See You Again (Time Already Knows) - Chapter 8
Chapter 8 - “Gay Family”
Split?
Shi Jian’s eyes distinctly brightened for a moment.
“Really?” She grinned and asked to confirm, “You two really broke up?”
Ye Jiacheng suddenly felt stifled……
Heehee, he really didn’t lie to her. Shi Jian raised her head, trying her hardest to not laugh out loud. After all, her husband just broke up, even if she was elated she shouldn’t show it too much. But the corner of her lips uncontrollably curved upwards. The sunshine was splendid, the world beautiful. The “we split” that Ye Jiacheng had just uttered were simply the most pleasant words that she’d heard in this short period of time, as well as the best good news.
Shi Jian really wanted to embrace Ye Jiacheng out of joy, but was also afraid of scaring her future husband. Her hand subconsciously reached out, dropping onto Ye Jiacheng’s shoulder, then was withdrawn. Then she patted. Carefully, fortunately, satisfied.
A pat like this should be fine. She thought.
Not fine. Ye Jiacheng coldly looked at the woman in front of him “groping” him. Was she trying to be a housefly?
“Anything else?” He subsequently asked.
En, there was something else. Shi Jian felt nervous and scolded herself for being too frustrating. She was even nervous to ask her husband for his phone number…… it was true, her heart was about to jump out of her chest. She anxiously looked at Ye Jiacheng: “Can you…… give me your phone number?”
Shi Jian had never pursued after a man before, the first time would always be beginner level.
She really was a woman that didn’t know how to pursue guys. Ye Jiacheng didn’t say anything, looking indifferent.
Shi Jian gave him a pleading look: “Is it not okay?”
Ye Jiacheng finally sighed softly and evaded the question, as if he was trying to remind her of something: “I left my phone number in your store once.”
Oh right, customer information! Shi Jian was excited yet embarrassed: “…… I forgot.”
“Since there is no other business.” Ye Jiacheng made himself as tall as Shi Jian, eyes somewhat drooped, once again “coldly” and politely said, “Can I leave now? I’m in a hurry.”
Shi Jian could only say goodbye: “See you.”
Husband……
Ye Jiacheng: “See you.”
Shi Jian was still elated. The first thing she did after returning to the store was to flip through the customer information, looking for Ye Jiacheng’s phone number.
Ye Jiacheng had indeed left his phone number at Yi Mao men’s apparel flagship store after shopping there this summer. Underneath his loose cursive signature was a string of numbers. Shi Jian quickly put his number into her cellphone, then frowned: he clearly could’ve just given it to her, but insisted on her flipping through that many pages of customer information.
Fen-jie asked Shi Jian: “That handsome guy just now, you like him right?”
Shi Jian didn’t hide it, and not only confidently admitted it, but also asked for a favor from Fen-jie: “Fen-jie, if he comes in again, can you continue giving him the employee discount?”
Fen-jie smiled, and teased, “I want to give it, but I’m afraid he won’t accept it.”
Shi Jian could only sigh: “……ai!” She had just sent Ye Jiacheng a text discerning her identity…… but he didn’t respond.
This year was Yi Mao Apparel’s 61st anniversary; the in-store celebration event lasted one week. Shi Jian was an intern sent to support the event, meaning that she needed to stay at the store for a week.
Luckily the atmosphere in the store wasn’t bad, and they could even gossip a bit.
Yi Mao started by designing western style suits. Forefather Yi was formerly A-City’s famous “Golden Scissors.” Yi Mao was the brand established by him and his first wife. This year Yi Mao Apparel was sixty-one years old, and Forefather Yi was already ninety-two years old.
Forefather Yi’s first wife was invaluable support, the eldest daughter of the Lin bank family. She didn’t like her arranged fiancé, and unfortunately fell in love with an attractive, young, and intelligent tailor, and secretly gave money from her dowry to this tailor who had talent but no opportunity, helping him with his dream. A generation of foolish girls, it was only unfortunate that beautiful women suffer unhappy fates. After giving birth to her daughter, who was also the eldest daughter of the Yi family, she contracted a lung disease and passed away. He went down to apologize to that living and furious money laundering father.
The eldest daughter of the Yi family, who was also Yi Pei’s mother, had even worse luck. She not only encountered the worst year, but also encountered the worst romance. The brave woman chose to give birth to Yi Pei in the end, and didn’t marry.
Someone said, if the Lin family women didn’t have a short life, they had an unlucky life. It made people frustrated.
Forefather Yi’s second wife, Madam Guo, was a prosperous lady. She came from a small family, and had a clearly awkward remarried status. She then had three boys and one girl, becoming the fully worthy matron of the Yi family.
Life and luck, on decisions–– the one you made was life; the one that changed life, was luck.
During the lunch break, there were pretty much no customers. Everyone crowded together and discussed the things going on with the Yi family, wearing faces made of steel and all talking at once, saying things like “my second uncle told me” and “I heard someone say that Forefather Yi used to……” as conversation starters.
Shi Jian listened in with interest. Years later, someone even stole the Yi family’s background story to write a super popular drama, called «Gay Family» 1. The name had an amusing implication, but the men in the Yi family indeed had more under their surface, especially the one who came into the spotlight later, Yi Pei.
[Found on jeytranslations.blogspot.com | Do not repost to other sites. ]
Fen-jie brought up a topic with an arrogant tone. Every year, outstanding employees would be invited to Forefather Yi’s birthday banquet. This flagship store was the store that Forefather Yi prized most.
She couldn’t say precisely, but there would be two spots this year.
Two spots, meaning that other than the manager, there would be another spot. The employees Ms.Mei, Ms.Wang, and Ms.Ke all looked eagerly yearning. Shi Jian had a curiosity: “Do you need to bring a present to Forefather Yi’s birthday banquet?”
If you had to bring a present, wouldn’t it be aggravating? The attendees were all celebrities and public figures; gifting too much would be embarrassing, and if you gifted too little, you might as well just not gift anything at all. Fen-jie gave a cough and replied, “No need to bring a present.”
Shi Jian: “……oh.” She thought too much.
Fen-jie had already attended Forefather Yi’s birthday banquet twice, so her tone in the conversation sounded a bit haughty. Then, the subject slowly changed to Yi Pei. This was normal; the unmarried thirty year old was a better topic of conversation among young women than the ninety-two year old Forefather Yi.
They asked Fen-jie:
What does Yi Pei look like?
How’s the relationship between Yi Pei and Forefather Yi?
Does Yi Pei have a girlfriend? Fiancée?
……
Of the above questions, Fen-jie basically could reply to only one, so her phrasing was suffused: “Yi Pei is indeed a beautiful man. At that time, I could only glance at him from afar. He really is handsome, as if he was…… Pan 2.”
“Wow––––”
Unfortunately saying that he looked like Pan was a compliment, but it’s not a good description; everyone knew that Pan was handsome, but no one knew how handsome. Ms. Wang immediately found something that could be used as a reference, and meaningfully looked at Shi Jian before asking Fen-jie, “Fen-jie, do you think that Mr.Ye or Yi Pei is more handsome?”
Fen-jie thought about it, genuinely comparing them in her heart.
Did this still need to be thought about? Shi Jian leaned partly on the counter, slid aside a pen, and wholeheartedly said, “Of course Mr.Ye is more handsome.”
Ms.Mai and Ms.Wang didn’t believe it, then nudged her and teased: “I think you just think the one you like is more handsome; you have been poisoned with infatuation.” Being a lowly shopping assistant at Yi Mao, they all hoped that Yi Pei was more handsome.
Shi Jian merely smiled. She really was infatuated; she thought in her heart that no man could be more handsome than Ye Jiacheng.
But that said, they all looked towards Shi Jian. She had seen Yi Pei before?
They probably already talked too much about the affairs of the Yi family. The next day, Fen-jie brought with her a piece of information that shook the flagship store at the last moment: everyone would work overtime until 10 P.M. today. Forefather Yi might drop by to check up on the store.
Ms.Mei, Ms.Wang, and Ms.Ke all successively became slack jawed, incredulous.
Shi Jian was still inflating balloons, pausing as soon as she heard “work overtime until 10 P.M.” Then she thought: Forefather Yi’s health was not bad, personally coming to check up on the store at his age.
Fen-jie said, “Everyone must be on their best behavior. This is a rare opportunity.”
It was indeed a rare opportunity.
The flagship store received another message from their superiors at three in the afternoon: Forefather Yi would come in around 8 P.M, along with other members of the Yi family. Everyone should end their regular activities, and prepare for the guests.
The way things developed didn’t feel like it would just be as simple as a store check up.
Shi Jian had a feeling akin to the anticipation before meeting an emperor, and Ms.Mei, Ms.Wang, and Ms.Ke felt the same. Then they all frantically started the preparations.
The floor was scrubbed until it was like a mirror; the display of suits and shirts at the front desk was replaced; lastly was classifying, then adjusted and arranged into their most appropriate layout.
Shi Jian also worked hard, but she was focused on two things at once. She didn’t forget to take out her phone and check if Ye Jiacheng had sent her a reply.
“Hello, Jiacheng, I am Shi Jian.”
Ye Jiacheng didn’t reply to this text message, making even the “hello” appear awkward. Shi Jian recalled a sweet moment in her memory: back when she crapped in the toilet, Ye Jiacheng would always stand outside and chat with her.
Ms.Mei had experience pursuing guys, and comforted the gloomy Shi Jian: “Sending a text message like this won’t work; what would he reply? You need to send some questions that he can reply to.”
Like what?
Ms.Mei spoke blindly: “Things like: have you eaten yet, or what are you doing. Randomly think of some, there are many.”
Isn’t that too boring? Shi Jian avoided it, even when she and Jiacheng just started dating it wasn’t that boring. But she still complied with Ms.Mei’s advice. She typed out character by character: “What are you doing? :)”
She spent a long time mulling over the :) 3 before deciding to tack it on.
Indeed, Ye Jiacheng sent a reply to this text message, though the content was a bit simple.
“Eating.” Ye Jiacheng answered.
Amazing. Shi Jian was pleased.
“Yes, just chat like this, take your time.” Ms.Mei smiled proudly, “Don’t worry, it’s bound to turn out well if he replied. Fighting!”
Really?! Shi Jian giggled, looking at Ye Jiacheng’s single word reply, ecstatic.
Then, she continued texting.
……
The winter night arrived especially early. At 8 P.M, Forefather Yi did not arrive.
The flagship store had hung up a “temporarily closed” sign early in the day. No one dared to let down their guard; Ms.Mei and the others already stood at the door with erect postures, and even half a yawn was quickly shut.
Naturally, Shi Jian also stood. She had never done this kind of thing before, but as she waited for the “emperor” to arrive, her brain dallied over the few texts that Ye Jiacheng had returned. Her heart was pleased, so she didn’t feel the time pass by too slowly.
Everyone waited for no less than an hour.
9:10 P.M, he finally arrived. Three gleaming black sedans pulled up at once, stopping one after another at the wide space outside the store. Shi Jian stood effortlessly upright, then watched with her brow raised.
Out of the first car came Forefather Yi and his second wife, Madam Guo. She supported Forefather Yi with an arm.
Out of the second car came three men, probably Forefather Yi and Madam Guo’s three sons, Yi Pei’s three uncles.
Out of the third car, with the license plate 06, undoubtedly came Yi Pei.
The display was grandiose and majestic. It was quite frightening.
Yi Mao started from western style clothing, the Yi men naturally all wore suits. Forefather Yi also wore a dusty silver suit over his slight and crooked frame, looking vigorous and shrewd.
Shi Jian thought back to that melodramatic and contrived projection of the Yi family of a drama, and felt the name «Gay Family» was fully apt and glamorous.
Thank you for the chapter. Don't know why I am rooting for Yi Pei
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