Rebirth of Wu Tong

Chapter 8

After uttering those words, Wu Tong hurriedly entered her bedroom, unaware of the impact her simple statement had on Wan Qing, who had been lonely and received little care since childhood. Wan Qing, an orphan whose parents had passed away early, had only received pity or fear from villagers when he couldn't support himself. The villagers, superstitious and believing that Wan Qing's misfortune caused the death of his parents, offered charity. However, he had never received a gift from someone's genuine care. Despite Wu Tong's affection and gratitude towards him, she also concealed her pity and compassion. Having lived two lifetimes, Wu Tong understood the severe damage that pity and sympathy could inflict on an orphan. She didn't want to add salt to the wounds of this poor child!

Wan Qing tightly clutched the teacup, waiting anxiously, his heart uneasy yet filled with a stolen joy. He couldn't understand why he cared so much about a girl he had only met a few times. However, he genuinely enjoyed the feeling of being cared for and valued. Perhaps it was because he had been lonely for too long? Living alone was challenging, with no one to share joys or alleviate sorrows. It was a torment to face everything alone.

"Come, A Qing, try this on. This is the teacher's coat from two years ago. Don't mind its appearance; it's actually quite warm. Your clothes also need washing, right? Boys are not meticulous. Come, change into this. Leave your dirty clothes here; I'll wash them for you and return them when they're clean..." Wu Tong, seemingly oblivious to Wan Qing's discomfort and hesitation, chattered away, efficiently removing his clothes. Although she was aware that they were close in age, the significant height difference made her treat him more like a younger relative than a peer. She showered him with affection and care.

Throughout the process, Wan Qing remained silent, allowing Wu Tong to remove his worn-out cotton jacket and replace it with a thick, half-new gray coat. Seeing Wan Qing seemingly insensitive to receiving gifts, Wu Tong went inside to fetch a pair of cotton shoes that could be worn by both genders. These shoes, a gift from Uncle Qin, were slightly large for Wu Tong, who used them as indoor slippers. However, they should fit Wan Qing well, despite his slender and short stature.

"No need, you, you can wear them yourself..." Wan Qing shrank back, speaking nervously.

"My feet are small, and they won't fit me properly. Besides, it's a waste to leave them unused. Be obedient, it's better for you to wear them yourself. Do you want to put them on, or should I help you?" Wu Tong, realizing that she couldn't easily intimidate the tough boy, resorted to shamelessly threatening him. Unbeknownst to her, her cute and angry appearance, hands on her hips with widened eyes, didn't intimidate him at all. On the contrary, it looked adorable...

Despite her seemingly threatening demeanor, this sweet and charming appearance easily subdued the notorious tough guy. In the end, the once rebellious wolf cub obediently followed orders.

When Chu Qing returned to the living room after preparing dinner, she saw her silly sister examining the transformed Wan Qing with satisfaction. Chu Qing couldn't help but shake her head in amusement. "This outfit looks really good. A Qing, don't be too polite with Teacher Wu. Those clothes were just lying around, and she'll be thankful if you wear them. Look at Teacher Chu; this outfit is also one of Teacher Wu's 'hand-me-downs'..."

"Yeah, yeah, it's just lying around doing nothing. I'm happy when you wear them. I only give things to people I like. I wouldn't be willing to give them to others. Hehe..." Wu Tong chuckled naively.

Though Wan Qing was usually taciturn, under the deliberate guidance of Wu Tong and Chu Qing, he gradually became more cheerful. Although he maintained a cold and indifferent demeanor towards others, these small achievements brought joy to the two girls. Perhaps it was due to a good mood, the timing, or improved nutrition, but in the past half year, Wan Qing's height had shot up rapidly, almost catching up with Wu Tong. This growth spurt surprised Wu Tong, who complained that it was unfair. She couldn't understand why, despite similar diets, Wan Qing seemed to grow exceptionally fast. This teasing banter between the two friends continued, with Chu Qing finding it amusing.

Deciding to visit her hometown during the summer vacation, Wu Tong wrote a letter to her "parents" in the capital, informing them of her plans to go to Shanghai with her roommate. The response, as expected, was dismissive with just three simple words, leaving Wu Tong in a daze. In her past life, she wondered why she was so foolish. The family's cold attitude was apparent, and even Chu Qing, who had only met them once, sensed it. Perhaps she always knew but pretended not to? Years of self-deception left her unsure of what was true and false.

In early July, Wu Tong and Chu Qing obtained the leave to return to their hometown. Instead of taking the same train, they didn't travel together. Wu Tong bid farewell to Wan Qing at the train station, waving goodbye as she boarded the train heading to her hometown.

The train was not comfortable, with vibrations, loud noises, and hard seats. However, Wu Tong didn't find it particularly uncomfortable. After six months of planned exercises, her body had become much healthier than before. The mysterious seeds in the jar, carefully nurtured by her, had grown vigorously over the past half-year. Although they hadn't blossomed and fruited yet, they were showing promising signs. While not an expert in plants, Wu Tong loved tending to flowers and plants. In her previous life, she never had the time or experience, but now she enjoyed growing common vegetables and fruits in her space, like cucumbers, tomatoes, cabbage, spinach, peppers, beans, apples, plums, cherries, pears, and more. Following the principle of not letting the space go to waste, she also transplanted various unnamed flowers, plants, and cute little animals from the mountain. Though the space was still vast, it was much livelier than before, filled with bird songs and floral scents – truly a secret garden for Wu Tong.

Immersed in her own world, Wu Tong found the once dull and tedious journey surprisingly enjoyable. Before she knew it, the train attendants were already reminding passengers to prepare for disembarkation. With only a small cloth bag (important items stored in her space), she easily maneuvered through the crowded platform and quickly found the bus to her hometown, ready to embark on the next leg of her journey.