The servants bowed and led Mo Ying and Lin Xu down a narrow stairway. The laughter and noise from the hall slowly faded behind them. The air turned cold and damp, the walls rough and dark.
They stopped at a heavy wooden door guarded by two n. One servant bowed. "Your purchase is inside, honored guest."
"Open it," Mo Ying said.
The guards pulled the latch, and the door creaked open.
Two young girls sat huddled on the floor, their wrists tied, faces pale and frightened. Lin Xu’s chest tightened. She hurried forward. "It’s alright... you’re safe now."
Mo Ying said quietly, "Untie them."
The servants cut the ropes. One of the girls tried to stand but stumbled. Lin Xu caught her quickly. "Don’t be afraid. You’re safe now."
The older girl looked at her with trembling lips. "Will they hurt us again?"
Lin Xu shook her head. "No. I promise."
Mo Ying turned to the guards, his tone calm. "Prepare a carriage. They’re coming with ."
Monts later, they stepped out through a quiet back door. Two black carriages waited in the cold night. The servants helped the girls inside one of them.
Mo Ying opened another carriage door and looked at Lin Xu. "Co."
She hesitated. "Where are you taking them?"
"Where else?" he replied simply.
She took his hand and climbed in. Their carriage began to move, the wheels creaking as the city lights faded behind them. The rescued girls leaned against each other in the other carriage, half-asleep.
Lin Xu looked at Mo Ying. "You acted so cold up there. I thought you wouldn’t help."
He kept his gaze on the window. "There are many more like them... younger ones too. I only saved these two because I gained sothing from it."
Lin Xu frowned but said nothing. The night outside was quiet, only the sound of hooves filling the silence.
After a mont, she glanced at him again. "Alright, maybe I almost made a terrible choice. Maybe Su Feng really is evil. But just because I found that out doesn’t an I’d marry you instead."
She folded her arms and let out a small hmph.
Mo Ying gave a tired smile. "You already promised to return to the Mo residence without complaining, rember?"
"Ha! I promised to follow you, not marry you. Those are two completely different things."
Mo Ying chuckled softly at her words, leaning back against the seat. "You always find a way to twist things around, don’t you?"
Lin Xu turned her head away, staring out the window. "I only speak the truth."
The carriage rocked gently as it rolled through the quiet streets. The night was deep now, only a few lanterns burning here and there. The city that once seed full of noise and life now looked empty and cold.
After a while, Mo Ying spoke again, his tone calm. "Do you regret seeing what you saw tonight?"
Lin Xu was silent for a mont. "Yes," she said finally. "But I needed to see it. I needed to know what kind of man Su Feng really is."
Mo Ying glanced at her. "And now you know."
She nodded slowly, her hands clenched in her lap. "He used to smile so kindly... I thought he was different."
Mo Ying’s voice was quiet but steady. "That’s how people like him hide what they are. With smiles."
"oh? like you did? smiling and Lying to ? Mo Ying, even if Su feng is a big scumbag you are a bigger one...." Lin xu snapped.
"Are you still angry at Lin xu?"
"Angry at you? Why would you ask that? oh... you think I would be angry at you because you lied to about your true identity, married another woman... ha! my mistake, THREE won and even had a child with one and here you are bringing your stupid self here claiming to love .... Mo Ying you are the biggest scumbag in the history of scumbags."
Mo Ying blinked, his smile fading slightly. "You’ve done your howork."
"I didn’t need to!" she snapped. "The whole city talks about it you idiot!"
Her voice echoed inside the carriage. The air grew heavy.
Mo Ying looked at her quietly for a few seconds before saying, "You’re still mad. I can hear it in your voice."
"Mad?!" Lin Xu shouted. "You think I’m mad? You don’t deserve even being mad at you! You deserve to be ignored for life!"
The carriage rocked slightly as the horses trotted forward. Mo Ying leaned back, his tone calm but teasing. "You talk a lot for soone who says she doesn’t care."
That was it. Lin Xu snapped. "STOP THE CARRIAGE!" she yelled.
The startled rider quickly pulled the reins, and the carriage ca to a halt.
Mo Ying frowned. "What are you doing?"
Lin Xu didn’t answer. She pushed the door open and stepped down, her face red with anger.
"Lin Xu!" Mo Ying called after her, but she ignored him, turning her back and marching down the dark street.
"I would rather walk all the way to the inn than stay in the sa carriage as a scumbag like you!" she shouted without turning around.
Mo Ying sighed, running a hand through his hair. "Unbelievable," he muttered.
He stepped out of the carriage, walked to the front, and untied one of the horses. In one swift motion, he climbed onto it and urged it forward, galloping toward her.
The street was quiet and almost empty, the sound of the horse’s hooves echoing off the walls. Lin Xu walked stubbornly down the road, her arms folded, her face full of irritation.
Mo Ying slowed the horse to match her pace, riding beside her with a grin. "You walk fast for soone so angry."
She didn’t look at him.
"Are you sure you’ll make it to the inn before sunrise?" he teased. "It’s still miles away, you know."
Lin Xu kept her head straight, ignoring him.
He leaned forward a little on the horse. "What if a thief shows up? Or worse, what if Su Feng’s n find you first?"
She frowned but said nothing.
Mo Ying chuckled. "You’re really going to ignore all the way?"
Still nothing.
Mo Ying rode slowly beside her, the sound of the horse’s hooves echoing on the empty street. Lin Xu walked ahead with her arms crossed tight, face blank, eyes fixed on the road.
He tilted his head slightly, watching her. "You’re really planning to walk all the way to the inn?"
She didn’t answer.
He smiled faintly. "You know it’s a long way, right? Your legs might give up before we even get halfway."
Still no reply.
"Silent treatnt again?" he teased lightly. "You’re getting good at that."
Lin Xu kept walking, her pace quick but steady. The night air was cold, brushing against her hair and sleeves.
Mo Ying leaned a little forward in his saddle, his voice calm but playful. "You know, you don’t look very scary when you’re mad. Just... stubborn. Like a little cat pretending to be a tiger."
Nothing.
He sighed softly. "Are you ignoring or just pretending not to hear?"
Lin Xu’s steps didn’t falter.
"Fine," he said, chuckling under his breath. "Keep walking then. I’ll just ride next to you until your feet fall off."
He followed slowly, the horse keeping perfect pace with her. After a few minutes, he spoke again. "You’re slower than I thought."
Still nothing.
"Cold, quiet, and angry... I almost miss when you used to yell at ."
She kept her eyes straight ahead, her jaw tight.
Mo Ying smiled a little. "If you were really done with , you’d tell to leave. Yet here I am, still riding beside you."
The street was empty, only the faint sound of crickets and the steady rhythm of hooves. Lin Xu’s silence made the air between them heavier.
Mo Ying leaned down slightly, his voice dropping lower, teasing. "Are you planning to keep ignoring till morning?"
No answer.
He sighed again, a half-smile tugging at his lips. "You really won’t talk, huh?"
"Alright, fine. Have it your way."
Before Lin Xu could react, Mo Ying leaned down quickly, grabbed her by the waist, and with one strong pull, lifted her off the ground.
"Ah! Mo Ying! What are you doing?!" she shouted, kicking her legs in panic.
He ignored her, setting her on the horse in front of him. She tried to move, but his arm wrapped tightly around her waist, keeping her in place.
"Let go!" she yelled, her face turning red.
Mo Ying smirked. "You said you wanted to go to the inn, right? Then I’ll take you there faster."
"I can walk!" she barked.
"Too late," he said, clicking his tongue as the horse began to move again. "You made chase you; now you’ll sit right here until we arrive."
Lin Xu crossed her arms tightly, glaring ahead, refusing to look at him. Her face was flushed, and her heart beat faster, though she’d never admit it.
Mo Ying leaned closer, his voice low near her ear. "You’re cute when you’re angry."
"Shut up," she muttered through gritted teeth.
He chuckled softly. "As you wish, my lady."
The night breeze blew gently around them as the horse galloped down the dark street, carrying the two of them side by side under the dim moonlight.
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