Living Together and Saying Goodbye

Early the next morning, Mo Xie woke right on schedule, as his body clock dictated.

Rubbing his eyes, he left his room and glanced toward the kitchen out of habit. There, he spotted a woman's back.

Ye Chang sensed his gaze and turned with a smile. "Your dad went out early, so I'm making breakfast."

Mo Xie watched her for a long moment before going to wash up.

As he brushed his teeth, he stared at himself in the mirror, puzzled.

Why is she still here? She should have left after dropping off Ye Xinxia, but she hasn't. What is she after?

Mo Xie wasn't foolish enough to think Ye Chang had stayed just to look after them for a few more days. That didn't fit her way of doing things at all.

He grew wary and began turning over her possible motives.

After washing his face, Mo Xie went back to his room and woke Mo Fan so he could wash up too.

When Mo Xie reached the dining table, Ye Xinxia was already seated. The moment she saw him, she hurriedly lowered her head. She still seemed shy around strangers.

Every so often, though, her eyes darted toward Mo Xie, studying him with curiosity.

Mo Xie noticed, of course, but paid her no mind.

After the four of them finished breakfast, Mo Fan slipped out to play, and Ye Xinxia returned to her room. Mo Xie brewed two cups of Jasmine tea.

Mo Xie loved Jasmine tea because his mother had loved it. In the one year he could remember of her, she had made a cup every day, and he had naturally grown fond of it too.

"Here."

Mo Xie handed Ye Chang a cup, then sat down to watch television and sip his own Jasmine tea.

"Thank you."

Ye Chang thanked him, accepted the cup, and took a small sip.

"Little Evil, may I call you that?" she asked with a smile.

Mo Xie glanced at her and nodded.

"Then, Little Evil, do you dislike me?" Ye Chang asked.

Mo Xie shook his head again.

"Then why were you afraid when you saw me yesterday?"

Ye Chang held his gaze as she asked.

There it is. The real question!

Only then did Mo Xie understand why she had been asking. His reaction yesterday had caught her attention.

He set down his cup and looked up at Ye Chang in silence.

"Instinct."

With that one-word answer, Mo Xie went back to leisurely drinking his tea.

Instinct? Was he born with an intuition that lets him judge things?

Interesting!

Ye Chang gave Mo Xie a long look. She was finding this boy more intriguing by the moment.

"Little Evil, you really are different from other children. The way you speak and carry yourself—it's all like an adult."

Ye Chang took a light sip of Jasmine tea, her remark seemingly casual.

"You're different too, Aunt Ye. Dad said you were a delicate woman, but I can't see it at all."

Mo Xie spoke in a childlike voice, smiling innocently.

The adult and the child exchanged a look. Both smiled without saying another word.

Mo Xie had more or less figured it out. Ye Chang had stayed simply because she had taken an interest in him.

He couldn't think of any other reason.

Ye Chang, meanwhile, was glad she hadn't left. Otherwise, she would have missed such an interesting prodigy.

I never expected to find such a remarkable young talent in little Bo City. If I could take him as my disciple...

Once Ye Chang learned that Mo Xie possessed the unusual gift of instinct, the idea had taken root.

Over the next few days, Mo Xie grew used to having Ye Chang around. They chatted and drank Jasmine tea now and then, though most of their time together was spent testing each other.

Sometimes Ye Chang acted as though she was trying to win his affection. Mo Xie found it odd, but since she meant no harm, he let her do as she pleased.

But getting Mo Xie to accept her as his stepmother? Absolutely not.

At night, moonlight spilled across the world, as though trying to wake the sleeping spirits of the night.

Mo Xie slowly opened his eyes. Mo Fan had kicked off most of his blanket again, and Mo Xie sighed helplessly.

He got up and tucked Mo Fan back in, then tiptoed out of the room to use the bathroom.

He had just shut the door when he noticed someone standing by the living-room window. It was Ye Chang.

Something about her silhouette in the moonlight struck Mo Xie as lonely.

After a few seconds' hesitation, he walked over.

In the days they had spent together, Mo Xie had come to feel certain that Ye Chang meant him no harm. If anything, she had gone out of her way to look after him.

Otherwise, someone like Mo Xie would never have let his guard down so easily.

"Aunt Ye, aren't you going to bed?"

Mo Xie came up behind her and asked softly.

Ye Chang froze for a moment at the sound of his voice, then turned and smiled. "Little Evil, why are you up? Can't sleep?"

"No. I just need to use the bathroom." Mo Xie shook his head.

He studied Ye Chang for a while before asking, "Aunt Ye, is something troubling you?"

Ye Chang's smile faded. She slowly crouched and reached toward him.

Mo Xie hurried back a step, but her hand was faster.

"So it really is your instinct..."

Ye Chang gently stroked Mo Xie's cheek as she spoke.

Feeling the warmth of her palm against his face, Mo Xie wondered what had prompted this strange gesture. He was about to say something.

But the next moment, she pulled him into an embrace.

Ye Chang held him quietly. Mo Xie let her, putting up little resistance.

"Grrr..."

The sound broke the silence. Mo Xie blushed and lowered his head in embarrassment.

He hadn't eaten much that evening, and now that he was awake, he was hungry.

Ye Chang chuckled and looked at the embarrassed Mo Xie in surprise. Throughout the nearly week they had spent together, he had always seemed like a little adult. It was rare to see him act like a child.

"Hungry, aren't you? That's what you get for eating so little tonight."

Ye Chang led Mo Xie into the kitchen and sat him on a chair while she got to work.

Mo Xie watched her from behind, lost in thought for a moment.

Before long, a delicious aroma reached him, and he swallowed hard.

Ye Chang brought over a steaming bowl of steamed egg custard. She scooped up a spoonful and held it to Mo Xie's mouth. "Come on. Open wide."

Mo Xie froze at the gesture and stiffly turned his head away.

"I... I can eat it myself."

Being fed like a son by his mother made Mo Xie uneasy. He had never been treated this way before and, for a moment, didn't know what to do.

"No, you can't. Come on, open your mouth!"

Mo Xie had no choice but to obey. He opened wide, and Ye Chang smiled in satisfaction.

One bite, and warmth and happiness filled him.

Mo Xie ate quickly, and Ye Chang fed him just as quickly. Soon the whole bowl was gone.

Seeing the happiness written all over Mo Xie's face, Ye Chang set down the bowl.

"Well, it's time to say goodbye."

Mo Xie's smile froze. He stared at her blankly.

Ye Chang stroked his head and whispered beside his ear, "Little Evil, I look forward to seeing who you become. I hope you'll surprise me when we meet again."

Mo Xie didn't understand what she meant. In the next instant, pain shot through the back of his neck, and darkness swallowed his vision.

When Mo Xie woke early the next morning, he was in bed.

A new day had begun, but one person was missing from their lives. Ye Chang had left.

Mo Jiaxing didn't complain. He only thought Ye Chang had it hard. Raising a daughter in a wheelchair on her own couldn't be easy.

Mo Xie sat alone in the empty living room, staring at the necklace around his neck, lost in thought.

It was beautiful and finely made, crafted entirely of silver, with a brilliant red diamond crystal hanging at its center.

The necklace had been around his neck when he woke. Ye Chang had clearly given it to him, but Mo Xie couldn't understand why.

He gripped the necklace, unsure what to do. An ache rose in his chest.

When we meet again? But next time, she won't be Ye Chang. She'll be Salang.

Mo Xie stood, went to Ye Xinxia's door, and knocked.

"Can I come in?"

He waited a long time without getting an answer, then opened the door and went in.

Ye Xinxia sat on the edge of the bed, tear tracks still on her cheeks. She had clearly been crying, and Mo Xie's heart ached for her.

"Xin Xia, can I call you that?"

Mo Xie bent down and asked gently.

Ye Xinxia kept her head lowered and gave no response.

"From now on, I'm your big brother, and you're my little sister." Mo Xie patted her small head.

"Big brother?" Ye Xinxia slowly raised her swollen eyes, a glimmer of hope in them.

Mo Xie pinched her cheek and gave her a brilliant smile.

His smile was warm. To Ye Xinxia, it looked like the last ray of dawn at the end of the world.

"That's right. From now on, I'm your big brother—Mo Xie!"

A new book is underway! Please support it with recommendations, saves, and continued reading!

I don't want to portray Ye Chang as too terrible. She's a pitiful woman too.