Chapter 3 of 14

C1 Part2

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Bolded words are originally in English from Chinese text. I recommend opening new tabs for some of the linked words. Enjoy 🙂

A Hapless “Cottage”(Less Quality) Woman Chapter 1 Part 2

© translations belonging to bananachocolatecosmos.wordpress.com , 2016. If you read this somewhere else instead of bananachocolatecosmos.wordpress.com then the translations has been posted WITHOUT permission of translator.

“Nan Nan, I am about to study abroad, and now I am at the airport.” It’s almost time to enter customs and Xiao Qing finally could not resist anymore as she called her good sister Wei Nan.

Wei Nan on the other phone line apparently just woke up, and seemed quite shocked. After a long time, she choke out of mouth only two words, “Xiao Qing…”

Xiao Qing felt her heart soured and pretended that nothing happened. She smiled and said, “You do not need to come with Xiao [this indicates little] Juan to send me off, I will contact you guys after I arrive there…”

After hanging up the phone, Xiao Qing looked down at her watch–there is still an hour and a half left before the plane takes off.

Wei Nan and Qi Juan are her best sisters since the beginning from the same middle school as they have stuck together like glue. Now that she’s going to go study abroad alone and today parting ways, she does not know when they will get to see each other again.

Each time she graduated she has lost a lot of friends, and this time it were the two closest people to her. Xiao Qing forced a smile on her face as in reality, she was quite sad. A person goes to study abroad in a strange place and alone that thinking such made it miserable and pitiful. However, compared to being forced to go on a blind date, this misery ass nothing…

Xiao Qing clenched her fists tightly, and secretly motivated herself.

Did not expect Wei Nan and Qi Juan to actually come. Seeing the two breathed heavily after rushing over, Xiao Qing cannot help but happily stand up, and joked, “Didn’t I say you guys do not need to send me off? You two are quite loyal.”

“In the US you must take good care of yourself.” Wei Nan firmly grasped Xiao Qing’s hand, breathed furiously and said, “Come back if [you’re] not used to it. I have a bowl of rice, and decided you will not lack any less than a bowl of porridge. I am willing to sacrifice everything (idiom) to feed you. ”

Qi Juan glared at Xiao Qing and said, “After arriving there abroad, remember to take care of yourself, you hear? Cannot miss a single hair strand.”

Xiao Qing was touched and hugged them. She patted both their shoulders and said, “You guys also do the same by taking care of yourself. If there is something coming up, remember to leave me a message. Although my body is in a foreign country, my soul will always be with you guys.”

Wei Nans firmly patted Xiao Qing’s shoulder and said, “My soul will always guard you from behind.”

Qi Juan glanced at the two people and said, “You guys are so disgusting.” When she finished speaking, moved close to Xiao Qing’s ear and warned, “Remember if you have gotten entangled in a peach blossoms fate [basically means involved in a love fate] and that you’ve discovered signs of something wrong, say you are a lesbian and have a girlfriend in the country already. Your sister will come forward and help you. ”

Seeing the mother’s eyes suddenly swept over toward their side, Xiao Qing quickly let go of Qi Juan’s embrace. She smiled and said, “OK, I got it. This is your special killer technique move and once [you] made the move, the enemy will no longer have a sturdy armor but paper.”

Qi Juan nodded, “Remembering is good. Also your move of using softness to conquer strength (idiom) to deal with your mother, you want to continue to display its might. When you laughed you look like a man. I am confident that with your thick face, exploring outside will not be a problem at all. ”

“En, I’ll try.” Xiao Qing smiled and shook the hand of Qi Juan, “Estimated that 2 or 3 years I will be able to come back. You guys don’t rush to get married. I want to be your bridesmaid.”

Qi Juan quickly said, “What bullshit are you sprouting. Before the age of twenty-eight, I will avoid talking about marriage. You and Wei Nan, whoever gets married first will be punished by becoming my slave for a month of cleaning toilet.”

This is too evil … Xiao Qing cannot help murmured to herself.

Wei Nan said, “OK, cleaning toilet is cleaning toilet. certainly will not be the first one.” Having said, she turned to look at Xiao Qing.

Xiao Qing quickly nodded, “Of course, it’s a deal then.”

Seeing that the time for the plane to take off was near and that the three girls were huddling endlessly, Yue Ling could not help but urged, “Xiao Qing, it’s time to go”

Xiao Qing reluctantly said goodbye to Wei Nan and Qi Juan, and pulled her suitcase in front of her parents.

Yue Ling looked at her and dully said, ” After you arrived there, your cousin will come to pick you up. You will temporarily lived in her house, you know right?”

Xiao Qing nodded, “En.”

“Refrain from eating junk food.”

“…Ok.”

“Don’t nap too much.”

“…Ok.”

Yue Ling looked down at her watch and said, “Almost time, let’s go.”

The broadcast reminded the passengers to board. Xiao Qing was reluctant and turned around to say, “Dad, Mom, is there anything else you want to tell me?”

Yue Ling impatiently waved, “Dawdling for what, hurry up and go.”

Xiao Zhengde on the contrary, laughed very gently. He came and hugged his daughter, “Bon Voyage, when arrive at cousin’s house remember to give us a call.”

“En, goodbye mom and dad.” Xiao Qing nodded at her parents. She waved to her two sisters standing not far away, and turned to go to the checkpoint.

When she was finally able to board successfully, Xiao Qing found a seat to sit down. She put away her luggage, fastened her seatbelt. Her mind felt not at ease while waiting for takeoff. To a hapless village woman’s first time going on plane alone, the transatlantic journey was filled with novelties. The MP3 in ears range the singer’s clear voice: “Waiting for a sunny day, we’ll meet again. You said, when I hear the wind blows I shall see. Smiled and said goodbye. We will certainly meet again as a relaxed heart will see forever.”

Xiao Qing turned off the MP3, peered out at the clear blue sky, and took a deep breath.

New York, here I come!

—

Xiao Qing slept lethargically on the plane. Strange dreams came one by one. Perhaps it is due to reading too much novel and the mind was a bit chaotic. Even the species she was never interested such as aliens and vampires encircled in her dreams, smiled and talked to her. Finally, a pale vampire leaned toward her ears and said, ” You are so sweet.” and then his teeth sank into her neck, “Your blood is so sweet.”

Xiao Qing sweated profusely and woke herself up. She always felt an indescribable sense of coldness surrounding her neck. She could not help but reached out and touched her neck. She was impressed by her ability to dream. The details were full of twists and turns, the ending was very soul stirring, and even a vampire knew how to speak in English.

She turned to look out the window. Outside was still a vast expanse of clouds with various shapes of clouds spreading as far as the eye can see below the foot that separate and come together. It was just like a massive soft rug. Does not know how long the plane flew, Xiao Qing always felt this type of flying was like flying out of Asia to other parts of world. It felt almost like flying out of Earth and into the universe.

When she was beginning to feel bored, the airplane suddenly announced that the plane was about to land. Xiao Qing at that time was shocked and looked down at her watch. Beijing seven o’clock, six o’clock in the afternoon for New York time. The flight was more than ten hours. She did not think she would actually sleep the entire flight to New York…

Airplane was preparing to land and the clouds under the foot are getting thinner. Xiao Qing began to adjust her pouch on the side. Inexplicably, a strange coldness appeared on her neck just like when she first woke up. Xiao Qing could not help but turned around only to find the source of this coldness – the young man on the next seat.

The man was wearing a dark gray-buttoned collared shirt while leaving two buttons unbuttoned. It revealed a healthy wheat color skin. The big black sunglasses covered half of his face and cannot see his facial expressions. Just saw his pinched lips revealing a coldness.

Yo, on the plane yet still wearing sunglasses. This breaking attitude, is it not a traveling whatever celebrity trying to avoid being photograph?

When thinking up to that point, the blood in Xiao Qing’s body immediately began to boil. Later when exiting out of the airport together, will I get to see a group of small girls waving and holding banners while shouting “XX I love you” to get his signature and end up crushing each other? To tell the truth, she has not seen this kind of spectacle before.

As the saying goes, the pavilion closest to the water enjoys moonlight first [idiom; closer proximity reaps benefit]. Since it’s such an opportunity, why not strike first and gain the upper hand (idiom) by asking for signature to sell. It could be considered an unexpected profit.

Xiao Qing was going to use a book to ask him to sign, but heard him says flatly, “You slept more than ten hours, and said a lot of strange things while dreaming. You would say Jiuyin Zhenjing (Nine Yin Manual) was mastered up to the ninth level and other time said my blood was not sweet. ”

His lips curled into a sneer, like mocking, but also looked interesting. Anyway, his intention in saying such things, Xiao Qing cannot understand.

Something was off. Forget about the signature.

Xiao Qing was always a follow-the-crowd type of person. Hell to that nonsense, even the cold Queen like her mom can easily be dealt calmly with for so many years. Involving in such a familiar situation thus obviously use “softness to conquer strength” technique. She put on a very sincere look, looked at him apologetically, spoke in a particular conscientious tone, “I’m sorry to disturb your rest. When I was young I have a habit of talking in my sleep. Haha, feel embarrassed. I am sorry I also sometimes sleepwalk. Today was not sleepwalking. Maybe because I am on the plane, the seat belt was fastened too tightly. ”

She saw the corners of his mouth twitched and his facial expression was sullen. He did not speak a single word.

Xiao Qing smiled and continued to add, “As far as I know, a lot of people talk in their sleep. Well, next time we exit the [plane’s] door I shall wear a mask, you might as well … wear earplugs then?”

The man glared at her, and then silently turned away.

…

The aircraft soon landed. The man who brought a laptop immediately left and seemingly did not want to be with Xiao Qing for even a second more.

Xiao Qing does not care; she continue to slowly finish adjusting her pouch. Who needed to know he was some deity from wherever. Anyway, he’s just a stranger that she met on the plane. Who cares? Besides, every citizen has the right to “talk in one’s sleep”. Although her sleep-talking words were a bit strange by containing a lot of Chinese martial arts content, Western fantasy, horror suspense, etc. – those would prove that she reads [cultured], and was quick-witted.

Eh! … a lot of people around her are looking at her.

Xiao Qing quickly lifted her luggage, and ran off the plane.

A big sleep caused absent-mindedness and when sleeping in the afternoon, she was jet-lagged when waking up in the afternoon still. When she came out of the airport, she felt a bit dizzy. Xiao Qing on one hand was carrying few bags and a small suitcase, while the other hand was holding a huge suitcase to be checked over. sStep by step, she slowly moved forward. Eyeballs cannot rest a bit. She nervously looked around and hoped to see a big sign with the letters “Xiao Qing”.

According what Xiao Qing knew, today two people are picking her up. Yu Jia was her mysterious cousin [via mother side] from the legends. There was also the man named Shen Junze. Never heard of him before, it seemed that her dad and the Shen household have little business dealings and thus, her dad entrusted him to pick her up.

Of course, she does not care who will pick her up. She just wanted to hurry up to see the person who picked her up in-person and shove that person with the super big suitcase her hand was holding…

© translations belonging to bananachocolatecosmos[dot]wordpress[dot]com, 2016. If you read this somewhere else instead of bananachocolatecosmos[dot]wordpress(dotcom then the translations has been posted WITHOUT permission of translator.

Xiao Qing’s eyes carefully swept from left to right, but she did not see any sign with the letters “Xiao Qing”. Unsatisfied, she swept from left to right again, and finally lowered her head in frustration.

Obviously, the person who was supposed to pick her up did not come in time.

When she was still depressed, the phone suddenly rang. She picked up the phone, and her ears heard a sharp and clear female voice:

“Honey, have you arrived? Arrived yet?”

Xiao Qing was startled, and was just about to ask her “Who are you calling honey,” but heard the woman hearty laughed, “I am your cousin, Yu Jia ah”

The cousin from the legends? Xiao Qing quickly smiled and pretended to be a good girl as she politely smiled and said, “Hello cousin sister, I just got off the plane.” She looked around and found no sturdy woman who spoke such cadence. She puzzlingly said, “Cousin sister, where are you?”

“Ack, sorry I feel embarrassed ah, something came up and I can’t make it to the airport. Thus, I’ve asked Shen Junze to pick you up. Has he arrived?”

“Shen Junze? I do not know him…”

“No need, you do not know him, but he can recognize you. He saw your picture and will come looking for you. You obediently wait for him at the exit. Despite him still not here, he probably was on his way.”

Xiao Qing froze, Shen Junze knows her? How can it be?!

She rarely photographed herself, and also rarely posted pictures online. The picture Shen Junze saw… is it those pictures she posted on Xiaonei [Chinese social network website]? ! Oh NO, that picture is of Yu Chun-ge. In the beginning, several sisters together used pictures of Chun-ge when Xiaonei opened.To hold a picture of Chun-ge ‘s photo was to cause earthquake! Worshiping Chun-ge every day guarantee never a fail on a course; this is the pinnacle of a student*!

* author using 大学 dà xué which is one of the four books on the Great Learning [Confucianism]

Heard the Shen family lived abroad for many years, and there was a chance Shen Junze was unclear about this “tradition”. He does not know “Chun-ge” was famous and mistakenly thought that the photo was Xiao Qing. Not finding her at the airport will be pitiful.

Xiao Qing thought and felt that the method of “using photo to find person” was not assuring. She quickly said, “Cousin sister, give me his phone number. I will meet him at the designated place, so that it is more secure… the picture was shot a long time ago. En, I fear he will not recognize me. ”

“OK, ah, I will give you his phone number. If there is a problem then call him.” Yu Jia turned out to be straightforward and read out loud the phone number. She said, “So I cannot talk to you right now, I have to go to the delivery room. ”

Xiao Qing froze, “… Delivery room?” Did she hear wrong? The delivery room that delivers babies?”

Yu Jia smiled and replied, “Originally the due date was next week, but today suddenly has severe stomach pain. Thus I might give birth early.”

If Xiao Qing had water in her mouth she would spit out three meters. Unfortunately, there is no water, and thus had to purse her lips and dryly said, ” Nothing … it’s okay …Cousin sister… giving birth is more important.”

“En, if you need help you can directly contact Shen Junze about it. These days I am in the hospital, and cannot accompany you. When I leave the hospital with baby, we will go together to see you ah. Bye bye, honey ~”

Having the last part of the sentence honey disgusted her to the point of her back shuddering. Xiao Qing quickly gulped and said, “Bye bye…”

After hanging up the phone, Xiao Qing rolled her eyes to the sky, and then heavily sighed.

International joke starting for what, not born early, not born late. Once she has gotten off the plane, the legendary cousin was rushed to the delivery room, and she became like a midwife.

Moreover, her parents did not tell her that her cousin sister was an unrestrained pregnant lady, and so she was not mentally prepared.

Does she have to live with this forthright mother and her newborn child? Oh my gosh. The child crying all day would be dreadful. In addition, cousin sister was speaking as if she was reading poems along with French brother-in-law who does not know how to speak Chinese or English… Xiao Qing felt that she was about to begin a tragic life filled with bitterness.

Even more depressing was that she does not know whether Yu Jia gave the wrong number or so as she could not get through to Shen Junze.

Seeing the sky getting dark and all the travelers leaving the airport with smiling faces, Xiao Qing cannot hold back her urge to go crazy. She picked up the phone, and dialed Shen Junze for the tenth time.

Listening to the busy tone ringing incessantly in her ears, Xiao Qing could not hold back as she said in a low voice that roared –

“Shen Junze, you’d better appear in front of me! Otherwise, I will curse you so that when you go out every day you will be wash by a storm and drenched like a rat*!”

* Xiao Qing yells using the term落汤鸡luò tāng jī, which is someone who looks drenched and bedraggled (it has the term jī which is a derogatory term,). I personally use the term rat because it was mentioned in Viet version and also because a rat would describe how Xiao Qing imagines Shen Junze would look like. -ChocolateCosmos

Hope you guys like this longer translation. Hopefully I won’t need to split the parts into smaller parts. I’m sorry this is a bit late. Actually, this is very late >.<

For translation schedule, I don’t have a fixed schedule. I’m aiming for one part per week (around Saturday or Sunday). Earliest is probably Thursday.

Despite it being summer break for my university, I have an online course I need to “further my degree” as college folks like to say. So I will probably end up studying the same amount as a traditional classroom (it’s pretty jam-packed with materials I need to cover) along with other personal matters. Short stories are translated randomly and at will most of the time. Thus, short stories translations are posted at very random times xD , but I do have a set list of what to translate. Usually I space out short stories a couple days before or after Sunny Day posts. Other posts include first chapter series and book reviews.

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