ATLAS TRANSLATES

In the dimly lit living room, the lights flickered as the terrifying background music had everyone sitting on the sofa tense, with screams stuck in their throats, just a second away from bursting out.

The balcony sliding door was not shut tightly. The wind blew the curtains, letting in a sliver of light that flickered unpredictably, making the atmosphere even more eerie.

Meng Xinglan was easily frightened. In high school when they went to a haunted house, even though there was nothing much, she screamed louder than anyone.

Over the years, there was no change at all. Just watching a horror movie, she would practically throw herself into Ruan Mian’s arms, clinging to her arm. When scary parts came up, she would hide her head in Ruan Mian’s embrace, unconsciously squeezing closer to her side.

On Ruan Mian’s other side sat Chen Yi. With the small sofa space, every time Meng Xinglan leaned over, Ruan Mian was also pushed to the side, her arm pressed against his, only a thin layer of clothing separating them. She could even feel the warmth emanating from his body.

The air was filled with his faint, clean scent. Ruan Mian imperceptibly shifted to the right, having just put some distance between them when Meng Xinglan yelped again and squeezed over, crashing straight into Chen Yi’s arms.

Her head bumped into his chin, not too hard. At such close range, Ruan Mian could even hear the man’s faint, muffled grunt, seemingly rising from deep in his throat.

Tinged with ambiguous undertones.

Ruan Mian’s breath hitched as the string in her mind seemed stretched taut to the limit before snapping with a twang. Heat spread through her inside and out.

In the dim light, the faint sounds of fabric rustling were amplified countless times. Ruan Mian forced herself to calmly sit up straight, back rigid like a bobblehead doll.

Yet where she couldn’t see, Chen Yi had propped his elbow and tilted his head, looking at her for a long time. In the flickering light, he lowered his head and smiled.

After a while, Liang Yiran probably noticed Meng Xinglan moving further and further away. He reached out to grab her arm and pulled her back, saying in a low voice, “Sit properly.”

With that, he draped his arm over her shoulders, circling her in his embrace so Meng Xinglan couldn’t budge, putting some distance between her and Ruan Mian.

The movie gradually reached its climax and the others were engrossed, but Ruan Mian felt somewhat drowsy. She lowered her head and yawned several times.

At first, she could still stay alert and sit properly relying on her rationality. But the later it got, the harder it was to keep up her spirits. Her whole body slowly sank into the sofa as her head rested against the low back cushion, eyelids drooping, half-asleep.

Soon, more drowsiness washed over her. Ruan Mian’s eyelids fluttered for a bit before finally succumbing as she fell asleep.

No one knew how much time had passed. Chen Yi, who hadn’t been watching the movie much, was about to get up for water when his fingertips had just touched the cup on the table. The person who had been sleeping soundly beside him suddenly lost her support and tilted toward where he had been sitting, as if gravitationally pulled.

Before he could react, his body moved on instinct, his hand going to support her head and gently leaning it back.

Then he changed it to his own shoulder.

The sofa was soft and Ruan Mian was sleeping deeply, so the position was rather uncomfortable at this angle. Seeing this, Chen Yi sat lower, adjusting his shoulder to a suitable height for her.

For the remaining half hour or so of the movie, Chen Yi was even less inclined to watch. That slight weight on his shoulder weighed down heavily, filling up his heart.

The movie soon ended. During the credits song, Shen Yu, who had been sprawled limply on a single sofa, sat up and stretched lazily. His eyes inadvertently took in the four people on the long couch and he couldn’t help but swear loudly.

“F*ck.”

He swore under his breath, stomping in slippers as he got up to drink some water. With mischief in mind, he went to the balcony and abruptly drew the curtains wide open.

The living room was suddenly flooded with light, bright sunshine streaming in.

Meng Xinglan was startled by him. Rubbing her eyes, she yelled, “Shen Yu! What the hell! Aren’t you too childish for your age!”

Shen Yu laughed and waved his hand, opening the curtains completely, humming a random, out-of-tune melody.

Beside him, the sleeping Ruan Mian was also awakened by the commotion. She reflexively raised her hand to rub her eyes but unexpectedly grabbed onto something.

Cool yet a little soft.

She was instantly alert. The first thing that met her eyes was the extremely clear lines on the man’s palm, and the small mole on the first knuckle of his middle finger.

Ruan Mian froze, seeming stunned and at a loss. The sensation under her fingertips was especially vivid. They both unconsciously moved their fingertips.

Chen Yi shifted his arm and withdrew his hand. His fingertip brushed past hers, triggering a faint tingling.

He didn’t seem to take it to heart, very naturally getting up with his hands in his pockets as he walked toward the kitchen.

Following that posture, Ruan Mian touched her forehead then put her hand down, her gaze fixed distractedly on a spot.

She didn’t want to overthink but somehow couldn’t help pondering – were his actions and behavior merely casual concern or something else?

Was that ‘something else’ the meaning she had thought about many times yet dared not entertain?

Ruan Mian felt indescribable. It was as if that person she had locked away in the depths of her heart had suddenly, one day, knocked on her door.

Yet Ruan Mian didn’t dare open the door. She didn’t know if he was just passing by and wanted to rest his feet for a bit, or if he truly wanted to move in and become a permanent resident here.

She was a gambler, yet also a cowardly one, eager yet hesitant.

That night, they ate out. En route, Shen Yu mentioned the Japanese food they had yesterday and complained, “If not for Chen Yi insisting, I’d rather just buy some cold dishes downstairs in our complex to eat.”

Sitting in the back, Ruan Mian’s eyelid twitched and she casually asked, “Which Japanese restaurant did you go to?”

“Wanshe, the one at Liangyuan Bridge.”

Shen Yu opened the car window. Cool breeze gusted in, enveloping this dazzling sleepless city.

The food container Chen Yi had brought yesterday had no label. Ruan Mian only felt the taste was familiar but didn’t expect it to be from the same restaurant she went to with He Zechuan before.

She raised her eyes to glance at the driver through the rearview mirror. The man’s expression was normal, his elbow propped on the edge of the window as he drove one-handedly.

The next second, as if noticing something, his gaze turned toward the mirror. Ruan Mian hastily averted her eyes and looked out the window.

Catching her brief panic, the corners of Chen Yi’s lips curved up just barely.

Outside, the buildings stood row upon row as tree shadows flashed by. The vast night could not disturb this city’s dazzling neon.

After dinner, they returned to Chen Yi’s residence. Aside from the study and master bedroom, the house had two other guestrooms.

Meng Xinglan and Liang Yiran had not booked a hotel outside, while Ruan Mian had originally thought of going back to her own place. But she couldn’t resist Meng Xinglan’s coaxing and pestering, so she followed them back.

The five of them sat in the living room playing poker until past ten thirty, when Chen Yi and Shen Yu suddenly received a call from their troop and had to urgently return to base.

The poker game dispersed. Meng Xinglan went to the bedroom to look for a charger while Shen Yu hurried into the bathroom. Liang Yiran said a few words to Chen Yi before following back to the room too.

For a moment, only Ruan Mian and Chen Yi were left in the living room. The atmosphere suddenly quieted considerably.

Chen Yi stood there and drank two mouthfuls of water before walking to the entrance. He opened a drawer in the shoe cabinet and took out a set of keys, removing one.

He came back to the living room and handed Ruan Mian the key. “This is the spare key to the front door. Remember to lock up when you guys leave later.”

“Mm.” Ruan Mian nodded. Then she recalled something. “What about this key?”

“You can hold on to it for now.”

Chen Yi was rather nonchalant. “I’ll get it from you next time I’m back on leave.”

His arrangement was reasonable and Ruan Mian couldn’t find a reason to refuse either, so she nodded in agreement.

On the other side, Shen Yu came out of the bathroom, face still wet. Expressionless, he asked, “Ready to go?”

Chen Yi hummed in affirmation. He bent down to pick up the car keys on the table and instructed, “The rooms are all clean. Sleep wherever, there are unused toiletries in the bathroom too.”

Ruan Mian nodded. “Got it.”

He seemed reluctant to leave, hesitating as if to say something. Shen Yu couldn’t take it. “Alright, can’t you say it on the road?”

Ruan Mian faltered, fist tight around the key, gaze shifting away awkwardly.

Chen Yi breathed an inaudible sigh. “I’m going then.”

“Mm.”

Meng Xinglan and Liang Yiran also came out from the rooms. “Drive safely, let’s meet up again in June.”

Shen Yu waved a hand dismissively. “Go on, have fun.”

The two men left one after the other. Once the door closed, all sounds vanished. Ruan Mian inexplicably felt a sense of loss, but looking at the key in her hand, that feeling of loss seemed to dissipate quite a bit.

That night, Ruan Mian shared a room with Meng Xinglan. After their showers, they lay in bed chatting.

Meng Xinglan looked at her several times, seeming to have held it in for a long time until finally unable to resist. “Mianmian, can I ask you something?”

“What is it?”

“Are you and Chen Yi…”

Meng Xinglan sat up. “I feel like there’s something off about you two.”

That afternoon during the movie, she had inadvertently turned her head and saw Ruan Mian sleeping with her head pillowed on Chen Yi’s shoulder. Yet Chen Yi acted as if it was normal, even lowering his shoulder to accommodate her.

Later when the movie ended and Shen Yu suddenly yanked the curtains open, she also saw Chen Yi raise his hand to block Ruan Mian’s eyes. This kind of subtle gesture could only stem from affection.

At her words, Ruan Mian also slowly sat up.

Seeing her silence with downcast eyes, Meng Xinglan also couldn’t figure it out. “So what’s going on between you two now? Are you together?”

“No.”

Ruan Mian pursed her lips, falling silent for a moment. She wanted to say something yet also didn’t know where to start, only letting out a soft sigh. “I can’t say for sure either.”

Her eyes were filled with such complicated emotions that Meng Xinglan couldn’t bear to ask further. “Alright alright, I won’t ask anymore. Anyway, this is just between you two. But remember, no matter what, I’m always on your side.”

Ruan Mian’s eyes grew hot. She nodded.

Meng Xinglan lay back down again. “I’ll turn off the lights okay?”

“Mm.”

With the lights off, the room became murky and dim. The two of them lay there not speaking. After a long while, Meng Xinglan flipped over to face Ruan Mian, still unable to resist saying, “Mianmian.”

“Hm?”

“If Chen Yi confesses to you, can you delay accepting him a bit?”

Meng Xinglan said rather regretfully, “All these years, I still haven’t seen him make a fool of himself much. Just thinking about it makes me look forward to it.”