ATLAS TRANSLATES

It should have been the summer of 2008. On a bored evening, Chen Yi went to the small internet cafe on Pingjiang West Lane.

The August heat in Pingcheng was stuffy and oppressive, carrying lingering heat even in the evening breeze.

After playing some games in the air-conditioned room thick with smoke, he came out and stood on the steps talking with friends. Suddenly hurried footsteps sounded from afar.

The group of guys all turned to look. Chen Yi shifted his gaze from his phone and through the not-too-near-not-too-far distance, saw a girl run over and stop in front of Li Zhi.

Li Zhi was famously good-looking in this area, often having girls come ask for his contact info. He didn’t pay it much mind and looked away.

Later, when he and Li Zhi went back to the shop to grab stuff, he overheard Li Zhi chatting with her, and then kindly showing her the way.

Those fragments in his memory were fragmented and rushed. Chen Yi actually didn’t remember much anymore, and that night was nothing out of the ordinary for him.

Just like the many nights before, forgotten as soon as it passed.

Thinking back now on those overlooked details, Chen Yi finally understood why Ruan Mian had looked so surprised seeing him in the classroom back then.

She clearly still remembered him, remembered that chance encounter that night. It was his indifference that caused her to miss connecting the dots for over ten years.

Over a decade later, sitting in the same lively, noisy streets, as Chen Yi watched Ruan Mian draw near, the surrounding voices seemed to fade away in that moment. The running girl in his memories gradually overlapped with the figure before his eyes.

It was as if time rewound, returning to that summer eleven years ago – the dim alley, the girl running towards the light.

Just like now, running towards him.

Ruan Mian had left in a hurry. By the time she took the elevator down to the first floor, she kept feeling like she hadn’t locked her door. She turned back after walking just a few steps out of the building.

After taking the elevator up and down again, she wasted quite some time. Only after receiving Chen Yi’s message did she leave her building for the second time.

By the time she got to the estate entrance, she stood there looking for the location and soon received another message from Chen Yi. Looking up ahead, she quickly found the barbecue stand.

The first person Ruan Mian saw was Shen Yu. Only as she drew closer did she see Chen Yi sitting behind, wearing a simple, clean white shirt. His features were as extraordinarily handsome as ever. The different colored lights around outlined several different shadows on him.

Like the lead actors in an old movie, their gazes met at a certain moment before the scene could be set. From off-camera, Shen Yu’s voice ripped the frame open: “You’re here! See if there’s anything else you want, go grab it yourself.”

Ruan Mian shook her head. “It’s fine, anything is good.”

“Can you handle spicy?”

“Yes.”

“Okay, let’s go sit first.”

Shen Yu grabbed a few more bottles of soda from the cooler and the three sat around the table.

In the bright lights of the bustling city, the evening wind blew freely. From a hair salon down the street, music drifted indistinctly, carrying a soothing melody.

Ruan Mian didn’t have much appetite at night. After a few skewers of lamb, she stopped. When they were nearly done eating, Chen Yi stood up. “I’ll go pay and buy a few things. You guys head back to the car and wait for me when you’re done.”

“Got it, go ahead.”

As he spoke, Shen Yu also finished his last skewer. He wiped his mouth with a napkin. “Let’s go, to the car first.”

Carrying her bag, Ruan Mian followed him back. Shen Yu took the back row, laughing: “You take shotgun. I need to nap on the road and it’s better if you chat with Chen Yi to keep him awake.”

Following his arrangement, Ruan Mian got into the front passenger seat. Rolling down the window, she saw Chen Yi go into a convenience store across the road. The transparent glass door didn’t obscure his figure.

After probably a few minutes, he came out carrying a bag of stuff. Right as he neared the car, he stopped to take a call, talking as he walked over.

Ruan Mian lowered her head, looking away.

Chen Yi headed straight this way, stopping not far outside the car, occasionally responding to the call. His gaze fell to the front passenger seat, as if idly looking at something as his mind wandered.

Not daring to meet his eyes, Ruan Mian pretended to calmly take out her phone from her bag and randomly opened an app to scroll through.

Noticing her actions, Chen Yi smiled and shifted his gaze.

The call didn’t last long, just 2-3 minutes. After hanging up, he got into the car and passed Ruan Mian the things in his hand.

She reflexively took them. The squeezed convenience bag crinkled as he handed it over, filled with snacks.

After buckling his seatbelt, Chen Yi set the navigation then seemed to recall something. He glanced at Ruan Mian. “You didn’t bring luggage?”

“No.”

Ruan Mian had spare essentials here to avoid inconvenience – clothes, shoes, etc.

He nodded without further comment.

The black SUV soon departed the area. On the road, cars flowed like water under the dazzling neon city lights, headlights reflecting each other in a sea of lights.

Ruan Mian’s head rested against her seat as she looked out at the high rises.

Shen Yu lay almost reclined in the back seat. The usually chatty man didn’t say a word now, as if mute.

The car was exceptionally silent, only the sounds of the wind rushing in, whistling as it dispelled the stuffy heat and brought hints of coolness.

After getting on the highway, away from the clamor, there were clearly fewer cars on the road. Ruan Mian messaged Fang Ruqing on WeChat that she was coming back tonight.

Unexpectedly, Fang Ruqing immediately video called her the next second. The ring was loud. Ruan Mian got a fright and quickly declined, turning to glance at the back seat.

Noticing her actions, Chen Yi gently said, “It’s fine, take your call. Don’t mind him.”

“Mm.” Ruan Mian mumbled affirmatively. She explained the situation to Fang Ruqing on WeChat and Fang Ruqing quickly voice called instead. Answering it, Ruan Mian turned the call volume down.

Fang Ruqing’s voice instantly became very soft. “What time will you be back? Uncle Zhao and I will go to the airport to pick you up.”

“No need. I’m driving back with friends.”

Ruan Mian looked outside. “You guys sleep early. I’ll just go to Dad’s place when I’m back.”

A few years ago, Fang Ruqing and Zhao Yingwei moved out of Pingjiang West Lane because of Duan Ying. It wasn’t until Duan Ying had a stroke and was paralyzed a few years ago that the family moved back for convenience in caring for her.

The mother and daughter didn’t chat long before Fang Ruqing steered the topic to Ruan Mian finding a boyfriend again. “Remember your promise last time to meet matches after finishing your training? It’s fine you didn’t come back for Qingming or Labour Day, but you can’t get out of it this time no matter what!”

Ruan Mian wasn’t comfortable enough to discuss this in front of Chen Yi yet. She casually evaded: “Mom, I feel carsick. Let’s talk when I’m back.”

“Then sleep for a bit and tell your friend to drive carefully.”

Fang Ruqing suddenly thought of something. “Which friend is it, a guy or girl?”

Ruan Mian was truly vexed now. She hung up after a few sentences.

The car was quiet for a short while. Chen Yi raised her window a little. Ruan Mian heard it and looked over at him.

“Weren’t you carsick?”

Chen Yi didn’t look at her. “Sleep for a bit.”

“No, I lied to my mom. I don’t get carsick.”

Ruan Mian said goodnight to Fang Ruqing on WeChat and put her phone away.

Hearing this, Chen Yi laughed softly. “Why did you lie to Auntie?”

Ruan Mian stuttered for a bit before staring ahead and slowly enunciating, “I actually do get a little carsick.”

Chen Yi smiled leisurely, not probing further.

On the highway, vehicles traveled very fast. Ruan Mian leaned her elbow against the door, tilting her head to rest it. After one or two hours, she gradually felt drowsy.

But remembering Shen Yu’s earlier reminder, she stubbornly resisted sleepiness. She yawned frequently, eyes red and wet.

Chen Yi stroked his brow. “Sleepy?”

“I’m okay, not very.”

Ruan Mian sniffed lightly, her voice tinged with fatigue. “Do you guys always drive back to Pingcheng?”

“Mostly, if we have time then we drive ourselves. If not then we don’t go back.”

Ruan Mian rubbed her temples and casually asked, “When did you guys come to B City? Were you always in B City?”

Chen Yi: “Transferred here two years ago. We were in the southwest before.”

Two years ago.

Ruan Mian silently recited these three words in her heart. For a moment, she strangely felt a hint of indescribable regret. Turns out they had already been so close such a long time ago.

After graduating high school, Ruan Mian lost contact with most of those No. 8 Middle School classmates due to repeating a year. In earlier years she could still hear a little about Chen Yi from Meng Xinglan.

Later as time went on, they each became busy. Occasional contact was just updating each other about their own circumstances, rarely mentioning others.

And the only one who knew the full story, Li Zhi, perhaps not wanting her to linger too long in past memories, had almost never brought up Chen Yi to her.

She could recall it happening only once.

Ruan Mian remembered it was the winter of 2013. During winter break she went back to Xiping Old Street to celebrate New Year’s with family. After New Year’s Eve dinner, with nothing to do, she and Li Zhi went downtown to the pedestrian street to countdown to the new year.

A few minutes before the midnight countdown, Li Zhi took a call, chatting for just a short while. Probably because the surroundings were too noisy, he said to the phone: “I’ll come find you when I’m back.”

After that, he hung up.

He didn’t say who had called, and Ruan Mian didn’t ask. The two of them stood among the crowds watching the city tower, waiting for midnight to arrive.

At the ten second countdown, when it reached the last five seconds, Li Zhi suddenly spoke.

His “Chen Yi is back” blended into the orderly “Five, four, three, two, one” countdown around them, not very clear.

But Ruan Mian still heard it. She pretended not to have heard, and at the tail end of the “one” in the countdown, turned and smiled at him, saying: “Happy New Year.”

Li Zhi looked at her. After a few seconds, he suddenly laughed out loud, tone gentle and serene: “Happy New Year.”

Later on the way back, neither of them brought up that bit before midnight again, as if nothing had happened.

But only Ruan Mian herself knew, upon hearing those words “Chen Yi is back”, how fast her heart raced, her pretended composure nearly cracking.

In the sea of people, she deeply hid her subtle feelings, saying Happy New Year to him in her heart, merely hoping he would have smooth sailing every year.

At 2am, Chen Yi pulled into a highway rest stop to park the car. After parking, Shen Yu sat up from the back seat.

“I’ll drive the rest, you rest. Still have to hustle all day tomorrow.”

Massaging his sore shoulders, he kept his voice very low. “I need to use the bathroom first.”

“Alright, go ahead.”

Chen Yi looked to the side. “Keep it down.”

Shen Yu laughed in exasperation. “I’ll be sleeping, why keep tabs on me? Mind your business, what are you…”

Chen Yi smiled up at him, removing his seatbelt to exit the car. It was misty and chilly outside. He stood by the car watching Shen Yu head to the bathroom.

The other man came back after just a few minutes, holding two cans of instant coffee. No hurry to rush back this late, the two leaned side-by-side against the car hood, leisurely drinking coffee.

When Ruan Mian woke up, still groggy, she was startled seeing the figures standing in front of the car. She was much more awake now.

Undoing her seatbelt, she also got out of the car.

Hearing the movement, the two men turned to look over. Ruan Mian walked forward a couple steps, her voice still husky from just waking up: “I’ll go wash my face.”

Shen Yu: “Go ahead, we’ll wait for you.”

Chen Yi saw her wearing short sleeves. He put down the coffee can and took a jacket from the car to hand her. “Let’s go, I need to wash my hands too.”

Shen Yu: “……”

The restrooms were at the back of the service area lobby. Chen Yi washed his hands at the public sink by the entrance. “You go ahead, I’ll wait out here.”

“Okay.”

Ruan Mian didn’t linger for long, coming back out in less than two minutes. Chen Yi stood to the side, head lowered looking at his phone.

She gave her hands a shake to get rid of the water before quickly walking over. “Done, let’s go.”

“Mm.”

Returning to the car, Shen Yu took over driving duties. Chen Yi sat in the back, while Ruan Mian felt a little hungry and opened a pack of dried mango slices from the pile of snacks, eating a few pieces before asking them: “Do you guys want something to eat too?”

Eyes on the navigation, Shen Yu didn’t even lift his head to say: “I’m not hungry. I ate so many skewers tonight, still stuffed.”

Ruan Mian didn’t bother asking Chen Yi, directly handing the whole pack of snacks to him.

He reached out to take it. Their fingers touched in the instant of exchange, and Ruan Mian reflexively glanced up.

The car interior was unlit, dim. She couldn’t see him clearly, but the warmth of his fingertips came through distinctly.

Ruan Mian quickly withdrew her hand. Shen Yu had finished adjusting the navigation, unaware of what transpired. “Two more hours and we’ll reach Pingcheng.”

Absentmindedly, Ruan Mian gave an “Mm”. She turned to look out the window.

Chen Yi took the pack of snacks and placed it on the vacant seat next to him. Fingers tapping rhythmlessly on his knee, his eyes held a trace of laughter.

For the remainder of the trip, Chen Yi slept in the back seat while Shen Yu chattered on ceaselessly. Ruan Mian occasionally responded, stealing glances at the rearview mirror from time to time.

Chen Yi’s sleeping posture was unlike Shen Yu’s sloppiness. He sat there, leaning back against the seat, long legs crossed, fingers resting on his lower abdomen.

Ruan Mian looked in the rearview mirror for a while, then out the window. The rest of the two hour drive passed in this back and forth manner.

By the time they reached Pingcheng, dawn was about to break. The car stopped at the residential community entrance. Ruan Mian undid her seatbelt, “I’ll head back first then.”

Shen Yu: “Alright, see you later.”

She took a look at the person sitting in the back, then got out of the car. Shen Yu watched her enter the complex before driving off. It was when he was waiting at the second red light that Chen Yi awoke.

Rubbing the back of his neck, his voice was still thick with drowsiness. “When did we get here?”

“Ten minutes ago.”

Shen Yu glanced at him in the rearview mirror. “Seeing you sleep so soundly, I didn’t want to wake you. We’re meeting again later today anyway.”

Chen Yi gave an “Mm”, not asking anything further.

Shen Yu rolled down the window, the cool air coming in. “When do you plan on talking it out with Ruan Mian?”

At this question, Chen Yi glanced out the window. The tall buildings were shrouded in the pre-dawn mist, their outlines blurred.

After a few seconds, he murmured: “Wait a little longer.”