Visiting Mother

Early the next morning, Mo Xie and Mo Fan said goodbye to Mo Jiaxing and Ye Xinxia, then set off for school together.

People passing by were either taking photos or screaming.

"Hey, bro, how about wearing a mask next time you go out? Celebrities usually disguise themselves, but you just let everyone photograph you in broad daylight. Is that really okay?"

Mo Fan looked at the crowd around them, feeling helpless.

Mo Xie heard the tone in Mo Fan's voice and couldn't help finding it funny.

When he first became famous, Mo Xie hadn't paid much attention to it. Who could have known the news would spread so quickly?

Before long, everyone knew about him. Fortunately, his fans in Bo City respected him. They neither harassed him nor did anything extreme, so Mo Xie didn't mind.

Mo Xie didn't mind, but Mo Fan was having a hard time.

Mo Fan was fairly good-looking, but beside Mo Xie's Peerless Beauty, there was simply no comparison.

And so, under countless admiring gazes, the brothers entered the school.

At Water Ripple Middle School, students streamed back and forth along the corridors.

"Xiao Fan, do your best on the exam. Don't make us worry."

"Don't worry, bro. I've got this."

Mo Xie nodded and headed to his examination room.

Throughout the exams that followed, he handed in every paper half an hour early.

The teachers and students all had the same reaction: they were used to it.

When the bell rang to mark the end of the exams, the students filed out of their rooms. Some were delighted, while others were miserable.

"Hey, how did you do? The Magic theory section was way too hard this time!"

"Tell me about it. I hadn't even memorized all the Demon Beast material!"

The students commiserated with one another, finding kindred spirits to share their misery.

Mo Xie and Mo Fan spotted Mo Jiaxing standing in the distance and hurried over to their father.

"Dad."

"Dad."

Mo Jiaxing smiled warmly. "Xiao Xie, I don't need to worry about you. Xiao Fan, how did you do? It's all right if you don't get in. We can afford it now."

Mo Fan's mouth twitched. Am I really your son?

Then he announced proudly, "Dad, I got in this time!"

"Really?! Haha! The Mo family has two mages now! Come on, Xin Xia and your aunt's family have already made a feast at home!"

The three of them left the school laughing together.

To celebrate Mo Xie and Mo Fan finishing their entrance exams, their aunt's family had prepared a table full of food and were waiting for the brothers to come home.

Mo Jiaxing had picked up Ye Xinxia and brought her home early too.

By the time Mo Xie and Mo Fan arrived, dinner was ready.

As soon as they came in, Ye Xinxia hurried over to take Mo Xie's backpack and set out his slippers.

She was as gentle as a wife waiting at home for her husband, and every movement came naturally to her.

"Xin Xia, what about mine?"

Mo Fan waved from behind Mo Xie, making a feeble attempt to remind her he existed.

When Ye Xinxia ignored him, Mo Fan didn't mind. The table full of food had already caught his attention.

"Our Xin Xia is so sweet."

Mo Xie ruffled Ye Xinxia's hair, and she happily let him.

"Xiao Xie, Xiao Fan, you're here! Come and eat."

Their aunt came out of the kitchen carrying a dish and smiling.

Their uncle was busy setting the table.

Their aunt and uncle also had a child, a petite girl who was doing her homework in the living room. Her grades were good, and she stood a strong chance of getting into a Magic High School.

At the table, whenever Mo Fan wolfed down his food, Mo Jiaxing told him to slow down.

Ye Xinxia kept putting food in Mo Xie's bowl until it was nearly overflowing.

Their aunt, uncle, and cousin enjoyed the delicious meal too.

Warmth filled the entire house.

At noon the next day, Mo Xie finished eating, picked a few jasmine flowers from the courtyard, and rode out on his bike.

There was somewhere else he needed to go: he wanted to visit his mother.

His mother's grave wasn't far away. It lay on a hillside behind Mu Manor.

The Qingming Festival had long since passed, and hardly anyone was visiting the graves. Mo Xie was alone in the empty surroundings.

Mo Xie opened his backpack, took out the cleaning supplies he had brought, and carefully cleaned the headstone.

It hadn't been cleaned in a long time, and a thick layer of dust had gathered on it.

When he finished, Mo Xie placed a bouquet of jasmine before the headstone and bowed solemnly three times.

Standing there, Mo Xie began speaking softly.

"Mother, I've come to see you. I brought your favorite jasmine flowers. I hope I'm not disturbing you."

"I came to share some good news. Xiao Fan and I both got into Magic High School. We didn't let Dad down."

"Xiao Fan's doing well now. He listens a lot more. He's grown up."

As he spoke, a faint smile appeared on Mo Xie's face.

"You don't need to worry about us, either. We're all doing well. Dad's flower shop has been doing good business, and my career is progressing steadily."

"Sometimes I wonder how wonderful it would be if you were still here with us and our family could live happily together..."

Mo Xie's gaze grew distant, as though he were imagining that life.

"But there's no point in wondering what might have been, is there?"

Mo Xie gave a bitter smile, and his expression dimmed again.

"I can take care of Dad and protect my little brother now, but..."

As Mo Xie spoke, a tear slipped down his cheek.

Family meant more to Mo Xie than anything. Having experienced the loss of his parents before, he had never been able to accept losing his mother so young.

No one was perfect. Everyone had something they lacked, and Mo Xie was no exception.

Mo Xie's wish was simple: he wanted his whole family together. He asked for little else.

Maybe this is just fate...

The thought rose unbidden in Mo Xie's mind.

A gentle breeze brushed past, like a mother wiping the tears from her child's face.

Mo Xie quickly wiped his eyes. He didn't want his mother to keep seeing him like this.

After collecting himself, Mo Xie talked to herself at length about everyday things.

Time flew by. The sun slowly sank, giving way to a brilliant dusk.

"It's getting late. I'll come see you again."

Before leaving, Mo Xie bowed three more times. She gathered her things, shouldered her backpack, and started back the way she had come.

He hadn't gone far when he stopped and swiftly looked back.

The entire time she had been paying her respects, Mo Xie had felt someone watching her.

She closed her eyes. When she opened them a few seconds later, they were bloodred, with two Tomoe turning slowly within them.

That was right. After more than three years without a change, her Sharingan had just evolved from one Tomoe to two.

Mo Xie swept the hillside with her Sharingan until she finally found what she was looking for.

He stared at a large tree nearby, then glanced at the headstone beside it, where a bouquet of flowers lay. He sighed softly.

He didn't go over. Instead, he turned and left.

Some time after Mo Xie had gone, a slender figure dressed in silver stepped out from behind the tree.

The silver-haired girl watched Mo Xie disappear into the distance. She bit her red lip, hugged herself, and trembled all over.

She walked slowly to the headstone with the flowers. Her voice was clear and lovely as a silver bell, but it shook with tears and regret.

"Mom, I regret it so much. I really was wrong..."

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