Axolotl Translations

Both Ruan Yu, who’d just been told to “drop it,” and Lu Xingyao, who’d been told to “keep it down,” went quiet. Ruan Yu still looked a bit annoyed.

He glared at Lu Xingyao, trying to show how unhappy he was just with his eyes. Lu Xingyao didn’t even look at him.

He was focused on Ruan Zhao, watching to see if the boy was really upset. He even started to wonder if he’d gone too far. No matter how wrong the others were, they were still Ruan Zhao’s family. He probably should’ve held back a little more.

For a moment, the air got strangely quiet and awkward.

Then there was Eve. She was the only one who hadn’t been told off. She really, really tried to hold it in… but she couldn’t stop herself from bursting out laughing.

Ruan Zhao automatically looked at her.

Stare.

Suddenly, all his puffed-up anger disappeared, like a balloon that had been popped. He lowered his head and mumbled, “If it’s you… then laugh all you want.”

Eve: “Hahahahahahaha!”

She laughed without holding back at all. Her shoulders shook, and she almost fell over, with tears gathering in her eyes.

Ruan Zhao: “…”

Was it really that funny? He hadn’t even done anything… He honestly had no idea what made her laugh like this was the funniest thing she’d ever seen.

Lu Xingyao also glanced at the red-haired woman, his expression a mix of curious and worried. She was laughing so hard, he actually wondered if there was something wrong with her.

Eve laughed for a long time before finally calming down, gasping for breath. Then she softly called, “Zhaozhao.”

Ruan Zhao: “Hm?”

Eve wiped the tears from her eyes, her voice faint and a little shaky—maybe from laughing too hard, or maybe for another reason. “I’m sleepy. I want to go back to bed.”

Ruan Zhao blinked. “But… didn’t you just get up?”

“Probably didn’t sleep enough,” she said casually. Her eyes dropped as she looked at her fingers, which were painted a soft pink. Against her pale, delicate skin, faint blue marks had started to show—strange patterns that slowly got darker. It always happened when she started to run out of energy. She was used to it by now.

She yawned. “This nap was too short. I didn’t feel rested at all. I really need to go back to sleep this time.”

Ruan Zhao nodded vaguely, still a bit out of it. “Oh… I see.”

But then the system suddenly spoke: [Her body is already very weak. It’s a miracle she’s even awake right now.]

[A short rest like this isn’t enough to keep her alive. This time… she’ll probably sleep for hundreds of years.]

Ruan Zhao gasped.

Hundreds of years.

That was too long. So long it was hard for him to even imagine. By the time Eve woke up again, he would be long gone from this world. This meant… this was goodbye. Their last moment together.

“Then…” Ruan Zhao paused for a long time, trying to find the right words. In the end, he didn’t say goodbye. Instead, he offered a wish. “Sweet dreams.”

In that endless, dark castle—in a cold, pitch-black coffin where she would be alone—to simply dream was the most ordinary, most humble wish. And the most precious luxury.

Eve stopped. She looked at Ruan Zhao closely, as if trying to remember his face clearly. That way, when she finally woke up, she’d still know him right away.

“…Alright. See you when I wake up.”

Today hadn’t been perfect, but all in all, it had been a nice meeting. She had unexpectedly met a great-great-great-grandchild she hadn’t seen in ages—and likely would never see again.

Meanwhile, Ruan Yu had been forced to watch his cousin, who was very healthy, very much alive, and maybe even a little chubbier, boldly declare that he would stay by Lu Xingyao’s side no matter what. That no one—nothing—could separate him from his best friend and his source of food.

Ruan Yu was probably ready to give up now, right?

Ruan Zhao glanced at the man who had been quiet this whole time. He hesitated, then gently asked, “Cousin, we’re off now. See you next time?”

Ruan Yu stared at him without answering.

Thinking he had silent approval, Ruan Zhao quietly let out a breath and gave a cheerful little wave goodbye.

His younger cousin, who had been raised in comfort, spoiled by everyone, and pampered like a prince since birth, was now walking away hand-in-hand with that annoying human.

Ruan Yu watched them leave. All he felt was how ridiculous it was. Forget about status, background, or loyalty—they had only known each other for what, a month? What could even happen in a month?

He scoffed to himself. Among vampires, a single big party could last several months. After that, they usually slept for years. Friends? Vampires were naturally cold and proud. Ice ran through their veins, and their moods were even colder than their blood. Aside from rare family affection, “friendship” wasn’t even something they thought about.

Only someone like Ruan Zhao—softhearted and endearingly innocent—would try to be friends with a human. This path could only lead to heartbreak. And rather than watch Ruan Zhao come crawling back one day, hurt and pathetic, begging for comfort… it would be better to stop it all now. To get rid of the danger before it even had a chance to grow.

A crimson glow suddenly appeared in the man’s pale eyes. For a moment, time seemed to stop. Everything slowed down in his view, like the world itself was moving through thick syrup. Even from a distance, he could see it—that human’s heart, his bones, the blood flowing through muscle and vein. So fragile. So easily removed, like pulling a weed from the ground.

Just as he was about to act—

“Xiao Yu.” Eve’s voice broke through the stillness.

Her sweet voice now sounded a bit rough, as if it came from far away. “Before you lose control, think carefully. Can you really handle what happens next?”

Ruan Yu froze. It was like something inside him suddenly woke up. He turned to her, looking dazed.

“You should be able to see it. The things you’re so afraid of… they’re not going to happen.”

Indigo marks had started to spread across the pale skin of the girl’s cheeks. Fine lines, like cracks in porcelain, strangely splitting her beauty. She looked like a broken doll.

She tilted her head slightly. “Don’t do something you’ll regret.”

……

Outside the cafe, Lu Xingyao suddenly stopped walking. A flicker of cold light passed through his dark eyes. He let out a silent, almost mocking laugh. The curve of his lips showed only sarcasm.

Ruan Zhao, who had been strolling ahead, noticed and walked back with a confused look. “Why are you standing there like an idiot? Enjoying the breeze?”

Lu Xingyao wiped the expression off his face and gave him an innocent, surprised look. “I just remembered something…” He dragged out the words on purpose. “I think I forgot to buy something.”

“…Huh?”

“I need to make a quick stop at the supermarket.”

Ruan Zhao, who had been up since early morning and was now completely exhausted, gave him a blank, unsympathetic look. “Go by yourself.”

Lu Xingyao looked a little disappointed. “So heartless.”

Unmoved, Ruan Zhao crossed his arms. He had no intention of changing his mind.

Lu Xingyao paused, then added, “Not that I can’t go alone, but… I heard there have been some mixed-blood sightings around here lately. A few people have already been scared so badly they ended up in the hospital.”

“…Don’t you guys at the Supervision Bureau handle stuff like that?” Ruan Zhao asked.

Lu Xingyao replied casually, “Yeah, we do. But mixed-bloods are timid and good at hiding. Tracking them down isn’t exactly easy. And we have to prioritize—the ones that are just a nuisance without being truly dangerous get bumped to the bottom of the list.”

“There aren’t that many agents we can spare. And with these things showing up in every corner of the city, there’s just not enough people to go around.”

Ruan Zhao wasn’t sure if he was just imagining things, but the moment Lu Xingyao mentioned monsters nearby, he instinctively looked around—and even turned to check behind him.

It was broad daylight, but suddenly, those shady spots where sunlight couldn’t reach seemed extra creepy. Even the soft early-autumn breeze, usually warm and pleasant, now felt strangely chilly, giving him goosebumps. Maybe, just maybe, in that messy alley ahead, behind all that junk, there was a mixed-blood monster hiding, just waiting for him to walk by… so it could jump out.

Ruan Zhao spooked himself with the thought. Now he was on edge—every little movement made him jump. There was no way he could go home alone after that. But the problem was… he’d literally just told Lu Xingyao to go to the supermarket by himself. Now, turning around and tagging along would make him seem like a total chicken.

Lu Xingyao gave him a helpless little smile. “That monster’s pretty scary-looking, honestly. I’m a little nervous going alone. But if there are two of us, it won’t be so bad.” His voice took on a clear tone of pleading. “So, Zhaozhao… will you come with me?”

Ruan Zhao blinked, caught off guard. His bright, watery eyes blinked a few more times in disbelief. He hadn’t expected Lu Xingyao to say something like that. The very next second, he lifted his chin with a dramatic little huff. “Well, since you asked so sincerely… I guess I can go with you.”

They walked together along the main road, with the nearest supermarket still a few hundred meters away. Ruan Zhao mumbled under his breath, “Still, your courage is seriously lacking. Mixed-blood monsters are just creepy to look at. They move like rusty machines—so slow it’s embarrassing. Even zombies are faster than them… And you’re scared of that?”

Lu Xingyao just said casually, “Yeah. I am.”

The sun peeked out from behind the clouds overhead. Everything around them turned golden. Ruan Zhao hadn’t noticed, but Lu Xingyao subtly shifted sideways to block the sunlight from hitting him directly.

Then he opened a sun umbrella, blocking out all the sunlight.

The sun couldn’t exactly harm Ruan Zhao physically, but he still disliked it deeply—it was an instinct. His skin was far more sensitive than most people’s; even a little too long in direct sunlight would leave it red and sore. That’s why, even in this hot weather, he was fully covered in a long-sleeved jacket, trying his best to shield his skin.

The black umbrella tilted toward him, casting a full shadow over his entire body, while half of Lu Xingyao’s shoulder remained exposed. Even if he wanted to deny it, it was painfully obvious: This umbrella was being held up for him.

Ruan Zhao stopped and looked up at the man in front of him. The guy was much taller—almost 190 centimeters. That height difference was even more noticeable up close. Ruan Zhao barely came up to his chin. When he looked up, the first thing he saw were those absurdly long, thick eyelashes. They looked almost unreal—like something out of a dream. It made him want to reach out and touch them, just to see if they felt as soft as they looked.

Lu Xingyao noticed his gaze. He looked down and gently asked, “What’s wrong? Why’d you stop?”

Snapping out of it, Ruan Zhao quickly turned his head, a faint blush on his cheeks. “N-Nothing,” he mumbled, avoiding eye contact.

Lu Xingyao studied him for a second. Whatever he understood from that, he didn’t say. Instead, with that low, rich voice of his, he went back to his “terrified of monsters” story. He insisted he was so afraid—so petrified—that he could barely walk straight. And his face? Totally calm. Not a trace of fear in sight.

Ruan Zhao just stared at him, completely expressionless.

Then, after that whole setup, the real reason finally came out. Still in that pleading tone, Lu Xingyao asked, “So… can I hold your hand?” He said it with a perfectly straight face. “That way, I won’t be scared anymore.”

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