Chapter 25: Human Sorrows Are Not Connected
Translator: Atlas Studios Editor: Atlas Studios
Human grief is not interlinked—Lu Xun.
While Shi Wangyue was being treated in the hospital, Zhao Fei'er was holding a kindergarten graduation ceremony for Shi Tongyang with great fanfare.
When Ning Youguang heard this news, she could not help but feel ironic. She thought that some people really could not blame others for their bad karma.
In the past six months, Xia Rong and Ren Heng's best medical team had been treating Shi Wangyue.
His leg was recovering much better than the doctor had predicted, but it wasn't enough. It wasn't nearly as good as Youguang had wanted.
After half a year of training and intensive acupuncture practice, Youguang's acupuncture skills had already returned to the level she attained in her previous life.
On a sun-drenched winter morning.
The two six-year-olds had carried out their rehabilitation program together. They were keeping it from all the adults.
The morning sun poured through the windows like water into the stark whitewashed ward. The door to the room was shut tight.
The little boy was lying in a hospital bed. There were golden needles in his knees, ankles, calves, and insteps.
After placing the needles on the child, Yuguang saw that the child was gritting his teeth tightly. His face had turned purplish green. Youguang gently stroked his little head.
"Don't clench your teeth. Don't be nervous. The more nervous you are, the more it hurts."
The kid stopped gritting his teeth, but he was still nervous.
"If the pain is too much to bear, you can cry out or scream or shout out. Whatever you do, just don't hold back. Holding back will hurt more."
"I'm a big kid now. I can't cry anymore," the kid said slowly, his forehead beaded with sweat.
Youguang gently wiped his forehead with a soft handkerchief.
"What do you mean, big kids can't cry? Even grown-ups can cry when they're in pain. Crying and laughing are natural instincts. It's cruel to kill those instincts."
Some people always tell their children that you're a boy and you can't cry. Crying is useless. You're an adult and you can't cry. Crying is embarrassing…
In actual fact, those who had such thoughts were really ridiculous and pitiful.
Feeling the gentle touch on his head, and a numbing pain that seemed to emanate from his bones, the child's eyes gradually turned red and tears started flowing out.
Although Shi Wangyue cried, he did not immerse himself in the pain for too long.
From an early age, he'd learned that crying wouldn't solve anything. Instead, it might lead to more scolding or beatings.
"Sister, with you handling the needles, it won't hurt."
At the age of six, Wangyue did not know how heaven-defying Ning Youguang's acupuncture skills were. She was not like some adults who did not mean what they said. Those adults would praise children for some questionable behavior, but they definitely did not believe their own words.
But now that he was in her company, he could tell her how he felt truthfully.
"How can it not hurt? I've pricked myself with every needle I've pricked you with and tested it myself. So, Little Wangyue, you can't fool me." Youguang laughed.
"Sister…" Shi Wangyue buried his head in the pillow, his thick and long eyelashes gently covering his moist eyes.
"Is she sticking needles into herself because she wants to fix my leg?"
The overwhelming guilt surged within the child and engulfed him. The forgotten pain instantly returned.
It was all his fault…
If he hadn't been hurt, she wouldn't have had to learn acupuncture and stick herself with long needles.
"Does it hurt more? Hold on a little longer, Little Wangyue. If you want to be healthy, you have to pay a price. Pain is one of them. Think about how you can run around freely in the future. Doesn't this make it hurt less?"
After a long time, Shi Wangyue asked,
"Why did I come into this world, Sister? Why does it hurt so much?"
"Why do you have to hurt so much because of me?"
The small child was wrapped in an overwhelming sense of guilt, unable to escape from it.
Ning Youguang did not know what Shi Wangyue was thinking. She only saw the little boy lying on his bed curled up in pain.
She decided to tell the kid a story.
"Before every child was born to Earth, they were angels watching from the heavens. Angels know that they are about to descend to Earth to fulfill their missions. Each of these missions is designed for the upgrading of the soul on Earth. Thus, each angel chooses his mission in Heaven before coming to Earth, and sets out his life on Earth according to his mission."
"Some of these missions are difficult. Some of them are simple. One of them is the most difficult among all the missions. All angels know that if they choose this mission, then they will have to work countless times harder and suffer countless times more on Earth than any other angel. But this mission is also very important to Earth. Someone has to do it."
"Many angels cowered in the face of this mission. They were afraid that they would not be able to complete it themselves because it was too hard and too difficult. In the end, the most powerful and loving angel No. 7 stood up bravely and decided to take on this mission because he hoped to be able to help the souls of the earth and other little companions… Wangyue, you are that brave angel No. 7."
"So, I'm fulfilling my mission now, right?"
"Yes."
"Then, Sister, which number angel are you?"
"I'm also no. 7."
"Was Sister's mission difficult too?"
"It's difficult, very difficult."
It had taken two lifetimes to get this far.
Still no satisfaction.
"Is it harder than mine?" The kid became tense.
"Well, how can I put it? It's hard, but it can't be compared to yours because we have different missions. Yours is the hardest for you. Mine is also the hardest for me."
"I see." Wangyue was silent for a moment. Then he said, "Sister, go help the person you want to help. I'll help you."
"Silly boy." Youguang burst out in laughter. "Did you know that when an angel does his duty, no one else can help him? It's the same for me. There's no way to help you, and you can't help me. We have to help ourselves."
-- Gift
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