HSS Chapter 6
Translated by Novice Translations
We Wait for Them to Agree
Mu Xiaoya's parents were high school teachers. Her father, Mu Ruozhou was the director of Qingyuan High School’s Mathematics department while her mother, Shen Qingyi was the director of the English department. Both husband and wife were star teachers in Qingyuan High School. In their 26 years of teaching, they had many students who they taught that attended famous universities.
However, as a child of these star teachers, Mu Xiaoya's academic performance from childhood wasn’t good. When she was in junior high school, she couldn’t even get admitted to Qingyuan High School where her parents taught.
For this, Mu Xiaoya's parents didn’t blame their daughter. Their only requirement for Mu Xiaoya was to be healthy and be happy. On the contrary, Mu Xiaoya felt she had lost her parents’ face, so she worked hard after entering high school and finally got into a good university.
However, the reason why Mu Xiaoya dared to marry Bai Chuan behind her parents’ backs was due to her parents’ excessive indulgence.
The Mu parents were surprised by Bai Chuan’s sudden visit. The couple speculated that Grandma Bai had just passed away and Bai Chuan was uncomfortable. So, their daughter brought him back for dinner, thus they didn’t ask much. The couple warmly welcomed Bai Chuan.
They also knew that Bai Chuan had scholar syndrome. As a math teacher, Mu Ruozhou occasionally studied some math problems. He knew that Bai Chuan’s computing skills were excellent, so he asked Bai Chuan several questions that he couldn’t solve during the meal. Bai Chuan was also interested in mathematics, so he answered his father-in-law’s questions.
This made Mu Ruozhou's happy. After dinner, he asked and pulled Bai Chuan to help him write the calculating formulas.
His arm was pulled by a stranger, even if it was his father-in-law. Bai Chuan was very shameless and hid behind Mu Xiaoya. This made Mu Ruozhou a little embarrassed, as if he scared children.
“Xiao Chuan, I'm sorry, ah.” Mu Ruozhou coughed awkwardly, then looked at his daughter who was extremely attached to Bai Chuan, and asked, “Xiaoya, can you let Xiao Chuan write down the formulas for me.”
“Dad, if you want people to write, you need to get a pen and paper.” Mu Xiaoya laughed.
“Yes, yes, I'll get it now.” Mu Ruozhou patted his head, hurriedly turned and ran to the study to find paper and pen.
Shen Qingyi seemed to be used to her husband, she shook her head and smiled, then began to clean up the table. When Mu Xiaoya saw her, she turned around and said to Bai Chuan who was still sitting at the dining table: “You can sit on the sofa and help my dad write some formulas. I’ll help my mother wash the dishes.”
Bai Chuan nodded his head stupidly, then obediently sat on the sofa.
Mu Xiaoya went to the kitchen to help with the remaining plates.
Shen Qingyi was chatting with her daughter while cleaning the stove: “After Teacher Cui passed away, Bai Chuan’s mood doesn’t seem bad.”
Grandma Bai’s original name was Cui. She was also a teacher of Qingyuan High School before she retired. Her teaching career was almost as long as Qingyuan High School’s history, so Shen Qingyi always called Grandma Bai as Teacher Cui.
“It’s good, just a little sad.” Mu Xiaoya replied.
“It’s okay to be sad.” As a neighbor, how did Bai Chuan slowly recover from being a silent autistic child to what he was now? No one was more clear than Grandma Bai and her efforts during this period. “They say that children with autism only live in their own world, but Xiao Chuan knows how to be sad. It can be seen that Teacher Cui’s efforts weren’t wasted, ah.”
“In fact, Xiao Chuan can actually communicate with the outside world.” Mu Xiaoya took the opportunity to say.
“Indeed, I think it's good to communicate with you.”
“Your daughter is loved by all, ah.” Mu Xiaoya boasted with a smile.
“Everyone loves you? Look at you, so shameless. Quickly wash the dishes and send Xiao Chuan back.” Shen Qingyi said with a smile.
“Then I have to wait for Xiao Chuan to help dad finish writing the formulas, ah.”
After that, the mother and daughter tacitly looked at the living room together, Mu Ruozhou was crouched in front of Bai Chuan diligently. He was intoxicated as he watched Bai Chuan write the formulas, from time to time, he gave a sigh of admiration. Looking at this scene, the mother and daughter smiled again, then continued to clean up the kitchen. Mu Xiaoya was responsible for washing while Shen Qingyi was responsible for putting away the dishes and chopsticks.
“Xiao Chuan won’t be able to live with us anymore” After Teacher Cui died, Shen Qingyi felt the Bai family wouldn’t agree with Bai Chuan living next door alone.
“I don't know.”
“Certainly not.” Shen Qingyi worried, “I just don't know if Xiao Chuan will adapt to the changes in his environment. After all, his situation is special.”
“Mom, are you worried about Bai Chuan?” Mu Xiaoya raised an eyebrow.
“Nonsense, it’s how I look at children who I watched grow up.” Shen Qingyi was a very responsible teacher herself, and she treated her students as if they were her own. Not to mention Bai Chuan’s situation was special. He has always been a child growing up under her eyes.
“Then I'll tell you something, you shouldn't be too angry.” After the meal, the dishes were almost washed. Mu Xiaoya thought the timing was right.
“What did you do that you’re worried that I would get angry?” Shen Qingyi was curious.
“I took a copy of our household registry the other day.”
“What did you do with our household registry?” Shen Qingyi asked, “Didn’t you already got a passport and visa for going abroad?”
“I...took it and got married.”
“Bang!” Shen Qingyi was unstable, the white porcelain bowl fell from her hand, instantly breaking into pieces. The two men in the living room were frightened and looked up from the formula.
“With Bai Chuan.” Mu Xiaoya finished in one breath.
“...”
The sudden explosive news surprised both the Mu family’s husband and wife. They stood in the living room silently for a long time while the two people sat quietly and cleverly on the sofa in the living room as if waiting for a verdict.
In the end, Mu Ruozhou still chose to let his daughter send Bai Chuan back first.
“Mom, dad, I'll send Xiao Chuan back first.” Mu Xiaoya stood up and prepared to take Bai Chuan away.
“Dad, mom, goodbye.” Who knew that before leaving, Bai Chuan suddenly changed their names and called them his parents.
“…” When he called out mom and dad, Mu Ruozhou and Shen Qingyi's faces changed.
Neither of them responded to this polite farewell. Now Bai Chuan wasn’t just a poor, helpless and pitiful young man that lived next door, but their son-in-law.
People were like this. There were some things, that as a bystander, will show unparalleled tolerance and sympathy, and even take the initiative to help others. But once initiative is taken to become personally involved, the mentality was completely different. At this moment, the Mu family’s parents have such an unspeakable mentality.
Mu Xiaoya knew that her parents needed time and space to calm down, so she didn’t stimulate her parents anymore and left with Bai Chuan in a hurry.
When he came out of the Mu home, Bai Chuan stopped subconsciously and glanced back.
“What's wrong? Have you forgotten something?” Mu Xiaoya asked.
“Just now...mom and dad, didn't say goodbye to me.” Bai Chuan said very seriously.
Hic...
Mu Xiaoya suddenly felt embarrassed, she didn’t expect Bai Chuan was a very serious and upright BOY.
“They forgot. I will remind them later. I promise this won’t happen again in the future.” Mu Xiaoya coaxed.
“Do they disagree?”
“What?”
“Disagree that we got married.” Bai Chuan asked seriously.
Mu Xiaoya was stunned. She didn’t expect Bai Chuan, who has cognitive impairment, could feel her parents’ emotions so clearly.
“Why...do you think so?” Mu Xiaoya asked.
“I’ve been to your house twenty-six times since I was young. Every time I left, they will say goodbye to me with a smile, but this time they didn’t.” Bai Chuan explained with his own unique logic. “Today, there are only two differences from the previous twenty-five times. Grandma died and I married you. And out of both of them, we got married.”
“You...you can say so much at once.” Mu Xiaoya was amazed by Bai Chuan's analytical ability, and at the same time scold her mother in her heart. Who said that Bai Chuan has cognitive and emotional barriers? Come on, his logical deductions were almost on par with detectives.
“Yes.” Mu Xiaoya ridiculed, but Bai Chuan couldn't hear it, then answered seriously.
“Then why don't you usually talk?”
“No need.”
“You say a lot when it’s necessary?”
“En.” Bai Chuan nodded. “I don't like talking.”
“Don’t say you don’t like talking. Let’s go, I’ll take you home.” Mu Xiaoya ignored Bai Chuan's original question and took the person out of the community. She called a cab and drove to Bai Chuan's villa.
“Why don't they agree?” But Bai Chuan wasn’t an ordinary person. He won't avoid the question because of Mu Xiaoya's intentional avoidance. No, as soon as the car started, he asked again.
Why not? Because in my parents’ eyes, you’re an autistic person with a mental defect, not a good match for their daughter.
“They don’t disagree, they’re still thinking. When they think clearly, they will agree.” Mu Xiaoya coaxed.
Bai Chuan blinked, as if he accepted Mu Xiaoya's explanation, and didn’t continue to ask.
The car quickly stopped at the gate of the Bai family’s villa. Mu Xiaoya asked the driver to wait for her in the car for a while so she could send Bai Chuan in and come out.
“We're married.” At the door, Bai Chuan didn't enter.
“I know, ah.”
“When will we live together then?” Bai Chuan asked.
“...” Mu Xiaoya froze, “Live together?”
“En, after marriage, both husband and wife should live together.”
“...” You really are aware of that, ah, Mu Xiaoya supported her forehead, “My parents haven’t agreed yet.”
“They have to agree for us to live together?” Bai Chuan asked.
To be honest, Mu Xiaoya from the start never even thought about living with Bai Chuan. At this time, she could only brace herself and stiffly said, “Right…okay.”
“Then I’ll wait for them to agree.” After getting a positive reply, Bai Chuan was satisfied.
Perhaps Bai Chuan's behavior was too normal tonight and Mu Xiaoya couldn't help but ask: “What if...my parents don't agree?”
“We're married.” Bai Chuan emphasized again, “Even if they don't agree, it's useless.”
“!!!” Mu Xiaoya was startled and couldn't believe what she had just heard.
“So...they should agree.”
“...” Because it was useless to disagree, so they had to agree, right? It turns out that you were so logical that Mu Xiaoya couldn’t cry or laugh.