Chapter 2 – He’s Back
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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In the following days, Yu Yang continued to work as usual. His parents were mostly abroad for inspections and vacations, so he was responsible for all affairs and core projects at the headquarters in City A. He had been taking over the company since his junior year. And now, after more than a year, he has shown competence and courage in everything he did. He was a responsible person. And when mentioned in the industry, people often exclaimed about Yu Yang’s promising future.
Yu Yang stood in front of the floor-to-ceiling window in his office. The sky had already darkened. The city’s tall buildings were lit up, giving the illusion that under the brilliance of the night, there were actually too few people who could be illuminated.
The office was not lit. It was quietly dim. Yu Yang took out a cigarette, lowered his head to light it. He played with the lighter. The huge glass window isolated all the noise outside the building. The company building was quiet. But Yu Yang still felt it was too noisy.
It was so noisy that it made him frown. He closed his eyes, tilted his head back, and exhaled a long trembling smoke into the air.
“Little one, do you have your eyes on my car?”
“Lemon soda. It smells so good. My coffee doesn’t even smell as nice anymore.”
“You dislike me so much? But I really like you, you know.”
“Who says alphas can’t be shy? “Moreover, I like you just the way you are.”
“It’s just that I’m not tired when I see you. How about a kiss, Yu Yang?”
…
Every word, every expression, the tone of voice back then.
Why can’t I forget?
Why, after more than four years, do these memories still dominate my emotions, lying dormant in my heart when I ignore them, and pricking me with sharp thorns when I can’t help but touch them, leaving my hands covered in blood.
Can memories from a few months in one’s youth really affect a person for years?
Yu Yang couldn’t believe it himself. Because he couldn’t believe it, he always wanted an answer. And it’s in this kind of unwillingness and incomprehension that those past memories become more unforgettable and clearer.
A few days ago, Jin Wuqi’s smiling face in the sunset seemed like an image stored in his brain that couldn’t be deleted. It seemed to exist in every folder, named with misleading work file names. Even with just one accidental click, it could be triggered to open, unfolding mercilessly and without reservation, occupying all of Yu Yang’s thoughts.
Reuniting after a long separation, just one glance, just a few words, yet it’s such a deeply ingrained scene, easily overwhelming a person.
Having feelings for someone is really something powerless, inexplicable, and unforgettable.
For Yu Yang, the few months four years ago were like an immersive summer carnival. He stepped in following the scent of roses, never thinking about pulling out. However, one day, he was suddenly awakened, told that the carnival was over, and everything would disappear. Yet he hadn’t grasped anything.
Perhaps Yu Yang’s awakening was too late. So only he was still in place, pacing in circles like a trapped animal. When they met again, he could only be a paper tiger, fierce on the outside but weak on the inside, collapsing entirely once turned around.
Yu Yang would rather that summer was truly a dream. At least, upon waking up, he would know that everything was unreal. He would feel melancholy for a moment and then forget about them all.
But those were real experiences. Every word, every glance, every time holding hands, every moment of joy and love, all were experiences personally felt, etched in memory, impossible to forget.
No matter how good the times were, if they couldn’t be long-lasting, they were no better than a dream.
The phone rang. Yu Yang opened his eyes, picking up the phone and extinguishing the cigarette in the ashtray on the table.
“Hello? Yu Yang, are you working overtime again?” Zhou Zhou’s clear voice came from the other end of the phone. “Well, there’s nothing urgent. I just wanted to remind you that my sister’s getting married in three days. You’re coming, right?”
“I’m not Zhou Qiao’s ex-boyfriend, why wouldn’t I go?” Yu Yang said.
“It’s not that… It’s just…” Zhou Zhou hesitated for a long time before saying, “Jin Wuqi is back, did you know?”
Yu Yang crushed the cigarette butt in the ashtray into a curled ball. He flicked his fingers to remove the ash from his fingertips and then said, “I know.”
“Ah… as long as you know. I was just worried that you wouldn’t go to the wedding because of this. After all, he and Cheng Che are family. So he’s definitely going to attend,” Zhou Zhou, an omega who was obsessed with beauty, often diverted the topic when it came to Jin Wuqi. “Speaking of which, I haven’t seen him in so long. In these years, I haven’t seen an omega more beautiful than him. My aesthetic sense is so poor and needs to be replenished. So, I really miss him…”
“Are you done?” Yu Yang asked him.
Zhou Zhou seemed to have just remembered the unresolved history between his boyfriend’s cousin Jin Wuqi and his childhood friend Yu Yang.
“I’m sorry,” he quickly apologised. “You can continue working. I also need to finish a draft. I won’t disturb you.”
***
Around noon, Cheng Che took off his mask and left the laboratory, walking towards the end of the corridor.
At the end, there was a large window, and the somewhat dazzling light outlined a tall and slender figure by the window. It was as if a painter had captured the most exquisite and enduring aesthetic elements, creating such a sharp and beautiful line.
“I thought you didn’t want to see me.” Jin Wuqi heard the footsteps and turned his gaze from the window back to the corridor, looking at Cheng Che with a smile.
“How’s Auntie doing?” Cheng Che asked.
“She couldn’t stay at home anymore. So I took her to a small seaside town where she has some friends,” Jin Wuqi said. “You know, my mom is originally a weak person. She couldn’t even hide away from the family affairs. Now that I’m back, she definitely can’t stay there alone. She’s also reluctant to go back to the country. After considering it for a long time, she chose that place, saying it’s suitable for retirement.”
“Why didn’t you say anything?” Cheng Che looked at him and spoke softly. “If it weren’t for Mom and Dad telling me, I wouldn’t have known that Grandpa’s side was in such a mess.”
Jin Wuqi smiled, crossed his arms, leaned back against the wall, and his tone was half teasing, half serious, “Cheng Che, my dear postgraduate student, our grandfather, has been dead for several years. Between us, there’s only the relationship of cousins left. I wish you never have to meet those annoying relatives of mine. What’s the point of telling you anything? It’ll only make you worry, with no benefits.”
“I’ve solved all the troublesome matters, haven’t I?” Jin Wuqi glanced down at the ground, smiling faintly. “It’s just that the cost was a bit high.”
Sunlight fell on the scattered hair on his cheek, sparkling like crystal grains.
Cheng Che paused, glanced at his watch, and asked, “Shall we have lunch together?”
“I’m just here to see you. I’m going to find Cheng Yan later and give him the red envelope in person. I might not be able to attend the wedding.”
“Why?” Cheng Che frowned. “Isn’t Uncle asking you to be his groomsman?”
“If he wants me to, I’ll do it.” Jin Wuqi stood up straight. There was a smile in his brown eyes. “I’m busy. I just came back and there’s a lot to do. I’ve been abroad for a long time. And there are many things at the company that haven’t been handed over properly. Just thinking about it gives me a headache.”
He walked towards the elevator and, seeing Cheng Che still frowning, Jin Wuqi patted his shoulder with a smile. “I’ll try my best to make it to the wedding. It’s been so long since I’ve seen your dear Zhou Zhou. I miss him too.”
Cheng Che glanced at him, thought for a moment, but still didn’t mention the name ‘Yu Yang’.
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*Translator’s Note: I forgot to mention that this novel is mostly like a ‘husband-chasing-crematorium’ lol. Just wait and see. -K
Next update: 2024.04.03
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Link to Chapter 3: https://freenovels.net/long-summer-late-awakening-chapter-3/
