Cherry Translations

  PREVIOUS                        TOC                            NEXT Morning light filtered through the smart-tinted glass, casting warm golden patches across the living room floor. Qi Ye was sunk deep into the sofa, sleeping far more soundly than he had the night before. The thick fleece blanket was pulled all the way up to his chin, leaving only half his face exposed. The exhaustion from the hangover, combined with the comfort of two bowls of steaming hot porridge, had finally pressed him into real sleep. In the kitchen, the enamel pot that had been simmering over low heat was already cold. The lingering aroma of rice mixed with the fresh scent of lemon water, drifting faintly through the air. Cheng Shubai stood at the stove, already dressed in a new, perfectly pressed dark suit without a single wrinkle. He was carefully transferring the last of th...

  PREVIOUS                        TOC                            NEXT On the intercom screen, the medical team’s stern faces looked like a frozen photograph. Glasses reflected the cold white light of the corridor ceiling. Cheng Shubai’s gaze drifted past the screen and back into the living room. Qi Ye was sunk deep into the sofa, face buried in a cushion, only a tuft of messy hair visible at the back of his head. His breathing was slow and even. That earlier irritated grunt had already disappeared, as if it had never happened. He looked like an unguarded cat. Cheng Shubai was silent for three seconds. His fingertip hovered over the intercom button, then shifted away. He pressed mute instead. The buzzing stopped instantly. The medical team’s serious faces remained on screen, but they became a silent backdrop. He put down the receiver and wal...