181 To Stand By Your Side (1/2)

”We're returning to Jilin tomorrow morning.”

Rin blinked her eyes in surprise.

”So soon?”

Bai Han was a little unhappy with her response, so his tone dipped a few degrees with a bit of uneasiness. ”Do you not want to go back?”

Ever since he read Rin's lengthy letter she left for him in Jilin explaining she would be staying with An Sun, he couldn't help but feel insecure. Rin sensed the turmoil of emotions in her grandfather and sighed.

Although her voice was soft, her tone was calm as she said, ”It's not that. I'm concerned about our current situation with Miss Yun. While I agree it's important we return as soon as possible, I don't think it's right to leave without notice.”

Raising her eyes, Rin looked at the two with a helpless expression. ”After all, isn't it better to gain future allies, not enemies?”

Met with the girl's righteous, sparkling gaze, both men fell silent. In all honesty, they both planned to just hit and run. After everything they've been through, they were too tired to explain themselves to people they would never see again.

However, what Rin spoke was true.

An Sun was the first to speak up with a sigh.

”You're right,” He rubbed the back of his neck. ”Tomorrow, we'll explain to them a reasonable amount of the truth. Then, we ride to Jilin and leave the village before the sun sets.”

Suddenly, from around the corner, the three heard a soft gasp. Alarmed, they all turned in the direction of the sound. Standing in the corner, with a hand to her mouth was none other than Yun Suyin!

The hand covering her mouth trembled as she looked at them with widened, teary eyes filled with shock.

”You…You're leaving?” Her voice trembled.

Before anyone had the chance to explain, the girl had fled away in tears. Shocked, they could do nothing but look at the girl's fleeing figure in silence. Looking in the direction Yun Suyin ran into, An Sun sighed when he suddenly felt a sharp jab in his rib.

With a frown, he turned to the already suspected culprit. Bai Han looked at him with his hands crossed over his chest and head tilted upward.

”Well, go on. Chase her!”

An Sun's cool face became increasingly grim. ”What?”

”Go after her and explain the situation. As Rin said, we don't want to make future enemies with her, especially the last minute.” Bai Han shooed him forward.

An Sun was slightly stunned after listening to him. His gray eyes flickered in disbelief, ”Why me?”

In response, An Sun was met with a dull gaze from not just Bai Han, but Rin as well.

It was too obvious why they picked him.

The corners of An Sun's mouth twitched. He sighed heavily. ”Fine.”

Bai Han nodded with a contented smirk.

”Go on then! We're counting on you!” He roughly patted An Sun's ramrod-straight back and tried to encourage him.

An Sun pursed his lips as his gaze swept over the girl standing on the side. Rin turned and looked calmly at An Sun. Under the light of the candles around them, her almond-shaped eyes were like shining stars and as clear as water.

Meeting his gaze, she quietly smiled and nodded her head.

An Sun sighed once more before he turned in the direction Yun Suyin ran off to. Until he could no longer be seen did Bai Han gently pat his granddaughter on the back, and usher her back to her room to rest.

Before leaving, Rin swept a gaze in An Sun's direction with a helpless expression.

…

It didn't take long for An Sun to find Yun Suyin as the girl could hardly run far. She was sitting hunched in a chair beside an inn window in the dining room.

Upon seeing this sight, An Sun's handsome face contorted. He was already experiencing a sense of regret. He had clenched his fist and muttered to himself before he walked over.

”Yun Suyin.”

At the sound of the man's deep, low voice calling her, the girl's body visibly shivered. Raising her head from her knees, tears gathered in Yun Suyin's eyes and quickly began to fall.

”Wang Sun! You're such a bad man! How could you plan to leave without telling me?” She cried pitifully.

An Sun looked down at the crying beauty before him but felt nothing. His heart was beyond drained at this point.

Without any particular expression on his face, An Sun said, ”My name is not Wang Sun.”

At this moment, Yun Suyin's tears ceased. Her eyes were wide open by now, and her thick eyelashes trembled as she blinked.

”W-What do you mean?”

An Sun looked down at her. His eyes were so dark, even the faint light of the inn's lights could not be reflected there. The angles of his face were hard, his jaw sharply defined, and his mouth set in a thin line.

For the first time, Yun Suyin felt herself shiver from what seemed to be fear. However, this feeling quickly went away as she recovered her senses and stood up from her chair.

”Then what's your name? If it's not Wang Sun then what is it?” Her brows furrowed.

An Sun's eyes darkened, but he concealed it very well. He sighed and replied in a calm voice, ”My real name has no concern with you. All you need to know is I am not suitable to be beside someone such as yourself. Not just myself, but everyone with me as well. We are not the people you think we are.”

Yun Suyin's suffering was apparent in her expression, but without waiting for her to gather her thoughts, An Sun spoke once more.

”While we did lie about our identities, our sincerity for your help has been nothing but our true feelings. If you'd like, we'll compensate you for your troubles and kindness. As for everything else, we must leave and continue with our lives. I hope you will do the same.”

Yun Suyin instantly went through a raging storm of emotions. Her only response at the moment was a wordless, wide-eyed stare. An Sun looked down at her dazed expression and sighed.

”We plan to leave tomorrow in the morning. If you wish to, you can bid us farewell.”

With those words, An Sun glanced at Yun Suyin one last time before he turned to leave.

Suddenly, her lovely voice raised in anger as she shouted, ”Then was it also a lie when you said you didn't love that girl? Did you lie to me about that as well? To use me?!”

An Sun paused in his footsteps, a dim glint flashed across his eyes before he quickly concealed it. He shifted his head in her direction.

The depths of his eyes darkened. The words that came out of his mouth were like daggers as he spoke coldly, ”It never had anything to do with feelings.”

Without allowing her the chance to respond, he left.

…

In the blink of an eye, it was already the next day. Rin rose early that morning and carefully limped downstairs to prepare for their departure. On her way down, she noticed a petite figure crouched down in the inn's garden.

Curious, Rin quietly walked over.

”Are you all right?”

Startled by the unexpected voice, Yun Ting turned around, hastily hiding something behind her back. Rin smiled a little as she watched Yun Ting gape in surprise.

”If you hide the flower behind you like that, you'll injure it.” Rin pointed to the little girl's hand behind her back.

Yun Ting's eyes widened a bit, and she quickly pulled the flower out to inspect it. When she noticed petals were bent, her lips formed into a pout. She had a conflicted expression on her face. Rin chuckled and kneeled on the ground.

”May I?” She pointed to the flower.

Yun Ting had been quiet for a moment before she silently nodded her head and stiffly handed the flower over.

”Thank you,” Rin smiled.

Carefully, she took the flower in her hand and touched its petals with her white, slender fingertips. The bent petals regained a portion of their original form.

”See, all better.”

Yun Ting's eyes lit up, but she immediately followed it up with a pout. She pointed to the bruises on the petals. The corners of Rin's lips curled up and she nodded in understanding.