June 13, 2016

My Amazing Boyfriend Novel Translation Chapter 13 Part 5

[Translation Progress: 100% completed!]
This took a while but this chapter is all done! 

After spending so much time translating these I feel like I know even less. This author knows how to tease her audience. At least this segment is completely TJZ- and XLQ-centric. 


Lately XLQ finds TJZ strange. After she found about per pregnancy she was very clam and became low-spirited. Other then sleeping and drinking, the rest of time she’s just staring off into space, lost in thought. XLQ gives up his idol dramas to let her watch her favourite “One Piece” but even that is useless. She just sits there hugging her pillow with her soul gone elsewhere.

Initially XLQ thought she didn’t want children but that’s not the case, he realizes. The playful and cheerful TJZ has dwindled down to a gloomy TJZ. Anxious, XLQ suggests, “Let’s go on vacation.”  

He tosses the travel magazines in front of her. “Have a look at these, where do you want to go? I’ll book the tickets immediately.”

TJZ flips the pages back and forth and says, “I have to work.”

“It’s okay, you don’t have a contract right now, all your projects from before have ended and your endorsements are up for renewal … Ah, and that *dead person make up brand* doesn’t seem like they have the intention to renew your endorsement. You should just quit the entertainment world.”

[*T/N: Either TJZ is really endorsing zombie make up or XLQ describes the foundation that way. Whichever one it is, it’s all a jab at the overly imbalanced whitened face of stars these days.]

Being distracted with her thoughts, TJZ detachingly replies, “Okay, quit it is.“

“Okay.” XLQ points to the magazine and says, “Vacation it is”

TJZ flips through again. They were all pictures of islands, sunny beaches, waves, bikini... Randomly, she chooses one, “This one.”



The next day, XLQ takes TJZ and her nanny, FDD, to board the plane destined to Bali.

TJZ slept for the entire flight and only woke up to go through the customs. She’s completely like a slouch. FDD, who has never traveled, changes to his swimming trunks immediately upon arriving at the hotel. As for TJZ, its like she just went to another place to sleep. She’s in her bikini, deeply asleep on the beach chair. XLQ carefully studies her belly. With his finger, he taps her belly. He then pokes it a little – it’s hard.

XLQ never thought he would have a child. Even if its happening right now, reality hasn’t settled in yet. Underneath the firm belly it was as if something moved against his fingers.


It’s midnight when TJZ is awake. Lying next to her is XLQ and she’s hugging onto his arm.
A stir from her wakes him up. His eyes seem to glimmer as he speaks: “Are you hungry?”

TJZ shakes her head – she didn’t want to come out of heaven so soon. Carefully she plays with his fingers and asks: “You already took care of me for long enough, when are you leaving?”

“Later.” [or “Wait a bit more.” // TN: he’s just avoiding the question and stalling time by giving a vague answer]

“No. My belly is getting bigger. With you here, Ms. Qiu (mom) won’t be happy.

We’ll wait until she’s actually not happy then we’ll tell her.” XLQ knows he’s merely avoiding the problem. He wasn’t that kind of person before.

TJZ is a little happy. She smiles a little but then she begins to cry.

Earlier this afternoon when everyone was having fun watching the dolphins only TJZ cried. She bitterly laughs at herself, knowing none of this is logical.

“Don’t cry.”

“Mm.” But TJZ doubts herself “I must be broken. I was obviously a bit happy.”

XLQ pats her head. Her cautious and solemn expression aches him.

“Xue Ling Qiao, do you still love me?” TJZ asks.

XLQ replies: “If I don’t love you, will you go and love Yun Zhen then?”

TJZ coyly hits him, “Why are you mentioning Yun Zhen again? He’s just this crazy guy.” Then she shamelessly rests her chin on his chest, gently watching him, “It doesn’t matter if you don’t tell me as long as you can promise that you won’t like anyone else as long as I’m still alive.”

“How can you be so overbearing?”

“I am so.” TJZ is pleased with herself again. She touches her stomach, “Yun Zhen said my situation is unusual. Maybe I’m the only person who can give birth.”

TJZ clicks his tongue, “Why are you mentioning Yun Zhen again?”

“You brought him up first.”

 “Oh. I forgot.”

“……”


Time passes by as they quietly hold each other’s gaze. It’s been a long time since it was this affectionate between them. TJZ feels completely at ease, not wanting to move at all. No wonder people say that once you’re married romantic love transforms into family love. Holding hands has become merely the left hand holding the right hand, completely calm and content – nothing is beating erratically between this touch. However, no one can cut off the connection between this left hand and this right hand.

XLQ watches her, not knowing where her mind has wandered off to.

XLQ: “What are you thinking about?”

“I’m wondering when you’re leaving.”

“Oh.” XLQ avoids this topic again, “Later.”

“Then you must promise me you won’t love someone else.”

Oh.” [T/N: this “Oh” () means acknowledging the statement and does imply ‘yes’ but it’s a rather absentminded kind of ‘yes’]

“What ‘Oh’” TJZ is a little angry. “I’m already pregnant and you’re just ‘Oh-ing’.”

XLQ finds himself repeating “Oh” again. Being in her presence has rendered him incapable of retorting her.

And of course he loves her, it’s just he doesn’t voice it. However, he knows that if he continues to be mute, he’ll lose more and more that’s why he’s just letting things drag. [T/N: I translated this line as is but for some reason it lost me]

He began to think whether he’s qualified to be a father, whether he can handle the risks they’ll encounter, and whether he can defend his bottom line…although it doesn’t seem like he has much of a bottom line left to defend. [T/N: TJZ was probably the one who crossed all his boundaries]

That car accident saved him but also robbed him.

When to leave? Later.

In the wake of such a difficult question, he settles with relaxing first and then deciding.

While he’s thinking about all this, he looks down to find TJZ already lying on his chest deep asleep. The sounds of the waves outside were like a lullaby.

However, XLQ doesn’t know that in his whole lifetime he’ll never experience such peace ever again.



Comments

Wow what a way to leave it like that. More teasing. Also XLQ is just too disappointing in this chapter. Too many annoying tropes keeping them separated (e.g. 'we belong to different worlds', 'I don't want him to care for me just because of responsibility). I love this story for it's quirky jabs at the common tropes so now that the author is resorting to these excuses to temporarily separate them disappoints me a little. 

I don't know if I like this ending better than the drama ending. This just brought on more questions than answers! Does Yun Zhen have a greater purpose? What's this about a human slaughterhouse...? How will TJZ give birth? Will her child grow at a normal pace? (I'm thinking Twilight) Will TJZ become immortal and how? When will XLQ actually show he cares?? Gah. 

YZ needs to be a cute threat to make XLQ care more. But I wonder, will TJZ have a competition for XLQ's love too? I mean since, YZ exists, a genetically mutated female can exists too (Jenny??). If there is I'm hoping that female and YZ can get together in the end. I sorta like YZ so I want a happy ending for him too (: 

How is this Wu Qian going to act out being pregnant and being a mother? xD

Related Posts:
My Amazing Boyfriend Novel Translation Chapter 13 Part 4 

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