Axolotl Translations

Ruan Zhao glanced sideways at Gu Xingyan. He was quietly flipping through worksheets for the next class. Sensing Ruan Zhao’s gaze, he looked up, a hint of confusion in his eyes, a subtle resignation in his dark pupils. What is it now?

[System, you’re mistaken,] Ruan Zhao thought. He saw nothing unusual. Those worksheets were probably more interesting than him. Why would Gu Xingyan stare at him?

The system faltered. [Did I…make a mistake?]

Time passed, and before they knew it, the last class of the day was over. There was a mountain of homework, but Ruan Zhao, ever generous, split it—half for himself, the other half unceremoniously dumped on Gu Xingyan’s desk.

Gu Xingyan was used to it. Without a word, he took the practice book and shoved it into his bag.

Ruan Zhao packed quickly, almost eager to escape, the zipper of his backpack still undone as he darted toward the door, the first to leave. But before he could get far, someone grabbed his backpack strap and pulled him back. “Where’s the fire?” The one holding him back was tall and broad-shouldered boy, who effortlessly reeled him in. His voice was light, almost teasing. “The hallway’s packed. You’ll be crushed if you rush out now.”

Gu Xingyan was too far away to hear what Ruan Zhao said. He only saw Ruan Zhao smile at the boy, a faint dimple appearing below his right cheek. It looked…nice.

Ruan Zhao almost never smiled at him. Even when his lips did curve slightly, the moment his gaze shifted to Gu Xingyan, the smile vanished, his light eyes filled with irritation. Whenever Ruan Zhao looked at him, he was either in the middle of losing his temper or on the verge of doing so.

The two figures moved further away. Gu Xingyan couldn’t hear their conversation, but he saw Ruan Zhao reach into his bag, pull out a small woven pouch, and offer some candies to the other boy. Instead of taking a few, the boy snatched the entire pouch and ran. Ruan Zhao froze for a second before giving chase. They disappeared from Gu Xingyan’s sight.

Expressionless, Gu Xingyan looked down at his palm. A single, neatly wrapped fruit candy rested there. Just one.

…

Damn it, damn it! Ruan Zhao chased Chen Feng for what felt like forever before finally retrieving his stolen candy. Throwing open the car door, he collapsed onto the back seat, grabbed an ice cream bar from the mini fridge. Halfway through it, the car still hadn’t moved.

Evening rush hour. They were stuck near the school gates, with no way out anytime soon.

Finishing the first ice cream, Ruan Zhao quietly reached for another. The driver, remembering Madam Ruan’s instructions, spoke up. “Young Master, too much ice cream is bad for your stomach. You shouldn’t have any more.”

Ruan Zhao nodded absently. “Mhm, mhm, last one!”

The crowd outside began to thin. Ruan Zhao spotted Gu Xingyan. In the school uniform and white sneakers, he looked like any other student, yet his tall, lean figure stood out. Even in the crowd, he was impossible to miss. Anyone looking would notice him.

As Gu Xingyan left the school gate, a few guys squatting near the wall, smoking, exchanged glances and wordlessly followed him.

Ruan Zhao: …?

What was this? A shakedown? A street fight? Extortion? Countless scenarios ran through Ruan Zhao’s mind. At first, he dismissed it, but then he noticed something odd. The last guy—the one with dyed blonde hair—had a bulge beneath his clothes. Long and thin. It looked suspiciously like…a knife.

The driver started the engine, but Ruan Zhao had already opened the door. “Uncle Wang, go on back! I have something to do—I’ll be home later!”

“Huh? Young Master?” The driver rushed out, only to see Ruan Zhao weaving through the crowd. The streets were still packed, and Ruan Zhao quickly vanished.

The driver: “……”

The group moved quickly. If not for the system’s constant updates, Ruan Zhao would have lost them. Gu Xingyan, two blondes, a redhead, and four other guys. One by one, they slipped into a narrow, deserted alleyway. Ruan Zhao flattened himself against the wall and cautiously peeked inside.

…

“You owe our boss money. How much longer do you think you can keep dodging us?”

Gu Xingyan’s face was calm and unreadable. “If I remember correctly, I already paid part of the debt two days ago. I haven’t violated any agreement.”

The blonde scoffed and spat on the ground. “That measly amount? You think you can toss scraps at us like we’re beggars? We wouldn’t even bother picking it up.”

“If you don’t want it, then return it.”

The blonde’s face twitched. “…You!”

“You really don’t know what’s good for you, do you—”

Gu Xingyan interrupted. “Three months ago, your boss and I signed a contract at the police station. The agreement was that I would pay a fixed amount each month and clear the debt in five months. If you have objections, take it up with the police.”

The blonde’s jaw tightened. “A debt is a debt! You owe money, so you’re in the wrong—no matter where you go, that’s just how it is!”

Gu Xingyan didn’t respond. He knew their game. With his final payment due, they were losing their leverage. Since the crackdown on loan sharking, they couldn’t exploit him legally. This was a final squeeze.

The blonde reached into his jacket…and pulled out a knife. He glanced at his two lackeys—a silent signal: Hold him down. Teach him a lesson. The lackeys smirked and nodded, stepping forward—only to be sent flying backward by Gu Xingyan’s swift kicks.

Ruan Zhao had just pressed the last digit on his phone when his fingers froze. Was Gu Xingyan always this good at fighting? He recalled that day in the restroom—how he had thrown insult after insult, how he had shoved Gu Xingyan to the ground. And yet, Gu Xingyan hadn’t retaliated, hadn’t even lifted a finger.

System: [He was sick then. Too weak to stand, let alone fight back.]

That might be true. But he hadn’t been sick recently. And despite everything, despite Ruan Zhao’s exploitation over the past weeks, he’d never fought back. That self-control…truly protagonist-like.

Ruan Zhao refocused on the fight. The thugs had numbers on their side. And one of them had a knife. Even if Gu Xingyan was skilled, breaking their formation wouldn’t be easy. The blonde with the knife was closing in, moving cautiously while Gu Xingyan was locked in combat with the others. The blade was aimed at his arm—about to strike—

Splat.

A half-eaten ice cream bar smacked him in the face. The blonde wiped at his face, smearing sticky cream everywhere. “What the hell?!” Horrified, he frantically wiped his hands on his pants, but the mess wouldn’t come off.

Ruan Zhao hadn’t expected such accuracy. The ice cream hit the guy squarely in the face. The blonde spotted him instantly, his face contorting with rage. Clutching the knife tighter, he stormed toward Ruan Zhao. “You little—it was you! You’re with that punk?! I’ll—”

Before Ruan Zhao could react, he had the thug’s full attention. The blonde abandoned Gu Xingyan, charging toward him with a vicious glare, ready to strike.

Gu Xingyan clearly hadn’t expected to see Ruan Zhao here. A rare flicker of surprise crossed his eyes—but his reaction was quick. He grabbed the blonde by the collar and sent him crashing to the ground with a solid punch. Shouts and curses erupted behind them. “Don’t just stand there—chase them! Don’t let them escape!!” “F*** it, I’ll crack their skulls open!”

…

A firm grip tightened around Ruan Zhao’s wrist. He adjusted his stride, struggling to keep pace with Gu Xingyan. The footsteps behind them grew louder, more frantic—the thugs were gaining. He couldn’t resist glancing back.

The grip on his wrist tightened. Then, Gu Xingyan’s low, breathless voice reached his ears. “Don’t look back.”

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