Chapter 60: Little Fish Achieves Great Deed

The atmosphere inside the house was heavy, silent and soundless.

All that could be heard was Xiao Ningyuan's uncontrollably trembling hands, the faint rustle of his sleeves rubbing his skin, and Cheng Ru'an's suppressed, low sobbing.

Those desperate words, "useless," fell like a cold boulder on the adults' hearts.

"Mother, don't cry!" Tuan Tuan crawled into her mother's arms, raised her little hand to wipe her tears, and asked, "Mother, what is fate?"

Cheng Ru'an's tears increased, and she choked on every word, unable to utter a single syllable.

"Third Brother?" Tuan Tuan looked up at Xiao Ningxun.

Xiao Ningxun answered helplessly, "Fate means… that it is destined that way."

"Why is it destined?" Tuan Tuan tilted her little face toward Xiao Ningyuan, her big eyes filled with naive confusion.

Xiao Ningyuan, as if having given up everything, answered bluntly, "The meaning of destiny is that this illness will stay with me forever, never getting better."

"What about Grandfather? The Imperial Doctor? He can't cure it either?"

Xiao Ningyuan shook his head, "Guo Taiyi? We asked him to look at it long ago; he can't cure it either."

Tuan Tuan crawled back into the little nest she had made beside him, carefully extended her tiny hand, and gently placed it on the trembling back of his hand closest to her.

"Big brother," she said in a baby‑soft voice, "Is your hand cold? Tuan Tuan will blow on it so it won't be cold anymore!"

She said that, pouting, and earnestly puffed warm breath onto the trembling hand.

The childish act was more heartbreaking than any consolation.

Xiao Yuanhang's face grew heavy; Xiao Ningchen and Xiao Ningxun both closed their eyes, unable to watch any longer.

Xiao Ningyuan lowered his head to look at his sister, his Adam's apple bobbing violently, tears welling in his eyes.

Tuan Tuan blew a few times, sounding worried, "Why isn't it better yet?"

When she looked up, she saw the tears in Xiao Ningyuan's eyes, and he quickly turned his head away.

Big brother is about to cry too! He's sad; if only we could make him happy.

Suddenly, as if remembering something, her eyes lit up, "Big brother! I found a wonderful treasure! May I give it to you? It's so pretty!"

She lowered her head, untied the Embroidered pouch and rummaged through it, "Where is it… ah! Found it!"

"Here you go!" she pulled out the golden hairpin of the Carp Leaping over the Dragon Gate, flipped it over Xiao Ningyuan's palm, and placed it in his hand, "Big brother! Is it pretty? Do you like it?"

Xiao Ningyuan only felt a chill in his palm, looked down, "A golden hairpin?"

Cheng Ru'an instantly remembered what had happened at the Sweet Pastry Pavilion; the hairpin was an ill‑omened object! She couldn't help worrying, "Tuan Tuan, don't…"

"Mother, don't be afraid! Yu Yu is fine now!" Tuan Tuan pressed both hands together, clasping her big brother's palm, "Big brother, look, isn't Yu Yu especially beautiful? It says it feels very comfortable now, are you happy?"

Xiao Ningyuan forced a smile, unwilling to disappoint his sister, and went along as she clenched the golden hairpin, "Where did Tuan Tuan get such an exquisite hairpin? From mother?"

Suddenly, his complexion changed, his eyes widened instantly, and his gaze flickered continuously.

The moment his hand tightly grasped the golden hairpin, from shoulder to elbow to fingertip, it seemed filled with an invisible yet powerful force, and the persistent, uncontrollable weakness that had plagued him for years vanished instantly.

He raised his left hand, which still held the hairpin, half‑incredulous, and indeed! The trembling that had clung to him for years like a festering sore ceased.

He tentatively lifted his hand higher, even gently waving it back and forth, and there was no tremor! It truly didn't shake again!

He placed the golden hairpin in his right hand; the same force instantly filled his entire arm, and when he raised it and waved it, again there was no tremor.

A long‑missed, absolute sense of control over his body returned!

Tuan Tuan clapped her little hands, "Yu Yu healed big brother's hand! Daddy! Mother! Big brother's hand isn't trembling now!"

Xiao Yuanhang and his two brothers had already stood up, Cheng Ru'an had also forgotten to cry, and everyone's gaze was fixed on Xiao Ningyuan's hand, faces full of shock and delight.

Xiao Ningyuan sat up abruptly, his right hand still clutching the golden hairpin, his left fist clenched powerfully, knuckles defined, strength abundant!

He released his hand, then clenched it again, repeating several times; the motion was steady and fluid.

He jerked his head up, glanced at his shocked parents and younger brothers, then slowly lowered his gaze toward the little sister tilting her head, looking at him with a pleading "please praise me" expression.

Overwhelming excitement and euphoria flooded him, and the previously despondent, ready‑to‑give‑up him vanished completely.

I'm healed? I'm healed! I'm no longer crippled; I can now pursue everything I want without restraint!

He set the golden hairpin down, lifted Tuan Tuan up with both hands, his voice trembling, "Tuan Tuan! Tuan Tuan! My dear little sister!"

For the first time, Tuan Tuan was hoisted high, giggling joyfully, "So high! Big brother, higher! Higher!"

Xiao Ningyuan, however, worried that he might lose strength and drop her, so he folded his arms and pulled her tightly into his embrace, "Brother, thank you, Tuan Tuan, I truly thank you."

Tuan Tuan obediently nestled in his arms, lifted her head, "Big brother, your hand will be fine, that's what they call… fate."

Xiao Ningyuan felt something stir within him.

"Heaven has eyes! Heaven has eyes!" Xiao Yuanhang's eyes welled with tears, his voice trembling.

"Yuan'er! My Yuan'er!" Cheng Ru'an sobbed uncontrollably, pulling both of her children into her arms.

Xiao Ningchen and Xiao Ningxun exchanged glances, each seeing in the other's eyes the meaning "just as it is."

After a moment, everyone fell silent, except Tuan Tuan, who remained perched on Xiao Ningyuan's chest, refusing to move.

"Yuan'er, your hand?" Xiao Yuanhang asked.

Xiao Ningyuan, with one arm hugging his sister and the other holding the golden hairpin, said, "Father, please rest assured; although I'm still a bit weak, I believe that as long as I hold this golden hairpin every day and practice repeatedly, I will soon fully recover."

"I just don't understand where this golden hairpin came from. Why can it heal my hand? What exactly is the reason?"

Cheng Ru'an briefly recounted the events at the Sweet Pastry Pavilion today; Xiao Ningyuan's face was full of astonishment, while the other three father‑son pair wore expressions of "so that's why."

She understood that the eldest son's recovery now encompassed not only his two hands but also his ambitions, and now the three of them surely had much to discuss.

She gently patted Tuan Tuan, "Good girl, come to mother. Didn't you just say you were sleepy? Mother will hold you back to bed. Your big brother just woke up and needs proper rest, let him sleep too."

Tuan Tuan obediently crawled from her big brother's arms into her mother's embrace, snuggling her neck, letting out a soft hum, then turned to Xiao Ningyuan, "Big brother, I'm going to sleep now; I'll come see you after I wake up!" Xiao Ningyuan smiled and nodded, "Go quickly."

Cheng Ru'an lifted her up, "Take your time chatting, but not too long; Yuan'er still needs proper rest."

Xiao Yuanhang nodded, and Cheng Ru'an, carrying Tuan Tuan, left Yangzheng Pavilion.