Sweet Rebirth: The Little Healer

Hearing this, Zhao Nuanyue found it utterly laughable.

’Just how narcissistic could this Wang Lianhua be, to think I would forgive and accept people like them?’

”My mother is Zhao Jinghai’s wife. Since she’s willing to be with him, I have nothing to say. But that doesn’t mean I forgive Zhao Jinghai, you, or Zhao Huilan. As for that half-brother of mine... heh, he’s one of your Zhao Family’s own, isn’t he? If you and Zhao Jinghai don’t care about him, why would I?” Zhao Nuanyue said coldly, staring directly at Wang Lianhua. ”So don’t even think about using any of this to threaten me. It means nothing to me.”

Zhao Nuanyue’s words chipped away at the smile on Wang Lianhua’s face until it shattered completely. She could no longer maintain the facade.

”Zhao Nuanyue, do you realize this attitude will bring you a lot of unnecessary trouble?” Wang Lianhua fumed. ”I am your elder! I came to visit you out of the goodness of my heart and even brought you tasty things to eat. It’s bad enough that you’re ungrateful, but now you’re accusing me of threatening you. You have such a dark heart and your behavior is so dissolute! It’s all because you had no elders to guide you!”

’Such high-and-mighty words.’ Zhao Nuanyue had to admire Wang Lianhua’s thick skin.

’Wang Lianhua isn’t just thick-skinned or narcissistic. She’s simply shameless—disgustingly shameless.’

’Has Wang Lianhua forgotten how she used to treat me and Nuanyang?’

’Has she forgotten how she tried to marry me off to an idiot to be his wife?’

’That shameless deed was still fresh in my mind, as if it had happened just yesterday. Yet here was Wang Lianhua, telling barefaced lies with such righteous indignation and daring to accuse *me*?’

Zhao Nuanyue was truly in awe of Wang Lianhua’s ability to twist the truth!

”Talking to you is a complete waste of time,” Zhao Nuanyue said icily. ”In any case, I will never forgive you. If you’re looking for trouble, then I, Zhao Nuanyue, will be ready. But let me remind you: I’m not the same reckless girl from three years ago who could only fight with desperate abandon. I am more than capable of countering your provocations and even retaliating. Don’t think you can threaten me with my mother’s presence in the Zhao Family, or with some emotional appeal to a half-brother I’ve never even met. It’s useless. Oh, right, I forgot to tell you. The Guo Family who sent you here? They’re like grasshoppers in late autumn—their days are numbered. When they fall, you and Zhao Jinghai, as their running dogs, will meet an even worse fate.”

Wang Lianhua was stunned speechless by Zhao Nuanyue’s words, her heart pounding with fear.

’It was true. She had come because the Guo Family told them to. Her son, Zhao Jinghai, had only agreed for the sake of a promotion.’

’She couldn’t believe Zhao Nuanyue had figured it out instantly.’

’Don’t panic. Don’t be afraid,’ Wang Lianhua silently encouraged herself. She called out to Zhao Nuanyue’s retreating back, ”Nuanyue, you silly girl, why won’t you listen to your elders!”

With that, Wang Lianhua slapped her thigh, putting on a show of being utterly heartbroken.

A few passersby stopped to see what was going on.

When Zhao Nuanyue saw all eyes on her, she knew exactly what Wang Lianhua was trying to do.

’Ruin my reputation!’

’She wants to destroy my reputation in this neighborhood, to make me so ashamed I can’t show my face!’

Gossip can be devastating, and Zhao Nuanyue certainly wasn’t going to let Wang Lianhua spout lies and twist the truth. This was where she and her younger siblings would be living for the foreseeable future; she couldn’t let her old neighbors get the wrong idea.

Zhao Nuanyue spun around and declared loudly, ”She’s not my real grandmother, she’s my step-grandmother! She’s always trying to marry me off to some rich man in exchange for benefits for her son! Uncles, Aunts, everyone, please don’t believe her! My father is Zhao Xu, and I’m Zhao Zhenxiang’s granddaughter. The long-time residents here should know my family’s history. This step-grandmother of mine wants to take over my family’s house, and because I won’t let her, she’s trying to ruin my reputation!”

Zhao Nuanyue’s speech made a few of the older onlookers pause. They recalled that she had recently given them snacks and gifts while explaining her family situation. The elderly, long-time residents certainly remembered Zhao Zhenxiang and Zhao Xu. Their gazes toward Wang Lianhua filled with suspicion, even hostility.

Wang Lianhua was shocked that Zhao Nuanyue would dare to air their dirty laundry in public, completely shameless.

But then Wang Lianhua remembered that Zhao Nuanyue was the type to go all out. ’I’ve miscalculated,’ she thought. ’I’m not going to get what I want today.’

Wang Lianhua’s eyes reddened with fury. Slapping her thighs, she shrieked, ”You’re spouting malicious lies! You’re talking nonsense! You’re a liar...!”

”Go on, keep up the act,” Zhao Nuanyue said, noticing a few people were being swayed by Wang Lianhua’s performance and were now looking at her doubtfully. She spoke up again. ”This old woman is a fantastic actress. Let’s not even talk about old history. Let’s just talk about three years ago. Your own granddaughter is two years older than me. She should have been the one sent down to the countryside. But you? You couldn’t stand the sight of my brother and me, so you sent us instead, when I wasn’t even fifteen. What a cruel, vicious heart you have. I only just got back last year, and here you are, trying to frame me again.”

Sent to the countryside before the age of fifteen... that was young indeed.

Hearing the argument outside, Director Zhang hurried out. He caught Zhao Nuanyue’s words and chimed in, ”Mr. Zhao did indeed come from the countryside, and he isn’t even eighteen yet. Three years ago, that would have made him not yet fifteen!”

”That’s not how it was! I didn’t force them! The two of them, brother and sister, wanted to go on their own...” Seeing everyone siding with Zhao Nuanyue, Wang Lianhua blurted out a desperate defense.

’Voluntarily?’

’Go to the countryside voluntarily before turning fifteen?’

The excuse was too flimsy. The crowd now leaned firmly in Zhao Nuanyue’s favor, disbelieving Wang Lianhua.

”Heh, keep telling your barefaced lies,” Zhao Nuanyue said angrily, though she was secretly gloating. ’It’s true, I did go voluntarily. For once in her life, Wang Lianhua is telling the truth, and nobody believes her.’

’Ha! How satisfying!’

Ignoring Wang Lianhua, Zhao Nuanyue walked briskly to the jeep. Under the protection of her bodyguards, she got in and they sped away toward the hospital.

It was already past lunchtime, and Hua Yusen’s stomach was growling with hunger, but he still refused to go to the cafeteria.

His guard, Liu Jian, came in and asked, ”Hua, what would you like for lunch? I can go get it from the cafeteria for you.”

”No need. You guys go eat. I’m waiting for Nuanyue to bring my food,” Hua Yusen said with a wave of his hand, paying no mind to his growling stomach. ’The woman I love went home to cook for me. Even if it’s late, I know it will be delicious.’

Liu Jian glanced at the time and tried to persuade him again. ”But lunchtime is almost over. Maybe we shouldn’t wait.”

’She’s always so punctual,’ he thought. ’Something must have happened for her to be this late.’

”No. I’m getting worried,” Hua Yusen said. ”Liu Jian, don’t go get food. Go find Nuanyue and see if something’s happened to her.” ’His Nuanyue was always exceptionally punctual. She would never be this late unless something was wrong.’

Since Hua insisted, Liu Jian had no choice but to go and look for her.

But just as he stepped out the door, he saw Zhao Nuanyue approaching with an insulated lunch box.