MDMB 06

Chapter 06

 Rebirth

Aunt Liu had been listening from the side for a while. Although she didn’t understand why the young miss wanted a flower that had already died, she still helped her keep it.

“Since Miss wants it, then give it to me.”

She took the dead jasmine plant from the servant’s hands and lowered her head to ask Qingqing,

“Miss, where would you like to put this flower?”

“Can I keep it in my room?”

“Of course.”

Carrying the flowerpot, Aunt Liu led Qingqing to her room.

Once inside, she placed the jasmine on the balcony, where the first rays of morning sunlight happened to shine through.

Afterward, she patiently explained how to use many of the things in the room.

Since she still had other duties to attend to, she couldn’t stay with Qingqing for very long.

After Aunt Liu left, the little girl walked to the door.

Making sure it was firmly closed, she pattered over to the lifeless jasmine plant.

The balcony railing was a little too high for her. She struggled to drag over a chair and climbed onto it before she could finally reach the flower.

Standing barefoot on the chair, the small wounds on her soft little hands were still visible.

She poked one of the drooping leaves and spoke in a soft, milky voice filled with sympathy.

“Poor little flower~”

The jasmine leaf, which should have contained no trace of life, suddenly trembled.

It was the very leaf Qingqing had touched.

As though it had exhausted all its strength just to respond to her words.

Qingqing stretched out her other hand and gently cupped the drooping leaves with both palms.

A faint green glow flickered in her hands.

Tiny specks of light, like fireflies, floated into the jasmine’s trunk and branches before disappearing, merging completely with it.

Two minutes later, the little girl withdrew her hands.

Her body swayed, and she nearly fell from the chair.

When she climbed down, her face was noticeably paler than before. Beads of sweat covered her forehead, and after only a short while she was so weak she could barely stand.

Yet her eyes shone brighter than ever, like polished black gemstones.

On the balcony, the jasmine’s appearance seemed to have changed.

It no longer looked as dull and gray as before.

Qingqing was exhausted.

She climbed onto the bed Aunt Liu had just made for her and immediately fell asleep.

She didn’t wake up until lunchtime.

She found herself once again seated at the same large dining table from the morning. Her brother was gone, and she was the only one there.

The little girl was very obedient. Perhaps because she had transferred spiritual energy to the jasmine, she ate much more than usual at lunch.

After eating her fill, she hurried back to her room, closed the door, took off her shoes, climbed onto the chair, and resumed her work as diligently as though she were clocking in for a job.

This time, she kept going for about five minutes.

When she finished, the jasmine had undergone an obvious transformation.

Bending down, little Qingqing gently kissed one of its flower buds.

Her pale, fragile face seemed almost to glow.

“You have to bloom soon~”

Try a little harder!

After talking to the little flower, Qingqing climbed back into bed and fell asleep again.

Actually, she was a little hungry.

But she had already eaten so much at lunch today, so she felt too embarrassed to trouble Aunt Liu.

When she opened her eyes again, she was awakened by a knock on the door.

A youthful voice came from outside.

“Qingqing, can I come in?”

Still sleepy, Qingqing rubbed her eyes.

The moment she heard that voice, the little tuft of hair on top of her head sprang upright.

It was her brother!

The little girl hurriedly put on her shoes and ran to open the door.

Fu Yueci was standing there holding a small cake shaped like a pink bow.

Looking somewhat awkward, he handed it to her.

“Here. Aunt Liu said you’ve been very well-behaved today. This is what I promised you.”

Qingqing stared at the delicate cake in surprise and lifted her fair little face to thank him sweetly.

“Thank you, Brother!”

Holding the cake as if it were a priceless treasure, she carefully placed it on the table.

It was the first time she had ever seen such a beautiful cake.

It was even prettier than the ones on television.

Fu Yueci followed her into the room.

When he saw how empty and plain it was, he frowned slightly.

Honestly, it looked more like a guest room.

He glanced at the child’s delighted expression, and his frown deepened.

He hadn’t noticed before, but now he realized this hardly resembled a room meant for a little girl.

He would have to talk to Aunt Liu about it later.

His gaze swept across the room before inevitably landing on the withered jasmine on the balcony.

It was simply too conspicuous.

Walking over, he stared at it for a long moment before turning back to Qingqing.

“Isn’t this the one Third Brother was raising? Why is it here?”

Qingqing nervously clasped her little hands together. Her beautiful eyes blinked rapidly as she answered honestly.

“A-A sister said she was going to throw it away, so I asked for it.”

Fu Yueci paused, puzzled.

“It’s already dead.”

The little girl immediately ran over and looked up at him with pleading eyes.

“It’s okay, Brother. Let me take care of it! I like it!”

When she pleaded so softly, what else could Fu Yueci possibly say?

He could only nod in agreement.

Seeing the child smile so happily, he felt as if a tiny kitten’s paw had lightly scratched at his heart.

It tickled.

Was she really this easy to satisfy?

Without even realizing it himself, a faint smile appeared on Fu Yueci’s face.

When Qingqing saw him smile, she gathered her courage and grabbed his hand, pulling him toward the table and inviting him to eat the cake together.

As they walked, he suddenly noticed something strange about the way she moved.

She seemed to be…

Limping.

Fu Yueci’s brows knitted together.

His heart instantly tightened.

In a low voice, he asked,

“What happened to your foot?”