Silent Separation (何以笙箫默) – Gu Man (Final Epilogue 3.3)

January 25, 2015 by peanuts 52 Comments

As I’ve written before unfortunately all good things in life must come to an end so this is the final epilogue for the novel, sob sob…. The drama will also end tonight so I am in line with my Wallace Chung, not a step in front or behind 😛 What do you expect but happy ending with a baby to complete the family of three. Of course they’ll live happily ever after in the novel as well as in our heart.

Firstly I want to thank my co-translator lidge for her help, tolerance and dedication in completing this translation as well as Shan Shan. Then I want to thank the readers for their patient, comments and support. After 2 Gu Man’s novels, I need a break so don’t expect speedy update for Blazing Sunlight. Anyway Gu Man is still writing book 2 which will take sometime to get published so I can take my own sweet time 😛  I also want to take this opportunity to wish bongsd a Happy Birthday. May she finds her He Yi Chen and have a He Zhao 🙂

Epilogue 3.3: Year After Year (translated by peanuts and edited by lidge)

Mo Sheng’s life after marriage was good. Yi Mei was most envious of her flexible working hours and also that she can run around outside during working hours. As for her frequently going conveniently to look for her husband to have a meal or calling a driver with the surname He to pick her up after traveling far and so on, Yi Mei has already gave up on being envious of her. Mo Sheng accompanied her to go for a check-up today so Yi Mei took this opportunity to complain once again: “You are still the happiest, so carefree. I am afraid I won’t have time to go shopping soon as I’ll need to stay at home and take care of the kid every day. Arrrgh, this is all Zhang Xu’s fault because I don’t have the slightest urge to have a child so early.”

“It is not early, this is the best time to give birth.” Mo Sheng said.

Actually, Yi Mei was not really complaining so when Mo Sheng said that, she felt happy. She was concerned about Mo Sheng: “Then when are you and Yi Chen planning to have a child?”

“I’ve always wanted ah.”

Yi Mei understood their situation, thought for a moment before saying: “Mo Sheng, do you think it could be because of auntie and uncle? As a result, Yi Chen is a little conflicted about having a child?”

Mo Sheng said in anguish: “I don’t know. I guess there must be a little la. Aiya, let nature take its course.”

Yi Mei gave birth to a daughter. The little girl was very cute and fair. Mo Sheng liked her very much and visited Yi Mei every few days.

Sometimes, Yi Chen went with her, but when he was busy, he picked her up at night. The little girl was very fond of her uncle. Whenever Yi Chen came, she would “squeak,” wanting her uncle to carry her. At that time, the aunt and everyone else can only stand aside.

Yi Mei smiled when looking at her daughter pestering her uncle. She turned her head to speak to Mo Sheng: “I can see that Yi Chen doesn’t dislike kids. Shouldn’t you find an opportunity to have a proper chat with him?”

Mo Sheng looked at her and nodded her head.

She cannot conceal what was in her heart. Thus, after they came out of Yi Mei’s house, she can’t help but ask about the doubts in her heart: “Yi Chen, you don’t like kids?”

“No.”

“Is it because of the relationship with your father and mother?”

She did not beat around the bush, only holding Yi Chen’s hand while saying this.

Yi Chen frowned: “What foolish thoughts are you having?”

“Then why?”

Yi Chen stopped in his tracks and fixed his attention on her. He wanted to say something, but said nothing. A trace of rarely seen awkwardness gradually appeared on his face. In the end, he said in a helpless tone: “I am thinking that we’ve just got together so I don’t want another person to join in the fun.”

Mo Sheng widened her eyes. Huh, what kind of reason was that ……

As it turned out, that was the reason ……

Then she could not help but laugh.

Yi Chen felt a bit annoyed and said: “Since you are so desperate to have a child, then we’ll have one.”

“Huh?” Mo Sheng stopped laughing and looked at him.

“Let nature take its course.” Yi Chen’s meaning was not to painstakingly go and conceive a child.

However, Mo Sheng was too happy. She immediately threw herself on him and hugged him happily: “Yi Chen, we quickly go home to let nature take its course!”

---

Under normal circumstances, lawyer He’s defense ability was top-notch. However, when Zhao Mo Sheng took the initiative and was passionate, then that so-called He Yi Chen’s firewall would be penetrated in a short while.

As a result, very quickly, they let nature take its course ……

Mo Sheng’s menstruation was a week late. Yi Chen very calmly went to buy the pregnancy test kit. Then when getting the test result, he still behaved very calmly as before.

He gave Lao Yuan a call first. “You take over the Zhou family’s case because I can’t spare the time.”

Then under Lao Yuan’s questioning, he seemingly calm and collected said: “I’ve to take care of Mo Sheng …… Sick? No, maybe she’s pregnant.”

Taking advantage of Lao Yuan being blown to pieces and his soul crushed, he hung up the phone. Then he called the president of the city’s best maternity hospital, who he had helped to resolve a legal dispute before. “Hello President Zhang, I’m He Yi Chen ……”

He also called Yi Mei: “Pack those books and information you’ve read during your pregnancy. I’ll go and get them later.”

Mo Sheng sat on the sofa and stared blankly at him, who was methodically arranging everything. Then she asked: “Then what should I do?”

Yi Chen looked at her and clearly felt that it was the hardest to make arrangements for her. He sighed, stooped and embraced her: “Oh ya, what should you do?”

Mo Sheng held out her hands to encircle his waist. Suddenly, her entire being was being swept by emotions that were so moving until she wanted to cry: “Yi Chen, I’m so happy.”

She thought after getting back with Yi Chen, her life was complete.  As it turned out, outside of completeness, there can be even more completeness.

Yi Chen let her hug him.

Mo Sheng asked: “Yi Chen, how about you?”

His reply was cautious, and he gently hugged her.

---

Probably inherited the father’s character because baby He was very well-behaved. He followed strictly the schedule to grow, when he should be at which stage, not even a little early or late. Yi Mei quipped: “The future character of this baby will probably be like big brother.”

Yi Chen will surely accompanied her to go to every checkups. It just happened that Yi Mei brought her baby to take an immunization injection today so they went together. Yi Mei asked: “Big brother, do you wish for a daughter or a son?”

Yi Chen said: “All is good.”

Yi Mei smilingly said: “You are right, it is best to have twins, a male and a female. Daughter resembles Mo Sheng will be very cute. As for son, will resemble Yi Chen. This will be perfect.”

Mo Sheng said: “Definitely not. Yi Chen said, daughter must resemble him so she will not be deceived and follow people away. The son must also resemble him, then other people, cough cough, so other people will be deceived by him.”

In fact, Yi Chen’s original words for last sentence was —— “The son must also resemble him so other people will chase after him.”

Mo Sheng will definitely not utter those words because it would be too embarrassing!

Yi Mei burst out laughing loudly.

---

Mo Sheng’s body started to grow heavier each day. Her general well-being was good, except for her sudden urge to eat. Food that she did not like to eat before or never thought of eating, she did not know how they will appear in her brain and make her crave badly.

As a result, Yi Chen had to take time to study the cookbooks and improve his skill.

Before Mo Sheng got pregnant, both of them often went out to eat. However, nowadays there are so many harmful ingredients concealed in the food so taking into consideration of the child’s health, Mo Sheng had been eating at home since pregnancy.

Of course, Yi Chen was more skilful at cooking than Mo Sheng, but he was only skilful, not superb. Before, Mo Sheng was very satisfied with his cooking but after her pregnancy, she became picky. She had complained subtly about him on more than one occasion: “Yi Chen, why are you a lawyer? It would be good if you are a cook.”

At this moment, all kinds of retorts were useless so lawyer He quietly endured. Using his slowly improving cooking skill, he fed Mo Sheng until she became chubby.

On a certain midnight in October, the plump Mo Sheng was pushed into the delivery room and successfully gave birth to an eight pounds, heavy baby boy.

When she was being pushed out of the delivery room, a gleam of light was shining on the horizon, the glimmer from the first rays of the morning sun. Yi Chen, who was ordered to stay outside by Mo Sheng, quickly walked over and held her hand.

Mo Sheng complained to him in a soft voice: “Extremely painful, it is all your fault.”

“Yes, it is all my fault.” Suddenly, the eloquent lawyer was at a lost for words. He lowered his head and kissed her forehead.

What Mo Sheng meant was she blamed Yi Chen for looking after her too well, resulting in great difficulty in giving birth to a big baby. However, the nurse apparently misunderstood. Even though she was used to seeing all kinds of situation in the delivery room, she also can’t help but snicker.

Only then, Mo Sheng realised the ambiguity of her words and started to blush. She turned her head and while looking at the baby, said: “Quick, take a look at the baby I’ve given birth to.”

Yi Chen looked at the chubby baby, who had his eyes closed, and started to smile: “Yes, Mo Sheng is awesome.”

Yi Chen seldom smiled so she felt a sense of relief. A smile from the bottom of the heart was the most lethal. Both Mo Sheng and the nurse stared in awe.

---

Just now in the delivery room, the chubby little baby was still crying loudly. However, when he was picked up by his dad for the first time, he was very obedient, did not cry or make any noise. He just squeaked and tried hard to wave his tiny arms and legs. He also conveniently spit some saliva on his dad’s suit. However, the dad’s suit was not so well-ironed and neat like usual because he had spent the night outside the delivery room. Thus, a little more saliva won’t matter.

Returning to the ward, a hot breakfast had already been prepared for a long time. Mo Sheng ate something and tidied herself. Then she felt tired and fell asleep.

When she woke up, it was already afternoon. In the midst of the sounds of muffled conversation, she opened her eyes. Mo Sheng saw the room filled with sunshine. Yi Chen immediately discovered that she has waken up and let her drank some water. Yi Mei and her husband Zhang Xu gathered together in front of her bed.

Yi Mei reminded and warned repeatedly on matters that she should take note of. Finally, she remembered to ask: “By the way, what is the name of the little baby?”

Mo Sheng shook her head: “Have not decided yet.”

Yi Mei said: “Quickly decide on it. Don’t be like us, filled the birth certificate later.”

Mo Sheng thought for a moment and looked at Yi Chen. Yi Chen seemed to have already pondered over it when he said, “Today, the sun is very bright. In that case, let’s call him He Zhao, as in the sun shining.” [Zhao in Chinese means to shine or to take (a photo)]

Yi Mei was stupefied: “Ah? Just like that?”

She started to protest: “Yi Chen, you are too slack in naming your son. When the sun is shining brightly, you call him He Zhao? Then what if it is a cloudy day, you will call him He Bu Zhao (Not shining)? Mo Sheng, you agreed to it!”

Mo Sheng looked at Yi Chen and could not help smiling. She winked and said: “Very good ah.”

Yi Mei was completely defeated by them.

He Zhao He Zhao, Yi Mei read out the name again twice. Suddenly, she discovered: “Oh, Zhao Zhao? The homonym of Mo Sheng’s surname?”

Yi Chen: ” …… coincidence.”

It was really a coincidence as Yi Chen did not do that intentionally. However, Yi Mei did not believe him. She rubbed her arms and said: “That must be it. Mo Sheng, the two of you are really nauseating.”

Zhang Xu was making fun of them at the side by saying: “I also feel it is pretty good. This kind of naming is so easy and saves trouble. How come we never thought of it?”

Yi Mei glared at him and said with displeasure and annoyance: “Why are you following the crowd? If you name our daughter Zhang He, in the future she will hate you.”

Both of them stayed for a while only. Zhang Xu had to go back to the office to settle something whereas Yi Mei was concerned about her baby at home, so she did not stay too long. They left together. Yi Chen got up to see them out.

Mo Sheng laid on the bed alone. She wanted to restrain herself, but in the end also could not resist as the corners of her mouth slowly curved upward. She turned her body and gently kissed the forehead of the sleeping baby. Then she softly told him: “Dad likes you very much. He says you are his little sun ah, just like your mother.”

He Zhao.

The sun was shining.

My sunshine.

---

Two years later, a baby, who had Zhao Mo Sheng’s quick-witted big eyes but was fond of looking serious, raised a serious question about the mystery of life: “Mom, the other children were given birth to, but I was developed? Like a photo is developed?”

Mo Sheng: “…… Ah?”

The little baby looked serious and confused: “Otherwise, why does everyone say shoot ‘He Zhao’?”

Yi Chen smiled and bent down to pick up his son, who was tugging at his clothes. He misled the serious baby in an irresponsible manner: “You were really shot out. At that time, if it were not for your mummy secretly photographing your daddy without his permission, there would not be you now ……”

This was a sunny afternoon just like many years ago. At the tree-lined avenue, the sweet scent of trees and grass floated in the air. On the grid pavement, it reflected the long and short silhouettes of a family of three ……

This kind of good weather was suitable to go out, was suitable to shoot a picture of a person without permission, was suitable to walk hand in hand with you.

---

He Zhao’s Epilogue

Mom was not at home so He Zhao was picked up from nursery school to the law firm by his dad, who just got back from court.

The most idle person in the law firm, Lao Yuan immediately took out the lollipop he had prepared earlier and amused He Zhao with all kind of topics.

“When Zhao Zhao is grown up, will he be a lawyer or a photographer?”

“Photographer.” He Zhao’s expression was very determined.

“Why?” Lao Yuan immediately felt lost. The son inheriting his father’s job would be so good. He Yi Chen’s gene has quality assurance.

He Zhao said with the courage of conviction: “Because a photographer has to carry a camera bag and a lawyer also has to carry a bag. Both also need to carry a bag so why do two jobs?”