Sweet Rebirth: The Little Healer

Alas, what a shame.

Seeing Gu Qingyu’s question, Sun Haoran felt a pang of sorrow. He thought for a moment before replying, ”Actually, I don’t think Yu Sen’s condition is as bad as we imagine. His physical state is just like he’s asleep; all his other functions are perfectly fine. I believe he can wake up. He just needs some form of stimulation, or for his own will to live to be strong enough.”

”Some form of stimulation?” Gu Qingyu asked, confused. He looked at Sun Haoran. ”What kind of stimulation? If you have any suggestions, just say it. We have to try, whether it works or not. That boy has been by my side for three years; I know full well how much he has suffered. He’s saved my life several times. If it weren’t for Yu Sen, I would have died long ago. How could I possibly still be alive today?”

Hearing this, Sun Haoran felt it was the right time to bring up his apprentice, Zhao Nuanyue. He said slowly, ”Elder Gu, the person Yu Sen pines for isn’t in Jincheng City. My apprentice is still in Nianqiao Village, waiting anxiously. Before, Yu Sen was afraid the situation in Jincheng City was too dangerous, so he didn’t have Nuanyue bring her younger siblings back with us. Things have stabilized now. It’s time for Nuanyue to return.”

Gu Qingyu was taken aback for a moment at the mention of Zhao Nuanyue’s name. Recalling how Yu Sen couldn’t stop thinking about her, he smiled. ”Even a hero has a weakness for a beautiful woman. Perhaps if Nuanyue comes, the boy really will wake up! But I recall Yu Sen still has an engagement with that girl from the Guo Family, doesn’t he? Is it appropriate for Nuanyue to come here?”

Sun Haoran shook his head with a wry laugh. ”Alas, the Guo Family was just stalling, hoping the Hua family would break the engagement first. And the Hua family, because of the tense political climate, didn’t dare to make such a move rashly. But ever since Yu Sen fell unconscious, the Guo Family only paid one symbolic visit at the beginning and never came back. Just a few days ago, when the doctors diagnosed Yu Sen as being in a vegetative state, I figured the Guo Family would be coming to break the engagement very soon. After all, with Yu Sen’s condition, the Guo Family has the perfect excuse!”

Gu Qingyu nodded. ”Yes, it’ll probably happen in the next day or two. In that case, I’ll make the arrangements to have Nuanyue and her siblings come back. Things are peaceful now, and I’m in a position to protect them.”

”That’s wonderful. I’ll get to see Little Red Carp again. That little girl is wise beyond her years, so clever, and such a sweet-talker,” Sun Haoran said. It had been almost a year since he’d left them; it was high time for Nuanyue to return.

He not only hoped his apprentice and Hua Yusen would find their happy ending, but also that his own medical knowledge would be passed on to a worthy heir.

”Yes, that child is very clever and sensible. She brought us a lot of joy during those difficult times,” Gu Qingyu said. ”I actually miss the little one. As for Qian, Sister-in-law Qian, and He Qiang, tell them to be patient for a while longer. Their names will likely be cleared one by one starting next year.”

Sun Haoran nodded. ”Alright. I’ll send one of my apprentices to bring Nuanyue and her siblings back.”

”Sounds good. I’ll have someone deliver the necessary paperwork to you tomorrow. Bring them back as soon as you can,” Gu Qingyu agreed, hoping that Zhao Nuanyue’s return would be what it took to awaken Hua Yusen.

At the same time, Gu Qingyu’s mind drifted back to those difficult years—to the girl who cooked them delicious food every night, the handsome and refined young man, and the lively and adorable Little Red Carp.

Just as they were speaking, Hua Zhiqiang arrived, a gloomy look on his face. He told Gu Qingyu and Sun Haoran about the Guo Family breaking off the engagement.

Upon hearing the news, Gu Qingyu and Sun Haoran exchanged a look, shaking their heads with wry smiles. Their prediction had been spot on.

”Ah, Hua,” Gu Qingyu began, ”did Yu Sen not mention breaking off the engagement when he returned?” He guessed that must have been the first thing Hua Yusen wanted to do.

Hua Zhiqiang was taken aback. He recalled his son mentioning he liked a girl from the village. ’Yu Sen was always with Elder Gu, so Elder Gu must know her, too,’ he thought.

”He did mention it,” Hua Zhiqiang admitted. ”But the situation back then, as you saw, simply didn’t allow for it. Besides, Wanru and I have never met the girl. We don’t know what she’s like. What if she’s another... Ugh, let’s not talk about it. It’s frustrating just thinking about it.” Hua Zhiqiang felt a tightness in his chest. With his son still unconscious, what was the damn point of thinking about anything else?

Seeing Hua Zhiqiang’s distress, Gu Qingyu smiled and put in a good word for Zhao Nuanyue. ”She’s a good girl.”

”Oh?” Hua Zhiqiang was surprised that Elder Gu would praise a young girl. ”What’s her name? What do her parents do? Why would she be one of the sent-down youth in the countryside?”

”You are far too concerned with status,” Gu Qingyu said, shaking his head with a chuckle. ”Aren’t you going to consider your son’s feelings? She’s been on Yu Sen’s mind for so long, the one he can’t stop thinking about. Haven’t you ever thought of helping them be together?”

Hearing this, Hua Zhiqiang understood that the girl likely didn’t come from an impressive family background.

But given the current circumstances, Hua Zhiqiang didn’t dare be too demanding. He said sheepishly, ”I’m just afraid of ending up with another Guo Dongmei! Back then, I owed Old Guo a favor, and he wanted to arrange a marriage between our families. I made my son agree even though Yu Sen was unwilling, but I never expected the Guo Family to be like that. Now that they’ve broken the engagement, I feel like I’ve lost face, but it’s also a relief. We simply walk different paths.”

”Heh, it’s for the best that you see it that way.” Gu Qingyu nodded lightly. ”Yu Sen has ended up in this state, and it’s all because of me. I’ve decided to fulfill his wish and have that girl return to the city to see him. Perhaps with her here to care for him, that boy Yu Sen might just wake up.”

”As long as he wakes up, I’ll agree to anything,” Hua Zhiqiang said excitedly, a flicker of hope igniting in his heart.

The very next day, Sun Haoran received the official documents to transfer the household registrations for Zhao Nuanyue, Zhao Nuan Yang, and Zhao Hongli, also known as Little Red Carp. Suitable jobs had even been arranged for Zhao Nuanyue and Zhao Nuan Yang. The positions were in a wonderful place—leisurely, with opportunities to read and study.

Seeing all this, Sun Haoran knew that Elder Gu had gone to great lengths.

Sun Haoran found his apprentice, Tang Kai Xuan, and asked him to make the trip in person.

”Kai Xuan, Zhao Nuanyue is a fellow apprentice, your junior. You must bring them back safely,” Sun Haoran instructed. ”You have no idea... under those harsh conditions, if that girl hadn’t helped me, even if I had managed to come back, I wouldn’t be in such good shape. My health might have failed, and I might not have lived long.”

Tang Kai Xuan was an orphan whom Sun Haoran had adopted. Hearing his master’s words, his heart ached for him. ”Master, good people are always blessed by Heaven. I will definitely bring our Little Junior Sister here, and we can all be reunited.”

”Good. Then I’ll have to trouble you to make this trip,” Sun Haoran said. ”Here are the travel expenses I’ve prepared for you. Be careful on your journey.”