Chapter 33 – What Time Can Do
Novel t.i.tle: 一生之计在于春 (Spring is the Plan of Life)
Author：御小凡 (Yu Xiaofan)
Translator: K (@kin0monogatari)
Protagonists: 姚锦夕 (Yao Jinxi -MC), 吴洋 (Wu Yang -ML)
*Please read at knoxt.s.p.a.ce, the original site of translation. TQ*
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Yao Hong had a neatly cut short hair, making her look very lean and spirited. There were faint wrinkles at the corners of her mouth and eyes. They became more p.r.o.nounced as she furrowed her eyebrows and pursed her lips.
Giving Yao Jinxi a glance, Wu Yang leaned over to pat his hand. He then quickly got up and walked towards the door to welcome Yao Hong.
Yao Jinxi sat in his seat, watching as Wu Yang slowly led Yao Hong over. All the carefully thought-out lines he had come up with vanished instantly, leaving his mind blank.
Yao Hong also saw him. Her already stern expression intensified. As she walked over, Wu Yang directed her to sit across from Yao Jinxi as he took a seat next to Yao Jinxi.
In the café, the tea came in a set of a teapot and two cups. Wu Yang turned the other cup over and placed it in front of Yao Hong, asking, “Auntie, would you like some Bi Luo Chun tea?”
Yao Hong nodded expressionlessly.
Among the three people, only Wu Yang behaved naturally. He poured a cup of Bi Luo Chun tea for Yao Hong and a delicate fragrance gradually wafted through the air, rendering a temporary silence.
Yao Jinxi suddenly called out softly, “Mom.”
This utterance seemed to shatter something. The eyes of both Yao Jinxi and Yao Hong turned red almost immediately. The skin under Yao Hong’s jaw tightened, indicating she was clenching her teeth, enduring something.
“Mom.” Yao Jinxi called again with his expression somewhat bewildered, conveying sorrow and timidity, “I’m sorry.”
Yao Hong looked at him and took a moment to speak. Her voice was tense, “Is your injury getting better?”
Due to the current emotional impact, Yao Jinxi’s complexion looked very poor. He couldn’t explain it to Yao Hong. So he forced himself to say, “Um, it’s not a big problem.”
The mother and son fell silent again.
“Mom, how… have you been these years?” Yao Jinxi didn’t dare to look at her anymore. His gaze fell on the teacup in front of him. “Actually, I’ve been thinking about you all this time…”
Yao Hong suddenly asked, “You didn’t go to university?”
Yao Jinxi was taken aback, looking at Wu Yang. He really didn’t know that Wu Yang had told Yao Hong even about this. Yao Hong was so determined back then, wholeheartedly wanting them to succeed in life. Yao Jinxi hadn’t gone to university, how angry would she be?
Yao Hong saw Yao Jinxi’s pale face and felt a pang of pain in her heart.
This was her own son—nine months of bearing the torment of pregnancy, the pain of childbirth, resulting in this little son. She couldn’t help but feel a bit dazed, realising that this son, who had caused her so much pain, was also the one who had been closest to her heart.
Back then, she truly couldn’t fathom it. No matter how hard she tried. How could she not understand? Why would her two sons commit such great acts of defiance?
Yao Hong suppressed the trembling in her voice and asked, “Is it because of that illness?”
Yao Jinxi nodded quietly and then explained, “It’s my own fault…”
“You, my child…” Yao Hong paused, feeling a twisting pain inside of her. Over these many years, she couldn’t honestly say she had no regrets.
But at that time, she was truly on the verge of collapse due to her overwhelming anger. For Yao Hong, maintaining her self-respect was more important than anything else.
More important than anything.
Back then, she was less than 20 years old, struggling hard with Yao Jinxi. She left home because of her stubborn nature, even enduring hardships, never considering going back.
Later, while working at a restaurant, she got involved with one of the chefs. He didn’t mind that she had a child and they got married. She became pregnant with Yao Jinchen.
Like a soap opera, during her pregnancy, her husband had an affair. As she struggled through childbirth in the hospital, he ran away with the other woman.
She didn’t even finish her postpartum recovery and went out like crazy looking for him. After a whole year of despair, she finally gave up. During that year, the people she met mocked her, calling her foolish, deceived, and abandoned with a child. They said she was just a worthless woman.
She moved to a place where n.o.body knew her, carrying her two sons with determination. She swore to herself that she would fight to live a respectable life and never let anyone look down on her again.
Yao Hong’s gaze shifted from Yao Jinxi to Wu Yang, who noticed her and gave her a friendly smile. However, she remained unaffected, “When Wu Yang found me, I was quite repelled and surprised. I thought you had decided never to see me again.”
Yao Jinxi shook his head but remained silent.
“I’m sorry, Auntie. I didn’t mean to disturb your life. It’s just that, at that time, Jinxi really shocked me…” Wu Yang’s slow voice carried a touch of warmth and melancholy, “The past left a great impact on him. When I met Jinxi, he had already recovered from the illness and seemed cheerful. Later, when I found out about the illness he had, I was surprised. I’ve experienced that illness myself and I know the unbearable pain it brings. And Jinxi had it worse than me.”
“Is it because of me that you didn’t come home, even with such a serious illness?” Yao Hong asked. “Do you feel aggrieved by my actions back then?”
“No!” Yao Jinxi raised his voice in contradiction. But then lowered it again. “What happened back then… Mom, whatever you did at that time was right. It was our fault.”
Yao Hong fell silent for a moment. “Did Jinchen come to find you?”
Yao Jinxi’s complexion paled a bit more. How much did Wu Yang tell Yao Hong? Why couldn’t he discuss it with him first?!
But he couldn’t avoid the question now. He nodded quickly. “Yes. But there’s really nothing between me and him…”
“I know. Wu Yang had told me,” Yao Hong seemed lost in thought for a few seconds before resuming a nearly serious expression. “Because Wu Yang asked me not to tell Jinchen about your visit, I haven’t contacted him for now.”
Yao Jinxi almost hugged a self-destructive mentality, realising that his mom probably knew everything…
Thinking about it this way, he wasn’t as fearful anymore. He cautiously lifted his head. “Mom, I…”
But he couldn’t bring himself to say the rest.
Wu Yang took over, “Auntie, Jinxi really misses you.”
Yao Jinxi: “…”
At this moment, Yao Hong’s att.i.tude seemed to soften. She carefully examined her son’s face, which showed signs of weakness due to the circ.u.mstances. She carefully observed his thinness. In her mind, what stood out clearly was Yao Jinxi’s appearance when he was a child.
Suddenly, Yao Hong lost control of her emotions.
She immediately lowered her head and covered her face with one hand. She gestured with her other hand to stop the movements of Wu Yang and Yao Jinxi. Her voice sounded stiff, “Leave me be for a while.”
Yao Jinxi and Wu Yang exchanged glances.
In Wu Yang’s eyes, there was comfort and calmness, signaling to Yao Jinxi not to panic. He had spent a lot of time and effort understanding Yao Hong before. But of course, he wouldn’t mention that to Yao Jinxi. It might cause Yao Jinxi’s resentment. Yao Hong thought that all her circ.u.mstances were told to Wu Yang by Yao Jinxi. The mother and son didn’t ask each other and Wu Yang was relieved.
He had a clear perspective as an onlooker. He naturally knew that the knot and resolution between these two individuals had reached a turning point.
As he had always known, all problems could be solved. If a problem couldn’t be solved, time would solve it. Over these years, what couldn’t be overcome by those that came from the same family?
Wu Yang understood that someone like Yao Hong, with her personality, could accept his approach and persuasion because of Yao Jinxi. In fact, he wanted to know about Yao Jinxi’s recent situation.
The role of a mother is ultimately different from anyone else in the world.
Yao Hong regained her composure, sitting upright and looking directly at Yao Jinxi. “I don’t want to bring up the past. Are you… running a tea shop in City C now?”
Yao Jinxi answered truthfully, “Yes… it’s just a small tea shop.”
Yao Hong inquired, “Have you been in City C all these years?”
Even though Wu Yang had explained all this clearly before, now sitting in front of her was her own son. She couldn’t help but confirm it verbally.
Yao Jinxi didn’t know the extent to which Wu Yang had spoken about him. He also didn’t have a full understanding of past events. Now, being asked by Yao Hong, he briefly recounted the situation.
Yao Hong, however, asked in a very detailed manner, making Yao Jinxi repeatedly chatter about his life in recent years. She didn’t exude an aura of closeness. But she persistently inquired about various aspects, especially Yao Jinxi’s illness.
By the time they had covered almost everything that could be said, it was already dark outside.
Wu Yang had kept a low profile since the start of their conversation. But now, noticing the late hour, he seized the chance when Yao Hong was sipping her tea to suggest, “Auntie, it’s already dark out. How about we all go for dinner?”
Yao Hong paused as she held her tea cup. She glanced outside. The signs of the shops on the street were lit. “Sure.”
At this point, it was not practical to go home and cook. The three of them chose a nearby ordinary restaurant and Yao Hong ordered the dishes. Wu Yang didn’t mind and went along with the choice. When Yao Jinxi saw the dishes brought to the table, a wave of bitterness washed over him.
These were all dishes he loved as a child. But they were all non-spicy.
Yao Hong casually mentioned, “You just had surgery, eat less spicy food.”
Yao Jinxi looked at the dishes on the table and made a soft acknowledgement after a long pause.
During the meal, everyone ate in silence. Yao Jinxi naturally had little appet.i.te and it wouldn’t be appropriate for Wu Yang to serve him food openly in front of his mother.
Yao Hong ate calmly on her own, occasionally reminding, “Don’t be picky about eating.”
Hearing such words after a long time, Yao Jinxi was momentarily stunned. He then hurriedly picked up a lot of dishes into his bowl, looking somewhat embarra.s.sed. Wu Yang suppressed a laugh internally. But he didn’t show it.
After dinner, Wu Yang suggested driving Yao Hong back. “Auntie, it’s quite late. Let us take you home.”
Yao Hong casually agreed.
Yao Hong took the back seat when getting into the car. During the drive, Yao Jinxi, sitting in the front pa.s.senger seat, occasionally tried to sneak glances at her through the rearview mirror. Yao Hong remained silent throughout the trip since Wu Yang already knew the way.
Upon reaching the destination, she suddenly asked, “Are you two going back to City C today?”
Wu Yang replied with a smile, “We won’t be going back. Jinxi’s injury is still bothering him. I don’t want him to get too tired. So, we plan to stay at a hotel. Do you think we have enough time to book a room now?”
There were no special holidays or events in the vicinity. So finding a hotel room should be relatively easy.
Yao Hong frowned and inquired, “Staying in a hotel?”
Wu Yang quickly suggested with a smile, “Well, yes. We don’t have much of a choice. How about this, Auntie? It’s been a while since you’ve seen Jinxi, so why don’t you both go home for the night? I can find a hotel to stay in. Plus, getting one room is more cost-effective than getting two separate rooms.”
Yao Hong got out of the car without expressing agreement or disagreement. She took a few steps and turned to ask Yao Jinxi, “Why haven’t you gotten out of the car yet?”
Yao Jinxi’s breath hitched. At the same time, the hand he had resting on his lap was covered by someone.
Wu Yang lightly laughed and encouraged, “Go on. Don’t be afraid.”
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*Author’s Note: Everything will be settled at home in the next chapter. Thank you for the overwhelming support with the advance votes! ?=3= -YXF
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*Translator’s Note: Wu Yang is so cool! -K
Next update: 2023.11.13
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