Ch. 12.1
Qin Sang was also busy with social engagements in the next few days that followed. First the garrison commander, Yu, married off his daughter, then it was the seventieth birthday celebrations of Commander Yao"s mother. This Commander Yao was the first of Li Zhongnian"s blue-eyed boys¹. Although merely a division commander in name, in reality he had full control of Fuyuan’s entire military. As well, he was keeping a watchful eye on Yi Liankai so the latter had no choice but to a.s.sume a façade of friendliness. Hence Qin Sang was sent to attend the eve of the birthday celebrations at the Yao residence. On the actual day, Yi Liankai also planned to go together with her to offer their birthday felicitations.
Qin Sang usually disliked such social events but could not avoid attending them. Fortunately the first day was just the eve of the birthday celebrations and she could return home after the banquet was over. Commander Yao had really found favour¹ in recent years and his aged mother"s birthday was the perfect excuse for holding a lavish celebration. The Yao residence was situated in Yujing Lane and at the start of the lane, an entranceway festooned with coloured silk had been erected. A canopy covered both sides of the entire lane. The National Police Agency had despatched police officers who were even now patrolling up and down the street. Outside the big vermillion gate of the Yao residence stood sentry guards in two curved rows, carrying broadswords and rifles and looking extremely impressive.² The entire alley was already packed with a long line of the guests" cars so the traffic police had to set up another traffic post on the spot to direct the drivers.
² 威风凛凛 wēifēng lǐnlǐn: 1. majestic 2. awe-inspiring presence 3. impressive power. If you’re not reading this chapter at MerakiTranslations, it has been stolen and reproduced by bootleg websites.
Qin Sang was driven to the Yao residence only to be met by this impenetrable³ traffic. Fortunately, the traffic police recognised the number plate as one belonging to the city defence headquarters. Having seen how the running board of the car was filled with bodyguards, they also knew that someone from the Yi family had arrived. Therefore, they did their best to maintain the flow of traffic to allow the car to pa.s.s smoothly through all the way to the front gate. The servants had of course recognised the number plate and were calling out repeatedly: "Madam Yi is here."
³ 水泄不通 shuǐ xiè bù tōng: lit. not one drop can trickle through (idiom); fig. impenetrable (crowd, traffic). Please consider reading from MerakiTranslations rather than at bootleg websites.
Commander Yao"s wife may have been run off her feet⁴ but the moment she heard that Yi Liankai’s wife had arrived, she naturally came out to welcome Qin Sang personally, clasping her hand and saying warmly, "Meimei*, how kind of you to come all this way today!" Given that this Madam Yao was a good deal older than Qin Sang and could be considered in the same light as a senior family member, such a greeting could only stem from a wish to be especially polite. Though hardly acquainted with Madam Yao, Qin Sang had to smile and be sociable as the latter led her into the main room. Seated inside were all the womenfolk of Fuyuan’s military elite, none of whom she knew especially well but at least had heard of their names. After Qin Sang had gone through the motions for a spell, a Madam Sun suggested: "Since there’s still time before the show starts, why don’t we play eight rounds of mahjong?" All the married women present loved mahjong and so echoed this suggestion one after another. Qin Sang disliked mahjong but since she was there as a guest, she had to be more easygoing. Besides, to all appearances, Yi Liankai was nominally the Chief Commander so all the women there looked upon her as the leader while Madam Yao treated her as the guest of honour. Therefore, she merely nodded and was then led into a side hall with the others swarming around her like bees.5
⁴ 腳不沾地 jiǎobùzhāndì: feet not touching the ground (idiom)
*Younger Sister. Translation originally published at tranzgeek(DOT)wordpress(DOT)com.
Several mahjong tables had been set up in the side hall and the bevy of married women sat down laughingly and started the game. Qin Sang had never been good at mahjong and it needed less than half a day to see her lose around two to three thousand dollars. Luckily she had come prepared: knowing that she could not avoid playing a few rounds on such an occasion, she had brought quite a lot of money with her. After the sixteenth round had ended, it seemed certain they would continue up to forty-eight rounds in deference to Madam Yao.
Qin Sang said laughingly: "I"m one of those unfortunate types who gets really dizzy if I sit for too long. Do take my place, Madam w.a.n.g. I’ll go stroll about the gardens for some fresh air. It seems the show tonight will be excellent so I had best leave some energy to enjoy it later."
Madam Yao was too embarra.s.sed to insist that Qin Sang continue playing, knowing that the latter was not good at mahjong and moreover had already lost heavily today. Therefore, she called her own daughter over and instructed her to "look after Madam Yi well" before adding, "This is our Fourth Missy who is extremely playful. She"s a student at university and I suppose you could say she knows a little something. Do let her keep you company with some chit chat so you won’t feel bored."
Qin Sang repeatedly disclaimed boredom but knowing that Madam Yao was being extra courteous, she went with Miss Yao to sit down on one of the sofas. Naturally there was an old servant to serve them tea. Seeing that this Miss Yao was actually very lively and adorable, with none of the bad mannerisms so often displayed by the daughters of warlords, Qin Sang fell into idle conversation with her. She learned that Miss Yao"s name was Yuping, that she was a student in the Faculty of Literature at Changye University and she had also just come back from Changye so they had much in common. They were still chatting animatedly when Madam Yao came over personally to urge them to take their seats at the banquet and she said, "Who have thought our girl would have such affinity6 with you, Young Mistress? All she ever does is play. If she could learn a thing or two from you, I would have far less to worry about."
6 緣法 yuán·fǎ: Variant of 缘分 yuánfèn. lot or luck by which people are brought together. If you’re not reading this chapter at MerakiTranslations, it has been stolen and reproduced by bootleg websites.
Qin Sang replied: "Fourth Missy is a new age7 university student and I would be happy to learn a thing or two from her instead."
Modesty forbade Madam Yao from saying so but Yao Yuping was delighted beyond words by such praise. She felt that this young wife of the Chief Commander was especially amiable so after the banquet and before the show started, she specially instructed the servants to reserve two seats so that she could sit with Qin Sang. Qin Sang did not care for opera and Yao Yuping was also not fond of such deafening8 entertainment. They began by discussing the performers" lines before branching off into a discussion of cinema. Qin Sang had not had many playmates in her childhood and, after she grew older, only really had one good friend in Deng Yulin. By rare chance, Yao Yuping was almost her age, besides being of a cheerful disposition and possessing a pleasing style of conversation which made for very congenial chatting. Midway through when the scenes changed to an auspicious act, Yao Yuping specially led her away to her own little guest hall to have some pastries and coffee. The hall also doubled as a study and the shelves, which lined the four walls, were filled with novels and works of literature in Chinese as well as foreign languages. Seeing this, Qin Sang nodded and remarked: "What a nice room. I had one like this in Changye but now it’s hard to find books in Fuyuan. You have so many nice novels here. Do lend me a couple and I’ll return them in a day or two."
8 锣鼓喧天 luógǔ xuāntiān: a deafening sound of gongs and drums. Please consider reading from MerakiTranslations rather than at bootleg websites.
Yao Yuping smiled, revealing a pair of adorable dimples and said, "If you see any books you like, just help yourself. There’s no need to return them."
Qin Sang replied: ""Return what you borrowed on time, you may borrow again next time."9 It won’t just be once or twice so I must definitely return them."
9 有借有还，再借不难 yǒujièyǒuhuán, zàijièbùnán: return what you borrowed on time, you may borrow again next time (idiom)
Yao Yuping then picked out some new-style7 English and Chinese novels for her. Qin Sang had just taken them from her when Yao Yuping suddenly seemed to recall something and took back one of the books. She flipped through the pages rapidly before finding and removing a Western-style envelope that she slipped into her pocket with studied nonchalance. Qin Sang noticed even the tips of her ears were red which told her that it was no ordinary letter. She herself had done something similar as a student in the throes of puppy love: secretly hiding all of Li w.a.n.gping’s letters between the pages of books for fear they would be discovered by others. Recalling that now, it felt like a lifetime ago10 and she was conscious of a feeling of deep disappointment.
10 恍若隔世 huǎngruògéshì: as if it were a lifetime ago.
Yao Yuping had already hidden the letter but, not knowing Qin Sang all that well, was afraid that she would perceive something. Thus, she affected indifference and said, "It"s from a female cla.s.smate I’m close to — she wrote to me from Changye. I forgot that I had left it in the book."
Qin Sang nodded and followed her lead, saying, "I too have a female cla.s.smate whom I’m close to back in Changye. It’s just that we haven’t corresponded for so long that I don’t know how she is now. I should really send her a short note tomorrow to ask after her."
Hearing this, Yao Yuping knew that Qin Sang was sparing her blushes. The lie she told had not been very good at all but what was rare was Qin Sang’s willingness to take it at face value. Hence she was even more grateful for such ready understanding11. Although already blushing to her neck, she suddenly felt that she would like to unburden herself to the latter. Even though she had never even confided in her parents or siblings about the matter, she trusted Qin Sang for some reason. Her face reddening, she stirred her coffee and said slowly, "To tell you the truth, Madam&h.e.l.lip;"
11 善解人意 shànjiěrényì: to be good at understanding others (idiom). Translation originally published at tranzgeek(DOT)wordpress(DOT)com.
Qin Sang interrupted: "Didn’t we agree earlier? Don’t regard me as a stranger. If you’re willing to, do treat me as your older sister. For my part, I’m very happy to have such a lovable younger sister."
Yao Yuping was very grateful and looked up, saying, "Jiejie**, maybe I’m presuming too much too soon12 but for some reason I felt like confiding this problem to you the moment I saw you. Perhaps you can advise me."
** Elder Sister
12 交浅言深 jiāoqiǎnyánshēn: to talk intimately while being comparative strangers (idiom)
Qin Sang said: "At most, I"m only two years your elder and might not have any advice worth giving, but if you have any difficulties, I would be more than willing to help in any way I can."
Yao Yuping had actually been keeping this matter from her whole family and her small circle of close friends. The cla.s.smate she was close to was far away in Changye so she had been brooding over this matter for a long time. Although she had only met Qin Sang for the first time that day, she felt that the latter was unexpectedly warm and kind and so could not resist unburdening herself a little. It was just that such a subject naturally left her humming and hawing13. She touched the letter in her pocket then blushed and said, "To be honest, this letter&h.e.l.lip; this letter is from him."
13 吞吞吐吐 tūntūntǔtǔ: to hum and haw (idiom); to mumble as if hiding sth. If you’re not reading this chapter at MerakiTranslations, it has been stolen and reproduced by bootleg websites.
As soon as Qin Sang heard "him", she knew that it concerned matters of the heart. She was not one to pry into other people’s affairs but seeing Yao Yuping’s uneasy expression, she was reminded of herself who had no one to confide in two years ago. Those painful circ.u.mstances seemed to leap vividly to mind14 again and she could not help feeling sorry for the girl. Hence she asked gently: "So, you’re going out with him without your family’s knowledge?"
14 歷歷在目 lìlì zài mù: vivid in one’s mind (idiom). Translation originally published at tranzgeek(DOT)wordpress(DOT)com.
Yao Yuping nodded slightly and said, "Although I personally do not care about social status, you know as well what my family&h.e.l.lip; my family&h.e.l.lip;" At this point, her head drooped slowly. Her fingers twisted a handkerchief into knots, telegraphing her anxiety.
Qin Sang sighed before saying, "Falling in love has always been a study in affinity. But if your family objects, then that is a very big obstacle."
However, Yao Yuping seemed to have decided on something as she looked up and declared, "If it comes to that, I’m prepared to leave my family. I still have a pair of hands with which I can earn my own keep."
Qin Sang seemed moved by this statement and said, "That should only be your last resort. If the situation hasn’t reached such an impa.s.se, why resort to that? If the issue is only because he comes from a poor family, I can act as a go-between and try to persuade Commander and Madam Yao." With a smile that seemed almost self-mocking, she added, "After all, I can also be said to have married well above my station.15 I was from a merchant"s family and back then was considered wholly unworthy of a scion of the Yi family."
12’s notes:
1 for those interested.
5 一窩蜂 yīwōfēng: like a swarm of bees. I thought this a hilariously apt description.
7 This was around the time of the May 4th Movement of 1919 which saw a rise in "new-" neologisms.
15 门第之见 méndìzhījiàn: 门第 means family status. If translated literally, Qin Sang says her marriage was the result of breaking cla.s.s prejudice when it comes to family status ("打破门第之见的结果")
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Translated and edited by 12