After Crossing Over to the Republic of China, I've Become a Heartthrob Chapter 43A

Song Yuan

---

I was lying on the hospital bed, looking at the snow-white ceiling.

My heart was filled with the frustration of a dream.

Could it be that everything I experienced in the Republic of China was nothing more than a fantasy in my coma? 

My throat is sore, the end of my eyes red. Just when I was grieving, I turned my head and saw a person lying on the next bed.

It was no one else but Song Yuan.

My mind went blank and I forgot everything.

Did Song Yuan shoot himself after my funeral and return to modern times with me?

I was so nervous I couldn't breathe at the thought of such a possibility.

He hasn't woken up yet.

What if he wakes up and doesn't recognize me?

What if he wakes up and doesn't have the memories we shared? 

While I was ruminating, Song Yuan's eyelashes fluttered slightly and he opened his eyes.

I looked at him blankly.

He smiled gently at me.

When I saw the familiar colour of his eyes, I finally let go of my heart.

Song Yuan and I returned to modern times together.

The plot of the story is very cliche.

On my first day of school as an English teacher, I was hit by a car in front of my alma mater, A City Foreign Language School, due to a thunderstorm.

The person who hit me was none other than Song Yuan.

The original Song Yuan has gone to the West, and the current Song Yuan is the one who came from the Republic of China, the one I know well.

Song Yuan is the president of Song Group.

Song Group is in the high-tech industry, I don't know much about it, but it's very rich.

It's a family business. There are two brothers in the Song family, Song Yuan and Song Liao.

But Song Liao here doesn't know me, and there is almost no interaction between us.

Every time I go to look for Song Yuan, I occasionally see Song Liao, and even with only a brief moment of eye contact, that guy will be secretly jealous for a long time.

The two brothers will still fight, but I've learned my lesson from the Republic of China, and I'm trying to stay out of the way. Anyway, modern society is a civilised society, so they can do whatever they want.

I was teaching at the school and studying for my master's degree in translation. 

Song Yuan was flying around the world for meetings, and he always took me with him.

His English is actually quite good, but he always says, "Just because you know English doesn't mean you can translate, but you're a professional, so I need you".

I suggested that he should get a translation machine, but Song Yuan said that machines are cold and have no human feelings, while translation is not only the exchange of linguistic information, but also a kind of cross-cultural communication activity, so I need you more.

Modern society has many advantages, such as the fact that Song Yuan's inner demons are no longer revealed under the constraints of the rule of law.

Modern society also has a lot of things that are, well, I can't say they're bad, but I can only say they're outrageous, such as the perverted little devil inside Song Yuan, who is dedicated to giving me a variety of unspeakable content.

It's kinda cool though.

Modern society is much more inclusive, and there are many unknown possibilities to be explored.

After graduating with a Master's degree in Translation, I joined Song Yuan's company as a Computational Language Engineer in Natural Language Processing, and I am very confident in the application of Artificial Intelligence in the field of translation.

I was very passionate about my work, but not as passionate as my coworkers were about digging up personal gossip about me.

Rumours about me could be heard from time to time in the company's internal forums, pantries, and conference room corridors.

Especially when Song Yuan and I were standing together, I really wanted to evaporate.

But not only did he not mind at all, he had to look at me in public with that kind of tender and mushy eyes.

I was so nervous that I couldn't do anything about it.

Although our relationship has been publicised for a long time, and we even got a licence in a foreign country, so we are 100% legal partners.

But I still don't like the high profile!

In private, I like to call him Youlan. 

Of course, this is his name in the Republic of China, not in modern times.

Every time I call him Youlan, he gets very excited.

One time, the company released the latest laptop series of computers, and the name was not yet decided.

That night, we had just had a stimulating and in-depth discussion, and he asked me if I had any ideas, and I put my arms around him, and in a daze, I said, let's call it Youlan.

It was just a flirtation on my part.

Who knew that the next day, at the new machine launch, in front of the global media, Song Yuan officially launched this new laptop series of products, called Youlan.

Everyone was wondering what the significance of this name was, but only I knew that it was just a boudoir affair between him and me.

When it rained one day, on a Thursday, I had to drag Song Yuan to KFC with me, and ordered a huge ice-cold Coke.

We sat by the floor-to-ceiling glass window and watched the traffic going by.

I said to Song Yuan, this is the human atmosphere, I suddenly feel so happy.

Song Yuan held my hand, gently squeezed it, and kissed the back of it.

We have crossed a hundred years of time, through life and death.

We have had too many misunderstandings and entanglements with each other.

But after years and years of hard work, this ordinary moment is the source of the most solid warmth for each other.

I said to Song Yuan, we have to accept old age, and I feel like we are an old married couple.

Song Yuan asked, who is the husband and who is the wife? 

I said, of course you are my wife.

Song Yuan smiled gently and rubbed my hair.

I know he favours me, he won't argue with me, whatever I say is right!

The most important thing is to play some new tricks with him at night.

Although the skin is getting old, the mind can be young forever.

Like eating fried chicken every Crazy Thursday, or trying every new trend.

There's still a long time to go, but I cherish every moment of it.

The purple gromwell of the Yuan River is green and the orchids of the river are fragrant.

That then I scorn to change my state with kings.

———

When in disgrace with fortune and men’s eyes,

I all alone beweep my outcast state,

And trouble deaf heaven with my bootless cries,

And look upon myself and curse my fate,

Wishing me like to one more rich in hope,

Featured like him, like him with friends possessed,

Desiring this man’s art and that man’s scope,

With what I most enjoy contented least;

Yet in these thoughts myself almost despising,

Haply I think on thee, and then my state,

Like to the lark at break of day arising

From sullen earth, sings hymns at heaven’s gate;

 For thy sweet love remembered such wealth brings

 That then I scorn to change my state with kings.

(Sonnet 29, William Shakespeare)

‿︵‿︵ʚ˚̣̣̣͙ɞ・❉・ ʚ˚̣̣̣͙ɞ‿︵‿︵

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Translator Notes

While I know that each man gets their own ending, a part of me really didn't want Song Yuan to get a happy ending.

Please feel free to comment any mistakes I made so I can improve and do better as I go through the book.

Translated: July 15, 2023