Sweet Rebirth: The Little Healer

”Mm, very good. It’s getting dark, so you should head home,” Miao Dahai said. ”Our village is pretty safe, but a young lady like you should still lock up tight. If you run into any trouble, like a thief, just scream. The villagers won’t stand by and do nothing.”

”Thank you, Uncle Miao.” Li Ying thanked him again, then parted ways with Miao Dahai and went home.

After seeing her parents, Li Ying did exactly as she had promised, throwing herself into her work. Although there was some idle gossip in the village at first, everyone eventually stopped talking when they saw how hard she was working and felt a bit sorry for her.

Inside the Dragon King Temple, Zhao Nuanyue reflected on the recent events. ’I never expected we could pretty much catch them all in one go this time,’ she thought.

’Except for that Li Shan.’

’But that doesn’t matter anymore. He’s a wanted man who has to live in the shadows.’

’He had such a bright future, but he took the wrong path for a faster, easier way up, only to become someone else’s discarded pawn.’

’Still, none of that had anything to do with her now. He got what he deserved. If she ever got the chance, though, she would use every connection she had to find Li Shan, just in case. You have to pull out the weeds by the roots, or they’ll just grow back in the spring.’

The village had started its fishing season, making salted fish to be handed over as part of their public grain tax.

This year, the canals of Nianqiao Village were lush with aquatic plants, and the fish population was booming. Thanks to the villagers’ meticulous care, the fish they caught were big and healthy, and the resulting salted fish were of much better quality than before.

Little Red Carp was a true lucky star. Sitting at the prow of the boat, she’d kick her chubby little feet in the water, attracting more and more fish.

Zhao Nuanyang would cast the nets while Zhao Nuanyue sorted the catch or mended the nets.

The three of them worked together in perfect harmony, usually finishing the entire day’s quota in a single morning. In the afternoons, Zhao Nuanyue would stay home to read, Zhao Nuanyang would paint, and Little Red Carp would run around the yard with a pinwheel Zhao Nuanyue had made for her, playing happily.

Whenever Zhao Nuanyue grew tired from her studies, she could always look out and see Little Red Carp playing, and hear her clear, bright laughter.

The tranquility of Nianqiao Village stood in stark contrast to the turbulent changes unfolding in Jincheng City.

When Guo Dongmei learned that Li Shan had failed, she cursed, ”Idiot,” but had no more time to dwell on it. The Guo Family was now at its most critical juncture.

”Dad, why won’t you let me go to the Hua family and break off the engagement?” Guo Dongmei protested. ”I’ve been with Gongming for two years now, and our relationship is still in this ambiguous state. Even if I do end up with the Li family, what will they think of me?”

Mr. Guo looked at his furious daughter and could only try to placate her. ”Don’t you think I know that? But the Hua family is soaring right now. They’re supporters of Gu Qingyu, and their influence is at its peak. If we go to break off the engagement now, our political enemies will surely attack us. Not even the Li family would be able to protect us.”

Guo Dongmei frowned. ”Father, we have the freedom to choose who we love now. If we don’t think it’s a good fit, breaking off an engagement is perfectly normal. What era are we in? If you can get engaged, you can break it off. You can even get divorced after getting married. Those people must have nothing better to do than meddle in our family’s affairs!”

Seeing his daughter’s naivete, Mr. Guo sighed inwardly. ”Sigh... The person you sent before said they gave Gu Qingyu that potion. Logically, Gu Qingyu should be dead by now. But while Gu Qingyu is weak, there’s no sign of them dying. Are you certain that potion was actually administered?”

”Of course it was! When Gu Qingyu returned to the city last year, you even went to visit. How could they have gotten so sick if they hadn’t taken it?” Guo Dongmei retorted. ”Many people saw the state they were in, so there’s no doubt about it. The only reason Gu Qingyu isn’t dead is probably because a doctor found an antidote or a cure. If that poison is as effective as you all claimed, then Gu Qingyu is just buying time. It’s nothing to worry about.”

Hearing his daughter’s words, Mr. Guo nodded. ”When Gu Qingyu came back last year, I was shocked. Their complexion was sallow, they were nothing but skin and bones, and they looked like they weren’t long for this world. I just didn’t expect Gu Qingyu to be so resilient. After returning to Jincheng City and recuperating, they’ve actually started to get better. They haven’t fully recovered, but they’re much better than when they first arrived. Let’s hope the poison continues to work and Gu Qingyu dies soon, so we can finally be free of this.”

”Sigh, it’s so complicated,” Guo Dongmei said, vexed. The Guo family couldn’t break the engagement now. If they did, it would confirm the rumors that they had kicked the Hua family when they were down, and the disadvantages for the Guo family’s future would far outweigh any benefits.

This was precisely why Mr. Guo was so reluctant to break off the engagement.

”Just wait a little longer,” Mr. Guo said, feeling a great sense of guilt toward his daughter.

Suddenly, Guo Dongmei thought of Zhao Nuanyue, the woman who had thwarted her twice. ’She’s the one Hua Yusen cherishes most. I can’t be the one to break the engagement, but if *Hua Yusen* does it, then it won’t be the Guo family’s fault.’

”Dad, what if the Hua family is the one who wants to break the engagement?” Guo Dongmei asked, looking at her father hopefully, eager for a satisfactory reply.

Hearing this, Mr. Guo perked up. ”If the Hua family breaks the engagement, that would be excellent. Although you might lose some face, I could exploit the situation to disgrace them and force them to make economic concessions.”

”Dad, I think it’s enough for Hua Yusen and me to just break it off. You don’t need to publicize it so much,” Guo Dongmei said. ”After all, I’m dating Li Gongming. If I marry into the Li family later, wouldn’t that be embarrassing?”

Seeing how naive his daughter was, Mr. Guo shook his head. ”Dongmei, you’re still too simple-minded. You don’t understand how malicious people can be. You think if we don’t say anything, no one else will? Breaking it off quietly isn’t impossible, but some people will just pretend they don’t know. Then, after you get together with Li Gongming, they’ll act as if they’ve just found out. That’s even more disgusting. Your engagement to Hua Yusen was a grand affair that everyone knew about. So, this annulment must also be known by everyone. That’s the only way to prevent future trouble!”

Guo Dongmei was stunned by her father’s words.

’She never imagined there could be so many complications to breaking off an engagement.’

But in her determination to end the engagement, Guo Dongmei couldn’t be bothered with the details. She nodded and said, ”Then I’ll find a way to make Hua Yusen break it off. When that happens, Father, you have to back me up. But don’t go too far, because there’s still the Li family to consider. You know what kind of benefits it will bring the Guo Family if I marry into the Li family!”

”Good daughter, even if it weren’t for the Guo Family, I would do it just for your happiness,” Mr. Guo said. ”It’s just that our family’s factories aren’t doing well right now, so we have to be cautious with every step. We can’t afford a single mistake.”

Guo Dongmei understood. She stopped making things difficult for her father and decided to go find Hua Yusen.