Chapter 111: New Year's Eve - Rebirth of the Noble Daughter

 Chapter 111: New Year's Eve

"Yunhe, if you're in pain, tell your aunt. Don't hold it in, understand?"

It's not a good thing for a child to mature too early. At an age when he should be acting spoiled, he was already keeping his emotions bottled up, which wasn't beneficial for his recovery.

But Feng Yunhe actively tried to comfort her instead. "Don't worry, Aunt. This medicine feels cool and soothing; I don't feel any pain or itchiness at all."

She believed him since it was Doctor Zhang’s treatment, and naturally, his skills were superior to those of an ordinary doctor.

Yin Canwen brought over a fresh batch of medicinal powder and some gauze.

Standing nearby, Doctor Zhang said, "After changing the medicine today, you can change it every other day. In about seven or eight days, the poison should be completely expelled. Then the Feng family won't need to be in quarantine anymore. This illness will be eradicated with the young master."

Hearing Doctor Zhang’s words, everyone was overjoyed.

Even though they couldn't gather as a whole family for New Year's Eve, as long as there was hope, they didn't fear missing this year's feast.

Thus, Yin Canwen and Feng Jinyao gently removed the gauze wrapped around Feng Yunhe. The black medicinal powder fell off easily when touched with a wooden stick, revealing the skin underneath, which was covered in reddish, dark patches and dense blisters, making it a frightening sight.

It was the first time Feng Yunhe saw the pustules on his own body. Though they had healed and no longer oozed pus, the appearance was still terrifying.

He bit his lip hard and refused to make a sound, then closed his eyes, adopting an 'out of sight, out of mind' approach. However, the three quickly noticed his discomfort.

Feng Jinyao comforted him, "Don't worry, these scars look scary now, but once you’re fully healed, they'll just be faint white spots. Look at Mr. Yin's arm; if you don't pay attention, you can't even see the scars."

Yin Canwen deliberately rolled up his sleeve to show him. But anyone could tell that Yin Canwen's scars were shallow because his bout with smallpox wasn't as severe as Feng Yunhe's. These scars, even on a boy, would be hard to remove completely.

"Aunt, there's no need to comfort me. A man should be able to handle a few scars. It's nothing."

Seeing his strong demeanor made Feng Jinyao feel even more distressed.

He was only six years old and already had to endure so much. Although his life had been saved, the state he was in now was truly pitiful.

Doctor Zhang raised an eyebrow at Feng Yunhe. His stubbornness reminded him of someone from many years ago. That brat had scars all over from knives and swords and was quite proud of them.

Unfortunately, when he met Doctor Zhang, he wasn’t allowed to keep those scars as mementos.

"Do you two really think the old man can't handle some scars? These minor scars are nothing for me. Once he’s healed, continue using this medicine. In less than half a month, I guarantee he’ll have skin as smooth as a newborn."

He tossed a green porcelain bottle over. Upon opening it, a cold, refreshing scent wafted out. Though not knowing what it was, Feng Jinyao understood it must be something precious.

Feng Yunhe’s eyes lit up at his words. Remembering his earlier bravado, he felt a bit embarrassed.

Doctor Zhang, who had no children of his own, loved to tease kids. Seeing Feng Yunhe like this, he felt young at heart.

On New Year’s Eve, the night sky was illuminated by brilliant fireworks.

Listening to the lively sounds outside, Feng Jinyao's eyes suddenly reddened.

In her previous life, this New Year's Eve had been far from happy. Many in the family were either sick or dead. They had a simple meal and dispersed, with none of the current festive atmosphere.

Although she couldn’t see it, she knew that the servants and maids must be busy preparing food, each with a smile on their face.

The house was brightly lit, and the Feng family had overcome a significant crisis. Although still cautious, they could finally sit together for a New Year's meal.

Madam Bai instructed the kitchen to prepare ten dishes with limited ingredients, all named with auspicious meanings.

Feng Jinlin knew that without Feng Jinyao and Feng Yunhe present, everyone lacked appetite. He volunteered to entertain Feng Yunli, and the two mischievous boys soon had everyone laughing.

Feng Jinxu placed food into Madam Wen’s bowl, saying, "You’re expecting, so you must eat more for the baby. Don’t worry, Doctor Zhang said we’ll see Yunhe in seven days. If you're too thin by then, won’t he be upset?"

Madam Wen nodded, holding back her tears and slowly chewed her food.

Madam Feng worried about her daughter-in-law and son, scolding, "You’re telling her to eat, but look at yourself. You’re skin and bones. I heard you’ve been locking yourself in the study and not eating."

Feng Jinxu remained silent because it was true.

Feng Hai understood his son’s distress. As a father, he couldn’t share his son’s suffering, but he also couldn’t cry like the women. It was natural not to have an appetite.

"Alright, it's over now. You two must stay strong. Who else will take care of Yunhe? Me and your mother? Or Xiao Er, or Ah Yao?"

As the head of the family, Feng Hai’s words left no room for argument.

Having eaten little in the past few days, the meat now made Feng Jinxu feel nauseous, but he forced himself to eat.

The New Year's meal was a somber one.

They should have been joyously staying up late together, but without the spirit, Feng Hai and his wife decided to call it a night.

Meanwhile, Feng Jinlin secretly brought a roast chicken and wine to Feng Yunhe’s courtyard. The aroma made Feng Yunhe, lying in bed, salivate, but he couldn’t sit up. He could only watch Doctor Zhang and Yin Canwen feast.

Feng Jinyao was amused by his expression. After all, he was just a child.

In the Prince Ding's mansion, it was also quiet.

Since Xiao Tingyi fell ill, there had been no joy. Even with the emperor's New Year's gifts, the atmosphere remained cold.

The servants had a few quiet gatherings, but the strict rules prevented any loud celebrations.

As the moon rose, in an ordinary house on Pear Blossom Alley, the kitchen was bustling.

An old woman was preparing a New Year’s feast for an unexpected guest.

A plate of sweet and sour carp symbolized abundance year after year.

A bowl of golden jade soup looked enticing.

Roasted venison and several light vegetable dishes completed the meal, which was modest compared to the palace feasts.