Ruyi? Lady Ling called, surprised. "You…you can walk?" she asked in awe.
Xu Huai took a step closer, tears in his eyes, and laughed out loud. "Thank the heavens, my daughter is healed."
"Miss Ruyi, are you really alright? you no longer feel any pain?" Xiao Lan asked, shock evident in her voice.
"Thank goodness!" Lady Ling moved closer to Ruyi and held her hand affectionately. "I don't know what would happen to me if we had lost you," she added, her eyes no longer teary but wet.
Ruyi took a step back. "How can this be? These people think I'm their daughter. I am…I was Li Mei. I died. I really died. How am I alive? How am I in their daughter's body? I don't get it." Ruyi's mind raced with a million thoughts.
Her thoughts were interrupted by Lady Ling's concerned voice. "Ruyi, what's wrong?"
Ruyi hesitated, her gaze darting between the three faces before her. "I can't let them know I'm not their daughter. I have to play along for now." She forced a weak smile and responded, "Mother…I'm fine."
Lady Ling immediately pulled her into a tight embrace, tears streaming down her face. "Thank goodness you're okay. I couldn't be more happier," she said softly and sniffed.
Xu Huai watched them, a smile tugging at his lips as he nodded his head. "Mother, you're hugging me too tight, I can't breathe," Ruyi said with a teasing voice. Lady Ling immediately released her. "Sorry, sorry, are you alright?" Lady Ling asked.
"I'm fine," Ruyi replied.
Xu Huai turned to Xiao Lan. "Call for the physician," he ordered firmly.
"Yes, Master," Xiao Lan said and bowed as she turned to leave.
"Wait…" Ruyi's voice stopped her. "There's no need, I'm alright," Ruyi announced.
"No, you only just recovered. We need the physician to come check on you," Lady Ling argued.
Ruyi turned to face Xu Huai and Lady Ling.
"I'm really alright, see," she said, twirling like a princess showing off her ball gown.
Xu Huai's lips curved into a faint smile, but worry lingered in his eyes. "I know, but my mind can only be at rest if the physician checks you out," He insisted.
"Exactly," Lady Ling backed her husband.
"Alright," Ruyi nodded reluctantly.
Xiao Lan bowed and left the room, hurrying to carry out the order.
Moments later, Xiao Lan returned with the Physician. As soon as the Physician sighted Ruyi eating calmly at the table, he froze, his bag slipping from his shoulder. "How's this possible?" he uttered in surprise.
Lady Ling and Xu Huai shared glances before turning towards him. "What's the matter?" they asked.
She's awake? She's perfectly fine? the Physician asked in awe, his voice trembling as he approached Ruyi with caution. "Miss Ruyi? Are you sure you're fine?" he asked hesitantly.
Ruyi stopped eating and looked up at him.
"Yes, I'm fine," she replied and resumed eating.
He gently took Ruyi's wrist and read her pulse to confirm. As his hands pressed against her wrist, his eyes shot up in surprise and he staggered back.
"What is it?" Lady Ling asked in concern.
"What's wrong with her"
"This… this is a miracle," the physician stammered. "Her pulse—it's strong and steady. As if she never had any illness to begin with. Minister Xu, your daughter is hale and hearty. Don't worry," he assured them.
Xu Huai's voice was filled with relief but still tinted with a bit of skepticism as he asked, "Are you certain?"
"Yes," the physician bowed slightly. "She's doing well. In all my years as a physician, I've never seen anything like this. It's as if she's been blessed by the heavens themselves."
"My Ruyi is blessed; she's finally healed. I'm so grateful," Lady Ling said with tears in her eyes.
"Yes," the physician agreed. "Just make sure she continues her medicine, and if there's any sign of discomfort, please send for me," the physician said and walked out, giving the family their time.
As soon as the physician left, Ruyi stood up with agility. "See?" she said, turning to her parents. "I told you I was fine."
Lady Ling and Xu Huai exchanged a brief look; it was obvious they were still worried about Ruyi. For years, Ruyi's health had been a major concern. She had been weak from birth, never really had a chance at a normal life, always confined within the walls of her home. It was hard accepting that their daughter's health would always limit her at life despite their best efforts.
However, here she was standing vibrantly in their presence; their joy truly knows no bound.
Xu Huai went out of the room to see the physician out leaving Ruyi with Lady Ling.
Lady Ling took a seat beside Ruyi and took her hands. "My Child," she called softly, "you've been through so much. All of this is my fault; if there's anyone to blame, it should be me."
"No," Ruyi disagreed, squeezing Lady Ling's hand, "it was your fault at all, Mother."
Lady Ling shook her head. "You don't understand. I wasn't careful enough when I was pregnant with you. I took too many junk foods, and I assumed they wouldn't hurt you. It's my fault. I'm really sorry."
"Mother, please don't say that," Ruyi urged. "You're the most amazing mother I could ever hope for. Look at me, ain't I fine? Huh? It's because I owe it to the love and affection you showered me through it all."
Lady Ling's tears soaked Ruyi's robes as she pulled her into a tight embrace. "Thank you for coming back to me," she whispered.
No one could have predicted the changes in Ruyi's life in the weeks that followed her miraculous recovery. Her parents considered it a blessing to witness their once frail and weak child now agile and full of life. Lady Ling would often watch Ruyi everyday, smiling brightly with tears in her eyes. But no one understood the infinite happiness behind her tears.
Even Her father Xu Huai was not left out; he would always make time out of his busy schedule just to sit with Ruyi during lessons or just to watch her giggle. Lady Ling would prepare Ruyi's favorite dishes and would always fuss over every meal, making sure that Ruyi always cleared her plate, leaving nothing left out. Li Mei had never experienced this kind of love before.
Her days were filled with lessons from different experienced tutors, but those sessions rarely went as planned.
"Miss Ruyi, please focus!" Her tutor roared in frustration one day, tapping his ruler against the table to get her attention.
Ruyi stuck out her tongue like a baby and grinned. "What's the point of learning all these when I already know them?" she said with a carefree shrug.
"Nonsense!" Her teacher snapped. "How is it possible that you know them when you've always been frail?" He asked.
"And so?" Ruyi barked back softly. To prove her point, she closed the textbook and casually recited the entire text offhand, flawlessly.
Her tutor froze with his mouth agape and his eyes wide opened, but quickly regained himself . "Impossible! How's it possible? These are lessons you've never taken or seen before," he stated. "Miss Ruyi, given your condition…" he paused as he attempted to make sense of her knowledge and her weak condition.
Ruyi tilted her head to the side innocently.
"Perhaps I'm just naturally gifted," she muttered in a light and playful tone.
"Gifted indeed," her tutor muttered under his breath, then sighed. "Being gifted is a blessing, Miss Ruyi; however, gift without discipline will not amount to much. Kindly focus on your studies," he advised.
She rolled her eyes before answering, Alright, alright, got it," though her sly smile told an entirely different story.
Her knowledge, carried over from her past life, left all her tutors astonished and in disbelief. Yet, her refusal to take her lessons seriously had caused her tutors to complain endlessly to her father, Xu Huai. One evening, her father listened patiently as the mathematics tutor detailed her antics, from sneaking snacks into the lesson room to throwing things around while the lesson was on to dozing off in class.
"Minister Xu," the tutor called softly, "She's brilliant, but her behavior is entirely unmanageable!"