Chapter 16: Better Off Without It

“Little girl, don’t worry. Your mother will be fine, but you need to register first,” the nurse said, noticing Cheng Yuan’s youthful appearance—clearly still a student.

“Nurse, she’s my neighbor, Aunt Yu,” Cheng Yuan explained, following her to the registration desk. As she listened to the nurse’s instructions, she thought, Aunt Yu has helped me with so much more than just this.

“Doctor, how is Aunt Yu? Why did she suddenly collapse?” Cheng Yuan asked anxiously. In her previous life, she hadn’t paid much attention, so when news of Aunt Yu’s death came, it had hit her like a shock. Aunt Yu had only been in her forties—not old at all.

“We need to run more tests to find out,” the doctor said after writing out the orders. “Are you here alone? No adults with you?”

Cheng Yuan spent every last yuan she had, including her savings, to cover the medical fees. When she entered the emergency room, Aunt Yu had already regained consciousness.

“Aunt Yu, you’re awake! How are you feeling? Does anything hurt?” Cheng Yuan crouched beside her, her voice filled with concern.

“Yuanyuan?”

Aunt Yu stared at her for a long moment, dazed. Only after realizing she was in the hospital did her expression shift. “Is this a hospital?”

“Aunt Yu, I’ve already paid for the tests. We should get you thoroughly checked this time,” Cheng Yuan said, handing her the forms. “Since the money’s paid, we can’t get a refund.”

“This…” Aunt Yu said, deeply moved. “Yuanyuan, thank you. I’ll pay you back as soon as we get home.”

Having learned from the doctor that Cheng Yuan had carried her to the hospital, Aunt Yu gratefully clasped her hand.

“Mom! Mom, where are you?”

Yu Qing arrived just as the initial examination ended. The doctor recommended a brain scan, but Aunt Yu hesitated—reluctant to spend the money. Cheng Yuan insisted, “Aunt Yu, if something happens to you, how could you bear to leave Yu Qing all alone?”

Her words struck a chord. Aunt Yu gritted her teeth and agreed.

“Mom, Aunt Wang said you fainted. How are you feeling?” Yu Qing’s tall frame supported her, his face full of anxiety and concern.

Cheng Yuan quietly stepped aside, still taken aback by her first encounter with Yu Qing since her rebirth. In her memory, he had been tall and stout, his presence filling the room and making it feel smaller.

Now, even his height couldn’t hide his weight. His features were crowded together, and his eyes looked small—bearing little resemblance to Aunt Yu.

“It’s nothing, just a fainting spell,” Aunt Yu said casually. She took Cheng Yuan’s hand and turned to Yu Qing. “Yu Qing, we owe everything to Yuanyuan today. If she hadn’t carried me here, I might still be lying on the street.”

“Aunt Yu, I wouldn’t leave anyone to die—not even a stranger,” Cheng Yuan replied with a faint smile. “Now that Yu Qing’s here, I should head back to school.”

It was already nearly eight o’clock.

“Yu Qing, go with Yuanyuan! You can’t be late,” Aunt Yu urged, shoving him out. Only after he promised to show her the test results did he follow Cheng Yuan.

Worried about being late, Cheng Yuan ran all the way to school.

Yu Qing, who lacked both fitness and stamina, couldn’t keep up at all.

He had just reached the teaching building when the bell rang. He hesitated, then turned back toward his own classroom.

Midday.

At lunch, Yu Qing deliberately searched the cafeteria for Cheng Yuan. With everyone wearing identical uniforms, it was nearly impossible to tell one person from another.

He came up empty. He tried checking Class Ten, but even after peeking through the windows, he couldn’t spot her.

Could she be somewhere else during lunch?

Where was Cheng Yuan?

She was in the bamboo grove—being thoroughly scolded by Bei Xiaolin.

“Xiaolin, it’s all my fault,” Cheng Yuan pleaded. “This morning was a genuine accident. I promise it won’t happen again.” Trying to ease the tension, she offered, “How about I teach you a self-defense move first? If anyone tries to bully you, you can use it.”

“Really?” Bei Xiaolin eyed her suspiciously. “Didn’t you say we had to build stamina by running first? Were you lying to me?”

Cheng Yuan: “……”

That had just been an excuse to get her running.

Unable to admit it, she replied calmly, “Everything takes time. We’ve been running for a few days—now we can start self-defense.”

“Oh.”

Without hesitation, Bei Xiaolin said, “Then teach me now!”

Cheng Yuan didn’t coddle her. She taught her a few solid self-defense moves. Bei Xiaolin’s eyes sparkled. “Yuanyuan, if you’d taught me this sooner, I wouldn’t have been bullied!”

Cheng Yuan rubbed her nose, thinking, If I hadn’t been reborn, I wouldn’t know any of this either.

All those years washing stinky socks at the martial arts hall weren’t for nothing.

“Did you memorize the text, Xiaolin?” After training, Cheng Yuan oversaw her recitation. Bei Xiaolin grimaced. Why did I agree to this?

They finished just before the afternoon PE class and went straight to the sports field.

Yu Qing, once again, missed his chance. But when he saw Class 10 out for PE, his eyes lit up.

“Hey, Yuanyuan, did you notice Lin Juan keeps staring at you today? Maybe she’s holding a grudge over yesterday?”

Bei Xiaolin jogged the 800 meters in sync with Cheng Yuan. What had once been grueling now felt easy. She wasn’t gasping; she had breath to spare for chatting.

“If she insults my mom again, I’ll hit her again,” Cheng Yuan said calmly. She used to only know that her father had loved her mother his whole life. Now, she realized—her mother had loved her just as deeply. Maybe there was more to her disappearance than she knew.

“Yuanyuan, don’t be mad anymore. I don’t have a mom either. My stepmother is worse than none at all,” Bei Xiaolin said with a sigh. “I envy you. Your dad is amazing. Mine acts more like a stepdad. If he were even half as good as yours, I’d be happy.”

“Don’t worry—you still have me,” Cheng Yuan said with a bright smile, squeezing her hand.

She knew all about Bei Xiaolin’s past—how her father had forced her to marry an older man right after graduation. Cheng Yuan had helped her escape to Hai City.

Afterward, she had asked herself countless times: If I hadn’t helped Xiaolin escape… would she still be alive?