Sweet Rebirth: The Little Healer

Words like that might have sounded disingenuous coming from someone else, but Hua Yusen believed Zhao Nuanyue completely. She had already proven it with her actions. When everyone else had given up hope, she was the only one who stubbornly kept faith that he would wake up.

’Thank goodness I woke up. Otherwise, a wonderful woman like Nuanyue would have had to suffer.’

”I’ll cherish you for the rest of my life.” Hua Yusen kissed Zhao Nuanyue’s forehead, his eyes shimmering with tears. He was deeply moved. ’This is happiness for a lifetime.’

Zhao Nuanyue blissfully closed her eyes, savoring the warmth and happiness of the moment.

She had been exhausted lately. She had come to be with Hua Yusen every single day, rain or shine, while also working at Immortal Grass Hall and caring for her younger siblings. Every minute of her day was precious.

Now that Hua Yusen was awake, the tension she had been holding finally eased, and a wave of drowsiness washed over her.

Before she knew it, Zhao Nuanyue had fallen asleep.

A smile graced Zhao Nuanyue’s face as she slept, as if she were having a beautiful dream. Hua Yusen kissed her cheek, then quietly got up to turn off the light. He then returned to bed and gently held her.

’My Nuanyue is tired. She needs to get some proper rest.’

Freed from her worries, Zhao Nuanyue slept soundly and peacefully.

She had a wonderful dream that night. She dreamed that she and Hua Yusen got married and had a baby as adorable as Little Red Carp, who called out ”Mama, Mama” all day long.

Morning sunlight filtered through the thick curtains. Zhao Nuanyue rubbed her eyes and groggily blinked them open, momentarily disoriented. Then, she suddenly realized she was in a man’s embrace.

Then she remembered: she had fallen asleep in Hua Yusen’s arms last night.

’It had felt so safe, so comfortable... and that dream was so beautiful!’

’Even Hua Yusen’s mischievous side filled her with delight.’

’No matter what he was like, Hua Yusen would be hers and hers alone from now on.’ The thought of such a future filled Zhao Nuanyue with immense happiness.

Hua Yusen had actually woken up just a moment before Zhao Nuanyue. Watching her frown one moment and then giggle to herself the next, he didn’t know whether to laugh or cry.

’Ah, this silly girl.’

”Good morning,” Hua Yusen said, planting a firm kiss on Zhao Nuanyue’s forehead. ”This little bed is pretty cramped. Did you get any rest?”

Zhao Nuanyue shook her head and kissed his forehead in return. ”I’m not tired. But I’m worried about you. You probably didn’t rest well because of me. I should have slept on the sofa.”

”If you slept on the sofa, I’d be the one who couldn’t sleep at all,” Hua Yusen chuckled, resting his forehead against hers. ”I’m a normal man. To have the woman I love right in front of me, and not be allowed to... *taste*, or even hold her while she sleeps? That would be a fate worse than death!”

Zhao Nuanyue didn’t like the sound of that. She quickly covered his mouth with her hand. ”It’s first thing in the morning, don’t say such inauspicious things. You’re not just going to live, you’re going to live well, so we can grow old together.”

”Alright, I won’t,” Hua Yusen said, kissing the palm of her hand. ”It’s already seven. If you don’t get up, Doctor Wu will probably be coming in any minute.”

Zhao Nuanyue glanced at the clock on the wall and realized it was indeed seven.

She couldn’t even remember the last time she’d slept in. With no time to dwell on it, she heard footsteps outside. Zhao Nuanyue quickly got up, grabbed her clean clothes, and ducked into the bathroom. She changed and freshened up before coming out.

Doctor Wu had already examined Hua Yusen and left.

Hua Yusen didn’t need Zhao Nuanyue to bring him water to wash up today. Now that he could move about freely, he could of course manage it himself.

After freshening up, Hua Yusen looked at Zhao Nuanyue and pulled her into another hug. ”Nuanyue, I’m hungry. I want to eat. Doctor Wu just said I could.”

Zhao Nuanyue nodded. ”Okay, I’ll go get you some food from the canteen. Wait for me.”

”No, I want to go with you.” Hua Yusen had been eager to go outside, and seeing the brilliant sunshine, he couldn’t wait any longer.

Zhao Nuanyue glanced at his hospital gown, shook her head, and refused. ”No way. Look at what you’re wearing. You can’t go out like that.”

Hua Yusen looked down at his clothes. ”What’s not appropriate? It’s not like anything’s showing! Come on, I’m starving.”

And so, Hua Yusen led Zhao Nuanyue to the canteen for breakfast.

Hua Yusen downed three bowls of rice porridge and four large steamed buns, and he still wanted more, but Zhao Nuanyue stopped him.

”You just woke up. You can’t eat so much for your first proper meal,” Zhao Nuanyue chided. ”You’re a grown man! Don’t you have any common sense?”

”Heh heh,” Hua Yusen chuckled, not daring to push his luck. ”It feels great to have my wife looking after me. If you won’t let me eat more now, then you’ll have to make me something delicious later.”

Making food for the man she loved had long been a wish of hers.

”Alright, I’ll make you something delicious for lunch,” Zhao Nuanyue said with a soft laugh. Then she accompanied him for a walk around the hospital’s lawn.

The early morning sun wasn’t too hot, and a cool breeze made them feel refreshed all over.

Just as they were taking a walk, Feng Wanru and Hua Zhiqiang arrived. Seeing Hua Yusen up and walking about freely beside Zhao Nuanyue, they were overjoyed and hurried over.

Zhao Nuanyue stepped aside to let Hua Yusen’s parents stand next to him. She said softly, ”Uncle, Auntie, you can keep Hua company. I’m going to take these clothes to be washed, and I’ll be back at noon to bring Hua lunch.”

Feng Wanru was in high spirits. With her son awake and moving freely, she was overjoyed. ”You’re a good child,” she said with a beaming smile. ”Go home and get some rest. It must have been exhausting taking care of him all night.”

”It was no trouble,” Zhao Nuanyue replied with a light laugh. She gave a slight nod and turned to head back to the hospital room.

From start to finish, Hua Zhiqiang fussed over his son, asking about his health, but he didn’t say a single word to Zhao Nuanyue.

’Zhao Nuanyue didn’t care. That’s just how Hua Zhiqiang was. In any case, with Elder Gu and Hua Yusen’s letter on her side, she wasn’t afraid of him.’

When Zhao Nuanyue got home, Zhao Nuanyang and Little Red Carp were eating breakfast.

They were having thick rice porridge with pickled vegetables and two boiled eggs. It was a simple but nutritious meal.

When Little Red Carp saw her older sister, she pushed her own egg toward her. ”You have it, Sister.”

Zhao Nuanyue kissed Little Red Carp’s forehead. ’She’s so sensible and sweet.’ ”That’s okay,” she said, shaking her head. ”I already ate at the hospital canteen. Hua can move around on his own today. He’s completely recovered. I think he’ll be discharged soon, so I won’t have to spend all my time running to the hospital anymore.”

Hearing this, Zhao Nuanyang brightened up. ”That’s great! I was just getting worried we’d have to eat the same breakfast every day forever!”