Mo Shatian just stared at Xiao Ling and was silent for a while. The facial expressions and tone of voice he heard felt as if Xiao Ling was blaming himself for everything that happened. But he saw that, that wasn't the case here, at least after he knew the whole story.
"Uncle Ling, I don't think you need to blame yourself for what happened to my parents. I'm sure it was something that was beyond your control."
Mo Shatian understood exactly what he should do, he realized that Xiao Ling had probably kept all of this tightly within himself.
"For my father, he went of his own free will without coercion from anyone, I'm sure he did so knowing full well the risks and dangers he would face. As for my mother, I'm sure she feels grateful that you were willing to look for him despite knowing that you may or may not be able to find him."
What he had to do was to free Xiao Ling from the shackles he had been in. No one else could do that but himself, as he was the only person who was not only directly connected to, but also affected by Xiao Ling's guilt.
"So I want you to stop blaming yourself for something you can't control. I think it's time for you to start accepting it."
Accepting the past as it is, living life in the present, and hoping for the future. That's what Mo Shatian is trying to convey.
Xiao Ling opened his eyes wide and suddenly started laughing—laughing so freely. There were tears in the corners of his eyes. The laughter sounded like it was full of sadness and resignation, but it was also full of relief. Like a dam that had been holding back the flood, it had finally started to open.
A laugh with a cathartic melody.
Mo Shatian looked at it with great surprise and just waited quietly for the laughter to end.
Xiao Ling, who had finished laughing, looked extremely relieved and began to wipe his wet face. The expression he gave seemed so peaceful.
"Thank you. Thanks to you, I was able to let go of this lingering regret. I haven't felt this free in a long time," Xiao Ling said, a smile blooming on his face.
"I'm glad to hear that."
"You said there was something you wanted to know, right? Don't hold back and ask me what's on your mind, I'll answer everything I can."
There was a slight change when compared to before, Xiao Ling's speaking style became much more relaxed than before, and he also became more comfortable than before.
Although it was subtle, it was not missed by Mo Shatian, and this change caused him to become confused.
Xiao Ling seemed to realize the confusion Mo Shatian was showing due to the change in atmosphere and suddenly smiled, "There's no need to be confused. I feel like we can talk more comfortably like this."
"Even if you say it like that, it's still hard for me to do it all of a sudden."
"Yeah, I guess so... Then what about what I said before?"
"After hearing everything, I don't think there's anything I can ask for now. I want to think and organize about what happened and what I heard today."
"Is that so? Alright, take as much time as you need and think thoroughly to reach whatever answers and conclusions you come to, then come back after you have done so." Xiao Ling said, a smile breaking out on his face.
With nothing more to talk about, Mo Shatian got up from his chair before finally leaving the room after thanking Xiao Ling.
Xiao Lin was seen standing in front of the exit door of the house, as if waiting for someone to arrive. When Mo Shatian's eyes met hers, Xiao Lin quickly moved to his side.
Mo Shatian realized that Xiao Lin had been waiting for him. He waited for a while, hoping to hear what Xiao Lin would say to him. But even after a while had passed since Xiao Lin stood beside him, all she did was glance at him and open and close her mouth many times.
A really awkward look. She probably didn't know what she wanted to express.
After there was no change for a while, Mo Shatian sighed and decided to take the initiative. "Don't worry. You don't need to force yourself to say anything. I need time to think things over for now." Mo Shatian said as he walked out of the house.