Chapter 158 Mother's love is too much to bear
Father Tian was also unsettled. The Pan family's old and young men were clothed in military attire, and their conversation likewise revolved around military matters. Their talk was particularly macroscopic, with the unique insights of military personnel. For example, they had passionate debates over America, Japan, Vietnam, and Myanmar. There was a pro-war faction, as well as supporters of diplomatic approaches. "Let those sonsabit*hes come!" Grandpa Pan slammed the table. "Laozi will beat the shit out of them and kill every Japanese devil!"
He shifted his gaze to Pan Lei.
"Throw away your phone, computer, and anything else imported from Japan. Damn it, boycott Japanese goods! Maintain the motherland's dignity."
Pan Lei swiftly nodded. Grandpa's hatred of the Japs remains intense.
Father Tian was too shocked to say anything. Shouting anti-Japanese imperialism slogans? During the Anti-Japanese War, this fueled the student tide of the May Fourth Movement, but it wasn't particularly effective in the present.
"What kind of teacher did you used to be, in-law? Did you teach modern history[1]? You must instill a spirit of patriotism in the next generation."
Grandpa Pan eventually opened his mouth to inquire, and Father Tian then engaged him in a discourse from his perspective as a teacher.
Following that, the relatives by marriage talked up a storm.
Tian Yuan poured tea for the women and wanted to cut fruit, but his mother-in-law patted his hand and refused.
"Go talk to your father and the others. What are you doing with us women? Don't use knives, and be careful with your hands. Go have fun."
The group of old women chased Tian Yuan away. Pan Lei pulled him over and offered Tian Yuan the single seat sofa he had just sat on, while he sat on the armrest of the sofa with one hand on Tian Yuan's shoulder and harangued as before.
Father Tian observed them seated close together. Pan Lei bent his head and whispered to Tian Yuan when he said anything, without interrupting their seniors' talk. Father Tian had no idea what they were talking about with their mouths to their ears; all he saw was Tian Yuan smiling and Pan Lei touching his hair, putting one arm around his shoulder and the other on Tian Yuan's lap. Tian Yuan sat with their fingers interlocked, smiling as he listened to the elders' debate.
Intimacy, all kinds of little intimacies that couldn't be hidden at all, were done naturally. They wouldn't be able to be so close in front of their elders if it weren't for their profound sentiments, if it wasn't for being with the desired partner.
These elders in military uniforms debating serious subjects saw nothing wrong with this. They were accustomed to it and even indulged it. The elders didn't think it was unreasonable for the younger generation to do anything they wanted. They continued to speak loudly and convey their ideas.
This home's environment was one of harmony, warmth, and relaxation. It was not restricting or tense.
No wonder Tian Yuan said this family was very nice to him; it was no surprise he said this family was very good. Seeing is believing.
Let it be, let it be. Even if it makes me feel a little awkward to see them being so intimate again, these high-ranking officials have accepted and given their blessings. Such a strict and serious family is so open-minded, what position do we have to oppose it? It was their son’s happiness. Their son seemed content, so as parents, they should simply nod and accept it.
What Tian Yuan and Pan Lei spoke with their mouths to their ears was straightforward. Tian Yuan stated that everything was well. "Didn't I say our family is all monkey spirits?" Pan Lei murmured into his ear. "The older generation has fought Japanese artillery, and their dads have supported North Korea in its war against the United States. What battle situations have they not witnessed? For them, dealing with your parents is a piece of cake. Look, aren't they sitting quietly and obediently? Relax, we'll have a wonderful year."
The dinner party was sumptuous. Dang Hong had put in a lot of effort since their in-laws were joining them. She'd given the kitchen crew a lot of fresh seafood to cook. Pan Lei, fearful of being short-staffed, called Zhang Hui and requested that some of his restaurant's chefs come over and assist.
Zhang Hui roared again into the sky, "Whose in-laws are these?!?" It was more exhausting than dating.
Dang Hong exemplified the best characteristics of a hostess, a good daughter-in-law, and a wonderful mother-in-law.
It seemed only reasonable to serve dishes for Grandpa and Grandma Pan.
Pan Lei chose spareribs for Tian Yuan, while Dang Hong quickly peeled a shrimp for her son-in-law and placed it in his bowl.
"Tian Yuan, eat more. Don't you enjoy eating shrimp?"
Mother Tian's eyes narrowed. A mother takes excellent care of her children. She, Tian Yuan's biological mother, had never peeled shrimp for her kid. His mother-in-law was so thoughtful...was this a demonstration to her?
"Give this plate of shrimp to Tian Yuan."
Grandma Pan adored her grandson-in-law and quickly had a plate of fried shrimp to be placed in front of Tian Yuan.
She looked at Tian Yuan with the air of a devoted mother. It was a "eyes overflowing with affection" look, the kind that blazed blindingly with maternal brilliance while absolutely cold-shouldering the genuine mother to the side.
"Tian Yuan, try the bamboo shoots."
This time, it was Eldest Aunt’s turn.
"Try this authentic braised pork with plum."
Second Aunt joined the fray, but Pan Lei swooped in, biting off the meaty section and eating it before giving the leftover lean meat to Tian Yuan.
"Take a taste of pine nuts and corn, Grandson. Grandma is getting old and can no longer eat it. LingSi'er isn't here today, so this dish is entirely yours. Otherwise, that girl would have robbed you. Have a bite."
A piece of meat from the left, veggies from the right, and fish from the opposite side... Pan Lei, who sat beside him, snatched away several pieces from the chopsticks as they fought. Tian Yuan's bowl was heaped high with food in the blink of an eye.
"You must finish eating everything. It’ll give you the energy to jog early tomorrow morning."
Grandpa Pan declared that Tian Yuan must eat.
Everyone at the table was smiling happily and laughed when they saw Tian Yuan worry about the pile of food.
Pan Lei pilfered the food from his bowl into his own.
"Eat. Grandpa has spoken. I’ll finish the rest of it."
Mother Tian was ignored once more and left to dry in the sun. Her own son was so well cared for by others that it didn't matter if his mother was present or not. His mother-in-law was very thoughtful to her son. Is she planning to rob my child?
Mother Tian's thoughts were still far-fetched. Dang Hong's plan was actually quite simple. It was to show Mother Tian that your kid is cared for and loved by the elders in my family as if he were their own child. Shouldn't you be just as friendly to my son as I am to yours?
Why do you want to pull a long face when this is a certain fact? I'm assisting your son with food, and you assist my son with his.
Mother Tian appeared to be adamant about Dean Dang Hong. Both mother and mother-in-law are mothers. Don't even think of taking my son away from me.
Dang Hong passed Tian Yuan a dish, and Mother Tian offered Tian Yuan a piece of chicken right away.
Dang Hong gave Pan Lei a piece of fish, and Mother Tian instantly offered Pan Lei a bit of spare ribs.
Pan Lei, who was blind to the undercurrents, didn't notice anything. He spit out the wine in his mouth as he saw his mother-in-law, who was quite dissatisfied with him, give him a piece of spare ribs.
This love came on too suddenly, with little psychological preparation. He was completely satisfied that his mother-in-law could talk to him politely, and how could he not be excited now that she was serving him food? He sprayed the wine because he was so moved.
Tian Yuan swiftly placed his chopsticks on the table and patted him on the back. What's the problem? Why was he so upset when he was drinking and eating well?
Mother Tian did not waste time and rushed to participate. She stood up and made the decision to walk over to Pan Lei's side.
Bam! A smack fell on Pan Lei's back, making a loud sound. Tian Yuan raised his head and glanced over. Oh mom, are you going to beat up the Pan family's most adored grandchild in front of the entire Pan family?
Mother Tian smiled and stroked gently, as if patting a baby on the back.
"Do you want some water, Leizi? Mom will pour you a glass."
The most loving and the most beautiful mother; she was the model of a good mother, with a gentle smile and a caring tone.
Pan Lei was flattered. He instantly stood up and assisted his mother-in-law in resuming her seat, joking that he dared not make his mother-in-law work. Even if he choked to death, he'd go get some water on his own.
Dang Hong took a sip of the juice after picking it up.
"Unpromising b*stard."
She despised Pan Lei in her heart, calling him a hopeless man who was unfit to be seen. The fool has no idea we paved the road for the two of them.
The sisters then smiled at each other and carried on as before. If you add food, I'll add food; if you want to offer it to your son, I'll serve it to your son-in-law. If you give it to your son-in-law, I’ll give it to your son.
Tian Yuan gazed at his bowl, which was piling up with food. Please don't give me any more. I just finished one bowl. His bowl was the tallest piled, and it was on its way to catching up with a dog's bowl. He'd get a stomachache if he ate any more.
Pan Lei lowered his head and nudged him just as he was about to put down his chopsticks.
"Eat, and eat hard. Didn't you see the two boss mothers fighting? Just keep your head down and eat. If you don’t finish it all, depending on what’s left, you’ll stir up trouble."
Eat it, eat it, how can you not eat it? Isn't this causing problems?
Mother and mother-in-law are both moms, thus the one whose serving was left uneaten would be upset, wouldn't she? Things were finally peaceful and joyful, and their simple life had just begun to improve, so wouldn't it be silly to do something that could blow the fuse? What if they actually got into a fight?
Tian Yuan continued to eat, eager to loosen his belt by three notches by the time the meal was over.
He forced a smile and struggled back to his room before slamming the door and heading directly to the bathroom, vomiting virtually the entire dinner. F*ck it! I'm puking like a pregnant woman.
Mother, mother-in-law, why can't you two get along? Please don't play tricks on me, okay?
He vomited everything and was unable to get up from the floor. What the hell was this? It was the Spring Festival. He’d develop a stomach problem if he had to overeat at every meal like this. This won’t do. I can't be caught in the crossfire when our mothers are fighting.
Pan Lei took a digestive tablet. Grandpa told them today that they'd have to get up early tomorrow and run, so they'd call it a day and rest. They would invite a few people tomorrow and play mahjong together.
When Pan Lei returned to the room with the digestive tablets, he found his darling sitting on the floor of the bathroom, clutching his stomach and looking pitifully at him. His face was a little pale.
"What's the matter? Quickly get up. The floor is cold, so be careful of getting diarrhea."
He picked up Tian Yuan and carried him to his bed, touching his brow. It wasn't particularly hot, but he appeared to be in a bad mood.
"You ate too much, didn't you? I brought digestion tablets with me. Take one."
"I vomited everything. If they keep going nuts like this, I imagine I'll be spending the New Year in the hospital. If I continue to overeat in this manner, I will have stomach problems. It really hurts."
Tian Yuan buried his face in the pillow and covered his tummy. How could this year possibly be a good year?
Footnotes:
[1] For China, from the Opium Wars until the fall of the Qing Dynasty, i.e. mid-19th to early 20th century.
Translator:
I'm currently watching the series "A girl like me." It's based on the novel "I Am This Type of Woman," which is being translated at NU. I enjoyed the novel and was curious to see how the adaptation turned out. It's totally OTT! Watching the Bans reminds me of the Pans😂 The FL's costumes are stunning. They've changed the story a lot in the second half, but it's entertaining.
Ooooh that story sounds fun too, might check it out - thanks for sharing!
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