Best Mom in the 60s
六零之穿成极品他妈
Spirit Energy
Translator: InkyDragon
Word count: 2,2k
Zhou Xue Mei couldn’t help but wonder about her mother-in-law’s intentions. Ever since she learned that the old lady had not only secured the land but also arranged the timber for their new house, the thought of a family division lingered in her mind. Now, settled into the new house, she still awaited any mention of it from Qian Shu Lan.
Remembering her mother-in-law’s past head injury, Zhou Xue Mei hesitated to bring it up directly. Instead, she silently contemplated the best way to approach the sensitive subject.
One evening, during a cheerful family dinner, Qian Shu Lan felt a sudden warmth emanating from the crystal ball tucked away in her jacket pocket. Surprise flickered across her face. She had experimented with the crystal ball before, placing various objects in its presence, but it had remained unresponsive. Now, this unexpected warmth hinted at the presence of something extraordinary – perhaps spiritual energy?
Her eyes scanned the table. Sun Da Qin, in her usual worn-out jacket, showed no change. Li Chun Hua remained her usual humble self, she hadn’t made herself a new garment. Instead, she had made one for Little Apricot (Xue-Mei). Qian Shu Lan didn’t comment on the matter; after all, she had already given the reward, and her purpose had been achieved. Well, Li Chun Hua also seemed normal.
Finally, her gaze landed on Zhou Xue Mei. Her attire was a mix of old and new, nothing out of the ordinary. Yet, a jade pendant hung around her neck, its green hue marred with black spots.
Could it be the source of the crystal ball’s reaction? Qian Shu Lan wasn’t entirely sure, but the jade undeniably belonged to Zhou Xue Mei. Asking for it felt inappropriate, yet the curiosity gnawed at her.
After dinner, Qian Shu Lan held Zhou Xue Mei back, her tone casual. “Xue Mei, that pendant you’re wearing, may I have a look?”
Zhou Xue Mei instinctively lowered her head, fingers brushing against the cool jade. She tucked it further into her collar, buttoning her blouse tightly. The protective gesture, as if guarding, cast a shadow on Qian Shu Lan’s face.
She rose abruptly, her voice laced with displeasure. “I simply wanted to see it. If you’re unwilling, so be it. No need to be so defensive!” With that, she turned and left, her expression clouded with disappointment.
Zhou Xue Mei’s cheeks burned with embarrassment. “If you didn’t want to take it,” she mumbled, lips pursed, “why even ask? It’s not a secret, is it? When something good comes along, she always wants a piece.”
The audacity of her mother-in-law stung. Not only did she hoard everything for herself, but now she wanted to claim Zhou Xue Mei’s dowry – the gifts from her own family! It was simply outrageous.
Zhou Xue Mei had naively believed her mother-in-law was changing for the better, taking an interest in their household. Now, she saw it for what it was: a grab for more.
The thought of remaining in the Wang family became unbearable. The division of property, once a distant notion, now felt urgent.
But her mother-in-law wouldn’t budge. Zhou Xue Mei knew she needed a different approach. Her eyes fell on Wang Shou Li, her husband. He was, after all, his mother’s son. Surely, she wouldn’t refuse him.
Later, back in their room, Zhou Xue Mei gently nudged Wang Shou Li to broach the subject of dividing the family. To her relief, he agreed without hesitation.
After dinner, the family settled into their usual routine of learning to read. They split into two groups, one led by Wang Zheng Kang, the high school student, and the other by Wang Dan Na, who was still in junior high.
Qian Shu Lan, the mother-in-law, joined Dan Na’s group and was pleasantly surprised. The younger girl, despite being in a lower grade, seemed more adept at teaching, making fewer mistakes than her grandchild.
Qian Shu Lan’s eagerness to learn was evident, and she quickly became the most proficient student.
Dan Na couldn’t help but admire her mother’s dedication. “If only I were as quick as her,” she thought, remembering her own failed vocational exam.
Inspired by the old lady’s enthusiasm, the rest of the family doubled down on their efforts, determined to improve their reading skills.
Qian Shu Lan, notebook in hand, returned to her room after finishing her writing practice. Wang Shou Li trailed behind, a nervous energy radiating from him. He stammered out his request, his voice barely above a whisper. Seeing his mother’s calm demeanour, a wave of relief washed over him.
“Splitting the family?” Qian Shu Lan’s voice was cool, her expression unreadable. “Fine, but you’ll have to give up your job.”
The audacity! She had just secured him a temporary position, and all he could think about was his own little family. Anger bubbled within her, then subsided as she acknowledged the inevitable. The family would split eventually, why fight it?
Wang Shou Li’s sun-darkened face flushed crimson. Shame gnawed at him. His mother had just helped him, and here he was, demanding a separation.
He felt trapped between his wife’s desires and his mother’s disapproval. Snow Plum, his gentle and understanding wife, had been by his side for years, asking for nothing but this one thing – a home of their own.
“Mother,” he ventured hesitantly, “if I give up the job, can we truly split the family?”
Qian Shu Lan raised an eyebrow, surprised by his willingness to sacrifice such a good opportunity. He truly loved his wife.
Feigning deep thought, she replied, “Once your eldest or third brother finishes their literacy classes and can take over your work, then we can discuss dividing the family.” Divide? Never. How could she continue guiding her sons if they were scattered? No, stalling was the only option.
Wang Shou Li’s shoulders slumped, his face etched with disappointment. “Oh,” he mumbled, a pang of sadness echoing in his heart.
Qian Shu Lan sighed heavily. “Fourth son, I have six children, but the burden falls heaviest on your eldest and third brothers. This job, and the income it brings, must stay within the family.”
He understood her reasoning, yet a bitter taste lingered. He wasn’t his mother’s favourite, that much was clear.
Qian Shu Lan recognized his discomfort but held firm. With four sons, she couldn’t play favourites.
After chatting for a while, curiosity still gnawed at Qian Shu Lan. Leaning towards Wang Shou Li, she whispered, “I’d love to see the jade piece your wife wears. Could you bring it for me to admire?”
Wang Shou Li’s suspicious gaze caught her off guard, a pang of guilt twisting in her gut. She had forgotten why Zhou Xue Mei reacted so defensively earlier. The memories of the previous Qian Shu Lan flooded back – stealing Zhou Xue Mei’s clothes and selling them for personal gain. No wonder the poor woman was wary.
“Just to look,” she quickly added, hoping to ease his suspicion. “I promise I’ll return it.”
He hesitated, then finally agreed. “Alright.”
Fearing he might change his mind, Qian Shu Lan retrieved a tin of malted milk from her cupboard. “This is from your fifth brother, quite expensive. Did you finish the last tin I gave you?”
Last week, Wang Shou Zhi had briefly returned, mainly to inform her about Little Butterfly’s (Xiao-Die) successful relocation. Her household registration was now under his name, and she was enrolled in a school near the Water Conservancy Bureau. He had also brought provisions and a tin of malted milk.
Little Five’s condition was improving daily, his spirit and smile returning. While he worked digging wells in the countryside, Little Butterfly was entrusted to a colleague’s wife, who was compensated with both wages and food supplies.
Wang Shou Li was astonished. He knew his mother’s usual attitude towards Little Peach – even the chickens held a higher status. Why else would his wife be so adamant about dividing the family property?
Although they had received a tin of malted milk before, it was simply a gift, costing his mother nothing. Now, she had actively purchased this luxury for Little Peach? It was unheard of, like the sun rising in the west. He knew from colleagues how difficult it was to obtain malted milk – expensive, a specialty item, with vouchers nearly impossible to acquire. His mother’s effort for Little Peach touched him deeply.
“Be careful not to be seen by others when you go out,” Qian Shu Lan cautioned.
Whether it was to appease her son or genuinely increase his filial piety, her initial motive remained: to ensure Little Peach’s well-being. The little girl couldn’t afford to fall ill before Qian Wei Han sent the telegram; otherwise, the precious medicine, exchanged for a hundred gold coins, would be wasted.
- (Telegram: a written message transmitted by using an electric device and delivered by hand or teleprinter.)
The cold, metallic touch of the malted milk tin against his fingers solidified the realisation in Wang Shou Li’s mind – his mother had been surprisingly generous with them.
He left the room, returning shortly after with a piece of jade clutched in his hand. Qian Shu Lan accepted it with a warm smile, assuring him, “I’ll return it first thing tomorrow morning!”
Wang Shou Li nodded, a sense of relief washing over him, and quietly closed the door behind him.
Alone once more, Qian Shu Lan retrieved the egg-sized crystal ball from her pocket. As it touched the jade, a sudden blue light pulsed within its depths.
Her gaze locked onto the tiny stars inside, watching as they ignited one by one, their points of light slowly converging towards the centre of the galaxy within the crystal ball.
Then, just as quickly as it began, the illumination faded, leaving the starry sky within the ball silent and dark once more.
Qian Shu Lan immediately accessed the online store, seeking an explanation for the phenomenon.
The response was swift: 【 Yes, that was spiritual energy. Once all the stars in the crystal ball converge into the galaxy, it signifies the complete gathering of spiritual energy. May I ask what objects in your world carry this energy? 】
Spiritual energy, she knew, varied across different worlds, residing within plants, animals, and even people…
【 It’s a piece of jade. 】
Number 153 seemed surprised. 【 Perhaps try something else? An antique might also work. 】
An antique? Qian Shu Lan paused, her mind flashing to the ancestral hall in Wang Family Village. Beside it stood an ancient incense burner, rumoured to be centuries old.
- (Ancestral hall (祠堂 – cí táng): A traditional Chinese building used for ancestral worship and lineage ceremonies.)
The thought tantalised her – could she go and have a look? But how? A lone woman entering the ancestral hall of Wang Family Village? Unthinkable.
Disheartened, she almost dismissed the idea. But then, a glimmer of hope. Everyone was preoccupied with weeding the fields for work points, even the children. The ancestral hall would be unguarded.
The more she pondered, the more feasible it seemed. With a newfound determination, Qian Shu Lan sought out the current patriarch of the Wang family. Feigning forgetfulness, she requested the key, claiming she had left something behind during the last cleaning.
The patriarch, suspecting nothing, readily agreed. After all, the ancestral hall held nothing of significant value. He simply instructed her to return the key promptly.
Qian Shu Lan, of course, readily agreed.
Sneaking towards the ancestral hall, she discovered it was far from the grand structure she had envisioned. The Wang family’s most esteemed ancestor, a scholar from the Ming Dynasty’s Wanli era, hardly warranted extravagance.
- Ming Dynasty (明朝 – Míng Cháo): A Chinese dynasty that ruled from 1368 to 1644, known for its cultural brilliance and maritime exploration.
- Wanli era (万历年间 – Wànlì niánjiān): A period during the Ming Dynasty, known for its stability and prosperity under the reign of Emperor Wanli.
If traced back to its origins, it had already surpassed eight generations or more, so the people in Wang Family Village were all from middle peasant backgrounds.
- (Middle peasant (下中农 – xià zhōng nóng): A socioeconomic class in traditional Chinese society, between the wealthy landowners and the poor peasants, typically owning a moderate amount of land.)
The ancestral hall, reflecting the family’s modest lineage, was a simple affair. Its narrow space housed rows of ancestor tablets, flanked by yellowish-black pillars instead of the expected blue cloth curtains. There were no tales of extraordinary deeds, no detailed records of lives lived – just names etched in wood, marking the passage of generations.
Qian Shu Lan, her focus solely on the task at hand, bypassed the tablets and went straight for the incense burner. Its shape was ordinary, with two copper ears, yet the craftsmanship was undeniable. Despite centuries of use, a faint copper gleam still emanated from its surface.
Without hesitation, she pulled out the crystal ball, eager to test its reaction. As the stars within began to dance once more, she almost leaped for joy.
The starlight eventually faded, and as Qian Shu Lan placed the crystal ball back, her gaze fell upon the rows of weathered tablets. A sudden realisation struck her, sending a shiver down her spine. She had been so focused on her mission that she had completely disregarded the ancestors, disrespecting their memory.
With a pang of remorse, she quickly grabbed three incense sticks from the table, lit them, and bowed deeply, muttering apologies. “Please forgive me, please forgive me,” she repeated, placing the incense into the burner.
Only then, with a newfound respect for the spirits of the past, did Qian Shu Lan depart the ancestral hall.
─── ❖ ── ☆ ── ❖ ───
( )………( )
(๑✪ᆺ✪๑)
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