company that focused on livestreaming, short videos, and micro-films. She was in the planning department and really enjoyed her work. Her colleagues were all young people, and they had to brainstorm creative ideas every day. Zhan Xi had planned to stay, but when Chi Guilan heard about the company’s situation, she left no room for discussion and made Zhan Xi leave.

“Little Xi, I really admire you,” Luo Xinran said sincerely. “You worked so hard for that double degree. Not doing work you love is really unfair to yourself.”

Zhan Xi gave a bitter smile: “Don’t flatter me. I envy you – you’re so free.”

Sometimes, Zhan Xi thought she was pretty impressive.

Her college major wasn’t her own choice – Chi Guilan had picked it after consulting others, saying Chinese Language and Literature graduates were suitable for civil service exams. Her mom’s first choice had been Law, which Zhan Xi liked even less, so they compromised.

After starting college, Zhan Xi learned about the double degree program. In the second semester of her freshman year, she immediately focused on preparing for the entrance exam while saving money.

Eventually, she achieved her goal. After passing the exam, she started studying her preferred major, New Media, in the School of Communications in her sophomore year.

Two majors meant double tuition, double course load, and double assignments. She had classes on weekends and evenings. Midterms and finals were doubled, graduation theses were doubled. This way, Zhan Xi managed to complete her second degree in over three years while keeping it secret from her family.

During her junior year, Chi Guilan had urged her to apply for graduate school, but Zhan Xi didn’t like her primary major. She didn’t refuse outright – she applied for the summer camp knowing her grades weren’t good enough to get in.

When the results came out, Chi Guilan gave her a good scolding. Later, they argued endlessly about whether she should take the graduate school entrance exam or the civil service exam, but no one ever asked about her own wishes.

Even now, no one at home knew Zhan Xi had a double bachelor’s degree.

When she received two identical degree certificates at graduation, Zhan Xi cried with joy. Only her three roommates knew how hard she had worked these three years, how frugal she had been to pay the second tuition! But even so, after graduation, Zhan Xi still couldn’t choose her career path according to her wishes. Her family controlled her every move.

Requesting a department transfer – this was the best solution she could think of to realize her self-worth while appeasing her mother.

She didn’t dare mention quitting – that would cause an earthquake at home.

Around 8 PM, Zhan Jie called Zhan Xi, urging her to come home.

The two girls left the restaurant and walked toward the subway station. Luo Xinran lit a cigarette and asked, “When are you planning to tell your brother about moving out?”

Zhan Xi put her hands in her pockets and kicked at small stones on the ground: “If he’s still awake when I get back, I’ll tell him directly. Tomorrow at the latest.”

Luo Xinran took a drag of her cigarette and shook her head with a sigh: “I used to think I had it rough with my divorced parents not caring about me at all. But after getting to know you, I realized having family control everything might not be any better.”

Zhan Xi smiled helplessly: “Tell me about it. During school, dating was strictly forbidden, but as soon as I graduated, they immediately wanted me to go on blind dates. They controlled which university I attended, what major I chose, where I lived after graduation, when I had to be home, who I met with, my work, my exams, even what clothes I wore.” She nodded at Luo Xinran’s ripped jeans. “If I wore pants like yours, my brother would never let me leave the house.”

Luo Xinran laughed loudly: “What about if you had my cool hairstyle?”

“Then you’d better come collect my body!” Zhan Xi clicked her tongue. “Though there probably wouldn’t be much left of it.”

“Hahahahaha…”

After parting with Luo Xinran, Zhan Xi took the subway home, arriving after 10 PM. The house was quiet, with Zhan Jie and Qin Fei having already closed their master bedroom door. Zhan Xi thought she’d talk to her brother tomorrow.

After showering, she crawled into bed and opened her phone to find messages from two people.

One was from Lin Yan, who had sent “Good night.”

That was just how Lin Yan was – he didn’t send good morning or good night messages every day, just occasionally made his presence known. When Zhan Xi saw it, she would reply “Good night,” and he wouldn’t respond further.

The other was from Wang He.

[Wang He]: It’s Saturday, did you go anywhere fun?

Egg Pudding: Sorry, I was just showering and didn’t see your message. I went shopping with my college roommate today and had dinner together.

[Wang He]: Sounds like quite an active day [smirk]. Just showering now? Did you get home late?

Egg Pudding: The restaurant was quite far, it took over an hour to get there.

[Wang He]: It’s not safe for girls to come home so late.

Though he probably meant well, his tone was too similar to Chi Guilan and Zhan Jie’s, so Zhan Xi didn’t reply. After a while, Wang He sent another message.

[Wang He]: Why don’t you ask how I spent my day?

Zhan Xi: “…”

Egg Pudding: How did you spend your day?

[Wang He]: This morning I attended an opening ceremony with the leaders, had a business lunch, rested at home in the afternoon, and now I’m singing karaoke with some brothers.

Egg Pudding: You’re at KTV now?

[Wang He]: Yes, listening to them howling like wolves [smug].

Zhan Xi thought of a word – double standard.

Egg Pudding: It’s late, enjoy with your friends. I need to sleep.

[Wang He]: Do you have plans tomorrow? Let me treat you to a meal.

They had been chatting on and off for a week, and according to blind date rules, it was about time to meet. But Zhan Xi didn’t want to see him at all.

Egg Pudding: Sorry, I can’t tomorrow. I’m still getting over a cold and want to rest at home.

[Wang He]: You’re sick but still came home so late?

Zhan Xi couldn’t exactly tell him she had arranged to view apartments with an agent earlier, and moving out was such an urgent matter!

Egg Pudding: I was fine during the day, but feeling unwell now. I’m going to sleep, good night.

[Wang He]: Good night, drink more hot water.

Zhan Xi wasn’t lying – she had felt fine with Luo Xinran, but now she seemed to have a fever and felt dizzy. After exiting the chat, she was about to sleep when she saw a message from the blue cartoon whale.

Zhan Xi: “?”

She suddenly felt like a player – having three guys messaging her late at night. But for some reason, compared to Lin Yan and Wang He, she preferred chatting with “Big Fish” – it was more relaxed, without pressure.

Opening the chat with “Big Fish,” Zhan Xi saw he had sent a message and a picture.

Big Fish: Good evening, look at this vase.

Vase? What vase? Zhan Xi couldn’t quite process it.

The picture showed a dark grey vessel, apparently ceramic, round and simple, smooth without patterns, sitting on a white surface. Without any reference for scale, she couldn’t tell its size. The lighting was very professional, with a black velvet cloth seemingly casually yet carefully arranged underneath, like an excavated artifact displayed in a museum.

Zhan Xi asked sincerely.

Egg Pudding: Is this an antique you collected?

Big Fish: This is your flower container! That vase! The vase under the flowers!

Zhan Xi didn’t know much about flower containers – in her mind, anything used for flowers was called a flowerpot. She could almost imagine the other person’s exasperated expression, and her face felt hot with embarrassment over the small misunderstanding.

Egg Pudding: Did you buy it?

Big Fish: I wanted to find one second-hand, but couldn’t.

Zhan Xi smiled.

Egg Pudding: It’s really beautiful!

Big Fish: I searched for a long time, this is the best.

Egg Pudding: It really is beautiful! Are you starting tomorrow?

Big Fish: I have something during the day, will start working in the evening.

Egg Pudding: Thanks for your hard work. [clasped hands]

The other person was typing, and Zhan Xi waited, but no message came through. She didn’t exit the chat, and after a few seconds, they were typing again. This happened three or four times before the message finally came.

Big Fish: Have you been on blind dates?

Big Fish: Have you ever been on blind dates before?

Why suddenly ask about blind dates?

Zhan Xi had indeed been on two blind dates since graduation, with Wang He being the third. She answered honestly.

Egg Pudding: Yes, twice.

Big Fish: Were you nervous?

Egg Pudding: Not really, not nervous. Why? Are you going on a blind date?

Big Fish: Yes, tomorrow morning.

Zhan Xi remembered what the owner of “Little Fish Fish Pressed Flowers” had told her – this fish was a poorly educated worker. She subconsciously thought he was younger than her, his way of speaking seemed quite pure and childish, so she couldn’t help but ask.

Egg Pudding: Are you very young? Going on blind dates so early?

Big Fish: I’m not young.

Big Fish: I’m a big fish.

Zhan Xi laughed out loud in her blanket.

Big Fish: I have a question, what should I pay attention to on a blind date?

Zhan Xi stopped laughing and thought before answering.

Egg Pudding: Since you’re a guy, you must dress clean and proper, wash your hair, ask what the girl wants to eat when ordering, and for the bill you can either split it or treat her. It’s just a first meeting – if the guy suggests splitting the bill, it might lose points, seeming stingy. But I always actively split the bill with them, one didn’t take my money, one did.

Big Fish: So which one did you like?

Egg Pudding: I didn’t like either of them, that’s why I gave them money! It would be awkward otherwise. If I liked someone, I wouldn’t pay – it’s a good excuse to ask them out again and treat them! [shy][shy]

Big Fish: Learned new knowledge! [shocked]

Egg Pudding: Haven’t you been on blind dates before?

Big Fish: No, tomorrow is my first time. I chatted with a girl on WeChat before, but didn’t meet. After chatting for two weeks, she blocked me.

Egg Pudding: Did you block her or did she block you?

Big Fish: She blocked me.

Egg Pudding: Why? Did you make her angry?

Big Fish: I’m not good at chatting, low education, typing problems.

Egg Pudding: Grammar problems?

Big Fish: Yes, grammar problems.

Egg Pudding: I think it’s fine, sometimes it’s a bit unclear, but I can understand.

Big Fish: My sister said I need more practice, I’m practicing now.

Zhan Xi thought he was such a straightforward boy, it was fun chatting with him.

Egg Pudding: Ah? You mean chatting with me is practice for hitting on girls? How do you know I’m a girl?

Big Fish: I don’t hit on girls.

Big Fish: Are you a girl?

Egg Pudding: I won’t tell you. [hmph]

The other person was silent for a moment, then started typing repeatedly again. Zhan Xi held back her laughter, wondering what he would say. After a while—

Big Fish: Are you angry? [wronged]

Zhan Xi was about to die laughing.

Egg Pudding: Not angry! I studied Chinese in university, you can practice chatting with me. If you have grammar problems, I can help correct them!

Big Fish: Really? You’re amazing!

Egg Pudding: Then should you call me teacher? [laughing through tears]

Big Fish: Teacher Egg!

Egg Pudding: Good student, teacher is tired and wants to sleep.

Zhan Xi actually quite enjoyed chatting with him, finding him to be an especially amusing young man, but feeling her forehead, she really had a fever, and her eyelids were fighting to stay open.

Big Fish: If you find me annoying, tell me, it’s okay, I’ll focus on making flowers.

Egg Pudding: You’re not annoying, I have a bit of a fever and don’t feel well. Let’s chat tomorrow.

Zhan Xi wondered if he would also say “drink more hot water,” as that seemed to be what straight guys always said when girls were sick.

But he didn’t say that. Instead, he sent a picture.

Clean, slender fingers gently held a cluster of yellowish-green small flowers with leaves. The petals were tiny like five-pointed stars, looking delicate and cute.

Big Fish: This is night-blooming jasmine, I made it.

Big Fish: Take medicine and see a doctor for your fever. Teacher Egg rest early, sweet dreams, good night.