Translator: Atlas Studios Editor: Atlas Studios
Failing to appreciate the happiness in his life. He was talking about his incapable son.
On the other hand, while Zhai Sheng had a rather unhappy breakfast, Qiao Nan was delightfully having the breakfast of love prepared for her by Zhai Sheng. She not only felt the warmth in her tummy but also her heart.
Bang! Bang! Bang!
There was the sound of someone banging loudly on the door. Qiao Nan had to get up from her warm and snug bed. “Dad? Auntie Miao?”
Qiao Nan thought that her father had finally woke up and come back after realizing that she was not in the house of the Qiao family. However, Qiao Nan never expected that Miao Jing, the spouse of the chief of the army, would come knocking on her door in the morning of the first day of the Lunar New Year.
It was the first day of the Lunar New Year. Many boot-lickers must be crowding the main entrance of the house of the Zhai family. Their purpose was to wish the chief and his spouse in the Zhai family a happy new year.
Most probably, the Zhai family was overcrowded. As the lady owner of the Zhai’s residence, why would Auntie Miao come to her house?
“Miao… Auntie Miao, you… Why did you come here?” At the thought that her son was not at his own home during the Lunar New Year’s Eve as he was taking care of her and helping her wash so many things, Qiao Nan had a guilty conscience.
Did Auntie Miao discover something?
At the thought of the bad impression that Auntie Miao had of her, Qiao Nan had a headache. So, Auntie Miao picked the first day of the Lunar New Year to come to her house to warn her to stay further away from Brother Zhai?
“You spoke quite coherently last time. You’ve become a stutter after the Lunar New Year?” Miao Jing’s eyes were slightly red, and her tone was not too good. The tone was quite strong.
When she heard Miao Jing’s tone, Qiao Nan felt guiltier. “You… do you want to come in and sit down? If you have something to say, take your time to tell me.”
She had just agreed to try and get along with Brother Zhai. Within a few hours, the matter between her and Brother Zhai had been exposed and they would be forced to break up with each other. This would be a depressing Lunar New Year.
“Why are you blocking me from entering the house?” Having that said, Miao Jing pulled the corners of her lips embarrassingly. She realized that she was venting her anger on Qiao Nan and quickly softened her tone. “It’s cold outside. You don’t look too well. Let’s go into the house quickly.”
‘Oh.” Qiao Nan shut the door. She followed behind Miao Jing abidingly like a little daughter-in-law.
“Sit.”
“Oh.”
“I’ve something to ask you. Reply to me honestly.”
“…” Qiao Nan’s head felt like it had been beaten by a stick. She felt dizzy and her hands could not stop perspiring. “Sure.”
“You’ll be eighteen years old after the Lunar New Year. You should already have had your first menstrual period?”
“Ah? Oh, yes, yes.” Did Auntie Miao come to punish her for her crime because Brother Zhai helped her wash the bed sheets and quilt? At the thought of the son that she raised helping another woman wash things, Qiao Nan felt that she would not feel good either if she were in Miao Jing’s shoes.
Qiao Nan took a few deep breaths and shut her eyes. She looked as if she was waiting for her judgment.
“You… When it first came, how did it feel?” After a while, Miao Jing hesitatingly asked a ridiculous question. “You’re still young and should still remember it.”
“Remember…” She remembered nonsense.
Her first menstrual period?
To Qiao Nan, the menses that she had two years ago was definitely not the first time. Her first period was an occurrence in her previous life.
“It’s good that you remember. Tell me about your situation. Your mom… I don’t think she took good care of you. When it came, were you afraid? Your mom wouldn’t guide you, but what about your sister?”
“It wasn’t in time for me to be afraid.” Qiao Nan smiled bitterly.
“What do you mean by that?” Miao Jing was not satisfied with this reply.
“When I said it wasn’t in time to be afraid, it’s because I helped wash my sister’s stained clothes when she had her first menstrual period. Therefore, I already knew that a lady will bleed when she grows up. When my time came, I’ve already washed the stained clothes for my sister for three years.” At the sight of Miao Jing’s expression, Qiao Nan gave her another reply. “However, when my sister had her first menstrual period, I was scared. Women have to bleed. At that time, I was thinking about why that had to be the case. There’s so much blood. Was my sister sick? Would she die? Would I become like that in the future too?”
Because of that, one year after she quit school in her previous life, her menses finally came.
At that time, she already knew that women would actually not die when their menses came. However, it was undeniable that Qiao Nan would feel panicky without a female senior to accompany and guide her along.
“Your mom didn’t guide you. Don’t you blame her?”
“My mom would not bother about me. I already knew about it before that day came. So, I was already prepared. There’s nothing to blame her about. It’s good that I knew a little about the situation. Auntie Miao, why are you asking this?” Qiao Nan did not really understand. Auntie Miao kept asking her whether she was afraid and whether she blamed her mother. It did not seem like she came for Brother Zhai’s matter.
“Qiao Nan, do you hate your mom?”
“At the very least, I dislike her. We’re not close.”
“…” Miao Jing looked defeated. She covered her face with both hands.
Her husband’s heart did not belong to her. In the end, she did not even take proper care of her two children. She was such a failure.
The miserable state of Miao Jing made Qiao Nan frowned. “Auntie Miao, did I say something wrong?”
“You didn’t say anything wrong. I was wrong.”
“If you did something wrong, change it then.”
“Change? It’s too late.” Hua Hua was already twenty-five years old and a grown-up lady. She would not need a mother who did not fulfill her duty to keep her company anymore.
“Why is it too late? It’s not like the person is not around anymore. If there’s a will, there’s a way.” So, after Auntie Miao said so much, the problem was actually with Brother Zhai and Sister Zhai Hua?
“Then, if your mother wants to make it up to you, will you still be able to accept her without any reservation and be close to your mom?”
“…” Qiao Nan rolled her eyes. “Auntie Miao, are you sure you want to smear yourself and insist to compare yourself with my mom? My Mom… Auntie Miao, can you not talk about my mom? Otherwise, I’ll be the one feeling depressed. Auntie Miao, please don’t be silly and use my mom as an example. It’s not suitable. You’ve seen for yourself one of the things that my mom did to me. But in the end, she’s still my mom. When she’s old, I still have to support and take care of her. I’ve to send her to the hospital if she’s sick. Auntie Miao, other than neglecting Brother Zhai and Sister Zhai Hua, did you torture them like what my mom did to me? You’re too depressed. That’s why you keep bringing up my mom.”
“That’s true. I’m much better than your mom.” After hearing what Qiao Nan said, Miao Jing finally regained some confidence.
Miao Jing gained some confidence but Qiao Nan felt depressed. Did she misguide Miao Jing? Why did she feel like punching Miao Jing for her words?
“Tell me, can I really change if I do so now?” Would Hua Hua and Zhai Sheng still be willing to accept her as their mother?
“Auntie Miao, you’re asking the wrong person for this question.”
“Asking the wrong person? Then, who should I ask?”