ATLAS TRANSLATES

In late October, Shanghai welcomed its last heatwave before the temperature suddenly dropped. Gray clouds filled the sky, and strong winds blew through the streets. Soon after, heavy rain poured down.

Today was the day Xu Xingchun was discharged from the hospital.

Aunt Qi had bought new bed sheets in advance and took them to the neighborhood laundromat to wash and dry. Knowing Fu Xueli wasn’t used to sleeping on hard beds, she specially ordered a soft mattress and had it delivered.

Just cleaning and tidying up the house took all morning. Looking at the time, it was just past 3 PM.

Aunt Qi figured it was about time for Xu Xingchun to arrive home from the hospital, so she prepared to go to the supermarket to buy groceries.

Fu Xueli was afraid of both wetness and cold, and didn’t want to move at all. She curled up on the couch playing a mobile game, lazily saying, “It’s raining heavily outside, why not just order takeout?”

As she was changing shoes in the entryway before leaving, Aunt Qi said, “Takeout can’t compare to my cooking. Besides, I’m planning to make a pork rib soup for Little Xu today.”

After leaving the complex, the market was a few streets away. The autumn rain was unusually powerful, mixed with wind. Aunt Qi held an umbrella but still got a bit wet. She struggled to carry a large bag of groceries with one hand, standing at the street corner shrugging her shoulders and stamping her feet, preparing to hail a taxi back.

As she looked around, several police cars suddenly stopped in front of her, honking their horns.

Passersby couldn’t help but turn to look.

Aunt Qi was confused, thinking something had happened nearby, and also looked around. The side window of a police car lowered halfway, “Hey, what a coincidence, Auntie! Come on, we’ll give you a ride.”

“I’m holding an umbrella, how could you see me?” Aunt Qi asked, bewildered as she got into the car.

It was her first time riding in a police car, so Aunt Qi felt a bit nervous. She looked around, also feeling oddly prestigious.

Liu Jingbo was driving, with Xu Xingchun in the passenger seat. Xiao Wang next to her chattered away, “This is nothing, Auntie. You should see us when we’re out solving cases. Our eyes are like X-rays, scanning everything. Some suspects change their gender or use makeup, but we can still catch them.”

Aunt Qi found it interesting and deliberately said, “By your logic, am I a suspect then?”

“No, no, no!” Xiao Wang clicked his tongue. “Come on, it’s all thanks to Captain Xu. He spotted you right away.”

Aunt Qi asked, “Are all these cars full of people who came to pick up Little Xu from the hospital? He doesn’t seem to have much stuff, why do you need so many people?”

As the two were talking, Liu Jingbo, keeping his eyes on the road, chimed in, “We’re off duty today, so we all came together. My wife even prepared a big feast at home. Why don’t you put your groceries in the fridge and bring Xu Xingchun to our place for dinner tonight?”

“No need.” Before Aunt Qi could respond, Xu Xingchun had already refused.

Aunt Qi smiled, “You all go ahead and eat. We have someone else at home.”

Xiao Wang was about to ask who it was and suggest bringing them along, but the words caught in his throat as he remembered something, and he swallowed them back.

The cast on Xu Xingchun’s arm had been removed, with white bandages now wrapped around the wound. But his legs were still not very convenient, requiring him to use a crutch.

A particularly burly guy from the team helped Xu Xingchun carry his various belongings to the front door, making several trips. He chatted with Xu Xingchun at the corridor entrance for a bit before leaving. The rest of the group went to Liu Jingbo’s house for dinner, leaving just Xu Xingchun and Aunt Qi.

“Oh my, Little Xu, look at you. Why didn’t you let them help you up?” Aunt Qi asked.

Xu Xingchun shook his head. “No need to trouble them.”

Aunt Qi didn’t know that Xu Xingchun usually avoided all physical contact with people. He had severe germaphobia.

“Xueli, we’re back,” Aunt Qi called out as she unlocked the door.

She called twice, but there was no response or movement in the spacious apartment. Puzzled, she put away the groceries, muttering to herself, “Where did she go off to now?”

In a daze, Fu Xueli vaguely heard someone calling her name. She groggily took off her earphones, propped herself up, and poked her head out from the couch. “…You’re back.”

As soon as she finished speaking, she flopped back down limply.

Aunt Qi took care of putting away all the packages, changed into fresh clothes, and busied herself in the kitchen.

Fu Xueli was in the middle of a deep sleep when she was disturbed, and couldn’t muster any energy. She buried her face in the soft pillow, rolled over, and fell back into a deep slumber.

Last night, she had been recording a show elsewhere before rushing back to Shanghai. She had called a moving company late at night to move some important things from her home to Xu Xingchun’s place. But the security in their complex was very strict, so Fu Xueli had to call Xu Xingchun several times, explaining this and that, before the security guards would let them in. She had barely slept all night, and early this morning she went with Ji Qinqin to film a Christmas special advertisement for the Vigo Sisters series.

Only now did she have a moment to rest. Fu Xueli was so tired, overwhelmed by a deep sense of fatigue. The TV was on, and she could hear occasional clanking sounds from the kitchen, along with faint aromas wafting through.

She remained in a half-asleep state, vaguely sensing a shadow moving back and forth in front of her.

Until Aunt Qi woke her up, “Lili, go call Little Xu out from the room for dinner.”

The wall clock pointed to 7:30.

“Oh.” She stared at her messy hair, yawned, closed her eyes as she put on slippers, and got up to find him.

She pushed open the bedroom door.

She froze for a moment.

Xu Xingchun, with a calm expression, his leg slightly extended, was on the phone.

His fingers were on his shirt, with several buttons at the collar already undone, revealing most of his chest. He looked like he was about to change clothes.

He paused mid-sentence and looked at the person at the door.

They both fell silent simultaneously.

“……”

The person on the other end of the phone, not getting a response for a long time, shouted a few times.

Xu Xingchun removed his earpiece, ending the call.

Fu Xueli had just showered in the afternoon and was wearing cotton pajamas, barefoot. Her throat tightened, but she quickly composed herself. With drooping eyelids, she stepped back a few paces and said, “Xu Xingchun, dinner’s ready.”

Green pepper with sliced pork, sweet and sour eggplant, tomato and egg soup, mapo tofu. A colorful array of red, white, and green dishes caught the eye, with rich and flavorful sauces – fragrant, delicious, and appealing in appearance, aroma, and taste.

Fu Xueli, who had been obediently waiting in her chair, perked up at the smell. She leaned in to sniff, recognizing the familiar scent from her teenage years.

Aunt Qi casually placed the bowls and chopsticks on one side of the dining table, then turned back to the kitchen to continue bringing out dishes. Xu Xingchun wanted to follow and help, but was stopped.

“Xu Xingchun, you’re practically disabled now, so just rest. Sit with me and wait for the food. Don’t make more work for Aunt Qi,” Fu Xueli said, seemingly having completely forgotten the awkward moment earlier. She rested her elbows on the table edge, propping up her chin with both hands, her eyes gleaming as she stared at the delicious food in front of her.

After a while, she suddenly looked up at Xu Xingchun sitting next to her and said, “Xu Xingchun, do you believe I could finish all the dishes on this table with just my hands?”

His gaze met hers. “I don’t believe it.”

So Fu Xueli glared at him righteously, her eyes bright and dark, “If you don’t believe me, why the fuck aren’t you hurrying to pass me a pair of chopsticks?!”

“……..”

Aunt Qi shouted from behind, “Lili, you haven’t grown much taller, but your temper sure has grown a lot. You’re perfectly able-bodied but don’t do anything, and you sit there ordering Little Xu around! Such a lazy bones.”

After a moment, Xu Xingchun pushed the bowls and chopsticks towards her side, saying softly, “It’s fine.”

Fu Xueli was delighted. She rolled up her sleeves, took the chopsticks, and prepared to eat. She also raised her voice to retort, “But the chopsticks and bowls were on his side, it’s more convenient for him.”

She had been so busy lately that she hadn’t had time to eat properly, so she was looking forward to having a good meal now. Fu Xueli wholeheartedly sucked on a piece of rib, eating the meat clean without leaving a bit.

Seeing her wolf down the food, Aunt Qi felt a bit sorry for her and put another piece on her plate. “Eat slowly, there’s plenty. No one’s fighting you for it.”

“No, I can only eat two pieces of ribs or I’ll get fat,” Fu Xueli said without thinking. She turned her head and very naturally picked up that piece of rib and casually tossed it into Xu Xingchun’s bowl.

Xu Xingchun only paused for a moment, glanced at the suddenly appeared rib, and continued eating quietly.

Yielding to her had become instinctive for Xu Xingchun.

Aunt Qi saw this and silently sighed in her heart.

Midway through the meal, Fu Xueli’s old problem surfaced again, and she started to lose her appetite.

“I told you I don’t like cilantro, and I don’t like ginger or garlic either. When I smell these, I really don’t want to eat anymore.”

“I can only eat so little as it is, why add cilantro?”

After becoming a celebrity, Tang Xin had very high requirements for what she ate. She had to strictly control her diet, be disciplined, and couldn’t touch coffee, milk tea, or cake. Plus, Fu Xueli’s palate had long been spoiled to be extremely picky. She thought she could finally indulge herself today and have a good meal, but this was the result.

She was extremely reluctant, almost wanting to throw down her chopsticks on the spot. This picky young lady behavior naturally earned her another scolding from Aunt Qi.

“How can you still be so picky about food at your age, just like when you were little? You’re not sensible at all. Ginger and garlic are for removing fishy smells, of course they need to be added. You’re satisfied with just a little bit and then you stop eating, how can that be? Besides, I prepared all this for Little Xu today, and you’re the pickiest one?”

Xu Xingchun put down his chopsticks. “It’s alright, Aunt Qi. Let’s eat first.”

“What do you mean it’s alright? Little Xu, you can’t always indulge Lili like this, letting her have her way in everything. Getting upset at the slightest dissatisfaction, how will she manage when she starts a family in the future? She’ll be despised by others…”

Except for Aunt Qi, when had Fu Xueli ever been spoken to like this?

But it was Aunt Qi and not Xu Xingchun, so she couldn’t really get angry, and couldn’t act tough. So Fu Xueli could only wrinkle her nose and interrupt, whining like she was throwing a tantrum, “Stop, stop, alright, I know I was wrong. I really do realize my mistake. But Aunt Qi, there are plenty of people who want me, what are you worrying about?”

Her parents had passed away early, and she grew up with her uncle. The Fu family had few extended relatives, not many elders in the family. Aunt Qi had taken care of their daily needs since they were little, so she definitely counted as one.

This was also why Fu Xueli and Fu Chenglin, mischievous as they were and not afraid of anyone high or low, rarely disobeyed Aunt Qi.

The pork rib soup with corn smelled so good. It was a bit hot when Fu Xueli drank it, burning her mouth slightly.

Throughout the meal, although Xu Xingchun didn’t talk much, there was basically no chance for awkward silences at the dinner table. Aunt Qi was very talkative, and Fu Xueli also had plenty to say.

Aunt Qi didn’t stay over that night, leaving just Fu Xueli and Xu Xingchun. When the two of them were alone now, there was still some awkwardness and unnaturalness. Fu Xueli always felt a bit uncomfortable, and after Aunt Qi left, she retreated to her room.

She had already looked around every corner in the afternoon and was quite familiar with the place now.

In the evening, Fu Xueli found her way to the bathroom to shower. Bored afterwards, she lay on the bed applying a face mask and started watching a popular Thai horror movie that Ji Qinqin had sent her.

In the film, supernatural events occurred in a mental hospital, starting with a female patient hanging herself in a room.

Fu Xueli was the type who was too scared to watch horror movies, but once she started, she couldn’t control her curiosity.

She went to the bathroom to rinse off the face mask with warm water. Immediately jumping back into bed, she was scared yet hesitant, watched nervously for an hour and a half, and finally finished the Thai ghost movie.

For the thrill, all the lights in the room had been turned off. It was dark and gloomy outside, with thunder and lightning, rumbling loudly, occasionally flashing a bright light. The wind seemed to be beating against the windows.

Fu Xueli felt cold sweat breaking out on her neck.

After closing her eyes, the terrifying face of the female ghost’s final, piercing scream became clearer and clearer in her mind after a few seconds.

Clearer and clearer….

In an unfamiliar environment, Fu Xueli always felt like there was a pair of eyes staring at her in the darkness, making her increasingly terrified.

It was really so scary.

Suddenly she remembered that Xu Xingchun was a forensic doctor.

He often had to deal with corpses……

Surely he wouldn’t keep any bodies or such things in his home, right?!

Thinking of this, she shuddered violently.

Tossing and turning in bed, she really couldn’t sleep. Fu Xueli’s mind kept replaying scenes from the movie, her imagination running wild, almost scaring herself to death.

As it was approaching midnight, Fu Xueli finally couldn’t bear it anymore. She simply threw off the covers and tiptoed out of bed.

In the 24 hours of a day, what she feared most was midnight.

Because she had heard before that midnight was when ghosts were most likely to appear.

Her heart pounding wildly in her chest, sweat breaking out behind her ears, Fu Xueli hurriedly crossed the empty living room, running at full speed towards Xu Xingchun’s room at the other end.

Without a word, not even knocking, she directly pushed open his door.

Only the bedside lamp was on in the room, casting a soft light. Fu Xueli almost tripped, her mind clearing quite a bit.

She approached quietly.

Xu Xingchun was lying on the bed, his back to her. With his right shoulder injured, he could only lie on his side.

“Xu Xingchun?” she called out cautiously. “Are you asleep?”

She slowly, slowly walked around to face him, gazing for a long while.

He appeared to be sound asleep.

She found she quite liked how Xu Xingchun looked when sleeping like this. He seemed so obedient, his face half-buried in the pillow, brows furrowed even in his dreams. Not like when he was awake, always seeming overly proper, with an impenetrable silence.

After a few seconds, Fu Xueli knelt on one leg at the edge of the bed and went to push Xu Xingchun’s face. “Hey, wake up.”

The skin under her hand felt unbelievably soft and smooth.

Fu Xueli paused, unable to control the urge to pinch his cheek.

How could Xu Xingchun’s skin be even better than a woman’s?…

After a few more seconds, his eyelashes fluttered slightly.

Fu Xueli maintained her position, staring at him intently.

His face was blurred in the dim light. She rarely looked at him so closely.

Xu Xingchun had no particular scent, just clean.

His features, every part of them, were really just right. Not overly prominent, but when combined, very handsome.

A straight nose, thin and soft lips, a bit soft, a bit red.

Xu Xingchun didn’t say anything for a long time, briefly in a daze. His eyelids opened slightly, half-closed, seeming a bit confused.

Maybe he hadn’t yet realized where and when he was. Her face reflected in his slightly raised eyes, with a rarely seen, seemingly very gentle feeling. His gaze wasn’t as indifferent as usual.

Fu Xueli coughed once, brazenly pretending it wasn’t her who had forcibly woken Xu Xingchun.

She said casually, “Xu Xingchun, I want to ask you a question.”

He seemed about to get up, his voice tired and extremely hoarse, “…What?”

Fu Xueli moved back a bit, sitting on the edge of the bed, and asked very seriously, “Do you think there are ghosts in this world?”

“……”

She asked again, “Xu Xingchun, are there ghosts in this world?”

In the past, when Fu Xueli was alone at home and scared as a child, she liked to call Xu Xingchun to ask such questions. He always patiently told her over and over that there were no ghosts.

There are no ghosts in this world.

As long as she heard him say it, she was especially convinced.

Xu Xingchun’s upper body leaned against the headboard, not moving. He looked at her quietly, “Ghosts are just a term. It’s possible that some kind of substance exists.”

“That’s not right, you didn’t say it like that before,” Fu Xueli said, a bit angry. She pounded the bed once, clearly unsatisfied with his answer.

He wasn’t fully awake, his voice still low, even hoarser than before. “What did I say?”

“You told me, what is this world?” She was semi-illiterate, never studying properly since childhood, only knowing how to play. Now that he asked, she really couldn’t remember, only having a vague impression. “You said this world is materialist? Or something… I forgot.”

Not hearing him speak, Xu Xingchun still looked at her intently. His finger lifted slightly, touching her earlobe.

Fu Xueli froze, feeling a sensation of dry mouth.

This gesture… This… seemed a bit off…

He leaned against the bed, and after a moment, said in a low voice, “Materialism acknowledges that the essence of the world is matter. In the world, matter came first, then consciousness. Matter determines consciousness, and consciousness is a reflection of matter.”

Going round and round, it made Fu Xueli a bit confused. She reached out to pull his blanket, still not giving up. She leaned in, “Wait, tell me again, are there ghosts in this world? There aren’t, right? Those things are all made up, right?”

Xu Xingchun was silent. His whole person was quiet.

She felt his eyes seemed to hold something else, but when she looked up carefully, there was nothing, as if it had just been her imagination.

He made a sound of agreement.

“No!” Fu Xueli hadn’t noticed that her upper body was already pressing on him, her bare calves and ankles hanging in the air. She asked in a small voice, “Can you tell me yourself, please?”

After a long while, his lips moved slightly, “There are no ghosts in this world.”

Xu Xingchun’s low, calm voice was especially deep in the quiet of the night.

The bedroom immediately echoed with her follow-up question, “Really none?”

“Mm, none.”

Back in her room, Fu Xueli lay in bed, tossing and turning. Although she wasn’t very scared anymore, strangely, she didn’t feel sleepy at all now.

After a long time, she rustled about putting on her slippers again, turned the doorknob, and following the same route as before, pushed open the door to Xu Xingchun’s room again.

He wasn’t there.

Fu Xueli let go of the doorknob and took a few steps in. She found the room empty.

Looking around, she finally noticed a faint red light on the dark balcony, flickering on and off.

She felt a bit guilty, not daring to walk over, just standing in place and calling out, “Xu Xingchun?”

In the dim light coming from the room, she saw Xu Xingchun with a cigarette between his lips, a glowing red point.

He was smoking again.

Why was he smoking at this time?

Was it because he had something troubling him?

Or because he was lonely?

Turning back to see her, Xu Xingchun took the cigarette away and stubbed it out. The night wind rustled. His messy hair was slightly damp from the misty rain.

Fu Xueli gradually hesitated, confused for a few seconds. Feeling a bit uneasy, she started to speak but stopped, “Did I disturb you and keep you from sleeping?”

“Why aren’t you asleep yet?” he asked.

“I can’t sleep.”

From a distance, Fu Xueli looked up at him, “Are you in a bad mood again because of me?”

Xu Xingchun wore a black short-sleeved shirt, slightly wet. His legs were still not very convenient. He tossed the lighter on the table and said casually, “It’s not that.”

The lighter made a light clinking sound as it hit the table. Fu Xueli said “Oh,” then asked, “Then why?”

Xu Xingchun looked at her, “I’m a bit hungry, so I can’t sleep.”

Fu Xueli immediately showed a clever and innocent smile, “Then I’ll make you some noodles. You really can eat a lot, still hungry after eating so much for dinner.”

As it turned out, Fu Xueli might really not be suited for the kitchen.

She had no ability to take care of herself at all.

She turned on the gas stove and waited a while for the water in the pot to boil, bubbling away. Fu Xueli started to consider how many noodles to throw in, but the water was already overflowing. She hurried to turn down the heat. Then, going by feel, she tossed in a handful of noodles, then frantically remembered she hadn’t added seasoning.

She didn’t know how to season it, so she took out her phone to search. Following the recipe, a little vinegar, a little salt, a little MSG.

Working up a sweat, after all the fuss, she finally managed to produce a bowl of noodles that looked somewhat presentable. Fu Xueli used both hands to lift the porcelain bowl, but as soon as she touched it, she almost flung it away!

Damn. She nearly cried out, quickly putting it down and pinching her earlobes. So hot, so hot.

Wrapping the bottom of the bowl with a wet, cold towel, Fu Xueli inched her way to the dining area.

As soon as Xu Xingchun took his first bite.

“Is it good?” she asked eagerly. A bit expectant, also nervous, and a bit embarrassed.

“Mm.”

“Then eat more!” Fu Xueli was happy.

It was quiet for a moment. After a while, Xu Xingchun said softly, “You go to sleep first.”

“No way!” Fu Xueli, wearing an apron, was quite pleased with herself now, basking in the joy of being capable of housework. “I’ll wait for you to finish, I want to wash the bowl.”

“……”

Xu Xingchun stopped, sweat beading on the tip of his nose, his face not showing much obvious emotion. He took a bite of noodles, chewed slowly, then swallowed.

Watching Xu Xingchun eat silently, Fu Xueli leaned nearby, her mind wandering to odd thoughts.

He ate her noodles, which means she had already compensated him.

She had to remember this silently.

When it reached 100, she wouldn’t owe Xu Xingchun anymore.

“What happened to your hand?”

Fu Xueli was lost in thought when Xu Xingchun suddenly caught her right hand, looking very serious.

She followed his gaze and looked down — she hadn’t paid much attention, but where she had been scalded earlier, a small, clear blister had now formed.

Fu Xueli suddenly felt a bit nervous and tried to pull her hand back, “It’s nothing.”

She couldn’t pull it away.

Only then did she realize that Xu Xingchun’s expression had already turned cold. She couldn’t tell if he was angry or not. It just inexplicably made one’s heart sink.

He gripped her wrist and went straight to the kitchen. He turned on the faucet and put her hand under the running water in the sink.

The whole series of actions was silent and forceful. This kind of coldness was a rarely experienced forcefulness and sense of oppression from him, mysteriously producing a feeling of fear.

The cold water flowed continuously from her fingertips.

Fu Xueli leaned against the counter, lost in thought for a moment.

Xu Xingchun’s eyes were fixed on her.

When he leaned over, it was silent and unnoticeable.

Fu Xueli was suddenly pulled forward. Then only one hand, not too forcefully, tightened around her back. It was a gentle force, and she stiffened for a moment, but didn’t struggle at all.

This was their first hug after a very, very long time.

But the time seemed a bit long, already exceeding the necessary range.

Her mind went blank for a brief moment.

Xu Xingchun seemed to be… already slightly, uncontrollably trembling.

She struggled to turn her face aside a bit, pursed her lips, and opened her mouth slightly. She raised her hand, bit by bit, then lowered it, raised it again, and then hugged his waist.