"I only have one identity now—your friend."
Yang Mo's voice was calm, his expression steady. To him, the identity of the young master of the Lynn family was nothing more than a hollow title. What was the point of family if there was no love? If the bonds of kinship had already crumbled, then the so-called family was meaningless.
"Yeah, yeah, no matter what happens, dude, we've got your back!" Gu Defan grinned, thumping his chest dramatically. Seeing how unaffected Yang Mo seemed, his friends felt reassured and quickly switched the topic.
"Alright, enough of this heavy talk. Let's figure out where to go next. How about trying the pirate ship ride?" Gu Defan suggested enthusiastically.
"There's a bungee jump nearby too. Why not give that a shot?" Jang Jia chimed in, smirking.
"Never mind, I wouldn't dare," Gu Defan waved his hands in mock horror, causing everyone to burst into laughter.
The group spent the rest of the afternoon indulging in various amusement park attractions, from lighthearted rides to exciting games. Time passed quickly, and soon, as the sun began to set, they stepped out of the amusement park, still buzzing with excitement. Seeing that it was getting late, they decided to head home.
Yang Mo and Lingy Luo happened to be taking the same bus, so they bid farewell to Gu Defan and Jang Jia before boarding together.
Lingy Luo found a seat by the window and settled in. Yang Mo took the seat beside her. As the bus rolled forward, they found themselves slipping into easy conversation.
"You weren't scared today, were you?" Yang Mo teased, referring to their earlier trip through the haunted house.
Lingy Luo chuckled softly. "I was at first, but then it turned out to be really fun. It's been a long time since I've had this much fun with friends."
The corners of her lips lifted into a bright smile, her eyes shimmering like stars against the dimming evening light. However, a shadow soon passed over her expression, as if she had suddenly remembered something troubling.
"I wish I had another chance… if I could…" Her voice trailed off, and her gaze drifted toward the scenery outside.
Yang Mo's expression became serious. "Can you tell me more about your illness?"
Although he had absorbed a vast amount of knowledge within his mental space after his death in his previous life, he hadn't come across anything about Lingy Luo's condition. It was possible the information was buried somewhere among the countless books, but he had only managed to read a mere fraction of them. If there was even the slightest chance that he could find a cure, he needed to understand her symptoms in detail.
Lingy Luo hesitated for a moment before speaking. "The doctors said I was born with a heart condition. As I grow older, the strain on my heart increases, leading to episodes of cardiac arrest. Each time it happens, the duration of the arrest grows longer… until eventually…"
She didn't finish the sentence, but the implication was clear.
"There's no effective treatment available, so how long I live is entirely up to fate."
Yang Mo remained silent for a moment, absorbing her words. "I see. Can you describe how it feels when an episode starts? Any specific symptoms?"
Lingy Luo looked at him in surprise but eventually nodded. She listed the sensations she experienced before an episode struck, and Yang Mo carefully took mental notes. He wasn't a doctor, but if he could find anything useful within his spirit space, he would do everything in his power to help her.
"I've been thinking about it," Lingy Luo said softly. "Like you said last time, since I can't change the outcome, I want to leave without regrets."
She gazed out the window again, her expression unreadable.
Yang Mo hesitated before responding. "Don't dwell on it too much. Things might not turn out the way you expect."
He wanted to comfort her, but he also didn't want to give her false hope. If he failed to find a cure, it would only hurt her more.
Lingy Luo smiled faintly. "I think I've been lucky in my own way. I have parents who love me, and I have friends who genuinely care about me. That's more than enough." She then turned her head toward him, her expression thoughtful. "But I've always wanted to ask you… do you really not hate the Lynn family?"
Yang Mo had always appeared indifferent whenever he mentioned them, but she found it hard to believe that he could truly let go of everything so easily. If anyone else had experienced what he had, wouldn't they be filled with hatred?
Yang Mo exhaled, his gaze distant. "To say I don't hate them at all would be a lie… but I've let it go."
There was a time when he had desperately wanted to be accepted by the Lynn family—to be acknowledged as their son. But no matter what he did, he was always wrong in their eyes. No matter how hard he tried, he was never good enough. Lin Kuan was the only son they ever truly recognized.
Yang Mo had once blamed himself, thinking that maybe he just wasn't trying hard enough. But after his death in his past life, he finally realized that it was never about him. The Lynn family had already decided their stance from the start. He was an outsider in their eyes, and nothing would change that.
Perhaps, in a way, his heart had truly died with him when he had starved to death in their home. His current self, the one sitting here now, was free. No longer burdened by the weight of trying to please those who would never care. He lived on his own terms, without needing anyone's approval.
"I used to hope for a real family bond with them," Yang Mo admitted. "But the greater the hope, the greater the disappointment. Letting go is the best outcome."
Lingy Luo fell silent, her eyes filled with unspoken emotions. "I'm sorry for bringing it up. I shouldn't have…"
"It's fine," Yang Mo said, shaking his head with a small smile. "I truly let go a long time ago. I neither love nor hate them. To me, the Lynn family is just a group of strangers now."
He paused before adding, "Besides, my adoptive parents treated me like their own child. To me, they are my real parents. Ling Andong doesn't deserve to be my father, and Joy Feng… she's just as ridiculous. After realizing her beloved son was actually an illegitimate child, she suddenly wanted to reclaim everything she had once given up. The entire Lynn family is nothing but a joke."
Yang Mo shook his head, letting out a bitter chuckle. If he had known all of this earlier, he never would have accepted their offer to return, even for a short time.
Lingy Luo watched him for a long moment, surprised by his words. For the first time, she truly understood how deep the wounds left by the Lynn family were. But even so, Yang Mo was still standing strong, still moving forward.
And that, she realized, was what made him remarkable.