Chapter 116: The Sea Turns Misty, Whales Concealed and Deer Hidden

The Blue Whale truly drank through the entire night.
She drank under the moonlight.
But this time, she did not get drunk.
Those who get drunk are the ones who want to be drunk.
Those who do not want to get drunk simply cannot, and they certainly cannot sleep.

Lin Shenlu looked at the Blue Whale holding the wine bottle with a hint of confusion in his eyes.
His heart ached inexplicably.

The Blue Whale gently set down the bottle and reached up to smooth her slightly disheveled hair.
“Good morning, Sister An…” She admitted her body was weak, but not so weak that she couldn’t stand steadily.

An Muxi nodded lightly.
To everyone in this world, An Muxi always maintained her consistent, distant calmness.
Her tenderness was reserved for only one person—and only one.

“The inn opened yesterday, and some of us drank a little too much. The yard is a bit messy; please forgive us,” the Blue Whale said, composed and graceful as she tidied up the scattered bottles on the ground.

There was a saying the Blue Whale believed in deeply: winning or losing is temporary, but elegance never goes out of style.

“We’re about to leave now, just wanted to say goodbye,” An Muxi said softly.

The Blue Whale’s hand paused for three or four seconds while cleaning, then resumed.
“Yes, it’s been busy for a while. Thank you all so much. If you have time, remember to come visit Lishui... for a visit,” she said, her back turned to them.

Perhaps she was afraid she would not be able to hold back her tears.

Why?

Why had she spent more than half a month in Lishui with Lin Shenlu,
While An Muxi arrived just a day ago and took Lin Shenlu away?

It felt as if she had painstakingly cultivated a field of wheat all year, only to have the neighboring Wang Laoer swing his sickle at harvest time... and then take the grain home.

It was like raising a son for over thirty years, only to discover he wasn’t biologically hers—and once the real parents appeared, the son was raised by others.

The Blue Whale was unwilling to accept this.

“All right,” An Muxi nodded. She had no more words to say. She had come simply to accompany Lin Shenlu and to say goodbye—a basic courtesy in her eyes.

She glanced at Lin Shenlu.
From the moment he entered, he had not spoken a single word.

An Muxi knew he had something to say to the Blue Whale.

“I’m going to the restroom,” An Muxi said with a composed smile, speaking to Lin Shenlu but seemingly also to the Blue Whale.
She wanted to leave the remaining time for the two of them to say their farewells.

“Oh, Sister An, the restroom is just over there,” the Blue Whale stood, pointing to a nearby spot.

An Muxi left their sight.

Lin Shenlu sighed.

The Blue Whale tossed an empty bottle into the trash can casually.
Finally, she could let down her guard and sit quietly by the side.

Lin Shenlu found his throat a little hoarse—perhaps from having spoken so little for so long.

“I’m leaving,” Lin Shenlu said softly, clearing his throat.

The Blue Whale remained silent.

“The inn is all settled; everything I could do is done. The rest...” Lin Shenlu looked at the Blue Whale as he spoke.

“You know, this inn of mine isn’t just about doing things well. What I want is you...” The Blue Whale looked up earnestly at Lin Shenlu.

“Don’t be impulsive. There’s not much I can do. I just don’t want to owe you anything. I want to do well everything you asked me to help with...” Lin Shenlu said.

“Then you should have refused me. From the very beginning, you should have said no, shouldn’t you?”

Taking a deep breath, the Blue Whale tried to calm her emotions.

“Calm down. We...”

“Enough. Don’t say anything more, Lin Shenlu. Just go.” The Blue Whale waved her hand.

“Just like last time, get out of my sight—far away, the farther the better. Don’t ever appear again.”

Lin Shenlu nodded softly.

He took a small box from his pocket and placed it beside the Blue Whale.

“I don’t want it. Take it away! Lin Shenlu, how badly do you want me to lose?” The Blue Whale struggled to suppress her emotions.

Lin Shenlu hadn’t expected her to say such words.

Was it him who made her lose?

Perhaps.

Lin Shenlu gently picked up the small box he had just placed down and casually threw it into the trash can.

“Fine. I’m going to escort Bao’er home. I wanted to say goodbye. I thought we were still friends. If my presence really makes you this upset, then I’ll disappear from your world forever.” Lin Shenlu took a few steps back.

At that moment, An Muxi returned.

Lin Shenlu waved lightly and left the inn with her.

The Blue Whale remained seated, head bowed on one side.

An Muxi sighed quietly, hoping that during her absence, they could have a proper farewell.

In the world of adults, partings should be dignified, shouldn’t they?

Lin Shenlu held An Muxi’s hand as they retraced their steps.

The previous dawn, Lin Shenlu had stood on this mountainside, marveling at the beauty of the world.

This morning, he stood on the same slope, lamenting the vicissitudes of life.

Let’s go.

...

The Blue Whale didn’t know how long she had sat in silence.

She couldn’t blame Lin Shenlu.

From start to finish, he had never spoken of love or promises to her.

It had always been she who couldn’t let go, who couldn’t move on.

She couldn’t blame Lin Shenlu for hurting her.

She only hated that when she appeared, he happened to have An Muxi by his side.

Her gaze lingered on the small box Lin Shenlu had tossed into the trash.

It was a deep blue little box.

Though she didn’t know what was inside, at this moment, the Blue Whale truly wanted to let go.

No one can keep giving endlessly without ever seeing results.

That is the norm; she was no exception.

Let it be.

The Blue Whale glanced one last time at the box inside the trash can.

She tied the garbage bag, then picked up the bag of wine bottles and trash, heading outside.

In half an hour, the local cleaning auntie they had hired would take away the garbage.

The Blue Whale returned to the yard and sat alone at the tea table, silent.

Scenes flickered constantly in her mind.

The snow in Dali.

The coin in the wishing pool.

The love story in the wine bottle.

The white dress fluttering on the swing.

The man knitting his brows as he smoked.

The electric tricycle carrying the two of them along the country road.

The old house shrouded in mist on the mountainside.

The shared cup of peach blossom wine.

The painting of the whale and the deer.

The jacket discarded beside the jasmine windmill.

The blue box he had thrown into the trash can.

Has the cleaning lady arrived?

The sound of a plastic bag being lifted came from outside.

The Blue Whale’s thoughts raced while her body remained still.

No!

She sprang up from the chair and hurried outside.

She wanted to open the garbage bag.

She wanted to open the blue box.

She needed to know what was inside.