Good morning everyone~ Chaptre quatre~ The fourth chapter is here~ Hope you all have had a wonderful week and weekend so far. As always, we would love to hear your comments and thoughts on this chapter!
Just a fun note here~ We added one line to the chapter, to make it less… scary/stalker-y? Suffice to say, it was an artistic license. Take a gander of which one is it? Let us know if you can guess~ Enjoy!
Chapter 4: University Isn’t this dress gorgeous? This is what the team thinks that Su Jin would wear.Before dinner, Su Jin swiftly fled from the villa. Moreover, she planned to not return home so soon.
Her reasoning was absolutely sensible. Tomorrow was Monday and she needed to return to school to prepare for her examinations. After all, it was currently the start of June. In the academic calendar, the end of term examinations were scheduled to begin on the 20th June. For the clinical medicine major, the annual end of term testing was always like a college entrance examination. Even for those who were ordinarily diligent students, as the time drew closer to the end of the term, it was unavoidable for them to toil away for long hours and pull all-nighters. As the daughter of a wealthy family with no worries about her bread and butter, Su Jin always had borderline scores on her examinations, so how could she not follow suit?
Facing her daughter who was rarely studious become so diligent in her studies, Han Meng was surprised, but also extremely happy, so she agreed.
Although the former host of the body, Su Jin, had applied to board at school, most of the time she still stayed at home. And even though she did not stay at school that often, a set of her necessities were kept in her dormitory.
Sitting in her family car, Su Jin leaned against the back seat. Slightly closing her eyes, she tried to recall her three roommates in her mind.
Zhou Qian- her family lived in Suzhou which was not far from Shenhai and could be considered moderately affluent. Undertaking her duties as the class monitor and committee member of the student council studies department, she was an all-around scholar with a candid and cheerful personality.
With a family that lived in another province, Wang Zhe had a rather masculine name. However, she was actually a lovely and sweet-tempered girl with a gentle and kind-hearted personality.
Along with Su Jin, they belonged to the sixth class of the clinical medicine major.
As for her last roommate, Su Jin furrowed her brows lightly.
Han Xuelan- she was the only daughter of the second eldest male in the Han family, and a student of the faculty of finance, economics and management. As to why she was assigned to their dorm, reportedly, she made a request to be placed there.
Su Jin lightly made a noise of indignation. The Su and Han families had a rather complicated relationship. The Su family madam was the elder sister of the eldest male, Han Xu, of the Han family. However, they were only half-siblings sharing the same father. Han Meng's mother passed away when she was four years old due to an illness. Afterward, her father remarried a new wife and gave birth to Han Xu. The new Madam chose to neither suppress nor dote on her and thus, raised her in such a manner. Therefore, Han Meng felt indifferent towards the Han family and similarly, the relationship between Han Xu's son Han Mingxuan and the pair of siblings of the Su family was lukewarm too. However, after the passing of the Han family's parents a few years ago, Han Meng and Han Xu's relationship began to improve.
As for Han Xuelan's father, he was the second eldest son of the Han family, Han Lei. However, he was an illegitimate child that was brought to the Han family when he was twelve years old. Raised with a timid and weak personality ever since he was young, he did not have a good relationship with Han Meng and Han Xu. In comparison, Han Xuelan had a completely opposite personality. Therefore, since she was young, she did not think highly of her father who was like a doormat in front of Han Xu. She also took a rather hostile stance towards Han Mingxuan, Su Yue and Su Jin. Still, she could still be considered shrewd and knew how to pick her battles. She never provoked Han Mingxuan or Su Yue, and would never harass Su Jin in front of them.
Therefore, this was the reason why an economics and management faculty student would choose to live in the medical school dormitory.
The original host was a foolish girl; she was doted upon since she was a little girl and had a slightly spoilt disposition. Still, she was too overly protected with no experience with the darker side of humanity. With a pure and kind-hearted temperament, she was unable to fight back when she was pressed by Han Xuelan. She clearly knew about Han Xuelan's father's status as an illegitimate child, yet she still worried about their familial relations and was unwilling to be to harsh. However, in a fit of silent anger, she did not generally stay at the dorms.
As it goes without saying, Han Xuelan's goal was targeted on Su Jin. So, she too did not stay at the dormitory and was only faintly acquainted with their two other roommates.
Contrarily, ever since they met, Su Jin got along well with Zhou Qian and Wang Zhe.
With such a scandal within the Su family at the moment, it would be alright if she did not meet Han Xuelan. If she did chance upon her, as she thought about how Xuelan mocked her as a phony 'phoenix'(1) in the novel, Su Jin helplessly kneaded her glabella(2) and let out a sigh. What a bother- could she not have a few peaceful days for herself?
(1) (fèng huáng) 凤凰 – In ancient Chinese folklore, a phoenix was the grandest among all birds. It represents accomplishment or high social status. If phoenixes were used to refer to people, it means a person is often noble and elite. In this case, it refers to Su Jin's identity as the upper-class, noble eldest young lady of the Su family.
(2) (méi xīn) 眉心 – It means the space between the eyebrows. It is a common word used in Chinese, often to describe a person's mood: frustration. It is similar in English, wherein one rubs their temples. Scientifically, the glabella is the smooth part of the forehead between the eyebrows and right above the nose, close to the nose bridge.
"Miss, we have arrived."
From the front, the driver's voice resounded. In a flash, Su Jin looked up and saw that the care had already stopped before the school gates of Shenhai University.
Ah well, she thought. She pushed open the door and got out of the car, a trace of interest flashing through her eyes.
Han Xuelan, this time around, if you will not be tactful, do not blame me for being ruthless.
The weather at the beginning of June, although it was approaching nightfall, still remained dry and warm. Her skin, whiter than snow, and dressed in a slim wine-red long dress, Su Jin was looking around with a bright gaze, glowing with health and vigour. As she walked through the school campus, she mesmerised an innumerable amount of people.
Speaking of which, Su Jin was the faculty beauty of the medical school and also one of the top ten beauties in Shenhai University.
9th Block, Room 508.
Climbing up five flights of stairs needed quite a bit of stamina and Su Jin recovered her breath as she lightly knocked on the dormitory room door.
Zhezhe, you forget to bring your keys again…(3)" A soft girly voice stopped abruptly as the door opened. With her eyes wide open, Zhou Qian looked at the clothed red beauty at the door in surprise, "Su Jin?"
(3) (zhé zhe) 喆喆 – In this case, Wang Zhe has a nickname using diminutives like 'xiao' or in this case, double characters for her given name, Zhe. So, her nickname among her friends or family is Zhezhe, in Chinese communities, nicknames to show affection are used often.
"Qianqian." Su Jin stuck out her tongue at her, "Thanks, I left my keys at home."
Zhou Qian was slightly shocked when through her mind a memory flashed through about when they first started school. At that time, the young woman with a beautiful and shining appearance knocked on the open door and spoke cheekily about leaving her key at home. It should have been a habit that annoyed people, yet precisely because of that pure smile, one could not help but dote and care on her.
A familiar feeling assaulted her senses.
"Xiao Jin." Zhou Qian could not resist and laughed, "Come on in…" As she said this, she quickly stopped. Turning to glance inside the dorm, she alerted Su Jin in a low voice, "Han Xuelan is here too."
Su Jin slightly furrowed her brows. She was really here? She immediately shook her head towards ZQ as a signal to not reveal her presence and strode into the dorm room.
Zhou Qian sighed. Closing the door, she followed and walked in after Su Jin. One was from the Su family and the other from the Han family. Therefore, there was no way Wang Zhe and herself could step in between Su Jin and Han Xuelan's grievances with each other,.
"Oh, who is this?" A delicate, soft female voice echoed, "Why, the Su family's eldest daughter has so much free time to come to the dormitory?"
The three words were emphasized rather strongly(4). Su Jin raised her head and looked at the girl with wavy permed hair sitting on the chair on the left side of the balcony, wearing a white T-shirt and blue jeans.
(4) (dà xiǎo jie) 大小姐 – Those three words refer to the phrase 'da xiao jie', which does not translate well into English. The way Han Xuelan uses them is rather mocking as she refers to her as the 'eldest daughter of the Su family.'
Han Xuelan.
As she looked at this person, Su Jin suddenly understood why Han Xuelan always focused on her.
It was nothing else, just jealousy.
She and Su Jin were the same kind of beauty, but it was just that Su Jin's beauty was exactly like her name, bright. Her looks were all gorgeously refined whereas Han Xuelan's looks, while beautiful, seemed somewhat seductive.
Without knowing why, Su Jin suddenly thought of the difference between the legal wife and the mistress. A smile crept upon her face. Swiftly, she thought that Han Xuelan was even better suited to be the malicious woman than she was.
Upon seeing the smile at the edge of Su Jin's lips, instantly Han Xuelan's face sank. But then she thought of something else to say, and gave a mocking smile, "Oh, could it be that the eldest daughter of the Su family was driven out because of a lack of blood relation to the Su family? It's true, their family's rightful daughter has returned. You are just an imitation…"
"Han Xuelan!"
As she curbed her thoughts, Su Jin looked at the girl in front of her, "I returned to the dorm because of the upcoming examinations. Moreover, even if I don't have any blood relations with the Su family, I am acknowledged as an honorable and proper child raised by the family. As for you-" She raised an eyebrow, "an illegitimate child's daughter, what right do you have to mock me?"
"Who are you saying is 'illegitimate'!" Han Xuelan was shocked and immediately stood up. Her complexion was a little pale as she pointed at Su Jin, shouting sternly, "You, you are speaking malicious slander!
"Malicious slander?" Su Jin laughed lightly and sat on her chair beside her study table. Glancing at Han Xuelan obliquely, "why don't you look at yourself right now. Which part of you seems to have the breeding of a daughter of the Han family? In the past, in a concession to our family relations, I couldn't be bothered to expose you. But now," she smiled instantly, "you have already mentioned that I have no blood relations with the Su family. Naturally, this means that I do not have any blood relation to you either. That father of yours, his illegitimacy is not a secret in our circle."
"You!" As her face became paler, Han Xuelan bit her lip forcefully as her expression abruptly became soft, "Xiao Jin, Jiejie was wrong…"
Su Jin's eyebrows wrinkled lightly, this Han Xuelan, unexpectedly, she could still bow and submit…
"To be your little sister, I'm afraid I am unworthy!" She turned her head and spoke coldly, "Han Xuelan, you do not want to provoke me again, otherwise, I will not hesitate in letting everyone on campus know about your past."
When speaking or acting, it was important to get to the heart of the matter(5). With such a history, what Han Xuelan cared most about was her pride. If this information about her past was exposed in broad daylight, in the eyes of the students, she would no longer be the untouchable young lady of the Han family.
(5) (dǎ shé dǎ qī cùn) 蛇打七寸 – A Chinese proverb, it means that it is important to get to the crux when doing an action or speaking to someone before there is a backlash.
Lowering her head slightly, Han Xuelan stifled the bitter resentment radiating in her eyes, picked up her bag and swiftly left.
"Xiao Jin, are you alright?" A girl's soft voice echoed in her ear.
Leaning her head to look to the side, Su Jin saw that it was Zhou Qian, who was looking at her with a pair of almond eyes filled with worry.
Su Jin was slightly astonished before she smiled broadly and answering, "I'm alright."
As the sun was setting, a beam of warm yellow sunlight, penetrating through the glass door of the balcony, shone in and mischievously rested on the side of her cheeks.
With a slight raise of her lips, the girl revealed pearly white teeth. With long lashes that blinked softly, her picturesque features became lively in a split second. They seemed to reflect upon that warm sunlight like a butterfly that spread its wings to bathe in the omnipresent rays of light.
Astounded, Zhou Qian then smiled and nodded.
The night sky gradually darkened.
At the edge of the villa's second floor French window, a slender and long figure reclined on the sofa. Playing with a jade cup of a bright and colourful lustre with his fingertips, the pale moonlight shone through the glass window as it lit the side of a clear and handsome face, lighting up a languid smile in those peach blossom eyes.
Raising a hand to bring the cup up towards the bright moon, his lips quirked up gently.
His lips quirked up gently as he thought about his constantly disappearing fiancé, "I'll see you soon(6)."
(6) (hòu tiān jiàn) 后天见 – 'hou tian' means the day after tomorrow and 'jian' means to see or to meet. In this setting, our male lead is saying he will meet or see the day after tomorrow. However, as it does not lend itself to a smooth translation. It is translated as seeing her soon.
Translated by irisu-san
Edited by Ely