Chapter 308: Setting Off

Chen Mo remained silent. He could never spend more than a few days with his parents before they had to leave again, which made it difficult for him to muster a smile.

"Oh, don’t look so glum. It’s not like we’ll never see each other again!" Chen Xi said, patting his shoulder with forced nonchalance, though a hint of guilt hid in her eyes. "Your birthday’s over, and you’re officially an adult now. You’re a grown-up, so you have to learn to fly on your own! Qingqing, help Auntie keep an eye on this one for me!"

"Okay." Su Yuqing nodded earnestly.

Chen Xi offered a few more reminders, then left with a yawn.

Only Chen Mo and Su Yuqing remained in the living room.

The room, which had been bustling with noise and excitement all day, suddenly fell silent. All that remained was the sound of their heartbeats and breathing, while an unspoken understanding and warmth, born from a spectacular day spent together, lingered in the air.

They looked at each other and smiled, no words needed.

"You must be tired," Chen Mo said, looking into Su Yuqing’s weary yet still sparkling eyes.

"Mhm, a little. But I’m so happy. Really, really happy." Su Yuqing’s voice was tinged with a contented languor.

"Let’s clean up all these decorations tomorrow. You should get some rest," Chen Mo said, leaning down to place a kiss on the crown of her head.

By the time they had both washed up, changed into comfortable pajamas, and slipped into bed, it was nearly morning.

The city lights still sparkled brightly outside the window, but inside, all was quiet.

Su Yuqing lay on her side facing Chen Mo, her eyes tracing the outline of his face in the dim light filtering in from the window.

The day’s events replayed in her mind like scenes from a movie, and a powerful wave of emotion washed over her.

She reached out and gently caressed Chen Mo’s cheek.

Chen Mo turned over and pulled her into his arms.

With her cheek pressed against his warm chest, Su Yuqing listened to his steady heartbeat. A sense of calm, security, and happiness washed over her. Exhaustion soon followed like a rising tide, and her eyelids grew heavy. But even as she drifted off, a sweet smile remained on her lips.

"Happy birthday..." Her voice trailed off as her breathing grew long and even, and she finally drifted into a sweet slumber.

Chen Mo held her, feeling her soft, trusting weight in his arms, and his heart filled with peace and contentment.

He leaned down and pressed a gentle goodnight kiss to the sleeping girl’s forehead before drifting off to sleep himself.

「A few days later」

Two admission letters arrived to the crisp chime of the doorbell: acceptances to the eight-year integrated bachelor’s-doctoral program in clinical medicine at Zhongxiang University’s Xiangchuan Medical College.

The rest of their summer vacation flew by in a blur of busy preparations and sweet moments together.

They bought daily necessities together and looked into rental options in Xiangchuan, but ultimately decided to live in the school dormitories for the first year to get used to the new environment and build relationships with their classmates.

Most importantly, living together was making it increasingly difficult for them to exercise self-control.

In the days leading up to their departure, a faint sense of sorrow hung in the air at home.

Their grandparents checked their luggage again and again, fussing over them with reminders to "wear more layers when it gets cold" and "eat your meals on time." Their eyes were filled with reluctance to see them go.

Even though the two had lived a city apart from them before, it was just the distance between the new and old districts. They could visit each other with just a bus ride.

But now, they were leaving for another province entirely.

Seeing each other again wouldn’t be nearly as easy.

Even though Chen Xi was far away overseas, she was in constant contact via video call. She lamented being too busy to see them off and repeatedly went over all sorts of precautions. At the end of one call, she couldn’t resist teasing, "Qingqing, once you get to Zhongxiang University, you have to keep a close watch on this one. Don’t let any of those fiery Xiangchuan girls snatch him away!"

Su Yuqing just laughed and agreed to her future mother-in-law’s warning, not taking it to heart.

After all, she was quite confident in her relationship with Chen Mo.

In the final days before they left, Chen Mo and Su Yuqing had one last get-together with Zhao Yuanyuan, Huang Mao, Zhou Hao, and their other friends to say their final goodbyes. From now on, they would all be going their separate ways. The gathering was filled with the young friends’ mix of uncertainty and anticipation for the future.

Only Chen Mo seemed relatively unfazed.

「An early morning in the beginning of September」

The air was crisp and cool.

After saying goodbye to their grandparents, Li Fengzhi, and Li Gang, who had come to see them off, Chen Mo took Su Yuqing’s hand and walked into the bustling airport.

His grandparents stood outside the security checkpoint, waving vigorously, their figures a little blurry against the light.

Su Yuqing glanced back and saw his grandmother discreetly wiping the corner of her eye. The sight instantly reminded her of her own grandmother, making her heart ache and her eyes well up.

Chen Mo felt her fingertips tremble and squeezed her hand a little tighter. "We’ll be back for winter break," he whispered.

Since Chen Xi couldn’t be there to see them off, she had upgraded both of their tickets to first class out of a sense of guilt.

They walked directly to the exclusive check-in area for First Class, Business Class, and elite airline members.

There were noticeably fewer counters here than in the economy section. Unlike the crowded economy check-in area, the first-class counters were exceptionally spacious and quiet.

A friendly ground staff agent efficiently processed their check-in.

Su Yuqing’s eyes were wide with wonder as she watched their suitcases get priority tags and be sent on their way. After all, this was her first time flying, and her first time ever traveling so far from home.

Before this, the farthest she had ever traveled from Jiang City was taking the ferry to Bikong Island.

Every long trip was a novel experience for her.

After checking in, the agent directed them toward the security lane for First Class, Business Class, and elite airline members.

Su Yuqing could immediately tell how much more efficient it was.

As they passed through the exclusive express security lane, the hustle and bustle of the main terminal was instantly left behind.

An attendant then guided them to the first-class lounge.

The moment the door swung open, Su Yuqing stopped in her tracks.

This was completely different from the departure lounge she had imagined.

Soft lighting illuminated spacious, comfortable sofas arranged in tasteful groupings. Outside the floor-to-ceiling windows, the busy scene of planes taking off and landing was rendered silent by the soundproof glass.

The air was filled with the aroma of freshly ground coffee, exquisite pastries, and hot food.

A buffet offered a dazzling array of hot and cold dishes, fresh fruit, and desserts, while a nearby bar served all sorts of beverages.

"Isn’t this supposed to be a lounge? It looks more like a restaurant," Su Yuqing said, looking around in awe.

"This is what airport lounges are like. Everything here is a self-serve buffet, and it’s all free. What would you like to eat?" Chen Mo asked, looking at her gently.

"Huh? All this food is free?" Su Yuqing asked, looking around in surprise.

"Well, not exactly. It’s included in the price of our tickets," Chen Mo replied with a smile.

"If I eat before we board, will I get motion sickness on the plane?" Having never flown before, Su Yuqing quietly sought Chen Mo’s advice, worried she might embarrass herself.

"Don’t worry, just don’t stuff yourself. If you weren’t supposed to eat before a flight, they wouldn’t design the lounge like this. It’s fine to grab a bite before we board," Chen Mo said with a smile, patting her hand reassuringly.