Chapter 46: Well, This is Awkward

Author: Black Lantern (黑色花灯)

Link: https://book.qidian.com/info/1009922190

Translated by Gumihou

 

Although Ye Fei had no idea what Ma Cuihua wanted him to do, he still locked up the condo and trailed after her.

When the elevator arrived, two people entered.

Ye Fei said, “Sister Ma, what’s going on? Want me to back you up? What do you me to back you up for?

Ma Cuihua crossed her hands in front [1] of her red clutch bag. Without looking at Ye Fei, she said, “You will know when the time comes. However, I shall warn you first. No matter what happens, you must be on my side. If you dare break down, auntie shall not rent this room to you.”

Ye Fei, “… why do I get the feeling that we’re about to enter into great danger and unknown, ah?”

Ma Cuihua nodded, “Indeed, that’s because the opponent is too powerful. Alone, the odds of winning are not high, but with your help, the chance of winning rises by 70%.”

The more Ye Fei listened, the stiffer he felt. F*ck, just what is going on, ah? What’s this about the opponent being too powerful, ah? Also, why is it a powerful opponent which you have little chance of winning against? Don’t tell me it’s a fight, ah?

Sister, you must look clearly. The person standing before you is a pure and outstanding youth, ah. 15 years ago, I was even part of the [2] Young Pioneers and had never quarrelled or got into a fight with others, okay?

No, I can’t let myself get involved in these muddy waters. I must find a way to get out of this.

Ye Fei suddenly rolled his eyes and slapped his forehead. “Oh no, look at me, my memory is fading. Sister Ma, I’m so sorry, but I just remembered. My younger cousin will be coming to visit. I have to go pick him up in a while. So, do you think you could go without me?”

Ma Cuihua glanced at him, and said, “No. 905, 9th Floor, Building C of Yijing Garden.”

Ye Fei rubbed his head, “What’s that?”

“Let him find his way here by taxi,”

“But, he won’t have a key, ah.”

“He only needs a key if he stays here. Auntie already told you that outsiders are not allowed to stay. Are you going to ignore my instructions right away?”

“But, I still need to pick him up, ah. He’s not familiar with this place, what if he got lost?”

“No issue, I’m familiar with the people at the Public Security Bureau. I’ll get them to track him down if he got lost.”

Ye Fei, “… …”

[3] Hey, like this also can, ah?

Seeing that he could not get rid of Ma Cuihua, Ye Fei finally gritted his teeth and thought with a sinking heart: M*therf*cker, isn’t it just picking a fight? Daddy used to be a Young Pioneer 15 years ago, but it was not like I had never gotten into a physical fight with others. Back then, didn’t I beat up that Little Fatty Zhao from the next village to the point that he ran home crying? I have experience, so what’s there to be afraid of?

The two arrived downstairs and got into the car. Ma Cuihua was the one who drove again while Ye Fei sat in a daze beside her.

After leaving Yijing Garden, the car sped along the main street for about 20 minutes before stopping at a restaurant parking lot.

When Ye Fei saw the name of the restaurant through the car window, he was suffused by the urge to run away. It was Milky Way Palace!

Was this not the very same restaurant where he used to work as an apprentice chef? Why did she come here? If you must know, he quit without notice. If that bad-tempered master saw him, that grumpy guy would almost certainly chase after him with a wok spoon.

“Sister Ma, have you come to the wrong place? Is it really here?” Ye Fei asked in a faint voice.

Ma Cuihua had already parked the car and [1] switched her shoes. She got out of the car and said, “It’s here, let’s go, we’re going to the Peony Pavilion on the 3rd floor,” before slamming the door close.

Ye Fei also got out of the car. He looked up the signboard for Milky Way Pavilion and tried to neaten his clothes instinctively. He thought: Whether today is a blessing or a curse, daddy should just go forth and face it.

He trailed after Ma Cuihua and the two of them went to the first-floor lobby of Milky Way Pavilion and took the elevator to the 3rd floor.

Ye Fei was all too familiar with the terrain here. He knew that Milky Way Pavilion has many private rooms and that the 3rd floor was where anyone with money could book the rooms they like. However, these rooms did not come cheap. He had no idea what Ma Cuihua was going to do here.

They would soon reach Peony Pavilion.

Ye Fei could see that even Ma Cuihua looked a little nervous.

This made him nervous too. He believed that a big battle was upcoming and that it was up to him to see if he could get them both out alive. Well, for safety purposes, it’s best to be prepared.

He spotted two pots of bonsai by the door, more importantly, the soil was covered in smooth white rocks to keep the soil covered and give the little potted trees a cleaner and more elegant appearance. He secretly grabbed two of the palm-size rocks, thinking that if he could not fight them, he could still smash those fellows with fists reinforced with rocks instead of just bare hands.

Ma Cuihua turned to Ye Fei, “Are you ready?”

Ye Fei nodded resolutely, his hands tightened around the rocks. “Sister Ma, it’s fine. If matters really fell through, I am prepared to shield you, you may withdraw first.”

Ma Cuihua patted him on the shoulder and said appreciatively, “Good man.”

“Naturally, for Sister Ma’s safety, I am willing to offer a full hundred over catties worth of sacrifice for this wager and go for broke,”

Ma Cuihua looked at Ye Fei curiously. She was not exactly sure what he was thinking about. What’s all this about a hundred catties of sacrifice? What an unusual way of speaking. Still, since Ye Fei appeared to mean well, she said, “It is my blessing to have you as a friend.”

Ye Fei bared his teeth into a facsimile of a smile.

“I’m going to knock, you stand behind me,” said Ma Cuihua.

Ye Fei blocked Ma Cuihua, “No, how could I let a girl take the initiative in this matter? You stand behind me, I’ll knock.”

Ma Cuihua forced a smile, “No need.”

With that, Ma Cuihua knocked on the door.

From within, sounds of footsteps could be heard and someone opened the door to ask, “Who is it?”

When the door fully opened, A 50-ish looking woman stepped out. When she saw Ma Cuihua, she pulled Ma Cuihua’s hand and said warmly, “Cuihua, you’re here! Don’t you know just how long we’ve waited for you?”

Ma Cuihua held the lady’s hand and said in a gentle tone, “Mother,”

Mother?!

When he heard Ma Cuihua address the woman as ‘mother’, his legs shook and Ye Fei nearly fell to his butt. He was confused.

Just what is going on?

Didn’t she say that there would be a big battle? A fight? That I am to act as the shield for your retreat?

But, this… how did your opponent turn out to be your mom?

What am I supposed to beat up, ah?

“Aiyo, Cuihua, my precious, ah. Let mother have a good look at you. En, you’ve gone thinner. Much thinner than before. You must have suffered a lot while living alone outside,” the woman’s eyes were red-rimmed as she lamented.

Ma Cuihua smiled, “No, no, I am very well. Moreover, [4] Little Fei is a very dependable person. He really knows how to take care of people,”

Both Mother Ma and Ye Fei were shocked.

Little Fei?

Tsk, who’s this Little Fei, ah?

Ma Cuihua pointed at the stiff as a wooden stump person next to her and said, “This is Little Fei. Ye Fei, this is my mother.”

Ma Cuihua’s mother quickly sized up Ye Fei with a glance. She held out her hand and said, “Mister Ye Fei, right? Very glad to meet you. Thank you very much for taking good care of Cuihua all this time.”

Seeing Ma Cuihua’s mother stretching out her hand, he took a hurried step back. It was not out of lack of manners that he moved away, but he still have those rocks clutched in his hands.

Here, he thought he was about to beat up people, but who was there to beat up, ah? He quickly tossed the rocks into a nearby flower pot before rubbing his hands together and shaking Ma Cuihua’s mother’s hands with a big smile, “Hello, auntie.”

Ma Cuihua’s mother moved aside and said, “Come in, don’t keep standing outside.”

Ye Fei and Ma Cuihua came in. That was when they found that there were others in the room. An energetic looking middle-aged man in his 50s with thick eyebrows and large eyes, he resembled Ma Cui a lot with his well-kept white skin and overall well-maintained appearance.

Aside from him, there was a much younger man, about 27 or 28 years old, dressed in branded items and looking like the very image of ‘A man of talents’.

Seeing Ma Cuihua, the young man quickly stood up and said, “It’s been a long time, Little Sister Cuihua.”

Ma Cuihua nodded indifferently at the young man before turning to the middle-aged man, “Father,”

The middle-aged man hummed and pointed to the chair beside him, “Well, sit down.”

Ma Cuihua sat beside the middle-aged man with her mother seated on her other side.

After greeting Ma Cuihua, the young man also sat down.

In the end, there was only Ye Fei left standing in the room.

Awkwardness suffused his entire person. Ye Fei laid 120% of the blame on Ma Cuihua. It was just a family dinner, so why have you pulled me here, ah? You nearly cause this brother to make a big fuss. You’re just too much.

Seeing that everyone had sat down aside from him, Ye Fei did not bother to be polite and pulled a chair for himself and sat down opposite the young man.

 

[Gumihou: Lol, it was an obvious misunderstanding, but I love how it was resolved within the same chapter and not 15 chapters later.]

 

[1] Some small corrections.

[2] Young Pioneers (of China). The actual term in the novel is 少先队员 which is literally a shortened version of 中国少年先锋队, therefore ‘Young Pioneers’.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Young_Pioneers_of_China

[3] ‘Hey, like this also can, ah?’

A very Southeast Asian type of Chinese-English way of speaking. Very Uncle Nigel.

[4] Xiao Fei, literally Little Fei, according to the translation set-up, should be Fei Bro but since Ma Cuihua is a woman out to create an illusion of intimacy, Little Fei rather than Fei Bro would be more appropriate.

 

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