#idonghua

[klbloodx]

HLS Chapter 5 - 2027.2.12 Niansi

(Source: Google search result)

 In front of Xiao Nanzhu were two labour contracts.

 A4 paper in black and white with 365 red fingerprints under the employees’ side, while the employer’s side was still empty.

 Ever since Niansi crawled out of the fridge, Xiao Nanzhu had a very complicated and twisted expression sprawled on his face.

 Perhaps he had indeed run out of ideas on how to comment on this series of supernatural occurrences. He frowned and lifted the totally unguarded Niansi up.

 Poor Niansi was only just a frail and feeble scholar. He couldn’t even budge a single bit and instead yelled and made weird noises as he was carried to the wall on Xiao Nanzhu’s shoulder.

 Xiao Nanzhu sneered as he hung the old Huangli properly back onto the wall, and then without minding Niansi’s unceasing objection, he proceeds to shove poor soul Niansi back into the Huangli.

 “AHHHH! Xiao Nanzhu! Are you crazy?! This young man’s head! AHH! This young man’s hairstyle! This young man’s face hnnn!”

 Niansi’s wailing really sounded disgraceful and embarrassing.

 Xiao Nanzhu was annoyed too, as he saw that this weirdo could not be forcefully stuffed back in. But Niansi was really frightened by this hooligan act of Xiao Nanzhu, and he quickly took out the labour contract from within in his sleeves.

 As Xiao Nanzhu suppressed his anger and looked over it, he was left speechless. Numerous employment terms were printed on an eight-page contract, from wage benefits to the specifics of the job. The main gist of it was about how to become a Huangli Shi.

 Huangli Shi…

 Legend has it that it refers to a Fangshi who can alter the effects of seasonal solstices, solar terms, and festivals and predict each day’s fortune. Up until the modern era, due to the increase in new international holidays and memorial days, what was once in the old Huangli had new blood steadily infused in.

(Source: Screenshot from PV)

Being the working partner of all calendar gods in the Huangli, the interests of both the Huangli Shi and the calendar gods were protected by this labour contract, so inevitably more details were added to the list.

 For example: the individual functions and origins of all of the traditional festivals; the responsibilities of season and changes in time shouldered by the solstices; even specific arrangements for calendar gods in case they needed sick days, maternity leave, or even marital leave were listed looking legit.

 Since it was already A.C 2027 now, things were more organised and well-regulated.

 The modern calendar has a mix of traditional festivals and holidays of the Gregorian calendar. Although this means that there would be an erosion of traditional and cultural values to a certain degree, some deviations were to be expected because of the way the solar calendar operates.

As such, the contemporary Huangli Shi is responsible for all calendar gods in the new civil calendar and the various traditional festivals and solstices of the past. But what was more important to Xiao Nanzhu lay at the bottom of the list of all former Huangli Shi: he saw his grandmother’s name, Xiao Ruhua, written there.

 Xiao Nanzhu’s grandmother had signed such a labour contract when she was alive, and she had concealed this from everyone. Even her own grandson had no knowledge of this.

(Source: Baidu search result)

In Xiao Nanzhu’s memories, his grandmother never failed in foretelling any of her customers’ fortunes. Every wedding and funeral predicted by her were sure to go smoothly. There was even one time where she was able to accurately predict that a pregnant mother living in the nearby alley would have quintuplets①.

 It should be known that even hospitals can’t detect such things at the start of a pregnancy. It doesn’t make sense that an old lady who didn’t know any science could tell from a glance.

 Xiao Nanzhu also thought that she probably made a wild guess and got lucky.

 But as he recalled, he started to feel that his old lady who never liked to dance Guangchangwu②, yet could chase him down two streets at her age to beat him up, really deserved her reputation as Xiao Shenpo③.

 If it wasn’t because of how unreliable Niansi looked crawling out of the fridge telling him all this, Xiao Nanzhu would’ve seriously considered the feasibility of taking on such a job.

 However, all things aside, he was in dire need of a proper job.

 Considering the situation he was presently in, he would rather take on this strange job than to involve himself in Situ Zhang bro’s Pyramid scam pitch. Though, this job didn’t seem to be any more reliable either. Exorcising evil spirits, praying to gods, deciphering dreams, and altering fortunes——there isn’t even a scientific basis for any of those…

 Youths nowadays aren’t like those of the past. Only the elderly would still possess the heart to fear and revere the supernatural.

 Medicine and technology have advanced greatly in the modern era. It is different from when people relied on prayer for blessings and healings a thousand years ago. Everyone eventually became contemptuous towards those insensible and foolish ways that handled people’s lives like jokes. And that also led to those traditional professions that can’t be explained by science to be deemed as feudalism dross.

 Fortune telling and astrology, once golden industries that could stir up the world, became the most lambasted.

 On a second thought, this kind of thinking may have been too biased. Especially now that Xiao Nanzhu has seen the occult with his very own eyes, he could no longer bring himself to say these antagonistic words again.

 Yet this change in mindset hadn’t managed to convince him to accept the calendar gods’ offer, because he immediately realised that…

 The Huangli Shi has to work for all 365 days! Not even a single! day! off!

 “Well, there are breaks in between work for sure, and the job isn’t that intense——it’s quite a leisure most of the time… Moreover, the contract only starts next year. Everyone is still resting right now and will start work after New Years. The one you met last night was Xiaonian. He is one of the 22 traditional festivals and is in charge of fire… If you have the time, you can also let Chuyi(1st) and Chuer(2nd) help you get accustomed to the workflow as well…”

 Niansi stammered as he took out a comb to tidy up his hair. Xiao Nanzhu silently listened but didn’t show any signs of affirmation. That arrogant attitude of his made it seem as if he was looking for a fight.

 He flipped through the contract with his eyes half-opened. His laidback manner of sitting on the sofa with crossed legs as he smoked effectively concealed his thoughts. Xiao Nanzhu’s jawline gave off a cold feeling. It’s no wonder that people find him hard to get along with if they’re unfamiliar with him. However, reality has proven that Xiao Nanzhu’s personality may be even more difficult to get along with than his appearance let on.

 Niansi sat down with him but didn’t know how to start the topic.

 After all, he’s kind of familiar with Xiao Nanzhu’s temper. He couldn’t do anything about this untamed, wild horse since when he was still young. If he really didn’t want to take on this job, then their work would have to be delayed even further.

 By the time Xiao Nanzhu noticed Niansi secretly observing him from the corner of his eyes, he took out a cigarette, nipped it in between his fingers, and slowly began.

 “Sorry for just now, well… How do I address you?”

 Fiddling with a fan in his hand, Niansi in his green robes paused as he heard Xiao Nanzhu talking to him. He covered his mouth and awkwardly coughed. he then cupped his hands④ and bowed as he spoke courteously.

(Source: Baidu search result)

“I am Niansi. I was in a panic when I came out of the fridge just now. Please pardon my bad manners…”

 Niansi spoke in a pleasant tone as if he was about to sing opera. Nevertheless, with how clean and studious he looked, it was hard to dislike him for his pedantic manners…

 Xiao Nanzhu nodded with an “oh” and couldn’t help but glance at the old Huangli that was hung back on the wall. Right now, the Huangli was flipped to the page of Niansi, which looked about the same as any other day. The only difference was that the person that should have stayed in the painting was here before him.

 Xiao Nanzhu suddenly felt absurd.

 He never have thought he would walk on such a bizarre path when he first came back home, but he guessed he had no better choice left for him anyway. It’s just that… why does this Huangli Shi thing sound so stupid…?

 Xiao Nanzhu detested the name in his heart for awhile but didn’t let it show on his face. He continued to elicit information from Niansi in front of him. Niansi was obviously a naive one as he let loose everything he knew upon hearing Xiao Nanzhu’s questions.

 ��Hmm… Calendar gods would stay in the human world when they’re at work for one day and night as part of the cycle, and after that we’d return back to the Huangli and rest for a year… What we usually do is eliminate the evil spirits and disasters that linger in the human world and bring blessings to mankind. But people have since stopped believing in such things… So the scope of our customers has become gradually smaller. We could only depend on foretelling suitable dates for weddings and childbirths to feed ourselves. Of course, us calendar gods can come out even if we’re not working; it just depends on whether we’re willing to… Your grandmother used to call out Yuanxiao and the others every New Years if she couldn’t find any mahjong friends to play with all night, but I guess you wouldn’t have remembered… You were still young at that time—— only about four or five…”

 Niansi seemed excited talking about the past. Xiao Nanzhu listened quietly and found it rather interesting.

 He was actually inclined to take up the job now, but he also wanted to know more about the profession before he gave Niansi a definite answer. Thus, he didn’t interrupt Niansi and declined Situ Zhang’s calls to drink a few times.

 It’s imaginable how Situ Zhang must’ve been hopping around anxiously on the other side of the phone. Xiao Nanzhu smirked to himself for a bit and turned off his phone altogether.

 After all, this is something crucial for his future career. He wanted to be prepared and let Niansi continue to talk more about the workflow.

 It’s no wonder people say that scholarly people have great charisma: they can make everything they say to sound intelligent by simply talking. Truth is, what Niansi knew were nothing more than trivial matters and gossip about the other calendar gods; no proper business came out of his mouth. Actually, Xiao Nanzhu was very serious coming into this, but he unintentionally got lured in by all the gossip.

 “Let me tell you this secret, don’t you tell anybody else, alright?… Actually, Qixi Festival and the one on the 24th of February are on really bad terms with each other, you know the reasons right? It’s all because of their similar names… So don’t mention about Qixi during Valentine’s in two days, or else he will surely turn crazy…”

 Niansi’s advice made Xiao Nanzhu snicker. From there, Niansi introduced to him every single calendar god from Nianwu(5th) until the upcoming Valentine’s Day. However, when it comes to Chuxi, the last day of the year, Niansi skipped it.

 “What about Chuxi? Is he special?”

 Xiao Nanzhu became interested as he saw Niansi hesitate. Niansi quickly put a finger on his lips “shh!”, and snuck up to Xiao Nanzhu’s ear and whispered.

 “Chuxi is different from all of us, I shouldn’t tell you anymore, mn. You’ll know it when you see him, en en……”

 Xiao Nanzhu didn’t bother to ask further seeing Niansi being so stealthy.

 In any case, he’ll meet him in a few days. No matter how difficult he was to get along with, it’ll only just be for a  day. Up until this point, Xiao Nanzhu was convinced to try working as the glorious Huangli Shi for awhile. Niansi also mentioned that he could quit whenever he likes——he just needed to help them find a new boss if he left.

 Because a portion of the Huangli Shi’s income goes to the calendar gods, the quality of the Huangli Shi’s life would directly affect theirs. The few days before the end of the year would be his probationary period. After New Years, they would continue discussing this.

 Night arrived unknowingly after the long talk. Xiao Nanzhu didn’t seem to invite Niansi to stay for dinner, while Niansi knowingly said “I’m going home for dinner. Your grandmother also didn’t provide meals for us last time.”

 He tidied up the contract signed by Xiao Nanzhu before he left But as soon as he was about to go, Xiao Nanzhu suddenly thought of something and called him back, then handed him a tortoise⑤ from the kitchen.

(Source: Baidu search result, soft-shell turtles bite really hard and can dash across the road at very fast speed.)

“This…?”

 Niansi was rather dumbfounded holding this big tortoise. Xiao Nanzhu looked and grinned as he pointed at the Huangli on the wall.

 “Help me give this to Xiaonian and say this is my compensation, so don’t cry anymore. Aren’t turtles much more long-lived than carps? Whaddya say?”

 1. I did my research and apparently, twins can only be detected around 5-6 weeks, provided that the mother did an early scan. I assume the pregnancy was less than 5-6 weeks in, but I’m not sure about quintuplets, that’s amazing!

2. Guangchangwu 广场舞：It also means open-air fitness dancing, it’s a popular hobby among the middle-aged and onwards women (mostly) in China to dance together in the evening or at night in an open space to stay fit and make friends.

3. Shenpo 神婆：Something similar to witch or sorceress. 

4. To cup one’s hand 拱手：This is an important form of etiquette in ancient China. This kind of salutation was formed during the Zhou Dynasty, it has transformed throughout history and there’re different forms of salutations when meeting different kinds of people. 

5. Wangba 王八：This can both mean tortoise or bastard. Usually refers to Chinese soft-shell turtles (鳖) which are really different from the harmless and slow tortoise which can be kept as pets, as seen from calling someone a wangba is a vulgarity suggests how hated and aggressive this animal is. 

This chapter is edited by Noxeru.

Chuxi is finally mentioned by Xiao Nanzhu in this chapter!! Although he still hasn’t made an appearance yet, let me know what you guys think? :))

[klbloodx]

HLS Chapter 4 - 2027.2.12 Niansi

(Source: net)

It was nine o'clock the next day when Xiao Nanzhu finally woke up.

He rubbed the side of his head as he walked out of the bedroom with his brain still groggy and slow. His eyebrows scrunched together tightly.

Humans unconsciously relax once they are no longer in a harsh environment. Even though Xiao Nanzhu had been used to military life before, those overwhelming scenes and words that were enough to turn a person’s views upside down on that night rendered him unable to think.

His phone showed two missed calls from Situ Zhang. He tucked his phone in between his neck and shoulder to return the call as he walked towards the kitchen. As he came up to the refrigerator, he stopped his steps abruptly when he suddenly remembered the strange old Huangli that he stashed in the refrigerator.

“Hey, so you’re finally awake?”

Situ Zhang's sluggish voice resounded on the other end of the phone. Xiao Nanzhu replied with a soft “en” as he absentmindedly raised a finger and held the refrigerator door. His mind was still going over what happened last night——this ghostly matter could not be mentioned to others. Even if he talked about it, they certainly would not believe him.

“Why are you calling me in the morning?” Xiao Nanzhu asked flatly. He was preoccupied with the refrigerator in front of him at the moment, but he still managed to spare some of his attention to chat with Situ Zhang. Upon hearing him, Situ Zhang let out a sigh and spoke in an awkward manner.

“I say, how could your memories be so bad when you’re still young? Didn't I tell you just yesterday? I promised to help you find a job after the New Year, remember? I know a lot of people——surely there’s a way if we ask around, but you have to promise me to accompany me for a few meals in the next few days. These things can only be discussed over the table, you know? You can’t do as you wish like you used to, Xiao Nanzhu…”

Situ Zhang was nagging him non-stop like an old mother, but Xiao Nanzhu knew he had good intentions, so he didn’t interrupt him. In actuality, however, Xiao Nanzhu was not the kind of person who could make friends and call them bros after a round of drinks. Otherwise, he wouldn’t have been an outcast in the army and ended up in such an awkward situation.

Likewise, knowing fairly well about his temper and personality, Situ Zhang understood the difficulties that Xiao Nanzhu faced and tried to deliver his message patiently. He even considered Xiao Nanzhu’s “face” and contacted him without waiting for him to ask him for help——this heart of his was very precious.

As he thought to himself, Xiao Nanzhu felt that maybe he shouldn’t be so ungrateful. Afterall, he couldn’t be picky given his lousy condition. If Situ Zhang managed to help him get a reliable job, it wouldn’t hurt for him go to work after New Years.

While he was still lost in thought, Situ Zhang on the other end had already changed the topic and decided to finish what he had to say.

“Anyways, no matter what, you must come to this Jiuju① tonight! This host is one of my biggest customers; he always come for an entire treatment and massage… You know who he is? He’s the sales manager of an insurance company! You know how many contacts and resources this kind of person holds onto-it’ll surely benefit you. If you work with him, there will surely be a future for you!! If this job doesn’t suit you this time, I’ll find another one for you! Investors——I even know those who sell health products! The sales industry has shaped lots of talented people! Of course, if you could find yourself a job before New Years, that would be the best! Then this buddy of yours can be accountable② to your grandmother! Right? Haha!”

After trolling his childhood buddy with words that even he himself didn't believe, Situ Zhang cut the call immediately. As if he knew Xiao Nanzhu was going to be mad, he left him no chance to utter a word and hung up. Having been cut off, Xiao Nanzhu was left at a loss for words and pocketed his phone. The frustration pent up in his heart had nowhere to go. It was only after awhile that Xiao Nanzhu silently let out a curse.

“Darn Situ, why don't you just tell me to do the Pyramid scam③ instead…”

He said it in a rather teeth-gnashing way. The inexperienced occupational newbie Xiao Nanzhu felt helpless for once. He, too, wanted to solve his work and life problems once and for all.

But just as Situ Zhang had said, in today’s society, without certifications or connections, he couldn’t get anywhere without a hitch.

As he continued to think, anxiety filled his heart and urged Xiao Nanzhu to smoke. He frowned and unwittingly looked at the refrigerator. There was a supermarket gift magnet attached to the fridge door. He pursed his lips, put his hand on it, and grasped the magnet in a daze. However, before he could open the fridge door, he heard a faint sneeze from inside the fridge.

He had been already shocked twice in a row yesterday. Xiao Nanzhu feared nothing at the moment.

It was the daytime anyway, so there was no need to be scared of demons or monsters. Moreover, it wasn’t even a problem for him, a retired soldier, to fight a demon empty-handed. His life and work problems were troubling him, so he desperately needs a punching bag then and there.

With that being said, as he was solemnly waiting for this creature to come out of the fridge to welcome him with a kick, the fridge door opened. Immediately, a young, scholarly man with green robes and frost-laden hair popped his head out as he shivered and fussed.

“H-How absurd! Who set the air conditioner this cold during winter?! This young man is gonna catch a cold sleeping naked… Achoo! Achoo!”

Xiao Nanzhu: “...”

...

Based on Niansi(24th)’s appearance, he appeared to be a delicate and pretty young scholar around twenty years of age. He was a poetic man who seemed to be surrounded by the fragrance of ink.

Niansi usually stayed in the old Huangli. His job was really relaxing and provided a lot of liberty for him.

During his free time, he would read some books in his small study or listen to Kunqu④. He would also often write a few love letters and flower petal rafts to Mangzhong-jiejie and Guyu-meimei⑤ whom have enamored him for a long time.

(Source:baidu search result. A Kun opera actress.)

Although his carp-farming neighbor Xiaonian was a noisy, hyperactive kid that liked to wear crotch pants and disturb his good night’s sleep, that didn’t stop him from living the simple and poetic life he pursued.

Even though he wasn’t an important holiday, nor was he a special solar term, being the most ordinary of the most ordinary days meant he must work hard! What if one day he becomes the memorial day of someone great?!

Harboring such a great ambition in his chest, Niansi thought to himself and worked even harder.

Every year when it was his day to work, this young man would come down from the calendar and work for his boss, who was also the owner of the Huangli, for a full day.

This kind of repetitive routine had been in effect for thousands of years by now. As calendar gods, they must give the Huangli Shi the most accurate tellings of the daily fortune and mishaps and zodiac and dream interpretations. Sometimes, they even need to dispel evil spirits in person.

Niansi had 364 colleagues. All of them worked for the Huangli Shi because of the presence of the old Huangli.

During this period of time, they had countless masters. In the end, time is vast and boundless: the lifespan of human beings could not compare to theirs.

In Niansi’s memory, he may have met his new master for only a few times, but by the next meeting, nothing remained the same. Niansi’s master had changed yet again five years ago along with the sentimental partings and vicissitudes.

His female boss, surnamed Xiao, was stingy and bad-tempered. When Niansi first met her, she was only 21.

She got the old and rugged Huangli from her scrap-picking father and unknowingly discovered the secrets of the old Huangli. This was a magical occurrence almost unimaginable for ordinary beings.

However, this brave young lady didn’t show a single sign of fear or backing off. She volunteered herself to become a Huangli Shi. During the period of years that she became a Huangli Shi, Niansi didn’t even feel that time had done anything to him, but this young lady named Xiao Ruhua grew old.

Old lady Xiao was sick. She always reprimanded those lazy calendar gods for not working when she was healthy, but when she fell ill, none of them were happy about it.

Double Ninth Festival⑥ suggested that they organise a donation for old lady Xiao. Nurses Day, on the other hand, called for everyone to take care of their body and stay vigilant against cancer. Mid-autumn Festival specially brought two boxes of five-kernel mooncakes⑦ from Guanghan palace⑧ to express his sincerity. Children’s Day, on the other hand, said nothing but cried for the whole day holding old lady Xiao’s hand.

They are the almighty and powerful calendar gods, but faced with such circumstances, even they cannot change the fate of a person who is reaching the end of her life…

Because of this, Niansi was especially sorrowful for a very long time.

He had prepared a beautiful acrostic poem for the ill old lady Xiao. Unfortunately, she passed away on a day he wasn’t working, and he never had the chance to read it to her.

The only thing he remembered was a boy’s stiflingly pained groans from inside the hospital ward. From that day onwards, the calendar gods in the old Huangli were no longer under the restriction of a boss.

(Source: net)

This indefinite period of rest left a layer of dust over the once-new labour contract lying on the coffee table.

Niansi and the other calendar gods were actually prepared to negotiate with the new boss about work welfare and insurance, but that dumb grandson of old lady Xiao didn’t know anything. His only intention was to get out of there later on. So just like that, he left this huge crowd of over 300 employees hanging on the wall to collect dust.

Because of this, the few proud and arrogant traditional festivals that usually couldn’t be bothered with insignificant small fry had secretly complained about him. It had been several years since that Xiao Nanzhu fellow left. When he finally came back, Niansi looked at himself in the mirror and saw that even his chin had grown a beard.

It was midnight. Xiaonian ran outside noisily and then came back whining.

Niansi was curious to see how that lonely boy who cried pitifully that time was now. He even shaved his beard for this occasion.

Nianwu(25th) and the others wanted him to have a good talk with Xiao Nanzhu, whether it be about life,ideals, or dreams—— all were fine. Their purpose was to let him know about the advantages of being a Huangli Shi, so Niansi accepted this honorable mission.

However, what he really didn’t expect was that before he even got out of the calendar, he immediately felt a bone chilling gust of wind blowing on his face.

“H-How absurd! Who set the air conditioner this cold during winter?! This young man is gonna catch a cold… Achoo! Achoo!”

 1. Jiuju 酒局：Not sure if there’s an English equivalent word for it. Basically a culture of talking business over alcohol. 

2. Accountable in this case refers to Situ Zhang feels that he had some responsibility to give Xiao Nanzhu a hand/take care of him so as not to make grandmother Xiao worry.

3. Pyramid scam 传销：Or pyramid marketing, a pyramid scheme is an illegal investment scam based on a hierarchical setup.

4.  Kunqu 昆曲：Or Kun opera, it is one of the oldest opera in China’s history.

5. Jiejie 姐姐=elder sister, Meimei 妹妹=younger sister, Gege 哥哥=elder brother, Didi 弟弟=younger brother

 This chapter is edited by Noxeru. Thank you so much for reading >w<!