Sweet Rebirth: The Little Healer

Zhao Nuanyue’s sincerity moved Li Qiong and Li Jianjun.

”Nuanyue, we will. For our love, for our home, we will work hard,” Li Qiong said softly. She spoke quietly enough that no one else could hear, only the three of them and the Little Red Carp not far away.

”Nuanyue, thank you for coming to our wedding. And thank you for designing such a fun segment for it. It’s made it so memorable for me and really opened the villagers’ eyes to something new and refreshing,” Li Jianjun said gratefully. He had been worried that the ceremony at the Dragon King Temple would be too quiet and make Li Qiong feel lonely.

But thanks to the arrival of Zhao Nuanyue, the Little Red Carp, and the others, the Dragon King Temple was now bustling with excitement.

”Haha, don’t mention it. Alright, you two can head out now,” Zhao Nuanyue said with a smile. Just then, Yang Guanghui came in from outside.

”Since the wedding is in Nianqiao Village, we should follow Nianqiao Village’s customs,” Yang Guanghui said with a laugh. He then squatted down with his back to Li Qiong. ”Come on, Li Qiong. I’ll carry you to the cart!”

”No, that’s alright, Yang. I’m heavy. I can walk there myself.” Li Qiong knew her own situation well. She was tall and by no means thin, so she wasn’t light and didn’t want to be a bother.

Yang Guanghui wasn’t bothered and continued to persuade her. ”Li Qiong, don’t say that. We came to Nianqiao Village as volunteers together, and we’ve lived in this courtyard together for so long. I’ve always thought of you as a little sister. Now my sister is getting married, so it’s only right for her big brother to carry her to the cart. Don’t be so formal. I don’t mind the weight at all!”

”Yeah, Li Qiong, let Yang carry you,” Zhao Nuanyue said, seeing how sincere Yang Guanghui was and not wanting Li Qiong to refuse his kind gesture.

Li Qiong was very moved. She said gratefully, ”Thank you, Yang.”

”You’re my little sister, after all! No need to be so formal, and no need to apologize. The auspicious time is almost here, so hurry up,” Yang Guanghui urged, telling Li Qiong to get on his back quickly.

So Li Qiong got onto Yang Guanghui’s back. With a heave, he lifted her and, under everyone’s watchful eyes, quickly carried the bride to the entrance, setting her down on the festive ox cart decorated with a large red flower.

Red veils were no longer in fashion for brides, so from the moment Yang Guanghui carried her out of the room, everyone could see Li Qiong’s beautifully made-up, picture-perfect face, and they all gasped in amazement.

No wonder people say the bride is always the most beautiful. After getting all dressed up, Li Qiong was indeed the most stunning woman there today.

It got everyone thinking. When their own daughters get married in the future, they would have to make sure they were beautifully done up as well.

Li Jianjun sat beside Li Qiong. Under the gazes of the crowd, the person at the front drove the ox cart, which slowly made its way toward the village.

Seeing that most people had left, Zhao Nuanyue and the others locked the door and headed to Director Li’s house in the village for the banquet.

The first half of the wedding, the part at the bride’s family home, was now complete. The next part would be at the groom’s family home.

Given Director Li’s prestige in Nianqiao Village, and the Li family’s connections and status, the celebration there was bound to be even livelier than the one at the Dragon King Temple.

The villagers had all run ahead. Behind them, Zhao Nuanyue watched the departing procession, feeling deeply emotional. ”Li Qiong has found a good husband. She’s going to be very happy. We’re all good people, so we’ll all find happiness in the future!”

”Yes, yes, the Little Red Carp thinks so too!” the Little Red Carp said, nodding repeatedly while eating a piece of candy after hearing her sister’s words.

Yang Guanghui smiled, but there was a hint of bitterness in it. ”I hope so too,” he said. ”It’s just that all my energy is focused on studying right now. I don’t want to waste any more thought on romance. I guess I invested too much in my last relationship, and I still haven’t gotten over it.”

Zhao Nuan Yang was taken aback and asked in surprise, ”Yang, if you two didn’t end up together, it just proves you weren’t fated to be. I don’t think you’ll find someone suitable in Nianqiao Village anyway. After all, there aren’t any outstanding young women here to match you. Without common ground, how could you spend a lifetime together? Maybe after you get into university and go to a big city, you’ll find many like-minded people. Once you get to know them, perhaps you’ll spark a romance.”

Zhao Nuan Yang’s words were a revelation for Yang Guanghui. The bitterness on his face vanished, and he smiled. ”Yes, maybe you’re right, Nuanyang. The women here are all village girls; I can’t find anyone I can really talk to. There was only Li Qiong, but she sees me as a brother, and I see her as a sister. The reason I’m studying so hard is that I want to pass the exam, leave this place, and find a new world where I can use my talents and find a like-minded person to spend my life with.”

”Yang, you can definitely do it,” Zhao Nuanyue agreed. ”With your character and talent, I’m sure many of the young women in Nianqiao Village have a crush on you. But you’ve always maintained your integrity and kept your distance because you know you don’t belong here and will leave one day.”

”That’s right!” Yang Guanghui nodded. ”In Nianqiao Village, I could probably find the prettiest girl, but if I don’t love her, I would just be hurting a kind person. How would that be any different from my childhood sweetheart who hurt me? I can’t just turn around and hurt others recklessly just because I’ve been hurt myself.”

Yang Guanghui’s thoughts were very open and honest; he never hid what he truly felt, nor did he ever think of hurting others.

”Yang, you’re a good man. You’ll definitely find a woman you love and who loves you back to spend your life with,” Zhao Nuanyue said. ”It’s been so hectic these past two days that I forgot to give you the books. I got a few review books, and if you do all the problems in them, I’m sure you’ll get into a good university. After all, you have a solid foundation and you’ve been preparing for so many years. It would be a crime if you didn’t make a huge splash.”

”That’s fantastic!” Yang Guanghui said excitedly. All his hopes were now pinned on the upcoming major exam. He knew Zhao Nuanyue wasn’t lying to him; the exam he had been dreaming of was about to begin.

Seeing his sister and Yang Guanghui so deep in their conversation about the exam that they were almost forgetting it was Li Qiong’s wedding day, Zhao Nuan Yang reminded them, ”Let’s talk about the exam later. Today is Sister Qiong’s big day. We should hurry over.”

”Yeah, yeah, stop chatting!” The Little Red Carp was already getting impatient. After saying that, she took off running toward the village.