Love is Sweet – Chapter 15

Chapter 15 A Promise of Body and Soul以身相许 (Part 2)

Author: Qi Zi

Translated by: lovexsweet

Translator’s Note: Sorry for the delay, I’ve been busy! I changed the title of the chapter slightly since I still wasn’t happy about it, but it still sounds odd, so maybe some better idea will come to mind eventually.

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“Your performance will determine the attitude of the party and the people towards you. If you surrender your gun, I won’t kill you.” Yuan Shuai stretched out his hand, his palms up. “Hurry up, give me your passport, wallet, and cigarettes. “

Jiang Jun acted as if she would hit him with her leather purse. “Big brother, even the human traffickers aren’t as ruthless as you.”

“Your grandfather is even more ruthless, he’s already brought out the cane. I’ve always wondered, the old man is in such good health, why would he have a cane at home? It turns out that he was preparing for today, it was really far-sighted of him.”

Hearing Yuan Shuai talking about her grandfather, Jiang Jun shivered reflexively, and then asked pitifully, “Didn’t you say that you don’t kill?”

“That’s right, I don’t kill, at most I’ll just make you a crippled thing. Don’t worry, if your leg is broken, I’ll carry you. If your hand is broken, your grandmother will still feed you, and if both your hands and feet are crippled, you still have your mom and dad to support you.” Yuan Shuai gave Jiang Jun a sweet kiss. “Let’s go, hurry up and get your luggage, the whole family is waiting for you.”

“My parents are also back?” Jiang Jun’s eyes widened.

“Yes, you can wait for a public trial.

“Yuanyuan-gege.” Jiang Jun hugged Yuan Shuai’s waist, her eyes hot with tears, “Let’s elope, seriously, right now.”

Yuan Shuai dragged her into the car. The car drove directly up the mountain. Jiang Jun, who hadn’t found an opportunity to jump out of the car along the way, stood at the entrance of her family’s front yard and looked at Yuan Shuai anxiously.

This was also the time when crows return to their nests, and the bleak caws that followed each other made the dusky sunset and the cold wind seem particularly sad.

Yuan Shai could feel her unease, so he stepped forward and patted her back. “Let’s go in,” he said, and then took her hand to pull her towards the front yard.

“I’ll smoke a cigarette first.” Jiang Jun had a little stage fright.

“You can die even more miserably if you want, but don’t drag me down with you!” Yuan Shuai pulled her more forcefully, wanting to pinch her to death on the spot.

Jiang Jun was resigned to being dragged up the steps by him. One step, two steps…when they were just halfway there, the door opened.

She lifted her head, saw the relatives that she hadn’t seen for many years, and burst into tears.

Her grandma and her mother took turns complaining about how cruel she was in not returning home, and the tears were nonstop. Yuan Shuai sighed and walked into the house first.

After she hugged her grandma and mom, crying, her grandma wiped away her tears and said, “It’s okay, now that you’re back, it’s okay. Your grandfather is in the parlor,* hurry up and go see him. Don’t be afraid, your father is also there.”   

[T/N literally “flower hall” but a reception pavilion, often built with the garden, which tells you that Jiang Jun’s family house is a large residence, once again alluding to her family status]

Jiang Jun bowed her head and walked behind her grandma and mother to the parlor. When they got to the door of the parlor, Grandmother motioned for her not to go in yet, and the three women hid outside listening around the corner of the wall.

“Yuan Shuai, this time I really have to thank you. We all know Jiang Jun’s temperament, she’s so stubborn that she wouldn’t budge even if eight horses were pulling her. You’ve really taken a lot of trouble for this.”

“Uncle Zhong, Junjun wanted to come back a long time ago, but her face was too thin,* isn’t everything all right now?” [T/N too embarrassed/ashamed]

“Dad, the child has come home now, so don’t be angry anymore. Later, we’ll have her kneel down to you and confess to her mistakes.”

“It’s all because we spoiled her, this is all self-inflicted.” Hearing the sound of her grandfather tapping his smoking pipe, Jiang Jun flattened her mouth and tugged at her grandma’s sleeve. Grandmother gently pinched her face. Jiang Jun stealthily stuck out her head to take a look at the situation, just in time to see Yuan Shuai, that flatterer, squat down to help her grandfather put the loose tobacco into his pipe. The old man’s expression didn’t seem too angry.

“The same is true for you. When she’s being ignorant and you still always let her have her way, when is she going to be able to grow up?” 

“Grandfather, you know what Jiang Jun’s situation has been like all these years. No matter what hardship she suffered away from home, she endured it all, saying that she couldn’t embarrass her family. Actually, she was afraid that you would say that she was a disappointment and failed to live up expectations. She’s known since a long time ago that she was wrong.”

“Yeah, Dad, didn’t you always use to say that she had the temperament most like yours, and that she has the blood of the Shandong men in her bones? You even said that if she were from the past, she would be a Guanzhong warrior woman.”

“Don’t excuse her, I know the character of my own granddaughter. Call that wretch over and have them serve the food and get ready for the meal.”

Grandmother gestured for Jiang Jun to go inside, but Jiang Jun shook her head and hit behind her. “Silly girl, do you think your grandfather will still eat you?” Grandmother took her by the arm and dragged her inside.

When the old man heard the noise at the door, he raised his eyebrows and shouted, “Come here, what are you doing sneaking around like that? You’re getting more and more unruly!”

Jiang Jun bowed her head and walked step by step to her grandfather. “Grandfather, I’ve come back. Grandfather, I was wrong.” She looked from the corner of her eye at her grandma and when the old lady pursed her lips, she immediately knelt down and hugged her grandpa’s leg, setting up a cry. “Grandfather, I’m sorry, I know I was wrong! Grandfather, hit me, scold me, I know I was wrong, I made you sad!”

“Is that any use? Ever since you were young, when haven’t you forgotten the lesson as soon as the pain faded?”

“I really know I was wrong, how about I write down a guarantee? The kind written in blood.”

“Zhong Jiangjun, are you itching for a spanking or what?”

“Then beat me, I’m willing! Grandfather, how about you send me to Tibet as a soldier, I promise to defend the country well.”

“How on earth did our old Zhong house raise such a little debt collector like you?”

There was a gust of wind and the cane landed on her thigh, not too gently but not too heavily.

Jiang Jun breathed a sigh of relief and made a V sign behind her back, but she didn’t know who kicked her ass from behind, making her suck in air from the pain.

After the meal, Yuan Shuai ignored her winking, said his goodbyes, and left.

Jiang Jun was taken to the small conference room for the third trial.

The old man said, “You’ve had enough fun and games outside, you should settle down. You’re already 30 years old, it’s time to think about the grand scheme of your life.  In a few days, let your grandma help you make some arrangements, it’ll be good to take care of things while your parents are also around.”

“Grandfather, how old am I, to get married?”

Her mom handed her an apple. “Oh yes, you’re still so young, when I was your age you were already in elementary school.”

“Mom, who gets married so early nowadays?”

“You’re a woman, what does it look like for you to be messing around outside!”

“Grandma, how am I messing around? I’m working hard and making progress every day. Didn’t you and grandpa always teach me not to follow the example of those spoiled kids with rich parents, and instead be motivated?”

“Speak properly, don’t be cheeky.” Her mother glared at Jiang Jun.

Jiang Jun felt very wronged.  “I don’t go around showing off under the name of the old Zhong family, I just want to live independently.”

“Work has to be worked, young people still have to have their own career,” her dad spoke up.

It was still her father who felt bad for her. Jiang Jun ran over to sit beside him and lean against him. Her father took a look at Jiang Jun and continued, “But getting married is still important. There’s no conflict between having a career and having a family. I think Yuan Shuai is a good kid, haven’t you two always been very close?”

“That’s right, what else are you looking for? Isn’t Yuanyuan ready-made for you? I’m still waiting to hold my great-grandson. We are so old, how long can we wait? If you really love your grandmother, just hurry up and give your grandmother a great-grandson.”

“I don’t want great-grandchildren, if there are others Grandmother won’t love me anymore.” Jiang Jun saw that the situation was wrong and shamelessly ran back to her grandmother’s side.

Her mother scolded, “What nonsense!”

The old man raised his eyebrows, “Zhong Jiang Jun, are you looking for a beating again?”

“My dear Grandpa, wouldn’t it be good for me to stand by your side and honor you with filial piety for two years? Do you really have the heart to make me into someone else’s angry little daughter-in-law?”

“I can’t wait to send you little plague demon out of the house.” The old man knocked on her foot with the cane. “Forget it, since this wretch just came back, she can rest well for a few days and we’ll discuss it later. Be good and stay at home these few days, don’t go out being wild!”

Jiang Jun smiled, stood at attention and saluted, “Yes, Chief!”

Late at night, Jiang Jun lay in bed, tossing about and unable to fall asleep. She took out her phone and sent a text Yuan Shuai: Asleep?

Soon there was a reply: No, is it over?

Jiang Jun: It’s over early, what are you doing?

Yuan Shuai: I miss you.

Jiang Jun: Me too.

The phone rang immediately and she hurriedly picked up, looking around with a guilty conscience.

“What are you doing? They’re all asleep,” Jiang Jun whispered.

Yuan Shuai also lowered his voice, “Are you in your own room?”