Translated by: Minodayz & MissBookie
Edited by: yecats, maripaz
Proofread: Librismuse
Li Erqin double-checked the time stamp on Rong Si’s last message and calculated the time difference between them. She was unable to articulate the sense of regret and despondency that slowly crept in when she realised how late it would be over there.
She really wanted to respond back to Rong Si’s text but was afraid that her text would wake him up.
As she was hesitating, she received another text on her phone.
Her heart clenched and she immediately tapped on the screen to view the message.
She was rather disappointed because it was only a text from Ruan Mingxian: [Do you want to go out tomorrow?]
Li Erqin curled her lips as she replied: [I’ll be busy doing assignments tomorrow.]
Ruan Mingxian *persisted: [How about the day after?]
(T/N 契而不舍 qie erbushe – an idiom of chipping or chiseling away on something and not giving up)
Li Erqin: [The day after, and the day after and after, I’ll still be working on my assignments.]
Ruan Mingxian: *[……]
(T/N : *not sure if people actually txt …… Speechlessness! Lol)
After a few minutes of lag, he sent another text: [Are you trying to avoid me?]
Li Erqin was having a drink as she replied: [Why do I need to avoid you?]
Again, after a while, Ruan Mingxian replied: [Who works on their assignments every day during the holidays?]
Li Erqin: [Me.]
Ruan Mingxian was also having a drink of water when he was caught off guard by her text. He choked on his mouthful of water, spraying it all over the screen of his phone, which he then had to quickly mop up using a wad of tissues.
Staring at the inanimate screen, he couldn’t help but smile. Her reply was a single word, but from that one word, he could imagine the expression on her face.
[So] He then continued typing: [When will you give yourself a day off?]
It was some time before Li Erqin finally responded back. Ruan Mingxian had already finished playing a game when she responded: [That will depend on my mood.]
Ruan Mingxian felt helpless. He stared at his phone but couldn’t come up with a comeback. It was like this every time they had a conversation; he always found himself at a loss for words.
From his earpiece, another player called his name repeatedly, “Ah Xian? What are you doing? I’m begging you, can you please tap to accept?”
Ruan Mingxian curled his lips while putting his phone down. “I’m not playing anymore.”
“What?” The other player let out an incredulous sound. “The night’s still young, and the fun has yet to begin!”
Ruan Mingxian moved his mouse to tap on the red [X] at the top right corner, shutting down the gaming programme. Then he announced to the rest of the group, “You guys go ahead and play, I’m going to watch a movie.”
Ruan Mingxian took a quick shower, and afterwards, with his hair still wet, he went and knocked on Ruan Nuonuo’s door.
The door opened almost immediately, and from behind the door Ruan Nuonuo’s big, round eyes peeked out. “What do you want?”
Ruan Mingxian broke out laughing as he asked, “What are you doing so surreptitiously?”
“I’m listening to a radio broadcast!” Ruan Nuonuo quickly swept a glance around the lounge. When she noted the absence of her parents, she relaxed and opened wide her door.
“If you want to listen, just listen!” Ruan Mingxian’s facial expression showed that he could care less. “Anyway, since when have mum and dad ever concerned themselves over such matters?”
Ruan Nuonuo stuck her tongue out. “I just didn’t want to be disturbed.”
Ruan Mingxian stopped in his tracks at the door and asked, “So, did I disturb you?”
Ruan Nuonuo shook her head. “No, no. I was actually rather curious about something! Bro, come over and listen to this.”
“What?”
Ruan Nuonuo climbed back onto her bed and popped the earpiece into Ruan Mingxian’s ears. “Do you recognise this voice?”
Ruan Mingxian had been leaning carelessly against the foot of the bed when he suddenly stood straight up.
That voice …
“Li Erqin?” he asked in surprise.
Ruan Nuonuo took back her earpiece. “I don’t know, I just felt that it sounded like her.”
Ruan Mingxian thought for a moment and then prompted her, “Why don’t you ask…”
“Ask what?”
“Ask Li Erqin.”
Ruan Nuonuo pouted, “I don’t want to, it’s too awkward.”
Ruan Mingxian beseeched, “Just consider it as doing a favor for your brother.”
Ruan Nuonuo: “?”
After a moment, she reacted in surprise. “Bro, you ……”
Ruan Mingxian nodded.
Ruan Nuonuo said, “I didn’t think for a moment that you would like radio broadcasting!”
He was stumped. “No.”
She thought for another moment before asking, “Do you like Li Erqin?”
“Yes.”
Although the person before her was her own brother, she still couldn’t resist striking back at him. “Just give it up. Li Erqin isn’t someone that an average person would be able to attain.”
Ruan Mingxian glared at her.
“Moreover,” Ruan Nuonuo added, “Li Erqin likes Rong Si.”
Silence enveloped the light-coloured room, and the air filled with the sweet scent of Ruan Nuonuo’s potpourri. Ruan Mingxian was standing under the warm glow of the lights, and not a single expression was revealed on his clear face.
He blinked slowly and then suddenly, with an uplift of his mouth, he started laughing. “I know.”
(Minodayz: yup guys, you, me and everyone reading knows that -> think cupid arrow can just clobber their heads/hearts or maybe you can just blurt it out to them.)
(MissBookie: Sebastian, we need to work a little harder my boy! Mino, you can be the cupid!)
Ruan Nuonuo rarely saw her brother displaying such expressions. Stupefied she asked, “Then, you still …… intend to pursue her?
Ruan Mingxian returned to his usual devil-may-care expression. “Of course.”
“You like her that much?’
“I guess so.”
Ruan Nuonuo, not understanding, decided to ask, “How much does ‘I guess so’ mean?”
Ruan Mingxian went over to sit on Ruan Nuonuo’s swivel chair, leisurely moving the chair as he casually and lightheartedly answered, “Well … it’s like even if I get rejected ten times, I would still think of putting more effort in and trying harder the next time.”
(Minodayz: RMX you’re a good lad!!! My heart goes out to you too. I’ve always got a soft spot for you – I could see Ji Soo here in this role…)
Ruan Nuonuo suddenly connected the dots and thought back to her own situation.
Ruan Mingxian sighed, then stood up and lightly touched the top of her head. “Don’t think too much about it; everyone is different. I’m leaving now. Go to sleep early.”
After going back to his room, he took out his phone and sent Li Erqin a text: [Waiting till you’re in a good mood.]
Minodayz : That was a rather strange conversation between RMX and LEQ – it’s like two parallel lines that sadly won’t meet. I do like that he is upfront with his feelings. The antithesis to RS that sets them apart and you could see why LEQ is drawn to RS. I do still like RMX for his part with our pair. Sure hope he’ll stick around more. Now RS, when are you going to return…..
On another note, sadly I didn’t make it up the hot air balloon as the weather wasn’t great and I didn’t have enough time. But I did get to go to Lake Tekapo with Lupin flowers blossoming and such a tranquil environment.
Translated by: Minodayz & MissBookie
Edited by: yecats, maripaz
Proofread: Librismuse
Li Erqin double-checked the time stamp on Rong Si’s last message and calculated the time difference between them. She was unable to articulate the sense of regret and despondency that slowly crept in when she realised how late it would be over there.
She really wanted to respond back to Rong Si’s text but was afraid that her text would wake him up.
As she was hesitating, she received another text on her phone.
Her heart clenched and she immediately tapped on the screen to view the message.
She was rather disappointed because it was only a text from Ruan Mingxian: [Do you want to go out tomorrow?]
Li Erqin curled her lips as she replied: [I’ll be busy doing assignments tomorrow.]
Ruan Mingxian *persisted: [How about the day after?]
(T/N 契而不舍 qie erbushe – an idiom of chipping or chiseling away on something and not giving up)
Li Erqin: [The day after, and the day after and after, I’ll still be working on my assignments.]
Ruan Mingxian: *[……]
(T/N : *not sure if people actually txt …… Speechlessness! Lol)
After a few minutes of lag, he sent another text: [Are you trying to avoid me?]
Li Erqin was having a drink as she replied: [Why do I need to avoid you?]
Again, after a while, Ruan Mingxian replied: [Who works on their assignments every day during the holidays?]
Li Erqin: [Me.]
Ruan Mingxian was also having a drink of water when he was caught off guard by her text. He choked on his mouthful of water, spraying it all over the screen of his phone, which he then had to quickly mop up using a wad of tissues.
Staring at the inanimate screen, he couldn’t help but smile. Her reply was a single word, but from that one word, he could imagine the expression on her face.
[So] He then continued typing: [When will you give yourself a day off?]
It was some time before Li Erqin finally responded back. Ruan Mingxian had already finished playing a game when she responded: [That will depend on my mood.]
Ruan Mingxian felt helpless. He stared at his phone but couldn’t come up with a comeback. It was like this every time they had a conversation; he always found himself at a loss for words.
From his earpiece, another player called his name repeatedly, “Ah Xian? What are you doing? I’m begging you, can you please tap to accept?”
Ruan Mingxian curled his lips while putting his phone down. “I’m not playing anymore.”
“What?” The other player let out an incredulous sound. “The night’s still young, and the fun has yet to begin!”
Ruan Mingxian moved his mouse to tap on the red [X] at the top right corner, shutting down the gaming programme. Then he announced to the rest of the group, “You guys go ahead and play, I’m going to watch a movie.”
Ruan Mingxian took a quick shower, and afterwards, with his hair still wet, he went and knocked on Ruan Nuonuo’s door.
The door opened almost immediately, and from behind the door Ruan Nuonuo’s big, round eyes peeked out. “What do you want?”
Ruan Mingxian broke out laughing as he asked, “What are you doing so surreptitiously?”
“I’m listening to a radio broadcast!” Ruan Nuonuo quickly swept a glance around the lounge. When she noted the absence of her parents, she relaxed and opened wide her door.
“If you want to listen, just listen!” Ruan Mingxian’s facial expression showed that he could care less. “Anyway, since when have mum and dad ever concerned themselves over such matters?”
Ruan Nuonuo stuck her tongue out. “I just didn’t want to be disturbed.”
Ruan Mingxian stopped in his tracks at the door and asked, “So, did I disturb you?”
Ruan Nuonuo shook her head. “No, no. I was actually rather curious about something! Bro, come over and listen to this.”
“What?”
Ruan Nuonuo climbed back onto her bed and popped the earpiece into Ruan Mingxian’s ears. “Do you recognise this voice?”
Ruan Mingxian had been leaning carelessly against the foot of the bed when he suddenly stood straight up.
That voice …
“Li Erqin?” he asked in surprise.
Ruan Nuonuo took back her earpiece. “I don’t know, I just felt that it sounded like her.”
Ruan Mingxian thought for a moment and then prompted her, “Why don’t you ask…”
“Ask what?”
“Ask Li Erqin.”
Ruan Nuonuo pouted, “I don’t want to, it’s too awkward.”
Ruan Mingxian beseeched, “Just consider it as doing a favor for your brother.”
Ruan Nuonuo: “?”
After a moment, she reacted in surprise. “Bro, you ……”
Ruan Mingxian nodded.
Ruan Nuonuo said, “I didn’t think for a moment that you would like radio broadcasting!”
He was stumped. “No.”
She thought for another moment before asking, “Do you like Li Erqin?”
“Yes.”
Although the person before her was her own brother, she still couldn’t resist striking back at him. “Just give it up. Li Erqin isn’t someone that an average person would be able to attain.”
Ruan Mingxian glared at her.
“Moreover,” Ruan Nuonuo added, “Li Erqin likes Rong Si.”
Silence enveloped the light-coloured room, and the air filled with the sweet scent of Ruan Nuonuo’s potpourri. Ruan Mingxian was standing under the warm glow of the lights, and not a single expression was revealed on his clear face.
He blinked slowly and then suddenly, with an uplift of his mouth, he started laughing. “I know.”
(Minodayz: yup guys, you, me and everyone reading knows that -> think cupid arrow can just clobber their heads/hearts or maybe you can just blurt it out to them.)
(MissBookie: Sebastian, we need to work a little harder my boy! Mino, you can be the cupid!)
Ruan Nuonuo rarely saw her brother displaying such expressions. Stupefied she asked, “Then, you still …… intend to pursue her?
Ruan Mingxian returned to his usual devil-may-care expression. “Of course.”
“You like her that much?’
“I guess so.”
Ruan Nuonuo, not understanding, decided to ask, “How much does ‘I guess so’ mean?”
Ruan Mingxian went over to sit on Ruan Nuonuo’s swivel chair, leisurely moving the chair as he casually and lightheartedly answered, “Well … it’s like even if I get rejected ten times, I would still think of putting more effort in and trying harder the next time.”
(Minodayz: RMX you’re a good lad!!! My heart goes out to you too. I’ve always got a soft spot for you – I could see Ji Soo here in this role…)
Ruan Nuonuo suddenly connected the dots and thought back to her own situation.
Ruan Mingxian sighed, then stood up and lightly touched the top of her head. “Don’t think too much about it; everyone is different. I’m leaving now. Go to sleep early.”
After going back to his room, he took out his phone and sent Li Erqin a text: [Waiting till you’re in a good mood.]
Minodayz : That was a rather strange conversation between RMX and LEQ – it’s like two parallel lines that sadly won’t meet. I do like that he is upfront with his feelings. The antithesis to RS that sets them apart and you could see why LEQ is drawn to RS. I do still like RMX for his part with our pair. Sure hope he’ll stick around more. Now RS, when are you going to return…..
On another note, sadly I didn’t make it up the hot air balloon as the weather wasn’t great and I didn’t have enough time. But I did get to go to Lake Tekapo with Lupin flowers blossoming and such a tranquil environment.
