Sweet Rebirth: The Little Healer

Hearing the Little Red Carp’s words, Zhao Nuanyue was also filled with a myriad of emotions.

”That’s right. Nianqiao Village is very poor, but the mountains behind it are full of resources. There are wild chickens, ducks, and rabbits, and plenty of fish—enough to eat our fill,” Zhao Nuanyue replied. ”Here in Jincheng City, it’s so crowded and full of prying eyes. We’re certainly not as free and easy as we were in Nianqiao Village.”

”But don’t you worry. In a few days, I’ll take you to Qingya Mountain to see if we can find something tasty,” Zhao Nuanyue said with a smile. ”Just hang in there for a few years. Once the policies relax and the economy develops, there will be all sorts of delicious food to eat.”

”Okay, I believe you, Sister,” the Little Red Carp said with a laugh. ”I was just kidding before. It’s actually pretty nice here. I like it too.”

The two of them put the fish in a basket and hung it on the bicycle. The Little Red Carp sat on the rear rack, hugging its sister’s waist as they returned to Immortal Grass Hall together.

「Noon. At the hospital.」

Feng Wanru used her lunch break to visit her son. She’d expected to see Zhao Nuanyue, but upon arriving, she found the young woman was nowhere in sight. ’After all the righteous, moving things she said yesterday, she doesn’t even show up today.’

’It just goes to show how fickle young people are. You can’t take them at their word.’

Just then, Doctor Wu came to examine Hua Yusen. Seeing Feng Wanru, he said softly, ”Madam Feng, I’ve been monitoring Mr. Hua for the past two days, and I’ve found his vital signs have improved a little more. It seems the massage therapist you hired is very effective.”

”Massage therapist?” Feng Wanru was taken aback. ’I haven’t hired a massage therapist.’

”I mean Zhao Nuanyue, the one who comes every day to give Mr. Hua massages and takes such meticulous care of him,” Doctor Wu replied with a smile. ”She’s truly Doctor Sun’s star pupil. Very impressive.”

’Zhao Nuanyue?’

”She came today?” Feng Wanru asked. ”How come I didn’t see her?”

”Yes, she did. She came by to change Mr. Hua’s clothes, gave him his massage, and then read him the newspaper. She left over half an hour ago; it seemed she had something to take care of,” Doctor Wu replied. ”I was busy at the time, so I didn’t get a chance to ask.”

”Oh.” Feng Wanru nodded, feeling a little better. She wasn’t as disappointed as she had been a moment ago. ’So Zhao Nuanyue did come today.’

After the doctor left, Feng Wanru sat by her son’s bedside and began to speak softly.

”Oh, my son, I’ve decided to put Zhao Nuanyue to the test. If she’s truly the way she claims—that as long as you’re breathing, as long as your heart is beating, she’s willing to be with you—then I will consent to your marriage,” Feng Wanru said softly, her gaze full of maternal love as she looked at her son in the bed.

’These days, she was only able to visit so often because her workplace was nearby. If she got busy, she could only come by every few days.’

’As for her husband, Hua Zhiqiang, he hadn’t visited in almost a week.’

’Always so busy, never any time.’

’Or maybe that was just an excuse. On the one hand, perhaps he couldn’t bear to see his eldest son like this, and it pained him too much. On the other hand, perhaps he had simply given up on him.’

’Her second son and youngest daughter, despite being close with their older brother, only visited once every few days, or even every ten days to half a month. Compared to Zhao Nuanyue, it wasn’t even close.’

Feng Wanru was a smart woman. She understood that if Zhao Nuanyue’s feelings for Hua Yusen were genuine, she would undoubtedly take better care of her eldest son than even his own family could.

’I’ll just keep watching for now.’

Feng Wanru didn’t want to be unfair to Zhao Nuanyue, nor did she want to put too much pressure on her son. It was best to let things take their natural course.

If Zhao Nuanyue was truly devoted to her son, she would be happy to see them together and would gladly give her blessing.

Zhao Nuanyue returned to Immortal Grass Hall with the Little Red Carp and took the fish to the kitchen.

The Sun Family’s cook, Chef Sun, was a plump, matronly woman. Like Uncle Sun, she was someone the Immortal Grass Hall had taken in before the Liberation. Her husband had died young, and her son had been starving when the Sun Family saved them. Ever since, she had stayed at Immortal Grass Hall, remaining fiercely loyal.

”Nuanyue, where did you get these fish?” Granny Sun asked, pleasantly surprised. ”You need ration tickets to buy fish, and our household’s tickets are only enough for a single crucian carp. We haven’t had fish in half a month.”

Zhao Nuanyue was particularly fond of the fair, plump woman. She lowered her voice and said, ”The Little Red Carp and I caught these in Qingya Lake. They’re good fish; look, they’re still flopping around.”

”What?” Granny Sun was taken aback. ”Nuanyue, you mustn’t do this again. If someone were to see you, it would be terrible.”

”Why not? The lake is full of them,” Zhao Nuanyue retorted. ”It’s such a waste to let them go uneaten!”

”If someone sees you, they’ll report you, and you could be locked up,” Chef Sun whispered. ”Please don’t go fishing there again.”

’So that’s it! She’s just afraid of someone seeing me!’

”Don’t worry, Granny Sun,” Zhao Nuanyue said with a proud smile. ”I was fishing right from our own back gate. No one saw me, so no one can report me. If you’re worried someone might see me fishing, I’ll just set a fish trap tomorrow. I can still catch fish that way, and all I’ll have to do is carry them home.”

Seeing the fresh, plump fish, Chef Sun was tempted. She asked again, ”Are you sure no one will see you?”

”They won’t, Granny Sun. Our backyard wall extends right into Qingya Lake, with high walls on either side. It’s impossible to see into our yard from the sides. Plus, we’re a long way from the opposite shore, so no one could possibly make out what we’re doing,” Zhao Nuanyue said with a light laugh. ”Go on and cook them, Granny Sun. You don’t need to be so wary.”

”Alright then. It would be a shame not to eat such good fish,” Granny Sun said with a smile. ”If you manage to get more in the future, just be very careful.”

”Yes, I understand,” Zhao Nuanyue promised. The Little Red Carp was also very happy; it had repaid everyone with the fruits of its labor.

Thanks to the fish Zhao Nuanyue brought, the lunch spread was incredibly lavish.

Immortal Grass Hall wanted for no seasonings. Granny Sun made fish stew with pickled greens, braised crucian carp, and a snakehead fish and tofu soup. Paired with the cabbage, radishes, and other dishes already on the table, it was a sumptuous feast.

When they heard that Zhao Nuanyue had brought the fish, no one asked too many questions.

Madam Sun grew even fonder of Zhao Nuanyue. ’This girl,’ she thought, ’is sharp and perceptive, loyal, and deeply values her relationships. A truly fine young woman.’

’Her husband really does have a good eye for people—better than mine, at least.’

’She had been the one to urge her husband to accept Cao Jingya as a disciple. She never would have imagined that Cao Jingya would use Immortal Grass Hall and the Sun Family to climb the social ladder. Even now, though they had investigated and knew the truth, they couldn’t openly break with Cao Jingya and drive her out for certain reasons.’

”Please, everyone, eat up,” Madam Sun said softly. When she heard from Granny Sun that there was fish today, she had already arranged for some to be packed in a thermos and sent to her husband at work.

”Thank you, Madam Sun,” everyone said gratefully. They waited for her to start eating before they picked up their own chopsticks.