Epiphanies of Rebirth Chapter 57 (Part 1)
Translated by Pure
Edited by tingting
Chapter 57.1 In order to meet this legendary future sister-in-law who was able to capture his Brother Xiao, Hu Shaofeng groomed himself in reverence.
The Xiao Family was a little excited during this time.
Because the eldest son of the family, Xiao Chi, finally found someone he liked, and their progress was developing rapidly. The announcement of his relationship and then moving out to live together occurred on the same day.
Their cohabitation life seemed to be quite stable, this fact could be made out from fewer and fewer articles of clothing belonging to Xiao Chi at the Xiao Family’s home. As the season changed, their eldest son came back to move some of his belongings again. He took away the shiny leather jacket that had been meticulously maintained, and even moved a small statue from the Buddhist hall. Mother Xiao couldn't bear it as she complained to her fellow mothers in the same compound. What was empty nest syndrome? It was exactly this. He hadn't gotten married yet, but would only think about his own little family all day long.
Her face was full of annoyance, but her tone sounded like a sweet complaint. Her friends also envied her. "Your family has such a good child, what is there to be dissatisfied with? How many children in our compound are as worry-free as your Xiao Chi? From studies to career to family, where do you, a mother, struggle with? I wish my brat could learn more from your son."
"Yeah! When I was younger, I didn't play around. And when it came to relationships, it also happened quite smoothly. Is your son dating with the hopes of getting married?"
Mother Xiao couldn't hold back her smile anymore, "Yes, Xiao Miao got the news a few days back. She said that the other party is now ready and has agreed to come and meet us soon."
"Aiya~……"
There were countless congratulatory sounds from all around.
Mother Xiao smiled calmly, inwardly, she was also very satisfied.
It's not that she was self-boasting, it was just that her son was too unique among the children who all grew up together in the compound. Children raised by wealthy parents would inevitably be a bit more arrogant. Among the children from her friends’ families, which one wasn’t unbridled or presumptuous? Girls were better, after all, they were willing to listen to the teachings of the family to some extent. However, the boys were another matter. Someone like Hu Shaofeng, who often ran to nightclubs every three days and changed multiple girlfriends every week, would be considered relatively well-behaved compared to the rest of the boys.
Xiao Chi never dated anyone before. Mother Xiao used to worry about her son’s frigidity, her son was just too different from the rest of the children in the compound. Moreover, when Xiao Chi was idle, he would copy the scriptures with his grandma at home. Wearing that buddhist overcoat, he looked ascetic, almost void of the seven emotions states and six desires[1]. She had already prepared that this child may end up alone, but now the situation had turned around and there was a sudden progress.
If she were to be dissatisfied about anything, then that was her being too greedy.
Therefore, when her good Sister Tao asked Xiao Chi’s partner, she was very calm. "I heard that she is a very sensible child, and also good-looking. A few years younger than Xiao Chi, and is studying at Yan City University."
"Have you asked about her family?"
"Hey, it's not that you don't know the temper of that rascal. Would he bother to answer so many questions? He doesn't live at home now, and I'm busy with work and don't go home often. It was Xiao Miao who went to inquire." Mother Xiao felt a little helpless when she said that. Since Xiao Chi turned fourteen, she almost lost the right to speak in this child's life choices. But she is very open about this issue; to enjoy a child's independence, one has to bear all kinds of defects. "But people like us, there is no need to entangle each other's family problems too much. It’s nice if the families are well-matched in terms of social status, but what does it matter if her conditions are a bit inferior? We can afford to raise her. The most important thing is that the girl has to have a good character. I heard from Xiao Miao that Xiao Chi was taken care of very well, and his hair was combed by her. She should be a very caring, gentle and virtuous child. That’s plenty enough."
"No, that’s not going to work!" When her surrounding friends heard words, their faces were full of disapproval. "If she’s going to meet you, Xiao Chi’s parents, this means the relationship is going to progress to the next step. Your future daughter-in-law, as her mother-in-law, you only know she is caring and gentle? Don’t joke around!"
"Yeah!" The mothers, whose children drown themselves in the life of debauchery, obviously had more experience as they voiced their persuasion, "Be careful, they might be a foxy one. That brat in my family had brought four of those types to our house. They were either greedy or completely fake. I didn't like any of them and used all sorts of methods to break them up. You can't be so confused when it comes to decisions that will affect your child's milestones."
Mother Xiao heard countless cases of completely crazy and ridiculous events from her friends, and she couldn't help but feel anxious.
When she came home, she happened to pass the Buddhist Hall. Her mother-in-law was practicing feudal superstition again; she was kneeling in front of the burning incense, seeking a divination.
She was a materialist who grew up under the banner of science and the scientific method, so Mother Xiao had always disapproved of this type of behavior. So she went to sit in the living room, and recollected the various battles of wits that were just instilled in her mind. The children of all other friend's families were all about the same age as Xiao Chi. They were of marriageable age, so when they played with the ‘flowers’ outside, it was endless trouble for their family to deal with. A few mothers probably experienced too much, and their eyes would grow fierce when they talked about these ‘vixens’. Mother Xiao felt sympathetic for these women, but it was hard to imagine that she would fall into the struggle with another young girl like them for the rest of her life.
Mother Xiao was also a little hesitant to act. She knew very well that Xiao Chi was definitely not someone who was willing to be manipulated. On the premise that she could not influence the result, she was willing to trust Xiao Chi's judgment and vision unconditionally.
Should I investigate? Should I investigate? Should I investigate?
The sound of chanting in the Buddhist Hall finally stopped. The old lady carefully brought out the gold stick, and together with Xiao Miao, they looked through the book of deciphering. When they reached a certain page, the two’s expecting expressions turned sullen.
Curious, Mother Xiao poked her head to look, and there were two rows of words neatly written on the thin paper——
A slight blemish, everything is fine except for one small defect
Go along with their wishes, do not force it
That’s not a good sign. Mother Xiao looked at her mother-in-law's worried face, and thought to herself: why bother? Every day she would go to great trouble to engage in these feudal superstitions, causing herself to fall into endless worry. Superstition was truly harmful.
Mother Xiao intended to comfort her as she asked, "What kind of divination were you asking for?"
"Amitabha." Grandma Xiao replied with a bitter face, "This isn’t good. I asked about Dabao's marriage. Why did Bodhisattva say that everything is fine except for one small defect?"
What?
Mother Xiao's eyes widened when she heard it. She snatched the book of deciphering and read it carefully. The cases flooded her mind one after another, and the more she read it, the more she couldn't help thinking about it——
What does ‘everything is fine except for one small defect’ mean? What does ‘a slight blemish’ mean? Go along with their wishes? Do not force it? Could it be that the person Xiao Chi brought home really had an unbearable flaw? Could it be that she was really a girl who looks pure and kind but actually has a deep scheming heart as her sisters said? The Xiao Family were always upright and had always been harmonious. If they really brought back such a racket-maker, the whole family may really be in turmoil in the future.
There was no shortage of such cases in the compound. For example, in the house behind theirs, the family’s daughter found an unreliable son-in-law. This man would stare and plot for their old man's family's property rights all day long. Such a harmonious family was broken to pieces within two or three years. The old acquaintances with marriageable children all wished for the same thing, and no one wanted to follow in the footsteps of that poor family.
Mother Xiao panicked, and the more she thought about it, the more frightened she became. A novel full of intrigue had been completely conceived in her mind. The war between mother-in-law and daughter-in-law was a battle without gunpowder, and whoever was one step ahead would gain the upper hand. She immediately slapped the book back on the table and stood up—This won’t do! She had to know herself and the enemy!
******
She was determined to start with the friend who regularly accompanied her son.
When Hu Shaofeng was called to Xiao Family’s House, he sat down sweating profusely. The elders of Xiao's family in the room looked solemn but kind, but all of them exuded a majesty that made him feel extremely overloaded with psychological pressure.
Seeing the old lady's half-smiling expression and Xiao Miao's cold, squinting gaze, he felt uneasy. Hu Shaofeng tried his best to reflect, but he couldn't find any immoral things he had done recently that deserved to be treated like this. The serious Aunt Xiao on the opposite side of the table cleared her throat and asked a question that shocked him silly, "Shaofeng, you stay with our Xiao Chi everyday. You two seem inseparable, so you should know a few things about his girlfriend too, right?"
Hu Shaofeng thought for a moment that he had misheard. It took several seconds for him to react, with a look of astonishment on his face, he asked, "What are you talking about?"
Mother Xiao smiled. "You don't have to worry, Xiao Chi has already reported it to his family. I came to you today just to find out about that girl's situation. There’s no other purpose. You don't have to worry about him pursuing you about this incident."
Hu Shaofeng became more and more confused as he listened. What is going on? What did Xiao Chi report to his family? When was he in a relationship? What girl are they referring to?
And so, Hu Shaofeng shook his head very sincerely, "Auntie, did you make a mistake? Brother Xiao is not in a relationship. I haven’t heard anything about it."
He denied it!
Mother Xiao's expression suddenly became serious. She casted her eyes on her mother-in-law and daughter who were also thinking the same thing. The more she thought, the more fishy this situation was becoming.
Hu Shaofeng hung out with Xiao Chi everyday, how can he not know about a strange young and beautiful girl suddenly appearing in Xiao Chi's circle? Dating was not such a scandalous thing to be ashamed of. If there was no real problem, he could just admit it. Why pretend that he doesn't know anything, and dare not even mention it? He was so afraid because he was worried about being retaliated afterwards. It seemed that Xiao Chi's partner had really extraordinary methods; she actually was able to make Xiao Chi completely disregard his childhood friend.
Mother Xiao and her mother-in-law and daughter continued to interrogate him, taking an indirect approach and questioned Hu Shaofeng repeatedly. Hu Shaofeng sweated profusely and turned pale, but in the end, no results were obtained.
Mother Xiao sent him away worriedly, her heart had already fallen into the bottom of the valley. For a child like Hu Shaofeng, who was usually brash and domineering, to be so tight mouthed, there must be something special about Xiao Chi's partner. But what big flaws could ordinary people have? According to Xiao Chi's description, she was sensible and beautiful, and also studied at Yan City University, so she must be impeccable in terms of appearance and intelligence.
What exactly was her problem? Was she sick? Physically or mentally?
Mother Xiao's brain hurt from thinking about it, and she tried her best to persuade herself not to think too pessimistically. She optimistically skewed upward toward her having a physical deformity. To tell the truth, she would rather her future daughter-in-law be infertile or lack an arm or leg. Even if her appearance was hideous, it was better than the family drama caused by those insidiously greedy people.
.
.
.
Footnote:
[1]seven emotions states and six desires (七情六欲)
seven emotional states; a traditional Chinese medical theory and therapy, namely: joy, anger, anxiety, thought, grief, fear, fright
six desires: visual desires, auditory desires, olfactory desires, gustatory desires, tactile desires, mental desires.
Translated by pure, hosted on puretl.com / do not repost!
