ATLAS TRANSLATES

The school night was very quiet, with few people around. The basketball court was visible in the distance, and someone rode by on a skateboard nearby.

Xu Xingchun held his phone, his steps faltering. He gripped a half-smoked cigarette without taking a drag. It only took a moment for him to snap back to reality from his daze.

Faint white smoke dispersed, like floating ice.

How many years had it been?

When it came to Fu Xueli, he could remember every frame, every moment clearly.

Before she knew him, on a midsummer evening at the entrance of an alley, she wore a thin white sweater and light blue jeans. She slipped and rode her skateboard, whizzing past him. The wind rushed by as she opened her arms, her black curls flying, the golden sunlight pouring through her fingers.

Back then, Fu Xueli probably didn’t know she was already being watched so intently.

Yes, watched.

In his youth, Xu Xingchun watched her as if in a trance.

He couldn’t, and didn’t want to, control it.

His hidden, repressed desire grew like a tree with tightly closed buds, silently stretching upward.

Until he got together with Fu Xueli, these feelings finally found release and exploded after years of waiting, anxiety, despair, and pain.

Over the years, Xu Xingchun became like a puppet, giving his entire soul to her.

He used to willingly let Fu Xueli control him, agreeing to her every request as naturally as breathing.

But the high and mighty Fu Xueli wouldn’t like anyone, let alone Xu Xingchun. The psychologically deformed, obsessive and strange Xu Xingchun.

But he still had to endure. As long as she was willing to stay, no one wanted to be an outsider.

In fact, Xu Xingchun didn’t pretend very well. When he let his guard down, his emotions gradually spiraled out of control, and his cravings made him want more.

So Xu Xingchun, who didn’t know how to play games, still let Fu Xueli notice his feelings for her that had become twisted to the extreme.

Such feelings were wrong from the start, and would lead to a dead end if not careful. So in the end, Xu Xingchun was tricked, and she still had to leave.

However, only a higher level of desire can overcome desire, so there’s no end to a dead end. As long as the heart is cruel enough, anyone can win the game.

He never thought about leaving her, but he still let go.

But letting go doesn’t mean losing.

Although he had waited too long, as long as Fu Xueli was still by his side, there was nothing to be unsatisfied about.

In the darkness, Xu Xingchun stubbed out his cigarette.

Recalling the oppressive past wasn’t a pleasant thing. Because in the days without Fu Xueli, Xu Xingchun relied on something else to keep on living.

But in fact.

He was about to die.

The plane moved too fast, and in a few hours it arrived in Shen City. After a quick shower and change of clothes at home, Xu Xingchun drove to the task force headquarters.

As soon as he entered the office, people gathered around to greet him.

Xu Xingchun casually pulled over a chair and sat down. Xu Tao leaned over, one hand on the desk, pointing at the screen, and got straight to the point, “This drug trafficking gang has many members, is well-organized, and very cunning. And look, Captain Xu.”

His finger pointed here and there, “Several dark and open lines intersect, there are cases within cases. Through negotiations, we learned that a few months ago, a group of people indeed brought back a large batch of goods from Yunnan, leaving traces of activity in the streets of Hongjiang District where we pursued them last time. These people are not locals.”

The mouse scrolled.

Turning back to the previous street surveillance video, focusing on a middle-aged man with his hands in his pockets, Xu Xingchun frowned deeply.

Xu Tao observed his expression, “Is something wrong?”

After a second or two of silence, he said, “It’s nothing.”

The people behind Heaven were still unknown, but one thing was certain – this time information had leaked, and there must be a mole.

This case was like pulling a thread that could unravel everything. Once it was all figured out, there would be a major reshuffle of the higher-ups.

It couldn’t be solved quickly. With the slightest mistake, forget about solving the case – the undercover investigators infiltrating the drug gang could have their identities exposed, with unthinkable consequences.

Xu Tao continued, “We’ve received information that one of these people, a drug dealer nicknamed ‘Little Brother’, will come to scope out the territory after the New Year, planning to make a big drug deal.”

As the two talked in low voices, suddenly someone brought over a cup of coffee. Their conversation stopped, and Xu Xingchun’s gaze shifted to a young man with boyish features, a crew cut, and clear eyes.

But he looked unfamiliar.

The young man scratched his head and said casually, “Captain Xu, hehe, I just made this. Please enjoy!”

He couldn’t hide the excitement in his expression.

Xu Tao, standing nearby, raised his thick eyebrows: “Is there another Captain Xu I can’t see? This is favoritism. Where’s mine?”

The young man said blankly, “I… I forgot.”

After sending the young man away, Xu Xingchun asked, “Who is that?”

Knowing Xu Xingchun basically wouldn’t touch anything others had handled, Xu Tao picked up the coffee and took a sip, saying leisurely, “Him? He’s a passionate intern who just joined the team. He’s read too many slogans at the entrance, always saying things like ‘For the peace and harmony of our country, we put life and death aside, crack down on drug crimes, and write the song of drug prohibition with our lives’.”

Xu Xingchun: “He knows me?”

“Heh.” Xu Tao put down the cup, “A few days ago when the leaders were bragging during a speech, they used your story as an example again. After hearing about your deeds, this young guy really admires you, probably sees you as his idol.”

“What story?”

“You don’t know?” Xu Tao was surprised, “They talked about how you were once targeted with a high bounty by drug dealers in the southwest region while on a mission, and how you outsmarted the drug dealers in various ways-“

“No need to continue.” Xu Xingchun was too lazy to listen further and interrupted, “Let’s talk business.”

Speaking of business, Xu Tao really remembered something, “Oh right, that fat guy we caught at Heaven last time, his family wants to apply for medical parole, saying they’ll pay any amount.”

Xu Xingchun vaguely recalled, “Who?”

“The one you held a gun to the head of, sir.”

He didn’t have much of a reaction, “Does he meet the conditions?”

Xu Tao answered cautiously, “Probably… not.”

“Then don’t approve it.”

“……”

Just then, a leader came over for an inspection. Seeing Xu Xingchun, he waved, “Little Xu, come here.”

Then he was taken to the office.

The leader first asked about the progress of several recent cases, then raised questions about some special situations, and finally inquired about the work efficiency of the task force.

Some questions could be answered, some couldn’t.

Xu Xingchun picked and chose what to reply.

The leader was very satisfied with his answers. He had always liked Xu Xingchun, who didn’t have the typical impatience of young people, but was instead cautious and serious.

The leader smiled and patted his shoulder, “Keep up the good work, young man. You have a bright future ahead.”

When the talk ended, about half an hour later, Xu Xingchun left the office. He took out his phone from his pants pocket. It was already past 10 PM, and he had received several messages from Fu Xueli.

He opened them, bit the knuckle of his left index finger, and stood there looking for a long time.

When he looked up, he found that somehow, several colleagues not too far away were all looking at him with complicated expressions.

Xu Xingchun asked, “What are you looking at?”

The group of people lowered their heads in unison.

“……”

After he went out to the corridor, someone said, “Look at Captain Xu’s… mouth bitten like that, god, doesn’t he realize it himself?”

“Xu Tao just said that Captain Xu had obviously showered, he even smelled a bit fragrant.”

As the New Year approached, things got busier and busier, everyone was worn out, working intensely for ten hours straight. When they had a moment to relax, they rarely had a chance to gossip, and no one wanted to miss out.

Another person whispered, “So reserved men like wild women.”

“Say it again, those who don’t want to see our Captain Xu showing off his love life can leave! I’ll go first, goodbye!”

Holding her phone, she tossed and turned in bed a couple of times.

Fu Xueli felt upset for a while, her mind wandering.

Xu Xingchun shouldn’t be asleep at this hour, right?

That’s not right…

She had just picked up her phone, ready to send another text message, when she received a call from Xu Xingchun.

After silently counting for a few seconds, Fu Xueli answered, “Hello?”

“It’s me.” His voice was a bit low.

“I was about to sleep.” She pretended.

“Okay.”

“…..”

Fu Xueli felt a bit annoyed and emphasized, “I just asked if you regretted it, why didn’t you answer me? Are you unsatisfied with me? Why didn’t you reply to my message for so long?”

“Regret what?” Xu Xingchun asked.

Fu Xueli disliked it most when he pretended not to know, “Regret getting back together with me.”

Xu Xingchun seemed to sigh on the other end.

“I won’t regret it.”

How could he possibly regret it?

Knowing she was deliberately acting coy, Xu Xingchun still willingly played along.

“Hmph, big gorilla, little pervert…” Two minutes later, Fu Xueli happily started calling him names. After the first one came out, the rest followed smoothly, changing several times as if she couldn’t call him enough.

These were nicknames she used to like calling him, and now she was still quite practiced at it.

“Are you a wooden block?” she asked proudly after finishing.

“No.”

“Then why aren’t you saying anything?”

“I like hearing you talk.”

Her lips pressed into a line, “Me too.”

It took a long time before there was a sound from the other end, “I’ll try my best in the future.”

After hanging up the phone, Fu Xueli buried herself in her pillow, thinking about Xu Xingchun for a long time. Suddenly she felt a bit strange…

In just a few short days, she felt that without realizing it, she might like him even more than before.

For the first time, she cared so much about someone’s feelings.

Liking Xu Xingchun so much, she didn’t even feel like Fu Xueli anymore.

The next morning, Auntie Qi came to Fu Xueli’s room several times but couldn’t wake her up.

With nothing to do at home, she enjoyed a leisurely morning. It wasn’t until noon that she got up and went downstairs for lunch.

Fu Xueli wrapped herself in a blanket, curled up on the living room sofa watching TV, occasionally checking her WeChat groups. Auntie Qi was knitting beside her, “Aren’t you going out to play with your friends today?”

She hadn’t slept well last night, tilting her head lazily, she said, “It’s too cold, I don’t want to move.”

She kind of wanted to go back to Shen City, kind of wanted to see Xu Xingchun.

So she couldn’t get excited about anything right now.

It had snowed last night, with a thin layer of snow outside the door. Fu Xueli was watching a variety show she had participated in a few days ago, feeling drowsy, when Song Yifan called directly, “Damn, Fu Xueli, stop playing dead, come out quick!”

“What?” Fu Xueli got annoyed just hearing him speak, “Where?”

The loud voice came from the other end: “Me and Brother Li are in the car outside your house, sis, change your clothes and come out!”

They came in Li Jieyi’s Bentley, a very flashy color, unable to change their flamboyant habits after so many years.

Fu Xueli opened the door and got in the car.

As soon as he saw her, Song Yifan started chattering, “Oh my, look at you, look at you, how come you’re wearing sunglasses, it’s all our fault for not being thoughtful, if we had known earlier we would have brought a pen for you to sign autographs!”

The roads were slippery from the snow today, so the car couldn’t go fast. Fu Xueli took off her scarf and asked, “Where has Jieyi been hanging out lately?”

“Beijing.” Li Jie turned the steering wheel, “Don’t even mention it, it’s all tears.”

Song Yifan comforted him, “Brother Li, you have to be strong, don’t cry, because Beijing, Shanghai, and Guangzhou don’t believe in tears, you know.”

“Fuck your mother, Beijing, Shanghai, Guangzhou my ass, you Lushan wild donkey pussy.”

Song Yifan couldn’t be bothered to argue with him, nodding and saying okay, okay, okay, fine, no problem, we’re cultured, we won’t fight with you.

Fu Xueli laughed again, completely ignoring the dark-skinned guy, and asked Li Jieyi who was driving in front, “Where are we going?”

“To find Xie Ci.”

“Oh…” Fu Xueli asked, “What about Xu You?”

Li Jieyi casually answered, “Xu You is coming too, don’t you know about the class reunion today?”

“……”

Fu Xueli really didn’t know.

Song Yifan got up from his seat and grabbed a bottle of water, “You, how come after so many years, you still can’t forget Xie Ci’s wife?”

On the way, as they chatted, gossiping about interesting things, they eventually talked about Xie Ci and Xu You.

It was quite sad, these two.

What about Xie Ci?

Back in the first year of high school, he said “You just wait” one day, and the next day he led a group of people to fight, covered in bruises but never seen crying, the little tyrant.

He used to strut around everywhere, but in the years after breaking up with Xu You, when we met up for drinks again, he just sat there expressionless.

He got himself drunk, tears falling non-stop, just falling and falling.

In the past, Xie Ci was young and didn’t know better, changing girlfriends like changing clothes, who knows how many young girls’ hearts he broke.

Then later he met Xu You.

Karma’s a bitch.

He was completely done for.