ATLAS TRANSLATES

The next day, when Luo Jingyu learned about Zhan Xi’s father and brother’s attitude, his mind exploded with joy! Happiness came so suddenly – had he really passed the first hurdle so easily?

He was so happy! He wanted to tell his parents immediately and bring Huanhuan home to meet them right away.

His family would be no obstacle! It was like an eight-lane highway – Huanhuan could walk through from anywhere. Everyone would like her, cherish her, treasure her, hold her in their palms like a little princess.

Despite his happiness, Luo Jingyu couldn’t rest these days. He couldn’t go on dates with Huanhuan or make ice cream for her because he had to design five accessories for the Hanfu Festival and make samples to send to Fang Xu within three days.

Zhan Xi was understanding. Luo Jingyu said he would have more free time in the first few days after the store opened, and asked if she wanted to go on a trip. Zhan Xi thought for a moment and said, “I need to go home in a couple days. I promised my father I’d visit my grandmother. After I come back, I need to start job hunting. Let’s go on a trip when it gets cooler – it’s too hot to go anywhere right now.”

Luo Jingyu naturally had no objections and sat down at his workbench in good spirits to start drawing designs.

—

Regarding the custom designs for the Hanfu Festival, Luo Jingyu had already formed some ideas during his spare time, so drawing wasn’t too difficult. After showing the design drafts to Fang Xu, he started making the samples.

With Little Fish so busy, Zhan Xi didn’t want to disturb him. She bought her bus ticket and went home.

She hadn’t been home since Qingming Festival. Seeing her parents again, all three of them had unfathomable thoughts. Zhan Xi had previously clashed badly with Chi Guilan, so naturally Chi Guilan didn’t have a pleasant expression when she saw her. With a cold face, she just said “Oh, you remembered to come home?” before going into the kitchen to work.

After exchanging glances with her father, Zhan Xi followed into the kitchen and softly called out “Mom.” Chi Guilan’s expression didn’t improve. Seeing her about to wash and cut vegetables, Zhan Xi took over and said, “Mom, let me wash them, I know how now.”

Chi Guilan stood beside her empty-handed, staring at her for a long time before asking, “How’s your job search going?”

Zhan Xi smiled and dodged the question: “Haven’t found anything yet. It’s too hot in summer, I want to rest a bit before looking. Don’t they say September and October are the golden months for job hunting?”

“Hmph, you mean you can’t find anything?” Chi Guilan snorted coldly. “Quitting your job for no reason, giving up a perfectly good job just like that. Now you know how hard it is to find work out there?”

While washing vegetables, Zhan Xi muttered, “It’s not hard to find. I’ll definitely find something suitable.”

Chi Guilan was quiet for a moment before she couldn’t help saying, “Really don’t want someone to make introductions? Many of our relatives work in Qiantang. Your aunt…”

“Really, really not necessary, Mom, really!” Zhan Xi was scared and kept begging, “Trust me, I’ll look properly on my own. Please don’t have anyone make introductions anymore.”

Chi Guilan’s face hardened again as she snatched the basin of washed vegetables, saying angrily, “I don’t understand what you’re thinking! What’s wrong with being a civil servant? Why won’t you take the exam? You could still start preparing now!”

Zhan Xi stayed quiet and went to wash rice for cooking. Chi Guilan turned to glare at her: “And what about finding a partner? Before, I told you I’d introduce someone after you got a good job. Now you won’t take the exam, so are you still looking for someone or not?”

Zhan Xi’s tone also hardened: “Mom! I said I’ll find someone myself! I just don’t like introductions, don’t you understand? Why are you bringing this up again?”

“But why?” Chi Guilan truly couldn’t understand. “Introductions are so good, you know their background. You’re twenty-four, almost twenty-five by traditional counting. You’re not young anymore, you…”

At this point, Zhan Qiang wandered into the kitchen interrupting her words: “Huanhuan, come help Dad look at his phone. Something keeps popping up that I can’t delete.”

“Oh.” Zhan Xi put down the rice washing basket and followed her father out, leaving Chi Guilan alone to stew in her frustration.

Zhan Xi planned to stay at home for two nights to spend time with her grandmother and parents. By the time she returned to Qiantang, Little Fish should have finished the samples.

She really did plan to continue job hunting – it couldn’t be delayed anymore. She only had so much in savings, and while she could mooch meals from Little Fish, she still had to pay rent. Being an adult, she couldn’t keep asking her parents and brother for money.

While at home, Zhan Xi barely contacted Luo Jingyu. They saw each other every day in Qiantang anyway, so these few days apart weren’t urgent.

She behaved very well, helping her mother with chores every day without making her angry. She even opened job hunting apps in front of her mother, asking her opinion about different positions and companies. In short, she returned to being the obedient, sensible daughter she was before.

Chi Guilan couldn’t find fault with her, so her attitude naturally softened. She would occasionally chat about Zhan Jie’s situation, though she didn’t dare criticize Qin Fei anymore, afraid of making Zhan Xi angry again.

—

As agreed, on July 23rd, Luo Jingyu took photos of all the samples from various angles and sent them to Fang Xu. Fang Xu then posted them in various Hanfu groups and sent screenshots of some feedback from the girls to Luo Jingyu.

Some accessories needed small adjustments, some flower designs needed additional colors. Luo Jingyu recorded everything.

The next day was when Zhan Xi would return to Qiantang, arriving at 5 PM. Luo Jingyu planned to pick her up at the station and make her a big dinner.

After lunch, while he was at his workbench modifying designs, Fang Xu came uninvited.

Upon entering, Fang Xu’s eyes swept around the living room as he asked, “Where’s your girlfriend? At work?”

Luo Jingyu typed on his phone: [She’s not here, she went home.]

“Oh… what a coincidence.” Fang Xu’s lips curved into a smile.

This time, his reason for visiting wasn’t “just passing by” – he stated his purpose very directly.

He said, “This order will be very large. We’ve hired models for photos. Give me those samples first.”

Luo Jingyu didn’t suspect anything and packed up all five samples to give to Fang Xu. He typed on his phone asking about the new colors and modified styles, saying they would take two or three more days to make, and he might have to trouble Fang Xu to come again then.

Unexpectedly, after receiving the samples, Fang Xu smiled at him and said, “No need, I probably won’t be coming again.”

Luo Jingyu didn’t understand, staring at him blankly.

Fang Xu took out several papers from his folder and handed them to Luo Jingyu: “Little Fish, I came today for two things. First, to get the samples. Second, I’ve been thinking very carefully these past few months. I’m just a businessman, my abilities are limited, my thinking is narrow, and working with you has indeed held back your development. You’re very capable and deserve a bigger platform. Continuing to work with me making these little girls’ things really doesn’t do you justice. So, I think we should terminate our cooperation.”

He spoke very slowly, still smiling. Luo Jingyu understood most of it, especially the final phrase “terminate cooperation.” After reading Fang Xu’s lips, his mind went blank. He looked down at the A4 papers in his hands.

They were full of tables and numbers, densely packed, with text he couldn’t understand at first glance. He looked back up at Fang Xu, opened his mouth wanting to use sign language to ask what this meant, then thought to type on his phone, but after taking out his phone he couldn’t remember what to ask.

Fang Xu naturally saw Luo Jingyu’s predicament and pointed at the papers in his hand saying, “This sheet is the settlement statement I had an accountant prepare. Take a look, and if there are no problems, just sign it. Our previous accounts have always been clear, and I’ve never cheated you of money. The Hanfu Festival hasn’t opened yet, so it’s perfect timing to settle all our accounts. After this, regarding the pressed flower shop we ran together, whether I continue it or not will be my decision, you don’t need to worry about it. After all, you already have Xi Yu Pressed Flowers, you can completely run it yourself with your girlfriend’s help. Take some big orders, high-end ones, luxury ones, exhibition ones – you just finished an exhibition, even made it into the newspaper! Little Fish, you’re really excellent, Brother Fang believes you’ll do better and better. Come on, sign it.”

Luo Jingyu didn’t dare sign. He hadn’t understood anything, though he remembered Fang Xu had indeed never cheated him of money. The payment for March’s Flower Festival and April’s custom designs – Fang Xu had paid him for all of it, but he still didn’t dare sign.

This was too sudden. He was too shocked to know what to do.

If only Huanhuan were here. Why wasn’t Huanhuan here?

How did Fang Xu know Huanhuan wasn’t here? Or was it that he wouldn’t have been afraid even if Huanhuan were here? Was this settlement statement actually correct? And what would happen if he didn’t sign?

Fang Xu waited a bit longer, and seeing Luo Jingyu just staring blankly at the papers, he couldn’t help but pat his arm. Luo Jingyu looked up at him again, his face pale, even his lips had lost their color.

“What are you afraid of? Afraid I’ll cheat you? After so many years of cooperation, I’ve treated you like a brother, how could I cheat you?” Fang Xu smiled, “Just sign it. Even if your girlfriend were here you’d still have to sign. Let me tell you something – you’ve wanted to split up with me for a long time, right? You’ve always felt I was holding you back. Aren’t I just giving you what you want?”

Luo Jingyu shook his head, lips tightly pressed together, his hands already crumpling the papers. Suddenly he thought of something, pointing at the bag of samples in Fang Xu’s hand and holding out his palm, his meaning very clear – asking for them back.

Fang Xu laughed: “I’ve already posted photos of these items in all the Hanfu groups. Everyone knows they’re products of ‘Little Fish Fish Handmade Pressed Flowers.’ I can return them to you, but do you dare use them? Luo Jingyu, I need to remind you of something – no one knows these things were made by you. Even if we have chat records proving you sent them to me, have you considered that right now we’re still business partners? Timeline-wise, before you sign, these items are all products of my shop.”

Luo Jingyu glared at him fiercely, his outstretched palm still not withdrawn.

“Fine, you can choose not to sign.” Fang Xu lifted the bag slightly. “I can also return everything to you, but I want to tell you, if you don’t sign, I won’t do this Hanfu Festival either. Won’t open the store. We haven’t split up, and you can’t work independently, so you might as well take a few months off.”

Luo Jingyu: “…”

His mind was already very chaotic. He couldn’t even read Fang Xu’s lips for the words that followed, couldn’t understand the logic of the situation, didn’t know what Fang Xu was really trying to do. Why terminate their partnership at this point? Would splitting up benefit Fang Xu? Why did Fang Xu take his samples? Did he still plan to open the store? If he opened it, who would do the work? If he didn’t do it, who would?

Luo Jingyu couldn’t figure out any of these questions. He was too stupid, his education too low. In communications with Fang Xu, he was always at a disadvantage, always the one being controlled.

“Sign it, Little Fish.” Fang Xu spoke again, still patient. “No need to drag this out. These are all clear accounts. I guarantee I’m not cheating you. You can have an accountant look at it, have your girlfriend look at it, it’s all the same.”

As if afraid Luo Jingyu wouldn’t understand, Fang Xu took a blank paper from the workbench, grabbed Luo Jingyu’s arm and pulled him to the workbench, writing for him to see:

[1. Don’t sign – I won’t open the store, we haven’t split up, you can’t work independently.] [2. Sign – we split up, you can work independently immediately, there’s still time to redesign now.] [3. Whether I open the store or not will be my decision. These samples were all mine before you sign anyway. You can continue using them after going independent – do you dare?]

Looking at these words on the paper, when Luo Jingyu looked at Fang Xu again, his eyes were red.

“Ah! I forgot one thing, consider it my compensation to you.” Fang Xu said, “Remember those co-branded design drafts you gave me before? I told the other party the designer quit, and I won’t continue working with them either. I told them about Xi Yu Pressed Flowers, they should contact you. They’ll find you later – consider it your first order after going independent. It should be worth tens of thousands! See, Brother Fang’s not bad to you, right? Giving you such a big order.”

Luo Jingyu: “…”

“Sign it.” Fang Xu stuffed the pen into Luo Jingyu’s hand, his smile sincere and friendly. “Let’s part on good terms. Brother Fang wishes you great success in the pressed flower industry, a bright future, and to soon become a master like Xu Qingyan.”

Luo Jingyu gripped the pen so hard he nearly broke it.

Fang Xu pulled out the papers from his hand, laid them on the workbench, and tapped his finger: “Luo Jingyu, if you still want to do business at the Hanfu Festival, then sign.”

Luo Jingyu: “…”

“What are you thinking about?!” Fang Xu suddenly shouted. Though Luo Jingyu couldn’t hear, he was startled by the exaggerated mouth movements. Gift jumped down from the cat tree and hid in the master bedroom, seemingly confirming how loud Fang Xu’s voice was.

“Won’t listen to kind words, huh? Then I’ll tell you the truth!” Fang Xu’s expression changed. “I don’t want to work with you anymore, Luo Jingyu! It’s not me holding you back now, it’s you holding me back! How can you be so thick-skinned? I’ve helped you for four whole years, what more do you want? Want to keep dragging me along? I don’t want to work with you anymore! Do you understand? Do you understand?! Sign quickly! After you sign we go our separate ways, and you can do whatever you want! You won’t have to take my abuse anymore! And I won’t have to serve you anymore! Luo Jingyu, sign!”

Luo Jingyu stared at him with bloodshot eyes, his face now flushed red, hands trembling as he looked at the crumpled papers on the table – two copies, three pages each, six pages total, each with a line for signature at the bottom.

This time, Fang Xu didn’t pressure him anymore, just stood with his arms crossed, watching him coldly.

Luo Jingyu slowly bent down, gripping the pen tightly, looking at the numbers and words on the paper that he couldn’t understand, nearly grinding his back teeth to powder. He closed his eyes briefly, and when he opened them again, he signed his name on all six pages.

“If you’d signed earlier, wouldn’t everything be done? Making me waste so much breath.” Fang Xu snatched the pen from his hand, signed his own name, took three pages and put them in his folder, stuffed the remaining three pages into Luo Jingyu’s hands, and prepared to leave.

Before leaving, he said, “Luo Jingyu, from now on, you’re free.”