Translator: Lucilla
Editor/TLC: Lilies
thank you you you to Din for the coffee 
Are you ok?
Unlike the usual โAre you okโ used to greet people, it contained a sense of concern.
It should have been strange for such an old friend like greeting to appear between them, but Qi Jing didn’t find it off-putting.
Maybe it was because of the heart-wrenching memory from the accident, topped off with him being in low spirits lately, he actually felt warm inside seeing a relative stranger greeting him like this.
It was so warm that it thawed the frozen corners of his lips which unconsciously lifted upwards to reveal a faint smile.
โIโm fine, thank you.โ
He mumbled while typing strenuously with his finger, like a child learning how to type for the first time. Worried that his reply was too slow, Qi Jing hurriedly added at the end: Iโm sorry, but because of my hand itโs hard for me to type, please excuse me for my slow response.
Just as he was about to send it, he suddenly stopped himself and after some thought, he decided to add his trademark emoji.
Donโt ask for my return date: Iโm fine, thank you. Iโm sorry, but because of my hand, itโs hard for me to type, so please excuse me for my slow response. ^_^
It took almost two minutes for Qi Jing to type those two sentences. Still, because of some mistakes, he had to go back from time to time to delete and rewrite some parts. Three minutes had passed when the message was finally sent.
The other person didnโt respond for quite a while.
Qi Jing stared blankly at the chat window with only two sentences in it. His cursor flashed monotonously in the message box, as if it was measuring the time elapsed between each response. He heaved a long sigh and leaned back into his chair. It was hard to say whether he felt relaxed or sad. With his typing speed like this, it was unlikely that anyone would be in a mood to continue chatting.
Much less the Geese Fly North that Puppet had described as someone who never replied to QQ messages.
Just then, the window suddenly shook and its shape changed.
A new window opened up on the right, and a green, vibrating microphone appeared in the middle of it.
At the same time, a typical dial toneโlike when one was making a callโcould be heard.
No wayโฆ
Qi Jingโs eyes widened in shock, his first thought was that Geese Fly North’s account had been hacked.
No way, not only did he add me as a friend and initiate a conversation, but now he even sends me a voice chat request? It had to be stolen.
Although he repeatedly told himself that the account was hacked, his palms still became all sweaty from the nervousness. He stood up and looked for the headphones in a hurry.
The sun had set outside, and the room was dimly lit with only a small desk lamp on. It took him a while to plug the audio jack in the right place, and even more effort to put the headphones on. After this struggle, he was ready.
The green microphone in the window kept vibrating and ringing patiently, and almost fifty seconds had passed by the time he answered the call.
โHello?” Qi Jing’s voice was a little breathy.
His headphones still weren’t properly put on, and were a little crooked. The microphone was too close, and his rapid breathing had probably peaked the microphone. Seeing that the green bar representing volume had maxed out, he quickly lowered his head to adjust it.
โItโs me.โ
Qi Jing’s hand that was adjusting the microphone momentarily froze in place.
It turned out that Geese Fly Northโs account hadn’t been stolen, as the voice heard in his headphones was one he recognised.
Although they werenโt that well-acquainted r with each other, he had listened to that recording so many times that he was now very familiar with that voice. Deep, upright, with a sense of reassurance that made people hold their breath and listen to it quietly.
โAre you ok?โ
We’re sorry for MTLers or people who like using reading mode, but our translations keep getting stolen by aggregators so we’re going to bring back the copy protection. If you need to MTL please retype the gibberish parts.
Hearing the same words said out loud, his ears covered by the headphones felt warm, as did his heart.
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โTbe rjlv atja yfmjerf bo sbeg tjcv laโr tjgv obg sbe ab asqf,โ Ktf wjc kjr rlifca obg j wbwfca yfobgf jrxlcu lc j ibk nblmf, โAera ktja tjr tjqqfcfv ab sbe?โ
โThatโฆโ Qi Jing laughed awkwardly and decided to downplay it. โIt’s a long story. The truth is, I had a car accident on the way back from a business trip some time ago. I was slightly injured and now itโs kind of inconvenient for me to use my left hand. Itโs not a big deal.โ
This time the other’s silence was much longer and more pronounced.
Qi Jing didn’t know what else to say, so he also fell silent, staring at the graphics flickering slightly at the bottom of the volume bar.
โWhat kind of injury?โ Geese Fly North’s voice seemed to be even lower than before.
โA normal bone fracture.โ
Qi Jing didnโt expect him to continue asking and was at a loss. He decided to give a vague answer to that question. In fact, he was not knowledgeable about fractures, but since the operation was successful, he regarded it as a minor injury.
โDo you remember the exact location of the fracture?โ Surprisingly enough, Geese Fly North continued with his questions.
Qi Jing had to rack his brain in search of the long list of medical terms the doctor had told him that day. It took a long time, but he finally named the location of the injury rather uncertainly.
โUrhm, I think itโs someโฆ double fracture of ulna and radius. But I am not sure if these are the correct terms.โ
After saying that he laughed awkwardly
However, Geese Fly North didnโt laugh, instead, he just repeated after Qi Jing in a low voice: โUlna and radiusโฆ double fracture.โ
Qi Jing said in a hurry, โIt’s okay, the surgery went well. Iโve been recovering well; thereโs a plate in my arm and my hand is in a cast. The doctor said that no displacement was found, so I could be discharged ahead of time. Sorry for the delay. I just got home today and was only able to get on QQ to accept your friend request now.โ
He didn’t know when Geese Fly North had sent out his friend request, but the pleasantries still had to be said.
All of sudden, Geese Fly North asked a seemingly random question. โWas that why you never replied?โ
Reply?
Reply to what? At that moment, Qi Jing didnโt know how to react. He opened his mouth in a daze, unable to make head or tails out of this question.
Seemingly sensing his confusion, Geese Fly North took a breath behind the microphone, and paused for a moment before adding, โThe post thread, I was talking about the post thread.โ
So he was just talking about the post thread about the first episode ofใTrapใ. Qi Jing finally understood and laughed apologetically: โThat’s because itโs hard to type for me, and besides, I havenโt read the post thread yet. I plan on slowly crafting a long reply when I have the time.โ
At this point, Qi Jing faintly sensed that something was off about the way Geese Fly North phrased his words. If he knew he didn’t reply to the post thread then he must have read it. His junior had said that she spoke up for him in the comments of the thread. Could it be that Geese Fly North didn’t see the news of his accident?
If he had already seen it, then why would he ask such an obvious question?
Qi Jing somehow felt like he was asking about something else in the beginning, and not about the post but he didnโt have any inkling as to what it might be.
Once again silence fell upon them.
However, it wasnโt the awkward kind of silence; it felt natural and didnโt make them feel pressured in any way.
It was similar to giving your good friend some time-out in the conversation. Something like taking a break or simply letting yourself enjoy their company, without any rush to conclude the conversation.
Sitting in the dim light of the desk lamp, Qi Jing even came to like these silent pauses, allowing the seconds to accumulate.
Compared with their first online conversation, this time, Geese Fly North had obviously spoken a lot more.
It was more than he could ever imagine.
โSpeaking of the thread forใTrapใ…โ
After his initial nervousness had subsided, Qi Jing was able to start the topic more easily, even though it wasn’t a particularly pleasant one.
โYouโฆ probably heard the official version of the first episode, right?โ
โMhm.โ Seems like Geese Fly North had already heard it.
โIโm sorry, the official version that came out in the endโฆ It was quite different.โ It was a far cry from how they performed when they played against each other.
โDoesnโt matter.โ Contrary to his expectations, that man didnโt seem to harbour any intention of berating him. Instead, his calm tone made Qi Jing feel even more remorseful.
โI’m apologising because I feel like it was wasting two hours of your hard work. In the end, it couldnโt be evenโโ
โDoesnโt matter.โ Suddenly Geese Fly North opened his mouth and gently stopped him from continuing. โI enjoyed playing against you that night. Youโre a talented CV. You immerse yourself in the acting so deeply that it makes it easier for other people to immerse themself into the character too.โ
Qi Jingโs eyelids trembled, and he kept his eyes on the three words on the screen, Geese Fly North.
Unfortunately, his left hand was in a cast and his ears were covered by headphones. Normally in such a situation, he would comb through his hair with his left hand to check the temperature of his ear.
He couldnโt believe that he could receive this kind of recognition.
It was the first time he heard the other manโs thoughts about that night, and that man even said he enjoyed it.
He said that my acting makes it easier for other people to immerse themselfโthen, is he included in these โother peopleโ?
Qi Jing always thought that he was the one who was drawn in. He was shocked by how close Geese Fly Northโs interpretation was to the novel, and thrilled by the subtle details hidden in his voice. It let him perform at his full potential; he was able to respond to the character Geese Fly North portrayed with a performance befitting of it.
And right now, that man was telling him that it was mutual. It was soโฆ hard to believe.
โActually, that’s exactly what I wanted to say.โ Feeling grateful, Qi Jing couldnโt help but smile, his eyes turning into a pair of crescent moons.
Frankly speaking, he felt that Geese Fly Northโs acting sense was way better than his.
Getting praise from the CV he admired, Qi Jing felt a burst of warmth in his heart. All the sadness that was inside him turned into dust and disappeared with the wind.
Under these circumstances, he wanted to convey his thoughts clearly.
Qi Jing cleared his throat, straightened his back, and solemnly said:
โGeese Fly North-sama, the time we spent that day was too short and we said our good-byes too hastily so I didnโt have a chance to tell youโI think it is you who is a really talented CV. I was deeply impressed with the rehearsal that night, and I’ve always kept it in my mind. I had some difficulties during the official recording. The director pointed out my mistakes, and even though I understood them, I couldn’t act on it. At that timeโฆ I would think back to how you performed those lines to slowly find the right feeling.โ
Geese Fly North remained silent, listening quietly on the other end.
Qi Jing said it all in one breath, then his eyes dropped involuntarily, as if the other’s silence was putting pressure on him. Even though he knew he would be embarrassed to say such a thing directly to Geese Fly North, he insisted on saying it.
โThere’s something I have to say, even if it might offend a lot of the people involved. In the official version that’s out now, I think our two main characters are performed decently, but they donโt feel like the original ones. It can even be said that it had completely diverged from the novel; it is a story with different characters but a similar setting. Contrary to that, I feel that the version we played against each other was betterโฆ Personally, I like it a lot.โ
I really, honestly like it.
I like to the point I would go over it again and again, recalling that smooth tension of the dialogue and how it complemented and came together to form that scene.
โActually, you werenโt bad in the other version,โ Geese Fly North said gently in a deep voice, โI could hear that you were adjusting yourself to the other main character.โ
Qi Jing was stunned. An unexplainable taste swelled in his throat, astringent but not bitter.
โThank youโฆโ
He was thankful, from the bottom of his heart. He couldnโt help but express it once again. Maybe the feeling of being understood was too precious.
โIโm the one that needs to say thanks.โ There was a subtle gentleness in the Geese Fly Northโs voice that quietly flowed into him. โThank you for liking it.โ
For a few short seconds, neither of them exchanged words, and just kept quiet.
But Qi Jing kept a peaceful smile on his mouth. He felt relieved, moved, and many, many more. There were so many more compliments that he hadnโt said yet, but he suddenly felt they were unnecessaryโhe made his point clear, and now he had no regrets.
Then, he suddenly remembered something else.
It was how when he was re-recording, he inadvertently recalled Geese Fly Northโs voice, but another person came to his mind.
โThis might be an odd thing to say,โ Qi Jing mumbled half-jokingly, โbut your voice sometimes reminds me of someone I know offline.”
There was a tiny rustle in the headphones, as if the other man had fiddled with the microphone.
A short while later, he heardย Geese Fly North ask softly: โThat personโฆ are they someone you hate?โ
Qi Jing was slightly stunned.
When he came back to his senses, he laughed very gently: โNo, heโs aโฆ a very respectable person. How can I hate him?โ
Hate? How could he possibly hate him…
Not only did he not feel any hate, but his feelings almost developed in a completely opposite direction.
It was fortunate that he stopped the development in time; otherwise, there wouldโve been dire consequences.
โRather than saying that I hate him, it would be more accurate to say that I hate myself.โ Qi Jing forced a smile while heaving an inaudible sigh.
He didnโt know why, but whenever he was feeling blue, he would have this urge to pour his heart out.
Perhaps, like many others, there were some things that he couldn’t be frank about to close friends like Ning Xiaoxiao, but when met with people he had only gotten to know recentlyโlike Geese Fly Northโhe was able to open up about it.
โWhy?โ The man on the other end of the call asked.
โBecause I feel sorry for disturbing his life.โ Qi Jingโs voice became lower.
Why did he start this topic…
He clearly didnโt want to think about it anymore.
The feeling of gloom slowly crept up to him and he regretted mentioning this topic. Just as he was about to hastily change the topic, Geese Fly North suddenly asked, โAm Iโฆ also being a bother to you right now?โ
After a short moment of being in a daze, Qi Jing hurried to tell him with a smile: โYouโre not, youโre not, I am happy that there is someone I can talk to.โ
He paused, then repeated once again: โI would be also very happy to have more chances to play against you.โ
Those words all came from the bottom of his heart.
He had originally planned to spend his time alone in this empty house, filling his spare time with voice acting and browsing the internet. But now, with the sudden appearance of such a person, who listened to what he had to say, he unexpectedly found himself at peace.
Even mentioning things, he didnโt want to talk about wasnโt as hard as he thought.
โIs this ok?โ Geese Fly North asked in a very soft voice.
โWhat?โ Qi Jing felt a little confused.
โTalking, playing against each other.โ The other man repeated these two terms, before asking once again, โIs that ok?โ
Qi Jing suddenly realised that he wasnโt referring to the sudden conversation they had today, but rather to a long-term agreement. Out of shock, his finger trembled, and he almost clicked the end call button by accident.
โEhโฆโ
His throat felt painfully dry, unable to utter more than simple sounds. He had no idea how to answer that.
The other man kept silent, but Qi Jing knew he was waiting.
Did he hate it? No, he didnโt.
Was he puzzled? He couldnโt say he wasnโt puzzled, but it wasnโt caused by a sense of repulsion.
He was simply surprised at the sudden kindness, at a loss as to how to reciprocate it.
โThank youโฆ I would indeed be very happy if we did thatโ Qi Jing slowly sorted out his thoughts. He tried to make a relaxed smile, but he failed. His voice was full of restraint and rationality, โButโโ
But there will come a day when youโll start to think itโs a chore.
He concluded in his mind before the words could come out of his mouth.
Qi Jing smiled bitterly while shaking his head. He decided to politely decline this goodwill.
However, before he could actually say anything, that person had already responded, โThen Iโm okay with that.โ
A/N: Grandpa is always willing to helpโฆ But unfortunately, the other person is one that never asks for any OTZ
This is in yhe wrong order…
But still, thank you for the Translations~
omfg (๏พ*>โ<)๏พโก they’re so adorable~
Thanks for the chapter! (โฟ>ฯ<โฟ)~โฅ
Ughhhh, WHY ARE THEY SO CUTE AND ADORABLE AND PRECIOUS ISTG– TTATT
Also, I wonder what QJ’s reaction is gonna be like when he finds out the person he stopped himself from developing feelings for offline ended up being the person he somehow developed a connection to online ๐
Anyw, hope that QJ will stop making light of things that hurt him and ask for support / help from time to time at least i-i
Thanks for the chapter! ๐
In my mind I kept begging Qi Jing not to shut him off and allow at least this. Starting again, safer for now, and just allow himself to have somebody who cares ๐ฅบ I can only infer the things Qi Jing has gone to that made him so scared of allowing anyone close and feeling so unworthy of care ๐ฅบ I hope these two will find a find to walk towards eachother in time.
Thank you so much for the translation!
I hope they heal each other๐ธ
It hits too close to home… being scared of getting close to people and fearing being a burden to them๐ญ
Qi Jing… ๐ฅบ๐ฅบ
Thank you for the chapter โค
What is ML’s name in offline world? He is so caring and patient towards QJ that it warms my heart.
Thx for the chapter ๐
And all the hugs go to Qi Jing ๐ญ๐ … i’m really happy he now has someone he can talk to~
Thank you for the chapter! ๐๐
Qi Jing doesn’t want to disturb others’ life. That’s too sad. He only brings joy to others, how could the doctor feel disgust towards him?
I hope their friendship Will heal Qi Jing’s heart.
Thanks for the chapter!
I wonder why grandpa thinks that he hates him? Bc he didn’t respond to his email? (Was it that?)
Thx for the ch (โงโฝโฆ)/
(yeh prolly)
I’m super sad that he has such a past that makes him stay away from people he could develop feelings for.
Time for the doctor to heal his inner wounds!Thanks for the chapter <3
Thank you for the chapter! ๐ฅบ๐ฅบ๐ฅบ
why does geese think qi jing hates him?
Itโs really emotional and heart breaking for me to read QJโs thought of himself crying my eyes out
Shen Yan is so caring! I hope he continues waiting for Qi Jing. I don’t think Qi Jing will take any initiative, but he’s already warming up. Qi Jing is a great guy! He should have a higher opinion on himself. Thanks for the chapter.
Shen Yan please protect Qi Jing (ใคะ`)ใ
I’m sobbing so hard rn T_T
I wonder why uncle Yan thinks Qi Jing would hate him. Do they have some other history aside from their recent meeting?
Lmao, the A/N in this chapter actually reminds me of the way a real grandpa would react. Too funny…
Qi Jing character is kind of difficult for me to read honestly i kinda get slightly annoyed by him because he’s ao much like me and has so many traits like me that I don’t actually like, it’s kinda looking in a magnified mirror where all the parts of myself i hate is projected 4x more and I’m…but i also like him like he’s so sweet and deserves so much so I’ll hope he gets all the happiness he deserves SOON!