Hearing those words, Feng Zuwen was overcome with shame.
All these years, he had never noticed the Second Household's ambition, and had always believed in a loving mother and filial sons, in brothers living in harmony.
Feng Tianxing slid down from Song Shuqing's arms, crawled to the edge of the bed, and reached out a little hand to poke Feng Zuwen.
Feng Zuwen opened his eyes and looked at the child before him—the more he looked, the more she resembled his wife.
"Little one, be Daddy's daughter. If Daddy survives, from now on I'll dote on you and you alone, all right?" Feng Zuwen raised his hand with effort and stroked Feng Tianxing's head, tears in his eyes.
Feng Tianxing nodded again and again.
This was what family was.
She had chosen to be reborn into this family precisely because its bonds of affection ran so deep.
Then she stretched out her hand and opened it. In her palm was actually a pill, the size of an adult's thumb—not the usual black, but crystal clear and utterly beautiful.
A rich medicinal fragrance wafted out, refreshing the spirit of everyone who smelled it.
Feng Tianxing picked up the pill and strained to feed it into Feng Zuwen's mouth, but her arms were too short to reach.
She tried jumping up higher with all her might, but still couldn't reach.
Seeing this, Song Shuqing immediately lifted her up higher.
Feng Zuwen swallowed the unknown pill without hesitation.
It melted the moment it touched his tongue—he swallowed it before he could even taste it.
A wondrous sensation soon spread through him.
It was as if something was cleansing his body, like a warm current flowing through him from head to toe.
A tingling, itching feeling spread across his whole body.
The wounds on his body were healing at a speed visible to the naked eye.
But no one saw it.
What Feng Tianxing had fed him was a Top-grade Restoration Pill. This was something from the Cultivation World—to Feng Zuwen, it was no different from a Celestial Pill, guaranteed to heal any wound the moment it was taken.
After two quarter-hours, Feng Zuwen felt lighter and more energized by the moment.
Suddenly, he flipped upright in bed, no different from a healthy man.
"Hahaha…" He laughed out loud, then, remembering something, suppressed his laughter.
He swept Feng Tianxing into his arms. "My good little girl."
A loud kiss landed on Feng Tianxing's cheek.
Song Shuqing: "Husband!"
The two brothers: "Father!"
"I'm healed—never felt better in my life. Your little sister really was sent by the immortals; that pill was a Celestial Pill. From now on, you two are to spoil her—spoil her to the heavens. Understood?" Feng Zuwen was overjoyed beyond measure.
This child was a lucky star—the Feng family's lucky star, without a doubt.
Feng Tianxing smiled happily at everyone too.
This was family—true family.
The two brothers nodded repeatedly.
Everyone laughed joyfully, the earlier gloom swept away.
"All right, I'm going to keep pretending to be ill. All of you keep looking mournful in front of others. Tomorrow the Emperor will surely send someone to pay a visit, so stay sharp—don't let anyone see through the act.
Damn it, that villain was truly cunning, staging a mutual destruction like that. Luckily my sword was longer—I stabbed him right through the heart. Who knew he had a dagger hidden in his sleeve? I never saw it coming, and that's how I got hit."
Seeing her husband (their father) suddenly bursting with vigor, everyone's hearts finally settled back into place.
"Little one, say 'Daddy,'" Feng Zuwen asked, looking at Feng Tianxing in his arms.
"Husband, this child—who knows how much she suffered. She can't speak; something must be wrong with her throat. Let's invite an imperial physician to examine her," Song Shuqing hurriedly explained.
"What?" Feng Zuwen was greatly shocked, eyes wide as he stared at Feng Tianxing.
【Daddy, back then I was thrown away by my step-grandmother, then picked up by someone unknown who poisoned me mute, and handed over to a hunter's family to be raised. My foster parents weren't good people—they beat me all the time and never let me eat my fill. At only three years old, I had to do so much work: feeding the chickens, feeding the pigs, sweeping the floor… I'm still too young and powerless now. You must help me get revenge.】
Feng Tianxing looked at Feng Zuwen pitifully.
Hearing all this, the four of them felt heartbroken.
"Child, now that you've come to the marquis's residence, no one will ever dare bully you again. You are the eldest daughter of this household. Daddy and your two big brothers will protect you from now on. In a couple of days, Daddy will find a physician to examine you." Feng Zuwen spoke with firm, resonant conviction.
Feng Tianxing was overjoyed at this and nodded repeatedly.
"Husband, give the child a name," Song Shuqing said, taking Feng Tianxing from his arms.
【Daddy, my name is Tianxing, my name is Tianxing!】Feng Tianxing shouted inwardly. She had used this name for two hundred years and had no intention of changing it.
"Then let's call her Feng Tianxing—brilliant like the stars in the sky. I hope our Tianxing's life ahead will also shine with starlight." Feng Zuwen said this, following the girl's inner voice.
【Is Daddy reading my mind? His thoughts are exactly the same as my father from my past life.】
As soon as this inner voice came out, the others finally understood—she had been reborn with memories of her past life. No wonder she knew the way back to the marquis's residence.
With the atmosphere now relaxed, Feng Tianxing began sizing up her family.
Daddy's square face was truly handsome, with sword-like brows and starry eyes. A military man, lean and strong, very charismatic—no wonder Mommy loved Daddy so much.
Then she looked at her eldest brother. More than two years of being unable to care for himself had not worn down his will. Though he was also thin, he looked very much like Daddy—especially those peach-blossom eyes, which seemed to have hooks in them.
Her second brother looked a bit more like Mommy, with a round face. Sadly, he was also far too thin, his cheekbones jutting out sharply. The poison had drained him of all vitality, leaving him looking almost like a man on death's doorstep.
Both brothers won Feng Tianxing's heart as well. When her soul had drifted, she had seen how deeply this family loved one another. These were exactly the kind of relatives she loved most.
In her past life, she had known little of family affection, and she longed for it deeply.
【Big Brother, it was Second Uncle who paid someone to scheme against you and cripple your leg. But don't worry—I can help you stand again.】
【Second Brother, your frail health was all Grandmother's doing. The maid in your room has been feeding you slow-acting poison every day. In five more years, you would be dead. But now that I'm back, I'll make you as strong and vigorous as Daddy.】
Hearing Feng Tianxing's inner voice, the two brothers were so shocked their jaws nearly dropped, and then their eyes lit up as they gazed at the little sister in their mother's arms like dogs staring at a meaty bone.
From this day forward, the fate of the Feng family's first household would set off down an entirely different path.
With the crisis resolved, the sky was growing dark.
Song Shuqing took Feng Tianxing out to arrange the meal.
Only the father and his two sons remained in the bedroom.
"Dad, is Little Sister an immortal reborn into our family?" Feng Yuanhan asked eagerly the moment Feng Tianxing was led out. He wanted to know whether his father shared the same understanding as he did.
"That's right. From now on, you must keep it secret, and you must protect your little sister well.
I never imagined the second household was so ambitious. Truly, a stepmother is a thorn in the door. I thought she was a good woman—she was only seventeen when she married into the family, just two years older than your eldest aunt.
But once your second uncle passed the imperial examination and became an official, her ambition could no longer be contained." Feng Zuwen sighed deeply.
My daughter is right—he is a fool.
"We will definitely protect little sister," the two brothers said in unison.
Early the next morning, Song Shuqing arranged the household affairs before taking Feng Tianxing to pay respects to Ruan Ruoying at Renshou Courtyard, as was the custom.
However, it was not required at dawn—a very thoughtful arrangement. Thinking about it now, she realized the Old Madam did it out of love for her grandson, allowing her to finish her tasks before going.
When she entered, the second sister-in-law Zheng Lian and the second sister Feng Ruyue were also there.
They exchanged greetings.
"A-Qing, how is Zuwen now?" Ruan Ruoying asked with concern. In truth, she had someone keeping watch on the situation at all times.
She had learned that he was still alive this morning, that the first branch's quarters had been lit all night, and that the two brothers had not returned to the front courtyard.
"Thank you for your concern, Mother. My husband had a fever all last night. We took turns sponging him down with water, and it only broke near dawn. The bleeding has stopped too. Doctor Zhang's medicine is very effective." Song Shuqing's eyes were red-rimmed, with dark circles beneath them.
She had painted those on with cosmetics—Feng Tianxing had seen it with his own eyes. He silently praised his mother's cleverness.
She looked utterly haggard no matter how one saw it.
"Good, that's good." The smile on Ruan Ruoying's face was somewhat stiff, but she concealed it well.
"Oh? Eldest Sister-in-law, whose child is that you're holding?" asked Feng Ruyue, dressed all in pink, as she looked at Feng Tianxing.
Only then did Ruan Ruoying and Zheng Lian turn their eyes to Feng Tianxing in Song Shuqing's arms.
Seeing Feng Tianxing's face, both were greatly astonished.