Minodayz : I"m so grateful to our awesome team. I am still on the road and they have stepped in to help make sure your MG story goes on!!! Thanks you awesome guys!!! OK, the game continues and I am seriously wondering if they would complete the game.
I would have expected RS to want to complete the game or possibly LEQ. Hmmm… I still think it"s interesting that they have added 2 others to the game.
Chapter 36
Translated by Minodayz, Miss Bookie
Edited by maripaz
Proofread by Librismuse
The light inside the warehouse was rather dim, and the view outside the warehouse was a projected scene of a cloudy day. The warehouse was lit by a few dimmed oil lamps, which made it rather challenging to search for things.
When Rong Si had entered the building, he had deposited his jacket in a locker. All he had on now was an oversized, black wool jersey, and his slim collarbone peeked out from the loose neckline.
Li Erqin didn"t look up any further.
She didn"t dare to.
Rong Si smiled as he asked, "Are you taking a break?"
Li Erqin nodded. "I"m a little tired."
He sat down beside her. Suddenly Li Erqin caught a whiff of a clean and fresh scent. Previously, the smell of the newly renovated rooms and the smell of the various props had been rather overwhelming to her sense of smell. However, this new scent was like a lifeline for Li Erqin.
Li Erqin turned to ask, "What a nice fragrance. Did you put on some cologne?"
Rong Si was once again thrown off by her question. "… no."
She drew closer and sniffed (moved her nose around). "But it sure smells nice."
Rong Si was discomfited. "It"s probably the smell of the laundry detergent."
(Minodayz: just sniff away LEQ, just a little closer … closer…)
"OH." To Li Erqin, whatever Rong Si said was synonymous to the truth, so she believed and accepted this without any reservation.
Both of them zoned out for a moment, and then Rong Si looked at his watch and said, "We have half an hour to go."
Li Erqin nonchalantly replied, "Ok."
"Looks like we won"t be able to find the exit."
Li Erqin agreed. "There"s definitely no way we will be able to find the exit."
Rong Si said, "I thought you really wanted to find the way out."
Li Erqin adorably wrinkled her nose as she said, "Well, we came to play, so as long as we have fun and are happy, that"ll do."
Rong Si laughed softly, "Yes, that"s so true."
Footsteps could be heard drawing near and before long Su Zi"s head appeared from behind the door. The heating inside was not that strong, but Su Zi"s head was covered in sweat. When she saw Li Erqin and Rong Si sitting next to each other, she didn"t even bat an eyelid. "Did you guys find any more clues?"
Li Erqin said, "Working hard to look for them."
Su Zi nodded. "Fighting! Only half an hour left."
Li Erqin said, "Alright!"
Su Zi gave them a smile and then muttered to herself as she walked off, "I can"t believe I can"t find the exit to this broken down place."
Shortly after Su Zi had left, Peng Zige came running in panting and plonked his bottom down across from Rong Si. "I am so tired."
Li Erqin asked, "Would you like a drink of water?"
Peng Zige was so moved that his eyes turned green, and he asked, "Do you have a stash of water?"
The game rules had clearly stated that no food or beverages were allowed on the game premises.
Li Erqin shook her head.
"Then why did you ask if I wanted a drink? You had to go raise my hopes up."
Li Erqin explained, "Don"t you think that it"s kind of illogical not to have any vending machines or food carts?"
Peng Zige had been dragged here and there by Su Zi looking for clues. He was so tired that he felt like his body was ready to fall apart from exhaustion, and here was Li Erqin, ready to tire him out mentally.
Peng Zige rolled his eyes. "I think your existence is what"s most illogical."
"Oh."
Li Erqin shut her mouth.
As antic.i.p.ated, they did not find the exit in the end. Afterall, although six had gone in, three of them were goofing off. Su Zi was so tired when she came out that she didn"t want to say anything. To make matters worse, the staff had informed her that they only completed 30% of the puzzles.
"30%!" Su Zi sat down in the dessert shop, annoyed and fuming as she raised three fingers for emphasis. "We are all battered, bruised and worn out and they tell us that we only completed 30%? Who would ever complete the game? What"s the purpose of creating this game anyway?"
Rong Si and Li Erqin sipped their drinks while looking at the ceiling.
The other two boys were utterly stunned speechless.
Their image of their perfect first crush Su Zi was that of a soft, frail and delicate girl, someone genteel and cute.
The one who had earlier clambered onto their shoulders to climb up to the roofbeam seriously can"t be her.
This person sitting before them now who was sprouting *righteous indignation was also definitely not her.
(T/N: 义愤填膺 yifentianying – to well up with righteous indignation.)
After they had had their rest at the dessert shop, the group *parted ways, each to their own homes. Everyone had noticed that Rong Si was fighting hard to keep up with their conversation, so when Li Erqin had suggested that they head home, no one offered up any resistance.
(T/N :分道扬镳 fendaoyangbiao an idiom that means to urge their horses and go their various ways.)
Li Erqin arrived home before dinner. Li Zhengwen was in the lounge reading the newspaper and was surprised by her early return. "You"re home so early?"
Li Erqin removed her shoes, placed Rong Si"s gifts on the table, and then left to wash her hands.
(Minodayz: this sentence here just seem out of place and random. I mean, remove shoes make sense, put gifts on table – then wash hands? – maybe it"s word count! lol)
When she returned, she found her dad eating her sweets.
"…….DAD."
Li Zhengwen, who was caught red handed, *sheepishly smiled, "It was the lovely packaging. I thought that you had bought your dad a gift."
(T/N : 厚着脸皮笑 houzhelianpixiao – literal thick skin face laugh. )
Li Erqin silently stared at him.
Li Zhengwen smiled brightly. "Even I didn"t believe that!"
(MInodayz: LOL ! I do love dad – LEQ senior! lol)
Li Erqin walked over, opened the package and chose a purple sweet. "It"s blueberry flavor. It"s the flavor you like best."
Li Zhengwen felt so proud that he patted the back of her head.
Li Erqin rubbed the back of her head. "I heard somewhere that slapping the back of one"s head can make them stupid."
Li Zhengwen denied it. "What rubbish! Who told you that?"
Li Erqin retorted, "Your colleague, Auntie Hu."
Li Zhengwen *lamented, "Day in and day out, Auntie Hu just keeps **spouting nonsensical misguided facts."
(T/N 痛心疾首 tongxinjishou: idiom ~ to be bitter and resentful. In this case to lament and begrudge **妖言惑众 yaoyanhuozong: idiom ~ to mislead the ma.s.ses with rumors and misconstrued facts.)
Li Erqin broke into a smile. "I’ll be sure to relay what you just said to Auntie Hu."
Xu Yunshu knew that Li Erqin had returned so she had gone into the kitchen to cut up some fruit. As she was bringing out the fruit platter, she caught sight of the helpless look on her husband"s face. He was in a predicament. She admonished, "Erqin, don"t *tease your dad."
(T/N: the word used was bully, but here it"s used jokingly.)
Li Zhengwen was stupefied.
Glancing at the candy box on the table, Xu Yunshu had speared an orange slice with a toothpick and handed it to Li Erqin. She asked, "Who sent you the gift?"
"Thank you." Li Erqin stuffed the entire slice into her mouth. "A cla.s.smate bought this for me."
Xu Yunshu looked at the box once more before asking, "Which cla.s.smate?"
Li Erqin found this odd. Both Li Zhengwen and Xu Yunshu rarely concerned themselves with her personal affairs. Now the two of them were facing her with a bit of an *interrogatory air. It left her feeling a bit wary. "What"s wrong with the candies?"
(T/N: author described her parents as sniffing around for "enemy intel")
Li Zhengwen and Xu Yunshu shared a glance, and then Li Zhengwen laughed. "It tastes great."
Li Erqin kept eating more fruit. Her mouth was full as she said, "The cla.s.smate who"s been tutoring me in physics gave it to me. He had recently went on vacation." She paused for a bit before adding, "I"m not the only one who received a gift. Everyone in our group received one too."
Li Zhengwen and Xu Yunshu very obviously looked around the room, feigning nonchalance. "Oh. Well, the fact that you get along so well with your cla.s.smates is very good!"
Li Erqin laughed. "Anything else you want to ask?"
Li Zhengwen asked, "Can dad have a few more sweets?"
Li Erqin replied, "Of course."
Xu Yunshu interrupted her with a "No".
At the end, Li Zhengwen failed to eat his third piece of candy. In consideration of his health, Xu Yunshu always made sure that he kept his intake of sugary foods to a minimum.
Just as Li Erqin was collecting her gift to take back to her room, Li Zhengwen suddenly stopped her.
"What is it?"
Li Zhengwen quoted a name and then added, "It"s not the candy that"s important here, but the candy box. After going to your room, go online and look up the information on the candy company."
Li Erqin stared at him blankly.
Li Zhengwen laughed. "I was afraid you wouldn"t notice and would miss the significance of your gift. That"s why I brought it up. That cla.s.smate of yours is very thoughtful with his gift-giving."
Li Erqin lowered her head and touched the metal candy tin in her bag. "Thank you, dad."
"Go on now." Li Zhengwen picked up the newspaper for another read. "And don"t forget to thank your cla.s.smate for the gift."
"I won"t."
(Lit: "I know.")
Li Erqin returned to her room and took out the small music box. It was made from brilliant, clear crystal and was smaller than the palm of her hand. Every corner and facet refracted light and gave off a brilliant sparkle.
After opening the transparent lid, the structure inside became even more clear.
From the music box came a melodious stream of music, and Li Erqin recognized the song after hearing only the first three notes.
It was the song that they had sung together at the New Year"s Festival.
A small, silver axle was spinning slowly in the transparent box. Minute protrusions would gently strike the steel and a different note would ring out. Together, the mechanics gave rise to a perfect melody.
Li Erqin"s heart melted.
She took out her cellphone, ready to send Rong Si a text. There was so much she wanted to say, but the one question she wanted to ask the most was this: Am I in your heart the same way you"re in mine? That you exist on a different plane for me (than other people).
However, for someone as thick-skinned as she normally was, even she was unable to utter these words.
Rong Si was so high up, so perfect; he was like a textbook case of an ideal male.
And who was she? Just an ordinary person who barely managed to eke out a pa.s.sing grade in physics. Who was she to receive Rong Si"s love?
Besides, maybe the extra gift Rong Si prepared … was to repay her for topping up his phone credits?
If Rong Si did like her, then she definitely had to become a better version of herself. This was the only way she would be able to *stand proudly by his side and walk together on the same level.
(T/N: stand with her head up and chest out.)
So first things first, she has to score over 70 points in Physics.
After breathing deeply, Li Erqin was finally able to calm down. Then, she picked up her phone and typed: [Thank you for the gift, I really liked it!]
After pausing for a moment, she added: [I was really glad to see you.]
She hit "Send", and then her message was sent.
Once again, Li Erqin didn"t get to wait for Rong Si to reply.
She couldn"t remember how many times it had been now that she fallen asleep with the phone in her hand.
The next morning, sunlight streamed in from the window. She used the back of her hand to block it out and squinted at her phone. There was actually a message from Rong Si.
Five words sat serenely on the screen.
[I am really glad too.]
(MissBookie: Eppp!! Just confess already!)
(MInodayz : IKR – our singing isn"t working fast enough, we need more croon power!!!)
＊＊＊
Li Erqin had gone to the bookstore again to buy some books. She had always wholeheartedly believed what Li Zhengwen once said to her: "Reading books is an investment where you"ll never make a loss."
When she wasn"t out with the others, she was at home lost in her books. If there was one other thing that could be said to bring her pleasure, it might be the time Su Zi called her to pa.s.sionately recommend a historical drama series. Several days were then spent in front of the television set, and after some time, Li Zhengwen could be found joining their drama-watching ranks.
It was New Year"s Eve, and she was sitting with her parents, watching the Chinese New Year Gala Special on TV. The foursome had formed a group chat and were simultaneously watching the special and *making sarcastic jibes. Line by line, their wit flowed long, and it all added up to a boisterous time.
(T/N: the term used is 吐槽 tucao, equivalent to the english slang for roasting someone.)
When the New Year"s countdown started, everyone sent each other a Happy New Year message. Peng Zige even showed off the red envelope he had received from his parents.
Li Erqin looked down at her phone and unconsciously smiled. The expression on her face was more resplendent and moving than the brightly colored fireworks that were exploding outside the window.
Li Erqin didn’t know why, but suddenly, she wanted to send a separate Happy New Year message to Rong Si.
The TV host was counting down with excitement and enthusiasm: “Five!”
Li Erqin’s finger tapped and opened Rong Si’s message box.
"Four!"
Her fingers quickly entered the three words: Happy New Year!
"Three!"
And pressed the send b.u.t.ton.
"Two!"
A split second after her message was sent, Rong Si"s avatar appeared on the screen, accompanied by the same three words: Happy New Year!
"One!"
From outside the window came the earsplitting booms of the celebratory fireworks, and one after another, their brilliant displays lit up the night sky.
(MissBookie: And that"s a wrap for today folks!)
Minodayz : Those personalized text are soooo cute and endearing. They are slowly getting there. At times I want to rush them, and then I am happy for them to slowly progress and make sense of what they believe to be love and not just heart rates and blushes!!! The group and parents are just such wonderful characters that warms the heart. You"ll just want to be there with them. Many thanks to Miss Bookie for stepping in to help with some translating too! I am always in awe of those who don"t speak Chinese, but still doing such an awesome effort to translate!!!
I"m still on the road at the moment – as road trip goes. Our group of 9 is now down to 4, so it"s been sad to bid family goodbye.
*To join the Meraki community as we discuss these novels, dramas and more, just click the DISCORD link on the website. See you there!
**Anyone interested in helping out as an editor or translator (no experience necessary), please email [email protected] : )