Crease: Chapter 1 (BluSky)
@PaperApple Replied: "I mainly have my little sister's best interests at heart."
Translator's Note: My main goal in re-translating Crease was to make the prose more readable, while trying to preserve some of the puns/references in Chinese. To aid in this process, I decided to retain the character's EN names for easier readability, and I used their CN surnames when the context called for it instead. A huge thank you to mari and treikhore for helping me to proofread the translations before it went live! This translation project couldn't have happened without their valuable input. If you have any feedback, or if there's a translation note you enjoyed reading, please feel free to @ me on twitter at @milkmoonsoup to let me know! :)
Translations for Crease begins from this point onwards:
Chapter 1: BluSky
The notification for new BluSky replies pings repeatedly, prompting a wide-eyed Gideon to jump out of his chair with his phone in hand. “I didn’t change a single word apart from the title! Why are the engagements on my post so different?!”
Patrick, who was in the midst of changing his uniform, elbows Gideon back into his chair. “I told you, the ‘head honcho’ on the bottom bunk over there is the singular driving force of engagement on all of BluSky!”
Two days ago, Patrick returned from an urgent mission at midnight, and he presented Caleb with a bag of fresh ingredients. He then put in a request for Caleb to cook up a meal for him. When this happened, a live-adaptation of “Queueing-up-while-holding-little-bowls.jpg” played out in front of their dorm room once again.
Many colleagues in the dorm’s vicinity were lured in by the fragrant aroma, and the chicken wings that Patrick bought back weren’t nearly enough to feed everyone. Gideon rolled his eyes, and told everyone to follow his account on the Aerospace’s internal forum, “BluSky,” with the ID @MyHeartSoars. After informing the crowd that he’d be uploading the Super Secret Dorm Recipes on a regular interval, Gideon politely closed the door.
After polishing off the final piece of chicken wing and leaving only a cleaned out bone, Gideon once again declared, “I have a premonition. This post will definitely go viral.” Brimming with confidence, Gideon hit the ‘post’ button.
Two days later, in the present, Gideon has achieved a spectacular result: a grand total of two replies and three likes.
“I told you, if you changed your title from ‘Super Secret Dorm Recipes’ to ‘Heartthrob’s Secret Recipe,’ your engagements would break the charts, but you don’t believe me.”
“Ever since we were in university, every time he needed to research stuff like ‘how to make ginger tasty’ or ‘getting rid of the bitter in bittergourd,’ we were always his guinea pigs in his experiments!”
“So do you want the engagement on your posts, or do you want the recognition?”
In the face of Patrick’s presented moral dilemma, Gideon blinked and opened up the “edit post” page.
“If I show any hesitation in making this decision, I’ll be disrespecting myself big time. If I choose the engagement, I might even rank first on the popularity board. If I prioritise the recognition, then I’ll always be second to him even if I did my best… In that case, 'save changes'!”
A light chuckle drifts over from the bottom bunk.
Why does his laughter sound so sarcastic? Is he trying to insinuate that the top three spots on the popularity board are actually being occupied by the same person? Just as Gideon was about to question the person who laughed, the notifications for the forum ring out in consecutive pings——
@TunnelResemblesAPancake:
Last time, I just scrolled past this post without paying much attention. Now that I see it’s Heartthrob, I’m pumped up! I didn’t know that OP is roommates with the Heartthrob!
@MyHeartSoars (OP) replied:
If you’re that pumped up, go sign up for extra training sessions!
@MelancholicKeyboardAtMidnight:
The Heartthrob has published a new recipe, look! @HappyCursorInTheMorning @WildCommentsInTheAfternoon @CalmGraphicsCardInTheEvening
@MyHeartSoars (OP) replied:
It’s me, I’m the one who posted it! Look at my ID!
@MelancholicKeyboardAtMidnight
The anomalies in the Deepspace Tunnel have been more frequent this year. When it gets busy, I can't even get food within the canteen’s operational hours. Luckily, I followed in the Heartthrob's footsteps and bought a 4-in-1 cooker. It's allowed me to fry, boil, braise, and deep-fry food! Now, I can eat a warm meal anytime I want~
@MyHeartSoars (OP) replied:
That 4-in-1 cooker’s link was also originally posted by me!
@Can'tCarryAnymore
My attention is on the fact that we can actually ask the canteen for ingredients! I've been heading to the East District's supermarket to buy frozen ingredients all this time....
@BigRoc replied:
Ikr. Heartthrob has high standards when it comes to cooking, and he won't accept anything less than fresh ingredients. I don't even know how he does it tbh, bc he manages to charm Uncle Wei's socks off with just a few words...
@Can'tCarryAnymore replied:
Is Uncle Wei the bald guy working at the East District's canteen? I gotta try it too.
@MyHeartSoars (OP) replied:
Word of caution: don't talk about hair in front of Uncle Wei.
@21CaratStarDiamond
Looks like a pilot who can't cook isn't a good boyfriend. I'm learning! The next time I go home for the holidays, I'll show my partner the skills I've picked up.
@SwordWieldingScholar replied:
Ugh get lost, we know you have a partner. Our Heartthrob @PaperApple is still the best, he only has the stomachs of his fellow DAA colleagues' in his best interests!
@MyHeartSoars (OP) replied:
Ain't I the one who has all of your best interests at heart!?
@PaperApple replied:
I mainly have my little sister's best interests at heart.
@21CaratStarDiamond replied:
The Heartthrob made his appearance!
@SwordWieldingScholar replied:
Great, just great. One has a partner, the other has a little sister. Both of them have cherished people at home, unlike me and OP who are solo and alone.
@MyHeartSoars (OP) replied:
Why are you bringing me into this?!
"Are you that free, Gid?" Patrick says as he refreshes the comment section in real-time. "You're replying to every single comment." "How can I compare to the Heartthrob, who only picks the one comment he really wants to reply to?" Gideon yells, grabbing a bolster pillow and throwing it towards the bed. The pillow hovers in the air, controlled by an invisible force, before floating over to give Gideon a friendly smack on the cheek.
"Let's go. The awards ceremony is about to begin." Patrick adjusts his uniform in front of the mirror, before reaching over to straighten the back of Gideon's collar. Caleb gives SwordWieldingScholar's comment an upvote and gets up nonchalantly, without a single unnecessary crease on his body.
After the ceremony, the three of them walk down the podium shoulder-to-shoulder. Amidst the thunderous applause, their exubuerance is clear as day, and all three of them are in high spirits.
01 天天圈 天天圈有新评论的提示音响个没停，蒋飞盯着手机从椅子上弹起来：“除了标题，我一个字都没改，他们态度怎么差这么多！”
正在换制服的张鹏顺手一胳膊又将蒋飞杵了回去：“我早说了，你下铺那位的‘头衔’就等于天天圈的流量！”
两天前的午夜，临时执行任务的张鹏将新鲜食材举到夏以昼面前请求加餐时，他们宿舍门口再一次上演了现实版“捧着小碗排排站.jpg”表情包。周围宿舍闻香而来的同事很多，张鹏带回来的鸡翅不太够用。蒋飞转转眼睛，表示请大家关注自己在航天署内部论坛“天天圈”的ID——我芯飞扬，他会定期分享宿舍秘传菜谱后，礼貌地关上了宿舍门。
在吃干抹净最后一块鸡翅的最后一根骨头后，蒋飞再再再一次说出“我有一种预感，此帖必火”，信心满满地点击发送。
两天后的现在，斩获2回复3点赞的战绩。
“我说了，你把‘宿舍秘传’改成‘署草秘传’绝对流量爆表，你怎么就不信。”
“从大学到现在，他每次想要研究什么‘让生姜好吃’‘去苦瓜的苦’时，作为小白鼠的我们可都有参与的！”
“要流量还是要名分？”
面对张鹏的灵魂拷问，蒋飞眨眨眼，点开“重新编辑”页面——
“但凡我犹豫一秒，都是对自己的不尊重。选流量我说不定还能冲榜一，选名分，在他那我充其量只能当第二……发送！”
一旁的下铺飘来一声笑。
蒋飞刚想质疑这笑声怎么听起来阴阳怪气的，是不是前三是同一个人的位置时，论坛的提示音接二连三地响起来——
隧道好大像个饼
之前刷过去没细看，瞅见署草我就来劲儿了，原来楼主是署草的室友啊！
我芯飞扬楼主 回复
来劲儿了可以去加训！
午夜忧郁键盘
署草发新菜谱了，快来看！@清晨快乐鼠标@午后发疯屏幕@傍晚平静显卡
我芯飞扬 楼主 回复
是我发的，看清楚ID！
午夜忧郁键盘
今年隧道异动越来越频繁，忙起来根本凑不上食堂的开门时间，幸好当时跟着署草买了煎煮焖炸四合一小电锅，随时都能吃上一口热乎的~
我芯飞扬 楼主 回复
你锅的链接也是我发的！
Carry不动了
我的关注点在于原来可以找食堂要菜啊！之前都是去东区的超市买的冷库货……
大鹏 回复
对，你们署草对做饭要求很高，不接受食材不新鲜，也不知道怎么做到的，三言两语把后厨的魏叔聊得心神荡漾……
Carry不动了 回复
魏叔就是东区食堂那位秃头大叔吗？我也要去试试。
我芯飞扬 楼主 回复
转达一则忠告，别跟魏叔聊头发。
21克拉星钻
不会做饭的飞行员不是好男朋友，我学。下次放假回去给我对象露一手。
小生执剑天涯 回复
知道你有对象了，滚蛋。还是咱署草@纸苹果好，只是纯粹地为DAA同事们的胃着想。
我芯飞扬 楼主 回复
在为你们着想的不是我吗！？
纸苹果 回复
我主要是为我妹着想。
21克拉星钻 回复
署草出现！
小生执剑天涯 回复
行吧，一个有对象，一个有妹妹，都是家里有心肝的，跟我和楼主这种孤家寡人不一样。
我芯飞扬 楼主 回复
你说自己带上我干啥！？
“你也够闲的，飞。”张鹏实时刷新评论区，“每条都回啊。”
“那是比不上署草，只挑他最想回的那一条。”蒋飞喊了声，抓起椅子上的抱枕往沙发床扔，抱枕悬在空中，被无形的力量控制，亲切地拍回蒋飞的脸蛋。
“走了，授勋仪式马上开始了。”张鹏对着镜子理了理制服，又帮蒋飞整了整背后的领子。夏以昼给“小生执剑天涯”补了个赞，不紧不慢地从床上坐起来，身上没有一丝多余的褶皱。
仪式结束后，三人并肩走下领奖台，雷鸣般的掌声中，他们意气风发。
Source for CN transcript: lysk.site/主线/世界深处/折痕
01 Daily Circle
The notification sounds from Daily Circle are continuous. Gideon stares at his phone and springs up from his chair. "I didn't change a single word except the title. How can their reactions be different?!"
Patrick, who's changing into his uniform, nudges Gideon back down with his arm. "I told you. The guy in your lower bunk is what brings all the traffic to Daily Circle!"
Two days ago, at midnight, Patrick returned from an emergency mission. He held up fresh ingredients in front of Caleb while asking for a late-night meal. Their dorm quickly became a hub, with other boys showing up with bowls in hand. Many colleagues from neighboring dorms were drawn in by the aroma, but the chicken wings Patrick brought back weren't enough. Gideon rolled his eyes and told everyone to follow his account, MyHeartSoars, on Daily Circle. It's the DAA's internal forum.
That's where he regularly shares the dorm's secret recipes. Then he politely closed the door.
After leaving the final chicken wing bone spotless, Gideon—for the umpteenth time—makes a declaration. "I have a feeling this post will go viral." Then he tapped the send button with confidence.
Two days later, he achieved a grand total of two replies and three likes.
"I told you. If you change 'dormitory confessions' to 'DAA heartthrob,' your notifications will blow up. Why won't you believe me?"
"Whenever he wanted to look up stuff like 'making ginger taste good' or 'removing the bitterness from bitter melon,' we acted as his guinea pigs since we were university students!"
"Do you want the clicks or the credit?"
Faced with Patrick's soul-searching question, Gideon blinks and opens the edit page.
"If I hesitate for a second, it'd be disrespectful to myself. If I choose the clicks, I might go viral. If I choose the credit, I'll be second place at best compared to him... Send!"
A chuckle drifts over from the nearby lower bunk.
Gideon is about to question why he sounded sarcastic, wondering if it's because the top three spots are held by the same person, when notifications start appearing.
HugePancakeTunnel
I scrolled past this before without really looking. But once I saw "DAA heartthrob," | got excited. I didn't know OP is the DAA heartthrob's roommate!
> MyHeartSoars (OP) Reply
If you're excited, you can get in some extra training!
MidnightMelancholyKeyboard
The DAA heartthrob posted a new recipe. Check it out! @happymorningmouse @Afternooncrazyscreen @Evening_Graphics_Card
> MyHeartSoars (OP) Reply
I'm the one who posted it. Look at the ID!
MidnightMelancholyKeyboard
Anomalies in the Deepspace Tunnel are more frequent this year. When we're busy, we can't make it to the dining hall during business hours. Luckily, I followed the DAA heartthrob's advice and bought a 4-in-1 multicooker that fries, boils, braises, and deep-fries. Now I can always have a hot meal!
> MyHeartSoars (OP) Reply
I'm the one who posted the link!
CantCarryAnymore
What caught my attention is that you can actually ask the dining hall for ingredients! I've been going to the East District's supermarket to buy frozen stuff this whole time...
> GreatRoc Reply
Ikr. Your DAA heartthrob has high standards for cooking. He won't accept anything but fresh ingredients. Idk how he does it, but he can charm Weber from the kitchen with just a few words...
> CantCarry Anymore Reply
Is Weber the bald guy from the East District's dining hall? I want to try it too.
> MyHeartSoars (OP) Reply
Let me give you some advice. Don't mention hair around Weber.
21CaratStarDiamond
A pilot who can't cook isn't a good boyfriend. I'm learning. When I'm on leave next time, I'll show off my skills to my girlfriend.
> SwordWieldingScholar Reply
We know. Get lost. Our DAA heartthrob @PaperApple is better than you. He's just thinking about his DAA colleagues' stomachs.
> MyHeartSoars (OP) Reply
But I'm the one thinking about you guys?!
> PaperApple Reply
I'm mostly thinking about Miss Apple.
> 21CaratStarDiamond reply
The DAA heartthrob has appeared!
> SwordWielding Scholar Reply
Got it. One has a girlfriend and another has someone special. Both have precious people at home, unlike the lonely single people like me and OP.
> MyHeartSoars (OP) Reply.
Why are you dragging me into this?!
"You don't have anything else to do, Gideon?" Patrick refreshes the comment section in real time. "You're replying to every comment."
"That's nothing compared to the DAA heartthrob. He only picks the one he wants to reply to." Gideon scoffs, grabbing a pillow from his chair and hurling it toward the bed.
The pillow is suspended in midair before floating over to gently smack Gideon's face.
"Let's go. The awards ceremony is about to start." Patrick adjusts his uniform in the mirror. Then he helps straighten the back part of Gideon's collar. Caleb gives SwordWieldingScholar a like before unhurriedly sitting up from his bed. There's not even one wrinkle on his clothes.
After the ceremony ends, the three walk down from the podium shoulder to shoulder.
They're high-spirited amid thunderous applause.
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