Sweet Rebirth: The Little Healer

Zhao Nuanyue couldn’t bring herself to accept Hua Yusen’s kind gesture.

"How can I take your money?" Zhao Nuanyue still didn’t dare to accept Hua Yusen’s money. "You need money here too, and..."

Hua Yusen insisted, saying, "This is my own money, not from the organization. You can spend it without worry."

"I..." Zhao Nuanyue hesitated, her pride compelling her to refuse. "I can’t do this..."

Hua Yusen reached out and covered Zhao Nuanyue’s mouth. His deep, dark eyes locked onto hers as he whispered, "Don’t refuse me!"

"I’m sorry. I kept something from you." Hua Yusen held Zhao Nuanyue tightly, his voice full of self-reproach and sorrow. "I have a fiancée, but I fell in love with you."

A fiancée?

Those two words were like a lit pack of dynamite, the explosion leaving Zhao Nuanyue dizzy and her heart twisted in agony.

Zhao Nuanyue’s face was pale as she looked at Hua Yusen through tear-filled eyes. She couldn’t bring herself to say anything accusatory. She knew that in this forbidden love, she was also in the wrong, also responsible. She knew it was wrong, but she just couldn’t help herself.

Seeing Zhao Nuanyue cry, Hua Yusen panicked. He felt like a complete bastard for letting down this kind girl.

"Don’t cry. I’ll explain things to her and break off the engagement," Hua Yusen said. "But not right now. I’m on a mission and can’t go back to Jincheng City."

"If my being here makes things difficult or painful for you, you don’t have to worry about me," Zhao Nuanyue said softly. "I just want you to be well, to be happy, and most of all, to live a long, healthy, and safe life. No matter what hardships you face, you have to remember what I said, okay?"

Zhao Nuanyue couldn’t bring herself to tell Hua Yusen to break his engagement. So she could only humbly hope that he would have a better life—at least better than his last one—and not have to endure so much suffering.

As for her, she would take things as they came.

Perhaps by staying true to her original intentions, she could achieve her ultimate goal.

Hearing Zhao Nuanyue not mention a single word about his engagement eased some of Hua Yusen’s tension. He had been terrified she would cry and demand he break it off immediately, which would have put him in an incredibly difficult position.

The current situation didn’t allow for any willfulness on his part. He was wronging Zhao Nuanyue now, but he would make it up to her in the future.

"Thank you, Nuanyue." Hua Yusen cupped Zhao Nuanyue’s delicate face in his hands and kissed her cheek. "Just give me some time, okay?"

Zhao Nuanyue covered Hua Yusen’s mouth, not wanting to put too much pressure on him. ’The times are chaotic, and his mission is already stressful enough,’ she thought. ’I don’t want him to live such a tiring life, having to worry about me on top of everything else.’

"Don’t overthink it. Honestly, just knowing that you like me too, that it’s not just one-sided, already makes me feel so happy. Even if you can’t give me what I want in the future, or can’t make me any promises, I won’t resent you. After all, we came through the hardest of times together." Zhao Nuanyue spoke slowly, a smile gracing her lips. "Let’s worry about the future when it comes. As for your engagement, if you can’t break it, don’t be sad. Just forget me and let me go. Let’s just say we met by chance and went our separate ways."

Hua Yusen was silent for a long time after hearing her words. ’What kind of woman was this, to have such an open and magnanimous heart?’

Meeting Zhao Nuanyue’s bright, resolute, and pure gaze, Hua Yusen couldn’t bear to let her go. He kissed her forehead again and said, "We will definitely be together. I’ll work hard for it. Wait for me."

Zhao Nuanyue heard the determination and possessiveness in Hua Yusen’s tone. She knew that no matter what she said now, he wouldn’t listen, so she said no more. ’Let nature take its course,’ she decided.

Cherishing this moment of happiness, Zhao Nuanyue fell silent, letting Hua Yusen hold her quietly. After a while, when they finally separated, their eyes sparkled with a new, joyous sweetness.

Zhao Nuanyue got busy making fish balls, fried turnip patties, cured fish, and steamed buns. Amidst her work, her eyes and Hua Yusen’s would always meet, as if drawn by an unspoken connection, capturing a look of mutual affection.

The feeling of being in love was incredibly sweet and blissful.

Both Zhao Nuanyue and Hua Yusen savored this feeling. Even though it was freezing cold outside, their hearts burned with warmth. Caring for each other, feeling for each other, their two hearts drew closer and closer.

Once the New Year’s provisions were nearly ready, Zhao Nuanyue began packing her things, preparing to take her younger brother back to Jincheng City. Even with the letters from Hua Yusen, she still felt uneasy and decided to go find the Little Red Carp.

That night, Zhao Nuanyue’s Divine Sense traveled into the water, arriving at the Underwater Dragon Palace.

When the Little Red Carp saw Zhao Nuanyue come to find it, it wagged its little tail and swam circles around her, asking curiously, "Master, what brings you here? If you need something, you can just tell me. I can come out, you know."

"I’m about to go back to Jincheng City, but my stepfather’s family there is very cruel, and I’m afraid they’ll try to harm me. So before I leave, I wanted to ask if you have any way to help me in a critical moment?" The three letters from Hua Yusen had reminded Zhao Nuanyue that she had the Dragon Scale and this little sidekick. It was just that her Dragon Scale’s scouting function seemed to stop working once she left the vicinity of the Seven Small Villages.

’What a shame!’