(Anyone follow the Bundesliga? Almonda?)
After this chapter, can anyone say anymore that Zhousheng Chen is not attracted to Shi Yi? Did our reserved scientist surprise you? 😀 This is an interesting chapter with tidbits of information being dropped. I’ll take any speculations and predictions or “I knew it!” from you guys, just to hear what you’re all thinking. 🙂
Chapter 9.2 – How Can Love be Unraveled? (2)
This story was translated with the express permission of the author for hui3r[dot]wordpress[dot]com only. All forms of reproduction, redistribution, or re-posting are not authorized. If you are not reading this from hui3r[dot]wordpress[dot]com, the copy is unauthorized and has been taken without consent of the translator.
Please do not re-post this anywhere.
He slept for approximately two hours and then woke up naturally at seven thirty.
Shi Yi was stil fast asleep, and from Zhousheng Chen’s angle, he could see the curving outline of the side profile of her face. He followed it to her neck and could even see her fine, smooth skin within the neckline of her pajamas. He gazed at her like this for some time, an indescribable feeling in his heart. Shi Yi shifted gently, and her hand that had been clutching his shirt collar, for just a moment, loosened a little before quickly tightening its grip again.
He pushed himself up slightly and softly called her, “Shi Yi?”
It was uncertain whether she was answering from within her dream or that she was simply dazed and half-awake still, but she gave a “hmm.”
He deliberated for a little while, but in the end, he chose to lower his head and begin to kiss the exposed skin at her neckline. The stubble that had appeared overnight lightly rubbed against her neck. Shi Yi unconsciously retreated from it, so he let his kisses trail down her collarbone. He undid two of her pajama buttons, allowing some of the lovely and exquisite sight within to show.
“Zhousheng Chen?” She awoke, her voice groggy.
“Mm.”
Their bodies were pressed together, fitting tightly against one another.
She could feel the change in his body, and there was also the suggestive atmosophere from being in a half-awake and dreamlike state. Her throat was somewhat dry, and as her face and ears burned red, she could not help wiggling her body away to avoid the contact between her thigh and his lower body. “Do you want to take a shower first?”
“No, it’s alright,” he replied in a low voice. “I just want to hold you in my arms.”
His actions were not quite consistent with his words, however.
Shi Yi did not say anything more. She could feel his lips were truly simply kissing her, brushing against her neck, collarbone, and chest, neither advancing with his actions nor retreating. Under that thin quilt, the two of them were intimate with one another, and it could even be said, it was almost a form of torture.
“Have you ever read ‘Rhapsody of the Imperial Park’?” he asked.
Shi Yi answered with a faint “mm-hmm.”
She had never once mentioned “Rhapsody of the Imperial Park” to him and did not expect that he would be the one to first bring it up.
“The first time I saw you, I thought of the line in ‘Rhapsody of the Imperial Park’ that describes a woman.” Zhousheng Chen discovered that letting go of her would be even harder than he had expected, so he forced himself to speak softly to interrupt his body’s desire for her. “’Truly extraordinary, matchless in this world. Beguiling and bewitching, elegant and refined.[1]’ The description in these words is very appropriate to you.”
This was the first time he had ever spoken about their initial meeting.
And it was also the first time he had said something to her that was like the sweet, romantic words between lovers.
With her eyes closed, a smile spread across her face.
She stretched out her hand, trying to touch his face. Zhousheng Chen obliged, halting his words and allowing her fingers to caress his browbone, eyes, and the length of his nose. Shi Yi’s motions were very gentle, and there was even a sense that they contained feelings he did not quite understand.
“Even the best outward appearances will one day be faced with aging and deterioration of that former beauty. In my heart, you are the best.” In a gentle voice, she said, “Beautiful bones. Rare in this world. Those with bone do not have skin. Those with skin do not have bone. Most people’s eyes are shallow, seeing only the skin-deep appearance and not the bones. I can feel your beautiful bones.”
Those subtle rises and drops of the bridge of his nose and his browbone had not changed in the slightest.
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The schedule for this conference held by the Committee of Space Research was very full, and although there was an entire week, the two of them did not have much time spent together. Shi Yi was one who could entertain herself, and after she had analyzed and was clear on his very detailed schedule, she voluntarily left him alone and simply strolled casually around Bremen.
It happened to be Bundesliga[2] season, and she was even rather interested in going to watch a live game of football.
She had never had a boyfriend before, but Hong Xiaoyu was a hardcore German football fan and had instilled in her all sorts of football knowledge so that, as she sat there in the stadium stands, she was even able to recognize some of the more well-known defenders, strikers, and midfielders.
When she told Hong Xiaoyu that she was at the football stadium, Hong Xiaoyu immediately phoned her, insisting that she wanted to experience the atmosphere as well.
Fortunately, the seat beside Shi Yi was empty so she at least did not disturb anyone.
“Shi Yi, Shi Yi, next time bring me along, kay?” Inside the phone, Hong Xiaoyu cried with a sobbing tone, “You’ve found yourself a rich boy and now you’ve dumped me. I’ll pay for my own plane ticket. You only need to provide room and board, ah~”
“Okay, okay, next time I’ll pay for your food and accommodations,” Shi Yi agreed amusedly. She thought for a moment and added, “But next time, I may not necessarily be going to Germany.”
Hong Xiaoyu gibbered away and continued her complaints.
As Shi Yi listened to her, she felt for her bottle of spring water beside her and was surprised when someone picked it up first and handed it to her.
She lifted her head. She had not expected that she would encounter Zhou Wenchuan.
“What a coincidence,” she marveled.
“Not really a coincidence.” Zhou Wenchuan sat down beside her. “I’ve been in Bremen for a week already. I’ve been wanting to meet up with you.”
Shi Yi was a little perplexed but did not pursue the matter. She took her bottle of water back from him. “You’re in Bremen, too? Your older brother never mentioned it to me.”
“He never told you?”
“Mm-hmm.”
Zhou Wenchuan smiled. “Maybe he was worried you might misunderstand.”
“Misunderstand?”
“Misunderstand things between him and my wife.” Zhou Wenchuan did not seem to care to hide anything. “You may not know that my wife, Tong Jiaren had once been engaged to him. It was when they were both still very young. It was also for this reason that my wife basically followed in his footsteps when she was studying, always attending the schools he was at or had studied at. In other words, you can say they grew up together.”
In those prior few times she had met Tong Jiaren, she had already sensed the particular care she seemed to pay Zhousheng Chen, but she had not expected that it would reach back so far and deep. Most of his time in the first half of his life was spent with Tong Jiaren?
Zhou Wenchuan carried on, “Later, for some particular reasons, their engagement was cancelled, and then after that, for some other reasons, I married her.” Zhou Wenchuan seemed, too, to feel that he was speaking very vaguely and shook his head with a self-mocking smile. “There are many complicated stories behind this. If you have the chance, I think you can ask my older brother.”
She nodded. She could guess that those things that Zhou Wenchuan had chosen to keep secret and not talk about, without a doubt, involved many gray area matters.
She was unsure whether she was ready to hear Zhousheng Chen tell her about the Zhou family’s background, so she did not pursue this further.
“So, you came here because your wife is here?” She thought back to that phrase, “worried you might misunderstand,” that he had used at the very beginning.
“She is just like my older brother and has chosen to devote herself to science.” Zhou Wenchuan gave a slight shrug. “I don’t really understand what it is they do. It was a coincidence that they were both invited to come this time around.”
Zhou Wenchuan said a few more things, most of it just casual conversation.
Shi Yi chatted along with him as she pretended to watch the game, all the while still pondering what the purpose of this deliberate encounter with her was. Perhaps by woman’s intuition, she could sense that the feelings Zhou Wenchuan held for Zhousheng Chen were not as deep as his sister’s. Whether it was because of Tong Jiaren or some other reason, she knew that she could not completely trust this person.
<>Copyright of Fanatical, hui3r[dot]wordpress[dot]com. Translated with the express permission of the author for hui3r[dot]wordpress[dot]com only. Please do not repost this anywhere, including, but not limited to, on Wattpad, on personal blogs, as distributable electronic files, etc.
After the game, the two of them left the stadium.
A vehicle had arrived to pick up Zhou Wenchuan. She could tell that the attendants that waited upon him as well as his driver were, like Zhousheng Chen’s attendants, those who were dedicated to serving for all their family’s generations. They were all refined, polite, and proper, and every time they opened their mouths to address them, they used “Miss Shi Yi” or “Second Young Master.”
In a low voice, Zhou Wenchuan asked whether Tong Jiaren had already returned to the hotel. After a middle-aged man dressed in a black suit nodded in answer, he then turned to Shi Yi and inquired, “Did my older brother arrange for a car to pick you up? Do you need me to drive you back to your hotel?”
Shaking her head, she declined politely and made up a reason, “No thanks. I’ve arranged to meet up with a friend.”
Zhou Wenchuan raised his eyebrow slightly. He seemed to know that this was merely an excuse, but he did not expose her.
From one of the attendants beside him, he took an ordinary-looking envelope and handed it to Shi Yi. “This item here, I believe, should belong to you. Marriages in the Zhou family have always been arranged by the elders of one’s parents’ generation. Love is greater than any other benefit that could be gained. From the standpoint of my family, I greatly value my marriage and hope that Miss Shi Yi, you will choose, like me, to remain silent. At the same time, however, this matter must be resolved.”
Taking it from him, she watched as he got into his vehicle and left, and then she felt through that sealed envelope.
She could feel that, inside the entire envelope, there was only a very small object, and from its shape, it should be a ring.
She did not open it up immediately.
After returning to the hotel, she first washed her heads and poured herself a glass of warm water before she opened that envelope and pulled out from inside it the ring that was identical to Zhousheng Chen’s wedding band. It was a very simple ring, without any unnecessary adornments or even designs. She examined it carefully and very quickly, on the inside of the band, saw the engraved words, “The ninth day of the fourth month of the year of Xin-mao[3].”
Even though she did not often translate dates back into the Lunar calendar, she still would not forget that this particular date was May 11th of this year.
This was the ring he had lost. There was no mistaking it.
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Shi Yi slid the ring onto her own finger. Her fingers were slender, and therefore, his ring on her finger was, of course, very large. As she gently twirled the ring around her finger for a little while, the trace of jealousy she had felt earlier disappeared. While she still somewhat cared that he and Tong Jiaren had grown up together since childhood, she was certain that he did not know about this.
No one would be so foolish that he would gift someone else with his wedding ring that had his wedding anniversary engraved on it.
Furthermore, that person was Zhousheng Chen, and with his intelligence…
While she was lightly exhaling a breath, the door was pushed open from the outside, and Zhousheng Chen stepped into the room before closing the door behind him.
Shi Yi raised her head to glance at him, and as she did so, for some reason, she suddenly thought of the intimacy they had shared this morning. She quickly pulled her gaze away. “I ran into your younger brother today.”
Zhousheng Chen placed his jacket on the couch. “He came looking for you?”
“Mm-hmm. And watched half a game of football with me.”
He was about to sit down when he saw the ring on her finger and was taken aback briefly. In an instant, though, he was able to deduce the specifics of the entire situation. “He gave that to you?”
“Mm-hmm.”
“And did he also tell you the nature of the relationship between Tong Jiaren and I?”
“Mm-hmm.”
“How clear was he about it?” In an upfront manner, he sat down and asked, “Do you need me to add or clarify anything?”
Seeing him so composed and calm, she was actually somewhat puzzled. “You aren’t worried that I’ll get mad?”
Zhousheng Chen smiled, “Your intelligence is quite acceptable, and you should have the capability to reason.”
With a “pfft,” she burst out in laughter. “Thank you for the compliment.”
“She and I have known each other since we were children, and we have studied at the same schools all throughout the years. Even now, we will occasionally have work exchanges and collaborations.” Zhousheng Chen seemed to be a little thirsty. He glanced at her glass that Shi Yi had set on the table, and with a very natural action, he reached over, picked it up, and took a drink from it. “Later, her sister married my [paternal] uncle[4], and she and I cancelled our engagement. Later still, for reasons that I am not sure of myself, she and Wenchuan were married.”
A concise clarification that very directly explained the questions.
She thought to herself, they had grown up together and had been engaged all that time, but then, because of such a bizarre situation, they had broken off their betrothal. He must still have a place in Tong Jiaren’s heart. Plus, Zhou Wenchuan had also said that she and Zhousheng Chen had similar aspirations and interests and were the same type of people.
Spinning the ring around her finger, her thoughts seemed to drift haphazardly as she pondered.
When her gaze finally wandered back, she discovered that he was staring at her with a thoughtful expression.
<>Copyright of Fanatical, hui3r[dot]wordpress[dot]com. Translated with the express permission of the author for hui3r[dot]wordpress[dot]com only. Please do not repost this anywhere, including, but not limited to, on Wattpad, on personal blogs, as distributable electronic files, etc.
[1]绝殊离俗，妖冶娴都. This time, I did quote directly from this translation of Rhapsody of the Imperial Park. Stanza VI, verses 407-408.
[2] German professional football (soccer) league
[3]辛卯年，四月初九. “四月初九” means the “ninth day of the fourth month”, and in this case, it is referring to the Lunar calendar, not the Gregorian. 辛卯年 or “the year of Xin-mao” is referencing a very traditional way of naming years using a 60 year cycle called the sexagenary cycle or the stem-branch cycle. i.e. There are 60 names, Xin-mao being one of them, for 60 different years, and after the cycle is complete, the naming of years starts from the very beginning of the cycle again. I will not dive into details except to say this 60 year cycle has been adopted since at least the time of a text called 春秋 Spring and Autumn Annals, which was composed in approximately 5th century BCE and used this system to record dates. Since then, over these thousands of years, this counting and naming of years has remained unbroken, even to this day. Anyways, the date engraved into the ring translates to May 11, 2011 in the Gregorian Calendar, Shi Yi and Zhousheng Chen’s anniversary.
[4] 叔父 “shu fu”. While in English, “uncle” is correct, the description of “shu fu” clearly is referring to Zhousheng Heng (i.e. Xiao Ren’s father).
This story was translated with the express permission of the author for hui3r[dot]wordpress[dot]com only. All forms of reproduction, redistribution, or re-posting are not authorized. If you are not reading this from hui3r[dot]wordpress[dot]com, the copy is unauthorized and has been taken without consent of the translator.
Additional Comments:
Which of you ladies was disappointed that Zhousheng Chen did not express more of his gratitude at Shi Yi’s declaration of unconditional trust? Does this satisfy your imagination yet? 😀
We all know that Shi Yi pursued this relationship because of the intensity of her feelings from her past life. I do like, here, that it shows Shi Yi is not foolish and does not allow emotion to cloud her judgement. While she once again demonstrates her trust in Zhousheng Chen, she also displays, as he put it, “her capability to reason.” Definitely not a dummy or damsel-in-distress type of female lead. 🙂
Completed:
1 of 1 Prologue
29 of 56 Main story segments
0 of 3 Epilogues
Fanatical 
June 27, 2015 at 8:13 am
Thanks Hoju for the translation. I hope you are all better now.
I have waited patiently for u to update this. Thanks again and am going to read now. YAY! 😛
July 1, 2015 at 5:34 am
The sofa for you. 🙂
(In Chinese online forums, the first comment after a posting is called the comfy “sofa” position.)
June 27, 2015 at 8:27 am
I’m pretty sure Zhousheng Chen prefers a smart wife who is capable of reasoning things than one is a damsel in distress. I hate the weak-willed female leads…they make me face-palm myself.
Him staring at Shi Yi has piqued my curiousity~ I wonder what he’s thinking…Or perhaps he’s admiring her profile while thinking 🙂
July 1, 2015 at 5:37 am
Yes, he does make mention of something along that lines later in the story. It’s not necessarily that Shi Yi can stand equal to Zhousheng Chen (who can, with his intelligence, composure, background, etc?) but her maturity, resolve, and unconditional support to him that draws him to her.
Hmm… maybe both?
June 27, 2015 at 8:27 am
Reading your updates never fails to brighten up my day! Thank you and be well!
July 1, 2015 at 5:37 am
I’m glad I can bring some sunshine to your day. 🙂 Thank you!
June 27, 2015 at 8:36 am
I was so glad to see this posted. Just seeing a new chapter posted makes me smile, and the content was lovely and provided a much needed pick-me-up. Thank you!
July 1, 2015 at 6:09 am
🙂 So happy this gave you a smile. You are welcome!
June 27, 2015 at 8:41 am
Thank you!!!
I haven’t really doubted his attraction to her physically since he has initiated some kisses and she’s been described as gorgeous.
I do like that we’re beginning to see some development in his relationship with her. Hopefully there will be more. ^_^
July 1, 2015 at 6:11 am
I have always sensed an attraction, since Xi’an, when he did not turn down her request for a tour of the lab. That is not typical of him. However he has always had great control of that attraction. Even the naughty kiss on the phone, he was in control. Here, though, you can feel he is giving into that physical attraction, accepting it, even experimenting with it. So the development in his relationship with her has always been there, just very slow. But I promised that there will always be progress, so of course that means there will be more…
June 27, 2015 at 10:08 am
Thankyou for the chapter hoju!
I had thought it was something like a unrequited love for tong jiaren does that mean the rumours are somewhat true about the death of the pregnant cousin wife? Or was that because of the past relationship that she was targeted? I’m so excited for the next chapter 🙂
July 1, 2015 at 6:15 am
You mean the connection of Tong Jiaren to Tang Xiaofu’s death? Nothing has been confirmed about the murder case yet, but going back to read what the maid’s had gossiped about, now that you have read about Tong Jiaren’s relationship with Zhousheng Chen, might shed some more light on that conversation. 😉
June 27, 2015 at 10:11 am
Didn’t Shi Yi see Zhou Wenchou with Wang Man before?Is Wenchou cheating his wife?
July 1, 2015 at 6:16 am
I promised not to give spoilers. However, yes, Shi Yi witnessed Zhou Wenchuan and Wang Man getting into a car together, acting like “any ordinary couple.” 🙂
June 27, 2015 at 10:37 am
I remember that Zhousheng Chen told her that he lost his ring but we don’t know the where & when of it yet, right? That’s the real mystery of this scene for me.
July 1, 2015 at 6:18 am
Yup. Zhousheng Chen only said that he took it off to wash his hands and could not find it again after.
June 27, 2015 at 10:50 am
Huaa.. Is tong jiaren his first love? Ygh please not.. I just dislike ‘first love drama’ back and forth haha..
Btw did they ‘make it’? Or only ‘play’ around 😛 but she’s already married to him on the paper, correct?
Ah.. Im looking forward to know what’s next!!!! His gaze aaaahhh.. Im curious! Thanks hoju..
July 1, 2015 at 6:24 am
Three points:
(1) Zhousheng Chen had to research how to kiss. Therefore, he was not experienced in this department before kissing Shi Yi.
(2) Chapter 7.1: In the library tower, Zhou Wenxing had sensed the joy that Zhousheng Chen had never previously had and had thought, prior to Shi Yi, her scientist brother had never shown any interest in women before.
(3) Zhousheng Chen very frankly asked if Shi Yi needed him to explain any further. Open, honest, nothing to hide. If there were emotions involved, I believe he would have clarified.
Now, you can draw your own conclusions regarding what was his relationship before with Tong Jiaren, even though they were technically engaged.
As for, did they “make it.” Haha. Yui, leave it to you to ask me this. “She could feel his lips were truly simply kissing her, brushing against her neck, collarbone, and chest, neither advancing with his actions nor retreating. Under that thin quilt, the two of them were intimate with one another, and it could even be said, it was almost a form of torture.” If he did not “advance” with his actions and they felt tortured (i.e. did not get any relief), do you think they “made it”?
Yes, they are legally married. He has the paper sanctioning him to do “it.” 😉
July 1, 2015 at 10:19 am
haha.. okay.. i would think ‘they almost made it’ LOLS..
thank youuuu now i know his feeling for shi yi more and more.. ah such a gentleman.. im gonna read the next chapter.. wait for my comment haha
July 4, 2015 at 5:24 am
What’s your definition of “almost?” :p
June 27, 2015 at 11:39 am
Yui according to your comment. I think it is more like ZC treated TJR as a sister whereas she has unrequited love for him. One sided love from her side.
I hope so.
June 29, 2015 at 7:50 am
I agree with you.
July 1, 2015 at 6:54 am
😉
July 1, 2015 at 10:20 am
reading hoju’s comment, i also think so 😀
June 27, 2015 at 11:48 am
Shi Yi never fails to impress me with her calm and thoughtful nature. Certainly like her pragmatic behavior. I wonder how the ring came to be in the younger bro’s possession. And of course, Zhousheng Chen is just entertaining! Don’t know why, but I am always anticipating and enjoying his interactions with Shi Yi. Also as usual, thank you for the translation and the update!
July 1, 2015 at 6:59 am
Zhousheng Chen is captivating to watch because he seems like such a paradox. How can he be so nerdy, yet so gentlemanly? So inexperienced with romance, yet know so naturally how to warm her heart? Have such a complicated, scary family, yet have such a magnanimous heart?
Thank you. 🙂 Caught up on your sleep yet? :p
July 1, 2015 at 1:37 pm
You described his character so well!!! Yes, that’s why he is amazing… I seriously doubt men like him exist 😭. Oh yea, summer holidays here, so thank god no uni, so my sleeping pattern nowadays is all over the place!
June 27, 2015 at 12:07 pm
Thanks Hoju!! Hope u are getting better now. Can’t wait for next chapter.
July 1, 2015 at 7:00 am
I’ve learned to live with this lingering cough. 😦 Hope it goes away soon. Next chapter coming up shortly!
June 27, 2015 at 12:08 pm
Did Zhousheng Chen break off their engagement because TJR’s sister married his uncle?
July 1, 2015 at 7:02 am
It would be a very awkward situation, would it not? There would be a complete jumbling of the generations, which in such a traditional family, would probably be a no-no. More info to be revealed in a few chapters…
June 27, 2015 at 1:16 pm
Thank you Hoju! Really enjoying this novel and your amazing translation.
July 1, 2015 at 7:02 am
So happy to hear you are enjoying this. 🙂 You’re welcome!
June 27, 2015 at 2:00 pm
Interesting that Zhou Wenchuan quite deliberately tried to sow some seeds of doubt there. I do wonder if his motivation lies in jealousy over his wife’s apparent feelings that haven’t dissipated with time, or resentment towards ZSC and his economic plans, or maybe both. It’s great that ZSC and SY are so upfront about explaining and trusting each other though – if this was a drama, noble idiocy and misunderstandings would be the usual plot direction so this is pretty refreshing.
And I’ll allow myself a small squee as passion starts to kindle between our couple – such a lovely and intimate bed scene! Thank you for the translation!! ❤
June 28, 2015 at 6:37 pm
yea i was thinking along the same lines…but i was thinking that the jealousy he feels probably stems from wanting what ZSC has. I mean he knew that tong jiaren practically did everything in her life to be close to ZSC, he knew that but still married her? What sorta brother would do that? Its obvious he has feelings for wangman or there was something that happened between them because the scene in chapter 5.3 was really loaded scene which made me think that he didn’t marry tong jiaren out of love. Can i say this? I’m thinking that perhaps Shi yi and ZSC aren’t the only reincarnated selves from their past life? Could Zhou Wenchuan be the CP?
June 28, 2015 at 6:38 pm
By wanting what ZSC has..i mean his position, power and in a twisted sorta way his woman (tong jiaren)?
June 29, 2015 at 8:48 am
It definitely seems like his marriage was a political move and I totally agree about the scene in 5.3 – I went back and re-read it, especially taking note of SY’s initial impressions of them both. I feel like there were some tense feelings between Zhou Wenchuan and Wang Man in that scene as well; that pause as she acknowledged it had been a few years since they had seen each other definitely hints towards something romantic between them.
And yes! Reincarnation might not be limited to SY and ZSC. The crown prince would certainly be a good candidate.
June 29, 2015 at 8:41 pm
Yes! Im really curious to know exactly what SY thinks of the situation she is in in terms of his family “background”. Remember what the grandmother revealed about ZSC’s mother and uncle? (i cant remember which chapter =/). Considering how SY didn’t jst disregard it , i feel like its an important clue that probably becomes important later on
July 1, 2015 at 7:04 am
I’m enjoying your discussion. Since I have the advantage of having read the novel (several times!), I can’t chime in, but love reading your speculations. 🙂 The chapter you are looking for with the discussion with Grandmother is chapter 7.1.
I’ll just let myself squee along with you about that little scene of intimacy, then… ❤
June 27, 2015 at 3:00 pm
Hello!!!
First time commentator!
Wanted to give you a shout out and express my many thanks to you for translating this novel!
I LOVE Chinese novels and it saddens me that even though I’m Chinese, I can’t read the books in their original language nor understand the language well enough to listen to radio dramas, so I’m so so thankful and happy for wonderful people like you! 🙂
Hmmm, the thoughtful glance that Zhousheng Chen gives Shi Yi at the end… did he perhaps remember something from their past lives as a result of Shi Yi caressing his face and talking about his beautiful bones?!
Or perhaps, he realizes that Shi Yi was a little jealous, and that amused him??
I also can’t wait to find out what happens in the next update!! 😀
July 1, 2015 at 7:36 am
Hello! So glad you decided to come out. 🙂
One of the things about this novel is, not everything is explained explicitly. You may have to read between the lines at times or make your own interpretation. So, what speculation are you leaning towards? 🙂
June 27, 2015 at 5:20 pm
Every week I love Shi Yi more. She’s so honest and forthright. I love her faith and her reasoning, but I do question it slightly. I don’t want to rain down on the story as I love and adore it, especially the lack of melodrama.
She recognized him at first glance but his whole life is a mystery that he doesn’t reveal. He marries her and informs her later. He gives her multiple passports. His mother hates her. He has complicated relationships with his brother and sister-in-law. Plus a multitude of other things. He keeps dropping all these things on her and doesn’t explain them, or at least only partly. Without the past life, surely no woman would except all this without questions unless she was a complete doormat, which Shi Yi obviously isn’t. Doesn’t he feel that he should be more forthcoming? What’s he waiting for? Trust? He said they should take their time but she’s being dropped into awkward situations and only her calm and great sense are carrying her through. Also I feel that it would be nice for Shi Yi to at least question some of his actions. He’s not the same man he was before. Faith and loyalty are great but I can’t really see what he’s done to earn them in this life.
July 1, 2015 at 7:52 am
I agree, in some ways, and your fellow readers have raised similar discussion points on Shi Yi’s unconditional trust, her love of his past incarnation vs this present one, etc. I made a crazy long comment in chapter 9.1 that wasn’t directed specifically to this topic, but I think can still answer it.
I think you somewhat answered the question for me. “Without the past life, surely no woman would except all this without questions…” Shi Yi, however, does have her the memories of her past life, albeit fuzzy ones, and that sets her apart from the “complete doormats” who don’t have those past memories. The feelings she gets from those memories are intense, though. How else can you explain that, although the memories were starting to fade away with time, she forced herself to remember that she must find this person again? Like I said in that super long comment, I am personally convinced that Eleven’s love for him was first and foremost because of his character — his uprightness, values, aspirations, loyalty. He was someone who would never forsake the world. She knew it was something so engrained in him it would not change, even with reincarnation. So because of this, she dared to trust him wholeheartedly, unconditionally, in every aspect. She’s obviously curious and has questions, yet at the same time, she is also fearful of knowing more about his family as well. Shi Yi is not foolish and knows that they are more than just a rich, snobby, elitist clan. So, if he chooses not to tell her, she chooses not to ask because (1) of her trust in him and (2) of not wanting to be involved in such complicated matters because only he is important.
As for why the secrecy from Zhousheng Chen, remember we are only halfway through the story. 🙂
June 27, 2015 at 5:25 pm
Thanks Hoju for this wonderful chapter! I loved the intimate scene they had in the bed 😍
It’s so good to have a female lead that’s both beautiful and clever.
July 1, 2015 at 7:54 am
I love it in that Shi Yi is realistically smart. She is not the type that is equal to the ridiculously intelligent male lead and doesn’t need his help on anything, but she is mature, gracious, and knows what she values and she is able to reason through things, not blindly accept them unless she chooses so.
June 27, 2015 at 5:38 pm
thank so much hoju. haha. so zsc did like her from the start hehe. was thinking why he chose to marry her XD
July 1, 2015 at 9:57 am
Personal interpretation:
Yes, I think Zhousheng Chen was attracted to Shi Yi very early on. He’s obviously not blind and can acknowledge beauty when he sees it. However, I would guess the attraction stemmed first from curiosity about her and her obvious interest in him, who should otherwise be a stranger to her. Given Zhousheng Chen’s aloof personality that he shows to most other people, the fact that he went with Shi Yi to see the cherry blossoms at the temple and allowed her a tour of his laboratory already shows that he is treating her differently. And then, when he needed a fiancee, he deliberately went to Shanghai and arranged their first date. As he had told her when he posed the question of engagement, he had “favourable feelings” towards her. While that does not equate to love, I would say that it was attraction. 🙂
June 27, 2015 at 6:26 pm
Anyone smelling jealousy? It is not Shi Yi’s but ZWC’s. I think what Shi Yi felt was more dissatisfaction. ZWC and ZSC’s uncle are really shady. They were always treated a class lower just because they were born second. Like bronze medal winners are more content than sour silver medal winners. I think ZSC’s dad death is not that simple. I can’t wait for them to make cute babies like Nai He and BB.
July 1, 2015 at 10:04 am
Love the interpretations and speculations. 🙂
Yes, you will have a happy ending. 🙂
June 27, 2015 at 10:04 pm
Thanks for the chapter!
July 1, 2015 at 10:04 am
You’re welcome!
June 28, 2015 at 9:35 am
That morning when they woke up, it’s like I’m watching a scene that was suddenly cut. Oh, my frustrations.
I wanna know how his wedding ring came into Wenchuan’s possession.
Liking our heroine so much.
July 1, 2015 at 10:07 am
LOL. Use your imagination and fill in what was edited out. :p
June 29, 2015 at 2:27 pm
Thank you for the chapter.
July 1, 2015 at 10:07 am
You’re welcome!
June 29, 2015 at 4:24 pm
Thanks hoju for the chapter 💗
and…..hmm about the bed scene, it’ s just stop there or it’ really happening . Just curious 😁
July 1, 2015 at 10:08 am
Tehe, you and Yui. Here’s how I replied to Yui:
“She could feel his lips were truly simply kissing her, brushing against her neck, collarbone, and chest, neither advancing with his actions nor retreating. Under that thin quilt, the two of them were intimate with one another, and it could even be said, it was almost a form of torture.” If he did not “advance” with his actions and they felt tortured (i.e. did not get any relief), do you think they “made it”?
😉 So, our legally married couple still put a stop light on this scene.
August 15, 2015 at 9:16 am
I love SY but she’s driving me crazy with her unconditional trust. Yes, I know she remembered her past life with the “old ZSC” and yes, the “new ZSC” has the same “bones” but the old & new are practically two different people. She just doesn’t ask questions. I mean, seriously… She didn’t need to act like a crazy jealous wife (which I hate by the way) but asking how he lost his wedding ring would be appropriate, considering the ring ended up being returned by Zhou Wenchuan. How did he get his wedding ring? I’m sure it’s part of the mystery plot that MBFB was trying to give us readers. To me, asking question doesn’t mean that you don’t trust somebody. Asking question is just that asking question. **sigh**
By the way, I kind of like Mei Xing’s character. Hehehe… I didn’t know why even though he was only in a few chapters so far.
February 10, 2016 at 11:10 am
I feel very disturbed by the explanation about the ring–he really told her nothing she hadn’t at least half guessed. But it disturbs me how it ended up with Tong Jiaren. If they washed hands at the same sink and he forgot it then she may have taken it. why wouldn’t she return it to him directly? How did her husband end up with it? Or is the brother the one who found it by the sink–meaning it was in their hotel room? That would seem unlikely somehow. If I were Shi Yi I would want to know–not because of not trusting Zhousheng but because i would want to understand the intentions behind the ring appearing in this way. I knew it would show up in a suspicious manner the minute I read that he lost it. It seems his brother wants to disturb their relationship.
February 17, 2016 at 7:40 am
I think it’s because it is not reasonable to ask that Zhousheng Chen explain why his ring ended up in Zhou Wenchuan’s hands. He told Shi Yi what he knew: he was washing his hands, took it off, left it there and did not find it after. He does not know exactly how it ended up with his brother, but he and Shi Yi are both able to reason some of it out; hence they do not need to talk about it explicitly.
What do we, as readers, and Shi Yi know?
– Zhousheng Chen is at a COSPAR conference, which is an international conference held each time in a different venue. Based on my quick look into COSPAR conferences when I was translating this, the venues are not privately-owned COSPAR locations but places like conference centres or hotels that were rented. Hence, they are publicly accessible places.
– Tong Jiaren is at the same conference at him, and given that she is part of the Zhou family, she has her own attendants that follow her around. These attendants would also likely report to Zhou Wenchuan.
– Zhou Wenchuan is in the same city as both of them, accompanying his wife to the conference. We can speculate that he might have even been at that particular venue at some point in time, just not participating in the conference.
Given these, points above, then if Zhousheng Chen took off his ring while washing his hands in a public restroom at the conference venue, why is it so inconceivable that Zhou Wenchuan or his attendants got ahold of it?
Shi Yi is actually an intelligent girl and reasoned this out. And as she said, she knew that he would not be silly enough to give his wedding band, that had their anniversary engraved in it, to someone else. What was possibly weighing a bit on her heart was his relationship with Tong Jiaren, but Zhousheng Chen was frank about it and she chose to believe him.
Thank you for reading and thinking over the details. 🙂
October 4, 2016 at 12:54 pm
That’s the beauty of Shi Yi, she is quite clear headed. And doesn’t easily get mislead.
So what grandma said
The eldest master, had he known about her and the 2nd master, he wouldn’t marry her. So ZSC ‘s mom is not his mom, she was having an affair with the 2nd master, but lied to the oldest master about her babies’s parentage. Hence the coldness towards ZSC, and Shi Yi.
But grandma also said -I bore a daughter, so she is the maternal grandma. ..which makes sense given how she keeps refer to eldest master, I find it hard for any mom to call her child eldest master, 2nd master. I sometimes call my boys by the wrong names, but it is still names I gave them.
ZSC jIA you!!
Hoju, reading about how you were sick and couldn’t get over that cough makes me sad.
My son was just sick, still coughing. We tried everything too. Finally had to succumb to antibiotics when the cough turned into bronchitis. It all stemmed from ragweed. A little post nasal drip, then raging fever then crazy cough. What worked for you?
October 5, 2016 at 12:07 pm
Very good deduction skills… Read on to see how close your predictions are. 😉
Hmm… I tried every natural remedy in the book and finally, what worked within 24 hours of me taking it was what one of the readers suggested. Diced up onion with sugar (or honey) in a covered container. Let the sugar dissolve away at the onion to produce an onion syrup. Use a clean spoon and ingest a table spoon of the syrup. Repeat several times through the day, ensuring that each time, a clean spoon is used and then the container is re-covered. (Onion syrup isn’t as bad as it sounds. In fact, I don’t find it bad at all.)
October 22, 2016 at 8:58 am
Omg we’ll see long Zhousheng Chen’s control will last hehe. And true, I’m happy Shi Yi has good intelligence and reasoning skills lol.
Thanks a lot, hoju~
December 21, 2016 at 7:00 pm
I love reading the comments as much as the translations + footnotes. I read every single of them so to better understand the story, ZSC and SY. I thought Silent Separation is my all time favourite, followed by RRMY, but now BB is climbing slowly to the top of the list.
December 24, 2016 at 6:34 am
Beautiful Bones did spark the most in depth discussions. I think it was because the author purposely chose not to be explicit about certain things. She would leave just enough information about the scenes (for example, Zhou Wenchuan was present at the COSPAR conference, so we can *infer* how he got the ring) or just enough hints that we can speculate character motivation, but it is still our personal interpretations. 🙂 I love how this novel got me thinking.
Yay! I’m glad the story has managed to captivate your heart.
December 24, 2016 at 9:29 pm
Yay to me too! This is the only novel that brings me out of my silent reader mode. Thank you for the wonderful job. And I will be coming back for re-reads and future translations. =)
May 14, 2017 at 4:53 pm
Hello, I’m new here and this is my first time commenting. Thank you so much for sharing this excellent novel with us; also, your translation is truly good. From it, I can still sense the tender and warm-hearted feeling the original text has. Thus, thank you so much for your hard work. It is much appreciated!!
By the way, I’m quite lost with Zhou Wenchuan’s last speech. What does he mean by that?
May 17, 2017 at 9:29 am
Hi and welcome!
It’s my pleasure to share. 🙂 Isn’t the atmosphere of the story lovely?
Zhou Wenchuan’s words to Shi Yi were to plant seeds of doubt in her heart that might grow into mistrust of Zhousheng Chen. He’s hoping to make her at least suspicious that there is something between Zhousheng Chen and Tong Jiaren.
August 27, 2021 at 10:03 am
I absolutely love that moment they shared in the morning. Her tracing of his face and the words that she spoke showing clearly her deep feelings from her previous life and this one. My heart twinged from remembering the last time she touched his face like that.
Well that’s a tangled web. So is TJ’s sister ZSR’s mother? Also, I thought ZW was having an affair with WM but he’s upset about a supposed affair between his wife and his brother? Smh. Jus like SY I, too, get the sense that ZW is not as close to ZSC as their sister is. Odd, seeing as they’re twins. Maybe it’s jealousy because of his wife…?
May 28, 2023 at 8:25 am
I’m so sad little bro is also a snake here !