Chapter 53: Move Aside, Bad Green Plum

What kind of sound is that ah! Filled with loss and grievances, hesitance paired with helplessness, sadness paired with yearning, silent endurance paired with guilt, coordinating with those two trails of quiet tears, how could the single word 'pitiful' be enough to describe it?

All three were a bit stunned.

It couldn't be denied that Mother Song was forced to admire Zixiao's wonderful acting skill. In her heart she silently praised that Zixiao's control of her tears. She was really good: say drop and they dropped. Mother Song had been paying attention to her the entire time and knew that tears had already been stored in her eyes way early on. But to be able to instantly surge forth with 'hualala's the moment Song Liangzhuo looked over was truly not easy ah.

Xiaoqi was subdued by her face of pain. Seeing her silently cry to the point her nose tip trembled, Xiaoqi was a bit regretful that she had used a knife to cut her just now.

Song Liangzhuo was stunned due to embarrassment. He truly didn't know how to start the first conversation they were going to have since the last time three years ago, and it was even in the situation where his own family's wife and mom were sitting next to him. But it was also good that the two were sitting at his side, otherwise Song Liangzhuo really wouldn't know what to do.

Song Liangzhuo turned around to look at the two that were both spaced out and gave a slight cough, "Mom, shouldn't we have the meal brought up?"

"Ah." Mother Song suddenly snapped back to her senses and reluctantly retrieved her gaze from Zixiao's face. With quite an imposing manner she lifted her hand and said: "Bring the meal up. Let's eat as we talk."

One of Xiaoqi's legs was dangling in the air but she still moved her chair bit by bit to Song Liangzhuo's side. Song Liangzhuo was worried she would fall and also shifted towards her side, asking quietly, "What is it?"

Xiaoqi was still staring at Zixiao but her head gave a shake. For some reason, she kept feeling like she wasn't a match for this person in front of her.

Zixiao silently shed tears by herself for a long time. In the end, she took out a silk handkerchief and wiped her eyes. Giving a bitter smile, she said: "Second Brother, have you really found someone you like?"

Song Liangzhuo awkwardly tightened his lips and asked: "Wonder when Lady Zixiao came to this fu?"

"Second Brother." Zixiao lifted her head with dots of glistening teardrops on her face, "Second Brother can't call me Zi er anymore? How did one separation cause things to become like this? Zi er's heart always held Second Brother. That promise we had back then, Zi er has never dared to forget even for an instant."

Xiaoqi stared at Zixiao and her cheeked puffed up into bulges. Through Xiaoqi's bulging cheeks Mother Song saw her adorable grandson. It was seriously because she liked what she saw too much that she couldn't help but use her chopsticks to likely jab at it. In the end, she saw the little face deflate.

Xiaoqi flattened her mouth as she turned her head to look at Mother Song. Mother Song laughed and said: "Let us Mother-in-Law and Daughter-in-Law eat first and let them chat."

Xiaoqi unhappily lowered her head.

"Second Brother, truly"

"Gulululu~~~~"

Xiaoqi's stomach called out bluntly and loudly, right in time to cause Zixiao to choke her words back. Song Liangzhuo turned his head to look at Xiaoqi, "You must be hungry, let's eat. You just vomited earlier so don't eat too vigorously."

"Second Brother!" Zixiao gently called again.

"Let's eat, let's talk after eating." Song Liangzhuo didn't lift his head as he mildly replied.

He truly didn't quite understand Zixiao anymore. In the past no matter what she did he would understand, but right now it seemed like a fog was dividing the two of them, distorting the scene to the point he couldn't see clearly. Perhaps it's because she changed, or perhaps it was because he changed, or perhaps it was because the two of them both changed. Song Liangzhuo wasn't sure. But the one thing he was sure of was that the two were no longer standing where they used to stand.

In the past, not seeing her, there would still be that trace of expectation and cherished reminiscence in his heart. But unknowingly once they met again, that once beautiful thing instantly shattered. Meeting in person was inferior to a cherished memory ah.

Zixiao sensibly stopped her mouth, but voluntarily sat on Song Liangzhuo's other side. Zixiao's action caused Xiaoqi to directly reach out and grab Song Liangzhuo's arm, itching to do a shoulder throw and directly fling Song Liangzhuo to the other side.

Song Liangzhuo placatingly patted Xiaoqi's hand and said quietly: "Let's eat. How are you going to drink soup with one hand?"

Mother Song thought for a moment, then changed the topic, "Xiaoqi, do you have any special requests in regards to your wedding dress?"

Xiaoqi shook her head, a little out of form. Mother Song swept a glance at the Zixiao that had a gentle and warm expression on her face as she picked dishes for Song Liangzhuo, then swept another glance towards Xiaoqi's face which had completely unconcealed resentment. In her heart she silently said, if the pair's inner thoughts could complement each other just a tiny bit it'd be great. Xiaoqi's moods were way too easy to see through.

Xiaoqi's pair of eyes were completely put into use staring at the Zixiao next to Song Liangzhuo. The chopsticks pinched in her right hand didn't move at all.

Mother Song shook her head. Giving a sigh, she started to eat all alone.

During the meal, every time that Zixiao picked a dish for Song Liangzhuo with a timid smile, Xiaoqi would speedily send a chopstick-full of side dish into his bowl. Song Liangzhuo was stared at by Xiaoqi's bright gleaming eyes to the point his scalp felt numb. Placing a chopstick-full of side dish over, he quietly urged again: "You should eat, aren't you hungry?"

Xiaoqi scrunched up her face and said: "Husband, let's go back."

"Let's eat."

"Let's go back, ok? Oh, my stomach hurts." Xiaoqi put on an act and covered her stomach.

"You're covering the wrong area, try a little bit lower." Mother Song's voice came over with the hint of a smile.

Xiaoqi blinked her eyes and complied, moving her hands downwards more.

Mother Song's mouth twitched. For this daughter-in-law to be able to win against Zixiao would truly be strange.

Mother Song glanced at Zixiao as she said: "This matter still hasn't been publicly announced so I'm afraid lady of the Lin family must stay in this fu for a while."

Song Liangzhuo looked at Mother Song. Seeing that she wasn't joking, even though he didn't quite understand, he wisely didn't make any comments.

After Mother Song said this, she didn't speak again and watch the three's tangled reactions with quite a bit of idle enjoyment.

"Second Brother, eat the dishes ah. After a while it'll get cold." Zixiao's elegant voice lifted.

Xiaoqi this time didn't pick side dishes over but directly knocked the bowl that had been heaped into a small mountain for Song Liangzhuo aside. Xiaoqi passed her own bowl over and said: "Husband, eat mine."

At the side, Mother Song laughed so hard inside her heart that she practically pulled a muscle but on the surface, she still angrily put down her rice bowl and said: "Do you have any propriety? How can you knock down the rice bowl like that? Don't you know that food isn't easy to come by?"

Xiaoqi grievedly flattened her mouth and lowered her head, picking at her fingers. At the side, a maid swiftly tidied up that messy corner and filled another bowl of rice to place in front of Xiaoqi.

Song Liangzhuo was distressed for her starved stomach. His brows knitted, then released, then tightened again. In the end, he got up and lifted up Xiaoqi with one move, saying to Mother Song, "Mom, Xiaoqi doesn't feel well so we'll return first."

Xiaoqi nestled her head into Song Liangzhuo's chest. Her heart was delighted but tears also followed and fell.

Mother Song pointed at Song Liangzhuo's back for quite a while before angrily slapping the table, "No propriety!"

Zixiao covered up the emotions in her eyes and hooked the corners of her lips as she spoke softly: "Aunt Xue, don't be angry. Second Brother didn't mean to contradict his elder."

Mother Song inwardly humphed but sighed and said: "They really are insensible. Haa, Zixiao should eat. I also must go and rest."

In fact, Mother Song really did look forward to Xiaoqi and Zixiao's direct confrontation. No matter who it was that won, Mother Song would be the one that profits.

If Xiaoqi won, Mother Song would naturally be glad to see it happen. But Mother Song knew that Xiaoqi definitely wouldn't be able to beat Zixiao. Mother Song was waiting for Zixiao to hatch a plot and in one fell swoop catch her little tail in order to honorably and openly chase the person out. Brazen-facedly sticking to the fu like this, if that person didn't bring up leaving, she really couldn't very well open her mouth to shoo her away.

Zixiao was constantly looking for an opportunity to be alone with Song Liangzhuo but unfortunately, ever since Song Liangzhuo carried Xiaoqi back to his courtyard, he never existed again. During dinner he also sent a message to Song Qingyun and Mother Song, and the young married couple ate in their own courtyard.

But Xiaoqi really couldn't keep remaining like this in her own little courtyard, keeping her courtyard door closed and pretending to be handicapped. Mother Song couldn't permit her daughter-in-law to have such little future prospects. So the next day, the moment Song Liangzhuo headed out, Mother Song had Qiu Tong take Xiaoqi by the arm and bring her over to her own courtyard.

Xiaoqi was in the middle of her time of month so her mood was a bit downcast. Her little face was drawn long and her mouth was still tightly pursed. As Mother Song waited for her to come in she was the first to be unable to keep up her stature and almost laughed.

"How is Xiaoqi's foot?" Mother Song gave a light cough and restrained her laugh.

Xiaoqi nodded, "Thank Mom for the concern. It doesn't hurt anymore."

"How about the stomach? You can still eat down the medicinal pill?"

Xiaoqi nodded again, "Can eat it." After pausing a second, she supplemented: "Stomach also doesn't hurt anymore."

Mother Song called for Dong Mei to set up the embroidery frame, then warmly said: "Xiaoqi, the heart's frame must be calm. Just like when doing embroidery work, you must first think of the object you want to embroider, then think of the color of each and every stitch. Only by calming your heart will your needle be able to fly and draw the image. If you always only stare at the flower right in front of you, and with impatience fail grasp the light right before casting a stitch, on the contrary you would not be able to create that sort of flavor. You must water down that flower in your mind, making it vague to a certain degree in which it still retains its implicit charm"

Mother Song used an object to talk about the world and the world to talk about an object for half the day before turning her head to discover that Xiaoqi's eyes were staring blankly, completely at a loss. Sighing, she asked: "You didn't understand?"

Xiaoqi honestly nodded, "What does Mom want to say? That we're learning embroidery today?"

Mother Song was silent for while, "Let me put it this way, how does Xiaoqi plan to exchange blows with the lady of the Lin family?"

Xiaoqi flattened her mouth and lowered her head, "Mom promised me not to have Husband marry her. I'll have a baby really soon."

"What if she insists on wrapping around Liangzhuo?"

"Husband said he'll only treat me well."

"Then Xiaoqi, in the future will you just keep hiding inside your own courtyard to eat? Making Liangzhuo avoid her with you?"

Xiaoqi lifted her eyes to look towards Mother Song and blinked, "Why doesn't Mom chase her out? Her meals are such a waste of our family's food."

Mother Song was a bit shocked, clearly not quite keeping up with Xiaoqi's line of thought. After being stunned for a moment, she helplessly sat in front of the embroidery frame and beckoned for Xiaoqi to limp over. Pointing at that tree peony embroidered drawing named 'National Grace, Divine Fragrance', she said: "Xiaoqi, look at this. This is a finished product. Isn't it filled with a fragrant atmosphere and gracefully luxurious? Mom also doesn't expect you to have the natural grace of a peony, but at least you must have the quiet serenity of a osmanthus flower. Even though it's small, its fragrance doesn't dissipate. It's refined atmosphere and solitary being creates a frame. Handling affairs with calmness, its nature causes people to feel an intoxicating fragrance."

This time Xiaoqi was happy. Covering her mouth as she giggled, she lifted her little chin and said; "Husband said I'm the osmanthus flower within a hundred flowers."

"For what reason?"

"I don't know. Husband said it was a praise."

Mother Song pondered for a while, then lifted her brows, "Partridges in the Sky*? Haa, Liangzhuo really thinks quite highly of you, to even be able to say something like this. Xiaoqi must also work hard to live up to this compliment."

I found poems of a the same name but glancing through them they didn't seem to mention osmanthus flowers. Well, since it's mentioned in the story the meaning will probably show up later~

"Mom, what exactly does it mean?" Xiaoqi was a little happy and excited as she asked.

But Mother Song just lifted a brow and said: "Having no culture sure is scaryT/N, go memorize the verses yourself. If you want it to be more convenient then just look for the epigraph of the term Partridges in the Sky as you read. You'll find it eventually. In two days, no, four days, give me the answer."

Xiaoqi didn't feel pressured either and happily smoothed her lips, "I'll go look immediately tomorrow. Husband even refused to directly say it it was definitely because he felt embarrassed."

Mother Song rubbed her forehead, "How did you bring the topic onto the epigraph of a name? Xiaoqi still hasn't replied on how you plan respond to the lady of the Lin family. You can't very well walk with your waist bent hiding because of her forever, right?"

Xiaoqi's eyes turned. Then curving her eyes into a smile, she said: "Whatever Mom says to do, Xiaoqi will do!"

Mother Song didn't seem to want to make things difficult for her any longer. Shaking her head, she said: "You're the master of this place, the person that hides should be her. The greatest punishment for people is being ignored. The more you avoid her, the more opportunities she has to exploit."

"But I don't want to let Husband speak with her." Xiaoqi flattened her mouth.

"What's bad about speaking openly? If you keep dragging Liangzhuo around and keep them from coming into contact with each other, it actually gives her a sort of false impression. She would feel that Liangzhuo still has her in his heart and you were hiding because you were afraid of not being able to beat her. If Liangzhuo's heart was with you, even if you let go nothing much would happen. On one hand, it would let Liangzhuo clearly tell her that everything was impossible; on the other hand you can also find out exactly how important you are in Liangzhuo's heart."

Mother Song stroked the embroidered art in front of her and sighed, "After saying this much, how much did you understand? This mom really hasn't used this much effort to teach anyone before!"

Xiaoqi nodded, "Understood it all. Seeing the bad green plum I must keep my head high and stick my chest out and not see her. En!" Xiaoqi very self-certainly nodded repeatedly, "Pretend that I don't see her. If she talks with husband I won't care, but once husband comes back he must give a clear explanation. Otherwise seize his pigtail(evidence of wrongdoing) without letting go. This is what that mom of mine said. Mom, then what should I do usually?"

Mother Song was confused to the point she was left amidst the cloud and mist, but she gave a dignified expression as she lifted her brows, "Properly study embroidery, calligraphy, and verse! Today I'll first teach you a simple level stitch. Before you get married you must at least give out one finished product. Whether it's big or small will be disregarded."

At the side, Dong Mei passed over an already fixed in place bamboo ring. Qiu Tong also finished arranging the needle and thread. She said with a smile: "This servant will teach Young Madam. Actually it isn't that hard. Perhaps Young Madam will know how to do it right after this servant explains."

"Why not let Zixiao teach meimei? Zixiao's embroidery is still pretty good." A sugary sweet voice carried over.

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Credits: Translated by Chiyomira, Edited by Ocelot

[Chiyomiras Corner]

Personally, I feel like embroidery and calligraphy is fun~~ Verse I can do but I like pretty poems more~~ Just like the way I prefer practicing the prettier sounding pieces my piano teacher selects for me rather than the famous Chopins and Schuberts which are 'good for your technique and knowledge'. Composing verse though, would be the bane of my 'if transmigration' life.