Sweet Rebirth: The Little Healer

Zhao Nuanyue said humbly, ”Let’s not say any more. It was all destiny. It was my fate to meet Master! Even though I helped him in the past, he taught me medicine and took me as his disciple. So please, Madam, don’t thank me anymore. I don’t deserve it.”

Madam Sun took Zhao Nuanyue’s hand. ”Haha, since we’re family now, let’s skip the formalities. This is a little something for our first meeting!”

With that, Madam Sun opened a nearby drawer, took out a pair of white jade bracelets, and placed them in Zhao Nuanyue’s hands. ”These things look lovely on you young ladies. You can’t wear them just yet, though. Wait until times are better, then you can put them on.”

”’It would be rude to refuse a gift from an elder.’ Thank you, Madam.” Zhao Nuanyue accepted it. ’When things relax a bit, I’ll take something out of my own treasures to repay Madam Sun.’

Madam Sun was even more pleased. Her gaze went past Zhao Nuanyue to Zhao Nuan Yang and Little Red Carp standing behind her. She smiled. ”What a handsome young man. This must be Nuanyang. I have a gift for you, too!”

There was an exquisite box on the table. Uncle Sun opened it to reveal a brand-new set of art supplies, complete with fine paints.

Zhao Nuan Yang’s eyes lit up the moment he saw them; he instantly fell in love with the high-quality supplies.

”Thank you, Aunt Sun,” Zhao Nuan Yang said gratefully. ’She’s my sister’s master’s wife, so this seems like the right thing to call her.’

”I’m glad you like them,” Madam Sun said with a nod, marveling to herself once again, ’What a handsome young man.’

Little Red Carp looked at her sister’s bracelets, then at her brother’s art supplies. Seeing that there was nothing for her, she looked utterly aggrieved. She turned to Madam Sun and asked, ”Grandma Beauty, where’s Little Red Carp’s present?”

Her mournful little gaze, combined with her pitiful tone and expression, was enough to melt anyone’s heart.

Zhao Nuanyue was speechless. ’To think she would just ask for a gift outright.’

’How... how embarrassing!’

The child was a real sweet-talker, even calling her ”Grandma Beauty!”

”Haha!” Madam Sun laughed, thoroughly amused by Little Red Carp. She opened another small drawer, took out a longevity lock, and personally placed it around the little girl’s neck. ”I could forget anyone else, but never my little sweetie! Ever since your Grandpa Sun got back, he’s been talking about you and singing your praises all day long!”

It was an exquisitely crafted longevity lock, shiny and beautiful, with a design of a carp leaping over the Dragon Gate.

Little Red Carp loved it. ”Thank you, Grandma Beauty!” she said with a giggle.

”What an adorable little sweetheart,” Madam Sun chuckled. ”Come here, let Grandma give you a hug!”

When Madam Sun stretched out her arms, Little Red Carp dove right into her embrace and planted a kiss on her cheek.

Little Red Carp knew that her older sister and brother were always delighted whenever she kissed them.

Sure enough, after Little Red Carp’s kiss, the smile on Madam Sun’s face grew even more radiant and affectionate.

”Madam, Little Red Carp is quite heavy. Please don’t tire yourself out,” Zhao Nuanyue said, concerned. ”Here, let me hold her.”

Little Red Carp clung to Madam Sun’s neck, sniffing the faint medicinal scent on her clothes. She pouted and protested to her sister, ”Little Red Carp is not heavy!”

Zhao Nuanyue was exasperated. She pinched the girl’s chubby little cheek. ’Why can’t you tell when someone’s just trying to be considerate?’

Madam Sun was overjoyed to see Little Red Carp.

”Alright now, you’ve had a long journey and must be exhausted. We’ve already prepared water for your baths, so go and get cleaned up. Someone will bring dinner to your rooms shortly. You can eat and rest for a bit. Your master will be back tonight.” Madam Sun added with a gentle smile, ”From now on, treat this place like your own home. Don’t stand on ceremony.”

”Thank you, Madam,” Zhao Nuanyue said gratefully. ’Though I’m eager to go back to our own home, the room Father left us doesn’t even have any bedding. We’ll have to get all that sorted out later.’

Zhao Nuanyue was just happy to have a place to stay as soon as they arrived in Jincheng City.

Uncle Sun led Zhao Nuanyue, her brother Zhao Nuan Yang, and Little Red Carp to a small courtyard. It had a main building with three rooms and two wing-rooms, one to the east and one to the west. Zhao Nuanyue took the main rooms with Little Red Carp, while her brother, Zhao Nuan Yang, stayed in the east wing.

”Miss Zhao, if you’ll just wait a moment, someone will bring your dinner over right away,” Uncle Sun said softly, a cheerful smile never leaving his face.

”Thank you, Uncle Sun. We are getting a little hungry,” Zhao Nuanyue replied with a light laugh, grateful for his consideration.

As they were speaking, a housekeeper came in carrying several trays. She set the dishes on the table and then departed.

Fearing they might feel awkward, Uncle Sun chuckled. ”Before the Master left for work, he insisted you make yourselves at home and not stand on ceremony. Please, go ahead and eat. I’ll take my leave now. If you need anything at all, don’t hesitate to find me.”

After watching Uncle Sun leave, Zhao Nuanyue washed Little Red Carp’s hands, and they all sat down at the table to eat.

The food on the train had been terrible. Zhao Nuanyue hadn’t been able to eat her fill, and Little Red Carp was an even pickier eater—she would stuff herself with delicious food but refuse to take a single bite of anything she didn’t like.

To her surprise, there was a whole roast duck on the table, accompanied by small pancakes and green onions. ’Could this be Capital City roast duck?’

Zhao Nuanyue’s mouth watered. ’It certainly looks like it.’

”Sister, what’s this? Is it a duck? Or a goose?” Little Red Carp asked curiously, her eyes wide. The duck was glistening and glossy, its tempting aroma making her swallow repeatedly.

Zhao Nuan Yang took a sniff and nodded. ”This should be Capital City roast duck, but it’s not from Xianhui Residence.”

”Nuanyang, how do you know it’s not from Xianhui Residence?” Zhao Nuanyue asked, curious. ’I don’t think we’ve had it more than a few times.’

”The flavor is different. I remember Zhao Jinghai brought home a roast duck from Xianhui Residence once, and I still remember how it tasted. This one looks very similar, but it’s a bit sweeter,” Zhao Nuan Yang explained. ”But I think this kind might be even better. Let’s not wait, let’s hurry up and eat.”

”Yes, yes! Let’s eat, Sister! Stop trying to figure out if it’s from Xianhui Residence or not. It won’t be good if it gets cold,” Little Red Carp chirped, already stretching her little arm out, trying to grab a drumstick.

Seeing that she couldn’t reach, Zhao Nuanyue grabbed a drumstick for her.

Little Red Carp took a bite, and her eyes widened in bliss. It was divine! ’Coming to Jincheng City with Sister was definitely the right choice,’ she thought. ’A small place like Nianqiao Village has nothing this delicious.’

Zhao Nuanyue and Zhao Nuan Yang, meanwhile, took the small pancakes, placed a slice of duck meat inside, added a bit of green onion and a smear of sauce, then rolled them up. They popped the rolls into their mouths, chewing with relish. The aromas of the meat, the pancake, and the sauce all blended together, creating a uniquely delicious flavor.

”Delicious, this is so delicious,” Zhao Nuanyue said again and again. As soon as she swallowed, she immediately began making another roll for herself.

Seeing how her sister was eating, Little Red Carp found it fascinating and quickly piped up, ”Sister, make one for me, too!”