Chapter 26: Three Hearts Confided

"Yueya, does this pill not need water? Should I just eat it directly?" he asked uncertainly, seeking confirmation.

"Ah," Jiaoyue quickly responded.

Who takes a medicinal pill with water? Jiaoyue imagined cultivators drinking water while taking pills and found the mental image unbearable.

Lin Yuntang and Meng Wenxuan exchanged a look. Then, she opened her mouth and placed the pill inside, thinking that since her daughter forbade water, she would just have to chew it and swallow it. This pill had been conjured out of thin air by her daughter; it was surely no ordinary medicine. As her husband said, this was a filial offering from their child. What child could provide such a gift just one day after birth? Only she and Wenxuan possessed such good fortune.

But the moment the pill touched her tongue, Lin Yuntang froze.

Seeing her expression, Meng Wenxuan asked urgently, "Tangtang, what is it?"

Lin Yuntang said in disbelief, "Is this pill truly so magical? It melted the moment it hit my tongue. I didn't even have to swallow; it just slid down. There is a faint, sweet taste—it's delicious." As she spoke, she smacked her lips, looking as though she hadn't had enough.

Meng Wenxuan was stunned. He recalled the divine pills mentioned in the curious records of miscellaneous studies. Could his daughter truly be a reincarnated goddess? Looking into his daughter's eyes—clearer and purer than the water in the pool behind Lanzhi Mountain—Meng Wenxuan smiled. Regardless of who she was, since she had come to them, she was their daughter. He would spend his entire life protecting her with everything he had.

Seeing his wife's lingering desire, he smiled helplessly and said with doting affection, "This is medicine, not a candy drop. Why are you so cute, Tangtang? Just as cute as Yueya."

Lin Yuntang pouted in dissatisfaction and shot him a playful glare. "You’re the one who’s cute; you’re the one who’s like a candy drop."

No sooner had she finished speaking than their daughter suddenly giggled, waving her tiny hands and responding with happy, babbling sounds.

The couple froze and looked at each other, their eyes swirling with profound affection. Meng Wenxuan pulled his wife into his arms and said softly, "Yueya likes listening to us talk."

Lin Yuntang leaned into his embrace, her eyes softening. "Then we shall talk to her more often from now on, so she knows she is loved."

Jiaoyue’s eyes sparkled, and she beamed. "Mom and Dad have such a wonderful relationship, and they love me so much. Being reborn is worth it."

Meng Wenxuan picked up his daughter gently. "Yueya was born extraordinary; we must protect her well."

Lin Yuntang rested her head on his shoulder, her gaze firm. "Yes, regardless of who she is or where she came from, in this lifetime, we are her parents, and we must keep her safe."

If Jiaoyue had previously only been satisfied with this family and her parents, who did not favor sons over daughters and shared a loving bond, their words today truly touched her soul. They were kind to her not just because she was their child; they accepted her uniqueness and the fact that she arrived carrying the emotions of a past life, yet they loved her all the same.

A mist rose in her large eyes, and crystalline tears slid silently down her cheeks.

Lin Yuntang and Meng Wenxuan asked anxiously, "Yueya, what’s wrong? Are you hungry?"

Jiaoyue gave a choked "oh" to indicate she wasn't hungry, then reached out with her tiny hands to touch her parents' faces. Meng Wenxuan understood her intent and lowered his head, allowing her small hands to brush against him. Lin Yuntang also leaned in, letting their daughter touch her as well.

Jiaoyue wept silently, stroking their faces. The fear and loneliness of her wandering past life, the heart that had nowhere to rest—at this moment, it had finally found a home. She truly accepted them as her parents now. In this life, she had family who cared for her, family willing to give their all for her sake. She, too, would do everything in her power to protect them.

Feeling the sorrow radiating from their daughter, the couple’s hearts ached intensely. Meng Wenxuan held her closer to provide a sense of security. Lin Yuntang gently patted her. "Yueya, if you remember past misfortunes, forget them all starting now. Your parents will do everything to ensure your life is smooth, worry-free, healthy, and happy."

"Ah." A bright smile bloomed on the tear-streaked face.

Only then did the couple’s hearts relax. They looked at their daughter with love, and seeing she wasn't sleepy, they spoke to her in soft voices. They told her how they had met, come to know each other, fallen in love, and eventually married.

Jiaoyue learned that her parents' union wasn't a family arrangement or a marriage contract, but a bond formed when her father was traveling for his studies. They had met through a "clash," which blossomed into love. Their marriage had been easy; both came from similar backgrounds, and as the youngest child in each of their families, they were both cherished.

No wonder her parents' foreheads glowed with such brightness; their luck was indeed extraordinary. Now, it seemed her own fortune was the best of all—to have such lucky parents as her own. Jiaoyue felt wonderful, had a midnight snack under her parents' feeding, and drifted off to sleep.

Only after their daughter was fed and asleep did Lin Yuntang notice, in hindsight, that her body felt no fatigue at all. It felt as if she had never gone through childbirth. No, that wasn't right—even before giving birth, her body hadn't been without ailments. No one knew that the pampered youngest daughter of the Lin family was highly skilled in martial arts; she had inevitably sustained injuries during her childhood training. How could her body be perfectly fine now? Yet, she felt that her physical state was better than it had ever been.

Meng Wenxuan put their daughter down and noticed his wife lost in thought. "Tangtang, what is it?" He assumed she was still worried about their daughter, so he added, "Yueya is a clear-minded child. Slowly, she will forget the past and grow up happily under our protection."

Lin Yuntang gripped his hand, her voice trembling with excitement. "Wenxuan, the pill Yueya gave me might truly be a divine medicine."

Meng Wenxuan quickly covered his wife’s mouth, checked their surroundings, and then let go. Lin Yuntang realized she had been too excited and lowered her voice. "My body feels better than it ever has. Even the hidden injuries from my martial arts training are gone."

Meng Wenxuan was stunned. Was the pill that powerful? It had worked immediately, and with such efficacy? Was it really a divine medicine?

"Anything Yueya gives us must be a treasure. We should keep this to ourselves and tell no one. During the day, you must continue to act tired and weak, understand?" Meng Wenxuan instructed.

The fact that their daughter could produce such pills meant she trusted them, and she was likely trying to ease the pain her mother suffered during labor. They would accept her filial heart, but they must not bring any further trouble or danger upon her.

Lin Yuntang nodded. "I understand."

Meng Wenxuan did not return to his own cot. Since his wife was recovered, he wanted to sleep while holding his wife and daughter. The couple nestled together and fell asleep.

Jiaoyue slept exceptionally well, dreaming that she was traveling across the continent with her parents, feeling incredibly happy. When she woke up the next morning and saw the bright red clothing, she realized with a start that today was her third day of life. The "Third-Day Bathing" ceremony was today, and she had a task to complete.