Who Moved My Ashes Chapter 5
Translated by Novice Translations
Chapter 5
Jiang Xichu wouldn’t scold for no reason. Chen Man was stunned by her scolding. After half a day, she reacted and raised her eyebrows: “Jiang Xichu, tell me clearly! What’s wrong with me? That you had to say that!”
Jiang Xichu looked at her for the first time. After three seconds, she deeply exhaled, and she slowly lowered her eyes. She felt that the heavy depression in her heart almost dissipated. She looked up and the corner of her eyes were pale pink from her tears that flowed. She looked at her with such eyes and Chen Man couldn’t say anything serious. She hesitated to prepare a soft look to coax her secretary Jiang.
Before she spoke, secretary Jiang said, “It’s nothing. Last night I had a nightmare, we were being chased by a murderer. You pushed me out as bait and ran away. I was still so angry after waking up, so I came to settle the debt.”
Chen Man: "........."
The room was quiet for five seconds, and then came Chen Man’s horrified voice, “Because of a ridiculous dream that you had, I was slapped by you?!”
“You’re unreasonable. I am the general manager and was scolded like this by you. You dare do this because of a dream? Stop, Jiang Xichu, I haven’t finished talking to you yet!”
Jiang Xichu pushed the door and exited. When she opened the door, Chen Man’s voice was clearly heard. The other three secretaries just stared from the side. Jiang Xichu calmly looked at them, “What, you see what I’m doing? Have you finished your work?”
The three secretaries immediately went back to their workstations, no matter whether it was genuine or fake, and began the pitter-patter of typing.
Jiang Xichu turned her head. At this time, it was already past nine o’clock in the morning. The sun rose to its fixed position as usual. The first bright sunshine fell into the office, she stood in the sun and Jiang Xichu felt the long-lost warmth. She couldn’t help but hook up her lips. After a pause, she returned to her position.
She wrote a formal letter of apology due to a delay. A batch of machines were ordered by them from Germany. Due to the customs clearance in Shanghai, it was scheduled to arrive in a month, but this time, it took two months. Only after these machines were received, they would be able to start their work. This order was a cooperation with state-owned enterprises. If it was delayed for too long, they must send a formal letter of apology to others.
There wasn’t a need to consult other text materials, Jiang Xichu raised her hand and typed out a standard official document. Secretary Yang sat on the swivel chair and moved back towards Jiang Xichu. Secretary Yang mysteriously took a pen and asked her in a low voice, “Secretary Jiang, what has president Chen done wrong?”
After working in the company for two years, secretary Yang often saw Chen and Jiang curse at each other. Usually it was Chen who had done something. Secretary Jiang couldn’t agree with her, then they would quarrel. The more they quarrel, the fiercer it would be. Finally, Chen couldn’t bear the threat of using force, she would sit on her chair and admit her mistake.
Secretary Yang thought this time would be the same, so she was very happy to look for office gossip. Secretary Jiang was typing, after a while, her fingers continued to press on the keyboard, “No, she didn’t do anything wrong.”
Secretary Yang was surprised that she didn’t do anything wrong. What did she just hear?
Secretary Yang still wanted to ask again, but as soon as her eyes looked, she saw the content on Jiang Xichu’s computer screen. “Hey? How come I didn’t know that the shipment was going to be delayed? When did this happened?”
…
About three days later.
With a cough, Jiang Xichu took out a document from the drawer. “You send this to the CFO. By the way, tell him to come to Chen Man’s office tomorrow. It’s time to discuss the bulk purchase for next month.”
Secretary Yang took the document, sighed and then left.
One morning, just like this, quickly passed with her quietly doing busy work. Jiang Xichu printed all the documents used for the meeting in the afternoon. As soon as she came back to the office, she saw Chen Man occupied her position.
Jiang Xichu's footsteps walked over and her pace slowed. Chen Man heard the noise, turned around and looked at her seriously. “My yogurt is gone.”
Jiang Xichu tightly held the document in her arm. Suddenly, she found that it was very difficult for her to speak. After a long time, she heard her voice, “Do you want me to buy it for you?”
Usually, Jiang Xichu would scold her before helping her with these trivial matters. This time, she didn’t scold. She wasn’t used to it, but she was a little happy.
She shook her head. “How could you go alone? I will accompany you and be your driver. Let’s go to the China Resources near Vientiane city, after the supermarket, we can go shopping in the nearby Vientiane City.”
Jiang Xichu had a strong sense of self-esteem. Chen Man wanted to buy something for her, and she never wanted it. She could only find reasons to gift her. For example, today was the beginning of spring, and she will be given a set of skincare products to protect her dry skin in the spring. Tomorrow will be the Dragon Boat Festival and she will be given a dishwasher, so she doesn’t have to wash dishes after eating rice dumplings. Even on Qingming*, she will use as a reason to gift her an iPad, her excuse was that it was a beautiful name for that serious and solemn day. Shouldn’t she just watch more films commemorating the martyrs?
(TN: Qingming – Pure brightness festival or tomb sweeping day (early April). To me…it’s similar to the United States’ veteran’s day. )
In order to find all kinds of reasons, Chen Man also broke her heart. This time, she took her to the mall. Instead of buying things on the spot, she used it as an opportunity to observe what Jiang Xichu liked, then would secretly purchase it. As soon as Labor Day arrived, she sent her a suit to wear to work.
......
Chen Man’s small abacus* made a sound and Jiang Xichu looked at her quietly. Suddenly, Chen Man couldn’t stand still. Why did she felt that Jiang Xichu had seen through her thoughts?
(TN: Small abacus (figurative) selfish calculations; think mental calculator/scale)
She looked at Chen Man’s expression that became more and more nervous. Jiang Xichu lowered her eyes, “Okay, let’s go after work.”
Chen Man was happy, she stood up and took the document Jiang Xichu held. “Let’s go. Let’s go downstairs for a meal. I heard that a new dumpling restaurant has opened downstairs, let’s try it.”
The dumpling restaurant wasn’t good, Jiang Xichu had already tried it.
But she looked at Chen Man’s eagerness and didn’t want to say anything, she just smiled and followed her out.
6 o’clock was the time to get off work, but because of Chen Man’s presence, the two honorable people left early. At 5 o’clock, the two were in the big supermarket in the center of the city. Chen Man pushed the cart while Jiang Xichu constantly scanned the shelves.
Chen Man was strictly forbidden to take anything. She stared at the row of spicy strips floating in front of her eyes. She couldn’t help but push a few steps forward and pull on Jiang Xichu’s sleeves. “I want that.”
Jiang Xichu put down a bag of almonds from her hand. She turned her head and looked at the place Chen Man pointed to. Her face turned black immediately, “No! Your stomach isn’t good, and you still eat such stimulating food, do you want to die?”
It was just a pack of spicy strips...
Chen Man wasn’t convinced and shrank back. In the end, she still didn’t take the spicy snack that looked very attractive.
Chen Man couldn’t cook. When she was in college, she learned a couple of skills from Jiang Xichu. At last, she learned how to fry an egg after several tries. Jiang Xichu knew this and didn’t buy any vegetables. After buying a pile of frozen food that could be eaten hot, she placed two rows of yogurt into the shopping cart and directed Chen Man to the checkout counter.
In the past, Chen Man saw rows of beverages in the aisle. She took advantage of Jiang Xichu’s inattention and reached for a 6-pack of coke. She carefully placed the coke in, so that it wouldn’t press the other things and wouldn’t make an obvious plastic sound. She vowed that she had been very careful, but when she looked up, she saw her secretary Jiang’s death gaze.
Chen Man: “...”
They looked at each other for a few seconds. Chen Man picked up the coke and put it back on the shelf. Afterwards she stood upright, honest and well-behaved.
Jiang Xichu turned around.
Chen Man cried in her heart, like wide noodle tears.
She was the general manager and had no human rights…
They went back to Chen Man’s house and put everything away. Chen Man invited her to stay for dinner. Jiang Xichu didn’t think about it and agreed. Chen Man ordered a pizza, several snacks, dozens of barbeques and a half dozen beers for takeout.
They were both friends and ate and drank. Whenever they had something to talk about, the latest TV series played on TV. Jiang Xichu squinted for two seconds and coldly said, “This girl will die later from being killed by her sister.”
President Chen, who was caught off-guard by the spoiler: “…”
She fiercely turned her head and before she could say anything, she saw Jiang Xichu had fallen asleep on the sofa.
Chen Man moved, she put down her mutton kebab that she had half-nibbled, then went to Jiang Xichu and sat down. After sitting for ten minutes, Jiang Xichu didn’t move again. Chen Man softly sighed, held her head and adjusted her posture for her to sleep more comfortably.
She looked at Jiang Xichu’s quiet sleeping face, Chen Man leaned down and lightly tapped her eyes with her fingertips.
“Because of what, I was so wronged.”
Her voice was very light and low. No one could hear it except for her. “I didn’t tell you that I was wronged, and I didn’t think it would hurt so much.”