“Dad, Mom! Yueyue is better now! Yueyue’s back!”
Lin Zhixing’s cheerful voice rang out.
Old Master Lin trembled at first, hardly daring to believe it as he turned toward the three approaching figures—one adult and two children.
Lin Zhixing ran ahead while Lin Yan followed closely behind, carrying Lin Zhiyue in his arms.
“A-Yan, you finally made it! Quick, persuade your mother. No matter how much I beg her, she refuses to drink any water.”
Lin Dian anxiously stood and pulled Lin Yan toward Old Madam Lin.
Lin Yan quickly set his daughter down and knelt before his mother.
“Mother, it’s me, A-Yan. Yueyue’s back too. Yueyue is well now. You absolutely can’t let anything happen to you.”
As he spoke, he carefully helped his mother sit up and pulled the water pouch from his robes.
“A-Yan… good… good that you’ve returned…”
Old Madam Lin’s frail, emaciated body was supported upright.
But even with the water pouch pressed near her lips, she refused to open her mouth.
“The water… save it for A-Yan and Yueyue… you two drink it…”
Seeing his mother’s sunken cheeks and blood-cracked lips, Lin Yan’s eyes reddened.
Holding one of her hands while pressing the water pouch toward her, he choked out,
“Mother, don’t worry, drink it. There’s still plenty of water. Yueyue and I found a lot. Everyone has enough.”
At that moment, Lin Zhiyue also stepped forward and grabbed Old Madam Lin’s other hand.
“Grandma, it’s Yueyue. I’m better now. Look at Yueyue! Isn’t Yueyue all better now?”
Hearing Lin Zhiyue’s voice, Old Madam Lin’s eyes widened more and more.
“Yueyue… it’s Yueyue… wonderful… wonderful…”
At that moment, Madam Li brought over a bowl.
Lin Yan poured half a bowl of water into it and carefully held it to his mother’s lips.
This time, Old Madam Lin stopped resisting.
Her Yueyue had recovered.
After waiting and hoping for so many years, her precious granddaughter had finally returned to normal.
She still hadn’t properly looked at Yueyue yet.
Cool, sweet water flowed into her mouth and slid down her throat.
The dryness and exhaustion throughout her body instantly faded by more than half.
It felt as though her withered organs had suddenly been nourished.
Old Madam Lin’s mind became much clearer at once. Her eyes brightened, and some strength returned to her body.
“Yueyue… Grandma’s Yueyue… wuuh…”
Old Madam Lin straightened up on her own and tightly hugged Lin Zhiyue, bursting into loud sobs.
Lin Zhiyue quietly allowed her grandmother to cry while gently patting her back without saying a word.
Let the old woman vent her emotions first.
After days of fear and anxiety, her heart must have been unbearably heavy.
When Lin Zhiyue saw this family gathered before her, countless memories surfaced again in her mind.
These were all people who had loved her dearly.
Her grandfather, who always kindly stroked her head.
Her grandmother, who had patiently comforted her whenever she became upset after the age of five.
Her uncle and aunt, who had two sons and one daughter of their own, yet treated her even more lovingly than their own children.
The Lin family had excellent family values, and they had chosen their daughters-in-law well.
The household was harmonious, never arguing over trivial matters.
Lin Zhiyue’s mother, Wan-niang, always felt guilty toward the family because of her daughter’s illness.
Since Lin Zhiyue constantly needed doctors and medicine, Wan-niang gradually learned to recognize medicinal herbs.
Whenever farm work was light, she would climb the mountains to gather herbs and sell them to pharmacies, trying her best to contribute more to the household.
Her aunt, Madam Li, saw all this and voluntarily took over most of the housework while also carefully looking after Lin Zhiyue.
Even during the family’s hardest times, Lin Zhiyue would still have at least a bowl of steamed egg custard.
Her two cousins and older cousin sister never once complained that their mother favored her.
Outside the home, they always protected her and never allowed village children to bully her.
As the youngest girl in the family, she had received the affection and protection of everyone.
Seeing that Old Madam Lin had cried enough and fearing she might exhaust herself, Lin Zhiyue lifted herself upright from her grandmother’s embrace.
Her eyes red, she blinked exaggeratedly at the old woman before breaking into a huge smile and scrunching her nose playfully.
“Grandma, stop crying. Hurry and look at Yueyue.”
Seeing her granddaughter’s playful expression, Old Madam Lin burst into laughter through her tears.
Wonderful.
Yueyue could laugh and cry now.
Yueyue finally had expressions on her face.
Seeing Old Madam Lin recover, the entire family let out sighs of relief.
Lin Yan poured more spiritual spring water into the bowl.
“Everyone, drink some water. Yueyue and I found this spring water in the mountains. It’s very sweet.”
One by one, the family members each drank a mouthful.
Most had simply been thirsty for too long, so they didn’t notice anything unusual. They merely thought the water was indeed refreshingly sweet, just as Lin Yan had said.
The slight recovery in their bodies after drinking felt normal to them after prolonged dehydration.
Only Old Master Lin sensed something different.
Having lived most of his life and suffered through true thirst before in his youth, he knew ordinary water wouldn’t restore strength this quickly, nor leave behind a faint sense of fullness.
Still, he didn’t question it aloud.
His second son and granddaughter had likely encountered some kind of fortunate opportunity.
Looking thoughtfully at his now-normal granddaughter, he silently pondered.
Meanwhile, Old Madam Lin continued cuddling and kissing Lin Zhiyue lovingly, forgetting entirely about famine, hardship, and hunger.
Old Master Lin also wanted to dote on his granddaughter, but unfortunately his wife refused to let go.
“A-Yan, where’s Yueyue’s mother?”
At that moment, Madam Li asked about her younger sister-in-law.
“When I reached Shitang Village, everyone there had already fled. I heard the village was attacked by bandits.”
The joy Lin Yan had felt after reuniting with family immediately dimmed as he thought of Wan-niang.
After hearing this, Old Master Lin sighed heavily as well.
“However, I heard most of the villagers hid in the mountains before the bandits arrived. They probably left through the mountain routes afterward. Most likely they’re also heading toward Jiangzhou, which means they’d pass through Jinyang City.”
The family fell silent.
Crossing the mountains from that direction was even more dangerous than the route they themselves had taken.
“Dad, look! I found some leaves! They’re still tender! Big Brother said tender leaves have moisture in them!”
At that moment, a little boy slightly older than Lin Zhiyue came running down a slope while shouting excitedly.
Behind him followed a young man walking calmly at an unhurried pace.
The moment the youth approached, he spotted Lin Yan and immediately cried out in surprise,
“Second Uncle!”
“Second Uncle? Where?”
The little boy turned around excitedly while still trying to show off the leaves he’d found.
His eyes widened.
He saw his second uncle—
And then he saw little Yueyue.
“Yueyue妹妹, why did you become so dark?”
He still had no idea Lin Zhiyue had recovered and immediately ran over to Old Madam Lin, reaching out to touch Lin Zhiyue’s face.
“Second Cousin.”
Lin Zhiyue slapped away his dirty little hand.
Her soft, sweet voice rang out.
Both the little boy and the older youth froze with eyes wide open, completely stunned.
“Big Cousin.”
The voice sounded again.
The older youth quickly strode forward and crouched before Lin Zhiyue, gently holding her shoulders as he carefully examined her face and eyes.
“Yueyue…”
He called softly, as though afraid of frightening her.
“Mhm, Big Brother. It’s Yueyue.”
The little boy instantly jumped up excitedly, clapping his hands while hopping around.
“Little Sister’s better! Little Sister’s better!”
Then he shoved the older youth aside.
“Yueyue妹妹, I’m Second Brother!”
“I know, Second Brother. Second Brother will earn money to buy delicious food for Yueyue in the future.”
Lin Zhiyue smiled brightly at Lin Zhili.
“Oh! Little Sister recognizes me!”
The little boy immediately started jumping around excitedly again.
“Mom! Little Sister remembers what I said before!”
He ran in circles before charging toward his mother and shouting loudly.
“Alright, alright, look how excited you are. You’ve got so much energy—aren’t you thirsty?”
Madam Li looked at her younger son with amusement and heartache, reaching out to wipe the sweat covering his forehead.
“You little rascal, come here.”
Laughing, Lin Yan poured water for both nephews.
“Wow! It’s so sweet! This feels amazing!”
Lin Zhili loudly expressed his happiness, making the entire family laugh warmly.
And truly—
Things would only get better from here on.