Side Story 1: Visiting New In-Laws (1)

Side Story 1: Visiting New In-Laws (1)

Su Jian laid beside the cradle. He had been trying to control himself. However, he couldn’t help himself and ultimately pinched the baby’s face.

Mother An said that it’s not good to pinch a baby’s face too much. However, the baby in front of him was so white and plum, like a glutinous rice dumpling. The baby was just too cute, especially that small face of hers which was chubby and tender. Therefore, although the unreliable mother Su Jian knew that pinching a baby’s face wasn’t good, he couldn’t help but stretch out his sinful hands.

What good texture, so smooth, so tender, so soft and so Q[1]! Unable to control himself, Su Jian pinched the face, again, and again.

The baby pursed her small lips and her mouth slowly opened…

“Wa—”

Su Jian got a shock and quickly took his hand back. Hearing the sound of footsteps, he quickly stood up straight and put on a suitable expression. With furrowed brows, he said worriedly to An Yize who came in quickly. “Ah! For some reason, the baby suddenly started crying! Yize, quickly come and take a look!”

An Yize skillfully picked the baby up out of her cradle. While coaxing the baby, he said, “Perhaps she’s hungry?”

Su Jian busily nodded, “Yes! I’m sure she must be hungry! I’ll go prepare the milk!”

The baby was already five months old. The child grew quickly and her appearance quickly changed. Su Jian watched as the little monkey grew up like a balloon being inflated into the beautiful white jade that everyone loved. He couldn’t help but feel the mystery of the divine force which created the universe. However, when he finished giving birth, he didn’t produce much milk. Mother An used all sorts of way, even inviting experts in prolactin[2], but to no avail. Mother An was very depressed. Nevertheless, Su Jian couldn’t help but felt a little happy. Although he felt apologetic to his baby, he felt embarrassed and strange having to breastfeed since he was once a man.

The baby’s arrival was not within Su Jian’s expectations. However, it was a great surprise to the An family. Just the naming of the child needed a long discussion. In order to give the baby a good name, father An specially visited his old friend who was a university professor, mother An invited a very experienced master, and An Yirou excitedly flipped through the whole book of “Tang and Song Poetry Anthology”. Seeing such excessive actions, Su Jian who was lying in An Yize’s embrace at night couldn’t help but sigh, “Isn’t it just thinking of a name? Is there a need for such a ruckus?”

An Yize lowered his eyes to look at him, his eyes showing laughter. With a gentle voice, he asked, “What about you? Jian Jian, this child is ours. Have you thought of naming her yourself?”

Su Jian thought for a moment and said, “ They say it is easier to raise a child if it has a cheap name. Why don’t we call her An Baicai[3]!”

An Yize: “……”

Seeing An Yize’s terrible expression, Su Jian laughed awkwardly and said, “It’s just a joke. Of course I’m joking! How could I give my child such a name!”

An Yize’s expression became slightly warmer.

“Baicai(cabbage) is too ordinary. Our daughter is at least a Xi Hong Shi(tomato)! As the saying goes, the rarer something is, the more precious it is. Hahaha…” Seeing An Yize’s displeased expression, Su Jian stopped laughing and said, “Okay, okay. I’ll be serious. I feel that our daughter should be called An Ran[4]!”

“An Ran?”

“Yes. Calm and peaceful, in hope that she lives a smooth and peaceful life.”

“Okay. Let’s call her An Ran.”

“Hmm? It was settled so easily?”

“Hm.” An Yize laughed and kissed Su Jian’s forehead. “I will talk it out with father and mother.”

After Su Jian finished preparing the milk, he carried the milk bottle back into the room. Seeing his daughter lying obediently in An Yize’s embrace, Su Jian couldn’t help but feel jealous.

However, he had no right to complain. After all, even though he was the one who gave birth, he hadn’t really taken much part in the upbringing of the baby. Ever since the baby was born, she had been taken care of by the professional nanny and mother An. Even An Yize had taken care of the baby more than Su Jian did. As for him, his main role as a mother was to bring the child to, ugh, play…

Actually, Su Jian was initially ambitious to take care of his next generation. After all, he would be raising a loli into something. It sounded moving! However, when he started raising this extra mini loli for a few days, he realized that it wasn’t anything like what he had imagined. Raising a child was really too hard…

On the contrary, An Yize didn’t seem troubled at all. Ever since the baby was born, something in president An seemed to have awakened. To an outsider, he still looked mature, cold and elite. However, once he faced the baby, his image changed completely. There were quite a few times when Su Jian woke up in the middle of the night and saw An Yize squatting beside the cradle, looking at the baby sleep. An Yize’s expression was so gentle, Su Jian didn’t know how to describe how he felt.

Seeing the previously crying baby lying in An Yize’s embrace very obediently, Su Jian lamented sourly, “I’ve heard that daughters are their father’s lover in their past life. Looks like it’s true.”

An Yize laughed as he received the milk bottle.

Su Jian sat at the side, supporting his face with his hand as he watched An Yize feed the child. He said, “If we followed that saying, wouldn’t I become your daughter in our next life?”

An Yize’s hand which was feeding the baby trembled.

Su Jian excitedly continued, “Actually, it doesn’t seem bad being your daughter. I can tell in a glance that you’re really cut out for fatherhood. Now that we mention about it, I really couldn’t tell in the past. To think that you liked children so much…”

An Yize replied indifferently, “That’s not true.”

Su Jian was stunned. “What?”

An Yize didn’t look at him. While feeding the baby, he replied calmly, “It’s just that she is our child.”

Su Jian was first stunned, before falling into silence.

“Yize?”

“Hm?”

Su Jian leaned forward and quickly planted a kiss on An Yize’s face as he looked up. Then, as if nothing happened, he turned around.

“Take good care of our child, I will go and browse the web.”

“……”

Su Jian habitually called his home phone.

This card was specially prepared by him, used for calling back his home landline. After father Su or mother Su picked up and he heard their voice, he would hurriedly say “Sorry, I’ve dialed the wrong number”, before hanging up the phone, feeling rest assured.

He knew that this act was childish. However, he couldn’t think of a better way. When he was first reborn, he didn’t dare to confess to his parents immediately due to his relationship with An Yize. After finding out that he and An Yize’s marriage was just part of a contract, he had decided to wait for a year to pass. Once their relationship ended, he would go back to his family. At least An Yize wasn’t by his side and sister Su’s family was far away, lessening the trouble.

During that one year period, there were times he secretly called home. Every time he heard his parents’ voice, he felt terrible and guilty. Afterward, when his leg healed, he had secretly went back to visit his neighborhood. Although he had heard his parents’ calm and steady voice through the phone and had learned about his parents’ well being through Su Jie, Su Jian only felt reassured after seeing his parents looking healthy physically and mentally with his own eyes.

However, he hadn’t expect his relationship with An Yize to become more and more complex. Now, they even had a child. His initial plan to leave An Yize and go back to his parents can no longer be used. Afterall, with An Yize’s brain, he would most likely be able to deduce that Su Jian wasn’t the real sister Su. At this point, he wasn’t that worried that An Yize would fall out with him if he found out that Su Jian had been reborn. However, Su Jian wasn’t confident whether An Yize would accept him knowing he was a man.

If it was in the past, he wouldn’t be scared now matter how much An Yize hated him. He couldn’t ask for more if An Yize wanted to divorce. But now…

He would definitely not give up on his parents. But as for An Yize and his child, he… couldn’t bear it either.

Hugging his head, Su Jian rolled around on the sofa—Is there really no way that can kill two birds with one stone? Ahhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh!

“Jian Jian?” An Yize came in and saw Su Jian lying on the sofa with a dark face looking like there is no more meaning in life. He asked, “What’s wrong?”

Su Jian looked at him with perplexed eyes and asked. “Yize, what if, just what if, one day you realized that I wasn’t like what you thought. What I’m saying is, what if you found out that I had another side of me, would you be… able to accept me?”

An Yize asked with raised brows, “What side of you?”

Su Jian replied in a stutter, “Ugh, for example, a not so feminine side…”

An Yize looked at him quietly for two seconds, before replying calmly, “Have you ever had a feminine side?”

Su Jian: “……”

An Yize suddenly had to make a trip back to the office. Before he left, he lowered his head to kiss the face of the baby who was in Su Jian’s embrace. Then, he naturally planted a kiss on Su Jian’s face. He then left the house.

Coming back home during the holidays, An Yirou who was close by saw this scene and lamented, “Third sister-in-law, I’m suddenly a little envious of you.”

Su Jian carried the baby and went to sit beside her. “What are you envious for?”

An Yirou answered, “For having such a good husband like third brother!”

Su Jian laughed, “Are you finding ways to praise your brother?”

An Yirou replied, “I’m not purposely trying to praise third brother. I really feel that ever since we had Ranran, third brother has become increasingly gentle!”

Su Jian pouted and said, “I couldn’t tell.”

An Yirou was about to justify her words when she heard Su Jian continued. “Wasn’t he like this since before?”

An Yirou said, “Third sister-in-law, I’m suddenly very envious of you.”

Su Jian laughed, “What is there to be envious of? Your future husband will definitely be better than your brother!”

An Yirou eyes moved and a sweet smile slowly appeared. She suddenly stood up and said, “Third sister-in-law, please help me!” After saying that, she went to her room to take out two items.

“Between these two, which do you think is a better birthday gift for a man?”

Su Jian looked at the brand name wallet and wool scarf placed before him. He asked with a smile, “For your boyfriend?”

An Yirou didn’t shy away and instead answered Su Jian openly, “He’s not officially my boyfriend yet. However, he will definitely be in the future! You know him too. He’s Su Jie, who previously sang with us. Third sister-in-law, do you still remember?”

Su Jian was stunned. “Su Jie?”

“En, the one that was tall, handsome and sang Jacky Cheung’s song especially well!”

Su Jian controlled the shock in his heart and slowly said, “You… like him?”

“That’s right!” Speaking of the person she liked, An Yirou eyes immediately brighten. Her mouth couldn’t help but went on. “He’s attractive, handsome, …”

Of course! His older brother is so handsome, how could the younger brother look bad? Su Jian suppressed his laugh and said, “Xiao Rou, you’re repeating your compliments.”

An Yirou was a little embarrassed as she continued, “He’s not just handsome, he’s also a good person! He’s very good at studies, always getting the first class scholarship in the department!”

Su Jian felt honored. His younger brother who had the same blood flowing in him wouldn’t have a bad head!

“He has a good character. Previously, he did a righteous act. He dived into water to save someone…”

“Dived into water to save someone?” A trace of concern was mixed in Su Jian’s voice as he asked, “Is he fine?”

“Of course he’s fine. The person that was saved is also fine. Afterward, the person specially wrote a letter of gratitude to the school!” An Yirou continued with a proud tone, “Also, his character is good. He is calm and wise, but treats his friends warmly…”

Little sister Rou, do you know the calm and wise man you mentioned loved to cry a lot in the past? Recalling Su Jie’s crying appearance when he bullied him in the past, Su Jian’s mood couldn’t help but improve.

When Su Jian came back to his sense, An Yirou had mentioned another bunch of Su Jie’s strengths. “…There are many girls that like him in school. This proves that he really is good.”

Su Jian felt a little unhappy. That brat and I are clearly brothers. Why is our treatment from the opposite sex so different?

“However, even now, he still doesn’t have a girlfriend. This made me like him more!” An Yirou concluded.

Su Jian asked in confusion, “Why?”

An Yirou smiled widely and replied, “This shows that that position is left for me!”

Su Jian was suddenly jealous of his own younger brother. Why didn’t I meet a girl like her that has pale skin, rich, beautiful and cute!

If that brat and sister An marries, then my own parents and the An parents will become relatives by marriage. If that happens, it not that unacceptable if I became close with my parents… Thinking up to this point, Su Jian immediately decided that he will fully support sister An to get his own younger brother!

Su Jian looked at the scarf which was simple in color. At the corner, there was a flaw which wasn’t that noticeable, showing that the scarf was obviously made by An Yirou. Thinking about his younger brother’s preference, he said, “Gift the scarf. I feel that guys will like that more.”

“Is that so?” An Yirou’s eyes brightened as she continued, “Then let’s settle with this!”

Looking like a love tutor, Su Jian continued, “Based on my experience of judging people for many years, a brat… guy like Su Jie probably likes girls with long hair and a serious and benevolent character.” En, he’s sure of his memories. Back then, the brat had always crushed on this type of girls.

An Yirou asked with pleasant surprise, “What else?”

Su Jian sold out his brother’s information with no hesitation. “I remember chatting with him for a bit that day. Based on my life experience and my understanding of him, I feel that the books he like are usually about science or history. For movies and television shows, he likes action/drama shows. He probably likes playing Warcraft and likes transformers. For guys like this, he usually preferred eating spicy food. He doesn’t like coriander but likes eating durian. He has two swirls on his head…ugh, this is just my guess.”

“Third sister-in-law, what you guessed is so accurate!” An Yirou looked at him in admiration as she continued, “I’ve noticed that he does have two swirls on his head!”

Su Jian lightly coughed, “Xiao Rou, if you like him, go get him! I’ll support you!”n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om

“Thank you, third sister-in-law!” An Yirou was overjoyed. Looking at the baby in Su Jian’s embrace, she leaned forward to tease her. “It would be great if our child is as cute as this baby.”

Su Jian: “…I’m sure it will be. All the best!”

Soon, An Yirou brought Su Jian good news—Su Jie was successfully captured by her!

Su Jian was elated, to the point that he found An Yize who came back from work pleasing to his eye. His smile was especially bright. During bedtime, he took the initiative to push An Yize down on the bed and nibbled on that pleasing face.

An Yize was very cooperative. During their break, he pushed against Su Jian’s forehead and asked with a smile. “Why are you so enthusiastic today?”

Su Jian bit his lip and replied with a smile as he panted, “When I’m happy, I lust.[5]”

An Yize laughed. Then he flipped over and pinned Su Jian under him.

Pulling An Yize’s shoulder, Su Jian let An Yize do the hard work of rubbing while he thought of a question: Thinking about it, my brother and sister An wouldn’t marry that quickly. How can I approach my parents…

“Ah…” The hardworking person suddenly worked harder, Su Jian couldn’t help but let out a sound.

Su Jian looked up, only to see An Yize’s brows full of sweat. Looking dissatisfied, An Yize said, “Jian Jian, you’re not focusing.”

“How am I not focusing?” Su Jian lowered his head to look at his lower half. “I’m clearly very enthusiastic alright? The flowers occupying the courtyard are rarely swept to welcome any guest. But today, the door is open for you…[6] Go lighter…”

An Yize lightly panted and laughed, “Your students will cry.”

Su Jian continued as he panted, “In front of my students, I’ve always been upright and dignified.

And Yizesmiled and said, “Oh?”

Su Jian hugged An Yize’s neck and spoke into his ears softly while panting, “I’m only indecent in front of you… Ah… Say, did you grow recently…”

“Hmm?”

“Why is it suddenly…sss…”

“Is it uncomfortable?”

“If I said it was… would you stop?”

“…No.”

“Isn’t that the answer? Come at me, my love![7]”

“……”

Footnotes:

[1]Q – QQ is often used to describe noodles/ fish balls etc for their chewy and springy texture.

[2]Prolactin – Hormone which tells the body to make breast milk when one is pregnant or breastfeeding.

[3]Baicai – Cabbage. An Cabbage…

[4]An Ran – This means safe/peaceful literally.

[5]I – The I used here is usually used by royalties.

[6]This is part of a poetry from the Tang dynasty. It talks about how the courtyard was full of wildflowers and not cleared, implying that the place wasn’t welcoming of any guest as they didn’t bother cleaning the place up. It then says that the door is now open for you, ‘you’ being someone the owner of the place was willing to open up his doors for due to how much he enjoyed his time with that person. In this context, Su Jian was probably talking about his v*****……

[7]My love – The term Su Jian used here is usually used by the royalties(majesty/prince) to address their beloved.