ATLAS TRANSLATES

No matter what she does, right or wrong, she’s always forgiven. Never using reason. You should remember this. Roses have no principles.

“……” “Cough cough cough, Xu… Xingchun, what are you doing? Let go of me!” Fu Xueli’s entire body was delicate and thin, unable to withstand such pinching. Her wrists were slender, and she finally broke free from Xu Xingchun’s grip. Covering her throat, she took a deep breath, which irritated her windpipe and caused her to cough uncontrollably.

The air around them seemed to tremble.

She crouched on the ground, her fingers pressed against the floor. Having accidentally gotten the wind knocked out of her, she now couldn’t control her heartbreaking coughs, as if she might cough up her lungs. Her chest heaved violently with each breath, nearly unable to catch her breath.

Fu Xueli shuddered.

Xu Xingchun’s appearance just now, and his eyes, were truly terrifying.

The hand that pressed against her throat was ice-cold, as if it might tighten at any moment and strangle her in the next second.

She confirmed once again that he was somewhat psychologically disturbed.

No.

Not just somewhat.

Xu Xingchun was an abnormal person.

She panted for a long while, looking up at him once during that time, her heart a mix of emotions. “So you hate me this much now. From now on, let’s go our separate ways. I won’t bother you again.”

If they were going to fall out, so be it. After all, she wasn’t someone who was good at persisting, nor could she cling to someone shamelessly.

Even if she still had some feelings for Xu Xingchun. But to be honest, Fu Xueli was just an ordinary person – greedy, lustful, cherishing life, loving cleanly and able to detach at any time.

For her, feelings were never a necessity, let alone in a situation where the other person hated her so much.

What was there to be stubborn about?

“Let’s not see each other anymore then.” Fu Xueli’s eyes reddened as she bit her lip, enduring the pain. She stood up, supporting herself on her knees, and asked almost word by word, “Are you satisfied now, Xu Xingchun?”

Xu Xingchun remained silent, his expression cold, no different from usual.

He stood still for a long time before speaking.

Thin and upright like a tree branch. His voice was hoarse, with a hint of self-mockery, “Alright.”

After waiting for so long, this was his only response.

He really wanted to stop entangling with her now.

Things were no longer like before, when Xu Xingchun would tolerate and accept everything she did or said unconditionally.

She couldn’t quite describe the feeling, just that her heart felt empty.

“Fine then, you said it yourself. Don’t regret it.” She closed her eyes forcefully, suppressing the frustration in her heart, and turned to walk out after speaking.

After a few steps, when she was almost at the door, tears suddenly streamed down her face. Unwilling to let go, she couldn’t help but look back once more. This time, her gaze couldn’t move away.

Xu Xingchun wasn’t standing in place. He was bent over, moving very slowly, cleaning up the porridge she had finished eating earlier.

In that narrow space, there was no light, only darkness. He hung his head, his movements mechanical, as if he had always been alone.

From the past to the present, he had always been a loner.

—

Giving in once makes the second time much easier.

Fu Xueli leaned against the car window, lost in thought. As she relaxed, her feelings became very complicated. She hadn’t expected herself to soften so quickly.

The speed at which she went back on her words was astonishing.

She had barely walked a few steps before she couldn’t help but return to find him.

When it came to being thick-skinned, Fu Xueli truly admired herself. At her age, one second she was throwing a tantrum about ending their friendship, and the next second she boldly went back.

The moment she stood in front of Xu Xingchun, she really didn’t dare to look at his expression.

Outside, it was already dark. It was time to leave without further delay.

Tang Xin’s calls had been ignored several times. Finally, glancing at her phone one last time, Fu Xueli gathered her spirits. She turned her head towards Xu Xingchun, but her gaze didn’t quite dare to rise.

Even without anything to say, she tried to find something to talk about. “Hey, um, I have to go now. I’m going to Malaysia to film.”

“Mm.”

Once she started, the rest became easier to say.

“I don’t know when I’ll be back.”

“……”

“If you don’t want to see me in the future, we probably won’t meet much anymore.”

“Mm.”

“Although what I said this afternoon was out of anger… do you really hate me that much?”

Xu Xingchun slightly parted his lips, “No.”

“Then have you been blaming me all this time?”

She didn’t know why she felt sad, why she felt wronged. There was still a bit of stubbornness, wanting to start over with Xu Xingchun, yet unable to lower her pride. People are just cheap by nature, naive and greedy, unable to let go of what they can’t have.

Things like cherishing and regret don’t really need anyone to teach you.

One day, after a few stumbles, you naturally learn.

No one can escape it.

With a sour feeling churning in her heart, Fu Xueli finally unbuckled her seatbelt.

After spending nearly a day and night with him, she suddenly felt reluctant to leave.

Opening the car door and stepping out, leaning her whole body out, she heard Xu Xingchun say, “Sorry.”

His voice sounded cold and smooth.

Fu Xueli paused for a moment, then closed the car door behind her.

Hearing the bang of the door, she walked out two steps, as if a bone had been pulled from her body, her strength draining away completely.

She didn’t dare look back, and quickly walked away.

Fu Xueli could only tell herself.

It’s okay.

No need to rush.

It’s okay.

—

Following the address, she found the parking spot Tang Xin had given her in the underground garage.

Peering in, Tang Xin and Xixi were already waiting in the van. Seeing Fu Xueli, Tang Xin’s face darkened, her eyes blazing as she gritted her teeth, “I’ll give you five minutes. I really want to kill you, Fu Xueli. How old are you? Can’t you tell what’s important? Are you trying to worry me to death?”

Fu Xueli didn’t dare delay. She put her phone in her pocket, quickly touched up her makeup, and swiftly changed into her outfit. She put on her mask and hat.

Many reporters who had gotten wind of the news, along with some fans who already knew the schedule, were waiting early at the airport entrance. Due to the popularity of “Breaking Dawn” and the buzz around their on-screen couple, Fu Xueli’s attention had skyrocketed.

Their group was very eye-catching. As soon as they appeared, a large crowd swarmed towards them. It was so crowded that Fu Xueli was surrounded by people, barely able to move forward at an extremely slow pace.

All around were excited screams—

“Can I get your autograph?”

“Wife, I love you so much! Take care of yourself while filming, wuwuwu, look after yourself.”

“Oh my god, did Fu Xueli just look at me?! Ahhhhhhh!”

“Can we take a photo together?”

Xixi protected Fu Xueli, shouting hoarsely, “Everyone, please step back a bit. Watch out for safety, be careful! Don’t get too excited! No photos, no photos.”

Almost squashed like a persimmon, as Fu Xueli struggled to wave to the excited fans, a thought suddenly popped into her head. She looked back.

The crowd was packed, with many people in the airport hall holding up their arms with phones and cameras snapping away.

For a few seconds, Fu Xueli felt that Xu Xingchun might be standing in some corner right now.

Silently watching her leave.

He was always so lonely, and so quiet.

—

In the last half hour before takeoff, bored while waiting on the plane, Fu Xueli idly scrolled through entertainment news on her laptop perched on her knees. Her eyes fixed on the screen, she pondered for a moment, then called her cousin Fu Chenglin.

It took a while for him to answer. For a playboy like Fu Chenglin who spent his days flitting from flower to flower, he was surely indulging in some hedonistic pursuit at this hour.

“Hey, bro.”

“Well, if it isn’t our big star. How come you have time to care about us mere mortals now?”

“Can’t you talk normally?”

Fu Xueli sat up straight and clicked on the latest post she’d found. The title read: “Discussing the standings of post-90s actresses.”

First tier: Fu Xueli, Ming Heqi, Fei Nana, Chen Jianqiu Second tier: xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

User comments: 1: Pretending not to see who they’re trying to hype. 2: Just looking to the future, that’s all. 3: To be honest, Fu Xueli’s acting is like crap among these. She’s just riding on He Lu’s coattails. Even I could act better than her. 4: Ming Heqi isn’t even A-list, her work’s reputation is rock bottom, whether it’s movies, TV dramas or variety shows, she’s D-list. Flopped in Southeast Asia and now she’s self-promoting again. 5: Fu Xueli and Ming Heqi seem to have a history. Anyone got any gossip to share?

What a bunch of messy, annoying stuff.

Fu Xueli snapped her laptop shut and handed it to Xixi. Then she stood up, switched hands to hold her phone steady, and focused on her call. “How’s uncle doing lately?”

“He’s fine.”

“And you?”

Fu Chenglin grew impatient. “I’m fine too.”

“Hmm… so.” Fu Xueli hesitated, then changed the subject. “What have you been up to lately?”

“I’m working, making money, chasing girls, working on my abs. I’m at the gym exercising right now.”

“Those pathetic abs of yours, no matter how much you work out, they’re always the same.” Fu Xueli couldn’t help but tease.

“Hey, you! Don’t you know how to talk?” Fu Chenglin clicked his tongue. “If there’s nothing else, I’m hanging up, okay? My nightlife is busy, please don’t disturb me, alright?”

“Wait, wait!” Fu Xueli looked around, walked to the floor-to-ceiling window, and lowered her voice. “I want to ask you something. No, I mean…”

She changed her wording, her voice growing even softer. “I need your advice.”

“Damn, I knew it. I was wondering why you’d suddenly think of your cheap brother.” Fu Chenglin laughed knowingly, speaking lazily. “What’s up? Spit it out, I’ll teach you.”

Fu Xueli rested her hand on the railing, gazing into the distance. “I’m having some regrets now.”

“About what?”

“I feel like I’ve done something wrong.”

“What thing?”

“Recently… I realized I’ve really wronged someone.”

“Oh, that’s rare. For you to feel guilty, what earth-shattering thing did you do to someone?” Fu Chenglin knew her personality, so he was even more surprised. “Man or woman?”

“Man.”

“There’s still a man you can’t handle?”

“Oh, Xu Xingchun, right?” Fu Chenglin instantly realized, saying his name, then adding another sentence.

Fu Xueli’s scalp tingled. Her heart tightened, and she couldn’t bear to listen anymore. She hung up the phone directly.

High in the sky on the flight to Malaysia, Fu Xueli pulled over a blanket, looking at the night clouds beside her. Gradually, her mind wandered.

Her face was pale, her chest dull and heavy.

Waking up at three in the morning, tossing and turning, she could no longer fall asleep.

Just a few hours ago, as she watched Xu Xingchun cleaning up that bowl of white porridge, she suddenly remembered a scene from many years ago.

It made her unable to take another step forward.

That night she took Xu Xingchun out drinking.

On a cool, windy night, he got drunk and could barely walk straight. On the steps under a streetlight, Xu Xingchun hunched his shoulders, the shoulder blades on his back very thin.

His face was buried in her waist, his delicate black eyebrows furrowed as he mumbled in his sleep, resting on her lap.

Even his drunken confessions were restrained.

He said, “I don’t dare to cry. The more I cry, the more she hits me.”

“When I was little, I only ate plain porridge, no sauce, and couldn’t eat at the table.”

“I couldn’t cry because she said my life was tough.”

She heard Xu Xingchun say softly, “Fu Xueli, I really won’t cry. Don’t leave me.”

Fu Xueli didn’t understand the meaning of these words, she just felt him holding her hand tightly, not letting go.

She smiled in the darkness.

He was so afraid of being abandoned.

—

Xu Xingchun?

Oh…

You mean him?

Hasn’t he already been kneeling before you for a long time?