After Transmigrating into a Novel, I Turned on Easy Mode - Chapter 32

“Your father’s alright, isn’t he?” Wu You still felt yesterday’s hand strike might have been too heavy. At that moment, her body had reacted faster than her mind, and by the time she realized it, Zhao Cuo was already lying unconscious on the floor.

Now, the two of them sat together on the grassy field outside the city, with a river flowing not far ahead.

Wu You sat cross-legged on the grass, looking up at Zhao Qingzi beside her. Because she was in a wheelchair, Wu You had to tilt her head back slightly to see her face.

The past few days had been all sunshine, and under its glow, her hair shimmered with a golden luster. To Wu You, it was as though this person radiated light.

Zhao Qingzi gazed at the river. There weren’t many people around today, so it was quiet. The murmur of the flowing water was especially clear.

This tranquil stillness was what both Wu You and Zhao Qingzi loved most. In such moments, it felt like all unpleasantness could simply melt away.

Wu You watched as her “Ah-Zi” tucked a stray lock of hair behind her ear, and then answered casually, “He’s fine. Just… you knocked some memories loose. He doesn’t recall much of what happened yesterday.”

Wu You blinked, surprised. Then, instead of guilt, amusement flickered through her. Yesterday, while hiding under the bed, she’d felt her chest burning with anger—if Zhao Qingzi hadn’t signaled her to restrain herself, she might have leapt out long before to strike Zhao Cuo down.

Who would’ve thought she had a “memory-clearing” ability too? The thought made her laugh out loud.

Stretching out on the grass with her hands behind her head, she said lazily, “Then that’s fine. I was just afraid I’d killed him.”

Zhao Qingzi glanced down at her sprawled posture, and her heart softened.

She had never hoped for fatherly love, so what happened yesterday left no scar on her. At most, she regretted losing control of her emotions—but this person beside her didn’t seem to mind.

“If you’d struck harder, he might really be gone. As it is, he’s stuck in bed and won’t be bothering us anytime soon. Perfect excuse to get some fresh air.”

Her gaze lingered on Wu You. Then she thought of Wu You’s father, home for only a short while, and asked, “What about Uncle? He can’t stay long this time… maybe you should go back to him first?”

The sunlight was too bright, and Wu You lifted her hand to shield her eyes, lips quirking. She recalled that morning—how Zhao Qingzi had come to see her, how they’d meant to stay in, until her father practically shoved them out the door. He’d grumbled that their sticky closeness gave him goosebumps, but Wu You could see through it. He’d only wanted to give her more time alone with Ah-Zi.

She couldn’t hold back a smile. Stretching and then sitting upright again, she said, “No need. My father’s probably happier having me out of his way.”

Her eyes strayed to the glittering ripples on the river. In two months, Mo Ziyi would arrive in the capital. In the original story, she remembered, he too had once lost sensation in his legs from a childhood fever—until some wandering physician cured him. Though Mo Ziyi was gone now, perhaps his sister would know of that doctor.

“What’s on your mind?” came the gentle voice at her side.

Wu You turned her head. She found Zhao Qingzi smiling softly, eyes full of nothing but her. Her heart skipped a beat.

The breeze tugged at Zhao Qingzi’s hair. Wu You reached out, brushing the strands away from her lips, fingertips grazing the smooth line of her cheek. A faint fragrance of gardenia clung to her, winding straight into Wu You’s heart, tugging at its strings.

Silently, Wu You thought, My little fairy is truly the most beautiful person in the world.

And then she blurted it aloud: “I was thinking… why are you so beautiful?”

Zhao Qingzi’s ears flushed crimson. Her fingers tightened slightly, and she tried to regain the upper hand: “That’s funny, because I’ve been wondering the same about you. How can you be so beautiful?”

Wu You, perhaps inheriting her father’s thick skin, only basked in the praise. Her chest brimmed with sweetness, threatening to overflow. Rationally, she knew she shouldn’t lean over and kiss her then and there—it might startle her.

What Wu You didn’t realize was that if she had done so, Zhao Qingzi wouldn’t have pulled away. She would only have felt lucky.

Wu You tore her gaze away, afraid her own impulses might betray her. To distract herself, she bounded down to the riverbank, picking up a smooth stone. With a practiced flick, she sent it skipping six times before it sank with a plop.

From the slope, Zhao Qingzi watched her lively figure. Sunshine had never felt so warm.

When Wu You turned, smiling back at her, the wind lifted her red clothes around her slender frame. Zhao Qingzi’s breath caught.

At the same time, Wu You looked back up the slope—her hair fluttering, white ribbon trailing like a fairy descended to earth.

To each, the other was the most beautiful sight.

Wu You ran back up, took Zhao Qingzi’s hand, and pressed a stone into her palm. “Ah-Zi, you try. It’s fun.”

Zhao Qingzi threw one. It dropped straight into the river with a lonely splash.

“Too far,” she muttered, stubborn. She had Wu You wheel her closer to the bank.

Her second try managed a single skip before sinking.

Zhao Qingzi’s lips pressed tight. “This game is stupid.” She tossed the rest of the stones to the ground.

Wu You stifled a laugh and hurried to coax her. But Zhao Qingzi secretly delighted in teasing her this way. Watching Wu You flail about in earnest always amused her—and she found herself doing it more and more often.

At last, Wu You grew desperate. She crouched, pulled a grotesque face, tongue out, eyelids tugged down. “Ah-Zi, look! Look at me!” she said, garbled.

Zhao Qingzi burst out laughing, tapping Wu You’s forehead with a finger.

Seeing she wasn’t angry anymore, Wu You sat back down beside her.

Memories rose—of being the eldest sister in her past life, always strong for her younger siblings, never allowed to show weakness. Whenever burdens grew unbearable, she’d scream her troubles into empty fields, just to keep from collapsing.

She looked at Zhao Qingzi, who was staring blankly into the distance, eyes shadowed. She knew this girl carried too much—her brother’s burdens, her family’s weight. But people weren’t meant to bear another’s entire life. Even Zhao Qingshu didn’t truly need that.

How can I make her understand? Wu You fretted. At first, her only wish had been survival. Then, to keep Zhao Qingzi alive. But now, she wanted more. She wanted her to live easily, for herself—to smile genuinely, with happiness, not masks.

Suddenly, she cupped her hands and shouted across the river, “Ah-Zi! I wish for you to be happy!”

Her voice echoed off the mountains.

Zhao Qingzi jolted, then flushed. “Why so loud? What if someone hears?”

“You should try too,” Wu You grinned. “Make a wish.”

Her heart fluttered. So that was Wu You’s wish? For her happiness? She could hardly breathe.

Taking a deep breath, Zhao Qingzi called out: “I wish for the one I love to live a life without worries!”

Wu You frowned. “That’s for someone else. What about you? Don’t you want anything for yourself?”

A mischievous gleam lit Zhao Qingzi’s eyes. “Don’t I already have you? You wished for me.”

Wu You’s chest softened, her smile warm as spring. She lay back, listening to their voices echo across the water.

“Yes,” she murmured firmly. “As long as I’m here, everything will be alright.”

Her decision was made. Once her father returned to the border, she would head for Jinzhou to find Mo Ziyi. The sooner, the better.

It meant time apart from Ah-Zi, which pained her. But she could already see it: Zhao Qingzi standing tall again, dancing freely, no longer confined to a small room.

Her heart swelled with hope. Silently, she prayed—for a miracle.