"Good Stepmother" was the name of the stupid TV show. With Lin Xu as a weak and naïve woman who couldn't protect her children but was instead bullied and, in the end, killed by her own in-laws.
After suffering for years, her children's father returned with another woman, spoiling the children with love and living happily ever after.
As stupid as the show was, it still got so many views and likes… but I never liked it.
Now, I find myself in the body of one of the characters, how funny.
Sighing, I quickly carried the small girl in my arms, as running with her was slowing me down.
Soon, we reached an abandoned house, roofs broken, dust and debris everywhere.
Lying on a thin mat were two boys. The oldest, Mo Yuen, was so skinny he looked younger than his supposed age of 8, and lying on his arms was the youngest child, Mo Bao (Yinyin), pale and small, looking absolutely lifeless at this moment.
"Mama... eek... Is Yinyin going to die?" Yuen cried out, his body shivering as the little girl beside me cried along with him.
Although they weren't my kids, for some reason my heart ached to see them like this, it was as though I had the feelings of their original mother.
Taking little Yin in my arms, I wiped away the tears on Yuen and Yiling's eyes.
"Don't worry. I promise to protect little Yin. Nothing will happen to him, okay?"
They nodded like obedient kittens as I sighed. Standing up, I quickly took the only available blanket in the shabby house and wrapped the small child in it.
"Yuan?" I called out.
"Yes, Mama!"
"I'll go and get your brother treated. Meanwhile, you will stay here and take good care of your sister. Do not open the door for anyone, even if it's your Aunt or Uncle… do you hear me?"
They nodded. "Yes, Mama!"
With that, I smiled and stroked their heads before making my way out. I needed to get the small child to a doctor.
He was running a high temperature and needed some medicine, but I'm not in the modern days—there were no hospitals or clinics around.
Just then, my head began to spin and a memory kicked in.
Physician Li.
Quickly, I ran toward the main village. Upon reaching his residence:
"Physician Li? Physician Li? Please help! There's a patient here!"
I called out. The rain was hitting so hard on me that all I could do was cover the boy and shout at the top of my lungs until he finally came outside.
Stepping out of his house was Physician Li—young, tall, and fit. He looked absolutely stunning, but now wasn't the time to drool over his beauty.
Obviously shocked to see me, he said in awe, "Miss Lin? What are you doing here? It's the middle of the night and it's raining so much… you'll catch a cold!"
Rushing toward him, I was almost in tears. "Please, Physician Li, you have to help me with my child… he has a fever!"
"Fever?" He quickly used his fingers to check Yinyin's pulse, and his eyes immediately widened, meaning the fever wasn't a normal one.
Quickly taking Yinyin from me, he said, "We have to treat him quickly, or he might lose his life."
He said as he made his way inside, and I followed behind him.
All night long, we spent trying to save Yinyin, and it wasn't until the sun rose that he finally felt better.
Stepping out of his residence, I bowed slightly to Physician Li for helping with the child.
"Thank you so much, Physician Li. I don't know what would have happened to Yinyin if you hadn't helped… I owe you a lot. Though I don't have any money with me, I'll surely pay you ba—"
He didn't let me finish.
"Enough! Miss Lin, you don't have to pay me for anything. You have helped me countless times in the past. This—what I did—was just a little thing. You don't have to repay me."
He said as he smiled, and his words settled my mind slightly.
Phew!
Thank goodness Lin Cuz was a kind person who helped people, otherwise how would I have saved little Yin?
Suddenly, Physician Li took hold of my hands, taking me by surprise.
"Miss Lin, you are so young, yet you stress yourself so much and take care of so many children by yourself. And your husband? He is nowhere to be found. I've told you that I will happily marry you. Though not wealthy, I can still provide for both you and your children… yet you never agree with me."
He said as I stared in disbelief. I had almost forgotten how Lin Cuz was a woman with many admirers.
Though she had married and given birth at the young age of 15, she was just 22 and had a very beautiful face and very sexy body.
Naturally, she captured the eyes and hearts of many young bachelors in the village, but she never agreed to marry any of them.
She believed that her children would never be properly loved by another man who wasn't their father, so she refused all of them and remained single—waiting for a man who would only return after her death.
Gently removing my hand from his tight grip, I faked a slight smile. "W-well, Physician Li, I know your heart, but I'm still a married woman with three children. And you? You are young and very accomplished."
"You should marry a beautiful girl from a good family, not someone who isn't even pure… Thank you once more for saving my son, and even though you refuse, I will still make sure to pay you for it."
Hearing all that, he just sighed, as though he had already expected that reply. "Well… when you change your mind, I'll be here waiting. Concerning little Yin, he needs more monitoring, so he'll have to stay here till the rest of the day. Then you can come and pick him up."
"Alright, Physician Li. I'll be back to pick him up. Goodbye!"
I bowed once more before leaving. Sigh! I was so tired, but when the thought of my other two children came to mind, I quickly picked up my pace.
"I need to make sure my children live a good life… that's my goal in this new world."