Chapter 18 – A chance encounter (Translated by Xing and edited by Souhi)
Tang Xue walked into a room filled with music with music. Even as a casual listener, she could tell that this music was likely played with a guqin[1]. The tune was melodious yet rousing, just like the gushing waters of a riverbed.
The door leading out of the room was not fully shut, and the tune flowed out from there.
Entranced by the music, she subconsciously pushed open the door and walked in.
Facing the door was the large, flat expanse of an ice rink. On the pristine white ice, a figure was dancing.
Ah, no, skating.
Clothed in a plain black training suit, his limbs appeared slender but strong. Following the music’s tempo, he glided on the ice—spinning, jumping and soaring. Every time he landed, the friction of his skates against the ice created a smattering of ice shavings.
Tang Xue had no idea if it was because of the ice skates but his every movement was exceptionally graceful. It was as if he was an inky black butterfly flitting by the stream in the midst of a mountain valley.
Tang Xue was mesmerized by this delightful performance. She couldn’t help but to take a few steps forward and seek a clearer view of the skater’s face.
Suddenly, a voice rang out and halted her. “That student over there, may I know who you’re looking for?”
Tang Xue paused her steps. She saw that there were quite a few people in the ice rink. Some were sitting while some were standing. Some were in ordinary outfits while some were in training suits. If you see this, this translation has been reposted without permission from teafragrance[dot]wordpress[dot]com.
The one who spoke was a long-haired, middle-aged woman wearing a tracksuit. Seeing how Tang Xue did not reply her, she added, “We’re in the middle of training.” Her words implied that Tang Xue should quickly leave if she had no business there.
Tang Xue scratched her head. “Ah s…sorry.”
She averted her gaze and was about to turn and leave.
At this moment, the figure on the ice unexpectedly stopped his routine. Using the leftover momentum, he effortlessly changed directions and glided towards Tang Xue on his skates.
The inky black butterfly flitted nearer and nearer.
Tang Xue was momentarily surprised but immediately followed with a smile. “Why is it you?”
This person was precisely the young guy that she had mistakenly recognized at the eatery. She did not thought that she would see him again so soon.
Against the contrast of his black outfit, his skin was like snow. Having just exercised, there was a healthy red flush on the soft curves of his cheeks. His fringe was soaked with sweat and plastered to his forehead.
Seeing the state of his fringe, Tang Xue had an urge to sweep it back for him.
To Tang Xue’s question, he did not speak and merely smiled.
With this smile, a light dimple appeared on the left side of his face. The overall effect was pretty adorable.
His smile infectiously made Tang Xue giggled as well. After laughing, she was about to speak when someone clamped down on her shoulder.
The force exerted was not light. This action caused her entire shoulder to heavily weigh down.
After clamping down, the hand did not withdraw but instead stayed on her shoulder.
Tang Xue’s face darkened. She turned her head to see Li Yubing’s good looking and punchable face.
Li Yubing’s brows was lightly raised. His striking eyes held an unfathomable trace of an odd amusement. “What are you up to?’
Being questioned by him while her shoulder was firmly in his grasp, Tang Xue was extremely unhappy. “Does it concern you?!” As she spoke, she tried to shake off his hand. However, that rascal was too strong and she was unable to free herself no matter how hard she tried.
“Tang Xue, you’ve grown.” Li Yubing’s tone was also a little odd and seemed to faintly hint at amusement as well. “It’s not enough that you go around stirring trouble—you’re now out to plague little kids in the figure skating team too.”
“Li Yubing, stop your nonsense.”
His hand still on her shoulder, Li Yubing steered Tang Xue towards the door. “Don’t disturb their training.” He looked towards the few people gathered by the ice rink’s side and spoke to one of them, “I’m sorry, Coach Yang, for letting her run amok.”
“It’s fine.” The lady addressed as Coach Yang lightly moved her head.
Tang Xue was pushed along by Li Yubing. She repeatedly tried and failed to shake him off, and felt extremely undignified. When the two of them were about to step out of the place, she heard someone spoke from behind. “I’m not a little kid.”
His voice was similar to his gaze, soft and limpid like the gentle flow of spring water.
Tang Xue twisted her head and tried to reply. However, before she could see him, she was cleanly shoved through the door by Li Yubing. Her field of vision spun. When she righted herself again, there was only the wall in front of her.
“Li Yubing, you scoundrel.” Tang Xue gritted out.
Hearing the insult “scoundrel” come out of a scoundrel’s mouth, Li Yubing inexplicably felt super accomplished. He wasn’t even this excited when he obtained a gold medal in a competition.
The two of them were out of the training ground just like that. Tang Xue suddenly grabbed the wrist of Li Yubing’s hand that was still on her shoulder. She yanked his arm down, thinking of executing a shoulder throw.
She had used this to successfully throw both Liao Zhenyu and her father before. The key was to be fast and catch the other party off guard.
Unfortunately, Li Yubing was neither a homebody[2] nor a middle-aged man. His reaction was quick—the moment Tang Xue touched his wrist, he immediately knew what she was up to. Therefore, he went along with her yank before effortlessly twisting his arm to encircle her neck. The tables were turned and Tang Xue was firmly trapped in his arm instead.Head over to teafragrance[dot]wordpress[dot]com if translator’s notes are missing or if you simply want to read without ads.
Tang Xue was like a prisoner. She felt that her dignity was completely gone at this point. What made it worse was that she was forced to lean into Li Yubing. Her shoulders and back was tightly pressed against his chest. She could distinctively feel the rise and fall of every breath he took. Li Yubing was also very much taller than her. He entirely dominated and enveloped her. In this moment, she was shrouded in his presence.
“What are you trying to do?” Li Yubing laughed. He sounded extremely entertained.
Tang Xue heavily swung her head backwards, hoping to smack his chin with her skull. Li Yubing swiftly raised his other hand and firmly rested it on the top of her head. He even ruffled her hair before letting out another chuckle. Wanting to disgust her, he purposely used an awfully cheesy voice and said, “Naughty.”
Tang Xue’s scalp tingled. She angrily said, “Li Yubing, let me go.”
Li Yubing saw Tang Xue struggling in his arms like a small black bunny that had fallen into a snare—small, frantic and helpless. A surge of mirth bubbled up within him and he smirked. “Beg me.”
Tang Xue clenched her teeth. “Li Yubing, don’t force me to use my ultimate move.”
“Go ahead. I’m curious to see what you’ve got.”
“I’ll repeat myself one more time. Let. Me. Go.”
“Beg me.”
Tang Xue shut her eyes and resolutely took a deep breath. She then suddenly opened her eyes, blindly thrusted her right hand behind, and landed a firm shove between his legs.
Li Yubing’s entire body shuddered. It was as if he was electrocuted and he forcefully sprung back.
Tang Xue finally freed herself from him. She slowly exhaled, hug her arms and turned to face him.
Li Yubing’s face darkened. From the faint traces of veins popping up on his forehead, it could be seen how agitated he was. He stared at Tang Xue and clenched his teeth. “You. Rogue.”
This was a move that dealt 1,000 points damage to the enemy and 800 points damage to herself. However, Tang Xue of course did not expose the stupidity of her own move. She still had a front to maintain. She raised her chin and coolly looked at him. “Yeah, I’m a rogue who just molested you. What can you do to me?”
“What can I do to you? I, I……” Li Yubing seemed to have lost his mind. He narrowed his eyes and smiled sardonically. “I want revenge. Come back here.”
“What do you want?”
“To touch it back.”
“……” Tang Xue saw that things weren’t looking good and ran.
Li Yubing pushed up his sleeves and with a sinister look on his face, chased after her.
Originally translated at teafragrance[dot]wordpress[dot]com. Head there for extra content or to leave feedback and comments on the novel translation.Translator’s Notes:
[1] Qin, more commonly known in modern times as 古琴 (gǔ qín), is a Chinese string instrument that literally translates to “ancient zither”. From ancient times, this instrument has been closely associated with subtly and refinement by Chinese scholars and literati. Guqin players are viewed to be especially refined people of impeccable moral standing.
[2] I originally translated this as “otaku” for its instantly familiar meaning of someone with not much life outside of their particular interest but Souhi felt it wasn’t apt. Google tells me that “homebody” is an informal North American phrase but I’m not sure how common this word is. The original phrase 宅男 (zhái nán) actually refers to someone who is usually holed at home and doesn’t go out much. 宅 (zhái) means residence while 男 (nán) means male. The female equivalent would be 宅女 (zhái nǚ), with 女 (nǚ) meaning female. Unlike otakus, 宅男 and 宅女 don’t need to have an area of interest that they are obsessed over. And unlike a nerd of the most traditional sense, these people usually have normal social skills and aren’t necessarily all introverts. They can simply be people who doesn’t like or can’t be bothered to go out that much. This is sometimes used in a self-deprecating or humorous manner for people to describe themselves.
Chapter 18 – A chance encounter (Translated by Xing and edited by Souhi)
Tang Xue walked into a room filled with music with music. Even as a casual listener, she could tell that this music was likely played with a guqin[1]. The tune was melodious yet rousing, just like the gushing waters of a riverbed.
The door leading out of the room was not fully shut, and the tune flowed out from there.
Entranced by the music, she subconsciously pushed open the door and walked in.
Facing the door was the large, flat expanse of an ice rink. On the pristine white ice, a figure was dancing.
Ah, no, skating.
Clothed in a plain black training suit, his limbs appeared slender but strong. Following the music’s tempo, he glided on the ice—spinning, jumping and soaring. Every time he landed, the friction of his skates against the ice created a smattering of ice shavings.
Tang Xue had no idea if it was because of the ice skates but his every movement was exceptionally graceful. It was as if he was an inky black butterfly flitting by the stream in the midst of a mountain valley.
Tang Xue was mesmerized by this delightful performance. She couldn’t help but to take a few steps forward and seek a clearer view of the skater’s face.
Suddenly, a voice rang out and halted her. “That student over there, may I know who you’re looking for?”
Tang Xue paused her steps. She saw that there were quite a few people in the ice rink. Some were sitting while some were standing. Some were in ordinary outfits while some were in training suits. If you see this, this translation has been reposted without permission from teafragrance[dot]wordpress[dot]com.
The one who spoke was a long-haired, middle-aged woman wearing a tracksuit. Seeing how Tang Xue did not reply her, she added, “We’re in the middle of training.” Her words implied that Tang Xue should quickly leave if she had no business there.
Tang Xue scratched her head. “Ah s…sorry.”
She averted her gaze and was about to turn and leave.
At this moment, the figure on the ice unexpectedly stopped his routine. Using the leftover momentum, he effortlessly changed directions and glided towards Tang Xue on his skates.
The inky black butterfly flitted nearer and nearer.
Tang Xue was momentarily surprised but immediately followed with a smile. “Why is it you?”
This person was precisely the young guy that she had mistakenly recognized at the eatery. She did not thought that she would see him again so soon.
Against the contrast of his black outfit, his skin was like snow. Having just exercised, there was a healthy red flush on the soft curves of his cheeks. His fringe was soaked with sweat and plastered to his forehead.
Seeing the state of his fringe, Tang Xue had an urge to sweep it back for him.
To Tang Xue’s question, he did not speak and merely smiled.
With this smile, a light dimple appeared on the left side of his face. The overall effect was pretty adorable.
His smile infectiously made Tang Xue giggled as well. After laughing, she was about to speak when someone clamped down on her shoulder.
The force exerted was not light. This action caused her entire shoulder to heavily weigh down.
After clamping down, the hand did not withdraw but instead stayed on her shoulder.
Tang Xue’s face darkened. She turned her head to see Li Yubing’s good looking and punchable face.
Li Yubing’s brows was lightly raised. His striking eyes held an unfathomable trace of an odd amusement. “What are you up to?’
Being questioned by him while her shoulder was firmly in his grasp, Tang Xue was extremely unhappy. “Does it concern you?!” As she spoke, she tried to shake off his hand. However, that rascal was too strong and she was unable to free herself no matter how hard she tried.
“Tang Xue, you’ve grown.” Li Yubing’s tone was also a little odd and seemed to faintly hint at amusement as well. “It’s not enough that you go around stirring trouble—you’re now out to plague little kids in the figure skating team too.”
“Li Yubing, stop your nonsense.”
His hand still on her shoulder, Li Yubing steered Tang Xue towards the door. “Don’t disturb their training.” He looked towards the few people gathered by the ice rink’s side and spoke to one of them, “I’m sorry, Coach Yang, for letting her run amok.”
“It’s fine.” The lady addressed as Coach Yang lightly moved her head.
Tang Xue was pushed along by Li Yubing. She repeatedly tried and failed to shake him off, and felt extremely undignified. When the two of them were about to step out of the place, she heard someone spoke from behind. “I’m not a little kid.”
His voice was similar to his gaze, soft and limpid like the gentle flow of spring water.
Tang Xue twisted her head and tried to reply. However, before she could see him, she was cleanly shoved through the door by Li Yubing. Her field of vision spun. When she righted herself again, there was only the wall in front of her.
“Li Yubing, you scoundrel.” Tang Xue gritted out.
Hearing the insult “scoundrel” come out of a scoundrel’s mouth, Li Yubing inexplicably felt super accomplished. He wasn’t even this excited when he obtained a gold medal in a competition.
The two of them were out of the training ground just like that. Tang Xue suddenly grabbed the wrist of Li Yubing’s hand that was still on her shoulder. She yanked his arm down, thinking of executing a shoulder throw.
She had used this to successfully throw both Liao Zhenyu and her father before. The key was to be fast and catch the other party off guard.
Unfortunately, Li Yubing was neither a homebody[2] nor a middle-aged man. His reaction was quick—the moment Tang Xue touched his wrist, he immediately knew what she was up to. Therefore, he went along with her yank before effortlessly twisting his arm to encircle her neck. The tables were turned and Tang Xue was firmly trapped in his arm instead.Head over to teafragrance[dot]wordpress[dot]com if translator’s notes are missing or if you simply want to read without ads.
Tang Xue was like a prisoner. She felt that her dignity was completely gone at this point. What made it worse was that she was forced to lean into Li Yubing. Her shoulders and back was tightly pressed against his chest. She could distinctively feel the rise and fall of every breath he took. Li Yubing was also very much taller than her. He entirely dominated and enveloped her. In this moment, she was shrouded in his presence.
“What are you trying to do?” Li Yubing laughed. He sounded extremely entertained.
Tang Xue heavily swung her head backwards, hoping to smack his chin with her skull. Li Yubing swiftly raised his other hand and firmly rested it on the top of her head. He even ruffled her hair before letting out another chuckle. Wanting to disgust her, he purposely used an awfully cheesy voice and said, “Naughty.”
Tang Xue’s scalp tingled. She angrily said, “Li Yubing, let me go.”
Li Yubing saw Tang Xue struggling in his arms like a small black bunny that had fallen into a snare—small, frantic and helpless. A surge of mirth bubbled up within him and he smirked. “Beg me.”
Tang Xue clenched her teeth. “Li Yubing, don’t force me to use my ultimate move.”
“Go ahead. I’m curious to see what you’ve got.”
“I’ll repeat myself one more time. Let. Me. Go.”
“Beg me.”
Tang Xue shut her eyes and resolutely took a deep breath. She then suddenly opened her eyes, blindly thrusted her right hand behind, and landed a firm shove between his legs.
Li Yubing’s entire body shuddered. It was as if he was electrocuted and he forcefully sprung back.
Tang Xue finally freed herself from him. She slowly exhaled, hug her arms and turned to face him.
Li Yubing’s face darkened. From the faint traces of veins popping up on his forehead, it could be seen how agitated he was. He stared at Tang Xue and clenched his teeth. “You. Rogue.”
This was a move that dealt 1,000 points damage to the enemy and 800 points damage to herself. However, Tang Xue of course did not expose the stupidity of her own move. She still had a front to maintain. She raised her chin and coolly looked at him. “Yeah, I’m a rogue who just molested you. What can you do to me?”
“What can I do to you? I, I……” Li Yubing seemed to have lost his mind. He narrowed his eyes and smiled sardonically. “I want revenge. Come back here.”
“What do you want?”
“To touch it back.”
“……” Tang Xue saw that things weren’t looking good and ran.
Li Yubing pushed up his sleeves and with a sinister look on his face, chased after her.
Originally translated at teafragrance[dot]wordpress[dot]com. Head there for extra content or to leave feedback and comments on the novel translation.Translator’s Notes:
[1] Qin, more commonly known in modern times as 古琴 (gǔ qín), is a Chinese string instrument that literally translates to “ancient zither”. From ancient times, this instrument has been closely associated with subtly and refinement by Chinese scholars and literati. Guqin players are viewed to be especially refined people of impeccable moral standing.
[2] I originally translated this as “otaku” for its instantly familiar meaning of someone with not much life outside of their particular interest but Souhi felt it wasn’t apt. Google tells me that “homebody” is an informal North American phrase but I’m not sure how common this word is. The original phrase 宅男 (zhái nán) actually refers to someone who is usually holed at home and doesn’t go out much. 宅 (zhái) means residence while 男 (nán) means male. The female equivalent would be 宅女 (zhái nǚ), with 女 (nǚ) meaning female. Unlike otakus, 宅男 and 宅女 don’t need to have an area of interest that they are obsessed over. And unlike a nerd of the most traditional sense, these people usually have normal social skills and aren’t necessarily all introverts. They can simply be people who doesn’t like or can’t be bothered to go out that much. This is sometimes used in a self-deprecating or humorous manner for people to describe themselves.
