Higher Level Wife - 050 - Birthday

Chapter 50: Birthday

Translated by Pill Bug

Edited by Gumihou

“How should I say it? What makes you come here again?” Old Madam Jin was overjoyed to see this beloved grandson here despite the [a] contradictory words pouring from her mouth. She quickly sat up as Jin Fengju came around the screen and greeted her before sitting down to say, “There’s nothing much to do at the Hanlin Academy today, so this grandson came home early. If I visit Mother, she would nag me about divorcing Fu’shi again. I don’t wish to talk about it and be accused of being unfilial. That’s why I’m here to freeload a meal at Grandmother’s. Do you still have any of those Rice Dumplings from Fu’shi? Let’s peel one now. I want the one with the red bean paste filling.”

Old Madam Jin smiled and turned to Granny Ming Yu, “Did you hear this? He has designs on my Rice Dumplings. I haven’t even offered him any and yet here he is, trying to get his hands on them. You may eat them if you wish. However, as punishment, you shall go to Fu’shi’s place and ask for a few boxes more for me. I had two last night and don’t have many left. It must have been quite difficult for her to come up with all these different kinds of fillings.”

Jin Fengju laughed and replied, “Grandmother, surely she’s not the only one who could make these Rice Dumplings? Now that we know that things like egg yolk and bean paste could be used as fillings, why not have the cooks make them?”

Old Madam Jin spat and said, “It sounds like you’re thinking of me, but you’re actually worried for your wife, right? As well you should, after leaving her to suffer out in the cold for six years, her situation is quite pitiable. It’s rare for someone like that to maintain their poise and dignity. Well? Do you plan to have her return to the inner court?”

Just then, Luo Cui appeared with the peeled Rice Dumplings. Jin Fengju took one piece and bit down. After swallowing, he shook his head, “She is not willing to return to the inner court. She said the children’s minds are still immature and she was afraid that if they enter the inner court now, they would be affected by the luxurious lifestyle there. I thought it made sense and agreed to postpone it for now. Since she likes Night Breeze Pavilion so much, let her stay a little longer.”

Old madam Jin was surprised, “She refused to go to the inner court? How unexpected. Looks like this Fu’shi is a very sharp one. No wonder the two children are so sensible and well educated.”

Then, she proceeded to relay the incident regarding the dragon and phoenix jade pendants from the day before to Jin Fengju. By the time he had finished the Rice dumplings, a cold smile stretched across his lips, “There’s no need to wonder who the culprit was behind this. Those little brats only knew how to follow their mother’s footsteps and [a] learn cunning schemes instead of devoting their time to proper studies and character improvement. Looks like these youngsters with their jealous eyes and grasping hands have surpassed their teachers in the art of battling for favour.

How I hate that I had been too busy with political affairs and lacked the time to discipline them. Old Madam and Elder Madam have also coddled them too much. If this continues, I’d have [a] nothing but a bunch of useless fops under my knees.”

Old Madam Jin also knew in her heart that she was indeed guilty of spoiling those grandchildren and had nothing to say in her defence. She could only demur and say, “It is the grandparents’ job to spoil their grandchildren. It had always been like this since ancient times. If you as parents do not care to discipline them, how could we the elderly be strict with them? When your father wanted to beat you, I did not stop him either.”

Jin Fengju laughed and said, “Grandmother is right. However, I was never as lawless, wild or short-sighted, was I?” He stood up with a sigh and said. “It is close to noon. I had come here freeload a meal from Old Madam, but who would have imagined that I would gain a great debt from a single Rice Dumpling? Very well, I shall go forth and request for more Rice Dumplings to compensate Grandmother. As the saying goes, there is no such thing as a light debt.”

His words caused the Old Madam and everyone around her to laugh. The Old Madam shouted at him, “Someone come, ah! Someone throw this rascal out…” Before she could finish speaking, Jin Fengju had already run outside, laughing on the way.

After leaving Health & Longevity Court, Jin Fengju said to Jin Ming, “Go to the study and fetch the two white jade lion paperweights that the emperor had bestowed to me.”

At Jin Ming’s blank stare, he sneered and said, “What? Do you need this master to explain what I intend to do with those things in detail before you obey me? Just how much money have you received from Second Madam? Are you her spy now?”

Cold sweat broke out on Jin Ming’s body. He knew that his master’s mood was very bad right now and was just spitting curses at him without real suspicion. Therefore, [a] instead of falling to his knees and begging for forgiveness, he turned around and swiftly ran away in a cloud of dust, only returning when he had two exquisite sandalwood boxes in his arms. When Jin Fengju saw that his servant had returned, the folding fan closed with a snap and he said, “Go, onwards to Night Breeze Pavilion.”

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Today was the liveliest of days for the whole year at Night Breeze Pavilion. The food was ready and the Jin Twins were watching Fu Qiuning and Yu Jie move the dining table to the sunning deck outside. After setting out the bowls of dishes, Fu Qiuning said, “Go wash your hands quickly, we’ll have a good meal when you come back.”

“We’ve washed up,” the twins were holding up their hands for inspection when they heard soft laughter from the courtyard door and a voice saying, “Rather than being early, it’s better to be on time. If I had been a little later, I would not be able to freeload today’s meal.”

They all turned and saw Jin Fengju and Jin Ming stepping through the courtyard doors one after another. The children gave a joyful shout and rushed over to pounce on their father.

Jin Fengju did not hesitate to hug and kiss them on the cheeks, but he was privately surprised. He wondered: Just what is going on, ah? Were they afraid that I would blame them for the broken jades and welcomed me more warmly than usual? What silly children.

When he stepped onto the sun deck, he was taken aback by the number of sumptuous dishes on the table. Even more curious now, he gave a slight smile and asked, “For you to put out such a spread, what happened? Is today some kind of special day?”

The smile on Fu Qiuning’s face was warm and sincere. Seeing Jin Fengju’s increasingly baffled expression, she said, “This morning I hesitated over whether to invite you over. After thinking thrice, I worried about disturbing your work and decided not to say anything after all. I did not expect you to suddenly come this afternoon. It was really a great coincidence, ah.” She pulled him aside and said softly, “Today is Feng’er’s and Jiao’er’s birthday. After today, they will be fully eight years old.”

This could not be said to be an earth-shattering statement, but when Jin Fengju heard it, it felt like a lightning had struck him, and he froze on the spot.

It took him an embarrassingly long time to return to himself and look at the children’s excited faces and bright eyes. Even a self-proclaimed ruthless and prideful heroic man like him could not help but feel a sharp stab of pain in his heart and a lump in his throat. After a while, he suddenly came forward and hugged the children tightly to himself, unable to say anything for a long time.

When Yu Jie and Aunt Yu saw this, they had to turn away and wipe their eyes: It had been eight years, ah. The children are already eight years old. Finally, they managed to reach this long yearned-for day when their father came to celebrate their birthday with them. Even Fu Qiuning, the woman with a heart as calm as still water, could not help feeling some warmth in her eyes.

“Alright, enough hugging. You’re going to crush the children if you keep this up. Come, eat.” Fu Qiuning said with a business-like voice after wiping her eyes.

After all, the children were still young, how would they understand so many things? They only thought that having their father accompanying them for their birthday was already a very happy occasion. Thoughts such as the sadness and misery of all past birthdays without their father did not occur to them at all. When they heard Fu Qiuning’s reminder, they both jumped up cheerfully and each pulled one of Jin Fengju’s hands towards the table laden with delicious food.

[Gumihou: … I am not crying, you’re crying. T_T]

Pill Bug TL Notes:

No notes today

Gumihou:

[a] Some small adjustments for a smoother passage

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