Sweet Rebirth: The Little Healer

’Sigh, what a love-starved child!’

Zhao Nuanyue nodded repeatedly, stood up, and patted her brother’s head. ”You’re my brother, and she’s my sister. I care for her, but I care for you even more.”

Zhao Nuanyang’s face turned a little red. He glanced at the Little Red Carp out of the corner of his eye, feeling a bit embarrassed. In a low voice, he said, ”Sis, don’t pat my head anymore. I’m a grown-up now.”

”Big brother is a grown-up, big brother is shy,” the Little Red Carp said with a grin, her voice sweet and childlike.

Being teased by a little baby made Zhao Nuanyang even more embarrassed.

”You guys should get some rest too.” Zhao Nuanyang fled in disarray. Especially under the gaze of the Little Red Carp’s big, dark eyes, he felt like he couldn’t even compare to a child.

Zhao Nuanyue smiled and said, ”Okay, you go to bed first. I’ll be going to sleep soon too.”

Before leaving, Zhao Nuanyang reached out and gently pinched the Little Red Carp’s cheek, a gesture of affection.

The Little Red Carp watched the hand coming to pinch her, her mouth slightly agape. She had wanted to resist, but seeing Zhao Nuanyue signal for her to stay still, she could only let Zhao Nuanyang pinch her obediently.

Her little face was chubby and her mouth was small; the pinch even squeezed a bit of drool out.

Zhao Nuanyang went to the inner room to rest. The Little Red Carp remained sitting on Zhao Nuanyue’s bed, watching her make clothes.

’Humans have a poem: ”The thread in a kind mother’s hand becomes the clothes on a traveling child’s back.” Her big sister is making clothes for her. A big sister is like a mother. I must treat my sister well in the future.’

Luckily, it was summer, so the clothes were all single-layered and relatively easy to make.

By the time Zhao Nuanyue finished an outfit, Hua Yusen had already finished cooking the porridge and brought it in.

Hua Yusen gently stirred the steaming hot rice porridge with a wooden spoon until it wasn’t too hot, then handed it to Zhao Nuanyue.

”You feed her. I’m afraid I’ll be too clumsy and won’t do it right,” Hua Yusen said, curiously sizing up the little baby, the Little Red Carp.

”Thank you.” Zhao Nuanyue put down her needle and thread, took the bowl, and began to feed the Little Red Carp.

Now that the Little Red Carp had become human, she could eat human food. Eating the fragrant, rich rice porridge, she closed her eyes in bliss.

”So yummy,” the Little Red Carp praised. ”Thank you, big brother!”

”You’re welcome, you’re welcome.” Hua Yusen rubbed his hands together, a bit flustered at being thanked by a small child.

After the porridge, Zhao Nuanyue gave the Little Red Carp another bath with warm water, had her rinse her mouth, and then held her to sleep.

”Hua, it’s getting late. You should go to sleep too,” Zhao Nuanyue said. ”You’ll probably have to help drain the fields again tomorrow. It must be exhausting.”

”Alright, I’ll go rest. You get some rest too. Little Red Carp, be good and listen to your sister. I’ll buy you tasty candy later,” Hua Yusen coaxed the Little Red Carp before leaving, hoping she wouldn’t tire Zhao Nuanyue out.

”Mhm, mhm,” the Little Red Carp nodded repeatedly, agreeing to Hua Yusen’s request.

Zhao Nuanyue’s bed was large enough for two. She laid a blanket over the Little Red Carp’s stomach and then held her as she fell asleep.

The Little Red Carp’s body was cool to the touch, not warm at all, so it was very comfortable to hold her while sleeping.

The Little Red Carp opened her eyes and surveyed her surroundings in the darkness. She didn’t speak, knowing it would disturb Zhao Nuanyue’s rest. Fortunately, she was sleepy too. She had used up a lot of energy today helping Zhao Nuanyue block the underground river’s outlet. It was too tiring, and she drifted off into a groggy sleep.

When Zhao Nuanyue got up the next morning, she saw the Little Red Carp was sleeping soundly and decided not to wake her. She just had her brother watch over her as she slept.

Zhao Nuanyang was a little hesitant, but also very curious. He just stood by the bed, watching the little doll-like child sleeping on his sister’s bed.

When the Little Red Carp woke up, she saw Zhao Nuanyang standing by her bed, staring at her.

”Big brother...” The Little Red Carp’s adorable voice broke the morning’s silence.

Zhao Nuanyang was caught off guard and didn’t know what to do, having been seen by the Little Red Carp. But when he saw her bright, innocent smile, Zhao Nuanyang smiled too.

So, Zhao Nuanyang dressed the Little Red Carp in the clothes his sister had made for her and carried her out of the room.

Li Qiong was moving a table to get ready for breakfast. When she saw Zhao Nuanyang holding a little child in a pink, floral-print dress, she was so shocked she stood there dumbfounded.

”Nuan... Nuanyang... whose child are you holding?” Li Qiong asked hastily. Forgetting about the table, she rushed over to stand in front of Zhao Nuanyang and look seriously at the Little Red Carp.

The Little Red Carp wasn’t afraid of Li Qiong’s gaze. Instead, she turned her head from her brother’s arms to look at the approaching Li Qiong.

”She’s my sister,” Zhao Nuanyang replied. ”My sister found her at the entrance last night.”

”My heavens, someone actually abandoned a child at the entrance of our Dragon King Temple!” Li Qiong said in disbelief, looking the Little Red Carp up and down. ”This little girl is really cute, so pretty. Come on, call me ’Big Sister,’ and I’ll give you candy.”

”Big Sister!” The Little Red Carp wasn’t shy with strangers. Because she often watched Zhao Nuanyue, she also recognized the people around her. This Li Qiong was a very straightforward girl.

Being called ’Big Sister’ by the Little Red Carp made Li Qiong ecstatic. Beaming with joy, she said, ”You just wait, I’ll go to my room and get you some candy.”

Li Qiong ran to her room and grabbed a few White Rabbit creamy candies she had been saving. Now, seeing the adorable Little Red Carp, she brought them out for her to eat.

”Little sister, have some candy. What’s your name?” Li Qiong asked as she helped the Little Red Carp unwrap the candy.

”My sister’s name is Little Red Carp,” Zhao Nuanyang answered. Seeing Li Qiong looking at his sister so enthusiastically, he was genuinely afraid Li Qiong might snatch her away, so he held the Little Red Carp tightly.

With a creamy candy in her mouth, the Little Red Carp had no time to talk. She could only nod in agreement with what her brother said.

Zhao Nuanyue had already prepared the meal, dished it out into bowls, and brought them to the table. Seeing her brother and sister were both up, she smiled and said, ”Nuanyang, give me the Little Red Carp. I’ll take her to wash up. You hurry and wash up too, it’s time for breakfast.”

Only after hearing his sister’s words did Zhao Nuanyang hand the Little Red Carp over.

”Nuanyue, how did you find this little child? What about her parents? Did they leave any clues?” Li Qiong asked curiously. ”Goodness, how can there be such heartless parents in the world, to abandon such a cute child.”

”I’m not sure either. From now on, don’t say things like ’how pitiful’ and so on,” Zhao Nuanyue instructed as she washed the Little Red Carp’s face. ”I’ll be raising the Little Red Carp from now on. If you like her, just smile at her and humor her. That’s all.”

Li Qiong heard this and nodded. ”Alright, alright, I won’t say it. I’ll treat the Little Red Carp well from now on.”

Wang Yuan, who had been listening to Li Qiong and Zhao Nuanyue’s conversation from the side, was also very curious. She couldn’t understand why Zhao Nuanyue would adopt an abandoned baby.