Man Man Qing Luo Chapter 01

Readers,

This is my first translation. I chose this web novel because it seems interesting. I came across to this title when I searched some novel titles in certain website. I thought, it was a pity that after a year. there were no group who want to translate this novel. 

This novel has, in total, 92 chapter and each chapter is a long essay!!! I, myself, is unsure if I can do it till the end. I hope I can (laugh nervously).

Anyway, I hope you enjoy reading my first ever translation from Chinese to English.

Man Man Qing Luo

Chapter 01

A moment after she opened her eyes, Cheng Qing immediately closed and opened her eyes in disbelief. After repeating this twice, Cheng Qing thought why she was not lying on her bed at home, but was in a strange place.

She moved her hands and feet, and thinking that her limbs were at least intact. She sat up and glad that it had no problem. Cheng Qing thought, who would have moved her from home to this place in the middle of the night without even woke her up?

Cheng Qing has always been light sleeper, especially when her parents were on a business and she was the only one sleeping at home. At that situation, her hearing was astonishing. A ran ran to the kitchen and climbed into a trash bin. When the rat’s claws were just placed onto the trash bin, Cheng Qing immediately woke up. From the bedroom, she ran to the kitchen and picked up a tennis racket to flung it past to the kitchen. The ran in kitchen was startled. He ran away resentfully, when entering the ventilator, the rat paused for a short time to turned its body and its adzuki bean-like eyes looking at her with full contempt as if those eyes were to say I was only picking up a garbage, was it necessary to go so far!? I just couldn't open the refrigerator door!

Cheng Qing hurriedly got rid the mouse and went to bed to continue her sleep. Afterwards, there was no sound that disturbed her sleep quality to the extent she didn't even have a dream. After she woke up and opened her eyes, she was already in this strange place.

The house was small, the white walls hung with a landscape picture, the ceiling was made of wooden boards. Before the window stood a narrow table with flower carvings on which was arranged a vase with an orchid -- it was simple and elegant.

Suddenly, she felt a little sore on her body. When she touched the hard bed [1], she realize that, after all, her body was used to sleep on a soft bed and naturally she will feel sore on such hard bed. The bed was antique, it’s like a imitation from the Ming-Qing Dynasty’s furniture. The bed had front panels and bed covers, and it was made with Ruyi pattern and there was plus-cross mortise and tenon, the workmanship was meticulous. Around the bed, hanged a high a pale yellow mosquito net made of light muslin. Cheng Qing thought, this bed was very beautiful, the imitation was exquisite, produced so delicately – it must have costed a fortune. The pillow was long and had flowers on it. She touched it and smiled when she pinched the tiny particles inside. There was a bag inside the embroidered pillow, which felt real.

[1] Ancient China’s Hard Bed.

The surrounding area was very quiet. Cheng Qing was already awake and did not plan to lie down again. She wanted to see where she was and who had brought her here.

Cheng Qing asked to the God, she never did anything bad deed, and she was a very good student in her school, she was popular and always befriend other students her school. Second, she did not owe any debts, including borrowing rice and owing money. Third, her parents, when she thought of her parents, Cheng Qing’s heart stunned, Was it possible that her parents angered someone? Thinking of this, Cheng Qing felt anxious.

Cheng Qing wanted to wear her shoes and went out. As she stretched out her feet, she was stupefied. She placed her hands in front of her to look at them, she was stupefied once again. With urgency, she looked at her body and hastily touched it. Cheng Qing felt a small heart-attack, and her mind instantly blanked out, only her heartbeat was audible to her ears. She felt like crying, this body was not her! The clothes that she wore were not modern clothes.

Cheng Qing’s mouth was gasping, subconsciously opened his mouth and shouted: “Mom!...”

Only to hear the door was pushed open, a woman in her twenties rushed in: "San er, Mother is here. What happened?"

Cheng Qing was scared once again: "Mother?"

The woman came over and gently hugged Cheng Qing: "San er, be good, it is your mother. Don't be afraid. Did you have a nightmare? You are sweating!" She said as her hand gently wipe Cheng Qing’s sweat with handkerchief. A faint aroma came up her nose. Cheng Qing was so scared and trembled, this was really not a dream! The woman seemed to feel it, so she gently hugged Cheng Qing and sat her on her lap. She pat at her back and said: "Mother is here, San er don’t be afraid, don’t be afraid!"

At this time, Cheng Qing was in a state of really frightened, and she was so stiff that she could not even speak. The woman discovered that the behavior seems amiss and began to shake her: "San er, what’s wrong? San er? Someone, come here!"

Two people came in from outside the door, a girl dressed in a maid dress asked with anxious voice: "Seventh lady, what happens to Young Miss?"

There was an anger in the Madam's voice: "Miss has always been afraid of sleeping alone. So, do you two also see us as not pleasing to the eye hence neglecting us?”

Those two servant kneeled down and their face were pale. The older girl had more courage and opened her mouth: "Seventh Madam, this old servant looked at the sky and thinking it was bright, the time is not early, so I went to take the clothes before attending Young Miss, I did not expect that the young lady had a nightmare again!" The younger servant girl had been in tears: "Today, Young Miss has slept late. Xiao Yu called two times and thought that miss responded, so this servant rushed to prepare hot water. I thought that Young Miss was awake. Madam, please spare Xiao Yu. In the future, If Young Miss wasn’t waking up yet, this servant did not dare to leave her ever again!"

Seventh Madam sighed and said: “Are you still not hurrying and preparing things? Today nothing can’t be done carelessly"

Mother Zhang and Xiao Yu listened and looked gratefully at Seventh Madam, they bowed their head and went out.

Seventh Madam coaxed Cheng Qing in whisper: "San er, Zhang Ma and Xiao Yu are people who have been chosen by Mother for a long time, and they will care and treat you in their heart."

Cheng Qing’s teeth were still clattering. She hadn’t figured out what’s going on and nodded involuntarily. A small mosquito-like voice come out from her mouth: "En."

Seventh Madam cupped Cheng Qing’s face, and her voice held gentleness: “San er, mother knows that you are afraid of the exam today, but mother only has you as a daughter. If you lose your temper again, you will lose your face (dignity). Our days in Li family will not good enough.” After she said that she frowned.

At this time, Mother Zhang held a stack of clothes, and Xiao Yu came in with a copper basin.

Seventh Madam  put down Cheng Qing from her embrace, holding her little hand and said: "Come, today, my mother will comb your hair."

Mother Zhang shook off a cyan skirt and attached it to Cheng Qing's waist. She then put on Cheng Qing’s purple-red jacket, right and left’s belt were tied down. At this time, Cheng Qing completely became a puppet by her.

After dully dressed in clothes, Seventh Madam lead Cheng Qing to the dressing table and sat down. She suddenly saw a strange face in the bronze mirror, her hands cupped her face and uttered a cry: "Ah!"

Seventh Madam looked at the sky and her face showed an anxious face: "San er, the time is not early. If we don’t quickly dress up, it will be too late. And if we were late, your father will... oh!! what do we do?"

Trial test? My father? Cheng Qing slowly put down her hand and opened her eyes, there was a layer of water mist in her eyes. Who was this? How did I get so small? How did it become like this? She couldn't believe it, staring at the red-eyed eyes in the mirror, pale and thin, at most six years old child.

Seeing Cheng Qing obediently sitting in front of the mirror, Seventh Madam, Mother Zhang and Xiao Yu stepped up to dress her up. After a while, a big eye appeared in the mirror, a little beauty with a delicate peach-shape face, straight bang, and twin bun hair. Seventh Madam was satisfied as she placed a Hosta flower [2] on the of Cheng Qing’s buns. There was a smile on Seventh Madam’s face.

[2] Hosta Flower

Mother Zhang Ma was happily said: "Miss looks exactly like Madam. She will be a beautiful woman when she grows up."

Seventh Madam held onto Cheng Qing’s hand and went outside. Once Cheng Qing walked out of the door, she saw a courtyard with a patio in the middle. Two large stone fish tanks were placed and in the middle was a Begonia tree that just bloomed in the morning, it seemed that it had rained in the morning by seeing how wet the courtyard was. Begonia flower was bloomed in gorgeous red, but now was not the time for her to enjoy the scenery. Seventh Madam's footsteps were a little anxious, hurrying for fear of being too late.

Cheng Qing suddenly thought that she was going to take her own trial test, it seemed very important. Didn’t She just said that this was related to their life in the Li family. Mother and daughter? Cheng Qing felt her heart palpitate again. Seventh Madam seemed to be at most twenty-three or four years old, to call her a mother?

Cheng Qing tried to calm herself. She wanted to know what kind the trial was right now, and then she thought this strange change. Cheng Qing pulled Seventh Madam’s hand, then she raised her face and asked her: "What should I pay attention to when I during the test?"

This was the first time Seventh Madam heard Cheng Qing’s question about the trial test. She couldn't help but stop her pace and affectionately stroking her head: "San er, mother knows that you have tried your best to learn four arts [3], to learn zither, chess, calligraphy, paintings, and do the poetry, but you, who don't like those who is talented, were not good enough, but, San er, you have promised to mother that no matter how good or bad you were, don't cry and don't lose your face!" Speaking from here, Seventh Madam’s eyes have a hint of hatred: "No matter what they do, we will never drop a tear! Do you remember this, San er?"

[3] Four Arts in China : learn zither, weiqi, calligraphy/literature, and paintings.

Cheng Qing looked at the eagerness in Seventh Madam’s eyes and nodded. As long as I didn’t cry, fine then! She sigh, what kind of environment is this? What kind of temper does this body’s have? A father that has married with at least seven wives, what does he look like?

Seventh Madam took Cheng Qing’s hand as they entered a main hall, the main hall was immediately quiet down. In the hall, there are five women with head filled with pearl and jade in the right and left rows of chairs. In the middle, there were two empty chairs, it seems those were Father and main wife’s position. Seventh Madam smiled slightly, facing to the left she bowed and called out: "This sister is late. Sisters, please forgive me." And then Seventh Madam did the same to the right side. The few people who sat down gave a few noncommittal nod, and Seventh Madam was accustomed to the cold attitude, so she did not wait for the return courtesy. So, she lead Cheng Qing to them empty seat on the right end and sat. Cheng Qing stood beside her, it was Madam Seventh which let go of Cheng Qing’s hand.

Cheng Qing looked to the left, there were three women that seemed to be her father’s other wives. Standing beside them were two girls, the big ones were ten years old, the smaller ones were seven or eight years old. Cheng Qing recalled back that she was called as san er by Seventh Madam, so it seems that those two children were her sister. The right side also sat two people with no children.

Cheng Qing secretly compared the other Madams with Seventh Madam. She felt that either she was chubby or thin, they have their own charm. Seventh Madam also have peach-shape face, pointed chin, a pair of crystal eyes, and petite body which became more and more delicate. Cheng Qing thought, after she grew up in the future, she was afraid that she will have the same appearance with Seventh Madam.

While Cheng Qing’s eyes were looking around, she saw the two girls across her curled her lips, and then they turned away with disdain. They seems arrogant to the extreme. In her heart she found it really funny. Little fart kids! Suddenly remembered that she has become smaller (younger) than she was. She felt uncomfortable, and couldn’t help but lowered her head.

At this moment, she heard a tinkling of hairpins, all the madams stood up from their seats, delicate and sweet voice was sounded “Pay respect to the Master and Sister”

And then she heard a man's voice: "Sit down, today’s test, Ah Lei, Ah Fei, Ah Luo, are you ready for the test? This time, in once every three months test, do not know whether there is an improvement or not!"

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