IDYTRAA - Chapter 113

Chapter 113 Let’s go back, okay?

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Please Note: To avoid confusion, I've used "father" and "mother" when Pan Lei addresses Tian Yuan's parents. When Tian Yuan addresses his parents, I've used "dad" and "mom". 

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"You are the one who misled my son! Don't think a smack will be enough to make me forgive you! And you! Instead of liking a good woman, you prefer this type of man you scoundrel! What kind of drug does he give you to make you so fixated on him? You're preoccupied with the happiness in front of you, but what about your future? You must think about us, about your prospects, and about your old age, no matter how taken in you are. Isn't that right? How can you be so confused?"

"Mom, I am very happy with him. Believe me." He was truly very happy. Pan Lei was a good man. He'd done a lot for him. Why couldn't they comprehend this?

"I will continue to treat him the same way I do today. I won't make him regret being with me. If you don't trust me at present, give us some time and I'll prove it to you."

Shouldn't this be fine? They were unable to accept their relationship at this time. Then they could see how he treated Tian Yuan and how happy their lives were. If three or five years was not enough, let them see for ten or fifteen years. They will be in conjugal love every day for the rest of their lives and be as sweet as honey.

"Mom, don't you want me to be happy? He is the one person who can make me happy. Please accept him."

"Mother, I use my integrity as a guarantee. I will make him happy."

Mother Tian cried out as she stared at their eager eyes, then at her husband's enraged expression.

"This is a sin! My good boy, how can you do such a thing?"

What Tian Yuan feared most was his mother's tears, which were a form of heart-wrenching torture. Why did they have to coerce him? Why did they have to be this way? Why must they insist on causing pain to both parties in order to find a way out? All they desired was to be together and happy.

"Take a look at your great deeds! Your parents are already in their sixties, and you continue to anger us to death. You are truly our good son!"

Tian Yuan knelt on the floor with a thud. I beg you, please, your son is unfilial, but he wants to be happy. Your son can't lose him.

Except for the fact that Pan Lei was a man, there was no issue. What did it matter if he was a man? Nobody was harmed by their being together. Why did the joyful occasion of introducing his lover to his parents turn into such a tragedy?

How could Pan Lei stand there and see him kneel and beg? Was that helpful? He couldn't defend him from the wind and rain as his lover; all he could do was watch him get hurt? He took Tian Yuan's hand in his and knelt beside him on the floor.

A man has gold under his knees*, and he only kneels to Heaven and his parents. They knelt to make an earnest appeal to their parents. They would be happy and would not feel regret. They implored their parents to accept their relationship for the sake of their happiness.

Pan Lei got down on one knee. Blast it! I knelt the last time because I wronged Tian'er. But this time, he didn't believe they'd done anything wrong. Let it be. Kneeling in front of his in-laws was the same as kneeling in front of his parents.

"Father and mother, please give us your blessings."

"Please, Dad and Mom, agree. We'll prove to you that we can live a happy life."

Mother Tian stared at Tian Yuan with a look of resentment.

"I won't agree even if I die."

Pan Lei had had enough of it. Why bother remaining in a deadlock? They explained their position, but Tian Yuan's parents maintained their negative attitude. They'd probably have the same attitude even if they coaxed them for a year. You won’t agree even if you die? Then, forget it. We will live happily ever after without your consent. 

Pan Lei rose and helped Tian Yuan.

"Tian'er, get up. Don't kneel any longer. It's pointless to continue pleading. Let them do whatever they want since they are determined. If they want to sever ties with you, I'll go get you registered in the Pan family** right away. My family will welcome us."

Tian Yuan remained on his knees. He bit his lower lip and refused to speak. Pan Lei's parents had accepted him. He couldn't let Pan Lei return without getting what they wanted. Even if he had to implore, even if he had to kowtow^[1], his parents had to forgive him. He wanted his parents to accept Pan Lei. He was a good man. Granted, he had a nasty temper, but his excellence more than compensated for his flaws.

He wished for Pan Lei to enjoy the same love and acceptance as he did. He wanted for his mother to treat Pan Lei as if he were her son, just like Dang Hong had done for him.

Tian Yuan was typically gentle and easy to talk to, but when he was obstinate, he gave everyone a headache.

He just knelt there, not saying anything. He refused to stand up. Pan Lei's eyes were stinging. He couldn't stand the thought of someone making life tough for Tian Yuan right in front of him. It was worse than having his heart ripped out. How could he see his cherished little ancestor being servile? He was the one who was not good enough and allowed him to suffer this kind of grievance.

Pan Lei knelt and wrapped his arms around Tian Yuan's waist to hoist him up.

"Let's go back, okay? Let’s go back. Be obedient. Don’t be like this, let's go back."

Tian Yuan pushed him away, not moving an inch.

As his parents disagreed, he would utilize his own methods to persuade them to agree. Didn't Mom Dang Hong say that all parents are defeated by their children? Then he'd gamble once to see who would be the final winner between him and his parents.

Pan Lei was anxious to pick him up and return home.

"You’re threatening us? Will you kneel till we give you our approval? Then kneel. We don't agree. Till you don't break up, till you continue this filthy relationship, I will break your leg if you dare to stand up."

Old man Tian was also bad tempered. He refused to put up with such behavior.

"Tian'er, let's go home."

Tian Yuan bit his lip when Pan Lei yanked at him and hugged him.

"I'll kneel here till I die if they don't accept you."

He was adamant. He would remain on his knees until his parents approved of his relationship with Pan Lei. His parents couldn't force him to end his relationship. He was wondering as to how cruel his parents could be. Would they let him kneel and die for the sake of their face, for his so-called good?

"Ancestor, do you want my life? Let's not stay in a huff any longer; let's go home, okay?"

Tian Yuan’s parents were willing to part with him, but he was not.

Pan Lei wished he could swap places with Tian Yuan. He wished he'd taken him away when he had the opportunity. He tweaked his ears and scratched his cheeks^[2] in worry, but he didn't dare to manhandle him. Even his own parents disliked him when he exhibited his true character. If he mistreated Tian'er, his in-laws would surely have a lot more to say. If he was harsh with their son in front of them, they'd question if he hit Tian'er in private, wouldn't they? That would be bad. If he messed around now, wouldn't their disapproval become more serious?

"You'd better get out of my house. It is perfectly justified for me to discipline my son. Who are you? Get lost this instant!"

Father Tian took it all in and determined that their beatings and tongue-lashings were ineffective due to Pan Lei's presence. Every slap and strike landed on this person, and he would retort to every sentence of their reprimand. When you were educating your child, the most taboo thing was someone interrupting the parents and speaking in favor of the child. It gave the child the impression that they had a protective umbrella^[3], and they became even more stubborn and disobedient as a result. At the time, the scenario was exactly the same. Whatever they did, Pan Lei would protect and support Tian Yuan, giving him the impression that there would be no trouble with Pan Lei around. He must chase him away and isolate Tian Yuan. He could draw his son back from the edge and save him once he reasoned with Tian Yuan, using beatings and persuasion as needed.

This man was an abyss. If his son leaped, he would perish horrifically. His son had been duped and trapped, right? This man had no sense of decorum or shame. He was utterly disgraceful! If he didn’t teach a lesson to his son properly, he would keep blundering.

"Please, Tian'er, let's go."

Mother Tian rushed forward and shoved Pan Lei away, effectively obstructing her son's path.

"Get out of here, get out of here!"

Pan Lei took a step forward. He couldn't be separated from Tian Yuan. What if he left and Tian Yuan was beaten?

The elderly lady moved forward and stood akimbo. She squared her shoulders and faced Pan Lei.

"Beat it! Did you hear me? Get out of my house right now!"

"Please, Mother, don't be like this."

At that point, Pan Lei really wanted to smack away his mother-in-law. She was too ferocious. He couldn't, however, employ force on an elderly lady. She might need to be admitted to the hospital if he didn't control his strength appropriately. He could only take a helpless step back, but he was still concerned about Tian Yuan.

"Get out! Our house will be peaceful once you get out of here."

"Tian'er, Tian'er, we're going back. Mother, you let me take Tian'er away. We’ll leave right away, okay?"

Pan Lei reluctantly took a step back as the old lady took another step forward.

"My son has returned to live at home and won't go anywhere. You're not welcome in our home, so get out! Our family will be peaceful without you, and my son will be normal."

"Pan Lei, find a hotel nearby to stay for the time being. Don't worry about me."

Tian Yuan spoke in hushed tones. He was certain that Pan Lei would not depart. When Pan Lei left, he would lose his backbone. But this was a Tian family issue. As a lover, he would do everything in his power to ensure that Pan Lei was not wronged.

"Let's go together, Tian'er. I'll contact my parents. Let them handle this, please. Let's get out of here quickly. I'm afraid they'll beat you up. You can't take it."

"There’s no need to bother your parents. Besides, they are my mom and dad, so it's okay for them to hit me. There is a guesthouse outside the community. Go there. I’ll find you later."

Pan Lei's mother-in-law forced him backwards step by step. He was unwilling to leave on his own and extended a hand, facing his mother-in-law.

"Father and mother, talk it over. But please, please don’t beat him. If you become too angry, I'll kneel here and let you beat me up, okay? Please don't hurt him."

"In that case, I beg you to spare my son. Don’t involve him in such a shameful thing, alright?"

"Mother, these are two quite different things. We have the freedom to love whomever we desire. Our love is deep and strong. Why do you want to split us up?"

Mother Tian abruptly shoved Pan Lei out of the security door.

"Mother, mother, don't hit him."

Mother Tian slammed the door shut and clicked the lock while Pan Lei was still trying to persuade his mother-in-law. Pan Lei pushed on the door and knocked many times.

"Tian'er, I'll stay at the guesthouse outside the neighborhood. I'll return once I've settled down. Mother and father don't do anything to him. He's frail and can't take much of a beating. He's been kneeling for quite some time. Please allow him to get up as soon as possible. The floor is so cold! He’ll fall sick."

All the next door neighbors poked their heads out to see what was going on. They'd been yelling for quite some time. Who was this man who was constantly exhorting?

A tall man stood at the door of Teacher Tian's house. They heard something crashing on the door from inside the house, followed by it shattering into pieces on the floor.

"Get lost!"

They heard old man Tian roar.

Pan Lei sighed. These in-laws were a nightmare to meet. They were far too aggressive. Tian Yuan would be fine at home on his own, right? His parents were really harsh. If those slaps and fists had landed on Tian Yuan's body... Pan Lei shivered. That was not an option. He needed to find a way to trick these in-laws as quickly as possible.

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Footnotes:

[1] A traditional greeting, involving kneeling and pressing one's forehead to the ground.

[2] Idiom: as an expression of anxiety, frustration etc.

[3] A person affording protection. Generally used for a corrupt person.

*I explained "gold under the knees" in detail in chapter 77. In case you forgot, kneeling before anyone other than Heaven and parents is beneath a man's dignity and indicates a complete loss of one's pride.

**This should be self-explanatory. A household register lists the names of all immediate family members. If Tian Yuan's name is officially removed by his parents(i.e. they sever ties legally), Pan Lei will request that Tian Yuan's name be included in the Pan household registry.

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Translator:

This is a sad chapter. But the image of Mother Tian forcing Pan Lei back step by step made me snicker.  

Happy Halloween! Have a fun weekend~ 

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