Sweet Rebirth: The Little Healer

Zhao Nuanyue didn’t yet know about her brother and sister’s little scheme, but even if she did, she would only offer a wry smile. In truth, she would much rather live here at Qingya Lake than in the Hua family’s large estate. Not only could she cultivate here, but she would also be free from the constraints of living with elders, giving her more freedom.

To this day, Zhao Nuanyue still hadn’t gotten used to the idea of living with Hua Yusen’s parents.

Zhao Nuanyue respected them as elders but didn’t feel any real closeness to them. Living together would surely make her feel ill at ease. Besides, she still had her younger brother and sister, and with no parents to help, Zhao Nuanyue couldn’t bear to leave them behind.

”Don’t go, Sister,” Little Red Carp mumbled in her sleep. Though her distress during the day had been an act, the worry truly existed in her heart.

What you think about by day, you dream of by night. And so, Little Red Carp dreamed that Zhao Nuanyue had left their home at Qingya Lake.

”I’m not going anywhere, Sister. I’ll stay right here with you and Nuanyang.” Zhao Nuanyue gently patted Little Red Carp’s back, sensing her unease. She soothed her, ”I’m not leaving. Be a good girl, Little Red Carp... I’m always here!”

Hearing Zhao Nuanyue’s quiet reassurances, Little Red Carp’s sleep deepened.

’Her brother and sister needed her too much; she couldn’t possibly leave.’ Fortunately, Hua Yusen was a wonderfully understanding man. He recognized her predicament and had offered to live here, even promising to explain the situation to the elders of the Hua family.

Thinking of her beloved’s kindness and passion, Zhao Nuanyue couldn’t help but feel her face and ears burn.

’I so badly want to truly become Hua Yusen’s woman, to become one with him, body and soul.’

’How embarrassing!’

’I can’t think about this anymore.’ Zhao Nuanyue closed her eyes, trying to will herself to sleep. But the sweetness blooming in her heart kept her awake with excitement.

Zhao Nuanyue had no idea when she finally drifted off to sleep.

Meanwhile, Hua Yusen was in high spirits the entire way home, a smile playing on his lips. By the time he returned to the Hua family residence, his parents had already gone to bed.

Hua Yusen moved quietly, but as he was about to head upstairs, he was surprised to find someone sitting in the living room. Taking a closer look, he asked, ”Yulin, what are you doing up? Why aren’t you asleep?”

Hua Yulin was smoking. When he saw his older brother, he quickly stubbed out his cigarette in the ashtray.

”Heh, it’s nothing, Brother. I just can’t sleep,” Hua Yulin explained. ”It’s getting late. You should go on up to bed.”

Seeing his brother in this state, how could Hua Yusen just go up to bed? ’He must have something on his mind.’

So Hua Yusen walked over and sat down near him. ”Yulin, is something on your mind? Are you having trouble at work?”

Hua Yulin had recently taken over Hua Yusen’s position on the security detail protecting Elder Gu, and the pressure was immense. Hua Yusen assumed his brother must be having trouble at work, which would explain his gloomy mood.

”No, Brother, work is fine. I can handle it.” Hua Yulin was more than capable; he was managing his new duties with ease.

He himself didn’t know what had come over him the last few days. He just felt lost and restless.

”Heh, that’s good then.” Hua Yusen nodded, giving his brother a curious look. ”But the way you look right now tells me something is definitely wrong. You’re a grown man, and I can understand if you don’t want to share everything with me. But Yulin, you have to remember, I’m your older brother. You can tell me anything, and I’ll help you if I can.”

”Thank you, Brother,” Hua Yulin said softly. ”I’ll keep that in mind. There is something, I guess. I’m just worried about Yu Fen and Yu Mu abroad. They’re out there working hard, and we don’t know when they’ll be back. You’re getting married the day after tomorrow, and it just makes me miss them more.”

As he spoke of his brother’s wedding, an image flashed through Hua Yulin’s mind: a pair of bright, soulful eyes and a delicate face.

’That person... is my future sister-in-law!’

’No.’ Hua Yulin quickly shook his head, trying to banish the image from his mind, but it only grew clearer.

Hua Yulin quickly took a deep drag from a cigarette, closed his eyes, and rubbed his temples. Only then did the lovely figure in his mind slowly begin to fade.

”Yulin, having a smoke now and then to clear your head is one thing, but you have to remember your job. Smoking isn’t allowed, so you need to be more careful in the future,” Hua Yusen reminded him, genuinely worried about his younger brother.

Hua Yulin nodded. ”I only have one or two here at home. I’ll brush my teeth and wash up later so the smell is gone. I don’t smoke any other time.”

”Alright, Yulin, get some sleep,” Hua Yusen advised. ”From what I’ve heard from Elder Gu, I’ll likely be transferred to a post out of town after the wedding. That means I’ll need you to take on more of the responsibility for things here at home.”

’The wedding?’

Hua Yulin froze. ’If my brother leaves, my sister-in-law will leave with him.’

’He’s my brother, and she is my brother’s wife.’

’These thoughts in my head... they’re impure. They can’t continue. I have to bury them deep in my heart, where they can never surface.’

”I understand, Brother.” Hua Yulin nodded. ”Don’t worry about things at home. I’ll do my best to be a strong pillar of support for you, Yu Fen, and Yu Mu.”

”Good. When we brothers work together, we can accomplish anything.” Hua Yusen smiled and patted his brother’s shoulder. ”Alright, I’m heading to bed. I won’t keep you any longer.”

”You go on up, Brother. I’ll be right behind you,” Hua Yulin said with a smile, watching his brother head upstairs.

Once his brother was out of sight, the smile vanished from Hua Yulin’s face.

A hopeless affection. A love that could not see the light of day.

Hua Yulin was beginning to understand the source of his anguish. It came from wanting someone he could never have, a wish that could never be fulfilled. That was why he felt so gloomy and dejected.

Hua Yusen went upstairs, took a quick shower, dried his hair, and lay down on his bed.

His good mood from earlier was still with him. Although his brother’s worries had concerned him for a moment, Hua Yusen knew that his younger brother was a grown man with his own thoughts and ways of doing things. He decided not to pry further.

In high spirits, Hua Yusen drifted off to sleep.

But just then, there was a knock at his door. Hua Yusen quickly found and pulled on a pair of pajama pants.

”Liu Jian, what’s happened?” Hua Yusen asked urgently as he opened the door.

”Sen, Elder Gu needs to see you immediately. He said it’s urgent,” Liu Jian said hurriedly. ”I’ve already got a car waiting. Get dressed, quickly.”