Chapter 11.2 (1/2)

A note from Candle:

So recently I got curious and decided to look up HTE to see if any aggregator sites are stealing our translations…and was somewhat surprised to see that indeed there are!! (I shouldn't have been lol) So if you're reading this on webnovel.us or webnovel.online or novelcool.org or whatever else there is out there, first I'd like to say that I personally disagree with reading on aggregator sites, but I also understand the appeal of it to some people.

For now, I have no plans of inst.i.tuting workarounds to try to “dodge” these sites' translation theft since to me, it's like fighting an uphill battle and just not something I feel is worth the effort & frustration. Also, I regard this as a side hobby and way to improve my Chinese, so it doesn't actually impact my livelihood the same way it does to other translators. And finally, I personally really love reading webnovels and it makes me happy to be able to spread the joys of webnovels as a fan translator. (Even though I don't respond to comments anymore, I still very much appreciate your guys' support and find it fun to read comments speculating on the story!) So therefore I personally want to avoid, for as long as possible, creating barriers that reduce the accessibility of these translations to readers. Even if those barriers deter translation theft.

However, even though I have the privilege to overlook translation theft, I know it does impact the livelihoods of many other translators out there in the community. So I'd like to make an appeal to those reading on aggregator sites: please make an effort to reciprocate the hard work of translators by avoiding the use of aggregator sites. Novelupdates.com is a great site with great functionality, and I promise that it really isn't that much extra effort to use it. Really, the core difference is only that the link just redirects to the translator's page. We all hope to be recognized and appreciated for our efforts in life, so I ask that you show the same respect to translators that you deserve as well. Thank you!

And now, back to our regularly scheduled programming…

Yin Li seemed to feel moved. He pulled out his hand that had been stained by my falling tears, and cupped my face as he bent down to kiss me.

It was a deep, pa.s.sionate kiss.

He then rested his nose against mine. In between light pecks on the corners of my lips, he enunciated, ”Yan Xiao, you're also all that I have.”

”I will forever be your s.h.i.+eld, and always stay by your side.”

I felt slightly embarra.s.sed. ”Why must you choose a time when I'm such an emotional wreck to declare your feelings?”

Yin Li looked a bit stupefied for a second, but then a smile quickly appeared on his face. ”It signifies that I don't just love you for your looks.” Then he noticed the wound on my head and frowned. ”How come this still hasn't been treated? Did the accident cause any any more mental trauma? With two car accidents in a row, you might need to see a psychologist.”

I hurriedly waved my hand. ”No need! I'm perfectly fine! And also Yin Li, I have some good news for you! I remembered you! I definitely remembered those things in the past! Are you happy? Can this be considered as our post-disaster luck?”1

1 Yan Xiao uses 因祸得福, an idiom that means “to profit from a disaster”. It's used to describe when there's some good that comes out of a bad situation.

However, not a single trace of excitement appeared on Yin Li's face. He unexpectedly frowned and his expression even darkened. He looked at me sharply. ”What did you remember?”

I felt a bit disheartened by his reaction, but I continued nevertheless. ”Because I like lilies, you once sent me hundreds of them to cheer me up; you even de-sh.e.l.led a lobster for me, getting your suit dirty. You had a meeting right after but didn't have time to change, so you had no choice but to sport a large oil stain right over your chest on your jacket. Then there's also the time you loudly confessed and asked for my hand in marriage, right outside my apartment. But I can't really remember things too clearly. I can only remember this much. I can't even recall your face or expression at those times.” By now I realized how quiet Yin Li had become. The look in his eyes make it seem like he was listening to someone else's story.

But then he asked, ”Did you remember anything else? Like how we met? Or what friends you had in the past? The things we did together?”