Chapter 74: WE CAN COPE WITHOUT THEM
"Lin Xu, Mo Ying and Fuhan have really left... they’re gone now," Yan Mei said, her voice low and calm as she sat down gently on Lin Xu’s bed.
Meanwhile, Lin Xu just stood still; she wasn’t moving or saying a single word.
After almost ten minutes of silence, she finally spoke. "Who cares if they’re gone? We were doing fine without them... and we will continue to cope without them."
Facing Yan Mei, she dusted her hanfu slightly and forced a smile onto her face. "C’mon, today is a good day... w-we have to go shop hunting, remember?"
She tried to sound energetic, but the slight crack in her voice and her red eyes gave her away.
"But Lin Xu... what are we going to tell the kids? How would we tell them Mo Ying is gone?"
"Papa Ying is gone?" The sudden soft voice of Mo Yuen was heard as the two turned their heads towards the door. Upon seeing Mo Yuen and Mo Bao, Lin Xu and Yan Mei were both taken by surprise.
Immediately, the two boys ran away as Lin Xu tried to catch up to them, but they were just too fast. "Mo Yuen! Mo Bao! Wait... stop... j-just listen to me!" But they had already run too far.
Panting slightly, Lin Xu noticed Yiling, who was also standing beside the door, her eyes fixed on Lin Xu.
Walking towards her, Lin Xu slowly tucked a loose strand of hair behind her ear as she bent down to Yiling’s height. Her eyes softened as she gently took her daughter’s small hands into hers.
"Yiling," she said softly, trying to keep her voice steady, "Mama has something to tell you... it’s about Papa Ying."
Yan Mei stood quietly in the corner, watching the scene unfold, her heart heavy.
But before Lin Xu could say another word, Yiling looked up at her with her calm, gentle eyes and said, "I already know Papa Ying is gone, Mama."
Lin Xu blinked, stunned, while Yan Mei gasped softly, surprised by the little girl’s words.
"You... you already know?" Lin Xu asked, her voice trembling. "How, sweetheart?"
Yiling nodded slowly. "This morning, I woke up feeling thirsty," she began, her tone innocent and honest. "I didn’t want to wake Aunt Yan Mei, so I went to the kitchen by myself to get some water. When I was walking back, I saw Papa Ying and Uncle Fuhan. They were both dressed like they were going somewhere."
Lin Xu’s heart tightened. "And... what did you do?" she asked quietly.
"I asked Papa Ying where he was going," Yiling continued, her small fingers tightening slightly around Lin Xu’s. "He smiled at me and said he was going somewhere a little far. I asked him if he was coming back soon, and he said yes."
A small, pure smile appeared on Yiling’s face as she looked up at her mother. "So I’m not worried. Papa Ying promised he’ll be back soon... and I believe him."
Lin Xu’s eyes stung as she stared at her daughter in silence. Her heart ached, how could she explain to her innocent little girl that sometimes ’soon’ could mean never?
But before she could say anything, Yiling reached out with her small hand and gently patted Lin Xu’s shoulder. Her voice was soft but firm, filled with the kind of innocence that could melt anyone’s heart.
"Don’t worry, Mama," she said with a little smile. "Papa Ying will come back soon. Until then, I’ll take good care of you."
Hearing that, Lin Xu couldn’t hold back anymore. Her chest tightened, and she pulled Yiling into her arms, hugging her tightly.
"Thank you, my sweet girl," she whispered, her voice breaking. "Thank you."
Yan Mei watched quietly from the corner. The room fell into silence, only the sound of Lin Xu’s soft sobs and Yiling’s little hand patting her mother’s back filled the air.
---
During breakfast, the boys refused to eat or come out of their room, so Lin Xu had to leave some food behind for both of them before leaving with Yan Mei for shop hunting.
They arrived at a small, polished shop that was available for sale, and Lin Xu paid for it.
Days passed, and there was still no sign of Mo Ying. Lin Xu fully opened her shop, and it was a grand opening ceremony; she had far more customers than she had expected.
Yan Mei became her manager, and Lin Xu hired a few more people to work for her.
Weeks turned into months... her business kept growing and growing until she owned two more shops. With her many new, out-of-the-world delicacies, it didn’t take long before her "Weilai Pavilion" spread to the capital. Before she knew it, different famous restaurant owners began purchasing from her.
Finally getting over the whole kidnapping incident that had occurred months ago, Lin Xu decided it was time to put the boys back in school. She sent them to the academy, while Yiling received daily etiquette lessons from Zu Shi.
Life was good, and in the blink of an eye, winter arrived.
---
Seated outside in the courtyard, Lin Xu was wrapped in a thick fur coat to keep herself warm from the biting cold. The entire compound was blanketed in soft layers of snow.
Walking toward her with steady steps was Yan Mei, holding a tray with a steaming pot of tea. She smiled warmly as she handed Lin Xu a cup.
"The kids are asleep," Yan Mei said softly before setting the tray down. Then, as if remembering something, she pulled out a small, neatly wrapped box from her sleeve and handed it over.
"This is for you. Happy birthday, Lin Xu!" she said cheerfully, her eyes shining with excitement.
Surprised, Lin Xu blinked before breaking into a smile. "You remembered?"
"Of course!" Yan Mei grinned.
Lin Xu gently unwrapped the box, and when she opened it, she found a delicate emerald-green teapot nestled inside. The glass shimmered faintly, catching the firelight beside her.
"I know how much you love tea," Yan Mei said, her cheeks a little red from the cold. "So I got you this. It’s a one-of-a-kind teapot. I actually spent all my salary on it."
Lin Xu’s heart softened. She traced a finger along the teapot’s smooth curve before looking up at her friend with a warm smile.
"Thank you, Yan Mei... I love it."
"I’m happy you do," Yan Mei said softly as she wanted to say something else but paused midway.
"If you want to say something, just say it... don’t keep it in," Lin Xu read her like a book.
Hesitating, Yan Mei finally said, "Lin Xu... today marks two months since Mo Ying and Fuhan left."
Lin Xu nodded her head. "Yeah, I guess it is... how do you think they are both doing?"
"They are probably fine... I know it makes no sense for me to say this, but deep down, I’ve always known Mo Ying isn’t an ordinary person. A farmer’s son? I’m not that stupid... his way of speaking and way of acting are all too calm and collected to have been raised on a farm all his life."
"What are you trying to say?" Lin Xu asked.
"What I’m trying to say is that I’m sure he has his reasons for leaving... everyone has secrets. He must have had a reason for not revealing his real identity and just leaving like that."
Yan Mei took hold of Lin Xu’s hands gently. "I know deep down you miss him... you may try to deny it, but you can’t lie to me even if you tried, Lin Xu. Look at me."
Lin Xu stared directly into her eyes as Yan Mei said slowly with a serious face, "Mo Ying will be back one day... so in the meantime, we just have to cope without them and thrive so we’ll have many things to talk about when they return one day. Alright?"
Lin Xu smiled and nodded. "Alright!"