A Slight Smile is Very Charming (微微一笑很倾城) : Side Story 3

Side Story 3: The Story of Naming Xiao Bao Bei

 

Professor Lin is filled to the brim with happiness. Why? Her daughter-in-law is pregnant. This happiness of Professor Lin’s comes from never thinking that she would become a grandmother at just 47 as her becoming a mother in her early twenties was already early enough.

Professor Lin is not in the mood to do work on this day, so she’s going around to find people to subtly flaunt, spending around ten minutes with each person. Thus, it isn’t even lunch time before the entire history department knows about another genius about to be born into the Xiao family. By the end of the day, every professor at University A knows this surprising good news.

As soon as she gets off work, Professor Lin carries an old original Xinhua dictionary (“New Chinese Dictionary”) and hurries to her son’s nearby home.

She is welcomed by her daughter-in-law.  She sits down onto the couch with her son and daughter-in-law across from her. Professor Lin looks at her family’s daughter-in-law with exceptional benevolence, ah~, she liked this daughter-in-law the first time she saw her that year. Now, the more she sees her, the more she likes. Children these days, especially those who are a bit prettier, are all conscious of their figure and stuff. None would want to get pregnant this early, unlike her daughter-in-law.

 

After looking Wei Wei over from head to toe, Professor Lin kindly says, “I’m here today to discuss my grandchild’s name.”

Wei Wei had seen the Xinhua dictionary her mother-in-law was carrying when she came and had already had an idea, so she wasn’t shocked.

“However, I already thought up of a name on the way here.”

With a reserved smile, Professor Lin says, “How about just Xiao Bao Bei (Wei Wei’s name is Bei Wei Wei)?”

Wei Wei is shocked.

This name is what they call both coarse yet elegant, and skillful yet awkward. Professor Lin is greatly pleased with herself, believing that she has chosen an exceptional name. Afraid that her daughter-in-law will not understand the benefits of the name, Professor Lin immediately launches into an explanation.

“Daughter-in-law, you see, this name contains your surname. When other people see it, they will know he’s yours.”

Wei Wei, “…”

“Son, you see, if you place your wife’s name in your son’s, when other people see it, they will know how much you love your wife.”

Xiao Nai, “…”

 

The more Professor Lin thinks about it, the more satisfied she is. It’s a good name with meaning and can be smoothly read. It suits her long anticipated grandchild perfectly. However, the name will follow him his whole life, they must be prudent about it.

“Let me call my friend who is proficient in the study of names and ask about it.”

Professor Lin is clearly overly excited today. As soon as she says this, she picks up the phone next to the couch and starts dialing, and starts talking non-stop with the person on the other end in just a few moments.

 

On the couch across from her, Wei Wei is still completely stunned, Xiao Nai leans towards her and whispers in her ear, “Can I go into the room to play games?”

He actually wants to leave her here alone to deal with her mother-in-law! Wei Wei angrily glares at him, “Take responsibility for what you have done. Don’t you dare run off.”

Xiao Nai raises his handsome brows slightly, a flash of amusement crosses his eyes and deliberately asks, slowly, “Are you sure I did it by myself?”

…

Can you be any more shameless? Wei Wei uses her eyes to express her disdain.

Yes. The Great Master uses words to express his boundaries, “Madam, calm down, I definitely…” he pauses slightly, “take responsibility for what I do.”

 

On the other side, Professor Lin has pretty much finished chatting with the expert. She hangs up the phone and happily says, “The expert says that this name is a good one. I think we should just go with it. It can be used whether it’s a boy or girl.”

My God, no way. She doesn’t want to have her child complain to her for his entire life. Wei Wei is just about to find a suitable way to turn her down when Xiao Nai rejects a step before her, “No.”

“Why not?” Professor Lin is angry to have it vetoed by her son.

“It’s a renowned name.”

Wei Wei looks at him skeptically. No way. Such an awkwardly terrifying name is actually renowned?

Professor Lin is also extremely suspicious. Under the distrusting gazes of his mother and wife, Xiao Nai calmly says, “I already know someone with this name. Yesterday, I already called her it many times.”

Wei Wei is now certain, Xiao Nai is speaking nonsense. Yesterday was the weekend and it was raining. The two of them were home the entire day. What “Xiao Bao Bei” could he have known, and even called many times…

Wait!

Xiao Bao Bei, Xiao Bao Bei…Xiao (Little) Bao Bei (Baby)…Bao Bei (Baby)…

No way.

Flashes of what happened last night and many nights before crosses Wei Wei’s mind as she looks at a certain person in bewilderment. That certain person elegantly smiles at her slightly.

Thus, the color of Wei Wei’s face….

becomes red…

then pale…

then purple…

…

And then, a certain Great Master’s foot is fiercely stamped on.

“It’s truly a renowned name? Then that’s not good, my grandchild’s name must be unique.” Not noticing her daughter-in-law’s face turning into different colors, Professor Lin flips through the dictionary once again, vexed, “Then what should he be called?”

 

The night gradually approaches, the time to bustle around is arriving, and his mom has been pacing back and forth for a long time. His dad is still going hungry at home, so Xiao Nai concludes this very straightforwardly, “Does he not have hands? When he’s born, he can flip through it himself.”

………

…

A certain mother, “How did I give birth to such a son /_____\”

A certain wife, “How did I get married to such a husband >_____<”

A certain…fetus, “How did I get matched to such a father, I want to reincarnate again! (┬┬＿┬┬)”