In just one day, the Mo family was reduced to only Mo Tingting herself.
Mo Qingqing learned of her parents' death but said nothing. There was no change in her tone, only a calm acknowledgment: "I understand."
As for Mo Yingying, she had completely lost contact after going abroad. Her phone was unreachable, and Mo Tingting's messages to her on social media, whether on WeChat or elsewhere, all went unanswered.
As for Mo Xuan, Mo Tingting watched him come and then watched him leave. She knew she had no right to stop him.
After handling her parents' funeral arrangements and seeing off the visiting police, Mo Tingting returned to the Mo family villa late at night.
In the past, she had always thought living in a villa was a dignified thing, something befitting her status as the third daughter of the Mo family. But today, as she looked at the empty, lifeless villa, she felt an unprecedented fear.
It was devoid of any vitality—cold and silent.
In truth, Mo Xuan's feelings every time he returned to the Mo family were no different from hers. Perhaps even worse.
At least, Mo Tingting wouldn't be scorned or mistreated by others now. She was alone.
"Auntie Wang?"
Mo Tingting called out softly, only to find a note left by Auntie Wang on the coffee table in the living room. Auntie Wang's work had actually ended long ago; she had stayed to care for Mo Changshan purely out of the bond formed over her many years with the Mo family.
Upon hearing that Mo Changshan and Qin Ni had died, Auntie Wang sighed, left the note for her son to pick her up, and took only her personal belongings when she left. She didn't touch anything else.
The thread holding Mo Tingting together finally snapped when she saw Auntie Wang's note. She fell to her knees and wept uncontrollably...
Mo Qingqing stood by the floor-to-ceiling window in her office, staring blankly at the view outside. Since receiving Mo Tingting's call, she hadn't left the office.
Tears slowly fell, and Mo Qingqing desperately wiped them away, as if trying to prove she wasn't crying.
She wasn't Mo Xuan. Not only had she been sent away from home as a child, but she had also never been treated fairly upon her return. So, Mo Xuan felt nothing about their deaths.
Even if he did, any lingering emotions had been extinguished by their repeated indulgence of Mo Jinpeng and their harsh treatment of her.
Still, she had lived with her parents since childhood. No matter how much resentment or scheming she harbored, they were the ones who had raised her.
Mo Qingqing stumbled to her desk, picked up a cigarette box, but her hands trembled so much that she accidentally pulled out several cigarettes.
"I won't regret it..."
She placed a cigarette between her lips, lit it with a shaky hand, and took a deep drag. After a long while, suppressed sobs still echoed in the office.
She had thought she no longer felt anything for anyone in the Mo family, but on the day of her parents' deaths, Mo Qingqing realized she wasn't as heartless as she had believed...
A heavy snowfall once again blanketed the earth, as if everything had been hidden beneath a layer of white.
Mo Xuan couldn't help but remark that it seemed to snow frequently in the Capital this year, though it didn't affect his current mood.
As for his parents' sudden deaths, Mo Xuan felt little emotional turmoil. Setting aside their actions, he had always been grateful to his grandmother for downplaying their presence in his life from a young age.
His grandmother knew it was cruel and unfair to Mo Xuan, but she had long seen through that family. Rather than deceive him and set him up for disappointment or despair, it was better to let him grow up without any hope.
"Brother, should we take this too?"
Luo Muqi's voice interrupted Mo Xuan's thoughts. He turned to look at her, feeling a headache coming on.
"Muqi, we're not leaving just yet, are we?" Mo Xuan watched as Luo Muqi, along with a few maids, helped pack his clothes. He couldn't help but smile wryly. "Why are you preparing so early?"
"It's better to sort out your clothes for other seasons now than to rush later, right?"
Luo Muqi seemed quite cheerful, even helping to fold Mo Xuan's clothes and place them into suitcases. In truth, Mo Xuan didn't originally have so many clothes; most were gifts from the sisters after he arrived.
"Do we really need to pack this much?" Mo Xuan asked curiously. "Are we never coming back?"
"We will, but we'll be settling there permanently, so it's better to take everything."
Hearing Luo Muqi's words, Mo Xuan nodded, realizing it made sense.
"By the way, brother, didn't you say you wanted to go to that psychological consultation?" Luo Muqi suddenly looked up at Mo Xuan. "Do you want me to go with you?"
Mo Xuan was about to agree when Luo Muqi's phone rang. It was a call from the company; the design department needed her to handle an issue.
"I'll go with you, Xuan."
Luo Shiya stood at the doorway, draped in a shawl, looking much better. She wore gold-rimmed glasses and held a book in her hand.
"No, it's fine. I can go alone," Mo Xuan quickly declined when he saw Luo Shiya. "You've just recovered. You should rest at home."
"It's nothing serious—just a dietary issue. And don't forget, I double-majored in university. Besides finance, I studied psychology," Luo Shiya said with a smile. "Wait for me; I'll change."
Without giving him a chance to refuse, Luo Shiya turned and left. Mo Xuan wanted to follow, but Luo Muqi gently stopped him.
"Brother, it's better if you go with Sister. She knows the professional aspects, so it'll be more convenient."
Luo Muqi wasn't entirely sure what Luo Shiya was thinking, but if she went along, it might be for the best.
She wasn't entirely confident, though. These were matters of the psyche, and she had always believed such things weren't easily detected. But Luo Shiya had told her that nothing was ever absolute.
Mo Xuan's initiative to recover his past memories was a good thing for them, but the problem was, as Luo Shiya had mentioned, it might also awaken other memories.
For example, the things they had done to Mo Xuan.
Deep hypnosis could stimulate memories Mo Xuan was supposed to have forgotten. Originally, Mo Xuan had been in a semi-conscious state. He had forgotten, but that didn't mean his brain hadn't recorded it. Otherwise, their psychological suggestions wouldn't have worked.
In the past, Mo Xuan had been completely unaware, and when Luo Shiya had taken him for treatment, she hadn't yet started hypnotizing him.
But seeing her sister so nonchalant, even offering to go with him, Luo Muqi, though knowing her sister wouldn't do this without a plan, still felt uneasy. While Mo Xuan was busy packing with the maids, she quietly slipped into Luo Shiya's room.
"Sister, didn't you say..."
Before Luo Muqi could finish, Luo Shiya interrupted with a smile: "I know what you're thinking, Muqi. Don't worry. I might even suggest the doctor hypnotize Xuan to awaken his memories."
Luo Muqi looked at her sister in confusion, but Luo Shiya wore a relaxed smile as she held up clothes in front of the mirror. Seeing her like this, Luo Muqi seemed to understand her plan.
"Sister, are you deliberately trying to let brother know?" Luo Muqi's voice was filled with surprise. "But if he finds out what we've done..."
"Don't worry, Muqi," Luo Shiya put down the clothes in her hands. "I've been thinking about how to let him know. I can't keep pretending to be the gentle older sister anymore..."
"Rest assured, even if Xuan learns everything now, he probably won't leave us..."
"He's already grown accustomed to and dependent on you and me. I've said it before: it's better to bind him with invisible chains in his heart than with physical ones."
"Now, it's the final stage... Even if he knows everything you and I have done, he still won't want to leave. That's what I've always wanted..."