Epiphanies of Rebirth Chapter 62 (Part 1)
Translated by Pure (ko-fi)
Chapter 62.1 "Let's get married."
Lin Jingzhe finally came back to his senses. He first turned his head and glanced at Xiao Chi. When the latter looked at him confidently, Lin Jingzhe’s mind blanked out.
Xiao Chi peeled a shrimp and placed it in his bowl. While he wiped his hands, he softly asked Ling Jingzhe, "What's wrong?"
This was totally different from what he imagined! Ahhhh!!
"I...you’m...he..."
Lin Jingzhe opened his mouth, not knowing what to say. Mother Xiao's sincere expression was obviously not faked, and Father Xiao's frown and taciturn gestures was also meaningful. The old lady was still busy calculating the date of the lunar calendar. Even the youngest, Xiao Miao, had not expressed any opinion on this topic!
No! She did have an opinion!
Xiao Miaohong whispered softly, "I can only ask for a leave after mid-October."
Lin Jingzhe now understood! He completely understood it all! From the moment he got out of the car, he always felt that something was off! Why Xiao Chi's parents take Xiao Miao to the door so solemnly to greet them? Why their expressions look so strange when he introduced himself? Why Mother Xiao accepted the gift he bought without any reluctance… Why...why... …
The two red envelopes in his trouser pocket and the string of tourmaline mala beads around his neck suddenly became extremely hot. It burned him to the point of restlessness, even with his clothes acting as a barrier in between.
Mother Xiao studied his expression and suddenly realized something. With some doubt on her embarrassed look, "Do you have any opinions on this matter?"
Lin Jingzhe recalled the righteousness and poise he showed all the way after he entered Xiao Chi's house. He kept silent and gradually restrained that momentum. Mysterious emotions hit his heart and he didn't know how to deal with it. The feeling seemed to be joy but also felt like fright. This made the base of his ears and a large area of skin on the nape of his neck turn pink.
With an unusual sense of vulnerability, Lin Jingzhe looked at Mother Xiao's clear eyes and asked in a low voice: "You..."
Mother Xiao: "Huh?"
Lin Jingzhe: "Did you... when did you find out... um..."
"What?" Mother Xiao was a little confused, "When what? Know what?"
Lin Jingzhe stared at her.
After a few seconds, Mother Xiao finally understood and the expression on her face froze.
She:"???"
Father Xiao also caught the point from the ambiguous conversation between his wife and the guest. His face full of reluctance froze for a moment, and then he looked at his son who was peeling shrimp in astonishment.
Xiao Miao retracted her gaze from Lin Jingzhe's slender neck: "???"
Why was no one talking all of a sudden?
*******
Lin Jingzhe's was left unanswered and he was dragged into the Buddhist Hall of in a daze.
The Buddhist Hall in the Xiao residence exuded a sense of formality, showcasing the family's devoutness. Thin wisps of smoke escaped through the perforated lid of a large incense burner in the corner, filling the air with the soothing fragrance of agarwood. The Xiao Family members, having been enveloped in this aromatic ambiance for a long time, carried the comforting scent with them.
At the heart of the Buddhist Hall, a statue of Guanyin, the Bodhisattva of Compassion, stood as the focal point. The intricately detailed statue emanated a benevolent aura, instilling a profound sense of divinity. The elderly woman respectfully invited Lin Jingzhe to pay his respects, emphasizing, "The Bodhisattva has watched over every member of the Xiao Family, ensuring their safety and well-being throughout the years. You must also come and offer your respects."
Lin Jingzhe raised his gaze to the serene face of the Guanyin statue, seemingly overseeing all living beings with boundless kindness. Listening to Grandma Xiao's fervent introduction, he couldn't help but feel a profound sense of reverence. Although Lin Jingzhe had been a materialist in his previous life, the experiences of his rebirth made him acknowledge the existence of phenomena beyond strict scientific explanations. Observing devout believers like Grandma Xiao and Xiao Chi, Lin Jingzhe admired their unwavering commitment to their faith over the decades. Their ability to wholeheartedly believe, follow their convictions, adhere to their principles, and avoid taboos was truly commendable.
Bathing in the peaceful atmosphere of the Buddhist Hall, Lin Jingzhe sighed, allowing his emotions to gradually settle. He took three sticks of incense and lit them. As he inserted them into the incense burner, Grandma Xiao was already kneeling on the prayer mat, her eyes closed, engaged in a quiet chant.
So devout...
Lin Jingzhe respectfully took a few steps back, not daring to blaspheme holy light from the other’s sutra chants.
Still concerned over the matter that had happened at the dining table just now, Lin Jingzhe glanced outside the Buddhist Hall, feeling a little puzzled——
Didn't Xiao Chi say he wanted to have a small talk with his mother? Why was he taking so long?
Mother Xiao slapped her son on the back. Afraid that the two people in the Buddhist Hall would hear them, she lowered her angry voice, "What's going on?! Why doesn't he seem to know anything? Didn't you tell him?!"
After so many days of psychological work, she managed to persuade herself not to confront her stubborn son, and suppressed her strong dissatisfaction with the fact that her son's future partner was a man. After so many days of rehearsal with her husband, she formulated today's plan of facing Lin Jingzhe with just the right level of indifference. She had even racked her brains out to figure out a strategy of seamlessly delaying their marriage without causing the other to feel something was wrong.
But Lin Jingzhe's reaction to the word wedding really surprised her!
Xiao Chi straightened his back and allowed her to vent. He didn't think it was a big deal. It was only because he saw how nervous Lin Jingzhe seemed about going to the house for dinner, so he came back to inform his parents in advance. His mother's anger puzzled him, "I forgot to tell him. What are you so angry about?"
Mother Xiao wished she could just pick up something and beat this unlucky son to death. How could she give birth to such a thing!?
Xiao Chi watched his mother with a distressed face go upstairs. As soon as he entered the Buddhist Hall, he saw Lin Jingzhe kneeling on a praying mat in the corner. He knelt upright, with his eyes closed, and hands clasped together. His lowered head looked like a harmless lamb, his straight neck was as slender as a swan, and his whole body extruded tranquility.
Xiao Chi closed in. Probably because he was treading on bare feet, Lin Jingzhe did not notice his approach. He squatted there and stared at Lin Jingzhe's earnest appearance for a while, then suddenly leaned closer to kiss his lips.
Lin Jingzhe opened his eyes, frightened. His first reaction was to look at the grand Guanyin statue in the distance.
Sinned! They have sinned!
Lin Jingzhe nudged Xiao Chi, and blamed Xiao Chi with his eyes for being unscrupulous in front of Bodhisattva.
Xiao Chi didn't seem to feel guilty at all. With a smile in his eyes, he allowed the other to push and shove at him. Afterward, he grabbed Lin Jingzhe's wrist, then pulled a mat, and knelt down beside him.
Sutras and chants were constantly being played by the cassette tape in the Buddhist Hall. The old lady took the cup full of inscribed bamboo sticks and shook it. The atmosphere was extremely stately. Lin Jingzhe's restless heart gradually settled down in this atmosphere. He turned his head, and looked at Xiao Chi's profile with the dim light of the flickering candle.
He never thought, really would have never imagined.
So until now, he felt as if he was still in a dream.
Xiao Chi felt his gaze, and turned to meet his eyes. The corner of his lips curled up slightly, "Want to kneel near the center?"
Lin Jingzhe held him down and whispered, "Don't bother grandma."
The appearance of Grandma Xiao asking for a deviation looked very sacred! If they were to get any closer, it would be a desecration of faith! Lin Jingzhe dodged far away in embarrassment!
Xiao Chi looked at him blankly. What bother? He had already heard an earful since he came in. Wasn't grandma asking the Bodhisattva if she could have a box of chocolates after dinner?
*******
Father Xiao was so angry that he cursed in the study: "That worthless thing!"
Since they came face to face, he had looked at Lin Jingzhe with a stern and criticizing gaze. He had contemplated thinking about how to give Lin Jingzhe an initial show of strength for several days, but now thinking back, his frowning and cold eyes are all wrong.
Mother Xiao sat down on the sofa in the study with a distraught face, "What should we do now?"
Lin Jingzhe's attitude remained unclear, he didn't give a definite answer to their marriage in the end. Mother Xiao originally thought that the other party was in a rush, but now she realized that it was her son who was making every step of the way.
She was so worried that her head hurt, and now Mother Xiao did not know what kind of expression she should use when facing Lin Jingzhe.
Father Xiao also ran away just now, unable to maintain his stern face when he left. At this moment, he slammed the table, feeling very dissatisfied. Xiao Chi, that stinky boy usually looked very powerful. He even dared to argue with his own father and display a gloomy expression all the time, but he couldn’t even handle a single man?
Useless! Too useless! If word got out, they’ll be ashamed to death!
Translated by pure, hosted on puretl.com / do not repost!
