ATLAS TRANSLATES

Luo Xiaomei never expected things to turn out this way.

After receiving the genetic test results, she and Gao Yuan were deeply shaken. After much consideration, they decided to tell their parents and in-laws.

The four elderly people had different opinions.

Luo Mingxiong suggested giving up the child. As the one who passed down the deafness gene in the family and as an elderly father, he truly didn’t want this unborn child to suffer the same hardships they had all endured.

He still remembered when Luo Jingyu was born, the beating he received from his own father. His father had berated him, asking why he wanted another child. His daughter was already deaf, so why have another? Was it a gamble? He was ruining the child’s entire life!

Yan Yajuan felt they should keep the baby. As a mother, she always believed that a couple should have a child – it would strengthen their marriage and give them someone to care for them in their old age.

It didn’t matter if the child was deaf; Luo Xiaomei and Luo Jingyu were living good lives now.

Besides, Yan Yajuan herself became deaf later in life due to illness. She believed that even healthy children could fall ill during their growth. If a child got sick, should they be abandoned? This child was just ill while still in the mother’s womb. If everyone agreed to have the baby, take good care of it and love it well, apart from not being able to hear, it could grow up happily just like other children.

Gao Yuan’s parents said they would respect their son and daughter-in-law’s decision.

When Gao Yuan developed myelitis as a teenager, his parents worried themselves sick. At the time, they only hoped their son could survive – they didn’t dare hope for anything else. Later, Gao Yuan worked extremely hard to get into university, then got a job at the Disabled Persons’ Federation after graduation. He fell in love with and married Luo Xiaomei, bought a house and car. The elderly couple had no other expectations of him anymore.

They said they would support whatever decision the young couple made. If they kept the baby, they would help take care of it.

Being deaf… well, being deaf was better than Gao Yuan’s condition. Gao Yuan was still young and could walk with crutches, but there would inevitably be inconveniences as he aged. Having a child with healthy limbs could at least help Luo Xiaomei.

Everyone had their own stance and considerations. Luo Mingxiong’s attitude wasn’t entirely firm either. The final decision was left to Luo Xiaomei and Gao Yuan.

Gao Yuan had asked the doctor if the child could get a cochlear implant in the future. The doctor said they would only know after examining the baby after birth. Not every hearing-impaired child was suitable for cochlear implants. However, based on Luo Xiaomei’s condition, she could have gotten one when she was young. It was just that cochlear implants weren’t common back then, she was over the age limit, and her family couldn’t afford it.

After consulting with the doctor, Luo Xiaomei and Gao Yuan discussed for two days before making their final decision – they would have this child and raise it well. If the child could get a cochlear implant, that would be best. Then it could hear sounds, learn to speak, and grow up as normally as possible.

Luo Xiaomei never expected that the strongest opposition would come from her brother, Luo Jingyu.

How could Luo Jingyu accept something like this?

Recent events had been haunting him like a nightmare. Wasn’t it all because he was deaf?

He couldn’t understand why his sister would make such a decision, and how could his brother-in-law agree?

His sister was deaf herself! Unable to hear sounds or learn to speak her whole life – hadn’t she suffered enough? Hadn’t she faced enough setbacks to wake up? The cold shoulders and discrimination they’d faced since childhood were countless. Education, employment, making friends, finding partners… there were difficulties and obstacles everywhere. Living in this world was like being a lower-class animal.

He had been called “deaf,” “mute,” “disabled”… been mocked with “aba aba” sounds, been oppressed by Fang Xu for four years, and was now being deliberately framed by him. Among his classmates, some were beaten, some were cheated, some studied very hard but couldn’t find jobs after graduation. There were even more pitiful deaf children whose parents abandoned them, who were tricked into theft, begging, or selling themselves, living lives worse than animals.

When it came to relationships, they could only date other deaf people or disabled people. It was like an unwritten rule – they had no right to be with healthy people.

He had found a healthy, beautiful university student as his girlfriend, and everyone was surprised. The subtext was that he wasn’t worthy!

Because of his inherent inferior genes, his innate inferiority, even a girl who became deaf later in life looked down on him! No matter how hard he tried or struggled, it was useless. Genes couldn’t be changed – he just wasn’t worthy!

Luo Jingyu cried, signing to his sister while making “ah ah” sounds, begging her over and over not to have this child. No, no, no – there were already so many people in this world, why bring a child into it knowing it would be deaf?

Didn’t they understand eugenics? Hadn’t they learned about survival of the fittest? Why continue passing down genes that harmed people like their family’s? Stop harming others! That child didn’t want to be born, it didn’t!

If Gao Yuan hadn’t held Luo Jingyu back, he would have knelt before his sister. He had to convince them – they couldn’t let this child be born! The howls from his throat could only be heard by Gao Yuan. This honest man kept trying to comfort his young brother-in-law but couldn’t calm him down.

Luo Jingyu broke down. All the helplessness, grievances and anger that had built up over these days burst out at Luo Xiaomei. When he couldn’t persuade her, he even started cursing at her in sign language, calling her “selfish” and “cruel,” saying she only cared about becoming a mother without considering the child’s feelings.

He cursed at Gao Yuan too, shouting in sign language, pointing at him, calling him not a real man for letting his wife and child suffer. The child would face discrimination their whole life – this kind of suffering was something Gao Yuan, as a hearing person, could never understand. They should ask him what it was really like, ask him just how much suffering there was!

“Slap.”

Yan Yajuan’s palm struck Luo Jingyu’s face, finally silencing him.

Luo Jingyu looked at his mother. Yan Yajuan was crying too, tear tracks beneath her eyes. She trembled as she signed: [Do you still hate us for giving birth to you? Are you still blaming us? Your father and I love you so much, we’ve always felt guilty towards you. Is this what you really think? That your father and mother are selfish and cruel? That giving birth to you was making you suffer – is this what you’ve always thought?]

Luo Jingyu couldn’t answer.

He looked toward his father. Luo Mingxiong gazed at him with a grief-stricken expression, his guilt-filled eyes also showing a hint of disappointment.

Gao Yuan, leaning on one crutch, pulled Luo Jingyu away and signed to comfort him: [Little Fish, calm down.]

He also tried to comfort his mother-in-law: [Mom, you calm down too. I understand Little Fish’s thoughts. Don’t scold him – he’s just thinking of the child.]

Yan Yajuan responded seriously: [The child is your child. Whether to have it or not is your decision. Whether the child blames you in the future is also your business. We won’t interfere, and Little Fish has even less right to interfere. If he disagrees, he can choose not to have children himself. How can he call Xiaomei selfish and cruel? That’s his own sister!]

Luo Jingyu looked at Luo Xiaomei. She was already crying – who wouldn’t be hurt by such accusations from their brother?

This was indeed a difficult choice. Luo Xiaomei was nineteen weeks pregnant and could already feel the baby moving. At every checkup, the doctor said the baby was developing well, an active and healthy child. It was just that this “health” didn’t include its ears. If not for the genetic test, no one would have known the child was deaf.

The baby was drawing nutrients in her belly, turning and moving – it was her and Gao Yuan’s child, the fruit of their love. At this stage, she really couldn’t make the decision to abort it.

She touched her belly with her left hand while wiping tears with her right, asking herself if she was truly being selfish and cruel, if she would really harm this child.

She had always maintained a peaceful mindset since childhood, never resenting her parents. She had accepted early on that she was part of a vulnerable group, had a positive outlook, many interests and hobbies, and lots of hearing friends. Most of the time, she didn’t feel different from others.

But her brother’s personality was different from hers. Little Fish was more sensitive, didn’t do well in school, and had few friends. She never knew her brother found life so bitter. Luo Xiaomei felt life was joyful! She just couldn’t hear, that’s all – she could still enjoy life, experience love, and live colorfully!

The question now was, would the child in her belly think more like her, or more like Little Fish? Who could know?

Luo Jingyu watched Luo Xiaomei for a while, then turned to look at the others in the living room – his father, mother, brother-in-law. They were all watching him with complex expressions.

Luo Jingyu blinked, another tear falling. His gaze returned to his sister as he signed: [Sis, I’m sorry.]

After lowering his hands, he turned and left his parents’ home.

The subway ride home felt both brief and endless.

Luo Jingyu sat in the carriage lost in thought.

There were several students in the same carriage wearing short-sleeved uniforms and carrying backpacks, around fifteen or sixteen years old. They must have just gone to school to get their books or clean for the new semester.

They were laughing and talking. One boy had earphones on, and a girl tilted her head to say something to him. The boy shyly removed one earphone and put it in the girl’s ear. Then they sat with their heads together, listening and occasionally chatting.

Watching them, Luo Jingyu remembered something from his high school days. Back then, classmates said they could wear earphones when going out, pretending to listen to music so others wouldn’t realize they were deaf. It could help avoid people trying to hand out flyers.

Luo Jingyu had tried it. He really went out wearing earphones, and when he passed a mirror, he stopped to observe himself. White earphone wires coming out of his pocket, earphones in both ears, hands in his pockets – he turned his head this way and that, thinking he looked so cool, just like any other high school boy.

But after just a few days of wearing earphones outside, he was hit by an electric bike from behind.

He fell to the ground, scraping a large patch of skin off his elbow. The man on the bike spoke to him, and he could only read part of his lip movements – something about what song he was listening to while walking, couldn’t he hear the bike coming?

He was afraid the man would discover he actually couldn’t hear anything, so he grabbed his earphones and limped away, not daring to ask for medical compensation.

He was probably the most cowardly deaf person in the world, following traffic rules extremely strictly. Forget electric bikes – he didn’t even dare ride a bicycle, afraid of traffic accidents. Whether he hit someone or got hit, the responsibility would be on him.

His life really was different from normal people’s.

When Luo Jingyu got home, Zhan Xi was eating noodles. Seeing him come in, she signed curiously: [You didn’t eat dinner at your parents’ house?]

Luo Jingyu nodded and went to wash his hands in the bathroom. Zhan Xi slurped up some noodles, noticing Little Fish’s mood seemed off. Something must have happened at his parents’ home.

She ran to the bathroom door to ask him: [Are you hungry? Want me to cook you some noodles?]

Luo Jingyu dried his hands and shook his head, signing back: [No need, I’m not hungry.]

Zhan Xi sat back down at the dining table to eat her noodles. Luo Jingyu walked to the sofa and sat down. Gift ran over and jumped onto his lap. Luo Jingyu stroked its fur, and Gift contentedly lay down.

After finishing her noodles, Zhan Xi washed the bowls and pot, then walked over to sit beside Luo Jingyu, naturally taking his right hand to look at it.

A week had passed. He had been to the hospital to change the bandage. His right hand no longer had thick gauze wrapped around it, just a large patch on the back of his hand. It was much more convenient for doing things.

He said it didn’t hurt, but Zhan Xi knew he was lying. That cut was about four centimeters long – how could it not hurt? It would leave an ugly scar too.

The two of them sat close together, squeezing Gift off the sofa. It meowed in displeasure and wandered over to the cat tree.

Zhan Xi touched the bandage on Luo Jingyu’s hand, muttering, “How will you film videos in the future? When making flowers, we film from above, and the back of your hand will definitely show.”

Luo Jingyu read her lips, his expression darkening. He pulled his hand back and replied: [I won’t make flowers anymore.]

Zhan Xi’s eyes widened suddenly: “Don’t talk nonsense! How could you not make flowers? Things haven’t reached a dead end yet!”

Luo Jingyu asked: [Do you think I can keep going? They don’t believe me.]

Zhan Xi signed back: [Many people believe in you! Shao, Zhu, Ding, my brother, Luo, Pi, and many of your previous customers – they all believe in you!]

Luo Jingyu’s expression was flat: [But we have no evidence.]

Zhan Xi fell silent, then after a while asked: [Did something happen? You’re unhappy? Tell me, don’t keep it to yourself.]

Luo Jingyu’s gaze gradually softened, eventually becoming sorrowful. He looked into Zhan Xi’s eyes, raised his hand to caress her cheek, his fingertips feeling her smooth skin. Zhan Xi remained quiet, waiting for him to “speak.” After who knows how long, Luo Jingyu withdrew his hand and slowly signed:

[Huanhuan, let’s break up.]

Zhan Xi looked at him in disbelief. Luo Jingyu knew she understood, and really didn’t have the courage to sign it a second time. His body trembled slightly as his hands very slowly formed the words in his heart:

[This is between me and Fang. I can’t drag you down anymore. Don’t worry about me anymore, I’ll solve it myself. If I can’t solve it, I’ll stop making pressed flowers and find something else to do. You’re different from me – you’re educated. Go find a job, a job you like. You’ll meet a better man. I’m not that man – I’m inadequate, I can’t make you happy. You’re the best girl, you shouldn’t be with someone like me. Let’s break up. I’ll give you these two months’ salary. Thank you for always helping me, accompanying me. I’m sorry, I can’t walk with you anymore. This has nothing to do with you. Leave early, don’t waste your future.]

He signed so slowly, so clearly and standardly. Zhan Xi understood it all.

She asked: [Are you serious?]

Luo Jingyu nodded, feeling these reasons weren’t enough, and continued: [Your mother doesn’t agree. Your brother said if I can’t resolve things with Fang, your family won’t agree.]

Zhan Xi’s gaze turned cold. She asked again: [What else? Are there other reasons?]

At this point, Luo Jingyu didn’t want to hide anything from her. He signed helplessly: [Also, my sister is pregnant. They did tests – the baby in her belly is deaf. Our family just keeps passing it down, one after another. I won’t have children. If you’re with me, you can’t be a mother. This isn’t fair to you, isn’t fair to any girl. So I won’t get married. I’ll live alone. Huanhuan, let’s break up. I can’t drag you down anymore. I’m not a good man. You’ll live well without me. I hope you live well, I hope you’re happy and joyful, I…]

He couldn’t sign anymore. Tears were already flowing, his body shaking uncontrollably. He bit his lip hard but couldn’t control his voice.

He called her name incoherently, shaking his head, crying uncontrollably. His hands trembled as he signed: [I didn’t plagiarize. I can’t make pressed flowers anymore. I didn’t plagiarize. I don’t know what else I can do. I can’t drag you down anymore. You’ve helped me so much already. I’m a man, but I can’t give you happiness, I…]

When he signed, many gestures required his hands to touch each other. Usually they touched lightly, but now the “pap pap” sounds were loud. He wasn’t controlling his force at all. His right hand was inconvenient with the bandage, but he still signed forcefully, so forcefully that just watching made Zhan Xi feel pain.

Zhan Xi cried too, heartbroken by Little Fish’s premature giving up, yet touched by his honesty and sincerity. He hadn’t used strange excuses to brush her off, like saying “I don’t like you anymore,” “parents don’t agree,” or “I’m tired of this.”

Every word he said came from his heart, just wanting the best for her. He felt his career was hopeless, so their future became uncertain. Better to let her cut her losses early, get out while she could, not stay trapped with him in this mess. The longer she stayed, the more it would hinder her own development.

Zhan Xi understood Luo Jingyu’s thoughts, but couldn’t do such a thing.

People say “husband and wife are like birds in the same forest, flying separately when disaster strikes.” She and Luo Jingyu weren’t married in name or reality, but Zhan Xi could truly feel her feelings for Little Fish, and Little Fish’s feelings for her.

Was liking someone the same as love? Neither of them had said it.

She only knew his kindness to her had long since merged into their everyday life. There were no dramatic plots of breaking up and getting back together, no grand celebrations for holidays or anniversaries. They were just like a long-married couple, spending every day together, working together, living together, never fighting, happy and sweet every day.

Little Fish remembered her tastes, cooking her three meals a day, buying fruits and snacks she liked.

When she had her period, he would make her sweet soup, massage her cold feet.

He never ordered her around, doing whatever he could himself. Knowing she found the litter box smelly, he told her not to worry about it, taking care of all Gift’s needs himself. She only needed to play with the cat.

When out, he would hold her hand tightly, always letting her walk on the inside of the sidewalk. He always asked what she wanted to eat, what she wanted to do. If she asked him back, he wouldn’t just say “whatever,” but would seriously give his suggestions.

When she was sick, he would take care of her meticulously, remembering what foods the doctor said to avoid, remembering when and how much medicine she should take. Even when he was covered in injuries himself, he never complained to her.

He treated all her friends and family with warmth, giving her face in front of them, able to joke around, not making her friends feel he was sensitive or hard to get along with.

She would never forget the day she failed to transfer departments. He came back from Shanghai to find her. The moment she saw him in the dance studio, she felt that finding such a person in this life made her life complete.

He respected her, carefully listened to every word she said, awkwardly giving his own opinions.

He never shot down her ideas, gave her full freedom to express herself. When work required spending money without knowing the results, as long as she wanted to try, he supported it all, just taking care of the expenses.

He often sincerely praised her, as if he had cultivated good fortune in his previous life to have her as his girlfriend in this one.

And now this Luo Jingyu, her Little Fish, was breaking up with her, wanting to end their relationship of just half a year.

Was it really only half a year? Zhan Xi thought tearfully. How could it be only half a year? She clearly felt like she had known Little Fish for so very long.

They had been through so much together, mostly happy, unforgettable moments. Could such a romance be given up just by saying so?

Zhan Xi’s hands pressed down on Luo Jingyu’s hands, stopping him from continuing to “speak.” She said, “I understand what you mean, Little Fish. Now listen to me.”

Luo Jingyu’s eyes were blurred with tears, his nose red, his lips trembling as he made sobbing sounds.

“I won’t break up with you,” Zhan Xi said slowly. “The only condition for me to break up with you is if I don’t like you anymore. But right now, I still like you very much, and I know you like me too.”

Luo Jingyu’s hands were caught by her, and he had no strength to break free. He could only keep shaking his head.

Zhan Xi sniffed and said, “This is just a small setback we’ve encountered in our relationship. It will pass, things will get better. You might think I’m too idealistic, but that’s because I’m still young! If people my age can’t be idealistic, hasn’t this world gone to hell? I will never become someone like Fang Xu, and neither will you. You promised me just days ago that you wouldn’t give up. Are you breaking your promise so quickly?”

Luo Jingyu still stubbornly shook his head, taking a long breath, not caring what sounds he made anymore. Tears kept flowing as he struggled to read Zhan Xi’s lips. Lip reading was mentally taxing, and his mind was in chaos, but he couldn’t bear not to read, afraid each time might be the last time.

Zhan Xi said, “You promised to take me traveling, mountain climbing, promised to make me a set of jewelry that would be mine alone, promised to learn to call my name. You still haven’t learned to say ‘Huanhuan’ – how can you be so stupid?”

Yes, he was stupid, couldn’t even learn to say “Huanhuan.” Luo Jingyu whimpered. If he were smarter, how could Fang Xu have hurt him like this?

Zhan Xi let go of his hands and scratched her head: “I know you ran into something bad at home today, probably about your sister’s pregnancy. We can talk about that later. Marriage doesn’t necessarily mean having children. Little Fish, what we need to solve first is your situation. Xinran helped me set up a meeting with a lawyer. I’m going to see him tomorrow to discuss how we should handle it if we go to court. Originally, I wanted to go through the whole thing with you again today. I always felt that since you drew the initial sketch, there must be some evidence. We can check our phones, look at photos from July. I copied the photos to my computer when I went home in late July, but haven’t had a chance to look at them. Maybe we captured something.”

She paused, looking at Luo Jingyu’s tear-stained face, and wiped his eyes: “Don’t give up so quickly. We haven’t reached the point of despair yet! An upright person fears no crooked shadow. We haven’t done anything wrong – just because someone accuses you of plagiarism doesn’t make it true. Many people believe in you, you need to believe in yourself too. Today, I’ll sleep on the eighth floor. Tomorrow I’ll go see the lawyer, won’t come here for meals. It’s good timing, let’s both cool down, think about this whole thing. Luo Jingyu…”

Zhan Xi called his full name, “You haven’t dragged me down. You saved me, made me realize what I truly want. When I’m with you, I’m not afraid of anything. When you’re with me, don’t be afraid either. We’re both still young – what can’t we get through? Give yourself something to eat, don’t go hungry. I’m heading back now. Go to bed early, don’t overthink things.”

After speaking, Zhan Xi gathered her laptop and a file folder – materials prepared for meeting the lawyer tomorrow. She took her phone and keys and left.

Only Luo Jingyu remained at home, along with one cat. Gift stared at him with big eyes. After Zhan Xi left, it jumped back onto his lap.

He was still sobbing intermittently. He had cried once at home in the afternoon, and now again in the evening, like a child. But he really couldn’t help it.

He both hoped Huanhuan would agree to his breakup request and hoped she wouldn’t.

How contradictory!

But he really couldn’t see their future anymore. He might never be able to make pressed flowers again, and he really couldn’t think of what else he could do. Set up a night market stall like Chen Liang? Or make balloon animals like Yue Qi?

With such a fucked up life, his sister actually wanted her child to experience it all over again. Why?

That night, Zhan Xi returned to the long-empty Room 802, briefly cleaned up, took a shower, and went to bed early. She emptied her mind, thought of nothing, and quickly fell asleep.

Several floors away in Room 1504, Luo Jingyu sat on the floor by the sofa, his back against the wall, constantly looking up at the whale lamp.

Gift had circled around his feet at first, but seeing him motionless for so long, wandered off to play by itself.

Luo Jingyu’s head rested against the wall as he thought about his previous conversations with Zhan Xi, about how they met, saw each other, fell in love. When he remembered funny moments, he would suddenly smile. When recalling warm scenes, he would cover his face with his hands to savor them. When thinking of the difficulties they faced and their arduous future, his eyes would sting uncontrollably.

Zhan Xi’s appearance in his life was an accident.

A congenitally deaf homebody and a healthy, beautiful girl – they were like parallel lines, how could they intersect?

What a wonderful girl she was, bringing him a beautiful dream, letting him know how young hearing people lived. Her kisses, caresses and embraces all enchanted him. Her smile was so bright and beautiful, more vibrant than any flower he had ever made.

Her voice was beautiful too, like a bird singing.

Luo Jingyu raised his right hand, spread his fingers, and moved his palm between his line of sight and the whale lamp. He squinted at the warm yellow light falling through the gaps between his fingers.

The large bandage on the back of his hand was conspicuous. His hand was disfigured – the hand Huanhuan had always liked – had become ugly, just like him as a person, bearing the stigma of “plagiarism.” Would he ever return to his former simple, pure state?

Luo Jingyu laughed softly, his left shoulder bumping the floor lamp pole. The hanging whale lamp swayed gently above his head, like a whale slowly swimming past.

He looked up and signed to it: [Whale, what should I do?]

—

Two days remained until Zhushang’s final deadline. The situation on Weibo was still chaotic. Zhan Xi occasionally checked the comments – things hadn’t turned around, and public opinion was still very unfavorable to Xiyu.

More and more people in the hanfu circle were paying attention to this incident, and Fang Xu’s business was booming. Zhan Xi had checked his Taobao store. After Xiyu posted the clarification on Weibo, Fang Xu’s monthly sales had surged even higher.

Zhan Xi was puzzled – surely this was too many orders? Could Guan Rujie handle it all? Even Luo Jingyu couldn’t fulfill so many orders.

Zhushang had already deleted the two Weibo posts related to “Fish Playing with Lotus,” temporarily playing dead.

Zhan Xi hadn’t spoken up again, nor had she had any private chats with [rrmft0429]. This person kept sending her provocative private messages and posting many Weibos tagging various people, describing their grievances: being plagiarized but no one cared, Zhushang didn’t care, Xiyu didn’t care, Xu Qingyan didn’t care. Only “Little Fish Fish Handmade Pressed Flowers” had comforted them, because they were also victims, being dragged in to take the blame, wronged just like them…

Zhan Xi put all these matters aside and met with the lawyer at a café. Luo Xinran accompanied her. The three of them talked from afternoon until evening, with Zhan Xi growing increasingly discouraged.

She hadn’t contacted Luo Jingyu all day, thinking she shouldn’t pressure him too much, let him adjust on his own. Zhan Xi had confidence in Little Fish – a congenitally deaf man must have endured countless hardships growing up. He must have some resilience to pressure. Just give him some time; she believed he could get through this.

Luo Jingyu hadn’t stayed at home that day – he couldn’t stay still. He went out early in the morning and wandered the streets. Suddenly getting an idea, he took a taxi to a place – the wetland park.

He found the Bridge of Love. Half a year had passed since the Flower Festival, but the tree hung with red string love tokens was still there, as was the stall selling the tokens. Many red strings had faded from wind and sun, while others were still bright, seemingly hung up recently.

Luo Jingyu knew the staff periodically removed some love tokens, but he wanted to try his luck, see if his and Zhan Xi’s token was still there.

He vaguely remembered where they had hung it and searched among the wooden tokens for a while. Suddenly his eyes lit up – he was holding a love token in his hand.

The red string had faded, and the writing on the token was somewhat blurred, but still legible:

Luo Jingyu, with a spouting whale drawing below.

Zhan Xi, with a round egg below, the egg having a smiley face.

A heart between their names.

His and Huanhuan’s love token was still there!

Luo Jingyu held the wooden token in his left hand and took a photo with his phone in his right.

This gave him a small measure of confidence. Call it superstition! Heaven must be telling him that his fate with Huanhuan wasn’t meant to end yet.

He needed this kind of confidence right now.

Leaving the wetland park, Luo Jingyu passed the Children’s Palace on his way back to the city center and had the driver make an temporary stop.

School had started, and only some preschool children were playing in the Children’s Palace. He walked on the empty paths, staring at several stopped amusement rides lost in thought.

If he remembered correctly, this was where he and Huanhuan had their first date after getting together, and where they first held hands in public. She had initiated it, pulling his hand out of his pocket. After that, their fingers were tightly intertwined. He had been so nervous then! Just holding hands made his palms sweat.

Luo Jingyu smiled secretly, suddenly feeling refreshed, and strode away from the Children’s Palace.

Next stop, he went to the convention center.

A furniture expo was being held at the convention center. Luo Jingyu went in for a look around and found the spot where he and Huanhuan had exhibited.

He and Huanhuan had manned their booth here for three days. It turned out that no matter what exhibition it was, this booth location was always this remote. Now a company specializing in office furniture occupied the space, with staff playing games, completely ignoring him.

Luo Jingyu stood at the booth watching for a while, then left.

Fourth stop, he went to a shopping mall.

It was already 4 PM. He hadn’t eaten since breakfast and was starving. He walked into that Thai restaurant – fortunately, their dinner service had already started.

This was where he and Huanhuan had their first date, though they weren’t together yet. But later they both knew they had already secretly liked each other then.

Luo Jingyu was the only customer in the entire restaurant. He sat in the same booth where he and Huanhuan had sat, opened the menu to order, pointing at pictures to tell the server: curry crab, tom yum soup, lemongrass chicken, mango sticky rice…

The server said, “Sir, are you eating alone? That seems like a lot.”

Luo Jingyu smiled at her, shook his head, patted his chest, and gave an “OK” sign. The server realized he was deaf and mute, and didn’t say more, just took his order.

Of course Luo Jingyu couldn’t eat all this food. He finished the tom yum soup and mango sticky rice, had the leftover curry crab and lemongrass chicken packed up, and headed to his next destination – the KTV where he and Huanhuan had gone.

A deaf-mute person wanting to rent a small private room – the KTV front desk staff were all bewildered. But money talks – the server led Luo Jingyu to a small room and asked if he wanted any drinks or snacks. Luo Jingyu thought for a moment, took out his phone to type, and ordered three bottles of beer and a snack platter.

After the server left, Luo Jingyu started studying how to operate the song selection interface. That night he had played with the lighting effects but never selected songs. Now facing the flashy song selection panel, he felt quite lost. His index finger tapped away trying to select songs by pinyin, and after much effort, he finally managed to queue up the song “Whale.”

The beer and snacks were delivered. Luo Jingyu opened a bottle and watched the music video on the big screen, watching the subtitles appear and disappear line by line.

Each character would change from white to blue at different times – was this following the melody or lyrics’ rhythm? Luo Jingyu didn’t understand, but he kept replaying this music video, thinking of how Huanhuan looked when singing, thinking of their clasped hands, thinking of her gentle gaze when she looked at him…

Luo Jingyu’s heart was pounding fast. He raised his hands and signed the lyrics line by line, as if singing along.

—

After saying goodbye to the lawyer and Luo Xinran, Zhan Xi returned alone to Room 802 of Qingque Garden at 9 PM.

She took a shower and climbed into bed with the file folder, taking everything out.

They were all color printouts – [rrmft0429]’s “design drafts,” Little Fish’s drafts from initial to final versions, photos of [rrmft0429]’s finished products, and professional photos of Zhushang Hanfu’s “Fish Playing with Lotus” accessories.

She spread all the pictures on the bed, kneeling beside them to look carefully.

One day before, she had felt confused about something but forgot what it was or why. This bothered her – she felt it was a key point that might open up a new path if she could remember.

What was it?

Zhan Xi’s gaze swept over the color prints, looking at [rrmft0429]’s drafts, then Little Fish’s drafts, then both sides’ final products… after staring stupidly for over ten minutes, she suddenly noticed something odd, her mind going “ding!”

She seemed to… remember what she had been confused about.

It was the little koi fish Little Fish had made with heat-shrink plastic.

Yes! The little koi!

When Little Fish first brought out the little koi before making “Fish Playing with Lotus,” she had felt a sense of déjà vu, like she had seen them before. But that should have been the first time seeing them, so why did she have that feeling? Where had she seen them before?