Tap.
Tap.
The soft tapping of footsteps echoed through the grand hallways of the Tang family mansion.
Tang Yue, in her Enforcer uniform, climbed the grand staircase with a composed air.
She was quiet exhausted.
She had just returned from the Enforcement Union, where work had kept her occupied for hours.
As she reached the 2nd floor, she paused briefly, contemplating something. Her room was on the right, just around the corner.
The polished railing felt cool beneath her fingertips as she turned left, heading toward the room where a certain someone was being cared for.
Just as she rounded a corner, a flurry of motion broke the mansion's calm.
A young maid, no older than fourteen, came sprinting down the hallway with such urgency that she failed to notice Tang Yue in her path.
"Ah!"
Thump!
Lin Yue collided with Tang Yue, the impact causing her to stumble backward and drop the neatly folded clothes she was carrying.
Thud!
The maid plopped to the ground with a soft thud, her small body lay on the plush carpet.
"Ow!" Lin Yue yelped, rubbing her arm in mild pain.
Tang Yue blinked in surprise. As an Advanced-Level Mage, she had barely felt the impact, but the sight of the frightened young maid scrambling to gather herself pulled at her heart.
"Lin Yue?" Tang Yue knelt to help the girl up, her voice was soft but filled with concern.
Lin Yue's eyes widened in alarm when she realized who she had run into. "Y-Young Mistress Yue!" she stammered, her hands trembling as she tried to collect the scattered clothes.
Tang Yue's lips curved into a reassuring smile. "Are you alright? Did you hurt yourself?" she asked gently, reaching out to steady Lin Yue by the shoulder.
"N-no, Young Mistress! I'm fine!" Lin Yue replied hastily, though her voice was stiff.
Tang Yue frowned slightly, noting the girl's obvious fear. She knelt further and began gathering the clothes herself. "There's no need to be so scared. Take a deep breath, alright?"
Lin Yue hesitated, then nodded, her small hands clutching the clothes she managed to pick up.
"Why were you running in such a hurry?" Tang Yue asked, her gaze softening.
Then her eyes landed on the clothes in Lin Yue's hands, and realization dawned. "Wait, are those Mo Fan's clothes?"
The mention of Mo Fan seemed to jolt Lin Yue's memory. "Oh! That's right!" she exclaimed, bowing quickly in apology.
"Head Maid told me to inform Master and Mistress that Mr. Mo Fan is awake!"
Before Tang Yue could respond, Lin Yue bowed again and darted down the hallway, leaving Tang Yue standing there in stunned silence.
_Mo Fan's… awake?_
Her mind blanked for a moment before her body acted on its own. Tang Yue dashed toward Mo Fan's room, her heart pounding in her chest.
…
Inside the spacious room, Mo Fan leaned weakly against the plush headboard, his pale face was filled with tiredness.
Despite his exhaustion, his sharp eyes studied the surroundings, trying to piece together where he was.
Feng Lian, the Tang family's head maid, was on a call with the family doctor, her demeanor calm yet attentive.
"At least tell me what time it is," Mo Fan asked after she finished her call, his voice strained but steady.
Feng Lian glanced at her phone and replied, "It's 9:30 PM, Mr. Mo Fan."
Mo Fan frowned slightly.
"9:30 PM?" He tried to recall the last thing he remembered.
It had been late, past 10 PM, when he met Tang Yue on the hill… how could the time have gone backward?
Wait—no!
A troubling thought crossed his mind. His voice lowered, "How long… how long was I out for—"
Thud!
The door to the room burst open with a loud crash, interrupting his question.
Both Mo Fan and Feng Lian turned their heads toward the noise, startled.
Standing in the doorway was Tang Yue, her wide, shocked eyes locked onto Mo Fan, who looked equally surprised.
"Ms. Tang Yue?" Mo Fan called hesitantly, his voice laced with confusion.
But she didn't answer.
Instead, she rushed toward him in a flurry, her footsteps hurried but steady.
Without a word, she threw her arms around him, pulling him into a tight embrace.
Mo Fan eyes went wide, caught off guard by the sudden closeness.
His lips parted as if to speak, but the words died in his throat.
"Ugh… sob… hic…"
Her silent sobs broke the silence, her shoulders trembling as she clung to him. Her grip tightened around him, as if afraid he might disappear again.
Her face was buried in his shoulder, and he could feel her trembling against him.
Mo Fan sat frozen for a moment, unsure how to respond.
Giving in to the moment, his widened eyes slowly closed as felt her warm presence.
He raised his right hand which didn't have the Iv and gently patted her back in soothing motions. "I'm okay, Ms. Tang Yue. Please don't cry anymore," he said quietly, his voice soft.
But her tears didn't stop.
Feng Lian stood a few steps away, observing the scene with a mixture of surprise and understanding.
She had seen Tang Yue's concern for Mo Fan over the days he was here, but seeing her usually composed mistress break down was unexpected.
She chose not to interrupt, knowing how much Tang Yue cared for the young man in front of her.
Mo Fan continued to hold Tang Yue, his own emotions carefully guarded.
Despite his words of reassurance, he could feel the weight of her fear and worry in the way she clung to him.
The room fell into a quiet stillness, broken only by the sound of Tang Yue's muffled sobs and the faint ticking of the clock.
_For now, the answers could wait._