Epiphanies of Rebirth Chapter 77 (Part 3)
Translated by Pure
Chapter 77.3 Elder Qi snapped like an over taut bow, and fell to the ground without warning.
With the increasing amount of opposing forces, the Shi Family could no longer resist on their own any longer. Shen Tiantian remained indifferent to their soft approach in sowing dissension, and none of their relatives or friends were useful. In desperation, the Shi Family had no choice but to turn to Elder Qi.
It's not the first time that Elder Qi helped them wipe their asses. The Qi Family had never been prosperous in number; after Qi Kai's parents passed away, the only close relationship Elder Qi had left was the Shi Family, which were his in-laws. Thus their relationship could be considered quite close. When he was a child, Shi Nanxing was often sent for an extended stay at the Qi Family’s home. Although he was born in the southwest, at least half of his youth was spent in the compound.
Grandpa Qi watched this child grow up, and regarded Shi Nanxing as if he was his second grandson. Moreover, compared to Qi Kai, Shi Nanxing knew how to talk and had a glib tongue, plus he was also proficient in Xiangqi (chinese chess). The two often versed one another in the game, Elder Qi really enjoyed his company; he was really an indispensable existence.
However, at this time, this junior, whom he loved so dearly, was kneeling on the ground, hugging his knees as tears streamed down his face.
"The Fang Family and the Shen Family have joined hands amongst us, they’re planning to push our Xingxing to a deadend!!" The old lady of the Shi Family was very old, but she still traveled long distances to Yan City for her grandson. Without wasting a single moment, she grasped her old in-law’s hand and cried, "It’s because that other person had gone overboard, so in a moment of impulse Xingxing allowed his anger to blind his eyes, but no lives had been lost! The Shen Family shouldn’t be so ruthless!!"
Father Shi had discovered worrying news when he investigated the special investigation team that detained the drunk driver. "It seems that the Xiao Family also meddled in this matter. They’re really dogs trying to catch mice, how meddling.. What does this have to do with them!"
Elder Qi lovingly stroked Shi Nanxing’s head, which was snuggling up on his lap, his expression remained unsightly. "With so many families putting pressure together, this problem is really not easy to deal with. Moreover, with the Xiao Family..."
Shi Nanxing wiped his tears and continued to cry wolf, "Lin Jingzhe and Xiao Chi are in that disgusting type of relationship! Xiao Chi must have done something! I pay New Year's greetings to Uncle Xiao and Auntie Xiao every year, there is no grievance or enmity between us. Why were they helping Lin Jingzhe instead of me? Can't they tell the difference between close and distant friends?"
Elder Qi was also shocked by the news about Xiao Chi and Lin Jingzhe. A man with another man? How can they produce offspring like this? He thought for a moment, then frowned unbearably and commented, "How outrageous! Those two are completely undisciplined and out of control!"
This matter has touched his bottom line, if Qi Kai dared to follow suit, Elder Qi swore he would break his leg to educate his grandson what could and couldn’t be done.
The Shen Family had had intersections with him, and Elder Fang, who he used to talk to, had severed their relationship due to Qi Kai's ‘antique business’. After some more mental calculations, the only remaining acquaintance in this matter was the old lady of the Xiao Family who believed in Buddhism. To solve the main contradiction and other details would be defused, therefore Elder Qi decided to go to Xiao Family’s House to have a talk with the other party first.
Elder Qi's status was a bit awkward. After he retired, he actually rarely went out of his house. So when he went to knock on the Xiao Family’s doors, it took Elder Qi a while to recognize who the person that had opened the door for him. "Oh! Shenxing, why didn't you go to work today?"
Xiao Shenxing and his wife looked at each other, and prudently replied, "Some matters have delayed us from work, so I asked for leave."
"That's not good. This is the age where you must concentrate on your work, how can you leave the position that needs you at any time?" Elder Qi lightly admonished the two juniors, and then waved with a smile, "I came today because there’s something I have to discuss with you."
Xiao Shenxing actually knew what he was going to say, with the elder’s seniority, only a machinist would choose to stay and listened, so he hurriedly declined: "Unfortunately, I’m actually a little busy at the momentI was about to go head upstairs to deal with hit. Mom!! Uncle Qi is here!"
He yelled towards the Buddhist Hall, and then hurriedly took his wife upstairs to hide in the study.
On the way, he ran into Lin Jingzhe and Xiao Chi upstairs who were about to come out of their own room. Xiao Shenxing hurriedly waved to the two children, signaling them to go back in and remain quiet.
Xiao Chi poked his head out to peek at the guest downstairs, and his expression immediately turned grim. Lin Jingzhe was still a little puzzled, "Who is it?"
Xiao Chi blocked his sight, carried him back to their room while kissing him. "It’s nothing, just an unexpected guest."
"..." Yu Shuyuan looked at her son's smooth movements, and glanced back at her husband.
Let alone hugging, Xiao Shenxing didn't even stretch out his hand. He just glanced at the movement downstairs and urged, "Hurry up, hurry up, why are you still standing there?"
Yu Shuyuan inwardly cussed.
Elder Qi regretfully watched the two juniors depart upstairs. Grandma Xiao came out of the Buddhist Hall, emitting the dense scent of incense sticks. While holding a buddhist bead in her hand, she smiled kindly and said, "You’ve arrived."
Elder Qi never believed in superstition or supernatural entities, so he couldn’t understand why the old lady of the Xiao Family would be so in tuned with such beliefs. But when he heard such a strange welcome, he couldn't help but feel puzzled, "You knew I was coming?"
Grandma Xiao looked as if she was smiling insincerely. She stared at him for a while, but didn't answer, and just continued to smile.
Just a fake act of mystifying!
Elder Qi thought irritably, but he still had to maintain his good-natured temper, "Oh, if it weren't for the fact that there weren’t any other alternatives, I wouldn't have come to disturb you..."
Grandma Xiao shook her head and sighed, "You were destined to bustle about for your younger generation."
Her words sounded vague and inexplicable, but Elder Qi mulled over the words and found them to be quite reasonable. He had long wanted to have children of his own when he was twenty, and it wasn’t until he was thirty that this wish was finally granted. Unfortunately, the times were difficult, and not all of them survived. Only Qi Kai's parents lived longer, but soon also met with accidents after his grandchild was born.
Without any more hope for his children, Elder Qi could only concern himself with his grandchildren.
Elder Qi was a little embarrassed, "I'm already at this age, what’s there to bustle about? It's nothing more than the blood of my relatives. I can only sacrifice this old face for those few ignorant, unfilial children..."
Originally, he wanted to talk to Xiao Shenxing directly, it would be easier to speak up with his seniority, but now he didn’t even have the face to make them listen attentively. Truly the ‘night that offers no protection[1]’.
Grandma Xiao obviously didn't buy the face of her old acquaintance, and replied with a smile, "Since they are unfilial children, how can you control them? Let it be, and allow them to learn some lessons. It may have a better effect than with you getting involved."
Elder Qi's eyes sharpened. Let it be?
If he were to allow the flow to take its course, Shi Nanxing would have to go to jail! And perhaps his biological grandson Qi Kai would be implicated as well! To force perfectly innocent people to become inmates? How can they and their families have the face to live in the world in the future?
He would never allow such a future to arise!
Knowing that this old acquaintance wanted to feign ignorance, he simply tore open the crumbling window paper himself, "Why do your family bother to get involved? We have known each other for decades, we live in the same community for heaven’s sakes. For an outsider, you actually caused such a fuss?”
He took a deep breath, suppressed his nausea, and finished his sentence, "Old friend, let me advise you, don't lose your mind just because of Xiao Chi's little plea. That young man surnamed Lin, and your grandson share an unusual relationship… just…. I'm afraid you may be angered to death by the truth!"
Grandma Xiao just looked elsewhere.
Elder Qi was originally filled with righteous indignation, but when he saw her smile, he suddenly realized something and stood up abruptly.
He asked in disbelief, "Have you... have you all gone crazy?!"
The smile on Grandma Xiao's face disappeared, she looked back at him, and sighed, "You're still obstinately persistent in going about things the wrong way."
Elder Qi yelled angrily, "With this! Just like this?! He’s the only descendant of your family, and you actually allowed him to be with a man!? Did you intend to cut off your family line?! How could you do this, you’ve really disappointed my deceased good brother Xiao!"
Grandma Xiao frowned, "I still have a granddaughter, such a matter is not for you to worry about."
"Miaomiao is a girl!!" Elder Qi couldn't accept it, he was so angry that he hit his cane on the ground several times. "Ignorant of honor! Ignorant of shame! For such a shameless outsider, you actually disregard our long-time friendship!?!"
Grandma Xiao stood up and said, "Please leave!"
"No!" Elder Qi furiously remained in place, "Everything has to be settled today! Our two families have been friends for so many years, if you want to touch my grandson because of such an outsider, you’ll have to do it over my dead body! "
Grandma Xiao maintained her placid expression, but looked at him with pity in her eyes, "If the heavens deem it is time, I am also powerless."
"Absolutely disgraceful! Disgraceful!" Thinking of his reason for coming, Elder Qi felt as if he had been played like a monkey. He couldn't stay any longer, so he left with a flick of his sleeves, "You’ve turned senile from reading too many scriptures!"
The sound of him slamming the door was loud. Lin Jingzhe came down immediately, and stood by the stairs, looking worriedly at Grandma Xiao.
Grandma Xiao smiled at him. She stepped forward to straighten his collar, looked at his new amulet around his neck for a while, and stuffed it solemnly into his collar.
"Don't worry." She comforted Lin Jingzhe, whose eyes showed guilt, and said with a smile, "His temper had been like this since he was young."
Then she raised her head, looked at expressionless Xiao Chi coming downstairs, and fell silent. In the end she said, "You... remember to have mercy on the forgivable."
After saying this, she smiled and took out a candy from Lin Jingzhe's pocket, turned around, and returned to the Buddhist Hall.
Lin Jingzhe couldn't understand, so he looked back at Xiao Chi: "What did grandma mean just now?"
Xiao Chi embraced him from behind, touched his cheek lightly, and said in a low voice, "It's nothing important. Have you read the plan book for ‘sniping’ Dominion Properties that I gave you before?"
Lin Jingzhe didn't like to use his brain when he was at home, so his attention was immediately shifted to discussing the details in the planning book. This time he survived a catastrophe, even though nothing happened, the enmity cannot be easily bypassed, Shi Nanxing and Qi Kai must suffer for what they did.
Xiao Chi listened to him with a smile, nodded, and looked outside the door.
…
Elder Qi returned home angrily, sat on the sofa, and before he could sort out the amount of information he got from Grandma Xiao, he heard a fierce argument from upstairs.
Shi Nanxing’s whole momentum was feeble, "...you haven't gone out for so many days, how did you find out?!"
Qi Kai, who hadn't recovered from his illness, was like a raging lion. He suddenly threw the vase on the table to the ground to vent his anger, and shouted nervously amidst the crackling sound, "Just tell me the truth?! Did you try to escape abroad!? Did you!?!"
Shi Nanxing has always been in a dominant position, and he had never seen Qi Kai like this before, so he couldn’t help but be taken aback, "Listen to my explanation..."
"What explanation?! You want to explain why you were about to leave me to die?! Quite shrewd aren’t you! Since you couldn’t come up with 20 million, you tried sneaking away by yourself, and left me here to allow Sha Peng to vent his anger, right?!" Qi Kai obviously wasn’t so easy to be persuaded, and he became increasingly agitated under the dispute, "Uncle! You’re my uncle! What did I do to you that made you want to implicate me like this? I'm so f*cking fed up, like an f*cking idiot I really believed you and Sha Peng have canceled the cooperation! F*ck! Even a cornered rabbit will bite, if you continue to push me, I will publicize your plans of owning a raw opium field. At worst, everyone will die together, what’s there to be afraid of?! "
"Calm down!" Shi Nanxing glanced outside. At the very moment, he couldn't fathom how Qi Kai, who had been kept in the dark, learned the whole truth. His mind was not riddled with anxiety, afraid this news had leaked elsewhere. "Careful, someone could have heard you!"
"Since you dare act upon it yet scared about others talking about you?" Qi Kai was so angry that tears came out, "I'm going to tell my grandpa, I can't f*cking just let you off this easily."
"Are you crazy!!!" Shi Nanxing immediately grabbed him and yelled, "Be more rational! Are you going to piss your grandpa to death? We are both on the same sinking ship now, you wouldn’t gain any benefits from killing me!"
Qi Kai threw him off, "F*ck off! You think I’m a three-year-old child? It was you who came up with the idea of selling raw opium, you were the one who cooperated with Sha Peng, and you were the one who asked me for money. Now that things have gotten out of all, it became all my fault? Did you ever consider we were on the same ship when you tried to fly away alone? Did you ever think that my grandpa would die of anger then?"
The two sides continued to argue, almost to the points of throwing hands. Seeing that he could not hold Qi Kai back, Shi Nanxing was inwardly relieved at one thing, fortunately, the Elder Qi went out early in the morning to make connections, and he would not come home early under normal circumstances.
Qi Kai's arm broke free from his shackles, threatening how Shi Nanxing was going to ‘get it good’. He slammed open the door, and immediately halted his steps.
At this instance, everything fell silent.
Qi Kai stared blankly at his bewildered grandpa, who was leaning on his cane with an arched back, outside the door.
Shi Nanxing, who finally caught up, was also stunned. After a few seconds, he quickly came to his senses and stepped forward to help the old man.
But Elder Qi waved his hand away, took two steps back, shook his head and looked at his grandsons.
"Raw opium... field? What were you talking about just now?"
Shi Nanxing opened his mouth, but couldn’t think of an immediate excuse. Thus, he could only bite the bullet and say, "Please listen to my explanation..."
However before he could finish his words, a dull heavy sound cut Shi Nanxing’s speech midway.
Elder Qi, like an over taut bow, fell to the ground without warning.
.
.
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Footnote:
[1] night that offers no protection (晚节不保) - is an idiom that describes when one has reached their old age but failed to keep their integrity. It also refers to when things fail just as they are about to succeed.
T/N: Will Elder Qi be alright? Find out in the next chapter! Hehe, I hope ya’lls read that in an announcer voice cause I sure did.
Anyways, happy new year to you all! Hope everyone stays healthy and safe this year hehe.
Oh speaking of annoucements, I have great news everyone! I just finished completely translating this novel today🎉🥳🎉🥳, so there’s no more worries about me dropping it haha. If anyone would like to take advantage of the holiday coupon that’s still available until January 6th, go ahead to the Novel Shop to purchase the advance chapters, or even the whole PDF! (Yep, I got Eques permission to do so 😊)