A peasant girl travels through time with a hospital, rising to become an empress.

Nie Qianqian picked up Liu Yan and took her back to the village. Liu Yan was very excited along the way, talking to Nie Qianqian about what she had seen and thought that afternoon, and she talked much more than usual.

Nie Qianqian answered verbally, but her heart was still preoccupied with Gu Xiao.

The two returned to the old house, and as soon as they entered, they saw Tuantuan and Tiedan chasing and playing in the yard, while smoke rose from the kitchen and Huang Zhenzhu was cooking.

When Tuantuan saw Nie Qianqian and Liu Yan return, she ran over and exclaimed, “Mother, Grandmother, you’re back!”

Huang Zhenzhu came out of the kitchen, waving a spatula and said urgently, "You're finally back! Dean Qiu of Tiande Academy just brought Gu Xiao back personally. He left not long ago, saying he took Gu Xiao to Jishetang to treat his hand ailment. Gu Xiao's hand was wrapped up in layers and layers, it looked quite frightening."

Upon hearing this, Liu Yan immediately panicked. "Why are you wrapped up in so many layers? I'll go take a look."

Nie Qianqian feigned surprise and went into the house with Liu Yan.

Inside Gu Xiao's room, Liu Xiong, with his back to the door, was a burly man holding a small teacup that looked tiny in his hands. He said in a rough voice, "Don't move, your uncle will feed you!"

A rare unnatural expression appeared on Gu Xiao's face; upon closer inspection, his face was even a little red. "Thank you, but I really can do it myself."

Liu Xiong: "The dean said you can't move your hand easily. A broken bone takes a hundred days to recover. We're all family, don't be shy with your uncle. Come on, open your mouth, ah~~~"

Gu Xiao's face turned even redder; he really couldn't handle Liu Xiong's enthusiasm.

Nie Qianqian burst out laughing. She didn't mean to, but Gu Xiao's expression was just too funny.

Hearing the noise, Liu Xiong turned around and saw that Liu Yan and Nie Qianqian had returned. "Qianqian, what are you laughing at?"

Nie Qianqian's smile remained unchanged. "Of course I'm happy that my husband's hand can be healed."

Liu Xiong laughed along, scratching his head, "Hahaha, that's something to laugh about, it's great news, great news!"

The Yan family's life is getting better and better. Yan Heli is out of the picture, has picked up Lingzhi and has money in her pocket, and now Gu Xiao's hand is about to be healed.

As the older brother, he was genuinely happy for his sister's family.

Gu Xiao looked up and saw Nie Qianqian's bright and radiant smile. His heart warmed, and he smiled back.

If his hand ailment can be cured, he will no longer be a person with a hand disability. The day his hands are whole again, he will be able to embrace Qianqian.

The thought suddenly popped into Gu Xiao's head, startling him.

It turns out, deep down he had always harbored this thought...

Seeing the young couple's appearance, Huang Zhenzhu smiled and patted Liu Xiong on the back, "What are you standing there for? Their wife is back, does she need you, her clumsy uncle, to feed her water? Why don't you give the teacup to Qianqian?"

Nie Qianqian smiled and took the teacup, mimicking Liu Xiong's gesture, "Come on, open your mouth, ah~~~"

Gu Xiao's face turned completely red. Just as he was about to refuse, Nie Qianqian directly brought the teacup to his lips. He opened his mouth, and Nie Qianqian carefully tilted the teacup, letting the tea flow down Gu Xiao's lips. Nie Qianqian's hand accidentally touched his chin.

Gu Xiao's body trembled slightly, his Adam's apple bobbed, and he slowly sipped his tea.

The air seemed warmer, and an ambiguous atmosphere enveloped everything.

Liu Yan wanted to get closer to see Gu Xiao's hand, but Huang Zhenzhu stopped her, winked at Liu Yan, and pulled Liu Yan and Liu Xiong out of the house.

Liu Yan: "Sister-in-law, why did you pull me out? I wanted to go see how Gu Xiao's hand was."

Liu Xiong: "Yeah, why did you drag me out here?"

Huang Zhenzhu looked at the two men's similar, simple-minded faces, their identical goofy expressions, and their eyes gazing at the sky, and said helplessly, "You two are really two big blocks of wood!"

After finishing his water, Gu Xiao coughed a few times and began to recount the events of the afternoon, "Dean Qiu took me to Jishetang Clinic today for a consultation. A doctor there named Dr. Qian treated me, and he said..."

He said my hand could be healed.

Nie Qianqian: "Although Dr. Qian is an eccentric person, his medical skills are extraordinary. He is kind-hearted and skillful, and he never boasts. If he says you can cure him, then you definitely can."

Yes, I never brag.

“I was originally planning to take you to see Dr. Qiu in the next few days, but I didn’t expect Dr. Qiu to be even faster.”

Gu Xiao nodded, his heart filled with anticipation for the day his right hand would fully recover.

Nie Qianqian: "You should rest well. I'll bring the food in when it's ready."

Nie Qianqian blinked. "Oh, right, you still haven't told me."

Gu Xiao: "Tell you what?"

Nie Qianqian tilted her head, "What's your favorite fruit?"

During the day today, Nie Qianqian told Gu Xiao that her favorite fruit is pear, which is the beginning of their getting to know each other.

Gu Xiao was taken aback.

In the past, when he was sick with a fever, his mother would always stay by his side, peel lychees for him, and put the juicy, sweet lychees to his mouth. When he took a bite, the sweet juice of the lychee filled his mouth, and he would instantly feel less uncomfortable.

In the dead of night, he would dream of his mother, of her peeling lychees for him, of the lychees' sweet taste…

Nie Qianqian waved her fair hand in front of his eyes. "What are you thinking about? I'm asking you a question."

Gu Xiao's eyes betrayed his desolation, and his voice was low and hoarse, "Lychee."

Nie Qianqian noticed his somber expression and guessed that he was thinking about the past again.

The effects of the painkillers have mostly worn off, and Gu Xiao should be feeling the pain now. People are most sentimental and in need of companionship when they are sick.

Just like Nie Qianqian ate canned yellow peaches when she was sick, Gu Xiao must be craving lychees right now.

"Wait a moment."

A short while later, Nie Qianqian returned, carrying a large bowl filled to the brim with fresh, lovely lychees with bright red skin.

Gu Xiao was completely dumbfounded.

Nie Qianqian: "Today I went to the county and met a merchant from the provincial capital. He said he brought fruit from there called lychee. It looked fresh, so I bought some. I didn't expect it to be your favorite fruit."

Upon hearing this, Gu Xiao raised an eyebrow and listened quietly to Nie Qianqian's words. The mist in his eyes gradually dissipated, replaced by a gentle warmth.

Seeing that he was unusually quiet, Nie Qianqian asked, "What's wrong?"

Gu Xiao smiled and shook his head, his smile carrying a hint of gentleness than usual.

Does she realize how outrageous her words are?

In this era, lychees were an extremely precious fruit. They were produced in Lingnan and were one of the four major fruits of the South. They were delicious but could not be stored for long. They had to be transported by boat along the coast to the capital when they were almost ripe. Due to the long journey and the possibility of encountering bad weather, not many were transported to the capital. In the year Gu Xiao fell ill, there were only 220 lychees in the palace. If the palace bestowed a dozen or so lychees upon him, it would be a great honor.

The value of a lychee cannot be measured in silver coins; rather, it is something that cannot be bought even with silver coins.

Such rare fruits were so easily taken out by Nie Qianqian, two large bunches, dozens of them, and placed in this dark, somewhat old, broken ceramic bowl.

Nie Qianqian peeled one, white and tender, crystal clear, and put it into Gu Xiao's mouth.

Nie Qianqian: "Is it delicious?"

Gu Xiao: "Mm."

Nie Qianqian: "Since you like it, I'll buy more next time I see that vendor."

It's delicious, very delicious, even sweeter than I remember.

Outside came Liu Yan's shout that dinner was ready, the laughter of Tie Dan and Tuan Tuan, and Huang Zhenzhu's light scolding of Liu Xiong.

Inside the room, Nie Qianqian stared wide-eyed, continuing to spout nonsense with a straight face.

These days are both fun and heartwarming.