Axolotl Translations

“Ugh…”

A pained groan escaped Shangguan Yu’s lips as he pressed a hand to his chest.

A dull yet sharp ache radiated from multiple parts of his body—his shoulder, back, elbows—while the clean clothes he had just changed into were now soaked from the water on the floor.

His wheelchair, propelled by the force of his fall, had rolled to the corner and now leaned crookedly against the wall. Shangguan Yu stretched out his arm, but he quickly realized it was beyond his grasp.

In the misty haze of the bathroom, he had no choice but to crawl across the floor, dragging himself with his hands toward the wheelchair.

Once he reached it, he struggled to set the chair upright. Then, turning his back to it, he braced his hands on the armrests and tried once again to lift himself into the seat.

But his body betrayed him. Whether it was the exhaustion from his long flight or the lingering pain from his fall, Shangguan Yu simply couldn’t muster the strength. He attempted several times, only to fail each time.

With one final attempt, his arms gave out, and he collapsed onto the floor again, utterly defeated.

Sitting against the wall, Shangguan Yu stared down at his frail, unnaturally thin legs.

A bitter laugh broke through his lips.

“I’m completely useless, aren’t I…”

Shangguan Yu murmured softly to himself, then tilted his head back against the wall, raising his arm to cover his face.

After a while, his shoulders began to tremble slightly. Tears traced a path down his cheeks, glistening under the bathroom’s warm lighting, each droplet gleaming sharply as it fell.

That night, Shangguan Yu sat on the cold floor for over twenty minutes, waiting until he regained enough strength to climb back into his wheelchair. Exhausted, he returned to his bedroom, changed into fresh clothes, and collapsed into bed.

The next day, as the cleaning lady arrived to tidy up, Shangguan Yu noticed that his hips, back, and shoulders ached intensely. Glancing at himself in the mirror, he saw dark bruises scattered across his pale skin from his fall the night before.

His fair complexion made the bruises appear even more severe, glaringly obvious and painful to look at.

He gently pressed on one of the bruises with his hand and felt the swelling under his fingers. Resigned, he picked up his phone and ordered some medicinal plasters for bruises and injuries, planning to apply them himself later with the help of a mirror.

While Shangguan Yu was in his bedroom, shirt lifted, examining himself in the mirror, the cleaning lady happened to see him. Concerned, she approached and asked warmly, “What happened to you?”

Shangguan Yu didn’t want to answer, but since the cleaning lady was a middle-aged woman old enough to be his mother, he couldn’t bring himself to ignore her. He kept his reply brief, saying that he had accidentally fallen.

“This isn’t safe! You need someone around!” the cleaning lady said with concern as she tidied up the bedroom. “If you fall or hurt yourself and no one’s there to help, it could be dangerous! If it’s serious and you delay treatment, things could get messy!”

“You don’t look like someone who’s short on money,” she continued. “Why not hire a caregiver? Our agency has people who can do this kind of work, whether live-in or part-time, and they’re all really reliable!”

Recalling the incident from the night before, Shangguan Yu sighed softly and asked, “Auntie, does your agency have male caregivers?”

“Huh?”

“It’s just that with my situation, sometimes it’s inconvenient to have a female caregiver.”

“Oh, I get it.” The cleaning lady nodded in understanding. “I’ll check for you, but most of our caregivers are women around my age. I don’t think I’ve ever heard of a male caregiver… But you can always try looking online. These days, if you’re willing to pay, you can find whatever kind of help you need.”

“Alright, thank you.”

Although he was reluctant to let a stranger into his life, the events of the previous night had taught Shangguan Yu a harsh lesson: in his current state, he genuinely needed someone to help him.

So, Shangguan Yu contacted several major domestic service agencies in the city and explained his requirements:

A live-in caregiver, male, not too old, taller than him, and strong enough to support him when necessary.

The cleaning lady’s words proved true. Most live-in caregivers were usually hired to handle tasks like cooking and cleaning, so finding someone who met Shangguan Yu’s criteria was challenging. Some agencies even told him outright that they had no suitable candidates and suggested he look for a long-term caregiver at a hospital instead.

For now, Shangguan Yu decided to test the waters. If he still couldn’t find a suitable caregiver within a month, he might really have to turn to the hospital for help.

One Saturday, a week after contacting several agencies, Shangguan Yu was napping at home when he suddenly heard a knock at the door.

“Huh?”

Groggily, Shangguan Yu propped himself up on the bed, tilting his head to listen to the knocking.

Ever since his accident, he had cut ties with most of his former colleagues and classmates. Wang Hao was the only one who still visited him. But if Wang Hao were coming over, he would usually let him know in advance. It was unlikely that he would show up so early in the morning without a heads-up.

Knock, knock.

Knock, knock, knock.

The sound was definitely coming from his front door. Shangguan Yu called out faintly, then slowly transferred himself from his bed to his wheelchair, preparing to check who it was.

Shangguan Yu’s mobility was limited, and with the size of his apartment, it would take at least ten seconds to get from his bedroom to the entrance. By the time he reached the door, slightly out of breath, and opened it, he caught sight of a figure already turning away.

The person was tall and straight-backed, wearing a plain white T-shirt, dark blue jeans, and sneakers. His short hair was neatly groomed, and his slender neck extended gracefully from his shoulders. Even from behind, the young man gave off an air of cleanliness and vitality.

Hearing the door open behind him, the young man froze for a moment, seemingly caught off guard. Then, he turned around, his expression a mixture of surprise and disbelief, quickly shifting to one of delight.

He was undeniably handsome, with a high nose bridge, thin lips, and a pair of dark, expressive eyes that seemed to speak for themselves.

For a fleeting instant, Shangguan Yu thought he was imagining things. But he was certain he saw it—the flash of amazement, unrestrained joy, and astonishment in those luminous eyes, so vivid and brief that it felt almost surreal.

“Um, excuse me, were you the one knocking just now?” Shangguan Yu asked politely.

“Yes, that was me.” The young man’s initial emotions disappeared in an instant, replaced by a sunny, genuine smile. “I thought no one was home.”

As he spoke, the young man stepped forward, closing the distance between them in just two strides, his gaze locked on Shangguan Yu with an intensity that was hard to ignore.

Over the past year, Shangguan Yu had grown numb to the way people looked at him. Whether out of pity, concern, or mere curiosity, their stares no longer fazed him.

But after a few seconds of being scrutinized by this young man, Shangguan Yu realized there was something uniquely different about the way this person looked at him that he couldn’t quite explain.

Unlike others, who always seemed to focus on his legs or his wheelchair, this young man was looking at his face.

“…” Feeling slightly uneasy, Shangguan Yu ran his fingers through his hair, wondering if his bedhead was making him look unkempt. “Are you here to apply for the caretaker position?”

The young man hesitated for a split second before answering, “Yes, that’s right.”

“Oh, which housekeeping agency referred you?”

“Um, the biggest one in the city.”

“Yijia Housekeeping?”

“That’s the one.”

Shangguan Yu gave a small nod and maneuvered his wheelchair back, clearing the doorway. “Alright, come in.”

Once inside, the young man stood obediently near the entryway, glancing around before asking, “Excuse me, where are the slippers?”

“They should be in the shoe cabinet. Check in there.”

“Got it.”

The young man squatted down, opened the shoe cabinet, and rummaged for a moment before pulling out a pair of black leather slippers covered in a thick layer of dust. He took off his sneakers, placed them neatly to the side, and slipped into the dusty slippers.

The slippers were a bit too small for him, leaving part of his heel sticking out. It didn’t look comfortable at all.

Shangguan Yu glanced at the young man’s feet and remarked, “If they don’t fit, you don’t have to wear them. The house was just cleaned yesterday.”

“It’s fine, they’re actually pretty comfortable,” the young man said, smiling brightly.

Shangguan Yu nodded and gestured toward the sofa. “Take a seat. Let’s have a chat.”

“Start by introducing yourself.”

“My name is Zuo Zhou. I’m 20 years old and currently a sophomore studying architecture at Luocheng University.”

For a moment, Shangguan Yu was taken aback. He hadn’t expected this young man to still be in college, let alone share the same university and major as him. By that calculation, this young man was technically his junior.

However, Shangguan Yu had no intention of sharing his past. He cut straight to the point, saying, “If you’re still in school, it’s probably not going to work. I’m looking for a full-time, live-in caretaker. As a student, your schedule likely won’t allow it.”

“I can absolutely make it work!” Zuo Zhou replied immediately. “I’m in my second year now, and my course load isn’t heavy. When I don’t have classes, I can stay home to take care of you. If I do have class, I’ll make sure to prepare your meals in advance so you won’t miss any of them. Plus, the Xingfu Jun community is really close to campus—just 15 minutes by subway.”

“I’m great at cooking, and I can make all kinds of dishes. I’m also really good at housework and will keep your home spotless.”

“And I’m young and strong. If you need someone to do heavy lifting or anything physical, I’m more than capable.”

That final statement made Shangguan Yu regard Zuo Zhou a little more favorably.

Although Shangguan Yu had come to terms with his disability, hearing a stranger he’d just met say something like, “If you fall, I can help lift you up,” stirred a faint sense of melancholy in his heart.

Shangguan Yu could sense that Zuo Zhou was someone who understood how to care for others, someone empathetic and attentive to people’s feelings.

Moreover, the urgency in Zuo Zhou’s tone and the sincerity in his demeanor gave Shangguan Yu the impression that, for some reason, Zuo Zhou was determined to land this job no matter what.

Shangguan Yu couldn’t help but chuckle. “You’re so young. What could you possibly know about cooking?”

“I can cook anything, really. Just tell me what you want, and I’ll make it,” Zuo Zhou replied earnestly.

“…”

Noticing Shangguan Yu’s hesitation, Zuo Zhou suddenly softened his voice and added, almost pitifully, “My family isn’t well-off. My tuition is paid through student loans, and I have to earn my living expenses myself. So please, Mr. Shangguan, give me a chance. Let me prove myself. Put me on a trial period—I promise I won’t disappoint you.”

The plea in Zuo Zhou’s bright eyes made it hard for Shangguan Yu to refuse. After a moment of deliberation, he gave in.

“…Alright then, let’s start with a three-day trial,” he said.

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