Chapter 591 - 482: You Haven’t Even Been Gone a Day

Early in the morning on the day after Tushan Xinhua left, Xiao Mo packed his bags, ready to move into the courtyard at the foot of the mountain.

For once, Tushan Jing Ci didn’t sleep in, and she was awake before Xiao Mo left.

After breakfast, Tushan Jing Ci and Yue Shi accompanied Xiao Mo to his new home.

They arrived at the foot of the mountain.

It was a courtyard surrounded by bamboo.

The courtyard was hidden within a grove of bamboo.

This bamboo courtyard was a couple of sizes smaller than the one Tushan Jing Ci lived in.

But for Xiao Mo to live in alone, it was more than enough.

And this bamboo courtyard was indeed secluded and peaceful.

He had lived on Shallow Study Peak for many years. If someone hadn’t told him, Xiao Mo would have never known a courtyard like this even existed, hidden within the bamboo grove at the mountain’s foot.

’A scholar from Shallow Study Peak must have built this place to study in peace,’ Xiao Mo thought. ’After he left, Cold Mountain Academy probably just never rented it out.’

"Miss, Sister Yue Shi, you two should go on back. I can clean up the courtyard myself." Xiao Mo turned and gave them a respectful bow.

"Let me help you clean, Xiao Mo," Tushan Jing Ci said, her gaze lingering on him. It was clear she didn’t want to leave just yet.

"You’re a young lady of noble birth, Miss. It wouldn’t be right for you to help a servant like me clean. If the Madam found out, I’m afraid I’d be punished for it." Xiao Mo shook his head with a smile. "However, once I’m done cleaning, you are welcome to come and sit for a while anytime you wish, Miss."

"Alright..."

Tushan Jing Ci lowered her head. Afraid Xiao Mo would get into trouble with her mother, she didn’t insist, though she looked quite crestfallen.

"Well then, Xiao Mo, I’ll let you get to it. If anything comes up or if you need anything, just come find me on the mountainside."

"Okay, thank you, Miss," Xiao Mo said with a nod.

"I’ll be going then." Tushan Jing Ci’s small hands fidgeted with the hem of her dress.

"Take care, Miss." Xiao Mo gave another respectful bow.

She had only taken a few steps when she turned back to Xiao Mo. "Oh, right! Remember, you still have to accompany me to my lessons."

"I will. It’s my duty, after all. I wouldn’t dare forget," Xiao Mo said with a small smile.

"I... I’m really leaving now..."

"Mm."

Tushan Jing Ci wanted to say something else, but she didn’t know how to start.

Besides, she had a feeling that if she spoke, she would burst into tears.

In the end, Tushan Jing Ci could only walk away, looking back every few steps until she had left the courtyard and disappeared from the bamboo grove.

’Alright, time to get to work.’

Xiao Mo looked at the courtyard full of fallen leaves, rolled up his sleeves, picked up a broom, and began to sweep.

Even though Xiao Mo could have cleaned the courtyard spotless with a single Technique, he preferred to do it by hand.

It was simple, really: sweeping the yard brought him a natural sense of peace.

For Xiao Mo, who cultivated the Great Dream of Yellow Millet, this too was a form of practice.

An hour later, Xiao Mo had swept the courtyard clean of fallen leaves, wiped the dust from all the furniture, and laid out his bedding.

「In the afternoon.」

Xiao Mo gazed at the lush green bamboo in the grove and the tips of shoots poking through the distant ground, listening to the drone of insects. Without quite meaning to, he slowly closed his eyes and began to practice the Great Dream of Yellow Millet.

Soon, Xiao Mo entered a state of meditative oblivion.

An unknown amount of time passed.

A cool breeze swept through the bamboo, carrying with it the soft rustling of the leaves.

A single bamboo leaf drifted down, brushing against Xiao Mo’s cheek as it passed.

"Miss, stop teasing me."

Xiao Mo murmured instinctively.

But when Xiao Mo opened his eyes and looked around, there was no one there.

All that was there was the single bamboo leaf that had landed on his thigh.

"I must be..."

Xiao Mo picked up the leaf, muttering, but stopped himself. Shaking his head, he gave a wry smile.

...

「In the courtyard halfway up the mountain.」

After Tushan Jing Ci finished lunch, she tried to read for a while.

But as she read, she found her mind kept wandering to Xiao Mo. She couldn’t focus on the book at all.

She put down her book.

Tushan Jing Ci wanted to go find Xiao Mo.

But Yue Shi blocked Tushan Jing Ci’s path. "Miss, the Madam said you are not to go looking for Xiao Mo without a reason."

"Sister Yue Shi, you don’t have to tell him about it."

"That won’t do, Miss."

"Sister Yue Shi... just let me go..."

"Please don’t make this difficult for me, Miss."

No matter what Tushan Jing Ci said or how she pouted, she couldn’t get past Yue Shi. It was no use.

’She knew Sister Yue Shi only listened to her mother’s orders and would never let her go.’

Tushan Jing Ci could only storm back to her room in a huff.

Lying back on the bed, the young girl looked at the pale pink bed curtains, her lovely, fox-like eyes blinking slowly.

Scene after scene flashed through the young girl’s mind.

Her mind drifted back to all sorts of memories.

She remembered that in the past, when Xiao Mo was meditating with his eyes closed in the courtyard, she would always sneak out of her room and tickle his cheek with a leaf.

He would always open his eyes slowly, his voice full of gentle resignation.

She remembered that in the past, when Xiao Mo was asleep, she would sneak into his room, sometimes drawing on his face, sometimes slipping under his covers and sticking two fingers up his nostrils.

Every time she woke him up, she would give a sweet smile, but Xiao Mo never got angry, only sighing softly each time.

She remembered that even though Xiao Mo was practically a Daoist who cultivated Daoist Sect Techniques, he picked up the teachings of the Confucian School with surprising speed.

It was as if he knew a little bit about everything.

It’s just that whenever he encountered a question that was hard to answer, he would fall silent.

’He was always like that.’

As her thoughts drifted, a wave of drowsiness washed over her. The young girl slowly closed her eyes and fell asleep.

As evening approached, the girl woke from a deep sleep to the sound of birds chirping outside.

Groggily, she rubbed her eyes, got out of bed, and wandered into the courtyard. "Xiao Mo," she called out, still half-asleep, "stop your practice and come play with me..."

But as her vision cleared, she saw the courtyard was empty.

And then it hit her. Xiao Mo had already moved out...

Staring at the silent courtyard, she sat down on the stone bench where Xiao Mo always used to sit.

After sitting there for a long time, the girl stood up, walked towards his old room, and pushed open the door.

This was Xiao Mo’s room.

Inside, only the simple table, chair, and wooden bed were left. Everything else was gone.

The girl sank down, perching gently on the threshold.

She felt an emptiness in her heart that mirrored the empty room. There was nothing left...

If there was anything left, it was the faint scent of him that still lingered in the room.

’You’ve been gone for less than a day.’

She hugged her knees, her pink, fox-like eyes shimmering as she stared into the empty room.

’But why...’

’...do I feel like you’ve been gone for so, so long?’

’Stupid Xiao Mo...’

She hugged her knees tighter and buried her head in her arms. Her clear voice trembled slightly.

’Stupid Xiao Mo...’

’Why...’

’Why can’t I stop thinking about you...?’