Sweet Rebirth: The Little Healer

A gust of wind blew past, making He Qiang shiver. He steadied Old Sir Qian and said, ”Sir, Madam, let’s go inside. The wind is picking up, and it’s cold and dangerous out here.”

Old Madam Qian nodded. ”Yes, the wind is picking up!”

Old Sir Qian kept his gaze fixed ahead for another moment before turning. ”The storm will always pass,” he said slowly. ”We just have to be patient.”

Though they spoke of the weather, they were really talking about the future.

He Qiang led Old Sir Qian and Old Madam Qian into the main hall of the Dragon King Temple to warm themselves by the fire.

Li Qiong rubbed her frozen hands together. ”It’s too cold out here. Let’s go inside. They’ve already left, and it’s not like we could see them all the way off. I just hope Uncle Gu recovers his health soon, and that Hua Yusen and Uncle Sun stay safe.”

”They will. I’m sure of it,” Yang Guanghui said with a nod. ”Come on, let’s not stay out here. Nuanyue, Nuanyang, and Little Red Carp are still young. They’ll catch colds if they’re out here too long.”

Zhao Nuanyue nodded, blinking her tired, stinging eyes. ”You’re right. Let’s go back inside.”

Li Qiong opened her mouth to offer Zhao Nuanyue a few words of comfort, but Yang Guanghui held her back, stopping her from speaking.

Some things were best left unsaid between friends. Giving Zhao Nuanyue the space to come to terms with it on her own was the best approach.

Wang Yuan watched the scene unfold, her heart soaring. She didn’t go into the main hall, instead finding a place to hide and gloat in secret.

With the departure of Hua Yusen, Gu Qingyu, and Sun Haoran, a silence fell over the Dragon King Temple.

The gloomy, cold weather only added to the somber mood.

Miao Dahai was heading to the county town, so Yang Guanghui went along to buy train tickets. He also needed to get one for Wang Yuan.

Miao Dahai found Zhou Jian Country and managed to buy tickets for that same day. He then took Yang Guanghui and Wang Yuan directly to the train station.

Wang Yuan stood on the station platform, taking in the dilapidated scenery. Her heart soared. ’I, Wang Yuan, can finally leave this godforsaken place! I’ll never have to face that unbearable past again!’

With five people suddenly gone, the Dragon King Temple felt deserted.

Sometimes, Li Qiong would stare blankly at the doorway, lost in silent thought.

Zhao Nuanyue knew Li Qiong was homesick. ’But in that home,’ she thought, ’even if there’s no one left who would harm her, there aren’t many who truly love her, either. As the family grew, life became harder, and the affection between them all grew thin.’

’It’s better to long for them from Nianqiao Village than to go back and face disappointment over and over. Sometimes, there’s a certain beauty in that distance.’

After Hua Yusen left, Zhao Nuanyue didn’t dare to let her mind wander. She forced herself to study, using every available moment to bury herself in her books. It was the only way she could temporarily forget that he was gone.

’The road ahead for Hua Yusen would be fraught with danger. I just hope he’s as tough as he was in my past life and manages to survive.’

Seeing Li Qiong staring into space, He Qiang sipped his chrysanthemum tea and looked over at her. ”Li Qiong,” he advised, ”don’t just daydream. There are so many books here, you should read them too. Who knows, you might even be able to test into a university in the future!”

Li Qiong was taken aback for a moment, then she smiled and nodded. ”You’re right. I can’t keep wasting time. Time waits for no one, and learning something is far better than letting my youth waste away.”

”Haha, that’s the right way to think, Li Qiong,” He Qiang said with a laugh. ”Like the old saying goes: you’ll always regret not reading more when you finally need the knowledge. If you build your foundation now, you won’t have to regret a lack of effort later.”

”Yes, you’re right. Thank you, Uncle He,” Li Qiong said. She then sat down beside Zhao Nuanyue, picked up a book, and began to study with her and Zhao Nuan Yang.

Little Red Carp, meanwhile, was playing with building blocks off to the side.

Zhao Nuan Yang had made the blocks himself. He had cut fine wood from the mountains, sectioned it into small pieces of various shapes, and then painstakingly sanded each one until it was smooth. They could be pieced together to form all sorts of things. Little Red Carp absolutely loved them and could play all day without growing tired of them.

He Qiang was about to go to the back to cook, but Li Qiong put down her book. ”Uncle He, Grandpa Qian, Grandma Qian, you don’t need to go to the back courtyard to eat anymore,” she said. ”The weather is so cold, and with all this snow, no one will be paying any attention to us here. Starting today, let’s all eat together.”

As Li Qiong spoke, she suddenly remembered Zhao Nuanyue and her brother were there, too.

Zhao Nuanyue was, of course, happy to agree. ’Otherwise, I’d have to go cook for the elders in the cave at night, and it’s just too cold for that.’

’Eating together would kill two birds with one stone.’

”That works for me. I agree,” Zhao Nuanyue said, fully supporting Li Qiong’s suggestion. ”After the struggles in the first half of the year, things have quieted down in Nianqiao Village. Wang Dadan, Li Siming, Liu Lanhua, and the rest have been keeping to themselves, so we don’t need to be afraid of them.”

He Qiang was of course delighted and nodded eagerly. ”Haha, well, thank you both! I’ll tend the fire for you!”

”There’s no need, Uncle He. I’m already so grateful that you’re helping teach Nuanyang. And with Grandpa Qian and Grandma Qian teaching me high school subjects, I feel like I can never repay you. Cooking for you and taking care of you is the only way I can think of to show my gratitude,” Zhao Nuanyue said with a smile, giving them a reason to accept her help with peace of mind.

”That’s right. Besides, we’re young, so doing a little extra is nothing,” Li Qiong added with a laugh. ”Okay, you all stay here and keep warm. Nuanyue and I will go make lunch. We’ll make something delicious today—eat our fill so we don’t get homesick.”

He Qiang was thrilled. ’Finally,’ he thought, ’I don’t have to eat my own cooking!’

Because conditions had been more relaxed this year, Zhao Nuanyue and Li Qiong had been secretly bringing back mushrooms and other mountain delicacies. Adding those to the previously dried Dragon Wisdom Grass and the grain they had saved from the summer, they decided to make stuffed buns for lunch.

Furthermore, two days before he left, Hua Yusen had gone into the mountains and hunted a wild boar. He hadn’t given it to the village; instead, he cleaned it and prepared cured bacon, cured pig’s trotters, and other preserved meats. As a result, their food situation this winter was very good.

While shaping the buns, Li Qiong said softly, ”Nuanyue, you know I’m not good at keeping things to myself. There’s a question I’ve been holding in, and it’s making me anxious. I really want to ask you, but you don’t have to answer if it makes you uncomfortable.”

Zhao Nuanyue listened, then asked with a small smile, ”What’s the question? You can ask. If I can answer it, I’ll answer you truthfully.”

”Haha, it’s nothing important, really. I’m just curious.” Li Qiong met Zhao Nuanyue’s candid gaze and felt a little embarrassed. ”I just wanted to ask... with Hua Yusen gone, aren’t you worried? Don’t you miss him?”

Zhao Nuanyue knew Li Qiong would ask about Hua Yusen. After all, Li Qiong had been paying close attention to their relationship. ’For her to hold back this long was already remarkable,’ she thought.