Axolotl Translations

“…For me?” Shangguan Yu asked, utterly bewildered.

“Yeah.”

Zuo Zhou finished washing his hands, dried them carelessly on a towel, and then moved to the counter to begin preparing dinner.

As he busied himself, he continued speaking as if it were the most ordinary thing in the world. “So, my double major had this national collegiate programming competition a while back. I signed up with some classmates, and we won the grand prize. The prize money’s on that card—5,000 yuan. They just distributed it today.”

Shangguan Yu held the bank card in his hand, staring at Zuo Zhou in disbelief. “You…You competed in a programming contest?”

“Yeah, at the end of last month.” Zuo Zhou glanced over. “Why?”

“…Nothing, I just wasn’t expecting that.”

“What’s so surprising?” Zuo Zhou paused, turning around with a grin. “Are you impressed by how talented I am?”

His pride was unconcealed—his whole face radiated youthful enthusiasm, brimming with that irrepressible energy of someone eager for accolades. He was practically like an oversized golden retriever wagging its tail, anticipating a well-deserved compliment.

Shangguan Yu couldn’t help but chuckle at the image. He nodded, his voice genuinely appreciative. “Yes, you’re truly impressive. Very impressive.”

And he meant it sincerely.

Just a few days prior, he had learned that Zuo Zhou was pursuing a double major for better career prospects. At the time, he had assumed it was merely a contingency plan—something he was doing casually, simply to acquire another degree. But now, hearing that Zuo Zhou had not only participated in a competition but also won a top prize, Shangguan Yu couldn’t help but reassess his perception of him.

Reflecting on the timeline, Zuo Zhou had already been working for him during this period. That meant he had been juggling caring for him while also managing his studies and competing in a national contest.

Shangguan Yu was compelled to admit—he was genuinely impressed.

The praise visibly delighted Zuo Zhou. His eyes sparkled as he blinked and said, “Brother Yu, this card is my gift to you. Please accept it.”

“Huh? I can’t accept this,” Shangguan Yu immediately demurred. “This is your prize money—you should use it for yourself.”

As he spoke, he reached out to return the card to Zuo Zhou’s pocket.

But Zuo Zhou simply continued smiling. Without hesitation, he reached out and gently grasped Shangguan Yu’s wrist. Then, lowering himself onto one knee beside Shangguan Yu’s wheelchair, he looked up at him with unwavering sincerity.

“This is my reward, so I get to decide how to spend it. And right now, I want you to have it.”

“Brother Yu, I know this isn’t a significant sum to you, but that’s beside the point. I want you to understand—that little coal ball from back then has grown up. He’s an adult now. You took care of him for so long, and now…he wants to take care of you.”

“So, please give him this chance, okay?”

Shangguan Yu found himself unable to refuse Zuo Zhou in this instance.

Ever since learning Zuo Zhou’s true identity, he had unconsciously begun to perceive him as someone still in need of care. Even now, despite his own circumstances, he still felt a desire to protect Zuo Zhou in any way he could.

And in Shangguan Yu’s mind, that protection extended to acquiescing to any reasonable request Zuo Zhou made.

But now, Zuo Zhou was expressing a desire to care for him…

Even though, in truth, he had already accepted the gesture, Shangguan Yu still struggled to reconcile himself with this reversal of roles.

The conflicting emotions within him tugged and pulled, deepening the furrow between his brows.

Zuo Zhou observed every nuance of his expression. Smiling gently, he lightly stroked Shangguan Yu’s tense wrist with his thumb and coaxed, “Brother Yu, just say yes, okay?”

“But…you need money for your studies. You really should keep it for yourself—”

Seeing that Shangguan Yu remained hesitant, Zuo Zhou swiftly shifted tactics. Adopting a slightly helpless expression, he said, “Then how about you keep it for me? Brother Yu, I’m afraid I’ll misplace it if I keep it myself. Could you keep it safe for me?”

“…”

Shangguan Yu lowered his gaze, meeting Zuo Zhou’s expectant eyes—so full of trust and earnestness. He simply couldn’t bring himself to refuse again.

With a sigh, he finally nodded. “Alright. I’ll keep it for you for now. But when your tuition is due, I’m giving it back.”

Zuo Zhou beamed and nodded enthusiastically.

Finally, he had persuaded Shangguan Yu to keep the card. Naturally, he made no mention of the fact that he actually had two scholarships, which fully covered both his tuition and living expenses. As long as he had enough for food, he barely needed to spend any additional money.

“Alright then, I’ll go back to cooking.”

As Zuo Zhou spoke, he stood and gently smoothed the crease between Shangguan Yu’s brows with his fingertips. His gaze lingered for a moment, drifting from Shangguan Yu’s eyes to his lips.

“Cheer up. Lunch will be delicious.”

Shangguan Yu tightened his grip on the bank card, a complex wave of emotions washing over him.

That skinny, dark little boy…has truly grown up.

***

Time passed quickly, and in just over a month, Zuo Zhou’s arm had largely healed.

That morning, as Zuo Zhou had no classes, Shangguan Yu accompanied him to the central hospital for a follow-up appointment and cast removal. Everything proceeded smoothly, and they were finished before 11 a.m.

“Let’s go home then,” Zuo Zhou suggested, stretching the arm that had been in a sling for over a month. “Since we’re back early, I’m going to showcase my culinary skills and prepare a feast for lunch.”

Shangguan Yu chuckled softly. “Sounds wonderful.”

As they approached the hospital entrance, Shangguan Yu suddenly heard someone call his name. Looking up, he saw Zhong Pei walking toward them.

He instinctively raised a hand to signal Zuo Zhou to stop, then turned to greet the doctor with a smile.

“It’s been a while, Dr. Zhong.”

“Indeed, it has, Shangguan.” Zhong Pei stopped before them, then nodded politely to Zuo Zhou. “So, your brother’s arm has healed?”

“Yes, we came for a check-up today. Everything looks good, so they removed the cast.”

“That’s excellent.” Zhong Pei nodded approvingly before adding in a more serious tone, “However, he still needs to be careful. No heavy lifting or strenuous activities for the time being. And in the future, he should avoid injuries. Youth is no excuse for neglecting one’s health.” He addressed Zuo Zhou directly as he spoke, his tone warm yet firm.

Zuo Zhou: “…Understood.”

Hearing this, Shangguan Yu couldn’t help but chuckle. “The doctor who examined us earlier said the same thing.”

“Hahaha, occupational habit,” Zhong Pei said, tapping his forehead lightly. “I’m simply accustomed to saying it.”

After exchanging a few more pleasantries, Shangguan Yu was about to excuse himself when Zhong Pei suddenly leaned in with a knowing expression. His voice dropped to a conspiratorial whisper.

“Shangguan, when did you get a girlfriend?”

Caught completely off guard, Shangguan Yu froze.

Behind him, Zuo Zhou’s brows furrowed slightly. Then, as if a realization dawned on him, his expression tightened.

“Huh?”

Zhong Pei smirked, as if he had uncovered a significant secret. “No need to play coy. Xiaomeng told me everything…Ah, what a predicament! Had I known sooner, I wouldn’t have tried to set you up with her. That was rather awkward.”

Zuo Zhou’s heart sank. Shangguan Yu, still clueless, simply stared blankly.

Oblivious to their reactions, Zhong Pei continued. “You see, I thought you and Xiaomeng were quite compatible. So, I decided to play matchmaker and introduce you two. Little did I know you were already involved. I genuinely didn’t see it coming. If she hadn’t mentioned it at the seminar, I’d still be none the wiser.”

At this point, Zhong Pei finally noticed that Shangguan Yu’s expression seemed…off. But mistaking it for awkwardness over having rejected Xu Xiaomeng, he quickly reassured him.

“Hey, don’t blame yourself. If anyone is at fault, it’s me. I should have done my due diligence before interfering.”

“Shangguan, don’t blame yourself excessively. Xiaomeng seems like a cheerful and optimistic young woman—I doubt this has affected her significantly. Besides, you declined her via WeChat, not in person, so at least it wasn’t too uncomfortable…Anyway, I won’t mention it again. The nurse’s station is paging me, so I must go!”

With that, Zhong Pei waved and departed.

After he had gone, Shangguan Yu remained motionless in his wheelchair for a long moment. Behind him, the guilty party, Zuo Zhou, shifted nervously on his feet, cautiously approaching to peek at him. Then, tentatively, he inquired, “Brother Yu, shall we go home?”

Shangguan Yu nodded, murmuring to himself, “So Dr. Zhong was attempting to set me up with Xiaomeng?”

Hearing this, Zuo Zhou, who had been bracing himself for an interrogation, suddenly found himself at a loss—Wait, that was his reaction? He’s just…confused? Not angry? My god, this man is too pure…kind of adorable, actually.

When they arrived home, Shangguan Yu sat at the dining table, absently scrolling through his phone. After a while, he stood, retrieved Zuo Zhou’s laptop from his room, and returned to the table to conduct some research.

In the kitchen, Zuo Zhou kept a watchful eye on him, silently hoping that Shangguan Yu would simply let the matter drop.

But fate had other intentions.

After approximately ten minutes, Shangguan Yu suddenly asked, “Dr. Zhong said I declined Xiaomeng via WeChat…but I recall our chat history having disappeared. Care to explain?”

…And there it was. The moment Zuo Zhou had been dreading.

Damn it.

He had believed he could discreetly eliminate all the women vying for Shangguan Yu’s attention without him even being aware of their existence. But clearly, his deception had just been exposed.

“Xiao Zuo, come here,” Shangguan Yu called toward the kitchen. “Sit down. We need to talk.”

“Oh.”

Knowing there was no escape, Zuo Zhou took a deep breath, turned off the stove, and walked over, head bowed low. He sat down across from Shangguan Yu at the dining table.

One look at Zuo Zhou’s dejected expression was enough for Shangguan Yu to deduce what had transpired. Still, he decided to give him an opportunity to explain—to hear it directly from him.

After all, he genuinely couldn’t comprehend why Zuo Zhou would do such a thing.

“Are you going to explain, or should I ask?” Shangguan Yu inquired.

Zuo Zhou remained silent, stubbornly keeping his head down.

“Xiao Zuo?”

After a prolonged pause, Zuo Zhou finally muttered, “Brother Yu…do you think I hindered you and Xu Xiaomeng from developing a closer relationship?”

Shangguan Yu, who hadn’t even entertained that possibility, paused for a moment, his expression then turning serious. “Don’t deflect. The actual issue here is that you used my WeChat account without my authorization and responded to messages on my behalf. That’s a breach of my privacy.”

Zuo Zhou muttered something inaudible under his breath. “I think so…You’re being so harsh with me.”

His voice was too quiet for Shangguan Yu to hear clearly. Maintaining his stern tone, he called out again, “Xiao Zuo!”

Zuo Zhou’s shoulders trembled, his breathing uneven, as if he were suppressing some powerful emotion.

He took several deep breaths before abruptly raising his head. His gaze met Shangguan Yu’s, unwavering, as if he had reached a decision. Then, in a resolute voice, he declared, “It was me.”

“That night, I was using the computer, and your WeChat was still logged in. She sent you a flirtatious message. I couldn’t bear it, so I told her you were already involved with someone and that she should cease contacting you.”

Shangguan Yu had already suspected as much, so he wasn’t surprised. What did catch him off guard was Zuo Zhou’s demeanor—he was acting as if he were making a desperate, all-or-nothing confession.

After composing himself, Shangguan Yu asked the one question that still eluded him.

“Why did you do it?”

Zuo Zhou looked at him and suddenly let out a small, self-deprecating chuckle. “Brother Yu, isn’t it obvious?”

But Shangguan Yu remained perplexed. “Huh? What do you mean? Explain yourself.”

Zuo Zhou’s gaze suddenly became intricate, as if he were wrestling with himself—hesitating—desperately trying to contain something, yet ultimately unable to restrain it any longer.

That urge, that impulse, was on the verge of erupting.

Shangguan Yu instinctively tightened his grip on the armrests of his wheelchair, his body tensing. He subconsciously leaned back, because the person before him was no longer the perpetually smiling younger brother he knew.

No.

At this moment, Zuo Zhou felt more like a predator closing in on his prey.

The next instant, Shangguan Yu watched as Zuo Zhou abruptly stood. One hand slammed onto the table for support as he leaned in.

His pupils dilated as Zuo Zhou’s face drew closer and closer. Then, warm fingers cupped his cheek, and before he could react—

A kiss.

Hot. Lingering. A blend of restraint and raw yearning.

Falling softly onto the crown of his head.

---

Previous Chapter | TOC | Next Chapter