Love like the Galaxy - V1C6
Author and Editor's Notes
1- Transmigration, Sickness and Recovery
2- Survival
3- Sick again, Gossips and Jealousy
4- Family Reunion
5- Awkward Meeting
6- Drama Spirit
7- Crocodile tears
8- Mother and Son
9- Family Banquet
10- Good News!
11- Mother and Daughter
12- Enough is Enough
13- Madam Xiao's unfairness
14- Siblings' reunion and a moment of reflection
15- Third Uncle and Madam Sang
Chapter 6
Drama Spirit [1]
As the family was casually chatting, before Yu Cailing could say anything, a shrill and rough elderly woman’s scream suddenly echoed from a distance. The cry initially sounded anguished, with notes of grief, but the dominant emotion was clear indignation—particularly the extended “wa waaaaaa” at the end, lasting seven or eight seconds straight.
Yu Cailing experienced a strange sense of admiration. Her ability to produce a loud, sustained cry, full of emotional depth—like Luciano Pavarotti[2] and Li Shuangjiang[3]—was impressive. Then she realized, for such a loud, clear cry, the Cheng manor couldn’t be very big. So, what was going on with Old Madam Cheng?
After these brief reflections, she observed Qing Cong’s composed expression as Cheng Shi and Madam Xiao exchanged meaningful glances. Only then did she understand that the real performance was about to begin. Old Madam Cheng's cries grew more urgent, repeatedly calling, "My son... my eldest son... my dear son...," her voice shifting from distant to nearby in an instant, making Yu Cailing feel increasingly that this residence was quite small.
After exchanging silent glances, Cheng Shi cleared his throat and rose to greet Old Madam. Meanwhile, Madam Xiao slowly straightened her husband's waistcloth and reminded Yu Cailing, "Don't just kneel there. Drink the medicine quickly."
As the couple prepared to leave, they underestimated Old Madam's agility. Qing Cong, walking in front, didn't have a chance to lift the door curtain before being pushed back by a sudden force. Old Madam charged in like a wild boar shot by an arrow, almost tearing down the curtain.
This time, her usual crowd of maids was absent, replaced only by Madam Ge and two other women unfamiliar to Yu Cailing. The first woman looked about Old Madam's age, with coarse features, her face streaked with snot and tears, making her quite unappealing. The second woman was attractive and seemed clever, probably in her thirties, but her makeup was overly thick, and she was also crying.
Old Madam looked utterly disheveled—her refined robes were torn at the collar, her thick gold hairpin that resembled a fire poker was absent, and she only had one of her large, wheel-shaped gold earrings remaining. Tears and snot streaked her face as she sobbed uncontrollably, "You must save your uncle... this is a matter of life or death..."
The moment she spotted Cheng Shi, she rushed toward him, crying bitterly. Everyone could only watch as Old Madam hit her own broad chest with fists the size of wine jars, creating a loud, terrifying thud, while also occasionally swinging at her son with dull hits. Despite Cheng Shi's strong build, the impacts caused him to stagger back several steps.
Madam Xiao's lips twitched upon seeing the scene, her thoughts drifting to how unfortunate it was that her husband's mother was born the wrong gender. Had she been a man, she would have been a formidable general. She carefully moved to avoid any stray fists that might accidentally hit an innocent bystander. When she looked aside, she saw her daughter mimicking her exact gestures, slipping into a corner. Yu Cailing even turned toward Nanny Zhu to speak, but amid the chaos, only snippets like "...Grandmother should have been a general..." were audible. Before she could finish, the little girl was quickly pushed behind Nanny Zhu for safety.
Madam Xiao froze, realizing this was the first time her daughter had expressed her own opinions and was no longer the fragile girl she had seemed just moments before. Instead of focusing on how her daughter resembled her, she immediately saw this as a flaw.
Nanny Zhu saw the chaos and tried to pull Yu Cailing out of the room first. However, Yu Cailing was too excited to leave and refused to move.
When Nanny Zhu tried to pull her away and noticed the girl clutching the medicine bowl tightly in the corner, her slight trembling suggesting fear, she assumed the child was scared. Considering it unwise for the recovering girl to go outside and risk catching a cold—and since Madam Xiao hadn't given any instructions—Nanny Zhu chose to let her stay. Additionally, since Old Madam was making a scene, Nanny Zhu wasn't overly concerned.
While Nanny Zhu continued to think, Yu Cailing quickly understood the main situation by listening to Old Madam Cheng's cries and combining it with the partial past Nanny Zhu had shared earlier.
Old Madam Cheng's maiden name was Dong. During the chaos of the fallen empire, the Dong family had scattered—some fled, others died—leaving only Old Madam's youngest brother and his family to survive until Cheng Shi rose to prominence. Since then, the Dong family relied on the Cheng family for survival.
Unfortunately, Madam Xiao kept a tight grip on resources[4], leaving even Old Madam with little to spare, let alone anything to pass on to the Dongs without her approval. Believing it better to teach a man to fish than to give him fish, the "resourceful" old matriarch had Cheng Shi secure a position for Uncle Dong[5], brother of Old Madam. Sadly, Old Uncle Dong lacked scholarly interests and was not inclined to trade, finding farming too labor-intensive with slow returns. He repeatedly failed in his attempts outside. Finally, about two or three years ago, when the Old Madam heard that the war at the front was easing, she pressured Cheng Shi to secure a military position for Old Uncle Dong, believing her son would protect him if he wronged. The Old Madam was aware her brother was shady but regarded him as her only remaining brother, so she always excused his behavior. Madam Xiao, however, would have no further excuses.
Over the last two years, Old Uncle Dong improved his position and increased his daily income. He learned about the rewards and spoils that Cheng Shi and his wife received, and he was unashamed to ask his Elder Sister for his portion. Old Madam became greedier, sharing news with her Dong family and requesting money and land from her son; both siblings enjoyed a very comfortable life.
Over the past few days, Old Madam had been waiting for her brother to return and share news of her son’s recent achievements. However, instead of his arrival, she received heartbreaking news: Old Uncle Dong had been caught secretly stealing military supplies to sell for profit, and the theft had already been reported.
For such a crime, even with mercy, the punishment would involve confiscating family property and enslaving family members as government servants, not to mention executing the main offender by waist-cutting and public display.
When Aunt Dong received the news, she quickly came with Madam Ge to ask for help. Old Madam Cheng was nearly overwhelmed by shock.
Cheng Shi gathered his courage, known for his bravery in the army, and forcefully wrenched his mother’s grip open, freeing himself. He then quickly looked back at his wife and noticed a brief flicker in Madam Xiao’s eyes—a movement that lasted only a second but was observed by Yu Cailing, who thought: Here comes the drama.
Cheng Shi took a deep breath, shook out his wrinkled sleeves, straightened his posture, and bowed deeply before kneeling stiffly in front of his mother, Old Madam. With tears welling in his fierce eyes, he sighed sorrowfully: “Mother! I learned about this from my subordinates early this morning and wanted to tell you, but... I really didn’t know how to tell you...”
Yu Cailing silently applauded his acting. The tears are spot on. The sorrowful face is spot on. Well done. Well done.
Qing Cong looked up at the sky again, silently annoyed. She recognized that her master could pretend to be foolish to the extent of actually becoming foolish. He had obviously come to see his daughter first thing in the morning, but ended up here because he underestimated how swiftly Old Aunt Dong and Old Madam Cheng would respond. Couldn’t he at least lie more convincingly? It was a shame that Madam Xiao’s efforts in coaching him all night went to waste.
Second Aunt, named Madam Ge, who was supporting Old Madam Cheng, seized the opportunity to chime in sweetly, “After all, he’s your uncle. No matter how difficult it is, you must save him!” As she spoke, she glanced coquettishly at the tall, imposing Cheng Shi.
Yu Cailing felt nauseated, thinking to herself: Another one in dire need of a good mirror. You’re at least eighteen Pan Jinlian[6] behind Madam Xiao in terms of figure, looks, temperament, and insight. Just save it.
Madam Xiao immediately stepped forward and said sternly to Madam Ge, “My husband is kneeling before Mother. Why haven’t you stepped aside? Do you also wish to receive such a bow[7]?”
Before Madam Ge could respond, Old Madam suddenly slapped her forcefully and shouted, “Get lost! Are you here to mock my family’s trouble?” She had always preferred to keep her family’s shame from others, but Madam Ge arrived swiftly after hearing the news. Although Old Madam was aware of Madam Ge’s manipulative nature, she had chosen to ignore it until this moment.
The slap was loud and heavy, leaving a large red mark on Madam Ge’s cheek. Humiliated and furious, she covered her face and ran out of the room without another glance at anyone.
Yu Cailing experienced a strange sense of admiration. Her ability to produce a loud, sustained cry, full of emotional depth—like Luciano Pavarotti[2] and Li Shuangjiang[3]—was impressive. Then she realized, for such a loud, clear cry, the Cheng manor couldn’t be very big. So, what was going on with Old Madam Cheng?
After these brief reflections, she observed Qing Cong’s composed expression as Cheng Shi and Madam Xiao exchanged meaningful glances. Only then did she understand that the real performance was about to begin. Old Madam Cheng's cries grew more urgent, repeatedly calling, "My son... my eldest son... my dear son...," her voice shifting from distant to nearby in an instant, making Yu Cailing feel increasingly that this residence was quite small.
After exchanging silent glances, Cheng Shi cleared his throat and rose to greet Old Madam. Meanwhile, Madam Xiao slowly straightened her husband's waistcloth and reminded Yu Cailing, "Don't just kneel there. Drink the medicine quickly."
As the couple prepared to leave, they underestimated Old Madam's agility. Qing Cong, walking in front, didn't have a chance to lift the door curtain before being pushed back by a sudden force. Old Madam charged in like a wild boar shot by an arrow, almost tearing down the curtain.
This time, her usual crowd of maids was absent, replaced only by Madam Ge and two other women unfamiliar to Yu Cailing. The first woman looked about Old Madam's age, with coarse features, her face streaked with snot and tears, making her quite unappealing. The second woman was attractive and seemed clever, probably in her thirties, but her makeup was overly thick, and she was also crying.
Old Madam looked utterly disheveled—her refined robes were torn at the collar, her thick gold hairpin that resembled a fire poker was absent, and she only had one of her large, wheel-shaped gold earrings remaining. Tears and snot streaked her face as she sobbed uncontrollably, "You must save your uncle... this is a matter of life or death..."
The moment she spotted Cheng Shi, she rushed toward him, crying bitterly. Everyone could only watch as Old Madam hit her own broad chest with fists the size of wine jars, creating a loud, terrifying thud, while also occasionally swinging at her son with dull hits. Despite Cheng Shi's strong build, the impacts caused him to stagger back several steps.
Madam Xiao's lips twitched upon seeing the scene, her thoughts drifting to how unfortunate it was that her husband's mother was born the wrong gender. Had she been a man, she would have been a formidable general. She carefully moved to avoid any stray fists that might accidentally hit an innocent bystander. When she looked aside, she saw her daughter mimicking her exact gestures, slipping into a corner. Yu Cailing even turned toward Nanny Zhu to speak, but amid the chaos, only snippets like "...Grandmother should have been a general..." were audible. Before she could finish, the little girl was quickly pushed behind Nanny Zhu for safety.
Madam Xiao froze, realizing this was the first time her daughter had expressed her own opinions and was no longer the fragile girl she had seemed just moments before. Instead of focusing on how her daughter resembled her, she immediately saw this as a flaw.
Nanny Zhu saw the chaos and tried to pull Yu Cailing out of the room first. However, Yu Cailing was too excited to leave and refused to move.
When Nanny Zhu tried to pull her away and noticed the girl clutching the medicine bowl tightly in the corner, her slight trembling suggesting fear, she assumed the child was scared. Considering it unwise for the recovering girl to go outside and risk catching a cold—and since Madam Xiao hadn't given any instructions—Nanny Zhu chose to let her stay. Additionally, since Old Madam was making a scene, Nanny Zhu wasn't overly concerned.
While Nanny Zhu continued to think, Yu Cailing quickly understood the main situation by listening to Old Madam Cheng's cries and combining it with the partial past Nanny Zhu had shared earlier.
Old Madam Cheng's maiden name was Dong. During the chaos of the fallen empire, the Dong family had scattered—some fled, others died—leaving only Old Madam's youngest brother and his family to survive until Cheng Shi rose to prominence. Since then, the Dong family relied on the Cheng family for survival.
Unfortunately, Madam Xiao kept a tight grip on resources[4], leaving even Old Madam with little to spare, let alone anything to pass on to the Dongs without her approval. Believing it better to teach a man to fish than to give him fish, the "resourceful" old matriarch had Cheng Shi secure a position for Uncle Dong[5], brother of Old Madam. Sadly, Old Uncle Dong lacked scholarly interests and was not inclined to trade, finding farming too labor-intensive with slow returns. He repeatedly failed in his attempts outside. Finally, about two or three years ago, when the Old Madam heard that the war at the front was easing, she pressured Cheng Shi to secure a military position for Old Uncle Dong, believing her son would protect him if he wronged. The Old Madam was aware her brother was shady but regarded him as her only remaining brother, so she always excused his behavior. Madam Xiao, however, would have no further excuses.
Over the last two years, Old Uncle Dong improved his position and increased his daily income. He learned about the rewards and spoils that Cheng Shi and his wife received, and he was unashamed to ask his Elder Sister for his portion. Old Madam became greedier, sharing news with her Dong family and requesting money and land from her son; both siblings enjoyed a very comfortable life.
Over the past few days, Old Madam had been waiting for her brother to return and share news of her son’s recent achievements. However, instead of his arrival, she received heartbreaking news: Old Uncle Dong had been caught secretly stealing military supplies to sell for profit, and the theft had already been reported.
For such a crime, even with mercy, the punishment would involve confiscating family property and enslaving family members as government servants, not to mention executing the main offender by waist-cutting and public display.
When Aunt Dong received the news, she quickly came with Madam Ge to ask for help. Old Madam Cheng was nearly overwhelmed by shock.
Cheng Shi gathered his courage, known for his bravery in the army, and forcefully wrenched his mother’s grip open, freeing himself. He then quickly looked back at his wife and noticed a brief flicker in Madam Xiao’s eyes—a movement that lasted only a second but was observed by Yu Cailing, who thought: Here comes the drama.
Cheng Shi took a deep breath, shook out his wrinkled sleeves, straightened his posture, and bowed deeply before kneeling stiffly in front of his mother, Old Madam. With tears welling in his fierce eyes, he sighed sorrowfully: “Mother! I learned about this from my subordinates early this morning and wanted to tell you, but... I really didn’t know how to tell you...”
Yu Cailing silently applauded his acting. The tears are spot on. The sorrowful face is spot on. Well done. Well done.
Qing Cong looked up at the sky again, silently annoyed. She recognized that her master could pretend to be foolish to the extent of actually becoming foolish. He had obviously come to see his daughter first thing in the morning, but ended up here because he underestimated how swiftly Old Aunt Dong and Old Madam Cheng would respond. Couldn’t he at least lie more convincingly? It was a shame that Madam Xiao’s efforts in coaching him all night went to waste.
Second Aunt, named Madam Ge, who was supporting Old Madam Cheng, seized the opportunity to chime in sweetly, “After all, he’s your uncle. No matter how difficult it is, you must save him!” As she spoke, she glanced coquettishly at the tall, imposing Cheng Shi.
Yu Cailing felt nauseated, thinking to herself: Another one in dire need of a good mirror. You’re at least eighteen Pan Jinlian[6] behind Madam Xiao in terms of figure, looks, temperament, and insight. Just save it.
Madam Xiao immediately stepped forward and said sternly to Madam Ge, “My husband is kneeling before Mother. Why haven’t you stepped aside? Do you also wish to receive such a bow[7]?”
Before Madam Ge could respond, Old Madam suddenly slapped her forcefully and shouted, “Get lost! Are you here to mock my family’s trouble?” She had always preferred to keep her family’s shame from others, but Madam Ge arrived swiftly after hearing the news. Although Old Madam was aware of Madam Ge’s manipulative nature, she had chosen to ignore it until this moment.
The slap was loud and heavy, leaving a large red mark on Madam Ge’s cheek. Humiliated and furious, she covered her face and ran out of the room without another glance at anyone.
[1] In chinese, Drama Spirit is equivalent to Drama Queen in English.
[2] Luciano Pavarotti (12 October 1935 – 6 September 2007) was an Italian operatic tenor who, during the late part of his career, crossed over into popular music, eventually becoming one of the most acclaimed tenors of all time.
[3] Li Shuangjiang (Chinese: 李双江; born 10 March 1939) is a Chinese military singer, and is considered one of the best tenors in China.
[4] New Charaters
- (Old) Uncle Dong | Younger Brother: Old Madam’s younger brother. Depending on who is talking, the address form will change. It is all about blood relation and hierarchy.
- (Old) Aunt Dong : First wife of Old Uncle Dong
[5] Pan Jinlian (Chinese: 潘金蓮; Pān Jīnlián), or Golden Lotus, is a notorious fictional character who appears as an archetypal femme fatale and villainess in classical Chinese literature. She is best known for committing adultery and murdering her husband in the novels Water Margin and Jin Ping Mei
[6] Madam Xiao holds authority over Madam Ge, who is married to the second son of the Cheng family (brother of Cheng Shi). According to etiquette, Cheng Shi is recognized as the head of the Cheng family. Madam Xiao is humiliating Madam Ge and suggesting that she desires Cheng Shi to bow to her, which violates all established rules of etiquette.
━━━━༻❁༺━━━━
FD notes[7] :
Context: Both individuals share responsibility for managing the household's budget and resources. Madam Xiao, the first wife, is the primary decision-maker, while Old Madam acts as the family's guardian. Everyone with status receives an allowance; however, if expenses need to be covered within the family budget, Madam Xiao and Cheng Shi have authority. When Madam Xiao went to war with her husband, her duties were delegated to Old Madam Cheng, who selfishly relied on Madam Ge to handle household management. During the couple's absence, Old Madam Cheng managed the finances and favored her own maiden family, Dong, over both the Cheng and Xiao families. When the couple returned, Old Madam was no longer responsible for family finances, which explains her dramatics. She used Madam Ge to handle daily tasks, but once her son and daughter-in-law returned, Madam Ge was no longer needed.
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