Sweet Rebirth: The Little Healer

Before Guo Donghai could answer, Wang Yuan had already pushed her bicycle into the alley.

Seeing Wang Yuan scurry away like a little rabbit, Guo Donghai let out a booming laugh.

Hearing his hearty laughter behind her, Wang Yuan’s heart fluttered. ’So this is what a kiss feels like.’

’It was wonderful, magical.’

’But that Guo Donghai is a total playboy. She’s just a simple girl from the alleys—no match for him at all.’

Watching Wang Yuan run off shyly, Guo Donghai’s lips curled into a smile.

’Women are all the same.’

’They say no, but all it takes is a man being a little forceful, and it’s a done deal.’

When Guo Donghai got back, Guo Dongmei was still awake. ”Brother, are you interested in Wang Yuan?” she asked.

”Heh, a sweet, unassuming girl like her—so kind, fragile, and cute,” Guo Donghai said with a laugh. ”I am a little interested in her. You know what your sister-in-law is like. We can’t make it work.”

”Oh, please. You should behave yourself.” Guo Dongmei rolled her eyes, completely disagreeing with her brother. ”You think that Wang Yuan is kind and fragile? Hah, what a joke! Did you know she was the one who poisoned Gu Qingyu?”

”What?” Guo Donghai was stunned, unable to imagine Wang Yuan capable of such a thing. ”Damn, this Wang Yuan is really something else!”

”Yeah. And do you know why she came to see me?” Guo Dongmei asked, seeing her brother’s shocked expression. ”You’ll never guess!”

”What for?” Guo Donghai asked. ”Does she have some other motive?”

”Well, it wasn’t so much that she came to me. I went to her first,” Guo Dongmei said with a smile. ”I wanted her help to deal with Zhao Nuanyue. She didn’t want to work at the factory anymore, felt like it was a dead-end job, so we’re working together again.”

Hearing his sister’s words, Guo Donghai let out a long, unconcerned sigh of relief and chuckled. ”Heh, it’s perfectly normal for a pretty girl who wants a better future to accept your offer.”

”That may be true, but I’m warning you, don’t let this woman use you,” Guo Dongmei said slowly. ”She’s not as fragile as she looks. She’s got plenty of ideas of her own!”

”Heh, you don’t have to worry too much. I’m just having a bit of fun,” Guo Donghai laughed. ”I have so many other women. If I took them all seriously, I’d work myself to death, wouldn’t I? The only reason your sister-in-law turns a blind eye is because she knows I’m not serious. Since that’s the case, it’s a simple transaction. I give her some things, she sleeps with me. It’s a perfectly fair trade.”

Hearing her brother’s words, Guo Dongmei could only sigh. ’All men are the same.’

Since her brother had put it that way, Guo Dongmei dropped the subject.

”Enough about Wang Yuan. By the way, Brother, what’s the final word from the Li family and Li Gongming?” Guo Dongmei asked, her voice laced with a concern she tried to hide. She was frantic inside. ”And what did Father say? I’m going to start showing soon. If we don’t get married, I won’t be able to hide this anymore.”

Hearing his sister’s question, Guo Donghai grew irritated as well. The Li family was simply stonewalling them.

”Sister, you’ll have to wait a little longer. I didn’t get to see Li Gongming today. And as for the Li family’s patriarch... you know I’m not important enough,” Guo Donghai said with a bitter smile. ”Even Father can’t get a meeting with him.”

Guo Dongmei was furious. ”The Li family has gone too far!” she seethed.

”Yeah, way too far,” Guo Donghai cursed. ”Gu Qingyu is away on an inspection tour right now, so the Li family is probably making a move. They don’t have time to deal with our family’s affairs. You’ll just have to wait.”

”Sigh... I guess I have no choice but to wait,” Guo Dongmei lamented. ”Then... what about Father? What does he say?”

In this family, her older brother just ran errands; only their father made the real decisions.

”Father is even busier. He’s worried about your health, but he’s also consumed with work,” Guo Donghai said slowly. ”You know that Gu Qingyu and Hua Yusen went to Lizhou. The politics of that situation are incredibly complex. Father isn’t even back yet—that just goes to show how busy he must be.”

”Sigh... what am I going to do?” Guo Dongmei choked out, tears streaming down her face. ”If I’d known this would happen, I never would have gotten pregnant. I thought the Li family cared about their reputation, that they would rush to arrange the engagement with Li Gongming as soon as they knew... but... but I’m almost three months along, and the Li family hasn’t made a single move. I can’t even see Li Gongming anymore. He swore me undying love, so why aren’t his actions matching his words?”

’My foolish sister,’ Guo Donghai thought. ’How many of a man’s vows of eternal love and sweet nothings are actually true? Only a fool of a woman would believe them!’

He scoffed internally. He had said those very things to countless women but had rarely ever made good on his promises.

”Just wait a little longer,” Guo Donghai said, trying to console her. ”Once this period is over, Father should have more time. We’ll talk to him then and get this business with you and Li Gongming settled for good.”

’That Li Gongming is a real piece of shit. Knocking up my sister and then refusing to get engaged!’

’There could only be one reason: he thought the Guo Family wasn’t good enough for him, that my sister wasn’t good enough for him.’

Seeing his despondent sister, Guo Donghai urged, ”You should get some rest. Worrying yourself sick at home isn’t going to solve anything.”

Guo Dongmei had no choice but to return to her room, her heart pounding with anxiety. She couldn’t shake a terrible premonition.

Her premonition was confirmed the very next day.

Li Gongming of the Li family was engaged to Wu Jingjing of the Wu Family! Guo Dongmei fainted on the spot. The first thing she did upon waking was to rain curses upon Li Gongming and the entire Li family. She wanted to go raise hell, but Mr. Guo ordered her confined to her room and forbade her from leaving.

.

It was the weekend. Her younger brother, Zhao Nuan Yang, had gone to Master Hu’s, so Zhao Nuanyue brought Little Red Carp with her to the Hua family, which was where she heard the explosive news.

Zhao Nuanyue was shocked when she heard. ’So after all her scheming, Guo Dongmei still didn’t get what she wanted!’

Surprisingly, the Guo Family had no reaction to the news. They simply shut their doors, acting as if it had nothing to do with them.

”Auntie Feng, knowing the Guo family’s temperament, how could they possibly let this slide so quietly?” Zhao Nuanyue asked doubtfully. ”After all, Guo Dongmei is pregnant, and people saw her with Li Gongming.”

Feng Wanru peeled a tangerine and handed it to Little Red Carp before saying with a scornful laugh, ”Nuanyue, not every family values their reputation and promises like the Hua family does. The Li family’s path to power has always been criticized, and they haven’t changed one bit. To get the Wu Family’s support, the Li family will do anything. As for the Guo family... that old bastard, what does he care about sacrificing his own daughter for the right price? As long as the profit is big enough, Guo Zijian won’t make a peep. And as for Guo Dongmei... hah. She’s just a pawn sacrificed in the compromise between the Li family and the Guo family.”