From Broken Family to Life Winner: A Reborn Mother's Journey

There weren’t many seasonings, just a bit of salt and chili pepper. But perhaps because the fish itself was so good, it was delicious once grilled.

Little Tang Mo and Su Li were very obliging and ate two fish each. Wu Sheng stood up straighter, feeling he had completely redeemed his reputation for having ’mediocre cooking skills’.

Wu Sheng grilled a few more and gave them to Little Tang Mo.

”Take these back for Great-Grandma and Little Aunt.”

Little Tang Mo nodded and obediently took them.

Wu Sheng produced a small, sealed, cylindrical wooden container from somewhere and handed it to Su Li.

”Here. Your chili pepper ultimate weapon.”

He handed it to Su Li and showed her how it worked. ”Press here, and it will spray chili powder. If you aim it at someone’s eyes or nose... you know.”

Su Li was confused. ”Why are you giving me this? Where did you get it?”

”I had a local carpenter make it. It has a little mechanism,” Wu Sheng explained. ”And I’m not just giving you this. I also have to teach you a few self-defense moves.”

Su Li held the small wooden cylinder, her expression puzzled, as she waited for Wu Sheng to continue.

Wu Sheng smiled. ”Besides coming to escape the summer heat and see Grandma and Little Aunt, have you forgotten the real reason we’re here?”

Su Li fell silent. The reason they had come here was because of her trauma and its lingering effects.

Su Li tensed for a moment. Maybe it was because the setting was so peaceful, but after a moment’s thought, she gritted her teeth. ”Okay. I’ll learn.”

Wu Sheng taught her a few practical moves. ”From now on, carry the chili spray with you at all times. The second you feel something’s not right, use it. If that doesn’t work, fight back with the moves I taught you.”

Su Li’s face was a little pale, but she nodded emphatically.

”Don’t be afraid. They’re not as strong as you think. You don’t have to be scared.”

Wu Sheng looked at Su Li, gazing straight into her eyes.

Su Li nodded. ”I’ll do my best to overcome it.”

”Good.” Wu Sheng gathered their things. ”Let’s go. Time to head back.”

”Okay,” Su Li nodded, stowing away her custom-made self-defense spray.

On the way back, Wu Sheng told Su Li, ”Those are chilies Grandma grew and harvested. They’re incredibly hot. I guarantee they’ll make anyone choke and scream bloody murder. Take some extra with you when we leave, and I can refill it for you anytime.”

”Okay,” Su Li nodded.

The day after he gave her the chili spray, Su Li went to the town market with Little Aunt, Wu Sheng, and Little Tang Mo to sell plums and bamboo baskets.

They traveled by water, wearing conical straw hats for shade. Their goods were loaded onto a bamboo raft that floated downstream with the current.

After floating downstream for over an hour and then carrying their goods for another half an hour on foot, they reached the town and set up a stall to sell their things.

The town was bustling with people, and there were many other vendors.

After selling their goods for half the day, everyone got hungry. Su Li went to buy some flatbread, but she ran into a homeless man.

Yes, a homeless man. He was dressed in tattered rags, covered in grime, and had suddenly appeared right in front of her.

Su Li’s first instinct was to run.

But before she could, the homeless man came straight for her, whether to snatch the flatbread from her hand or for some other reason.

Su Li’s entire body went rigid, but her mind raced. She pulled out the chili spray Wu Sheng had told her to carry, sprayed it at the man, and as he screamed in pain, she shoved him aside, turned, and fled.

From the moment she saw the man to when she sprayed him and ran, Su Li’s mind was a complete blank. She didn’t even know what she was doing.

She ran blindly, and when she finally stopped, she was still trembling with fear.

The familiar nausea washed over her, but this time, Su Li managed to suppress it.

After a few minutes, once Su Li had collected herself and calmed down, she suddenly wasn’t so scared anymore.

The flatbread she had bought was long gone, dropped somewhere. Su Li stood alone for a moment, looked around, and then headed towards a stall selling steamed buns.

She didn’t notice a pair of eyes following her every move, the gaze only softening with relief when she headed for the bun stall.

Su Li searched for a moment before finding her way back to their stall.

Only Little Aunt and Little Tang Mo were at the stall. ”Where’s Wu Sheng?”

”He went to look for you,” Little Aunt said, puzzled. ”He didn’t find you?”

”No.” Su Li handed them the steamed buns. ”I couldn’t find any flatbread, only these buns.”

After a brief explanation, she said, ”I’m going to find Wu Sheng.”

”Don’t bother. The town’s not that big. If he can’t find you, he’ll be back soon.”

Little Aunt urged, ”Have a bun first. We’ll be heading back soon anyway.”

”Okay.” Su Li thought for a moment and nodded, putting away the chili spray container she had been clutching tightly in her hand.

Her face was still pale. It was an achievement that she hadn’t thrown up; she had no appetite for a bun. She zoned out for a moment, and just as expected, Wu Sheng returned.

”I couldn’t find you, so I figured you might have come back on your own.”

Su Li snapped out of her daze and noticed that Wu Sheng’s eyes and face were a bit red. ”What happened to your eyes and face?”

”It’s nothing. I got some dust in my eyes while I was looking for you.”

Wu Sheng looked at Su Li’s complexion. ”What about you? You look pale.”

Su Li quietly told Wu Sheng about her encounter with the homeless man. ”I used the chili spray on him, even beat him up a little, and then I ran.”

”Beat him up?” A strange glint flashed in Wu Sheng’s eyes.

Though still shaken, Su Li nodded affirmatively. ”Yeah. I’m pretty tough, aren’t I?”

Her tone held a hint of pride, as if she were fishing for a compliment.

”Yeah, you were amazing.”

Wu Sheng patted Su Li’s head. ”Do the same thing next time.”

Hearing his words, Su Li clenched her fists and nodded. ”Okay.”

Back in the Imperial City, Su Li might not have been able to muster such courage, but now... she had it.

When they returned that day, Su Li ate very little and went to bed early, whether from the day’s exhaustion or the encounter with the homeless man.

Wu Sheng stopped Little Aunt and Grandma Wu from asking too many questions.

In the middle of the night, Su Li had a nightmare again.

It was the same terrible nightmare. She woke up in a cold sweat.

Her stomach churned, and just as she was about to be sick, she suddenly heard Wu Sheng’s voice from outside.

”Su Li, I’m here.”

Su Li froze, forgetting her urge to be sick.

”Wu Sheng?”

”Yeah. I’m here, Su Li. Don’t be afraid.”

The moment he finished speaking, the door was flung open, and Su Li appeared before him, drenched in a cold sweat.

”Did you have a nightmare?” Wu Sheng asked immediately.

Su Li nodded. ”Yeah. Wu Sheng, I want to take a bath.”

A flicker of understanding crossed Wu Sheng’s eyes. ”Didn’t you just take one when we got back?”

Su Li blinked. The next second, Wu Sheng took her hand. She tried to pull it back, but he didn’t let go.

”You only broke a little sweat. It’s nothing, you can just wipe it off. You’re still clean.”

Su Li looked up into Wu Sheng’s eyes. ”Am I clean?”

”Yes, you’re clean.” Wu Sheng nodded firmly, then lifted her hand and kissed her palm.

A slow smile spread across Su Li’s lips.

”Go back to sleep now. Don’t be afraid, I’m right outside,” Wu Sheng said, gently guiding Su Li back into her room.

Su Li looked at Wu Sheng’s still-reddened eyes. ”You should go to sleep too. Don’t stay up all night.”

”I’m fine. Go on back.” Wu Sheng closed the door. ”Don’t wake Grandma and the others.”

For the first time, Su Li woke up from a nightmare without getting sick. And for the first time, after waking from a nightmare, she was able to fall back asleep.

Outside, Wu Sheng heard the room fall silent and slowly let out a breath of relief.

Only when the eastern sky began to brighten, just before dawn, did Wu Sheng return to his own room to sleep.