I’m Afraid I’m Now a Salted Fish Chapter 26

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Translator: LiLi041

Translation Checker: yanyan

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Chapter 26: Parents’ Attitude

　　Chi Song hurriedly rushed back home. His soft and fragrant nephew was already sound asleep in his little rocking crib.
　　Chi Song loved children. As soon as he saw that tender dumpling, his eyes lit up. “… Wow, so cute.”
　　Meimei leaned against the pillow, resting, while Chi Yang sat on the side and peeled fruits. When he heard what Chi Song said, he said, “He’s just like a little monkey. His skin was also very wrinkly. Brother, don’t just praise him blindly.”
　　Chi Song stared at the child’s face unwaveringly, his gaze filled with doting. His heart was about to melt. He said, “Nonsense. What a beautiful child… Can I hug him?”
　　Meimei said, “Okay.”
　　Chi Song pulled up his sleeves and carefully picked the soft, boneless ball of life from the crib with steady movements. The little guy smacked his lips comfortably, but didn’t wake up.
　　
　　Chi Yang carefully peeled the fuzzy skin off the kiwi, cut it up into little pieces, and soaked it in warm water. Then, he stuck in a toothpick to feed it to Meimei. He said, “… Don’t worry about my brother carrying the child. When we played house when we were little, Chi Song liked to be the mother the most. He would carry a pillow and watch TV to study which child-holding posture was most correct. Our mom once said, when he had a child of his own in the future, that child wouldn’t know just how lucky he was…”
　　Halfway through his sentence, Meimei quietly shot a glare at him. Chi Yang then realized that his words weren’t pretty and hastily tried to make up for it. “Brother, I…”
　　Though, Chi Song didn’t mind at all. He carried the child as he said, “I’ve already discussed this with Song Zhihuai. When everything settles down in the future, we’ll go to the orphanage periodically to do charity.”
　　Meimei was surprised. “You won’t adopt one?”
　　“Our country currently doesn’t allow homosexuals to adopt children.” Chi Song boldly kissed the little darling in his embrace as if he were chewing a mouthful of cotton candy. His entire expression oozed sweetness. “Zhihuai told me to not worry, and that. I’ll have lots of children to hug in the future.”
　　
　　Chi Yang: “…”
　　He felt like his own brother had blinded him with his PDA.
　　
　　Children’s bones are soft. In the end, Chi Song hadn’t held real children much in the past and didn’t know how light or heavy he should be, so he didn’t dare to hold him for too long. After he satisfied his craving, he gently put the child back, leaning forward next to the crib and poking those cheeks for a good while. Once he had touched enough of the baby’s soft skin, he asked, perfectly satisfied, “Where’s Mom and Dad?”
　　Chi Yang said, “Meimei’s parents cared for her for a whole day yesterday. They just left not too long ago. Dad was called out for a gathering today by his old comrade-in-arms. He probably just heard the news, and is currently rushing back right now. Mom went back home, saying that she was going to collect some of our old clothes and cut them up to make some diapers for the baby that are soft and comfortable.”
　　
　　Chi Yang paused and asked back, “Brother, where’s Song Zhihuai?”
　　Chi Song gazed at the child, unable to tear his eyes away. “…He probably went to find the hospital director. This time, he owes someone else a favor, so he has to return it. He said that I didn’t have to go with him, and that it was enough for me to stay here and look after the child.”
　　Chi Yang was surprised. “He also came?”
　　Chi Song nodded. “He said, if I came back by myself, he would feel worried.”
　　
　　Chi Yang: “…”
　　When Chi Song noticed his younger brother’s speechless expression, he also realized that he had gone overboard. He said embarrassedly, “… Uh, it’s usually not convenient for me to show PDA openly. In front of you guys, I can actually show it a bit more…. I’ll try to control myself, okay?”
　　Chi Yang’s heart immediately softened greatly. “Okay okay, show off as much as you’d like.”
　　
　　Meimei had a decent impression of Song Zhihuai. She had also received a favor from him this time, so she was pretty shy as she said, “Call him over to come look at the child too. I can also thank him in person that way.”
　　Chi Song was just about to say something when Mother Chi entered, holding a bag of clothes.
　　Chi Song called, “Mom.”
　　When Mother Chi discovered that Chi Song was also present, her expression stiffened for an instant before she put down the clothes bag and said indifferently, “What did you run back here for?”
　　When Chi Song sensed his mom’s vague feeling of alienation towards him, he felt sad for a second. However, he still strove to keep a brilliant smile on his face. “No matter what, I still have to come back to take a look, so that my little nephew will be able to recognize his uncle.”
　　Chi Yang took the initiative to welcome her, mediating for Chi Song. “How is it possible for him to not be able to recognize you? When you get popular, the TV will be playing your TV shows every day. When he changes the channel, it’ll be you onscreen. When he changes it again, it’ll still be you onscreen. How could he not recognize you?”
　　When he finished, he promptly turned to Mother Chi. “Mom, have you talked with Doctor Xie yet?”
　　Mother Chi’s expression cleared up slightly. “I ran into him in the hallway just now. Doctor Xie said that Meimei’s condition is pretty good.”
　　Meimei chimed in from the side, “… Fortunately, I was sent here quickly enough.”
　　Mother Chi didn’t say a word and went to open up the clothes bag, taking the old clothes inside the bag out one by one.
　　After she took out two sets, without turning her head, she said, “What are you being in a daze for? Go wash your hands. You’ll have to cut these with Mom in a bit.”
　　Chi Song hadn’t reacted to Mother Chi’s words yet when he saw Mother Chi turn around and glare at him with blame in her eyes. “… Child, why do you look so lifeless?”
　　
　　Chi Song was simply bursting with joy as he marched to the single-person ward’s private bathroom. When he washed his hands, his entire head was full of giant bullet screen messages floating in a bold red font:
　　Mom’s paying attention to me, she’s willing to pay attention to me now!
　　
　　Outside, Chi Yang heard the sound of gurgling water. He felt upset for his brother.
　　He asked quietly, “Mom, don’t be angry at Brother anymore, okay?”
　　Mother Chi spat, “Alright! You two brothers have always been very close since you were young. Now that you two are grown-up, you don’t even heed your parents words. I can let it go if he angers me, but don’t you follow him and anger me too.”
　　Chi Yang said, “For Meimei’s matter this time, no matter what, we should go thank his family’s Mr. Song.”
　　Mother Chi’s hands, which were organizing the clothes, paused for a moment. Then, she replied quietly, “… He stole my son. He just gave a small favor, but he wants me to forgive him. Impossible.”
　　
　　Chi Song came out from the bathroom. His entire face radiated the feeling that he had been overwhelmed with his superior’s favor. “Mom, give it to me. I’ll cut it.”
　　When faced with her son, Mother Chi was still at a loss at what to do. She swiftly turned, got a long white pair of pants, and started to chatter away. “Come over here. I’ll tell you how to cut these. Don’t cut them wrong, got it? These were all clothes that you guys wore before. It’d be such a pity if they were ruined.”
　　
　　Mother Chi didn’t talk with Chi Song about Song Zhihuai, and Chi Song also didn’t dare to bring him up, so the two of them cut clothes like this for the whole day in this manner, cutting clothes until Chi Song’s hands turned weak.
　　Mother Chi looked at food in front of her. She hesitated over whether to say something for a long time, before seemingly advertently finally asking Chi Song, “Want to go home to eat?”
　　Chi Song’s mind was filled with thoughts about the Song Zhihuai who might still be waiting outside, so he said probingly, “… Zhihuai still hasn’t eaten yet.”
　　Mother Chi’s expression immediately collapsed. “Fine, go go go, go find him. You really care for that outsider over your own family.”
　　
　　Chi Song was shooed out of the hospital ward with his tail between his legs.
　　Mother Chi was present before, so Chi Song was too embarrassed to look at his phone. Only after he left did he take out his phone. As soon as he unlocked it, he received Song Zhihuai’s text. “I went to go eat with Director Qin. I’ll come back to the hotel at around 11 pm, don’t worry.”
　　
　　Chi Song unabashedly went back into the ward.
　　Mother Chi was currently complaining to Chi Yang. When she saw Chi Song come back after leaving, her face relaxed for a moment. However, it tensed up again soon after. “What did you come back for? Go find your Chief Song.”
　　Chi Song carefully gave a flattering smile, “He went out to eat with Director Qin to return a favor. So there’s nobody to take care of my meal~”
　　
　　Chi Song’s expression of wanting to brag about Song Zhihuai’s good deeds was too obvious. Mother Chi couldn’t continue watching anymore.
　　She didn’t know whether to laugh or cry as she said, “Fine fine fine. I’m accompanying Meimei here, so get your brother to bring you back home. There’s stewed black-boned chicken soup in the pot. You and your brother can cook some noodles.”
　　
　　After eating a simple meal with his brother, Chi Song returned to the hotel. He obediently laid down in the bed and wrapped himself in the blanket, waiting for Song Zhihuai to come back like a young wife.　　
　　
　　He had again collected enough jade magatamas in the game to draw another ten consecutive spins.
　　Chi Song’s luck in gambling had always been horrible. He had never been able to draw anything good by himself. Only after getting together with Song Zhihuai did he manage to borrow Song Zhihuai’s godly luck to draw some of his dream SSRs.
　　So, he had long already settled into the habit of letting Song Zhihuai draw the cards, while he himself just waited impatiently by the side for the miracle to happen.
　　
　　Song Zhihuai said that he would return by 11 pm. He definitely wouldn’t be late.
　　Only a few minutes until the clock turned 11 pm, a few knocks sounded at the hotel room door. Chi Song had just started walking to the door when he was hit with the smell of alcohol.
　　
　　Song Zhihuai was clearly rather drunk. He took off his gold-rimmed glasses, holding them in his hand, and tiredly leaned on the door frame. When he saw the door open, he called quietly, “Wife.”
　　That call made Chi Song feel a little tingly. He moved Song Zhihuai into the room and got some hot water to wipe down his body. Then, he poured the water that had long been heated up into a cup and helped Song Zhihuai drink it.
　　Song Zhihuai was still a little clear-head, and holding his hand, he murmured, “Chi Song, don’t be angry. I owed someone else a favor this time, so I couldn’t just make all kinds of excuses to avoid drinking.”
　　How could Chi Song blame him? Just listening to him made his chest throb with distress. “Couldn’t you drink a bit less though?”
　　Song Zhihuai said, “Director Qin is a god at drinking. He drinks all day long.” After he said this, he vaguely expressed some denial. “… It’s just that I haven’t drunken alcohol for a long time, so I can’t hold my liquor as well now. Otherwise, it wouldn’t be certain yet who couldn’t drink anymore.”
　　
　　Chi Song’s heart melted into a puddle.
　　That bit of alcohol-induced heat slowly permeated his heart through Song Zhihuai’s nearby breaths, causing his body to slowly burn up, inch by inch, until it became scalding.
　　Song Zhihuai muttered for a long time before he remembered the person by his side and struggled to break free of Chi Song’s embrace. “Stay further away from me, you’re allergic… “
　　Chi Song hugged him closer and didn’t let go.
　　Both of them were men, and Song Zhihuai was also drunk. They tangled together for a time, but he still couldn’t shake off Chi Song.
　　Song Zhihuai panicked. “Don’t… don’t come near me, my body smells like alcohol, you…”
　　
　　He couldn’t say any more.
　　When Chi Song had gone back to his hometown this time, he had casually tied a men’s kerchief around his windbreaker.
　　Chi Song shook open the thick layers of muslin kerchiefs that had been folded neatly at the head of the bed and used them to cover Song Zhihuai’s face.
　　At first, Song Zhihuai felt his face starting to itch from the viscose kerchief, but just when he reached out a hand and grabbed the corner of the kerchief, intending to lift it up, a pair of warm and soft things latched onto his lips.
　　Song Zhihuai grabbed onto the kerchief and didn’t move for a long time.
　　
　　Chi Song kissed him for a good while before pantingly letting go. He pressed his forehead to Song Zhihuai’s forehead, and called out Song Zhihuai’s name like a little child. “… Zhihuai Zhihuai.”
　　He tossed and turned himself into a daze, acting as if he had just drunk a catty of Shaoxing wine.
　　
　　Chi Song didn’t know when Song Zhihuai escaped from underneath his body and pressed down on him. He only felt dense kisses landing upon his head, separated by a layer of kerchief. He was kissed until his whole body became burning hot. Even his toes started to feel numb.
　　The scent of alcohol seemed to linger around their bodies. Chi Song looped his arms around Song Zhihuai’s neck and listened to the sound of Song Zhihuai tearing open a condom, while dazedly trying to tell Song Zhihuai about Mother Chi’s attitude towards him seeming to have softened today.
　　But he found that he couldn’t say words at all. As soon as he opened his mouth, some shameless sounds would leak out.
　　Chi Song decided to just stop talking. Instead, he silently made a wish in his heart.
　　He hoped that by this year’s, no, next year’s New Year Eve, he could sit together with Song Zhihuai, his mother, his father, and his entire family, while eating the New Year Eve’s family dinner. In exchange, he was willing to not be able to draw a single SSR for the next ten years.

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Translator’s Note: Remember those “jades” in Chi Song’s gacha game from chapter 5? Well, it’s all thanks to Zhongwen- but I managed to find the English word for 勾玉! And it’s “magatama” (which I have never heard before, but you know). Here’s what it looks like (they can come in all sorts of colors, but the ones used for currency (or at least in the games I’ve played), they’re usually green):

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