Chapter 10 Awakening_1

"Take it slow, Chengyou, Chengyu, support your uncle carefully. Yes, onto the chair now, good, that's fine," Madam Yang Zhou said with tears, directing her grandsons to settle her eldest son.

Liu Xiuyun, standing nearby, asked with concern, "Big brother, is the chair comfortable enough? Do we need to add another blanket?"

Yang Cheng'an held a bowl of water, Yang Chengbin brought a few oranges for his uncle, and Yang Chenghong inquired if his uncle needed anything else.

Seeing his family around him, offering warmth and concern—especially noticing the many white hairs that had indeed added to his mother's temples—Yang Chaowen's heart ached with guilt and self-reproach.

Jiujiu's words were like a wake-up call, making him realize the error of his ways suddenly.

He had been wrong. After the accident, he had only wallowed in the despair of his disability, completely forgetting his aging parents and family members. He tortured himself and, at the same time, slowly drained his family's vitality. Jiujiu was right; since he was fortunate enough to survive, he should face life bravely, strive to live well, even if he could never walk normally again, at least his family could be at peace.

"My dear mother, I have been unfilial, worrying you and father. From now on, I will live well and not cause you and the family any more concern!" Clutching his mother's sleeve tightly, Yang Chaowen went from a silent choke to sobbing uncontrollably.

Madam Yang Zhou wiped away her surging tears, nodding comforted, "Chaowen has finally come to his senses. I'm truly happy!" Her eldest son had always been stable and sensible, and even with a broken leg, he was just silent and reserved, never having cried bitterly like today. His crying now was a sign that his inner turmoil had been released.

The rest of the crowd was moved to tears of joy.

Clutching the drawing in his hand, Yang Mengchen's eyes shone with a determined light through the haze.

After a long while, once Yang Chaowen had completely vented the pent-up emotions of many years, he looked up at the nephews and nieces crowded around him. His old face turned a bit red with embarrassment. A man of his age, crying before his younger relatives, what a loss of face! He hastily wiped away his tears and turned to his niece, "Thank you, Jiujiu. If it weren't for your blunt admonition, I might still be lost in my delusions. Living for so many years, yet I haven't been as perceptive as you!"

"Anyone who suddenly faces a drastic change can become ensnared by confusion. Uncle, you mustn't dwell on it. Just live well from here on out, and I believe everything will get better," Yang Mengchen said, consoling and encouraging him.

In her previous life, she too had struggled to withstand blows and considered giving up, but it was the meticulous care and help from Grandma Zhang and others that allowed her to overcome those difficulties time and again.

That said, not everyone can realize their mistake in time, and few have the opportunity to be guided as incisively as he had by Jiujiu. No one in the family or the village was literate, and even though they cared for him, they couldn't offer precise help. It was their family's Jiujiu, smart and quick-witted, for which Yang Chaowen felt grateful, fortunate, and proud, "Uncle promises you, I will live well!"

Everyone's tears turned to laughter, especially Yang Chengrong, who was so moved that she cried uncontrollably. After fourteen years, her father had finally found his strength. It was wonderful, and all thanks to Jiujiu.

"Jiujiu, can you give me the drawing now?"

Seeing the eagerness in Yang Chaowen's eyes, Yang Mengchen smiled and handed over the drawing to him.

Yang Chaowen studied the drawing carefully, his eyes growing brighter, "Jiujiu, what is this? And what does this part do?" As Yang Mengchen explained each detail, Yang Chaowen grew more excited, "Chengrong, quick, get Dad's tools!" He had never seen a chair designed so ingeniously and was eager to make it himself.

Upon hearing this, Yang Chengrong quickly ran to the storage room behind the house and returned with a wooden toolbox. Meanwhile, Yang Chengyou and his brothers unloaded the large tree from the cart and placed it in front of Yang Chaowen, "Dad (Uncle), let's make it together with you."

"No need, no need. You all go learn medical skills from Jiujiu; I can manage on my own," Yang Chaowen waved them off, then picked up a knife from the toolbox and started to peel the tree bark. He hadn't used tools for many years and was a bit rusty at first. However, he had been learning carpentry since he was sensible, and his skills were among the best in the village, so he quickly got the hang of it.

```

Yang Chaowen, absorbed in his work, Yang Mengchen led his brothers to sort the herbs.

By their side, Madam Yang Zhou watched her eldest son regain his confidence and her grandsons learn medicine with earnest from their niece, her heart filled with countless emotions: Heaven bless the Yang family!

As the sun began to set, Yang Mengchen figured that Grandpa and the others would soon finish their work and return, so he and Liu Xiuyun went to the kitchen to prepare dinner, while Yang Chengyou and Yang Chengyu volunteered to handle the roe deer.

Yang Mengchen washed several yams clean with water, then blanched them in hot water, peeled and diced them, and put them all into the pot of porridge cooking on the stove.

"Jiujiu, why are you cooking the herbs with the rice? Aren't they meant to be sold for money?" Liu Xiuyun asked, puzzled.

"These yams are not just herbs, they're also food, good for strengthening the spleen, aiding digestion, nourishing the kidney, enhancing vitality, lowering blood sugar, and extending life. Eating them can help fortify the body," Yang Mengchen explained gently: "Don't worry, Auntie, there are plenty on the mountain, we can always go dig up more yams."

Although Liu Xiuyun didn't understand everything he said, she did understand that yams were healthy and that there were still many in the mountains, so she didn't say much more.

He made vegetable pancakes and scrambled eggs with wild greens, and just as Yang Chengyou brought in the processed meat of the roe deer, Yang Mengchen combined it with the saltwater-soaked bamboo shoots to braise together. Soon, the kitchen was filled with an aroma that whetted the appetite.

"Chaowen, dear, big brother, dad, uncle?"

As Old Master Yang and the others returned home in the glow of the setting sun, they were surprised and thrilled to see Yang Chaowen woodworking.

Yang Chaowen lifted his head and with a smile said to his family not far away, "You're back."

"Chaowen..."

As if knowing what his father wanted to ask, Yang Chaowen said earnestly, "Jiujiu had a talk with me, and I realized how wrong I was to give up on myself before. Don't worry, I'll get back on my feet and from now on, I'll live my life well!"

"Good, good, good!" Old Master Yang, who had harbored guilt and pain for his eldest son for so many years, couldn't help but shed tears of relief.

The rest of the family also teared up with joy.

Looking at the wooden planks and scraps around Yang Chaowen, Yang Chaoyi asked with a puzzled face, "Big brother, what are you making?"

"I promised to make this chair for Jiujiu." Pointing at the blueprints on the table, Yang Chaowen said with feeling and pride, "Our Jiujiu is so smart and clever. She not only had Chengrong and the brothers cut down a big tree today but also used making the chair as a way to guide and inspire me. Otherwise, I'd still be trapped in my room, unable to free myself from confusion."

"Jiujiu is truly a blessing!" Yang Chengning felt grateful: the family's living conditions had improved a lot, and they had taken up boxing and medicine; even father had bounced back, all thanks to Jiujiu's efforts.

Everyone nodded in agreement, and Yang Chaoyi and Shen Qiulan were especially proud and comforted.

Old Master Yang picked up the blueprints and said, surprised, "So the drawings Jiujiu made last night are of a chair. But this chair seems a bit odd, it has two wheels? What's their purpose?"

```