Chapter 73: Goodbye? 2
The night ended well, and they all went back home. The kids were so tired they also fell asleep in the market.
"Tomorrow is gonna be a good day. Lin Xu will finally go shop hunting. I can’t wait to become a shop manager!" Yan Mei giggled as they entered the courtyard.
Smiling, Lin Xu took hold of Yiling’s hands. "Alright, enough for tonight... It’s already so late; we should all get some sleep. Yan Mei, let’s get the kids to bed."
"Hmm." Yan Mei nodded as she took Bao Bao and Mo Yuen’s hands, and the two led them to their room, leaving Mo Ying and Fuhan alone outside.
Facing Mo Ying, Fuhan asked, "Young master, are you sure you won’t be informing Lin Xu about us leaving tonight? What if she gets angry if we leave without informing her?"
Mo Ying’s face was calm. "As I said before, we don’t need to tell her. Everything is going well for her and the kids. Her in-laws have been taken care of, and now she’s finally getting to live the life she wants. If we tell her of our departure, it would only cause unnecessary emotions."
He turned around. "One day we’ll be back, but for now, our relationship with her, the kids, and Yan Mei ends here."
And with that, he turned around and left, while Fuhan just sighed as he whispered to himself, "Young master, I’m more worried about how you’d react when you find out Madame Mo’s been keeping an eye on you from the beginning."
While putting the kids to sleep, Yan Mei flashed Lin Xu a teasing look, and she noticed it immediately.
"What? Why are you looking at me like that? Is there something on my face?"
Yan Mei grinned. "Oh, there’s definitely something on your face, called love blush."
Lin Xu blinked. "Excuse me?"
Yan Mei giggled. "Don’t ’excuse me’ me. I saw the way you and Mo Ying were staring at each other on that bridge. If you ask me, those lanterns weren’t the only things glowing tonight."
Lin Xu scoffed, "You’ve been reading too many romance scrolls. He was just being annoying as usual."
"Annoying? Hah! The way he looks at you says otherwise." Yan Mei folded her arms, clearly enjoying herself. "Besides, you don’t push him away anymore like before. You even laughed with him today. That’s progress."
Lin Xu froze for a moment but quickly composed herself. "You’re imagining things. I only laughed because he was acting stupid."
Yan Mei hummed knowingly, "Mhm. Keep lying to yourself. But when he’s gone one day and you suddenly miss him, don’t come crying to me."
"G-gone?" Lin Xu repeated the words slowly.
"Yeah, why are you sounding surprised? After all, you didn’t think Mo Ying would remain here forever. He would probably leave one day. After all, this marriage isn’t real. Your in-laws are gone, no one would pressure you to get married again. His job is complete, what other reason would he have to stay?"
Yan Mei explained as her records seemed to hit Lin Xu like a rock. She knew that one day Mo Ying would leave, but that thought hadn’t crossed her mind at all, and she didn’t understand why just hearing it alone was hurting.
Standing up, she quickly said, "I’ll head back now... sleep well, okay?"
Saying that, she didn’t even wait for Yan Mei to respond as she literally ran away.
Stepping out of the room, the first person she saw was Mo Ying seated beside the courtyard table.
Seeing her, he stood up immediately. "You’re done? Let’s both go to bed."
He turned, ready to leave, but paused mid-step, his hand hovering in the air as Lin Xu’s voice broke the quiet night.
"Mo Ying."
He turned, his brows slightly furrowed. "Hmm?"
Lin Xu stood there, her expression unreadable, and after a few seconds, she said softly, "If you ever decide to leave one day... don’t tell me goodbye."
Mo Ying blinked, surprised. "What?"
She looked away, her voice low. "I hate goodbyes. They always sound so final, like something you can’t undo. So if you ever choose to leave... just go. Don’t say anything."
For a moment, neither of them spoke.
Mo Ying’s jaw tightened slightly, but he didn’t answer. He only watched her, he watched as her hands held on to her robes tightly like she was holding something in.
Lin Xu finally lifted her head and met his gaze. "Promise me," she said, her voice steadier this time.
He opened his mouth, but no words came.
When he still didn’t speak, she gave a faint, sad smile. "Forget it. Just... remember what I said."
And with that, she brushed past him, her shoulder lightly grazing his arm before disappearing into her room.
Mo Ying remained where he stood, staring at the door she’d closed behind her.
His heart felt oddly heavy.
"Don’t tell her goodbye, huh..." he murmured to himself, his lips forming a faint, bittersweet smile. "Then I guess... I won’t need to anymore."
**
The night was long, but soon morning arrived. Lin Xu woke up as usual. She looked beside her, and Mo Ying was nowhere to be found, but she didn’t think too much about it since he was fond of waking up early to help at the farm.
Standing up, she got dressed and ready before heading outside.
Stepping out of her room, she was ready to get breakfast started when suddenly Yan Mei rushed out of Fuhan’s room and towards Lin Xu, her face slightly pale.
"L-Lin Xu, you have to see this," she stammered slightly, handing over to Lin Xu a piece of paper Fuhan had left behind.
"W-what’s wrong?" Lin Xu asked, worried.
"It’s Fuhan, he’s left... both he and Mo Ying, they have both left!"
Lin Xu froze, her eyes darting between Yan Mei and the paper in her hand. "What... what do you mean they’ve left?"
Yan Mei swallowed hard. "Read it."
Her voice trembled as Lin Xu slowly unfolded the note.
"Yan Mei, by the time you read this, we’ll already be gone.
You don’t need to worry about us. You guys got a new beginning waiting for you, one that doesn’t involve us.
Take care of yourself, the kids, and Lin Xu.
— Fuhan."
Lin Xu read it, her hands shaking slightly as she immediately turned around and went into her room.
Checking all around as she looked for something all around her room.
Yan Mei, confused, asked, "Lin Xu, what are you looking for exactly?"
Still searching, she replied, "I-I-I am looking for a letter or a n-note... M-Mo Ying must have left something, he wouldn’t have left just like that, right?"
She said as she approached Yan Mei slowly, "Right?"
She laughed at herself, "Look at me searching for a letter when I was the one who told him with my own mouth never to tell me... goodbye!"