"Sister, can’t we just leave together?"
Ze would seize every opportunity to persuade Xiaoyu, who would always clearly tell him,
"No, our boat is too small; it can only fit the two of you. Otherwise, we won’t be able to take anything with us."
"Sister, that excuse might work on children. Haven’t we all been on it before—our parents, you, and me? How come it’s suddenly too small for us to fit?"
"Alright, let me make it clearer for you. I don’t want to leave; I’ve grown accustomed to life on the island."
"But you can’t stay here forever, right?"
"I didn’t say I would stay here forever. Haven’t I sent you out to scout? If you find things are good out there, you can come back for me. Of course, if it’s dangerous, you can always return. Or if I get tired of staying here, I’ll go out and find you myself. Ze, this departure could mean we won’t see each other for many years. But remember, as long as we are destined, we’ll meet again. You are the lifeblood of our parents, bearing the future of our Shen Family. So, you must, you absolutely must, survive."
Shen Xiaoyu’s words made Shen Ze a bit afraid, and Yan Qing, standing beside them, pursed his lips as he looked at her.
"Let’s make it a five-year promise. If we don’t come back after five years, and you miss us, you can go to Xinglong Inn in the capital of Yan Country and find me. Just bring this Jade Pendant." With that, Yan Qing handed over his personal Jade Pendant to Shen Xiaoyu.
Xiaoyu hurriedly declined, "No, no, no, that’s yours; how could I take it?" Jade pendants were generally tokens in ancient times, and she dared not accept.
But Yan Qing insisted and handed it to her: "Take it. But how will you leave when we’ve taken the boat?"
Xiaoyu waved her hand dismissively, "It’s fine. Maybe I’ll be lucky enough to catch a passing boat. If not, I’ll hollow out a tree and make a raft, take my time, or just wait for you to come back for me. Don’t worry, I’ll take good care of myself and await your safe return."
Because of the five-year promise, in five years’ time, Xiao Ze would be fifteen and Xiaoyu eighteen. How to live those intervening years, since the moment they said their goodbyes, no one could afford to worry about the other.
Thus, on a calm and tranquil morning, Xiaoyu bid farewell to Yan Qing and Shen Ze. Watching their small boat slowly recede into the distance, finally shrinking to an ant in the vast sea, she couldn’t help but shed tears.
"Ze, a man should aspire to travel far and wide. You should not be confined to this tiny island. Yan Qing is your benefactor, and I believe your future will be much more expansive."
In truth, Xiaoyu could not possibly stay on this deserted island forever. Whether they would come back for her or not, she would leave eventually; it was just that she wasn’t quite ready yet. When the day she wanted to leave came, it would happen naturally.
Humans are social creatures: cut off from the group for too long, they regress—this applies to Shen Xiaoyu with her modern soul, too. This update is available on novelFɪre.net
She chose not to leave with them because she recognized that Yan Qing was no ordinary man. No matter the life, her mission was to strive by herself. Without her brother by her side, she could throw herself into the struggle more freely. She wanted to see if, without anyone’s help, she could carve out a place for herself in ancient times.
Of course, she also knew that among scholars, farmers, craftsmen, and merchants, merchants were considered the lowest. But with Shen Ze striving for a future for the Shen Family, what difference would it make if she, a woman, became a merchant or not?