Rebirth: WLSB Chapter 2  

TL: Hermit

Editor: Hermit

TLC: Hermit

Chapter 2  : The Best Relatives

Eldest aunt!!!

Classmate! Looking at your face that’s completely straight, do you even know what eldest + aunt means??

It’s a good thing there were no girls around, or Shu Ning would never be able to wash himself clean, even if he had jumped into the Yellow River.

Shu Ning massaged his temples due to the headache he had, then bent down to wear his shoes. As the dormitory had no toilets, he couldn’t take a shower, but at least a mirror was provided. Shu Ning wore a set of washed out uniform, a pair of old shoes, which had been worn by the next door neighbour’s son, which then had been passed on to his maternal grandmother, which finally had been given to Shu Ning to wear.

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In the rural areas, such things were very common, all the households would pass on their belongings to others who could use it.

The youth in the mirror was small and withered, looking as if there was no nourishment, his hair was yellowed and slightly long. Oversized clothes hung on his thin frame, no matter how one looked, the youth looked ill. A small face, large palms, whitened lips, at least his facial features were delicate, and a pair of large eyes that still could be looked at.

The class monitor curiously leaned over: “What are you looking at?” The teacher was calling urgently!

Shu Ning smiled slightly, turning back to pat the class monitor that was taller than him by one head: “I’m so jealous of you, I want to drink milk.”

“Ah?”

Shu Ning waved a bit and left, leaving with an air of unfathomable mystery, causing the class monitor to look at him thoughtfully.

In the teacher’s office, a sorrowful performance called ‘I’m crying, pitiful, feeling bad, quickly console me ah’ was being put on.

The teacher in charge of the class was kind, continuously handing over tissues, comfortingly patting the back of a married lady, while the lady had cried till her eyes were red, and was choking back tears are she told of the situation at home.

“Then… … In the future, who will Shu Ning live with?” The teacher in charge was very worried about his student’s future, pulling at the lady’s hand: “Is it possible to get in contact with Shu Ning’s parents?”

The lady’s whole body jolted, a sneer appearing on her face for a split second before she suppressed it: “Ai, don’t mention them, if they really cared, the child wouldn’t have been passed to me to take care of. Most country bumpkins would have been lucky to even graduate from primary school, I pitied Shu Ning, so I wanted to let him graduate from middle school, but… … Mother has left already, even if I wanted to, I can’t send him.”

No matter the era, no teacher wanted their student to dropout of school. Once the lady suggested that, all the teachers’ backs stiffened up, and their gazes all turned to look at the lady!

At one side, the unmarried male teacher sighed unendingly, thinking inwardly that this relative was really pitiful, at least he could help a bit, thus he took $200 out of his wallet and put it on the table. The rest of the teachers were also willing to help others, and the married ones couldn’t be too generous, one took out $50, another $30, whatever they could take out, they contributed, all together close to $500-$600.

Nowadays teachers’ wages weren’t high, at most it was about $200, slightly higher than the average white-collar worker, this amount of money was equivalent to about a few months of farming in the village, once Qin Yu Zhi glanced at it, her heart was full of happiness, crying even more enthusiastically.

… …

Shu Ning stood at the office door, raising his eyebrows, this woman even deceived teachers? If it wasn’t for him wanting to calm down because of his rebirth and thus not going in immediately, maybe in this whole life, he wouldn’t ever know that Qin Yu Zhi could be this disgraceful.

Once a person is shameless, they won’t even be afraid of ghosts.

The maternal grandfather died early, so maternal grandmother suffered bitter hardship her whole life to bring up 4 children.

The eldest Qin Yu Zhi, married early with two children, one son and one daughter, both older than Shu Ning.

The second child, Qin Yu Lan, also married early with 3 children, one son two daughters, the smallest was younger than Shu Ning.

The third child Qin Yu Zhuo, was Shu Ning’s mother, working overseas, has never returned.

The fourth child Qin Yu Fu, was the only male child amongst the 4 siblings, unmarried and was working at a construction site.

Knocking on the door, Shu Ning entered after getting permission. The crowd gathered around Qin Yu Zhi as if they were stars crowding around the moon. Her gaze swept towards the pile of money, quickly placing it in her purse, before looking towards the door, immediately beginning to cry again: “Shu Ning, quickly come over here, eldest aunt has something to tell you.”

Wanting the deed to the house, who didn’t know that? Shu Ning walked over obediently, letting the teacher in charge to hold his hand: “Shu Ning, this….. In a while, whatever you hear, don’t be too sad… … “ A few other teachers also said a few words to him.

Shu Ning’s mood was dim, actually, his maternal grandmother had already died.

Qin Yu Zhi sighed: “Your maternal grandmother was hospitalised, all along, she didn’t want to tell you because she was worried you’d be distracted and wouldn’t focus on your studies, but now… … Eldest aunt also has no other means, your grandmother needs to undergo surgery, your aunt’s savings also can’t make up for the cost, we can only sell the house.”

Shu Ning kept his head lowered: “Eldest aunt wants to sell her own house?”

“Nonsense!” Qin Yu Zhi shouted, then quickly realised her mistake and took a tissue to wipe the corners of her eyes, holding back the anger in her heart, thinking in her heart that this piece of paper was very important: “I have two children at home, a family of four, when your maternal grandmother is discharged, she will definitely want to stay with us, and you as well.”

Haha, living with a corpse? Really shameless.

Shu Ning lifted his head, who didn’t know how to put on a show, his whole face full of grievances: “What about Uncle?”

The corners of Qin Yu Zhi’s mouth moved a bit, her whole face full of dissatisfaction: “Him? He’s already working, didn’t even contribute a cent when hearing about such a big matter as Mother being hospitalised. I don’t have such a cruel and unscrupulous brother, when he comes back I’ll also chase his away.”

In face, this uncle had been scrimping and saving, all his money had been sent to eldest aunt, after second aunt knew about that, also came to ask for a portion, and even omitted the fact that his mother was already dead. When that uncle wanted to come home to celebrate the lunar new year, they wouldn’t allow it, wanting him to continuing working to send more money back in order to line their pockets.

Two years had already past before Uncle had met a fellow villager, and was finally enlightened as to his mother’s death, eldest aunt and second aunt cried while saying that they were worried he’d be sad so they didn’t tell him. Uncle was naive and had been easy to trick ever since young, so he immediately kowtowed and wept tears to show his remorse.

All the people in the office were very sympathetic, every family had its problems, there were both good and bad apples in each basket, the teacher in charge comfortingly patted eldest aunt’s shoulder.

Shu Ning laughed grimly in his heart, continuing to act pitiful: “We can’t do that, that year when Mother sent me to the village, she was worried that it would be hard to Maternal Grandmother, so she left $5000 and built 3 houses, to ensure that Maternal Grandmother could continue to live with Uncle and me.

“You’re lying, at that time, just how old were you? How would you know?” Qin Yu Zhi agitatedly stood up, her saliva spraying madly: “If your mother had money, why would she abandon you?”

Shu Ning’s eyes reddened: “If eldest aunt doesn’t believe, you can ask uncle!”

“I don’t care whose money was used to build the house, but in any case Mother’s hospitalisation and operation fees need money, this house has to be sold, where was the house deed hid-…. kept, you come with me to go back and find it!”

Actually, the house in the village didn’t have much left, eldest aunt and second aunt were both extremely avaricious, whatever they could sell they’d already sold, even digging a meter into the ground, they still couldn’t find the house deed. Eldest aunt was a little more clever than second aunt, so she set her sights on Shu Ning. In the last life, Shu Ning rushed back with eldest aunt to find it, wanting to sell the house and the land to cure his maternal grandmother.

That time he was really stupid, wanting to go to the hospital to visit maternal grandmother, but eldest aunt said to properly study, since she would be there, and Shu Ning believed her.

The teachers couldn’t bear to see it, but this was other people’s household problems, it wasn’t good for them to interfere too much, but it happened to be lunchtime, the students were entering and leaving, there were many who were watching the scene.

When Shu Ning thought of his maternal grandmother, he really started crying: “The house already doesn’t belong to the Qin family.”

Qin Yu Zhi was frightened, and immediately darted forward to grab Shu Ning’s collar, her whole face turning green: “What do you mean by that? You don’t mean that you don’t want to sell it right? Your maternal grandmother worked so hard to bring you up! It wasn’t easy for her to endure all sorts of hardship to raise you up! Where has your conscience gone! You can even live there even after getting married, you’re so greedy, really raised an ingrate, if time could flow backwards, we should have abandoned you!”

“Eldest aunt, did you just come from the hospital?”

“Yes!”

“How’s maternal grandmother?”

“Of course she doesn’t feel well, the doctor said that she needs to undergo surgery as soon as possible, don’t ask so much, just quickly go with me.”

When saying all this, Qin Yu Zhi’s expression was a slightly unnatural, Shu Ning’s gaze was suddenly sharp as a knife, harshly staring at Qin Yu Zhi. For a short while, the lady was so scared that she shifted her gaze away, but to think that the brat dared to stare at her, and was immediately became fierce, almost lifting Shu Ning off the floor by his collar.

A woman that did farm work was really strong! Strong and sturdy, once she became fierce, she was very difficult to deal with, the teacher held onto Qin Yu Zhi’s arm: “Older Sister! You calm down, he’s still a child, persuade him nicely.”

“What persuade nicely, he’s so shameless, pei, no matter what he has to go with me today! Mother’s illness can’t wait!” Qin Yu Zhi was disinclined to continue act like a saint in front of these dumb teachers, glaring and spitting out her words harshly: “Shu Ning you waste of money, if you dare to disagree, I’m doing to break your legs today.”

“The house has already been sold for a while, if not there wouldn’t have been enough to let maternal grandmother stay in hospital for one day,” Shu Ning laughed gloomily: “Besides, maternal grandmother had no savings to speak of, hasn’t all of uncle’s money he earned from the construction site been sent to you?”

“What nonsense are you spouting!”

“Nonsense? Maternal grandmother’s corpse has yet to cool, lying in the morgue, yet here you are trying to pocket her assets!”

All the teachers in the office were dumbstruck, the many students at the door all started whispering, even their gazes became unkind.

“Pei, this unfilial grandson spouting rubbish! I’ll beat you to death!”

Qin Yu Zhi felt as if she was being burned, surrounded by disdainful gazes and sneers, as if they were looking at something extremely unsightly, it was as if a slap had landed on her face, like a clown put on the spot. Once she thought of those 3 large houses that were extremely valuable, how could it be gone just like that! The selfish Qin Yu Zhi became irrational, lifting her arm high up, even shaking off the teacher in charge, the male teachers on the side quickly grabbed on to her, and barely held her back. As it suddenly became a messy situation, the male teachers that only just graduated from university weren’t her opponents, and Qin Yu Zhi lifted her leg to kick Shu Ning’s stomach.

If it was before his rebirth, he would definitely have been injured, but Shu Ning smoothly dodged, while making seem as if his stomach had really been kicked. The female students shrieked, and a male student stepped forward bravely to support Shu Ning, or he would have fallen down.

Shu Ning bit his tongue to let blood flow out: “Which of us is lying, can be found out just by calling the hospital to check.”

Blood! The timid students were so scared that they shivered, the teachers were even more indignant, all helping out. Qin Yu Zhi didn’t achieve her goal, how could she leave the matter at that? Sitting on the floor to cry, swearing away, cursing at Shu Ning all the way. The teachers were all cultured adults, where would they have ever seen such attitudes?

It was a good thing the head teacher had seen many of this type of people, after coming over to take a look, quickly shouted: “If you don’t leave, we’ll call the police to arrest you.”

Qin Yu Zhi was an avaricious person, but she was scared of the police, and glared at Shu Ning: “You just wait.”

Leaving? That’s not so easy, Shu Ning quickly shouted: “Leave behind the money you tricked from the teachers!”

Shu Ning knew her too well, to ask her to take out the money was as painful as stripping off her skin.

“Since it’s entered my purse, it’s mine.”

The head teacher was tall and strong, and was so angry that his eyebrows raised up, grabbing onto the clothes of Qin Yu Zhi who was preparing to run away: “Committing fraud will land you in prison.”

This scared someone with no knowledge and experience, trembling, she took the money out, as if it was the same as wanting her life.

After the shrew left, the teacher in charge held on to Shu Ning, looking him over, as he was still worried: “I’ll take you to the hospital to visit a doctor.”

“It’s okay, teacher, thank you. I’d like to request for a few days off, I’d like to take care of maternal grandmother’s funeral arrangements before coming back to school,” Shu Ning’s gaze was resolute, there was still another battle to be fought, he was really looking forward to it!

Hermit’s Notes:

The chapter title: “The Best Relatives” is meant as a sarcastic remark

Eldest + aunt: Usually, 大姨媽 (great aunt)  is used to refer to a female’s monthlies, but for consistency sake, I tl-ed it as eldest instead of great as it wouldn’t have made sense in this context.

‘but… … Mother has left already, even if I wanted to, I can’t send him’: it conflicts with the story as the eldest aunt was trying to trick others by saying her mother was still hospitalised, but the raws here show her as saying that the maternal grandmother has just passed away. I left it as it is to keep the translated version as close to the raws as possible.

Pei: the equivalent of ‘pah’, to spit in contempt.