Chapter 97 : Is he okay?

Hearing his mother’s gentle voice again and seeing her face just as he remembered it, Xiao Hechuan looked up at her with eyes full of tears. He thought he was dreaming, why did this dream feel so real?

“Silly boy, why are you crying? Don’t cry, Mom will go find you some candied fruit, okay?” Mother Xiao thought he was just being emotional, acting spoiled like usual.

“Ah! That’s such a deep mark!”

Xiao Lanlan suddenly cried out, drawing both Xiao Hechuan’s and Mother Xiao’s attention. She was holding Jiang Sui’s hand and staring at it. Deep red marks were imprinted on her wrist where Xiao Hechuan had grabbed her earlier.

Mother Xiao’s heart ached at the sight.

“You didn’t hurt any bones, did you? Hechuan, you were too rough! Look at that, how could you hurt your own wife like this? Don’t you feel bad?”

To her, he was still the same clingy Hechuan who doted endlessly on his young wife.

But at that moment, Xiao Hechuan was staring at Jiang Sui in a daze, his mind swirling with unfamiliar but vivid memories memories of marrying her, living with her, every moment they had spent together, night and day… all flooding in like waves.

He had to quickly accept what had happened and the shift in his fate.

Jiang Sui, on the other hand, felt something was off. Xiao Hechuan’s whole demeanor had changed. He seemed distant, thoughtful, as if struggling internally. His eyes no longer held the simple clarity of a boy, but were instead deep and knowing.

Could it be…?

“I’m sorry. I hurt you…it’s my fault,” Xiao Hechuan said sincerely, turning to Jiang Sui with an apologetic look.

It really was true.

Somehow, this accident had become a blessing in disguise, Xiao Hechuan had returned to normal.

It wouldn’t be an exaggeration to say he had once been her little tail, always following her, clingy like a little puppy. But now… it seemed they would have to start getting to know each other all over again.

Jiang Sui offered an awkward smile and shook her head. “It’s fine. I’m okay.”

Mother Xiao and Xiao Lanlan also began to sense that something was different about Hechuan.

“Mom, where’s Dad and my brothers?” Xiao Hechuan suddenly asked, worry flashing in his eyes. He urgently wanted to know if they were safe.

“Your father and the others are still sleeping,” Mother Xiao replied gently. “They spent all of yesterday helping with the rescues and have been taking turns keeping watch at night but don’t worry, they’re all fine.”

Only after answering did she allow herself to ask the question that had been weighing on her mind.

When Xiao Hechuan heard they were safe, he burst into tears of relief laughing and crying all at once. Jiang Sui could clearly see the look of someone who had found something they thought was lost forever.

Mother Xiao slowly stepped closer to him, her voice trembling:

“My son… are you… all better now?” She wasn’t sure, so she asked with hesitation and hope.

Xiao Lanlan and Zhou looked on nervously, waiting for him to give the answer they longed to hear.

Xiao Hechuan was so overcome with emotion that he couldn’t speak. He tried to respond, but the words caught in his throat. He looked at his mother, his eyes, those beautiful peach blossom eyes, rimmed with red. Tears swirled within them, and though he tried to hold them back, they finally spilled over.

Jiang Sui thought to herself. ‘This must be what they mean by divine tears. It’s beautiful.’

But her idea was dangerous, as this was clearly an emotional moment.

“Mom…” Xiao Hechuan finally called out with a trembling voice. Just this one shout was enough for everyone to understand everything.

Mother Xiao burst into tears, stepped forward, held her son’s hand with one hand, and stroked his cheek with the other.

“My son, as long as you are well, I will not be afraid of anything. As long as you are healthy, I will not ask for anything else.”

For a mother, whether her child achieves greatness is secondary. What matters most is that he is safe and healthy, that’s the greatest wish of any mother.

Xiao Lanlan also began to cry, and while laughing through her tears, she called out to her fourth brother:

“Fourth brother, you’re finally back to normal. Do you know how long we’ve been waiting for this day?”

When Xiao Hechuan saw Xiao Lanlan again, she was standing right in front of him, still the same cheerful, optimistic, and beautiful girl.

Xiao Hechuan held Mother Xiao’s hand with his backhand and said seriously.

“Mom, now that I’m well, I will no longer be a burden to you. I will work hard to become a better person, so that our family can live the best life and bring honor to you!”

When Jiang Sui heard him say this, she finally felt at ease. Yes, this was the outcome she had hoped for!

After Xiao Hechuan recovered, he threw himself into studying. Three years later, he passed the imperial examination and became the top scholar. In the future, he would become the heir to the prime minister. As for her, Jiang Sui had already done so much for the Xiao family. Now, because of her foresight, she had led them away from a disastrous fate. Even if he wanted to divorce her in the future, she would still have his protection and be able to live a good life!

As she thought about it, Jiang Sui couldn’t help but laugh aloud. To those around her, it seemed like she was simply overjoyed for Xiao Hechuan.

Hearing the girl’s laughter, Xiao Hechuan looked at her again. She was smiling sweetly, with deep dimples at the corners of her mouth, round eyes, and pupils as dark and clear as untouched wine. She looked both sweet and intoxicating.

After she married me, she did so much for the family, brought so much good fortune, and was deeply loved by everyone. The reason we were able to survive this disaster was because of her foresight and wise actions.

Moreover, every night when they slept together, they would hold each other tightly, finding comfort and security in each other. Thinking about it now made Xiao Hechuan blush, and he couldn’t bring himself to look at her smile anymore.

Mother Xiao watched the exchange between them, her eyes moving back and forth. Seeing her son’s blushing face, she couldn’t help but smile.

She had worried that after he recovered, he might dislike Jiang Sui, but now it seemed she had worried for nothing. Her Suisui was so well-behaved, sensible, smart, and beautiful. Who wouldn’t love her?

So, she stood up and pulled Jiang Sui closer, guiding her to sit near Xiao Hechuan. One stood while the other sat, their eyes meeting briefly before both quickly looked away, their faces filled with nervousness and embarrassment, yet it felt like they were a perfect match.

Mother Xiao was delighted and decided to add fuel to the fire.

“Hechuan, this is your wife, remember?”

Xiao Hechuan nodded, his face still flushed but trying to appear serious.

“Just remember,” she continued. “I can tell you that it was she who didn’t despise your foolishness in the past and was willing to marry you. After coming to our Xiao family, she brought us much good fortune. She’s always thought about us and planned for us. This time, it was because of her that we managed to escape the disaster. So, Mother wants you to promise that, no matter what happens in the future or who you meet, Jiang Sui will always be our daughter-in-law and your only wife. You must not let her down or bully her. You must treat her well, just as you did before, and even try to do better.”

“But if you can’t do that, don’t call me Mom anymore. I don’t have a son who is as ungrateful as you!”