The first thing He Da did when he got home was to take a bath with pomelo leaves, a village custom believed to ward off evil spirits. While he was bathing, Zhilan was busy in the kitchen with her aunt. It was the first grand family reunion for the He family after many years. Therefore, He Zhongguo had prepared a multitude of dishes to celebrate the occasion.
In the kitchen, He Hongmei glanced at He Zhilan, her words stuck in her throat. Liang Tao had already told her about the situation, so He Zhilan’s matters had been troubling her these past few days. However, upon seeing Zhilan smiling cheerfully as she prepared dinner, she refrained from questioning her further.
No matter what, He Zhilan’s heart belonged to the He family. That was more important than anything else.
They had originally thought they were raising an ungrateful child, but in the end, it was Zhilan who brought He Da back to the He family. He Hongmei thought that based on this act alone, even if Zhilan were to leave the He family in the future, no one could blame her. This debt of gratitude had been repaid.
The dinner was the richest they’ve had in years. He Zhongguo had prepared every single dish that He Da loved, urging him to eat more and more.
At the dinner table, Liang Jing was drawn in by everyone’s faces. Although she found He Da somewhat unfamiliar now, she still remembered her kind elder cousin. Hence, she too was delighted at his return.
However, since she knew He Teng better, she found herself looking at him more often. She giggled behind her hand every time she saw He Teng sneak glances at Zhilan.
"Big cousin, why do you keep staring at my sister-in-law?" Liang Jing teased. "She is sitting right next to you and is not going anywhere. Why are you so nervous?"
He Teng was taken aback and shot a look at Liang Jing. He then stopped looking at Zhilan.
His only concern was about Zhilan’s injuries. He was worried that she was pretending to be fine to keep the family from worrying.
With Liang Jing’s jest, everyone’s attention was drawn to Zhilan and He Teng. He Hongmei laughed without saying a word. However, He Da and He Dongxue couldn’t help but feel a bit awkward because they knew about Zhilan and He Teng’s divorce.
After dinner, Liang Tao returned to town with his wife and daughter. He Zhongguo followed He Da to his room, intending to share some father-son time and have a long talk.
While He Zhongguo was tidying up the room, He Da called out to He Teng, who was standing in the yard seemingly lost in thought. He said, "Big brother, thank you for handling the family affairs all these years!"
He Teng shook his head without saying anything, then brought over a chair for He Da. "Tell me everything you have been through over the years, and also tell me how Zhilan found you."
He Da nodded and shared everything, from his deception that led him to C Province, the severe leg injuries that reduced him to a pitiful beggar, to Zhilan’s death-defying devotion to him.
After finishing up his story, He Da added, "Zhilan has changed so much. You wouldn’t believe what it was like then. Everyone avoided her pleas for help. Not a single person dared to come forward. But she told me, ’Either we go home today, or we die here together.’ If it wasn’t for her determination and bravery, I might have given up on myself. Brother, she’s got a severe wound on her back in addition to her arm. She can’t reach it herself, so could you apply the medicine for her before bed?"