Axolotl Translations

By the time Shangguan Yu reached the dining room, Zuo Zhou had already set the table. Each dish was meticulously arranged, and he was in the middle of ladling soup into a bowl.

Seeing Shangguan Yu arrive, Zuo Zhou set the bowl down, walked over with a smile, and smoothly pushed his wheelchair up to the table. “Brother Yu, come eat. Everything’s still warm.”

Shangguan Yu was still seething at Zuo Zhou, but unfortunately, hunger had a way of overriding stubbornness. And to add insult to injury, the food smelled incredible.

So, he decided—come what may, he wasn’t going to punish his stomach. Without a word, he picked up his chopsticks and began to eat, his expression a blank slate.

Zuo Zhou, completely unfazed, took the seat across from him. As if nothing had happened, he continued to place food on Shangguan Yu’s plate, occasionally asking, “How is it? Do you like it?”

There was an old saying: It’s hard to stay mad at someone who feeds you.

And while Shangguan Yu desperately wanted to deny Zuo Zhou any satisfaction, he had to admit—the food was delicious.

Far better than anything he could make himself.

But now wasn’t the time to give Zuo Zhou that kind of leverage. If he admitted it outright, who knew what ideas that guy would get?

So he stubbornly kept his mouth shut. Unfortunately, his appetite had no such restraint. He finished his bowl quickly—almost too quickly.

Shangguan Yu suspected Zuo Zhou had deliberately served him a small portion, just to ensure he’d come back for more.

Irritated, he picked up his bowl and was about to head to the kitchen when Zuo Zhou stood up first.

Without a word, he took the bowl from Shangguan Yu’s hands, his expression one of quiet amusement.

His eyes practically radiated indulgence, as if saying: Eat as much as you want, Brother Yu. You don’t have to admit it—I already know.

Shangguan Yu, who had once again lost in this silent battle: …

After finishing his meal, he wiped his mouth with a napkin and wheeled himself back toward his room.

Time to go back to ignoring Zuo Zhou until he got bored and left.

But just as he finished wiping his mouth—before he even had a chance to discard the napkin—Zuo Zhou pulled up a chair and sat down right next to him, his tall frame effectively blocking his path. His expression clearly indicated he had something to discuss.

“…” Shangguan Yu looked at him, speechless. “What is it?”

“Brother Yu, I need to talk to you about something,” Zuo Zhou said with a cheerful smile.

“?”

“I signed up for driving lessons at the university. I already passed the first test, so I’ll probably need more time for practice later. But don’t worry, I’ll make sure you’re taken care of before heading to class.”

“…When did you take the first test?”

“A couple of days ago.”

Shangguan Yu: Cooking, grocery shopping, and still managing to squeeze in driving lessons? Zuo Zhou—a true master of time management.

“What are you thinking about?”

“…Nothing.” Shangguan Yu turned his face away, not wanting Zuo Zhou to see his expression. “I’m going back to my room.”

Before he could move, Zuo Zhou pressed down on the armrest of his wheelchair, holding him in place.

“Brother Yu, don’t avoid me.”

There was a hint of grievance in Zuo Zhou’s voice. Though he had only held down the wheelchair and hadn’t actually touched Shangguan Yu, his voice alone seemed to have hooks, pulling both Shangguan Yu’s body and mind into his grasp.

“…” Shangguan Yu couldn’t handle Zuo Zhou speaking to him in that tone, in that voice. Uncomfortable, he shifted slightly and turned just a bit toward him. “I’m not.”

“Yes, you are.”

Zuo Zhou looked even more aggrieved.

“I’m not,” Shangguan Yu sighed, finally meeting Zuo Zhou’s gaze. “If you want to get your driver’s license, go ahead. I don’t need you to take care of me. You should just move back to the dorms.”

Zuo Zhou shook his head. “I’m not going back.”

“…”

“That’s not what I wanted to talk about,” Zuo Zhou continued. “I meant your car—don’t sell it yet. Once I get my license, it’ll be easier for me to take you out.”

Shangguan Yu, caught off guard, immediately retorted, “I already told Wang Hao to get it fixed and sell it. That was my decision, and I’m not changing it.”

Zuo Zhou chuckled. “I already talked to Brother Hao. He’s only fixing it, not selling it. And as for the money, you don’t need to worry—I’ll transfer more to you next month. Alright, you should go rest. I need to clean up the kitchen.”

With that, he got up and casually strolled off, leaving a completely dumbfounded Shangguan Yu, who now felt he’d been labeled as someone so broke he had to sell his car.

And somewhere else, Wang Hao—who had just been metaphorically stripped of his last shred of dignity—was equally speechless: …………

Shangguan Yu glared at Zuo Zhou’s retreating figure from the dining table, his gaze burning holes thirty times over, before storming off to his room. He grabbed the bank card Zuo Zhou had given him, wheeled himself back to the dining area, and slammed it onto the table.

“Take your card! I don’t want it.”

Without waiting for Zuo Zhou’s reaction, he spun his wheelchair around and sped away.

Back in his room, Shangguan Yu slammed the door shut and instinctively reached for the lock—only to remember, a second later, that locking the door was utterly pointless against Zuo Zhou.

Frustrated, he unleashed a string of curses, exhausting every foul word he could think of.

Having vented his anger, he didn’t bother with the lock. Instead, he pulled out his phone and dialed Wang Hao.

Oblivious to the storm brewing, Wang Hao answered in his usual cheerful tone. “Hey, Shangguan! What’s up?”

Shangguan Yu wasted no time. “Since when did you team up with Zuo Zhou to stop me from selling my car?”

“Uh—what!?” Wang Hao stammered, his guilt palpable. “N-no, what are you talking about? I didn’t—why would you even bring that up?”

After years of knowing Wang Hao, Shangguan Yu could tell from his stumbling words that Zuo Zhou hadn’t lied.

“Seriously, Wang Hao? Whose side are you even on?” Shangguan Yu asked, exasperated.

“Yours, of course!” Wang Hao quickly defended himself. “I just thought, you know, if you keep the car, it’d be more convenient once Xiao Zuo gets his license and can drive you around. That’s all! He told me he was getting his license, so I agreed to hold off on selling it.”

“What? Did he change his mind about getting his license? Run out of money for the lessons?”

“…That’s none of your business. Anyway, just sell the car as soon as possible. If you’re not going to help, just say so—I’ll find another way.”

Wang Hao could tell something was off from Shangguan Yu’s tone, so he asked, “What’s going on with you?”

There was no way Shangguan Yu could tell Wang Hao that Zuo Zhou had suddenly confessed to him, so he simply reiterated his demand to sell the car. Seeing no other choice, Wang Hao reluctantly agreed.

“Alright, alright, don’t get worked up. I’ll drop by after work, and we’ll talk this out face to face.”

Shangguan Yu considered it—if Wang Hao came over, he could also help him get rid of Zuo Zhou. After all, with their years of friendship, Wang Hao would undoubtedly take his side. So, he agreed.

The entire afternoon, Shangguan Yu remained locked in his room. Zuo Zhou didn’t attempt to barge in, but he did call out to him several times, inviting him to eat, drink, or go out for some fun. Naturally, Shangguan Yu rejected him every time without hesitation.

By evening, Wang Hao finally arrived after work.

Zuo Zhou was a little surprised to see him, but he quickly pieced things together and realized why Wang Hao had shown up mid-week. Unfazed, he greeted him warmly and invited him to sit down for tea.

“Where’s Shangguan?” Wang Hao asked, munching on the fruit slices Zuo Zhou had prepared.

“In his room,” Zuo Zhou said, adopting the tone of a homeowner. “He’s been sulking all afternoon.”

“Huh? Why? Because of the whole car-selling thing?”

“Mmm, that’s part of it.” Zuo Zhou smiled.

“No worries,” Wang Hao lowered his voice. “When he comes out, leave it to me. I’ll talk him out of it. No need to sell the car—it’s not like he’s desperate for the money.”

Zuo Zhou’s eyes lit up. “Brother Hao, you really think so?”

“Of course! I’m doing this for his own good. He’s just being stubborn right now, so we’ll play along and talk him around.” Wang Hao said confidently.

Zuo Zhou smiled and nodded. “Thanks, Brother Hao. I’ll go get Borhter Yu.”

Inside the room, Shangguan Yu heard the commotion and opened the door himself—just as Zuo Zhou arrived.

When Zuo Zhou saw him, his eyes gleamed with excitement. He immediately announced enthusiastically, “Brother Yu, Brother Hao is here. He’s waiting for you in the living room.”

“…Mm.” Shangguan Yu responded flatly, not even glancing at Zuo Zhou before maneuvering his wheelchair toward the living room.

Despite being pointedly ignored, Zuo Zhou didn’t seem to mind. He followed, smiling, his expression calm and assured.

In the living room, Wang Hao was sipping the aged citrus Pu’er tea Zuo Zhou had brewed. Hearing Shangguan Yu approach, he quickly set his cup down and greeted him with a cheerful grin.

Shangguan Yu nodded, wheeled himself to his usual spot at the dining table, and cut straight to the chase. “How’s the car repair coming along?”

“They’re working on it. The motor needs replacing, but everything else is just minor fixes,” Wang Hao replied. “Honestly, your car’s in great condition—it just hasn’t been driven in a long time.”

“Mm.” Shangguan Yu knew his car well. He had always been meticulous about its maintenance when he drove it regularly. Plus, it wasn’t that old, so overall, it was still in good condition. “What about selling it? I remember you have a friend in the used car business. Did you get a quote from him?”

“Well…” Wang Hao hesitated. He exchanged a quick glance with Zuo Zhou, who was sitting beside Shangguan Yu, and Zuo Zhou gave him a reassuring nod before he continued, “Shangguan, here’s the thing—I can definitely ask my friend for an estimate. But there’s no rush. I was thinking, why not wait until Xiao Zuo gets his driver’s license? That way, it’ll be more convenient for you guys to get around. Then you can reconsider before making a final decision. What do you think?”

Shangguan Yu’s face darkened instantly. “That’s not what you said on the phone.”

“Hehe, well… I just didn’t want you to act too hastily.” Wang Hao chuckled sheepishly. “Shangguan, you’re too caught up in this to see the bigger picture. Just think about it—your two closest friends are both telling you not to sell. Doesn’t that mean maybe keeping the car really is the better choice?”

Wang Hao tried to reason with him, but Shangguan Yu wasn’t having any of it. He cut to the chase. “Enough. Once the car’s repaired, just drive it back for me. I’ll handle the rest myself—I won’t trouble you with it.”

“Hey, don’t be so hasty!” Wang Hao panicked when he saw Shangguan Yu was genuinely upset. “Seriously, I don’t get it. You’re not short on money, so why are you so fixated on selling the car? Be honest with me—are you having financial trouble? If you need cash, just say the word. I’ll transfer ten grand to you right now! Besides, Xiao Zuo’s hand is all healed now. From now on, the two of you can go out together—”

Shangguan Yu raised a hand, a clear “stop” gesture, cutting Wang Hao off mid-sentence. “There is no ‘from now on.’ And there won’t be any ‘two of us together’ either. Xiao Zuo is moving out today. He won’t be coming back.”

Having said that, he turned to Zuo Zhou. “When Wang Hao leaves, go with him.”

He didn’t want to get into unnecessary arguments with Wang Hao, nor did he want to put Zuo Zhou on the spot. This was the cleanest way to handle it.

His gaze locked onto Zuo Zhou’s, a clear warning in his eyes. He expected him to be sensible, to understand without further explanation. By involving Wang Hao, he hoped to make Zuo Zhou’s departure easier.

“Huh?” Wang Hao scratched his head, confused. “Xiao Zuo is leaving?”

Zuo Zhou held Shangguan Yu’s gaze for a long moment. Then, he suddenly smiled—gentle, warm.

Yet, beneath that softness, there was something else. Something subtle, almost dangerous. A quiet tension gripped Shangguan Yu’s chest.

And sure enough, in the very next second, Zuo Zhou gave the one answer Shangguan Yu least wanted to hear.

“I’m not leaving, Brother Hao.”

Wang Hao: ?

Shangguan Yu: !

Before Shangguan Yu could even react, Zuo Zhou continued, his tone light and effortless. “Brother Yu is just sulking. I confessed to him yesterday, and he turned me down. Now he’s just feeling awkward about it.”

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