Sweet Rebirth: The Little Healer

In that moment, it felt as if time had stood still, and they were the only two people in the world.

The feeling was wonderful—free from the world’s deceit and backstabbing, from heart-wrenching separations and unbearable pain. Zhao Nuanyue wanted to hold onto this feeling forever, hoping the future would always be just like this.

And how could Hua Yusen not feel the same?

He was a fighter by nature, but he was also a man who valued relationships and loyalty.

After a long moment, Hua Yusen finally said, ”Nuanyue, it’s too cold out here. Let’s go inside.”

”Okay!” Zhao Nuanyue’s face was flushed with shy delight. ”I feel a little sticky. It’s really uncomfortable.”

”Then I’ll heat some water for you to take a bath,” Hua Yusen said with a light chuckle. ”Also... I don’t want to leave tonight...”

”Ah?” Zhao Nuanyue froze, a wave of panic washing over her. She quickly lowered her head again.

Seeing Zhao Nuanyue look like a startled kitten, Hua Yusen resolved not to leave. They already had their marriage certificate; they were officially husband and wife.

”Don’t be scared. I won’t do anything.” Hua Yusen’s attempt to reassure her was a dead giveaway, exposing his inner desires.

So Zhao Nuanyue replied with feigned anger, ”Of course you wouldn’t dare do anything! Hmph!”

Zhao Nuanyue took Hua Yusen’s hand and led him to the backyard.

When Zhao Nuanyang saw his sister and brother-in-law come in, he said with a grin, ”Little Red Carp has already washed up and gone to her room to rest. There’s hot water in the pot. Sis, Brother-in-law, you two should hurry and get washed so you can rest.”

This was the first time Zhao Nuanyang had ever asked Hua Yusen to stay the night.

Although there was no wedding ceremony, that was only because it had been canceled for Hua Yusen’s mission. But his sister and brother-in-law had their marriage certificate now. They were a legally married couple and could live together.

Just a moment ago, Zhao Nuanyang had used some persuasion to get Little Red Carp to obediently go to her own little room to sleep. It wouldn’t be appropriate for her to still be squeezing in between his sister and brother-in-law at a time like this.

Hearing his brother-in-law’s words, Hua Yusen felt a sense of relief and found Zhao Nuanyang much more agreeable. In the past, the boy had been just as wary of him as Little Red Carp, guarding against him as if he were a thief. But now that he had the marriage certificate, he could legally ”report for duty.”

”Thank you, Nuanyang. It’s getting late, and you have work tomorrow, so you should get some rest too,” Hua Yusen said with a smile. Now both his brother-in-law and sister-in-law had approved of him staying.

If he didn’t stay, he’d be an absolute fool.

As for Zhao Nuanyue’s feigned anger, in Hua Yusen’s eyes, it was just flirtatious banter. She wasn’t the least bit angry.

”Alright then, Brother-in-law, see you tomorrow.” After saying that, Zhao Nuanyang turned, went into his room, and closed the door.

Zhao Nuanyue didn’t dare to look her brother in the eye; it was too embarrassing. While Zhao Nuanyang was talking to Hua Yusen, she had scurried into the house to grab a thin nightgown and a thicker bathrobe she had made herself.

When she got to the bathroom, Hua Yusen had already filled her tub with hot water. Seeing her enter, his smile widened and his heart fluttered.

Seeing Hua Yusen in the bathroom, Zhao Nuanyue froze for a second, then cried out shyly, ”Get out, get out! Don’t be in here!”

”Haha, I was just running the hot water for you,” Hua Yusen said with a shrug. He thought Zhao Nuanyue was making a big deal out of nothing, but in his eyes, this version of her was especially cute.

Zhao Nuanyue shot Hua Yusen a look, then pouted her plump lips and said softly, ”Okay, now hurry up and get out, or the water will get cold!”

”Actually, since we already have our marriage certificate, we could bathe together.” Hua Yusen was reluctant to leave. The view was so beautiful, how could he possibly miss it!

Hearing this, Zhao Nuanyue grew even shyer. She pushed at Hua Yusen, muttering, ”I’m begging you, just get out!”

Seeing Zhao Nuanyue’s face blushing a delectable red, Hua Yusen was extremely reluctant to go. But he also knew that if he really angered her, he probably wouldn’t be allowed to stay the night, so he didn’t dare push his luck.

Reluctantly and slowly, Hua Yusen left the washroom.

Zhao Nuanyue patted her cheeks, then splashed some cold water on her face to calm herself down.

*HUFF...* Zhao Nuanyue took a few deep breaths. ”It’s so hot!”

Just as she said that, Hua Yusen’s voice came from outside. ”Nuanyue, don’t drain the water after your bath! I need to wash up too!”

Hearing Hua Yusen’s words, Zhao Nuanyue’s face, which had just cooled down, turned bright red again.

’Oh my goodness,’ she thought. ’In my past life, I’d done all sorts of things. How can I be so shy now just because of one thing he said?’

”No way! You go heat your own water now. By the time I’m done, yours will be ready,” Zhao Nuanyue said. ’How could I let Hua Yusen use my bathwater? He might not mind, but I’m still embarrassed!’

’When our finances get better, I’ll definitely get a boiler. Then we can take proper hot baths at home even in the winter.’

’Ugh, I shouldn’t have said anything!’

Hua Yusen was certain that Zhao Nuanyue would drain the bathwater the moment she was finished, so he had no choice but to go to the kitchen and heat more water.

Today, Zhao Nuanyue hadn’t shooed him away, and neither had Zhao Nuanyang or Little Red Carp. Of course, Hua Yusen knew what that meant. Perhaps tonight would be their wedding night.

He was travel-worn from his trip. Even though it was winter and he wasn’t covered in sweat, he knew that with Zhao Nuanyue’s love for cleanliness, she would definitely prefer him to be spotless.

’For the woman I love, I’ll heat the water, take a bath, and have a perfect wedding night!’

Hearing the sounds of Hua Yusen starting a fire in the kitchen next door, Zhao Nuanyue smiled silently. The thought of what would happen tonight also made her heart flutter.

She was already eighteen years old. She had the marriage certificate with Hua Yusen, the status as his legal wife that she had dreamed of. At the same time, she also longed for her and Hua Yusen to click just as they had in her past life, to find that mutual pleasure once again.

Zhao Nuanyue not only bathed but also washed her hair, even vigorously exfoliating her skin. Fortunately, because she practiced martial arts, she bathed every night, so she was only sweaty and didn’t have much dead skin to scrub off.

She used a jasmine-scented soap for a final cleansing, then took a dry towel to her hair and body before changing into a clean cotton nightgown and pulling the thick bathrobe on over it. Under the dim yellow light, Zhao Nuanyue looked at the woman in the mirror.

Her damp hair, dark and glossy; her hazy eyes; her dewy lips—every feature revealed a woman at her most beautiful.