Sweet Rebirth: The Little Healer

”Th-Then... what about the baby in Guo Dongmei’s belly?” Zhao Nuanyue was dumbfounded, shocked by her future mother-in-law Feng Wanru’s analysis. ”Are they going to get rid of it?”

Feng Wanru shook her head. ”They won’t. As heartless and disloyal as the Li family is, they wouldn’t dare sacrifice their own unborn heir. After all, it would be the first of their family’s third generation. If they got rid of the child, it would damage their family’s harmony with the heavens and affect their future descendants.”

”I see now. The Li family wants the child but not Guo Dongmei. Then they’ll get engaged to the Wu Family, Li Gongming will marry Wu Jingjing, and they’ll secure the Wu Family’s help.” Zhao Nuanyue finally understood the Li family’s scheme.

’Shameless. Truly shameless.’

’Then again, the Guo Family is no better than the Li family. None of them are good people.’

”Yes. Acting this way might bring them short-term benefits, but it leaves a terrible impression on everyone. In the future, people will be wary of the Li family in all their dealings,” Feng Wanru said. ”In the long run, the losses will far outweigh the gains.”

”Wow, it’s so complicated,” Zhao Nuanyue remarked with a sigh. ”I felt wronged and frustrated when you all suspected me before. But looking at it now, the Hua family’s initial doubts were perfectly natural and understandable. Your family acts with integrity and honor. Aunt Hua, thank you for accepting me and Hua.”

Hearing Zhao Nuanyue praise the Hua family, Feng Wanru felt a bit pleased and nodded. ”That’s right. When the Hua family does something, we at least have a clear conscience. You are so deeply in love with Yu Sen, so loyal and devoted. Naturally, our family couldn’t possibly be ungrateful.”

”Thank you, Aunt Hua,” Zhao Nuanyue said gratefully. Although the Hua family had hesitated at first, and again when Hua Yusen woke up, they ultimately acknowledged her place.

For that, Zhao Nuanyue was deeply grateful.

’You can’t dismiss the entire Hua family just because of a moment’s hesitation.’

’If I were in their shoes, I would have been just as suspicious and doubtful before coming to a better understanding and finally agreeing.’

It was only human. Zhao Nuanyue understood.

”Actually, I’m the one who should be thanking you,” Feng Wanru said with a smile, taking Zhao Nuanyue’s hand. ”At the same time, I also want to apologize. I was being superstitious, thinking that arranging a marriage for my son would drive away his illness. I admit, I intended to use you. But then I saw how well you treated Yu Sen—better than even we, his blood relatives—and I came to accept you from the bottom of my heart.”

Little Red Carp, eating an orange off to the side, listened to Feng Wanru and sighed to herself. ’My sister has finally broken through the clouds to see the sun.’

’People aren’t made of stone. My sister’s sincerity earned the Hua family’s gratitude.’

’If she had done as I suggested before and just left Hua Yusen, she might not have this happiness now.’

At that moment, Little Red Carp felt that her sister’s persistence had been the right choice.

”Honestly, when I first came here, I just wanted to be with Hua so I could take care of him with a proper reason,” Zhao Nuanyue said, her voice choked with emotion as she seemed to get lost in her memories. ”Back in Nianqiao Village, Hua helped me so many times. I knew he was an upright man, and we developed feelings for each other. We completed a mission together, and before he left, he said he would come back for me. I believed him, and I waited. Even if he hadn’t come, I wouldn’t have held any resentment, because I knew there was a huge gap between us. I only wanted him to be happy and safe. But what I got instead was the news that he was in a coma. I knew I couldn’t let Hua just lie there all alone. I had to be with him. With me there, he wouldn’t be alone, and he wouldn’t just be a man in a vegetative state.”

Feng Wanru was deeply moved by Zhao Nuanyue’s words.

’This must be the true meaning of love—to be so loyal and unwavering.’

She was older now and had forgotten the flutters of her youth, but Zhao Nuanyue’s words reminded her of those tender, bygone years.

”Dear Nuanyue.” Feng Wanru squeezed Zhao Nuanyue’s hand tightly. ”You’re a good child.”

At noon, Feng Wanru had Zhao Nuanyue and Little Red Carp stay for lunch. This time, however, she couldn’t bear to let Zhao Nuanyue do any work and had the housekeeper cook instead.

Before they left, she even packed some tasty pastries for Little Red Carp.

Back home, Little Red Carp said to her sister while eating the pastries, ”Sister, Aunt Hua is actually pretty nice. Even though she was really hostile toward us at first, she treats us like family now.”

”Mmm, she is.” Zhao Nuanyue nodded. She was knitting a sweater. Autumn was just around the corner, and she wanted to make sweaters and woolen pants for her brother, Little Red Carp, and Hua Yusen. ”I feel so grateful. I think I’m quite a fortunate person. Even though my stepfather’s family persecuted me and drove me to a remote place like Nianqiao Village, it was a blessing in disguise. I met the Old Dragon King, I met you, Little Red Carp, I met Uncle Miao and Li Guihua in Nianqiao Village, and I also met Elder Gu, Hua Yusen, my master, and so many others.”

”You really are very fortunate then,” Little Red Carp nodded. ”And on top of that, he’s all better now. That’s the luckiest thing of all.”

Zhao Nuanyue nodded repeatedly. ”Yes, yes! That really is the luckiest thing of all.”

Just as she said that, Zhao Nuan Yang’s voice came from outside. ”Ms. Yuan, how did you know where we live? Please, come in!”

”Oh, it’s Nuan Yang!” Wang Yuan said in pleasant surprise. ”I saw your sister last time I took my mother to Immortal Grass Hall for a doctor’s visit, and I got your address then. I happened to have a free afternoon today, so I thought I’d drop by for a chat.”

”Oh, I see,” Zhao Nuan Yang said with a smile. Seeing Wang Yuan reminded him of his time in Nianqiao Village.

In the backyard, Little Red Carp heard her brother’s happy voice and grimaced. ”Sister, I think you need to tell our brother what Wang Yuan has done in the past. Otherwise, with how conniving she is, she might try to use him.”

”Yes, I should tell your brother,” Zhao Nuanyue said with a wry smile. ”He’s probably going to blame us for not telling him sooner.”

”Yup,” Little Red Carp nodded. ”I’ll put in a good word for you then.”

”Thanks, Little Red Carp,” Zhao Nuanyue said softly. Just as she finished, Zhao Nuan Yang came in with Wang Yuan.

Zhao Nuan Yang was very happy. Even before he entered, he called out with a smile, ”Sister, look who I brought over!”

Zhao Nuanyue put on a surprised expression and smiled. ”Wang Yuan, you’re here! You see how I’m busy all day with work and taking care of the kids, I haven’t had any time to come see you. If you’re free, you should come over and visit more often.”

”I knew you were busy, so I wasn’t expecting you to come find me. I just decided to come uninvited,” Wang Yuan said with a wide smile, pulling out a few skewers of tanghulu. ”Here, I passed by Dazha Lane and bought their tanghulu. They’re especially good. Let’s each have one.”

”Thank you, Ms. Yuan,” Little Red Carp said. ”Ms. Yuan, you’re getting more and more beautiful.”