Sweet Rebirth: The Little Healer

Wang Lianhua nodded. "Yes, that’s right!"

So Wang Lianhua took Zhao Huilan to the homes of several acquaintances. When they went inside, it was basically just the women in the living rooms. The men all hid in their bedrooms, refusing to come out, claiming they weren’t home. The situation was unclear, and no one understood what was really happening, so they didn’t dare to get involved.

The women of the households, though polite, couldn’t offer any real information. However, Wang Lianhua and Zhao Huilan’s weeping and wailing did manage to earn them a good deal of sympathy.

Wang Lianhua and Zhao Huilan didn’t return home until midnight.

By then, Xia Yingyu still hadn’t come back.

"Huilan, your stepmother isn’t back yet? We should..." Wang Lianhua said, troubled. It had started snowing heavily outside. ’If something happens to her, what will happen to my grandson?’

"It’s snowing so hard. That Xia Yingyu is resourceful; she’ll definitely have found a place to rest. We’ve been running around half the night, and we’re cold and hungry. Let’s get something to eat and rest for a while. We can look for her first thing in the morning. Otherwise, where would we even start looking in the middle of the night when it’s pitch black?" Zhao Huilan refused to go out, heading to the kitchen to make food instead.

Although Wang Lianhua was anxious, she was old. If she went out looking at night and took a fall, she’d be the one suffering.

A short while later, Zhao Huilan and Wang Lianhua each had a large bowl of noodles in front of them. After eating, they went back to their rooms to sleep. They weren’t about to put themselves in danger for Xia Yingyu.

The day had been too cold and exhausting.

Xia Yingyu watched the snowflakes drift outside, her heart filled with disappointment and sorrow. She had come out alone to ask for news, and no one had come looking for her.

’Did they fail to find me? Or did no one even look?’

’That family is such a disappointment!’

「The next morning」

Wang Lianhua and Zhao Huilan had a quick bite to eat before going out to ask for news, incidentally also asking about Xia Yingyu.

When they heard from someone in their residential compound who worked at the hospital that Xia Yingyu was taking care of Zhao Nuanyue and Zhao Nuanyang, Wang Lianhua and Zhao Huilan were furious. They stopped asking about Zhao Jinghai and stormed off to the hospital.

Zhao Nuanyang had finally woken up, but he was emotionally unstable. Xia Yingyu was trying to comfort him.

"Nuanyang, don’t be afraid, don’t be afraid." Xia Yingyu used a handkerchief to wipe the sweat from his forehead. "Mommy’s here, and so is your sister!"

Hearing Xia Yingyu’s gentle voice, the trembling Zhao Nuanyang slowly calmed down. He opened his eyes and looked at his mother and sister by his bedside...

’Mom’s eyes are swollen, and Sister is hurt!’

"Sister, Mom!" Zhao Nuanyang spoke, the movement pulling at the cut on the corner of his mouth. "Zhao Jinghai... bad man! He hit me!"

Hearing Zhao Nuanyang’s words, Xia Yingyu covered her mouth and couldn’t stop the tears from flowing. ’That man, Zhao Jinghai... did he really hit Nuanyang and Nuanyue?’

Seeing her brother getting agitated, Zhao Nuanyue soothed him, saying softly, "Don’t be afraid, Nuanyang. Sister’s here."

Xia Yingyu was stunned for a long time, unsure how she would face this situation from now on.

The hospital room was quiet. Just then, a harsh voice shattered the silence.

"Xia Yingyu! We told you to go find out what’s going on, and you don’t come back all night, just to take care of these two bastards?" Zhao Huilan cursed. "We still don’t even know what’s happened to my dad! He treats you so well. How can you face him and my mother?"

Zhao Huilan’s tirade snapped Xia Yingyu back to reality. She looked at Zhao Huilan and Wang Lianhua, her eyes turning ice-cold as she retorted, "You call others bastards the second you open your mouth? How noble are you, exactly? Where were you hiding yesterday when I was running all over town trying to get information? I couldn’t see Zhao Jinghai, so does that mean I can’t even come care for my son and daughter who were framed and beaten? Heaven is watching what you do. For everything you’ve done, heaven sees it all. Just you wait for your punishment!"

Hearing Xia Yingyu’s words, Wang Lianhua suddenly remembered that Zhao Nuanyue had been rescued. ’She must know everything that happened.’

"Yingyu, don’t listen to Huilan. She’s just too worried about Jinghai," Wang Lianhua explained hurriedly. "We were truly forced! It was Mrs. Li who threatened us, we had no choice..."

"No choice?" Xia Yingyu sneered. "If you had no choice, why didn’t you have *her* marry the fool? How dare you push my daughter into a pit of fire! Don’t think you’re the only clever ones in the world and everyone else is an idiot. I accepted it when you drove my son and daughter to the countryside. Your granddaughter has enjoyed all the family’s love and affection, so on what grounds should my poor, suffering girl be the one to marry a fool?"

Hearing this, Zhao Huilan shot back angrily, "Stepmothers really are vicious! You actually wanted me to marry a fool! But heaven has eyes, and it was your daughter who got picked. And now you’re framing my grandmother and me? You’ll die a horrible death!"

"A horrible death?" Xia Yingyu shot back. "Even if someone’s fated for a horrible death, it’ll be your turn long before mine. You heartless, despicable monsters!"

Wang Lianhua saw her daughter-in-law and granddaughter arguing furiously. It was obvious that her daughter-in-law already knew the whole story and had chosen to believe Zhao Nuanyue and Zhao Nuanyang. Seeing that the soft approach had failed, Wang Lianhua decided to play hardball.

"Xia Yingyu, the child in your belly belongs to Jinghai. Surely you don’t want your child to be born without a father, do you?" Wang Lianhua said with a frown. "If something happens to Jinghai, you can forget about living a respectable life. So you know what you need to say to Zhao Nuanyue. For Jinghai’s sake, and for your own!"

Zhao Huilan, after a moment of surprise, quickly chimed in, "That’s right! If my dad goes to jail, you can forget about having a good life. Sure, you could get remarried, but that baby in your belly will just become a burden, like Zhao Nuanyue and Zhao Nuanyang. Who do you think would want you then?"

Hearing the venomous words of Wang Lianhua and Zhao Huilan, Xia Yingyu was heartbroken. At the same time, she became even more certain that her daughter had been telling the truth. These people really were trying to use her daughter to benefit the Zhao Family. ’These people... they’re completely heartless!’

She wanted a respectable life, but not if it was built on the ruin of her daughter’s happiness.

"You’re heartless! You’re monsters!" Xia Yingyu trembled with rage. They were actually using the child in her belly to threaten her and Zhao Nuanyue. They were worse than animals.

"Whatever. You know what’s best," Zhao Huilan sneered, her voice dripping with malice. "If you side with your daughter and try to condemn my father, I’ll fight you to the death. I’ll kill you, and I’ll kill Zhao Nuanyue and Zhao Nuanyang, too."

Wang Lianhua was also getting anxious, afraid that Xia Yingyu wouldn’t agree.

Xia Yingyu couldn’t bear to look at them any longer. She hadn’t imagined people could be so shameless. Not wanting to see them for another second, she turned to leave.

Seeing that Xia Yingyu wasn’t saying anything, Zhao Huilan lunged forward and grabbed her arm, trying to force her to promise she would save her father. However, Xia Yingyu’s foot slipped, and she fell to the floor.