Chapter 6

Chapter 6

That day, he ate a great deal at every meal. After eating, he would rest for a little while, then follow the guard instructor the steward had found and learn hand-to-hand combat.

The guard understood what I wanted, so he skipped the basics and taught only practical fighting techniques.

By dusk, Xie Lanting went out for a walk and came back with his little face fallen.

He had heard people outside speaking ill of me.

He chased after them, wanting to argue, but they ran off, sticking their tongues out and mocking him as they fled.

Xie Lanting was very dejected.

“It doesn’t matter if they curse me. I don’t like them cursing you.”

Aww-

He really was such a good child. My favoritism toward him had not been wasted.

I gave Xie Lanting a stack of papers with patterns drawn on them and told him to give them to the people in the village.

Those who had shown him kindness would receive three.

Those who had been friendly to him would receive two.

Those who had never bullied him would receive one.

As for everyone else, he could decide for himself. If he wanted to give one, he could. If he didn’t, he didn’t have to.

Most importantly, those who had bullied him were absolutely not to receive any.

Anyone holding one of these papers could go see a doctor, and all the expenses would be covered by the Marquis’s Mansion.

Xie Lanting looked up, biting his lip.

“That will cost a lot of money…”

The villagers were poor. What little money they had would only be saved for the most critical moments.

As for seeing a doctor, unless they had no other choice, they would not dare step through the doors of a clinic.

I smiled and stroked his head.

“It’s all right. Go on. Anything done for you is worth it.”

Xie Lanting stared at me blankly. His eyes reddened. After a long while, he lowered his head, blushing as he called out softly in embarrassment:

“Mother…”

After saying it, he looked up at me again, waiting for my reaction.

My heart melted into a puddle. I pulled him into my arms and gently patted his back.

“My son is so good.”

By the next day, the Xie Family’s doorstep was crowded with visitors.

Doctor Wang, who had come with us, was a very kind old man. He was also more than willing to treat the villagers. Whenever someone came with a paper slip, he would take their pulse, prescribe medicine, and not charge a single coin.

Some people were greedy and tried to take advantage of the situation, but he kept to the rules and made them pay for their treatment.

After this happened a few times, those who wanted to freeload stormed off in a huff.

The ones who remained were all people who had helped Xie Lanting or had never bullied him.

In my previous life, when I watched dramas, what I loved most was seeing good people rewarded. What I hated most was when good people fell into desperate straits, and the repayment only came far too late. That sort of happiness always carried a trace of sorrow, the kind that made your heart twist uncomfortably.

So, when I had the ability, I wanted good people to receive their blessings as soon as possible, not only after waiting for a long, long time…

For a while, many people praised me for being both beautiful and kindhearted, while the few who had gossiped about me behind my back revealed looks of regret.

They were not truly repentant. They only regretted missing out on the benefits.

On this side, Doctor Wang was treating patients. On the other side, Xie Lanting was fighting with Tiedan as usual.

Only this time, Tiedan did not come out ahead.

He had swollen Xie Lanting’s forehead, but Xie Lanting had split the corner of his mouth.

Xie Er’s Wife cursed and swore, looking at Xie Lanting as if she wanted to kill him. When she saw me staring at her, she gave a dry laugh, then promptly kicked Er Ya.

The kick-the-cat effect-people only vent their dissatisfaction on those weaker than them or lower in status.

In the old Xie Family, Xie Lanting had been the lowest in rank. Now, it was Er Ya.

That night, I reviewed the day’s events with Xie Lanting.

Xie Lanting said, “Several people who used to bully me came to cozy up to me today. They wanted me to give them a paper slip too.”

“Did you give them one?”

“No.”

“Then what were you thinking in your heart?” I was rather curious about his true feelings.

Xie Lanting lowered his eyes. “I just didn’t want to give them any. If I had, I would have felt really wronged. I don’t know why either. Mother, you won’t think I’m bad, will you?”

If he had given them any, then he would have been letting down the self who had suffered in the past.

I looked at him and said seriously, “If you had given them any, then I would be angry! Good people have to take action and show kindness before they might receive something in return. But if bad people can get things just by moving their mouths, that isn’t fair. If that happens, then in the future, there won’t be any good people around you, because good people would be wronged by you. The only people around you would be bad people with mouths full of sweet words. When they see you doing well, they’ll fawn over you. When they see you fall, they’ll kick you while you’re down. What you did today was very right. You stayed true to yourself. I’m very happy.”

The corners of Xie Lanting’s lips lifted proudly. Carefully, he pressed his cheek against my hand.

“Mother, everyone praised you today. I was so happy.”

I stroked his head.

It seemed as if another tiny thorn had been pulled from his heart.

It seemed as if I really was changing his ending, little by little.