Sweet Rebirth: The Little Healer

Hua Yusen’s mind was in chaos, so he wasn’t thinking as clearly as usual. Meanwhile, she was certain Wang Yuan would agree to cooperate. She had seen the intense longing and resentment in the other woman’s eyes.

Hua Yusen couldn’t be bothered to think about much else. He watched Guo Dongmei constantly, terrified she would make a move against Elder Gu.

”Heh, I’m already disappointed in you. I’m preparing to go back tomorrow. I hope you know what you’re doing.” Guo Dongmei stared blankly at Hua Yusen. ”Even if I don’t scold you, the elders of the Hua family will teach you a lesson.”

Hua Yusen said nothing. He felt that he and Guo Dongmei were on completely different paths now, and there was no need to get bogged down in these minor issues. The most important thing right now was Elder Gu. As long as nothing happened to Elder Gu, the Hua family would definitely be able to weather this crisis.

’As for Guo Dongmei and the Guo Family, I’ll deal with them later. Even if Guo Dongmei hadn’t come to break off the engagement, I would have found a chance to go back to Jincheng City and do it myself.’

In the middle of the night, Wang Yuan got up to use the toilet, and Guo Dongmei followed her.

Guo Dongmei didn’t press Wang Yuan, waiting for her to speak first.

Wang Yuan hadn’t slept a wink. She had been thinking, and she grew even more anxious and conflicted, especially after hearing that Guo Dongmei would be leaving after sunrise.

Cooperate?

Or not?

What on earth was she supposed to choose?

Wang Yuan was indecisive, but time was running out. She had to make a choice.

Images flashed through Wang Yuan’s mind: the distant looks from the villagers of Nianqiao Village; the evil glint in Wang Dadan’s eyes. The back-breaking labor and the hopeless life made the scales in her heart gradually tip toward Guo Dongmei.

She wanted to go back to Jincheng City!

She wanted the vibrant, colorful life of Jincheng City!

For the sake of a beautiful future, for the sake of a good life ahead, Wang Yuan gritted her teeth and decided to cooperate with Guo Dongmei. She stopped in her tracks and said, ”Guo Dongmei, is your earlier offer still valid?”

”Heh!” Guo Dongmei stopped too. The fish had taken the bait. ”Valid? Of course, it’s valid. I was wondering when you were going to bring it up. If you hadn’t said anything to me before dawn, I wouldn’t have cooperated with you, no matter how capable you are.”

Hearing this, Wang Yuan felt a wave of relief. It was a good thing she had spoken up now.

”Then... then what do I have to do?” Wang Yuan asked, stammering nervously. ”What do I have to do to return to the city and get a decent job?”

Guo Dongmei listened, then pulled a small porcelain vial from her pocket. ”Put this potion in Gu Qingyu’s food in the backyard,” she said.

”Poison?” Wang Yuan was horrified. ”No, no, murder is a capital offense! I... I don’t dare...”

”It is indeed poison, but it won’t kill someone immediately. It just makes them weaker. After a year or so, when the poison takes its full effect, they will die. So as long as you do it without anyone knowing, you can get away clean.” Guo Dongmei said with a smile. ”Do you still think it’s that difficult?”

Terrified, Wang Yuan stumbled back several steps, not daring to take the object from Guo Dongmei’s hand.

”Scared?” Guo Dongmei said with that same smile. ”I’ve already told you my secret. If you don’t do this, you should understand what methods I’ll use to deal with you and your family in Jincheng City!”

”You... you...” Wang Yuan was filled with regret. She never should have agreed to cooperate with Guo Dongmei. Now that she had heard the plan, it was too late for regrets!

If she didn’t do as Guo Dongmei said, she would face a blow she couldn’t possibly withstand. Here in Nianqiao Village, maybe this woman couldn’t touch her, but what about her family in Jincheng City? Dealing with them would be as easy as crushing an ant!

”Have you made your choice?” Guo Dongmei asked. ”I don’t have much patience. You need to hurry up.”

Wang Yuan was still terrified, but she thought about how the person wouldn’t die immediately. ’Even if I administer the poison, they probably won’t suspect me.’ After weighing her options, Wang Yuan decided to do as Guo Dongmei said.

”Fine, I’ll do as you say,” Wang Yuan said, reaching out to take the pretty little porcelain vial from Guo Dongmei. ”What’s the dosage? Are there any special properties?”

”It’s colorless and odorless. This vial is enough for two uses, so you have two chances,” Guo Dongmei said. ”If you can’t complete the task in two tries, then... you can only atone with your death.”

The porcelain vial nearly slipped from Wang Yuan’s hand and fell to the ground. But thinking about how much Guo Dongmei valued it, she quickly secured it and said, ”I... I will definitely complete the mission.”

”Heh, good!” Guo Dongmei laughed. ”A wise person knows how to adapt to the circumstances. Once you complete this mission, you’ll be my trusted confidant. With my abilities and my connections in Jincheng City, you’ll have a bright future too. So you shouldn’t be afraid. You should be excited, thrilled!”

Wang Yuan was stunned for a moment. Thinking of her bleak future, she realized that if doing as Guo Dongmei said could really lead to such a good life, then taking this risk now might be worth it.

Wang Yuan pondered for a moment, then gave a firm nod and said solemnly, ”Alright, I’ll do it. I will definitely complete the mission. And please, keep your word.”

”If you can complete the mission, you will naturally have passed my test,” Guo Dongmei nodded. ”Alright, let’s go. Staying out here too long will make them suspicious.”

”Okay,” Wang Yuan agreed, following Guo Dongmei back.

Li Qiong heard the movement and woke up groggily, seeing two figures.

”Did you two go to the outhouse? Why didn’t you wake me?” Li Qiong asked. ”There are so many mosquitoes! And it’s so dark and unsafe.”

”Yeah, there were a ton of mosquitoes. Good thing we brought a mosquito coil,” Wang Yuan replied. ”I usually wake you to go with me, but when I got up, Guo Dongmei woke up too, so I didn’t call you and just had her come along.”

”Safety first.” Li Qiong wasn’t suspicious. She just mumbled drowsily, ”Go to sleep. We have to work tomorrow!”

”Okay, I’ll be right to sleep,” Wang Yuan said softly, then carefully put the small porcelain vial away.

Guo Dongmei was in a great mood. She had found a helper—the most inconspicuous and, in her view, very reliable Wang Yuan. Before long, she was asleep. Wang Yuan, however, couldn’t fall asleep right away. But as she thought over and over about the wonderful life ahead of her, she slowly calmed down.

Early the next morning, Guo Dongmei, her eyes red, found Hua Yusen and said, ”No matter what, I am still your fiancée. That’s undeniable. You may not like me, but you still have to guarantee my safety and take me to the train station.”

As soon as Hua Yusen heard that Guo Dongmei was leaving, he breathed a small sigh of relief and nodded. ”Fine, I’ll take you to the train station. As for our engagement, I’ve already written to my parents. They will handle it appropriately.”

Hua Yusen borrowed Miao Dahai’s ox cart to send this plague of a woman on her way.

******

Recommending my good friend Wu Qianyu’s new book, ”Eighties Military Wife is a Little Su”

Driving a car, living in a mansion.

Fighting off mistresses, kicking down thugs.

Building a fortune through my own strength,

And flirting with a young lover on the side.

Damn, my young lover turns out to be a high-ranking official!