Chapter 30
Lin Xing mentioned in the letter that she needed five days as she wanted to say goodbye to everyone properly. Although she had made up her mind to leave, Lin Xing didn't know how to start the conversation.
I will be going to the capital in five days. It has been decided. I came to inform you. No, this is too cold.
I am going to the capital to serve as an official. I will leave in five days. Do you want to enjoy the life with me? No, this is too frivolous.
After thinking for a long time, Lin Xing still couldn't find a suitable solution. Not only did she not know how to put it, she was also afraid of everyone's questions. What if they ask you why you want to go to the capital? Or you may ask, it is not uncommon for women to be officials, so why would the emperor let you be an official?
How should she answer? This journey might be difficult and dangerous. Lin Xing doesn't want everyone to worry about her, nor does she want to be a burden to everyone.
"Young shopkeeper, it's time to eat. Come out quickly."
Sister Lian is here, there is no way to escape anymore. And she'd been getting away with it long enough, this was a good time.
Lin Xing stood up and cleared her throat, "Sister Lian, I'll be right there."
"I see you look more and more haggard. Didn't you take a rest in the afternoon? Why doesn't it work?"
"Illusion, illusion." Lin Xing had been worried about things the whole afternoon and of course did not get a good rest. But she did not dare to tell Liu Lian and started to laugh.
Liu Lian at the back asked a few more questions intermittently, and Lin Xing answered them all absentmindedly. Liu Lian's expression went from doubtful to determined, and she suddenly stopped when she was about to enter the door.
Then he stared at Lin Xing without missing a beat, "Are you hiding something from me?"
Lin Xing was stunned for a moment and wanted to deny it, but in the end she didn't say anything. She shook her head and walked into the house. Liu Lian could see that Lin Xing was lying. She didn't want to embarrass the young shopkeeper, so since he didn't want to say anything, she didn't ask.
Two people entered the room one after the other, and everyone was there. Even Xiaomei was called over. She was chatting with Huaner, and it seemed that the two of them got along well. Everyone else was staring at the door, waiting for Liu Lian and the shopkeeper to arrive and start eating.
Lin Xing and Liu Lian sat down, everyone started to eat, and the room began to become lively. But the table, which was usually the most lively, was now mysteriously silent. Lin Xing had something on her mind and didn't say anything, and Sister Lian was still worried about Lin Xing. The two main forces were silent, not to mention the others.
Lin Xing finally noticed the abnormal atmosphere at the dinner table and began to ask Xiaomei if she was used to everything. Under her leadership, the atmosphere became lively.
Seeing that everyone had finished their meal and was about to leave, Lin Xing planned to announce the news. If she delays any further, she will become even more speechless.
"I will be heading to the capital in five days, and the itinerary has been set."
At the dinner table, Liu Lian looked as if she had guessed it long ago; Uncle Gui remained calm; Xiao Mei had also seen many storms and was still calm; except for Lin Huan.
When she heard this, she stood up immediately, her expression was very panicked, and her words trembled unconsciously: "Sister Xiao Xing, you want to leave, why?"
"One of my distant cousins also runs a restaurant. He has no children and is now in his 80s. He just wrote to me and asked me to help look after the restaurant. I really had no reason to refuse, so I agreed."
Lin Xing already has the answer to this question. But she was also betting that Xiaomei would not expose her. Xiaoxing was an orphan and her parents had passed away for many years, so she didn't have any distant relatives.
"so…"
"It's not easy for us to stop you. Since the young manager has made the decision, just go for it. You will always be the manager of this restaurant." Liu Lian interrupted Lin Huan and pulled her to sit down.
Liu Lian stopped talking, and Lin Huan, who sat down, also said nothing with red eyes. Lin Xing couldn't stand it any longer, so she quickly found an excuse to leave.
It is already late autumn, and it gets dark earlier and earlier. At this moment, the moon is already hanging in the sky. Lin Xing walked slowly. She had only been in the restaurant for half a month, and now she was leaving suddenly. She was a little reluctant.
The night was too quiet, which made Lin Xing feel extremely worried. Although she said she was going back to the house, she ended up in the accounting office. Lin Xing herself didn't know why she came here.
She didn't go into the house, but stood outside the door looking into the dark room, unable to see anything clearly. Perhaps because she had been looking for too long, Xiao Tao's figure seemed to appear in front of Lin Xing's eyes. Not vibrant, but hanging from the rafters.
"Xiao Xing, aren't you going back to rest? Why are you here by yourself?"
Xiaomei actually followed, and Lin Xing turned around and explained: "I walked here unconsciously. The accounting office is really of great significance to me."
After Lin Xing finished speaking, she continued to look into the house. Xiao Tao was no longer visible. She wanted to see Xiao Tao again, so she still didn't look away. Seeing that Lin Xing didn't move for a long time, Xiao Mei walked to Lin Xing and stared at the accounting office with her, trying to figure out what she was looking at.
"You've been tired from the journey, and it's cold late at night. Go back and rest, and don't get sick again."
Accompanying these words was a gust of autumn wind, which gave both of them a chill.
"I want to go to the capital with you."
"no."
Lin Xing said the refusal without hesitation. She felt guilty and didn't dare to look Xiaomei in the eyes. Xiaomei's eyes were asking her for an answer, but she couldn't say it.
"Although Nanru County is not as prosperous as the capital, it is also very lively. You don't have to worry about your livelihood if you stay in the restaurant. The capital is too complicated."
"Then why did you leave? You are lying. There is no cousin. These are all excuses."
"Yeah, they are all excuses. The truth is not that easy to tell."
Xiaomei looked at Lin Xing with bright eyes, hoping to see through her. But to her disappointment, Lin Xing never looked up.
"I don't care what the reason is. I came to the restaurant to find you. If you leave, I have no reason to stay."
"What if I tell you that this trip north is full of dangers, and you might even lose your life?" Lin Xing raised her head and looked back, continuing word by word, "Are you still willing to go with me?"
"certainly."
An expected answer, isn't it? The three of them grew up together. Xiao Tao even sacrificed her life for Lin Xing, and so did Xiao Mei.
Lin Xing smiled, "Okay, then we'll go to the capital together."
Xiaomei breathed a sigh of relief. She was not sure whether Lin Xing would agree because she was a very stubborn person. She suddenly remembered something else, "Why on earth did you want to go to the capital?"
"Of course it's because..." Lin Xing paused deliberately, looking at Xiao Mei's expectant eyes and then changed the subject, "You go back and rest now, I'll tell you tomorrow."
"you!"
"If you don't go back, I won't tell you."
Xiao Mei couldn't do anything about Lin Xing, so she quickly ran back to the house, and before leaving, she reminded Lin Xing to go to bed.
Seeing that her plan had succeeded, Lin Xing smiled triumphantly. But as she laughed, she fell silent. She still didn't tell him the fact that she was no longer Xiao Xing, but Xiao Mei was ready to die with her.
This is unfair, to Xiaoxing, to Xiaomei, and even more to the dead Xiaotao.
The night was getting colder, and Lin Xing didn't want to stay in front of the accounting office for long, so she turned and left. After taking a few steps, she looked back and saw Xiaotao smiling at her.
Maybe Lin Xing’s eyes were blurry. How could a dead person smile? But this smile did not stop her from deciding to tell Xiaotao everything tomorrow.
Everyone slept uneasily that night, and everyone had dark circles under their eyes when they had breakfast in the morning. This made the atmosphere more cheerful, and everyone joked with each other, which was quite harmonious.
"I'm going to Beijing with Sister Xiao Xing." As usual, everyone waited until the meal was almost over before announcing some things to prevent everyone from being unable to eat, but the news was still too shocking.
"What?"
"disagree."
"no."
Except Xiaomei who didn't say anything, the other three expressed their attitudes. Uncle Gui and Lin Xing disagreed, while Liu Lian was shocked that Huan'er had such courage.
"Why? Uncle Gui, if I go, I can take care of Sister Xiao Xing, and we can have someone to look after us." Huan'er became anxious when she heard that everyone disagreed.
"Stop it. You and the young shopkeeper are two half-grown kids. Don't blame me for being harsh. If something really happens, you will only make things worse."
"Although Xiaolian's words are unpleasant to hear, they are very true."
"Sister Lian! Uncle Gui!" The two patriarchs had already made their attitudes clear. Huan'er placed her last hope on Lin Xing, "Sister Xiao Xing, please say something."
"I think they are right. You are still young and inexperienced, so it is best for you to stay at home."
"It's just going to the capital to open a restaurant. What's dangerous about it?"
After these words were spoken, everyone fell silent. It was inevitable that Lin Xing was speechless because she lied. Seeing that Liu Lian and Uncle Gui were silent, Lin Xing knew that they might have guessed something.
"The restaurant here also needs help. The young manager left. If you leave too, the restaurant will be too busy. Why don't you stay at home with us and wait for the young manager? She will come back to see us when the time comes."
Since Lin Huan doesn't take the hard approach, Liu Lian will use the soft approach. Although moral kidnapping is wrong, it is very effective. At least it persuaded Lin Huan to leave.
Although Lin Huan gave up, she was still very sad. Liu Lian was comforting her. Lin Xing couldn't bear to watch any more, so she got up and left the house, and Xiao Mei followed closely behind.
"You promised me yesterday." Xiao Mei blocked Lin Xing's way, acting like a gangster, as if she would not let him go unless Lin Xing said something.
Lin Xing couldn't help laughing, "Okay, I'll tell you everything. But you have to go to my room to tell it, because walls have ears."
Upon hearing this, Xiao Mei immediately stopped her actions, fearing that she would attract other people's attention and be eavesdropped.
This road is not long, but it is not short either. By the time they got into the house, Lin Xing had already prepared herself mentally.
"I am going to the capital to serve as an official."
The first sentence was a bombshell, shocking Xiao Mei so much that she couldn't close her mouth. After a moment's reaction, she said, "A woman serving as an official? There has never been such a case in my Ning Dynasty."
"Yes, so this road is very dangerous. Are you afraid?"
"Don't be afraid. I want to accompany you because it's dangerous. But why do I want you to be an official?"
"The Emperor heard about the money house incident, so..."
"I understand. No need to say more. There are some things I won't understand even if you tell me. I just know that I want to follow you."
Xiaomei's eyes were determined, as if no difficulty could stop her. This determination made Lin Xing back down again, as she didn't want to lose this friend.
But this is not right, Xiaomei deserves to know the truth. She is Xiao Xing's friend now, not Lin Xing's.
"Xiaomei, I have one more thing to say."
"Why are you so polite? Just say what you want to say."
Lin Xing took a deep breath and said, "I am not Xiao Xing, I am Lin Xing. For some reason, I became her. Maybe you don't believe it, but this is the truth."
"What are you talking about? I don't understand."
"I'm not the Xiao Xing you grew up with. I just have her memories, but I'm not her."
"What about Xiao Xing?"
"I don't know, maybe he's dead."
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