Just by looking at Yu Li’s thin and frail appearance, it was clear she had suffered a lot in the past.
Zhou Shi instinctively hugged the pile of things Tu Laoda had handed her. The weight made her stagger, almost unable to hold it.
There was so much, she was a little stunned.
Tu Laoda left too quickly, and Zhou Shi couldn’t call him back in time. She could only carry the items into the hall.
Afterward, she went to the room to find Fu Wenxiao and told him about Tu Laoda’s visit.
“He brought a lot of medicinal herbs, all meant to nourish the body. Some of them are quite expensive. He also brought a large piece of meat, as well as cakes and candies, things that Li Niang likes to eat…”
As she spoke, she felt that Tu Laoda was really good to Li Niang. Not only did he introduce her to work, but when he found out she was in trouble, he specially brought so many things to visit her. Just the medicinal herbs alone would cost quite a bit of money, something an ordinary person wouldn’t easily spend.
Fu Wenxiao wasn’t surprised.
Tu Laoda knew Xuan Huaiqing, and Yu Li was Xuan Huaiqing’s lifesaver. Now that something had happened to her, Tu Laoda would certainly be concerned.
He had no doubts about the character of General Xuan. Since Xuan Huaiqing was trained by General Xuan, he was naturally someone who knew how to repay kindness.
“Mother, it’s fine, just keep it,” Fu Wenxiao said to Zhou Shi. “It’s the right thing to do.”
Zhou Shi was a bit confused. What does he mean by “the right thing to do”?
—
In the evening, Zhou Shi was preparing dinner when Yu Yin hurried to the Fu family to tell her that Yu Zhu had woken up.
“She just woke up a short while ago, ate some food, took the medicine, and then fell back asleep,” she said excitedly. “The doctor said that as long as she wakes up, she’ll be fine.”
Zhou Shi was also very happy. She clasped her hands together, murmuring words of thanks to the Buddha, expressing gratitude for the protection.
Yu Zhu waking up was indeed a joyful event.
Yesterday, Doctor Xu had gone to the Yu family to check and said he couldn’t guarantee that Yu Zhu would wake up. It was a matter of her own fate, and there was a sense of helplessness in his words.
This had made the atmosphere in the Yu family quite gloomy.
Who would have thought that, in the evening today, Yu Zhu suddenly woke up?
In total, Yu Zhu had only been unconscious for three days, which was truly an incredible thing.
However, since Yu Zhu had just woken up and her body was still weak, no one had told her about Yu Li’s condition. They decided to keep it from her for now.
When Yu Yin went to check on Yu Li, she also told Fu Wenxiao about Yu Zhu waking up.
She also told Yu Li, though she was in a deep sleep. Yu Yin still hoped to speak to her, hoping that Yu Li would hear and wake up.
Fu Wenxiao’s face showed surprise. He certainly hadn’t expected Yu Zhu to wake up so soon. In his gut, he had a sense that Yu Zhu waking up might somehow be connected to Yu Li.
He couldn’t help but look at the person on the bed.
She lay there quietly, breathing steadily and gently, her peaceful appearance as if she had fallen into a deep slumber.
After Yu Yin left, Fu Wenxiao suddenly reached out and gently touched the young woman’s face on the bed.
Her face was still thin, but her skin felt soft and warm to the touch, and the warmth was comforting and endearing.
That evening, Zhou Shi finished tidying up Yu Li, who was still asleep, and reminded Fu Wenxiao to rest well.
“You need to rest properly and not tire yourself out. Otherwise, when Li Niang wakes up, you’ll collapse instead, and she’ll have to take care of you instead…” Zhou Shi said.
Fu Wenxiao smiled and didn’t argue. “Mother, I know.”
—
In the stillness of the night, Qingshi Village was shrouded in darkness, with only the stars twinkling in the sky. In the distance, the faint sound of dogs barking echoed, soon followed by silence again.
Yu Li slowly regained consciousness.
When she did, she realized there was a breathing sound nearby, and the person was very close to her, their shoulders almost touching.
She swiftly reached out, her hand landing on the person’s neck.
“Li Niang?”
A sleepy voice rang out, followed by the sound of surprise. “Li Niang, you’re awake?”
Yu Li was a bit dazed. Her fingers didn’t tighten, and she slowly loosened her grip, apologizing.
A large hand suddenly grasped hers.
Fearing that she might accidentally push the person away, Yu Li stayed still, allowing him to hold her hand. Since she had just woken up, she was still a little sleepy and didn’t feel like moving.
“It’s okay,” Fu Wenxiao said softly. “It’s really good that you woke up.”
He held her hand for a while, confirming the warmth of her hand, then carefully tried to sit up.
Fu Wenxiao lit the oil lamp.
He remembered that her eyes couldn’t see in the dark, so whenever it was nighttime, he would always light the oil lamp in the room.
The soft glow of the oil lamp illuminated the room, and Fu Wenxiao looked at the person lying in bed, studying her expression. He asked with concern, “Li Niang, how do you feel?”
Yu Li lay there, appearing somewhat dazed, staring at him blankly, before saying, “I’m so hungry…”
Fu Wenxiao: “…”
—
In the dead of night, the kitchen at the Fu house clanged with sounds, and soon, the aroma of food wafted out.
Yu Li sat in the main room, taking big bites of the freshly steamed meat buns.
Fu Wenxiao sat beside her, pouring her water, advising her to eat slowly so she wouldn’t choke.
Zhou Shi brought out a pot of piping hot pork bone porridge. The bones had been simmered slowly over a low flame all night, and once the rice was added, it became a delicious pot of pork bone porridge.
“The porridge is still hot, let it cool a little before eating,” she reminded, watching Yu Li wolf down the food with concern.
Li Niang had been unconscious for two days and hadn’t eaten anything. It was no wonder she was starving.
Worried that she might not have enough to eat, Zhou Shi went back to the kitchen to cook more noodles, preparing a large bowl of braised meat noodles.
The large piece of meat Tu Laoda had brought earlier was directly braised, and Zhou Shi had planned to make braised meat noodles for Yu Li when she woke up.
The noodles were boiled and then topped with large chunks of braised meat, served with the braising broth. It was so delicious.
Yu Li finished eating more than a dozen meat buns, a whole pot of pork bone porridge, and a large bowl of braised meat noodles…
When she finished eating, she still wasn’t full.
Zhou Shi went back to the kitchen and brought out a large bowl of noodles, pouring the remaining braised meat and meat broth over it.
Fu Wenxiao furrowed his brow slightly as he watched. For a normal person, eating this much would surely cause their stomach to burst.
He glanced at her belly; it was still flat, and he couldn’t understand where all that food had gone.
Despite this, neither of them said anything.
Zhou Shi occasionally felt that Yu Li was eating too much and worried that it might harm her body. It wouldn’t be good if she overstuffed herself and caused damage. But as long as Yu Li wanted to eat, she wouldn’t stop her.
After drinking the last sip of broth, Yu Li finally set the bowl down.
“Li Niang, do you still want to eat?” Zhou Shi asked. “If you want something else, I can make it for you.”
Yu Li shook her head. “Mother, you’ve worked hard. I won’t eat anymore.”
“What’s so hard about it?” Zhou Shi smiled, clearly happy. “As long as you’re fine, that’s all that matters.” Then, she added, “Oh, by the way, Zhu Niang woke up in the evening. You don’t need to worry.”
Yu Li nodded after hearing this and said, “She must’ve woken up around the same time.”
Zhou Shi looked confused.
Fu Wenxiao, who had been sitting nearby, stared at Yu Li, his gaze darkening.
It was still over an hour before dawn. Yu Li urged Zhou Shi to go back to her room and rest so she wouldn’t wear herself out.
Zhou Shi, indeed very tired, confirmed that Yu Li was fine and then went back to her room, reminding them both to rest well.
Yu Li went to wash up, changed into a fresh set of clothes, and returned to her room.
When she entered, she saw Fu Wenxiao sitting on the bed, eyes closed, resting but not lying down.
Fu Wenxiao opened his eyes and watched her walk over.
“Why aren’t you sleeping yet?” Yu Li asked casually. “Aren’t you tired?”
She felt a bit embarrassed, realizing she had woken him up in the middle of the night.
Fu Wenxiao silently looked at her and asked, “Li Niang, do you feel any discomfort in your body?”
“No,” Yu Li quickly replied. “I feel fine now.”
Fu Wenxiao looked carefully at her face. She really did seem quite energetic. Her eyes sparkled with vitality, full of life, just like when he first saw her, making him want to chase after her.
Yu Li really did feel great. After eating and drinking her fill, she felt completely light and refreshed, so much so that she could run around the mountain for three days and nights without tiring—although, of course, she would get hungry.
After confirming that her body seemed fine, Fu Wenxiao lay down to sleep.
He didn’t ask any more questions and chose not to probe further.
Soon, Fu Wenxiao’s breathing grew light, and he was deep in sleep.
His body was very weak, and he needed more rest than the average person. Being woken up in the middle of the night, he had already reached his limit.
Yu Li lay quietly, feeling the changes in her body.
She didn’t expect to awaken a life-based supernatural ability.
Life abilities were the most vital kind of supernatural power. Humans are life, animals are life, plants are life—this is a world made up of life, showing just how precious life is.
In her past life, the ability she awakened was strength.
As a new human raised in a training camp from a young age, facing the dangerous pollutants and alien species outside the city, they desperately craved strength to survive.
Thus, when genetic warriors awakened their abilities, they usually awakened the power they most desired.
Yu Li longed for strength, so that was the ability she awakened.
However, this time, she longed for the power to awaken Yu Zhu.
So, she awakened a life-based supernatural ability.
Life abilities had healing effects. They could bring dead wood back to life, revive the dead, and restore vitality to a world that had lost it.
Of course, Yu Li couldn’t do any of these things for now.
Her awakened ability was too weak, like a stream on the verge of drying up, just a thin trickle.
Otherwise, she wouldn’t have worn herself out to the point of unconsciousness, sleeping for two days before waking up, all in an attempt to save Yu Zhu.