(Jin Guangyao/Reader) You're my sun, my universe

Chapter 5: Goodbyes

You weren't sure how time passed by so quickly, but it did and before you knew it, the sun was already beginning to set; the moonlight almost upon you. The many inhabitants of the lake had long packed and made their way home, ending their work for the day. Thus, all that was left was the pristine view of the Lotus Lake.

Meng Yao and you were still at your original spot under the overarching tree, where the two of you continued to lounge as you basked in each other's company and warmth.

"Before my mother died she told me more about my father..." Meng Yao began, his soft, almost mystical tone interrupting the tranquil silence that the two of you were in, "He's from the Lanling Jin Sect, and before he left he had entrusted my mother with a pearl."

You knew about the memento that Meng Shi had preciously guarded with her life and you had assumed that it was a trinket from her former life as a young lady, but to think that it was from her lover. Upon this realisation it made sense why she had protected it so religiously, after-all it may have possibly been the only possible means of identification if Meng Yao's father ever returned.

Meng Yao also seemingly had the same realisation as you for he continued, "It seems that mother wants me to take the pearl to seek my father in Lanling, she said that upon seeing it he should know who I am."

Hearing these words, you could only remain in silence as you stared expectantly at him, eyes flickering with understanding, for even you knew what exactly he was going to say next.

As if realising what he was going to say himself, Meng Yao hesitated, his resolve wanning for but a moment, not wanting to say the words that he knew would put a damper on your mood, but eventually he composed himself.

"I'm going to leave Yunping...mother...told me to seek him out as her dying wish and so I can't...stay here".

Any words that you might have wanted to say were simply stuck in your throat. You knew what he was going to say, the conversation was obviously leading in that direction and yet hearing him directly confirm it made you feel so...empty. In a way you always knew that Meng Yao was someone that would rise above this mundane life. He was someone special; his scholarly aura and intelligence would shine through even within the murky environment of this town.

His talents would be wasted if he were to stay. You knew that for him to reach his full potential he would have to leave, and yet that was easy to say but hard to commit to.

'Please stay' you wanted to scream.

'Don't leave me' you wanted to cry.

You wanted to grab a-hold of Meng Yao and beg him to reconsider; to not leave you behind in a town that you felt was suffocating and confining. He was your only light in your terribly depressing world...and him leaving would take away the only comfort you had left.

...And yet even though you were feeling such conflicting emotions you made sure that you put on the brightest smile you could possibly muster in the current moment.

"I see..." you replied, trying your best to make sure it didn't sound strained, "Then...you'll be leaving...?"

"I've already finished the burial arrangements for my mother" Meng Yao said.

'Burial arrangements' of course was a pretty word to say, but in the end all he did was make sure his mother's body was treated fairly as he buried her near the outskirts of town. In the end due to being a prostitute, and furthermore not having the funds the funeral had none of the usual blessings.

"So...I'll be leaving the day after tomorrow."

'That was so soon' you thought glumly, as you hugged your knees to your chest.