Chapter 11 – Almost Over You
Novel Title: 长夏醒迟 (Long Summer, Late Awakening)
Author：麦香鸡呢 (McChicken)
Translator: K (@kin0monogatari)
Protagonists: 余炀 (Yu Yang -MC/Gong), 靳吾栖 (Jin Wuqi -ML/Shou)
*Please read at Novels Space.space, the original site of translation. TQ*
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Yu Yang took a few days off at home, leaving the company affairs to the senior management and assistants. If there were any unresolved issues, they would contact him.
He used to focus solely on working tirelessly, stuffing various work matters forcefully into his mind, so as to leave no room for other thoughts. He preferred to squeeze his body into a weary mechanical shell rather than allowing even a hint of leisure to recall the past. He had already endured enough nightmares in the deep of the night. Thus, he truly couldn’t bear to be dominated by fragmented memories during the day.
Yu Yang indeed managed to do so. During busy times, he was oblivious to everything else. He was focused and composed. He believed that was his best state.
However, now he finally realised that the best state was to never intentionally ignore the past under pressure. But to be able to face memories calmly at any time. Though difficult, as long as he achieved it, he would have completely escaped from that prison of the mind, able to continue living more openly and fearlessly.
He signed a contract with Jin Wuqi’s company. All processes and benefit planning are proceeding as normal cooperation, without any changes due to their relationship. This is probably the first step for Yu Yang to face his past.
Cheng Che probably also has some free time these days as he invited Yu Yang to play basketball. Yu Yang was still asleep when the sun was high in the sky. After waking up and seeing the message, he replied: “Okay, I’m getting up now. See you at the research institute basketball court.”
After washing up, he rode his bike out wearing sportswear. The autumn was getting stronger, and the leaves of the gingko trees by the roads in the villa area were shining with bright golden colours. They gently swayed in the morning breeze. They were covered in a richer warm hue by the sunlight. Occasionally, a few leaves would fall, reflecting the morning light and shimmering in Yu Yang’s eyes.
It was a very nice weather. There were many such nice weathers before. But unfortunately, Yu Yang rarely paid attention. He hurriedly drove by every day, ignoring the beauty brought by the changes of the seasons.
The cool breeze, the warm sunshine, the crisp air filled with the gentle fragrance of trees. Yu Yang tilted his chin up into the light, deeply inhaling the breath of early autumn. In the bright view, he felt as if he had returned to his high school times. Occasionally, when he woke up late, he would ride his bike to school, wearing his school uniform, carrying his backpack. He would cross the vibrant and clean streets, arriving at the campus before the morning self-study bell rang, and then rushing to the classroom after getting off his bike.
Those were such wonderful and pure years, with youthful faces and sincere smiles. It was precious youth that could never be regained. Why did he always avoid thinking about it? Clearly, it was so worth remembering and commemorating.
Alpha pheromones comfortably dispersed, blowing Yu Yang’s bangs in the wind. He felt the long-lost comfort and ease. It was as if there were wings behind him about to spread out, ready to shake off the fragmented feathers and soar freely.
***
When Yu Yang arrived at the basketball court, Cheng Che was already there, standing by the bench looking at his phone. His tall and straight alpha figure was bathed in the sunlight, resembling a serene tree.
Yu Yang took the basketball out of the net pocket, spun it on his fingertips, and then shouted with a smile, “Cheng Che!”
As he finished calling out to him, he threw the ball over. Cheng Che turned around, quickly reached out his free hand to catch the ball, flicked his wrist, and then smoothly bounced it on the ground a few times.
Cheng Che threw his phone onto his jacket on the bench, dribbled the ball, and walked towards Yu Yang with a smile in his clear eyes and brows. “Feeling good?”
“Yeah. I took a few days off for myself,” Yu Yang unzipped his jacket, crumpled it up, and threw it onto the bench. “How about you? How come you suddenly have time?”
“I took a few days off like you,” Cheng Che tossed the ball to Yu Yang, flexing his wrist. “I’m going to Zhou Zhou’s dads’ place with him this afternoon. He was still asleep when I left.”
Yu Yang dribbled the ball with a smile. “He’s been a late riser for a long time. When I used to wait for him to go to school, I’d always end up almost late. Even when Zhou Qiao hit him, he wouldn’t get up.”
“I can’t bear to disturb him. By then, he’s even less willing to get up,” Cheng Che said, catching the ball and throwing a shot. As the ball dropped, Yu Yang reached out to grab it and threw it back into the hoop. Cheng Che watched Yu Yang’s back and felt that the indifference and calmness on Yu Yang had faded away. They were replaced by a lot of lightness and freedom. At a glance, it seemed that he was still a high school student, and they were just spending a physical education class on the high school basketball court.
He didn’t know the reason for Yu Yang’s change. But he knew that Yu Yang’s current state was what they hoped to see.
It’s not deliberate suppression. Nor is it pretending to be relaxed. But it was a genuine ease.
There are things that Zhou Zhou may not know, but Cheng Che does.
It was during the freshman year winter break. One day, Yu Yang got drunk and Cheng Che took him home.
Upon opening the door, the room was filled with the unmistakable scent of roses. Cheng Che dragged Yu Yang to the bed, turned on the light, and saw a rectangular glass box on the desk. Inside was a bunch of dried roses. They were so dry that they would almost crumble at a touch. They looked wilted and colourless, showing signs of long-lasting traces of time. Placed in the glass box, they resembled precious exhibits.
Cheng Che turned his head and saw Yu Yang staring at the dried flowers with moist, red eyes, as if he was mesmerised.
“My brother bought them for you?” Cheng Che asked.
Yu Yang continued to gaze at the flowers, saying, “Yes.”
“He… He came to my house before he left… and bought them for me…”
“I even laughed at him… I asked why buy flowers when everything is fine…”
“He said, if he… is away from me for too long, I can use these flowers as substitute…”
Yu Yang murmured each sentence. He never mentioned Jin Wuqi when he was sober. He only lets those inexpressible emotions fall like an unstoppable flood under the influence of alcohol.
“When I knew he had left, I was very angry… I… I threw these flowers into the trash…”
“Later I picked them back up… I couldn’t bear it… He didn’t leave me anything except a red envelope… and only this bunch of flowers…”
“Flowers wither too. They lost their fragrance after a few days…”
Cheng Che picked up a frosted bottle from the table and asked in a low voice, “So you’ve been using aromatherapy?”
“Yeah…” Yu Yang rolled over. He stared blankly at the small chandelier above. His face flushed with drunkenness, “Damascus rose… I specifically had it blended by a foreign store…”
After he finished, he laughed self-deprecatingly, with a hint of him about to cry in his voice, “What’s the use? He doesn’t want me anymore. What’s the use of me doing all this?”
His omega abandoned him without a word. Yet he still deceived himself by using aromatherapy similar to his scent to numb himself. He couldn’t even bear to throw away an expired rose, treating it as a precious treasure. He stored in a place where he could see it every night and every morning, consuming himself in self-torture.
Alpha’s overflowing love had all turned into useless mockery. Yu Yang raised his hand to cover his eyes, tears wetting his palm. He laughed and said, “I’m such a loser. Why… Why am I so delusional…”
“You’re not,” Cheng Che couldn’t find more words to say. Jin Wuqi’s departure did not leave any comfort and was meaningless to Yu Yang.
“You’re not delusional, Yu Yang,” Cheng Che said, “But you still have your own life to live.”
“Yeah…” Yu Yang sighed in response. However, he then turned over, burying his face in the pillow. His voice muffled as he denied, “No… I actually don’t have anything left anymore…”
***
Cheng Che didn’t know if Yu Yang still remembered his drunken words that night. He only knew that Yu Yang hadn’t let go for a single moment. That was because in his junior year, Yu Yang bought a ticket to go abroad.
It had been almost three years. Just when Cheng Che and Zhou Zhou thought that Yu Yang had moved on, he bought a ticket to go to the country where Jin Wuqi was.
That afternoon was supposed to be a basketball team match, but Yu Yang didn’t show up. During the morning training, Cheng Che heard from teammates that Yu Yang had taken a few days off and that he had obtained a visa.
Cheng Che checked the flight on his phone and then went to the airport.
He was not trying to meddle. He was just very clear that even if Yu Yang really found Jin Wuqi, apart from another bout of despair, he won’t get anything.
To make Jin Wuqi give up on this relationship, Cheng Che knows deeply how tricky the situation his brother will have to face is. Jin Wuqi has never been an omega who covets an alpha’s embrace and relationship. His character is not as soft and sweet as he appears. Every decision he makes is firm and unquestionable, including leaving Yu Yang behind. So Cheng Che has never questioned Jin Wuqi on behalf of Yu Yang. He knows too well about Jin Wuqi’s upbringing and the distance between him and the others. It cannot be summed up in just a few words.
Therefore, Cheng Che knows full well that if Yu Yang faces Jin Wuqi again, he will definitely taste an even more painful experience.
When he arrived at the airport, Yu Yang had not yet passed security and was still checking in. Cheng Che pulled him out of the line, took off his hat, looked at his eyes full of red veins, and asked him coldly, “What are you up to?”
“It’s been so long. Don’t I have the right to demand an answer?” Yu Yang asked hoarsely. “I can’t wait any longer. Is that not allowed? He didn’t give me a deadline. I don’t know how long to wait for. Can I ask for an answer face to face?”
Cheng Che stared at him and said the most devastating words that could crush Yu Yang, word by word.
“My brother’s leaving without a word is the answer. Even if you ask him face to face, it’s still the same answer. It’s been almost three years. Yu Yang, why can’t you understand?”
Why can’t you understand?
He doesn’t care about you at all. Doesn’t have you in his heart. And doesn’t want to know if you’re waiting because he never envisioned any future with you.
Yu Yang stood quietly in the bustling lobby. After a long time, he slowly blinked his eyes. His voice was filled with bone-deep exhaustion.
“Never mind,” he said.
Yu Yang knew this answer all too well. He understood it all too well.
He just wanted to hear it from Jin Wuqi in person. So he could completely give up and let go of any lingering thoughts.
“What are you daydreaming about?”
Yu Yang’s voice, tinged with a smile, brought Cheng Che’s thoughts back to the sunlit basketball court. Cheng Che looked at him as Yu Yang threw the ball over, saying with a smile, “The loser will pay for the meal.”
His smile was dazzling in the crisp morning air, just like in high school, straightforward and sunny. Cheng Che came back to himself, smiled, and said, “Sure.”
Regardless, being able to make up his mind to start anew, to forgive himself, was a good thing.
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*Author’s Note:
[But McChicken won’t forgive you.]
[No rush, it’s okay. Jin Wuqi’s misery = Yu Yang’s misery x 50.]
[Today’s chapter is quite long. There will be no extra updates. If there are a lot of comments, I’ll continue tomorrow! Goodnight.]
– McChicken
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*Translator’s Note: the song ‘Almost over You’ by Jeff Satur came out playing on my random playlist as I was translating this chapter and it hit the spot. You guys can try to give this song a listen. Haha. -K
☝🏻Gingko Trees
Next update: 2024.04.21
Link to Chapter 12: https://freenovels.net/long-summer-late-awakening-chapter-12/
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Link and Lyrics to song: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=h6a0sEDTksk
Almost over You -Jeff Satur
You gave me a rose sometime in June
Like when our love was here, fully in bloom
Your flowers now the only trace of you
You became a ghost, someone I knew
I’ve got nobody I can talk to
‘Cause everyone but me (has) forgotten you
So now I take my car on these silent drives
Because I hear our songs and it makes me cry
And all my friends say all that you need is time
And I hope they’re right
These lonely days keep passing by
Tryna live without your smile
Even if it took a while
I’m almost over you
The rose you gave me (is) dead and dry
Losing one petal at a time
Just like the memories in my mind
I’m almost over you
You’re in my bones, under my skin
I found the note in the pocket that you left it in
A sketch of us, a penciled face
We didn’t know that things would all end up this way
Take my car on these silent drives
Because I hear our songs and it makes me cry
And all my friends say all that you need is time
And I hope they’re right
These lonely days keep passing by
Tryna live without your smile
Even if it took a while
I’m almost over you
The rose you gave me (is) dead and dry
Losing one petal at a time
Just like the memories in my mind
I’m almost over you
Almost over looking at your emerald eyes
Almost over how your hand felt clutched to mine
Almost over looking for your blue car every time I drive
These lonely days keep passing by
Tryna live without your smile
Even if it took a while
I’m almost over you
The rose you gave me (is) dead and dry
Losing one petal at a time
Just like the memories in my mind
I’m almost over you
I’m almost over you
Yeah, I’m almost over you
I’m almost over you
I’m almost over you
