Best Mom in the 60s
六零之穿成极品他妈
Godmother
Translator: InkyDragon
Word count: 2,3k
After a quiet breakfast, Qian Shu Lan sent Little Butterfly on her way to the preschool near the Water Resources Bureau.
As she anticipated, Jiang Yu Ying returned home early in the morning, her newly purchased dress rustling as she moved, her face a storm cloud of anger.
The moment she stepped inside, trailed by a flustered Guo Zheng Liang, Qian Shu Lan knew the meeting had not gone as planned.
Guo Zheng Liang was taken aback by the presence of the elderly lady, but he had no time for pleasantries. His apologies tumbled out in a rush.
“Yu Ying, I swear, I had no idea Mother would say such things. I told her you’re my partner, there’s no way I’d marry Chen Xuan Xuan! She’s practically a child – eighteen to my twenty-four? Absurd! We’re comrades, Yu Ying, working towards the revolution together. Please, believe me.”
Qian Shu Lan, sensing their need for privacy, retreated to the kitchen. The familiar rhythm of preparing lunch soothed her, her thoughts drifting to Little Butterfly, who would soon need to be collected from school.
As she stirred the broth, Guo Zheng Liang called out, a hurried goodbye echoing through the room. Qian Shu Lan, hands busy with a steaming pot, simply acknowledged his departure.
Upon finishing the meal, she found Jiang Yu Ying seated on the sofa in the main room, her face etched with worry.
Qian Shu Lan set the dishes and steamed buns on the table and sat beside her. “Yesterday, the old lady we met… she was Guo Zheng Liang’s mother, right?”
Jiang Yu Ying looked up, surprise flickering in her eyes as she met Qian Shu Lan’s knowing gaze. She pressed her lips together and nodded.
Not wanting to pry but needing to understand the dynamics, Qian Shu Lan asked gently, “Given your current relationship, do you think there’s any chance of marriage?”
This was precisely the question that had been weighing on Jiang Yu Ying’s mind. Madam Guo’s clear disapproval had stung deeply. Resting her chin on her hand, she let out a sigh. “Auntie Qian, do you really think we have a chance?”
A heavy sigh escaped Qian Shu Lan’s lips as she patted Jiang Yu Ying’s hand. “Sweetheart,” she began gently, “Auntie doesn’t have all the answers, but I do want you to find happiness. If being with him means constantly silencing who you are, then what’s the point? True love shouldn’t be exhausting, filled with suspicion and doubt. It should be joy, sweetness. Ask yourself this, honestly – if you walk away, will the sadness be unbearable? Will you regret it?”
Jiang Yu Ying’s eyes welled up, a glistening dam threatening to overflow. Tears clung to her lashes, making her appear even more fragile. Her voice, a mere whisper, replied, “Auntie Qian, I… I need to think.”
Qian Shu Lan squeezed her hand gently, then gestured to the spread of food. “You came back early, probably haven’t eaten much. Come, have some lunch.”
Jiang Yu Ying’s vision blurred again. All this time, she’d felt adrift, a solitary boat on a vast sea. Auntie Qian’s kindness, a beacon in the storm, washed over her.
With trembling hands, she picked up her chopsticks. Taking the steamed bun Qian Shu Lan offered, she devoured it a little too quickly.
Seeing her eat so quickly, Qian Shu Lan quickly patted her back. “Be careful not to choke eating so fast.”
Jiang Yu Ying dropped her chopsticks and in a swift movement, buried her face in Auntie Qian’s embrace. Tears, finally released, streamed down her cheeks, a torrent of pent-up feelings.
Qian Shu Lan understood that Jiang Yu Ying had been too repressed, and she allowed her to vent, gently patting her back and stroking her hair.
When Jiang Yu Ying finally calmed down, the old lady listened attentively as she shared the whole story.
“Madam Guo… she despises the fact that I’m an orphan. She mocked me constantly – both to my face and behind my back. I tried to endure it, Auntie Qian, I truly did. But when she introduced this Chen Xuan Xuan to her son, saying she was the kind of girl who deserved to be their daughter-in-law, right in front of me… that was it. I couldn’t take it anymore.”
“This is outrageous!” Qian Shu Lan bristled with indignation. “How could she be so overbearing? Was Guo Zheng Liang just standing there andsaying nothing like a puppet?”
Jiang Yu Ying’s lips curled into a sardonic smile. “He may not be a puppet, but she’s his mother. What can he do? I couldn’t stomach another moment. I left without even touching my food.”
“Good for you!” Qian Shu Lan patted her hand. “Don’t hold it in. We women have to stand up for ourselves. If this is how she treats you now, imagine the misery after you’re married.”
Venting her frustrations brought a sense of relief, and Jiang Yu Ying leaned against Qian Shu Lan’s shoulder, feeling a weight lift from her chest. “I thought, given his excellence, his mother wouldn’t be too unreasonable. I believed that with our shared revolutionary goals, marriage wouldn’t be so daunting. Unfortunately, I was wrong.”
Qian Shu Lan stroked Jiang Yu Ying’s hair, her voice full of empathy. “What will you do?”
Jiang Yu Ying straightened her back, a newfound resolve in her eyes. “No one gets to mistreat me, not for any reason. Call me selfish, but if he doesn’t stand up, I’m out.”
A warm smile spread across Qian Shu Lan’s face. “You’re right. If marriage doesn’t bring you happiness, it’s not worth having.”
Jiang Yu Ying felt a wave of relief wash over her. “Aunt Qian, you’re the only one who truly understands. My colleagues, my aunt, my cousin—everyone urges me to marry. But you, you see that it’s not necessary for me.”
Qian Shu Lan, never one to view marriage as a woman’s sole purpose, nodded in agreement. Her own battles with sons and daughters-in-law had made her weary of raising children altogether. Those sweet little ones could so easily go astray if not guided with care, and the effort to correct them was a burden she wouldn’t wish on anyone.
“Marriage isn’t the only path for a woman,” Qian Shu Lan said gently. “Spending your life catering to a husband and children, working yourself to the bone…there may be joys, but the hardships are something outsiders can’t fathom. If you haven’t found someone worth those sacrifices, it’s better to live independently. At least the happiness you have now is real, the contentment genuine.”
These were words born from experience, spoken with heartfelt sincerity.
Hearing this, the young woman couldn’t hold back her tears, burying her face in Qian Shu Lan’s shoulder once more.
Qian Shu Lan knew that Jiang Yu Ying’s pride had been wounded, that Guo Zheng Liang’s indifference had cut deep. What men might dismiss as insignificant could be a mountain in a woman’s heart.
It was simply a difference in perspective.
The old lady remained by her side, a silent pillar of support.
Jiang Yu Ying wiped her tears, patted her hair back into place, and suddenly blurted, “Aunt Qian, could I call you godmother?”
Qian Shu Lan blinked, taken aback. In her mind, they were friends—after all, she was only twenty-two at heart, not much older than Jiang Yu Ying. How had she become a godmother figure?
But then again, hadn’t she been acting like one all along?
As Qian Shu Lan pondered, Jiang Yu Ying waited anxiously. As an orphan, all she’d ever wanted was someone to care for her. If a husband wasn’t in the cards, why not a godmother? Aunt Qian was so kind, always bringing eggs from the countryside, cooking delicious meals, and offering comfort like a mother would.
Seeing the hesitation on Qian Shu Lan’s face, Jiang Yu Ying started to backtrack, to say it was just a joke. But then Qian Shu Lan burst into laughter. “Alright.”
Jiang Yu Ying looked at her, surprised and delighted.
“But if we’re going to be godmother and goddaughter,” Qian Shu Lan continued, “we can’t do it so casually. Let’s go to the Red Flag Restaurant and have Boss Du cook us up a celebratory feast. That way, we’ll have a witness.”
Jiang Yu Ying nodded, a smile breaking through her tears.
Together, they went to the school to fetch Little Butterfly, then the three of them headed to the restaurant.
Everyone there was overjoyed to hear about the newfound bond. Qian Shu Lan presented Jiang Yu Ying with a silver bracelet, an heirloom she’d brought with her.
Little Butterfly, seeing her chance, piped up with a sweet “Auntie,” much to Jiang Yu Ying’s delight. The word echoed in her ears, a warm reminder of the family she’d just found.
- (姑姑 (Gūgu): This specifically refers to the father’s sisters.)
As the trio stepped out of the restaurant, Little Butterfly’s childish voice chimed, “Auntie, what do you call Daddy?”
Qian Shu Lan helped her out. “She calls him Fifth Brother.”
This made the little girl laugh heartily, though it was unclear which part of the address she found so amusing.
Upon reaching the house, they found Guo Zheng Liang waiting, a sight that instantly wiped the smile off Jiang Yu Ying’s face.
“What are you doing here?” she asked curtly.
Guo Zheng Liang greeted Qian Shu Lan before speaking softly to Jiang Yu Ying, “I need to talk to you.”
The young woman nodded, having her own words to share.
Qian Shu Lan took Little Butterfly to school, leaving the couple to their conversation. When she returned, Guo Zheng Liang was still pacing anxiously by the door. The Jiang family’s door was locked from the inside.
“Why haven’t you left yet?” she asked, a hint of amusement in her voice.
Guo Zheng Liang rushed over, his face etched with worry. “Aunt Qian, please help me talk to Yu Ying. She wants to leave me.” His voice cracked with emotion, his eyes red-rimmed. It was clear his heart was breaking.
Qian Shu Lan sighed, a crease forming between her brows. “Now that Yu Ying is my goddaughter, I need to have a word with you.”
Guo Zheng Liang, momentarily surprised by the news, quickly recovered his composure. “Of course, Aunt Qian,” he said, nodding respectfully.
Qian Shu Lan had always liked Guo Zheng Liang. The young man was upright, kind, and possessed good values. On a scale of one to ten, he scored an eight for discernment and a perfect ten in other areas.
“You’re aware your mother doesn’t approve of Yu Ying, aren’t you?” she began.
Guo Zheng Liang shifted uncomfortably, guessing Jiang Yu Ying must have told Qian Shu Lan about the morning’s events. He mumbled a reluctant “Mmhmm,” his face flushing with embarrassment.
Seeing his discomfort, Qian Shu Lan spoke more bluntly. “Your mother not only dislikes Yu Ying, she’s already brought home a potential bride of her own choosing. Be very careful in the coming days.”
Thanks to the TV dramas from her past life, Qian Shu Lan’s mind raced with possibilities: drugging, threats, staged “coincidences.”
As cliché as they sounded, these plots were often effective. Any one of them could succeed even if executed carelessly.
The young woman struck Qian Shu Lan as someone who could go to extremes if needed. It wouldn’t be surprising if she threw caution to the wind and convinced the old lady to put on a show.
Guo Zheng Liang, clearly alarmed by Qian Shu Lan’s words, opened his mouth to defend his mother, but she raised a hand. “Better safe than sorry,” she said, cutting him off.
- (一万 (yi wan) – This phrase literally means “ten thousand,” but it is used idiomatically here as “better safe than sorry” to imply preventing unlikely but significant risks.)
Some things didn’t need to be spelled out. A gentle nudge in the right direction was enough. If he couldn’t grasp the situation and fell into his mother’s trap, then perhaps his fate with Yu Ying was simply not meant to be. No matter what, it would be a pity for such a loving couple to come to an end.
Guo Zheng Liang, though not fully convinced, nodded. Being cautious was never a bad thing. “But what about Yu Ying…?”
Qian Shu Lan frowned. “First, resolve the issue with that girl. Then you can worry about Yu Ying. She can’t stay at your place forever, can she?”
Guo Zheng Liang’s eyes lit up, understanding dawning upon him.
Qian Shu Lan continued, “If your mother truly can’t accept Yu Ying, then you two should live separately. Forcing everyone under one roof will only lead to more conflict. Remember, ‘distance makes the heart grow fonder.’ Besides, you’ll be stuck in the middle. On one side, your mother; on the other, your partner. No matter who you support, the other will be unhappy. Living apart is the best solution. If you can’t manage that, your relationship will crumble eventually.”
- (远香近臭 (yuan xiang jin chou) – This idiom means “distance brings beauty, while proximity brings disdain.” It suggests that people often appreciate things more when they are not too close, avoiding familiarity breeding contempt.
- 夹心饼干 (jia xin bing gan) – Literally “sandwich cookie,” it metaphorically describes someone caught between two conflicting sides, emphasising the difficulty of satisfying both.)
Upon hearing this, the young man seemed thoughtful, his brow furrowed as he considered Qian Shu Lan’s words.
When it came to matters of the heart, Qian Shu Lan found it inappropriate to intervene too much. Although Jiang Yu Ying was deeply disappointed in Guo Zheng Liang and had considered ending their relationship, emotions are not so easily severed.
The old lady could sense that Jiang Yu Ying’s words didn’t reflect her true feelings. Women, after all, tend to be soft-hearted. As long as she could bear it, she would be reluctant to end things. When she saw Guo Zheng Liang clashing with his family over her, Jiang Yu Ying’s heart softened.
However, once her limits were exceeded, her resolve could transform her into someone unrecognisable—no longer gentle and caring.
Qian Shu Lan felt somewhat helpless about this situation. Whether Guo Zheng Liang could prevail against his parents was uncertain. It was like a tug-of-war, testing whose resolve was stronger. If, in the end, nothing changed, then parting ways would leave no regrets.
─── ❖ ── ☆ ── ❖ ───
( )………( )
(๑✪ᆺ✪๑)
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