Just as Gu Nianqing had said, Liu Wenyang was a kind-hearted doctor.
The moment he saw Xu Yingjia, the stern expression on his face cracked.
Gu Sheng had been his junior apprentice. What she had done had ruined a child’s life—he couldn’t just stand by and do nothing.
On top of that, he had known Gu Nianqing since she was an infant. Five years of familiarity meant something. After the little girl softly pleaded with him a few times, Liu Wenyang let out a sigh and opened the door to let them in.
Even Zhou Ya’s parents were quietly surprised. “How is this child so sharp?”
Zhou Ya, recalling what she had learned from earlier investigations, sighed. For the first time, she felt a genuine trace of guilt for having taken out her anger on the girl.
“A child with neither father’s love nor mother’s care… she’s had it hard.”
And so, Gu Nianqing stayed in the south with the Zhou family for two years.
Zhou Ya arranged for her school enrollment. Every day after class, Gu Nianqing would stay by Xu Yingjia’s side—telling her stories about school, pulling her along to do homework together.
Of course, Xu Yingjia didn’t attend school. If she could fill each square of her handwriting notebook, that alone was considered progress.
For someone as precocious as Gu Nianqing, first- and second-grade coursework posed no challenge at all. While other children studied late into the night, she finished everything in half an hour—intentionally leaving some to do together with Xu Yingjia.
They were like real sisters.
Whether it was Liu Wenyang’s exceptional skill or sheer miracle, Xu Yingjia gradually recovered.
Aside from slightly slower reactions and occasional stumbles when emotional, her cognition and communication were mostly back to normal.
As for Gu Nianqing, she hadn’t wasted those two years either. She pestered Liu Wenyang into letting her assist him, picking up bits and pieces of medical knowledge along the way.
She even shamelessly persuaded Zhou Ya’s parents to let her practice on them.
At first, the elderly couple kept stern faces. But after a few head massages from the girl’s soft little hands—and half a month of good sleep—they couldn’t hold out anymore.
Zhou Ya’s mother couldn’t help sighing in private, “How did such a sensible, well-behaved child come from that woman?”
Zhou Ya stayed silent for a long time.
Then one day, she went straight to Gu Nianqing and asked bluntly:
“What do you want from me?”
Gu Nianqing had been about to hand over her latest test paper for a signature. Hearing that, she froze.
After all, she was only seven or eight years old. Realizing her little scheme had been seen through, panic flashed across her face.
She clutched her perfect-score paper tightly, eyes wide, biting her lip as if afraid to let her guard down.
After nearly two years together, Zhou Ya had come to understand her temperament. Seeing this, she realized she had frightened the girl.
Her voice softened. She took the paper and signed it.
“You’re a smart child. You should also understand that our relationship will never be close.”
“…Mm.”
Feigning kindness would only make Gu Nianqing more guarded. Strangely, this blunt honesty calmed her instead.
She frowned slightly, thinking it over, then said, “My mom doesn’t like me. But she always told me that once she became the lady of the Xu family, I’d be able to live a good life.”
She looked up at Zhou Ya. “Madam, what does a ‘good life’ in the Xu family look like? I want to live a good life.”
For a moment, Zhou Ya had no answer.
Gu Nianqing continued, “My mom will never become the lady of the Xu family. But Madam, I really want a good life. If I don’t make you dislike me… will you let me have one?”
Zhou Ya asked in return, “What do you think a good life is?”
Gu Nianqing’s eyes lit up. “Having meat soup to drink, a big room to sleep in, and not having to be Kang Kang’s blood supply.”
“….”
Compared to all the effort she had put in, those wishes were painfully simple.
What Zhou Ya hadn’t expected was that Gu Sheng, in order to treat her sickly son, had set her sights on Gu Nianqing so early.
And this child… understood everything far too soon.
Given how things turned out, it was hard to say that Gu Sheng’s fate wasn’t karma catching up to her.
At the very least, Gu Nianqing no longer had to worry about being used as a “blood source.”
She had… other uses now.
A faint smile curved on Zhou Ya’s lips. “Everything you asked for—I can give you.”
Even as joy flashed across her face, Gu Nianqing remained cautious. “Then what do I need to do in return?”
Zhou Ya had already sensed it before, but she still couldn’t help admiring the girl’s sharpness.
Instead of answering directly, she posed another question.
“Jia Jia is getting better. It’s about time we return to Beijing… Qingqing, what do you think?”
The question was vague, but Gu Nianqing didn’t look confused at all.
She blinked and answered brightly, “Then the young lady can see her old friends again.”
Zhou Ya watched her closely.
After a brief pause, Gu Nianqing seemed to realize something. “But… the young lady isn’t the same as before.”
“…That’s right.” Zhou Ya’s jaw tightened. “She’s not the same anymore.”
Looking at the little girl in front of her, those lively fox-like eyes were both captivating and unsettling—enough to harden her resolve.
In the end, everything Xu Yingjia had suffered stemmed from Gu Nianqing’s mother. As the only one who had, in a sense, benefited from that tragedy, Zhou Ya believed Gu Nianqing owed Xu Yingjia a kind of repayment.
She knew it was misplaced anger.
But she couldn’t stop herself.
Providing Gu Nianqing with the comfortable life she wanted was, perhaps, her way of compensating for that darker side of herself.
“When we return to Beijing, whatever Jia Jia has, you’ll have a share as well,” Zhou Ya said coldly. “But from now on, no matter what happens, you must stand in front of her.”
Gu Nianqing’s eyes lit up with dazzling brightness, her excitement brimming with hope for the future.
On the day Liu Wenyang officially declared Xu Yingjia’s treatment complete, a small puppy had been abandoned outside the clinic.
When Gu Nianqing and Xu Yingjia returned from a walk, they were drawn by the soft whimpering sounds.
The two girls rushed over with a cardboard box, chattering excitedly as they carried the puppy back and begged to keep it.
Zhou Ya was busy arranging their return to Beijing. Hearing them, she sighed helplessly. “Jia Jia, if you like dogs, I’ll buy you a purebred with proper papers when we get back. We’re not raising strays, alright?”
Xu Yingjia nodded absentmindedly and was about to let go, but Gu Nianqing stepped back, hugging the puppy protectively.
“Madam, this little dog showed up right when the young lady got better,” she said earnestly. “I heard adults say this is a… um… a ‘lucky sign’?”
Zhou Ya corrected her, “A good omen.”
“A good omen!” Gu Nianqing repeated loudly. “Madam, let’s keep it. Look how pretty it is.”
The puppy’s eyes were still cloudy blue, its wet gaze irresistibly pitiful.
Xu Yingjia, already wavering, was instantly won over again. “Mom, let’s keep it!”
Even Zhou Ya’s parents were persuaded by the idea of a good omen. They chimed in, “Let it stay—it can keep Jia Jia company. Such a cute little thing.”
Four votes to one—Zhou Ya had no choice but to give in.
She warned them, “When we get back, you must train it properly. Otherwise, I’ll throw it out immediately.”
“Yay!”
“Yes, Madam!”
At that time, the young elites of Beijing had no idea—
Xu Yingjia would be returning with two “dogs.”
One, of course, was the little puppy they named “Rui Rui”—Rui meaning good fortune.
And the other…
Had a pair of beautiful, fox-like eyes.