Along with it were some coins—the dowry Xu Duoyan returned.
Cao Wen’s heart tightened.
He hurried to push open the door of Xu Duoyan’s room.
Except for a few missing clothes, everything was as before.
On the cabinet by the bed lay a familiar Hairpin—
Peach Blossom Hairpin.
He picked it up.
It was the one he had bought before.
No matter how clumsy, Cao Wen realized Xu Duoyan was gone.
He suddenly understood what Xu Duoyan meant by “I won’t make things hard for you.”
Panic surged up in Cao Wen’s chest, overwhelming him.
His breath caught and stalled.
In this age, once someone left, they might never be found again in this lifetime.
Thinking this, all the unresolved emotions suddenly found their answer.
Cao Wen ran out as fast as he could, leaving only the heavy sound of the door slamming shut behind him.
“Ah Yan, does Ah Wen know everything?”
On the sunny path, Lu Lingbi looked at the silent man who hadn’t spoken since they left, finally voicing her doubt.
Xu Duoyan tightened the bundle slung over his shoulder.
Seeing the sun climbing higher, he guided Lu Lingbi to a shaded spot.
He seemed not to hear her and spoke to himself: “Mother, hold on a bit longer. The weather’s still cool now. When we reach noon at the post station, we’ll take an ox cart.”
“When I was at the Qian Family, I asked around. Near Yi’an, there’s a county town with good order and friendly to newcomers.”
“Ah Yan!”
Lu Lingbi raised her voice.
Xu Duoyan startled as if waking from a dream.
“I already told him everything. Leaving earlier or later, we have to leave. Leaving now will save him trouble.”
Xu Duoyan took a deep breath, staring blankly at the cloudless sky.
They had passed the town’s borders along the official road.
In these years, he and Lu Lingbi saved some money—not much, but enough for the two of them to get by for a while.
Looking at the endless road leading to freedom, Xu Duoyan realized the long-awaited day had finally come—but it wasn’t as joyous as he’d imagined.
“Ah Yan, you don’t want to go, do you?”
Hearing Lu Lingbi’s sudden question, Xu Duoyan raised his head sharply, then gave a faint smile.
“What are you saying, Mother? How could I not want to go? Isn’t starting over in a new place what we always wanted?”
“Starting over isn’t the goal. The goal is to live in peace.”
Lu Lingbi sighed softly.
Though their days at the Cao family were short, they had been truly peaceful and comfortable—something she’d never experienced before.
She even felt a little dazed.
If they could live harmoniously like this forever, it wouldn’t be bad.
But they carried too many unspeakable secrets; they couldn’t live at ease.
If she felt this way, then Ah Yan, who’d spent even longer with Cao Wen, must feel even worse.
Though she thought this, she didn’t voice it, fearing it would trouble Xu Duoyan.
She knew the sudden departure meant something was wrong.
What exactly, she didn’t have to ask.
She had an idea.
Who could accept such a truth?
Though it was forced, it was unfair to Cao Wen.
If conditions allowed, she wanted to leave some money behind to repay Cao Wen’s kindness, but things didn’t turn out as hoped.
Lu Lingbi forced a smile, comforting herself with hope:
“When we reach the county town, I’ll find work at a fan workshop or something, and you can do what you want. As long as we’re together, life will get better. It won’t be worse than before.”
“If one day life improves, we can send some gifts back to thank Cao Wen for his care.”
Xu Duoyan’s brow tightened, and he suddenly stopped walking.
He looked up the road’s corner and saw a tall figure standing there.
The man seemed to have been waiting for some time, his shadow twisted under the sun at his feet.
He stood silently, back straight, like a green pine—just as when they first met.
Their eyes met, but no one spoke.
“Ah—Ah Wen?”
Lu Lingbi exclaimed in surprise.
“Why are you here?”
“You’re leaving without telling me, Aunt. I came to see you off.”
Cao Wen tugged at the donkey tied nearby, already impatient; the animal had chewed a big chunk of bark off the tree.
“What are you waiting for? Help Aunt up.”
Cao Wen glanced at Xu Duoyan.
Xu Duoyan opened his mouth but didn’t know what to say.
Finally, he asked, “Where did this donkey cart come from?”
“Of course I borrowed it.”
Seeing mother and son like wooden statues, Cao Wen stepped forward and helped Lu Lingbi onto the cart.
“Ah Wen, sorry to trouble you again.”
“Aunt, don’t be so polite. It’s nothing.”
Cao Wen handed Lu Lingbi some water and food, then said, “You rest here for a bit. I’ll talk with Ah Yan about which road to take.”
Before Lu Lingbi could speak, Cao Wen took a few steps to pull Xu Duoyan’s wrist aside.
“You really run fast. If I’d slept a bit longer, you might’ve reached the city already.”
Cao Wen looked at Xu Duoyan.
Today, he no longer styled his hair like a woman, wearing only a dark shirt, his neck and Adam’s apple clearly visible, no disguise—he truly looked like a man.
The most surprising part was how much more striking his masculine appearance was compared to when he dressed as a woman.
It was impossible not to feel a little unsettled seeing someone you’re used to suddenly change so much.
But seeing the bundle over Xu Duoyan’s shoulder made Cao Wen angrier.
He grabbed the bundle with one hand: “What, you think you can just run off?”
Xu Duoyan lowered his brows and turned his head slightly, holding back the bitterness in his heart: “Then what do you want me to do?”
“Fifty more miles ahead is Tian Guan Village territory. They say bandits run wild there; the official’s soldiers have tried suppressing them multiple times but failed. You, with your thin arms and legs, aren’t you afraid of getting robbed?”
Cao Wen said seriously, shamelessly: “Either come back with me, or I’ll go with you. Your call.”
Xu Duoyan’s brow twitched as he looked up at Cao Wen.
“You—you said what?”
“I said either come back with me, or I’ll go with you!”
Cao Wen repeated himself.
Xu Duoyan blinked, confused: “Where would you go with me?”
Cao Wen widened his eyes: “How would I know where you’re going? You never told me.”
Hearing Cao Wen’s frustrated yet wronged voice, Xu Duoyan felt guilty: “I just…just…”
He hesitated, then looked at Cao Wen: “So you mean you want to be with me?”
Cao Wen finally heard the words he longed for and nodded seriously.
“But I’m…”
“I like you, and you like me. Isn’t that enough? Why think so complicated? In short…”
Cao Wen said earnestly: “I just want to be with you!”
He immediately grabbed Xu Duoyan’s hand: “Now you just need to decide whether to stay or leave.”
Xu Duoyan’s eyes shimmered with unspeakable emotions, unsure if it was joy or sorrow: “Have you really made up your mind?”
“I promise I won’t go back on it.”