Back outside, Xin Lan turned to Hua Lin Yu. "Do you want to leave as well?"
Hua Lin Yu looked in the direction where Jinde and Leng Jin Yu had left in, still feeling troubled. When Xin Lan spoke up, he turned around, his expression complicated. "Well …" They had come because they had been invited to the wedding so since the couple in question had already left, there wasn't really a reason to stay around. He didn't quite know what to do though. Looking around, he finally motioned over to Fei Bai Mu who was also standing in the crowd. "My Master is here. I think it would be nice to go and greet her first."
Xin Lan looked over and then nodded. "Right. We should definitely do that. Let's go over then." He turned around and walked over, only noticing after a few steps that Hua Lin Yu hadn't followed him over. He raised his brows and called out to him. "What's the matter?"
Hua Lin Yu hurriedly shook his head and then rushed after him, glancing at him a few times.
Xin Lan noticed and observed him from the corner of his eye but he didn't say anything. He wasn't quite sure what this was about. He had the silent hope that maybe this was Hua Lin Yu slowly warming up to him again. He wasn't sure if it had anything to do with what Jinde had said before but it might be. Otherwise, he really didn't know what might have made Hua Lin Yu reconsider.
In any case, he was happy that it was happening. If they could go back to how they had been before, that would be for the best. He really did not want to continue like they were now where they had a hard time speaking about anything or getting close to each other. That just wasn't the type of relationship he wanted.
Previously, he might not have cared. Back when it was Jinde, he might not have cared. But he had come to enjoy Hua Lin Yu's company especially because those were the things they could do. Just cuddling up after a long day outside, sharing his thoughts, listening to Hua Lin Yu's thoughts … This was very much how he imagined his life to be. He did not want to give up on that. An awkward relationship where they just coexisted in the same space was not something he was looking forward to. No, a relationship that was supposed to be for eternity needed to be more.
Xin Lan shelved the thought for later and just continued toward Sect Master Fei now that Hua Lin Yu had finally moved. He inclined his head to greet her but then just stood back, letting Hua Lin Yu talk instead.
Hua Lin Yu glanced at him, not quite sure what to make of this but since Xin Lan hadn't said anything, he finally just went ahead. "Master."
Fei Bai Mu looked at him and raised her brows. Her small disciple seemed a little lost. "You were also invited, yes? It's good to see you again."
Hua Lin Yu's nerves calmed a little after seeing her familiar smile and he hurriedly nodded. "Yes, I was. Anyway, I also met them before. It's natural that they would invite me, isn't it?"
Fei Bai Mu glanced at Xin Lan, feeling that this probably had more to do with him but she didn't say so out loud. "Well, that is certainly the truth. Now, why don't you tell me about your situation? Are you only back to attend the ceremony or are you going to stay for a bit?"
Hua Lin Yu fell quiet at that question. He really didn't know what to say. "Well …" He definitely wasn't just here for the ceremony but to admit to that … he wasn't sure if he could. It was bad enough that he had had to tell his older brother and have a talk with Xin Lan about wanting to wait for a bit before they made any lasting decisions. To also tell his Master … Even though he knew that it would probably be better to do so, he just couldn't bring himself to do that.
Xin Lan glanced at him and then stepped forward, putting his arm around Hua Lin Yu's waist as if nothing had happened. "Well, Xiao Yu might be a little embarrassed to say it but I think he missed his family. We have actually returned a few days earlier already. Then, just when we arrived at the Hua family's estate, I got the message from Jinde that he was about to marry.
"We probably should've come to see you sooner but with everything else going on I thought it might be better to do so after the wedding. To see you here now … Well, I guess you should blame me if you want to blame somebody."
Fei Bai Mu raised her brows while she looked at him, not quite sure what to make of this. This man … he was quite a bit closer to her disciple than when they had left all those years ago. "I did not intend to blame anyone. Xiao Yu is also old enough already to make his own decisions. If he wants to see his family, he can do so. When he starts to miss me, he also would've come by." She turned back to her disciple, trying to find from his gaze what exactly the matter was.
Hua Lin Yu did indeed look a little embarrassed. Could that really be just it? Had he been worried that she would be angry.? Well, if that was the case, then it seemed she didn't need to worry.
She just hoped that there wasn't some other underlying issue that he didn't dare to tell her. But he really was old enough to make his own decisions. If he didn't want to discuss with her, she couldn't force him. She would just wait until he decided for himself if he wanted her opinion on whatever the problem was or not.