Sweet Rebirth: The Little Healer

Liu Lanhua’s heart stirred when she heard this. ”Dear,” she said, ”Brother Dadan, how about this? I’ll bring you both paper and a pen tomorrow. You write the letters, and I’ll deliver them to the county town. We can’t just stand by and let them drive us to our deaths.”

”That’s right!” Li Siming’s eyes lit up. ”That’s an excellent idea. Dadan, you write a letter tomorrow, and I’ll write one too. We’ll have Lanhua deliver them. Besides, Lanhua already knows your cousin-in-law.”

”Oh, but a trip to the county town isn’t easy,” Wang Dadan said. ”Miao Dahai will never let Madam Lan Hua use the village oxcart. She’ll have to walk. Just getting from our village to the county town will take a whole day on foot!”

Liu Lanhua knew it would be exhausting, but compared to the stifling life in the village, she didn’t care. ”It’s fine,” she said. ”I can handle it.”

Li Siming’s heart ached for her, but their situation was dire. If they didn’t fight back, they would be bullied for the rest of their lives.

”Lanhua, this will be hard on you,” Li Siming said. ”Once we take them down, I promise I’ll give you a good life.”

”Madam Lan Hua, I won’t let you suffer for nothing either. Just you wait. Someone will come to deal with Miao Dahai and his cronies,” Wang Dadan said, his expression turning grim. He had already figured out exactly what to write to make his cousin-in-law send people over immediately.

Wang Cuihua came by and brought them some wild vegetable patties, which were just enough to fill their stomachs.

The next morning, Liu Lanhua tearfully claimed there was an emergency at her parents’ home and asked the village for two days’ leave.

Miao Cunzheng generously granted the leave. Birth, old age, sickness, and death were things no one could avoid.

However, Zhao Nuanyue had been keeping a close eye on Liu Lanhua and knew she wasn’t going to her parents’ house, but to the county town.

”Liu Lanhua was so sneaky this morning. It didn’t seem like she was going to her parents’ house. Maybe she’s up to something else. After all, with Wang Dadan and Li Siming locked up, she’s the only one who can get a message out,” Zhao Nuanyue said, a hint of anxiety in her voice as she whispered into Hua Yusen’s ear.

As Zhao Nuanyue drew near, her soft, gentle breath tickled Hua Yusen’s ear. He turned, his eyes filled with a smile as he looked at her, and lowered his voice. ”Heh, they couldn’t wait any longer. They’re preparing to send for help.”

”Huh?” Zhao Nuanyue was stunned. ”So you deliberately created this tense and heated atmosphere over the past few days?”

”Mhm!” Hua Yusen nodded. ”Sitting around and waiting for death isn’t their style. They were bound to get desperate and lash out. Only when a dog is cornered and rabid can you seize the chance to put it down and eat its meat.”

Hearing Hua Yusen’s explanation, Zhao Nuanyue finally felt a little relieved.

”I hope Nianqiao Village can return to peace soon,” Zhao Nuanyue said wistfully. ”Wouldn’t it be nice if everyone could just work hard and live peacefully? I don’t understand what they hope to achieve by causing all this commotion.”

Hua Yusen shrugged, then said with a serious expression, ”For profit and for power. They disregard everyone else’s interests, have no sense of morality, and only think of their own selfish gain.”

Seeing Hua Yusen’s brow furrowed, Zhao Nuanyue’s heart ached for him. This man carried so many burdens on his shoulders. He was still so young, yet when he frowned, the lines on his forehead were already deep.

Zhao Nuanyue reached out and gently placed her fingers on the space between his eyebrows, as if to smooth away his deep frown. ”There’s always a way forward,” she said softly. ”Perhaps the moment we think we’ve hit a dead end is when we’ll find a light at the end of the tunnel.”

”I hope so,” Hua Yusen said, taking her hand and bringing it to his lips for a gentle kiss.

He was under immense pressure. The thought of Elder Gu’s safety meant he couldn’t afford to be careless for even a moment. Thankfully, he had a lovely person like Zhao Nuanyue by his side to accompany him through these difficult and unforgettable times.

”It will be,” she affirmed. ”I’m sure of it.”

Hua Yusen gazed at Zhao Nuanyue’s earnest expression and her cute, chubby cheeks. With his other hand, he pinched her chin, tilted her head up gently, and couldn’t resist kissing her. In moments like this, only the sweetness of love could make him temporarily forget the pressures and hardships of reality.

’It’s so good to have you!’

Zhao Nuanyue closed her eyes, savoring the beauty of the moment. Tears of happiness welled up and trickled from the corners of her eyes, past her long, upturned lashes.

Hua Yusen tasted the salt of her tears. He pulled her into a tight embrace and comforted her gently, ”Don’t cry. Don’t be afraid. I’m here. Even if I have to risk my life, I’ll protect you all.”

”Mhm!” Zhao Nuanyue choked out between sobs. ”I’m not crying. I’m not afraid. It’s so good to have you.”

”You’re wonderful, too,” Hua Yusen said, cupping her face. He gently kissed the tear tracks on her cheeks, all the way up to the corners of her eyes. ”You’re so wonderful that you’ve turned my black-and-white world into a vibrant kaleidoscope of color!”

Hearing this, Zhao Nuanyue cried even harder. In her past life, her world had been nothing but darkness, a single bleak color. Hua Yusen’s appearance was like a lone spark in that endless dark, guiding her to keep running, to keep moving forward.

”What’s wrong?” Seeing her crying so sorrowfully, Hua Yusen could no longer bother with sweet nothings or romantic sentiments. ”Did I do something to make you angry or sad?”

”No, you didn’t do anything. It’s not your fault.” Zhao Nuanyue looked at Hua Yusen through tear-filled eyes. ”I just... I suddenly feel so happy, and I’m afraid this happiness will slip away. The thought of it makes my heart ache so much I can’t stop crying.”

She understood the distance between her and Hua Yusen.

While it might not have been as vast as the Milky Way separating the mythical Cowherd and Weaver Girl, it felt like a chasm, with countless mountains, rivers, and thorns lying between them.

”It won’t slip away. I’ve chosen you for this life, and I don’t want anyone else,” Hua Yusen pledged, his words utterly sincere. In that moment, in his eyes, Zhao Nuanyue was the most beautiful person in the world.

Zhao Nuanyue wrapped her arms around Hua Yusen in return and slowly regained her composure.

No matter what obstacles stood between them, Zhao Nuanyue resolved to stay true to her heart, hoping that in the end, they might have a happy outcome.

Zhao Nuanyue and Hua Yusen continued their efforts to help the few elderly people. The villagers of Nianqiao Village were busy with work and production during the day, and in the evenings, they began to diligently study the spirit of the books. The entire village was accumulating more and more energy.

Liu Lanhua walked for the better part of the day. Along the way, she ran into someone from another village driving an oxcart. After begging for a ride, she finally reached the county town a little after two in the afternoon. She followed the address Wang Dadan had given her and found the place.

Wang Dadan’s cousin was home. When she heard Liu Lanhua had been sent by Wang Dadan, she quickly invited her inside.

”By the way, how is my cousin?” Zhao Qinqin asked. ”And what did he send you here for?”

Liu Lanhua looked around at the furnishings in Zhao Qinqin’s home with envy. ’City folk really have it better than people in the countryside. I’ve never even seen furniture like this before.’