Sweet Rebirth: The Little Healer

Zhao Nuanyue went to the preschool to pick up Little Red Carp. Seeing that her sister was troubled, Little Red Carp asked, ”Sister, who did you run into today? You seem a little unsettled.”

Even Little Red Carp could tell. Zhao Nuanyue frowned. ”Wang Yuan. She brought her mother to Immortal Grass Hall to see a doctor and recognized me.”

”Oh. Are you wondering if Wang Yuan just happened to bring her mother for a check-up, or if someone sent her?” Little Red Carp immediately pinpointed the heart of the matter. She knew Zhao Nuanyue well and understood that whenever something happened, she would analyze the situation based on the facts.

Zhao Nuanyue nodded. ”Yes. You know how it was. When Wang Lianhua showed up, it was because Guo Dongmei put her up to it. It could be the same with Wang Yuan. After all, Guo Dongmei was the one pulling Wang Yuan’s strings back then.”

”Mmm, you’re right.” Little Red Carp nodded. ”You don’t have many connections in Jincheng City. Besides your stepfather’s family, there’s your master’s Sun Family and your in-laws, the Hua family. Stretching a bit further, there’s Wang Yuan. Guo Dongmei can’t touch the Hua family or the Sun Family. But Wang Yuan... she’s an insignificant pawn in Guo Dongmei’s hands. Utterly inconspicuous, but very useful. If we didn’t already know that Wang Yuan tried to poison Grandpa Gu, we would never think to be wary of her.”

”Yes, people can be so treacherous,” Zhao Nuanyue lamented. ”Deep down, I really hope Wang Yuan doesn’t keep working for Guo Dongmei. Maybe then she could still live a peaceful life. If she does something wrong again, there will be no escape.”

”Sister, I know you feel conflicted, maybe even a little sad, but some things are out of your control. If Wang Yuan just wants to be friends, then we’ll treat her as a friend. If she has ill intentions and does something bad, then we won’t let her off the hook,” Little Red Carp comforted her sister. ”Good deeds are rewarded, and evil deeds are punished. It doesn’t matter if Wang Yuan is acting of her own free will or being forced. If she does something wrong, she will eventually be punished for it. So, Sister, you don’t need to take all the blame on yourself.”

Hearing Little Red Carp’s words, Zhao Nuanyue felt a weight lift from her shoulders.

”Mmm, yes. You’re right, Little Red Carp. Everyone has to be responsible for their own actions,” Zhao Nuanyue nodded. ”It’s getting late. Let’s go home. I still have to make you something delicious.”

「That evening,」 Zhao Nuan Yang came home just as Zhao Nuanyue was finishing up dinner. Little Red Carp was playing in the yard, her small toys spread out on the stone table. When her brother returned, she had him come play with her.

Zhao Nuanyue hadn’t planned on seeking out Wang Yuan, and with Immortal Grass Hall being incredibly busy for the past couple of days, she had put the matter out of her mind.

「Two nights later,」

As Zhao Nuanyue was leaving Immortal Grass Hall after work, she saw Wang Yuan at the entrance.

Seeing Zhao Nuanyue, Wang Yuan quickly waved, a huge smile on her face. She hurried over, carrying a large package. ”Nuanyue, you’re finally off work!” she said with a laugh. ”I know you’re busy, so I didn’t dare go inside to find you. I just waited out here for you to finish. These are rice cakes I made myself. I brought some especially for you.”

Seeing Wang Yuan, Zhao Nuanyue, who had thought she could remain perfectly calm, discovered she couldn’t.

”Wang Yuan, thank you. I’ve just been so busy,” Zhao Nuanyue replied, her expression apologetic but her mind on high alert, wary of Wang Yuan. ”I’m sorry I didn’t come to see you.”

”Don’t be. I get it. Studying medicine is hard, and you’re very busy. I understand,” Wang Yuan said with a smile. ”By the way, where’s Little Red Carp? Who’s looking after her for you?”

”Little Red Carp is at preschool. I’m about to go pick her up now,” Zhao Nuanyue answered with a light laugh. ”My address is Number 3, Lane 2, Qingya Lake. Come visit when you have time.”

Wang Yuan nodded, not seeming to mind at all. Instead, she urged Zhao Nuanyue warmly, ”You should hurry. It’s getting dark. Don’t be too late, or Little Red Carp might get scared. I should be heading home too.”

”Thank you, Wang Yuan. Goodbye,” Zhao Nuanyue said politely. She then got into the car, and the bodyguard drove off to pick up Little Red Carp from preschool.

Watching the car drive off into the distance, Wang Yuan stood motionless for a long time.

’Was it really just because of one man that Zhao Nuanyue got everything upon returning to the city?’

’A stable, respectable job, a good master, a good family to marry into, a good man... she has it all!’

’But what about me?’

’I’m so beautiful, yet I have nothing!’

Then again, it wasn’t as if she had *nothing*. There was a director at the factory who was always eyeing her. Wang Yuan felt her mood sink just thinking about it.

’Guo Dongmei might not be a good person, but she was right about one thing: if you don’t fight for it, if you don’t work for it, good things won’t just fall into your lap.’

’Back when someone like Hua Yusen came to Nianqiao Village, Zhao Nuanyue’s instincts were sharper than mine or Li Qiong’s. She set her sights on him at a glance, deliberately got close to him, and was so considerate that she completely captivated him. He was so smitten he wouldn’t marry anyone else.’

’And now, Zhao Nuanyue has actually gotten her wish. She’s Hua Yusen’s fiancée, about to become a daughter-in-law of the Hua family.’

’Guo Dongmei, a former daughter-in-law of the Hua family, was so lofty and superior. Now Zhao Nuanyue, as Hua Yusen’s fiancée, is about to be on equal footing with a darling of fate like Guo Dongmei.’

’Look at me, on the other hand. I’ve accomplished nothing.’

’My body was violated in Nianqiao Village. The main culprit, Wang Dadan, is dead now. Li Siming and Liu Lanhua didn’t meet good ends either. But I wasn’t the one who got revenge on them—Zhao Nuanyue was.’

In this, Wang Yuan truly admired Zhao Nuanyue.

The only thing she could feel pleased about was that by agreeing to work for Guo Dongmei, she was able to return to the city and never have to stay in that remote little mountain village again.

But after coming back, Wang Yuan’s initial excitement gave way to boredom with her tedious job. Seeing how glamorous Guo Dongmei was filled her with envy, but she was too afraid to let it turn into jealousy.

But when Wang Yuan saw that Zhao Nuanyue had also returned to the city, bringing her brother and sister with her, and was somehow doing so well, she started to feel resentful.

Sometimes, Wang Yuan understood that Zhao Nuanyue was a good person. At least, she had been nice to her in Nianqiao Village.

’But now we’re in Jincheng City. All this time has passed, and she hasn’t contacted me once. It’s obvious she looks down on me, thinks she’s too good for me.’

’If Guo Dongmei hadn’t told me Zhao Nuanyue was back, I wouldn’t have even known.’

’It just goes to show, Zhao Nuanyue is a complete snob. I just didn’t see it back in Nianqiao Village, which only proves how well she hid it.’

’Guo Dongmei was right. Being beautiful helps, but what’s more important is being daring and cunning. Zhao Nuanyue has what she has today because she’s willing to go further than other women, because she knows how to scheme better than other women.’

’Back then, I also thought Hua Yusen was wonderful. If I had just been willing to go for it, I’d be the future daughter-in-law of the Hua family right now.’