…
“Sister-in-law!”
Translated by Tissue Translations
But not long later, a voice called out to me and drew me out of my trance. I lifted my head and saw the person standing at the side. Du Yuanfeng.
“Mr Du, nice to meet you. I apologise for my tardiness the last time we met!” I hurriedly stood up. Apologising to him had always been on my mind, but I never had the opportunity to meet him.
“Hehe! No worries!” Du Yuanfeng waved his hands, before turning his head to look Xiao and Luo Qing dancing together. After watching for a while, I had no idea what he was thinking when he turned back to look at me. He said, “Can I ask you for a dance?”
I blanked out for a moment and then nodded my head.
We danced.
“Sister-in-law, you already know all about their matters?” Du Yuanfeng asked me.
I did not answer.
“Sister-in-law, in the past, they loved each other. But now, they’re just playing around. They are all the same kind of people, they can easily part with the things they have given up on.” Du Yuanfeng continued to speak, “Sister-in-law, Xiao is actually a good man. No matter whether he loves you or know, he has always viewed you as a part of his life. He has never thought of abandoning you!”
I nodded my head. “I know!”
“Sister-in-law, don’t take offense at me for telling you all these!” Du Yuanfeng laughed, before continuing, “Xiao and I have both pursued Luo Qing in the past. However, I failed and hence, I went overseas to study. At that time, I was really very affected and if she had chosen another man, I could have said that Luo Qing had poor taste for taking an idiot as a boyfriend. But she just had to choose Xiao, and I accepted my defeat wholeheartedly. Don’t laugh, I know that women think differently from men. But to men, it’s just like this. In the end, everything is all about winning or losing, the strong and the weak. But did you know, Luo Qing has voluntarily maintained contact with me and from the beginning, she had put me on her list of potential suitors. Because, even if I was inferior to Xiao, I was still someone with good prospects. This is her way of thinking, and this is how she views all men. Luo Qing is the kind of person that will make you feel honoured, even if she had been playing you all along.”
Translated by Tissue Translations
I raised my head in shock.
Du Yuanfeng flashed a faint smile. “Sister-in-law, there are many different types of women and men. Many times, mutual love is considered a necessity, and yet those occasional instances of romance are usually unrequited loves, one-sided loves, bitter loves.”
One-sided love, bitter love, unrequited love. When I heard these six words, an aching pain surged from the bottom of my heart. Just as I subconsciously let loose a sniffle, I heard Du Yuanfeng say, “Alright, let’s switch dance partners!”
I lifted my head abruptly. The person wrapped around my waist had already switched to Xiao Huan. I glanced to the side, Du Yuanfeng and Luo Qing were in the middle of a waltz.
“What were the both of you chatting about?” Xiao asked.
I rested my forehead on his chest. However, the scent of a woman’s perfume wafted into my nose and so I hurriedly lifted my head up again. “We didn’t talk about much! Mr Du mentioned that you won’t forsake me!”
“Hehe!” Xiao Huan laughed lightly. He hugged me and brought me closer to his body. “Du has a big mouth, he must vocalise all of his regrets before he is resigned! No backbone at all!”
“But he really understands you!” I said.
“Mm, we…” I did not hear his subsequent words. I started to lose my hearing again, momentarily. Fortunately, I was leaning against his frame. Hence when I lost consciousness, he had already held me tightly. I did not hear what he said, and right before I shut my eyes, I called out a name softly. Then, he froze, and I completely lost all consciousness.
I called, Xiao Bei.
Translated by Tissue Translations
Whatever it is, don’t fall sick. If you’re lacking anything, don’t lack money!
I was in my bedroom, partially reclined on the bed as I watched television. It was a comedy sketch and it seemed quite funny. From time to time, I would laugh along with the live audience in the television. However, when I heard those words, I could no longer laugh out loud.
I pressed a button on the remote control and hastily switched off the television. Then, I turned my head and fixed my eyes on the bedroom door, straining my ears to hear what was going on outside.
There were no movements. Even though there were three people seated in the living room.
Not a sound could be heard.
Xiao Bei, Xiao Bei’s husband. And, Xiao!
“Mr Xiao, I want to take Si Ying away.”
In the end, Xiao Bei was the first to speak.
“…” Xiao remained quiet.
“Mr Xiao, let me repeat myself once more. I want to take Si Ying away!”
There was still silence. The silence dragged on for another few minutes and then I heard the sound of the door opening. Xiao?
I tried my best to prop myself up from the bed. I wanted to go out and have a look, but the door opened and Xiao Bei entered.
“Xiao Bei, where is he? You told him everything?” I looked at her with wide eyes.
“Did I need to tell him? This time, you lost consciousness for a whole day!” Xiao Bei walked over, her belly bulging.
“I’m here to pick you up! Let’s go!” She looked at me.
“Xiao Bei, where is he?”
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“He left without saying a word. What a useless scoundrel!” As Xiao Bei said this, she draped a coat over me. I threw a tantrum like a like a little kid and shook the coat off. “I’m not leaving. Whatever it is, I want to die at home!”
Xiao Bei looked at me, she showed no trace of anger. “Home? From what I see, you just want him by your side when you die!
As I lowered my head, Xiao Bei pulled me up. She hustled around and helped me put on my clothes, before pushing me out. Her husband was waiting in the living room and when he saw me walk out, Mr Mei was stumped. After a long time, he finally said in a hoarse voice, “Si Ying, you’ve lost weight!”
Translated by Tissue Translations
I lowered my head even more, tears sliding down my face in a continuous stream. During this period, I had constantly kept my illness under wraps and had never brought it up to anyone. But by doing so, it felt more and more suffocating. Hence, when Xiao Bei and Mr Mei showed their concern to me, the spoilt temperament I was born with finally awakened. I stood in the middle of the living room and wailed at the top my my lungs.
As I sobbed, I whined, “Xiao Bei, I’m not leaving. I’m not leaving. Xiao Bei, I cannot bear to leave!”
Mr Bei brought Xiao Bei into his arms. Xiao Bei was crying again.
“See? Xiao Bei, I can’t stay with you, you’re pregnant! You’re going to be a mother in the future!” I squatted on the ground as standing was simply too exhausting. On the ground, I continued to throw a tantrum.
Xiao Bei and Mr Mei looked at me, at a complete loss of what to do.
At this time, the door opened again with a click.
Xiao was standing at the doorway, looking at me with red eyes. His breathing was rugged and it looked as though he had run a marathon, for his entire body was drenched with sweat.
“Xiao!” I called out to him softly.
Xiao wiped away the sweat on his face boorishly, before charging over and hugging me in his arms. He immediately hollered at Xiao Bei and Mr Mei, “Get lost! Get lost! All of you get lost!”
Xiao Bei was furious and raised her leg in preparation to serve him a kick. However, Mr Mei stopped her. He said, “When you take a wife, you should keep her in the heart of your palms and cherish her, regardless of why you married her! Once you’re married, she becomes a part of your life. By neglecting her, you’re losing a part of yourself. Mr Xiao, Si Ying doesn’t have much time left. I hope you can return everything you owe her!”
Return everything to her. It was this line. The moment he said the last word, whatever happened next, I would never forget in this lifetime. Xiao Huan hugged me tightly. He cried out at the top of his voice in devastation.
At that instant, it felt as though spring had returned to the site of the ruins, even though the snowfall had yet to cease. Boundless vines encompassing the faintest colour of emerald green creeped over and blanketed the expanse. Then, a breeze blew by and the fallen leaves drifted into the air, still covered by a layer of snow, leaving behind no trace.
Translated by Tissue Translations
Xiao, did you know? Your tears were just like spring to me.
T/N: A relatively shorter part this time~ But the last 2 paragraphs are one of my favourite lines in this novel. Previously, Si Ying compared herself to a falling vine leaf that gets blown away, leaving behind no trace. Here, she makes a reference to that same pile of fallen leaves. Although her fate remains unchanged, winter has now transitioned into spring, and we see a glimmer of change in Xiao.
I'd also like to apologise for my sporadic posting schedule, been on attachment lately so I haven't had much free time on my hands >.< The next part will be significantly longer though, so do look forward to it!
Sorry, typo
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