The Protagonist Pursues Me Relentlessly – Chapter 41

“That watch is very important to me,” Ye Lin sniffed and grabbed Jiang Mo’s sleeve. “Jiang Mo, can you help me look for it?”

“No need to look,” Jiang Mo’s voice was not as light and airy as usual, it was cold and slow. He spoke with emphasis, “Your watch is with me.”

Lou An, who had descended a few steps, stopped in his tracks upon hearing Jiang Mo’s words. He turned to look at the three people still standing in the corridor.

Jiang Mo took out a men’s watch adorned with several scattered diamonds from his pocket.

It was the one that Lu Xuan had given him earlier.

“Ye Lin lost a watch, and you pretended to have taken it. When Ye Lin questioned you, you didn’t say a word and just left the cabin,” Lu Xuan pushed the watch towards him, raised his chin slightly, and gave him the same arrogant gaze as Jiang Mo’s mother, which made Jiang Mo uncomfortable.

Ye Lin was stunned. They hadn’t even gone to the kitchen to look, how did Jiang Mo take out the watch so quickly? And why did Jiang Mo take the initiative to show it?

What did Lu Xuan say to Jiang Mo? Why was the script different from what they had discussed?

Ye Lin took the watch and the choked voice disappeared. “How did my watch end up with you?”

Jiang Mo replied, “You forgot to take it when you left the kitchen. I saw you wear it, so I kept it for you, planning to return it when I saw you again.”

Ye Lin carefully inspected the watch strap and counted the diamonds on it one by one. His face became serious. “You kept it for me? Is that what you call it?”

“Yes,” Jiang Mo responded firmly.

“Why didn’t you return it to me right away?” Ye Lin asked.

Jiang Mo explained, “I thought I would give it back to you when I saw you tomorrow.”

Ye Lin felt uncomfortable and aggrieved. “Give it back to me tomorrow? The watch was with you, and I was frantically searching for it. Did you do it on purpose? Why wait until tomorrow to return it?”

“I didn’t do it on purpose…” Jiang Mo clenched the hand hidden under his sleeve, tilted his head slightly, and a cold light flickered in his eyes.

Ye Lin’s eyelid twitched. It was the first time he had been stared at by Jiang Mo with such a gaze.

In his imagination, Jiang Mo’s timid expression did not appear. Whenever he spoke to Jiang Mo before, Jiang Mo would always avoid eye contact, but now, despite hearing his words, Jiang Mo remained expressionless, with a few traces of mockery in his eyes.

Mockery?

Jiang Mo dared to mock him?

Ye Lin’s breath faltered. He couldn’t hide his temper that he had suppressed for so long. “If I hadn’t remembered, were you not planning to return it to me?”

Ye Lin was indeed not good at pretending. Being able to have a meal with a smile together was already his limit.

In less than a day, his false facade had been torn off.

Jiang Mo mocked him in his heart.

“Why do you think that way?” Jiang Mo’s speech remained slow, because if he didn’t, he would stutter.

When arguing with others, if he stuttered, he would lose first.

Ye Lin clenched the watch strap, and the protruding diamonds made his palm slightly sore.

Jiang Mo’s reaction was neither here nor there, like punching cotton, making one feel unsatisfied from head to toe.

“One diamond is missing.” Ye Lin raised his hand, palm open, as he said. Indeed, there was one missing diamond on the watch strap. The originally tight arrangement of diamonds was broken, losing half of its beauty.

Jiang Mo said, “I don’t know. It was like this when I received it.”

“Where did you hide that diamond?” Ye Lin questioned.

Jiang Mo replied, “I didn’t hide it.”

“You show it to me now, and I can pretend nothing happened,” Ye Lin demanded.

Jiang Mo’s eyes reddened, and he said word by word, “I really didn’t hide it.”

“With your current status, can you afford such an expensive item?” Ye Lin sneered. “To be honest, were you planning to keep it all for yourself?”

“Ye Lin, you’ve gone too far with your words.” Lou An frowned, walked to Jiang Mo’s side, took a step forward, and blocked Jiang Mo.

Seeing Lou An instinctively protecting Jiang Mo, Ye Lin scoffed. “Are you siding with Jiang Mo now? Aren’t you afraid that Lu Xuan will misunderstand when he sees this?”

“Let’s focus on the matter at hand. I believe Xiao Xuan wouldn’t be so unreasonable,” Lou An was not affected by Ye Lin’s words and attempted to explain. “This is just a small matter. Jiang Mo has returned the watch to you, why are you still pushing so hard? Isn’t it a good thing that the watch was found? Unfortunately, the diamond is missing, but accidents like that can happen easily. I’ve encountered such situations many times before.”

Ye Lin: “Why do you unconditionally trust Jiang Mo? Good thing? I was almost crying in desperation, and he took his time to show it. He deliberately wanted to see me worried.”

Shen An, who had been silent, spoke up: “Ye Lin, don’t be unreasonable.”

Ye Lin’s gaze swept over Lou An’s shoulder and stared blankly at Shen An, who was leaning against the wall. He didn’t know when Shen An had stood beside Jiang Mo, with Lou An blocking most of Jiang Mo’s body.

Jiang Mo looked innocent, protected by Shen An and Lou An. It seemed like what Shen An said was true, and the one causing trouble seemed to be Jiang Mo.

Why would even Shen An side with Jiang Mo?

Just because Jiang Mo has a likable face?

Can he make everyone feel sorry for him by pretending a little?

First it was Chi Yu, then Lou An, and now even Shen An…

“Didn’t Jiang Mo go out? He just came back,” Lou An analyzed seriously.

“I’m talking to Jiang Mo now. What’s it to you?” Ye Lin’s anger overwhelmed him, and he pushed Lou An aside, grabbing Jiang Mo’s arm and interrogating, “Did you intentionally steal my watch? And took my diamond?”

“I didn’t,” Jiang Mo frowned, his arm hurting from Ye Lin’s grip. He didn’t struggle, but his tightly pursed lips slightly trembled, revealing his suppressed emotions.

“Ye Lin!” Lou An shouted.

“Smack!“

A crisp slap landed on Ye Lin’s hand. Jiang Mo’s face turned cold as he shook off Ye Lin’s hand and ran straight back to his room.

Everyone present witnessed it. When Jiang Mo shook off Ye Lin’s hand, he raised his head, tears streaming down his face. His lips were tightly pressed, and his lower lip was on the verge of being bitten, as if he was desperately holding back, but the tears still flowed uncontrollably.

The cloth covering the camera had been removed before leaving.

Jiang Mo grabbed a tissue to wipe his face, tears uncontrollably falling.

[“Damn, is Ye Lin crazy? Did he pretend to lose the watch just to find fault with Jiang Mo? He returned the watch to him, what else does he want?”]

[“It reminds me of why many people hesitate to help when they see an elderly person falling on the street. They try to help with good intentions but end up being accused. I feel sorry for Jiang Mo.”]

[“Does Ye Lin have an underdeveloped brain? Is he mentally disabled? He can’t even pretend properly, and now he’s started again, right?”]

[“But it’s understandable to be anxious when a diamond is lost. Ye Lin just spoke without thinking because he was too anxious.”]

[“If you’re so worried about losing the diamond, why wear such an expensive watch? It’s quite a show-off move.”]

[“I find it strange that Ye Lin took the initiative to find Jiang Mo during dinner. He even fed Jiang Mo meat. He intentionally left the watch in the kitchen, waiting for Jiang Mo to take the bait. Does he think the audience is foolish and will believe his excuses?”]

[“Sob, sob, sob, I feel so sorry. Damn it, I’ll hate Ye Lin forever!”]

Jiang Mo stared blankly at Chi Yu’s photo on the computer screen, then silently started packing his luggage.

Someone knocked on the door, but Jiang Mo didn’t respond. The door was knocked several times, and Lou An’s voice sounded from outside.

“Jiang Mo.”

“Jiang Mo, are you okay?”

“Come out first. I’ve talked to Shen An about Ye Lin. Don’t keep it all to yourself. Are you really okay?”

In fact, Jiang Mo didn’t feel much injustice. Everything he did in front of Ye Lin just now was an act.

When Lu Xuan took out Ye Lin’s watch, he had made up his mind about one thing:

No matter what Lu Xuan asks him to do, he won’t do it anymore.

Because Lu Xuan’s words were right, he couldn’t keep avoiding and hiding in his own shell.

Chi Yu discovered his difficulties and was willing to help him proactively. What about the future?

Chi Yu always has his own things to attend to and can’t watch over him all the time. He can’t expect Chi Yu to be there every time he needs help.

He doesn’t want to escape or hide from Chi Yu for any reason anymore. He doesn’t want Chi Yu to continue waiting for him either.

He doesn’t want to be a useless person, otherwise, he’s not qualified to stand beside someone as good as Chi Yu.

So this time, he wants to solve his own problems.

After finishing packing his luggage, Jiang Mo reluctantly looked around the room and finally, his gaze fell on a camera on the desk.

He bent down in front of the camera, his eyes red, and whispered, “I’m sorry.”

[“Why are you apologizing? I won’t allow you to apologize!”]

[“Where are you going with your luggage? Aren’t you going to continue filming?”]

[“Damn, if you don’t film, what am I going to watch? I’m watching this show because of you. You can’t leave!”]

Jiang Mo couldn’t see the audience’s comments. He opened the door, and Lou An’s hand missed and almost landed on Jiang Mo’s shoulder.

“You finally came out. Are you okay?” Lou An carefully observed Jiang Mo’s face. Jiang Mo’s eyes were swollen, a sure sign that he had been crying.

He didn’t expect it to escalate to this extent just because he lost something. His dissatisfaction with Ye Lin grew stronger and stronger.

“Why are you packing your luggage?” Lou An was stunned when he saw the suitcase Jiang Mo was carrying.

Jiang Mo’s voice was hoarse, “I… I’m leaving.”

Lou An asked, “Where are you going?”

Jiang Mo replied, “I’m going home.”

Lou An questioned, “At this late hour? Aren’t we filming the show?”

Jiang Mo nodded, “Yeah, we’re not filming anymore.”

Lou An fell silent.

Lou An held onto Jiang Mo’s shoulder and tried to comfort him in a gentle tone, “Jiang Mo, calm down. It’s Ye Lin’s fault, we all know that. No one blames you.”

“Thank you, but… I’m not happy here.” Jiang Mo sniffled and lowered his head.

During his argument with Ye Lin, he didn’t feel much grievance, but after being comforted by others, the sense of grievance magnified instantly, as if he had truly suffered a ton of grievances.

His tears couldn’t stop, and he didn’t even know where all these grievances came from.

“I… I want to go home. I don’t want to stay here.” Tears gathered at the tip of his chin, dripping onto the floor.

“Jiang Mo…” Lou An felt heartbroken seeing him cry and didn’t know how to comfort him.

“If you’re not happy, then go back. I’ll take you.” Shen An held a bunch of car keys and quietly watched the two.

Lou An asked, “Are you serious?”

Shen An’s gaze swept past Lou An and looked at Jiang Mo. He asked, “Jiang Mo, are you leaving? I’ll take you to the station.”

Jiang Mo lifted his head. Although he didn’t understand why Shen An wanted to help him, he instinctively agreed.

“Pack up, I’ll wait for you at the entrance.” Shen An took Jiang Mo’s suitcase and didn’t say anything else. He went downstairs first.

“You… Have you really made up your mind?” Lou An asked.

“Yeah,” Jiang Mo took out a tissue and wiped away the tears on his face, “Thank you. I hope you can find your true happiness.”

After speaking, Jiang Mo bypassed Lou An and went downstairs. When he reached the corner, he encountered Lu Xuan, who had a gloomy expression.

Jiang Mo didn’t stop and stared expressionlessly at Lu Xuan until their gazes separated. Neither of them spoke.

“I refuse.” Jiang Mo didn’t accept the wristwatch Lu Xuan handed him, surprising Lu Xuan with his response.

“You refuse? Well, then be prepared to pay the penalty. If you can’t come up with the money, be ready to receive a court summons.” Lu Xuan threatened.

“Is that all you know how to do?” Jiang Mo smiled.

He wanted to imitate Chi Yu from the movies, using his smile to intimidate his opponent. But he didn’t realize that he looked like a child wearing adult clothes, imitating without understanding.

Lu Xuan saw that smile, and it seemed foolish, just like the previous Jiang Mo. But the words he spoke surprised him.

“I won’t do what you asked. From now on, I won’t help you anymore.”

“This time, do you want to seek Senior Chi’s help again?” Lu Xuan asked.

Jiang Mo shook his head and took out his phone from his pocket, unfolding the screen to show it to Lu Xuan.

“I recorded what you said to me just now. If you force me to do something I don’t want to do, I will upload this recording online.”

“…”

Lu Xuan reached out to grab Jiang Mo’s phone but was swiftly dodged by Jiang Mo.

“However,” Jiang Mo, afraid that Lu Xuan would snatch his phone, put it back in his pocket and took the watch from Lu Xuan’s stiff hand, “I agree to withdraw from the show.”

He had long wanted to leave this place. Only by leaving here could he have better development.

Moreover, withdrawing from the show didn’t require him to pay a penalty, which was exactly what he wanted.

Lu Xuan witnessed this performance show in the small supermarket. Ye Lin thought he was the protagonist, but in reality, Jiang Mo was the true protagonist.

Lu Xuan couldn’t explain the truth to everyone, even though he knew it, because he would expose himself as well.

He had been careless, blinded by Jiang Mo’s weak and pitiful appearance, and unexpectedly fell into this little trap.

Shen An placed Jiang Mo’s suitcase in the trunk and the dark blue sports car, its original color concealed in the night, had Shen An’s hand resting on the steering wheel as he sat inside, waiting for Jiang Mo.

“Tha-thank you,” Jiang Mo immediately thanked Shen An after getting into the car.

“It’s nothing, just a small favor,” Shen An said casually, his gaze sweeping over Jiang Mo’s face.

So red, so pitiful.

Shen An had a thought and reached out to help Jiang Mo fasten his seatbelt, but Jiang Mo was quicker, pulling out the seatbelt and buckling it himself.

“…”

“Now, do you still have a plane ticket?” Shen An asked.

“I-I’m taking the train. I’ve already bought the ticket,” Jiang Mo replied.

“Alright.” Shen An searched for a new destination on the navigation system, changing the direction.

There was no conversation throughout the journey. After getting into the car, Jiang Mo huddled by the car door, gripping the seatbelt as if seeking a sense of security. He rested his head against the car window, closing his eyes as if falling asleep.

This area was near the outskirts, and there weren’t many vehicles at this time. Shen An drove in silence, pretending to look outside at the scenery when the traffic lights stopped. Inadvertently, his gaze swept across Jiang Mo’s face.

Some of his long bangs covered his eyebrows, and his fair little face was flushed. The corners of his eyes were particularly red, and he gently twitched his nose. The redness on the tip of his nose followed his movements, disturbing Shen An’s line of sight.

…

The journey lasted half an hour, not too long but not too short, yet Shen An felt that time passed too quickly.

Jiang Mo unbuckled his seatbelt, thanked Shen An again, and said, “Tha-thank you for driving me. Goodbye.”

“Wait.” Shen An suddenly spoke up, causing Jiang Mo, who was about to open the car door, to pause and turn to look at Shen An.

“On the first day, everyone was busy working, and I saw that you didn’t have anything to do, so I assigned you the task of washing dishes,” Shen An’s gaze fixed on Jiang Mo’s reddened eyes. “I wasn’t intentionally targeting you. Don’t misunderstand.”

“I didn’t misunderstand. I understand what you mean,” Jiang Mo smiled faintly. “And, from the beginning, I knew that you are a good person.”

“…”

“Do you not plan on coming back anymore?” Shen An asked.

Jiang Mo nodded.

Shen An: “So, can I have your contact information?”

Jiang Mo blinked and dared not look into Shen An’s eyes. He lowered his head and said softly, “No, there’s no need.”

“Why?” Shen An asked.

During the time in the cabin, Jiang Mo honestly said, “I was very unhappy. I don’t want to recall unpleasant things.”

“So, you don’t want to stay in touch at all?” Shen An asked.

Jiang Mo honestly replied, “Hmm.”

Shen An tightened his grip on the steering wheel and pressed further, “What about Chi Yu?”

Jiang Mo’s face turned hot, and he suppressed his shyness as he answered, “He’s different.”

The remaining words that were about to be spoken suddenly became unnecessary.

In those few days, Shen An couldn’t form a deep memory of a person. However, strangely enough, he remembered Jiang Mo.

The thin and small teenager always hid in a corner, quietly and afraid to disturb anyone. The slightest movement would startle him.

At that time, Shen An only felt that it would be more comfortable to get along with Jiang Mo, so he wanted to get closer. However, every time he approached as a test, the other person would be scared away. Worried that the person would be frightened again, he could only reluctantly step back.

Not getting closer, only observing from afar.

Shen An thought that Jiang Mo would always have this timid and fearful appearance. However, when Chi Yu appeared and Jiang Mo stood beside him, Jiang Mo’s originally dull colors became vibrant and colorful.

Fortunately, it was just a slight feeling. The emotions hadn’t developed that deeply.

He truly hadn’t done much for Jiang Mo. He couldn’t be as decisive as Chi Yu. He had too many things that he couldn’t help.

It was normal not to even want to leave a contact information.

Shen An smiled and said, “Goodbye.”

“Um, be careful on your way,” Jiang Mo closed the car door and waved to Shen An.

Shen An stepped on the accelerator, and the car rushed forward without looking back.

Jiang Mo tidied up his messy scarf, took out his phone, and opened the chat box with CY. He changed the nickname to Chi Yu.

[MOMO: I’ve figured out my answer.]

When the director saw Jiang Mo starting to pack his luggage, he wasn’t worried.

Jiang Mo and Ye Lin had argued before, and besides, Jiang Mo was originally supposed to have the role of the sacrificial offering.

Even though Chi, the male lead, had joined midway, the show still benefited the most from it.

The more intense the arguments between Ye Lin and Jiang Mo became, the better. This way, when Chi, the male lead, returned, there might be an interesting show to watch, and the show’s ratings would soar.

However, the tension started when Shen An offered to send Jiang Mo and carried his luggage into the car, refusing any filming crew to follow. The director began to worry.

The director’s assistant called Jiang Mo, and he answered quickly.

“My manager will… talk to you. I’m really sorry,” Jiang Mo said briefly and hung up the phone.

“Director, he really wants to quit the show…” Before the assistant could finish, the director’s phone rang.

“You’ve been pestering me multiple times. I gave you face and agreed to let him join. Now, without any explanation, he just quits. How do you expect me to handle this situation?”

“Compensation? Do you think I care about your damn penalty fee?”

No matter how angry the director was in the small room, the recording in the cabin continued.

The guests in the cabin couldn’t see the barrage from the audience, but they could imagine that the internet must have exploded by now.

Ye Lin hid in his room, receiving a scolding from his manager. He had an impatient look on his face. If he would listen to others’ advice, he wouldn’t have caused such frequent incidents.

“Why can’t I offend Jiang Mo? Chi Yu? Is it a big deal if Jiang Mo clings to Chi Yu? Who does he think he is!”

“And who do you think you are?” The manager got angry, “Can’t you see that Chi Yu is pursuing Jiang Mo? Do you know who Chi Yu is? If he lifts a finger, you’re done for. Your father’s wealth is not enough to support your antics! It’s one thing to insult Jiang Mo for being poor, but why did you say such things? Do you think everyone is like you, wearing luxury brands from head to toe with six-figure prices?”

“What’s wrong with what I said?” Ye Lin sneered, “It’s a fact that Jiang Mo wears cheap goods from street vendors. Did I say something wrong?”

The manager took out his own blood pressure medication from the drawer and cursed, “Don’t offend anyone, but don’t offend netizens! Do you still want to stay in the entertainment industry or not!”

[“Did a few pieces of junk offend you?”]

[“Sorry, we are not as delicate as you. We can only afford cheap goods. We wear comfortable clothes. Only fools spend tens of thousands or even hundreds of thousands on a single piece of clothing ^-^”]

[“Let me explain, don’t have any biases against internet celebrities because of Ye Lin. Many internet celebrities are good people, it’s just Ye Lin who has issues!”]

[“We saw it a long time ago. You guys twist his previous videos and show off your wealth in a round about way. Is it impressive to have money? Even XX is rich, but he’s not as high-profile as you!”]

[“I just want to know if Jiang Mo won’t come back. Even through the screen, Ye Lin is making me so angry. How can he bully people like this?”]

[“Go back and watch the first episode again, see how they ignored Jiang Mo. I cried when I saw it. There are too many instances of the entertainment industry praising and criticizing people. When Jiang Mo was blacklisted by the entire internet, apart from a few loyal fans, not many people stood up to support him. Even if people’s attitudes towards Jiang Mo have changed now, I’m still angry! The wounds we receive can never be erased.”]

[“Brilliant, it’s truly brilliant. It’s better if this lousy program doesn’t air.”]

[“Ye Lin, get lost and go back to being an internet celebrity. That fake persona of yours ^-^ Don’t worry, I’ll keep hating you for a lifetime.”]

#YeLin,getoutoftheentertainmentindustry#, #HeartbrokenforJiangMo#, both topped the trending searches in the late-night hours before falling asleep.

…

After Shen An sent Jiang Mo back, he walked directly to the door of Ye Lin’s room and knocked on it.

Without hesitation, Ye Lin hung up the phone with his manager and quickly skimmed through the online comments. His Weibo received many private messages cursing him, and his Weibo followers increased by several hundred thousand in just one hour, all intentionally following him to criticize him.

Hearing that Shen An had taken Jiang Mo to the train station, it made him even more angry, wanting to smash something.

The knocking sound suddenly rang out, and he couldn’t control his temper, throwing his phone onto the door panel.

“Get lost, don’t bother me.”

“Open the door,” Shen An said calmly.

Ye Lin was taken aback, a hint of joy appearing in his eyes. Shen An didn’t leave with Jiang Mo, instead, he came to find him on his own.

“Shen An.” Ye Lin opened the door and saw Shen An’s gloomy expression, causing his smile to instantly disappear.

Shen An entered the room and closed the door behind him. He glanced around the room, seeing that Ye Lin had covered all the cameras.

However, whether they were covered or not didn’t matter anymore. He didn’t remove the lavalier microphone from his clothes and directly spoke, “I am very grateful to you for saving me. For these past few years, I have always regarded you as my savior, and my family has the same opinion. They have always treated you as an honored guest. But…”

There was no warmth in Shen An’s eyes. “You’ve gone too far. You said you wanted to enter the entertainment industry, and I helped you. As long as you asked, my family would have agreed. No matter how big the favor, we have already repaid it to you over these years.”

“What do you mean?” Ye Lin’s voice trembled, his eyes widened, staring fixedly at Shen An.

Shen An replied, “It’s time to part ways amicably. You should understand that, right?”

Ye Lin shouted, “Why? Is it all because of Jiang Mo?”

As soon as Ye Lin spoke, Shen An knew what he wanted to say. Before Ye Lin mentioned “Jiang Mo,” Shen An had already thrown the microphone into the sink.

“You’ve always targeted Jiang Mo. Isn’t it because I talked to Jiang Mo for a few words? There’s nothing between Jiang Mo and me, we just exchanged a few words,” Shen An’s mouth curled into a mocking smile, “Over the years, every time I got close to someone else, you would go crazy. I don’t want to lose even the last friend because of you.”

“You can’t do this. I lost a hand because of you. You can’t abandon me. This is what you owe me.” Ye Lin reached out to grab Shen An’s hand but was evaded.

“If I had known that you would cling to me like this, I would have preferred you not to save me back then. I don’t owe you anything, and I have already repaid what I owed you. If you still think I owe you, then I’ll repay you with a hand.” Shen An extended his left hand, palm open, revealing a small knife.

Seeing the naked disgust on Shen An’s face, Ye Lin screamed, holding his head. He stared at the small knife in Shen An’s hand with red eyes, as if wanting to tear apart the weapon that stood between him and Shen An. Finally, he picked up the small knife and threw it forcefully against the door.

“Get lost! Just get lost!”

[“Parting on good terms? I don’t understand. Is there a story between Shen An and Ye Lin?”]

[“For those who don’t know, you can search on Weibo. Ye Lin and Shen An were college classmates. Ye Lin once saved Shen An’s life, but his left hand became disabled. Ye Lin has used this incident to manipulate Shen An for many years. Shen An is the only child, and his parents value him greatly. Naturally, they are grateful to Ye Lin for saving his life. Shen An has tolerated Ye Lin for so many years, partly because of his parents.”]

[“Damn, this is making me sick again. I suspect that Ye Lin had premeditated saving Shen An. Did Ye Lin plan to frame Shen An?”]

[“Well, without evidence, it’s better not to spread rumors.”]

[“I was Shen An’s classmate in middle school and high school. Ye Lin has liked Shen An since a long time ago. His confession was always rejected, and everyone knows about it. Shen An used to receive harassing messages and calls, and his personal belongings were always stolen. At that time, they didn’t catch the culprit, but a junior student just told me secretly that she once saw Ye Lin taking Shen An’s water bottle during P.E. class. Back then, she didn’t think it was strange. She thought Ye Lin was intentionally helping Shen An carry things. But now that she thinks about it, something doesn’t add up. At that time, Shen An didn’t even speak to Ye Lin, so why would he let Ye Lin help him with things?”]

[“…What a pervert.”]

[“Shen An is amazing to tolerate Ye Lin for so many years.”]

…

In his room, Lu Xuan anxiously scrolled through his phone. Jiang Mo’s Weibo followers had increased by nearly a million within a short period, and the number of comments under his latest post had surpassed 400,000. All the latest comments were words of comfort for Jiang Mo.

He messed up, completely messed up.

One wrong move and the whole game was lost.

Fortunately, he had exchanged the phone recording with Jiang Mo in return for terminating their contract. As long as Ye Lin didn’t say anything, he would be safe.

[Mother: What’s going on? Is this how you handle things?]

[Mother: Jiang Mo is fine now. Do you know what that means?]

It means he lost.

[Mother: I’m sorry, I was too anxious. The show must go on, right? It’s a good thing that Jiang Mo quit. The discussion among netizens will die down in a few days. By then, when Jiang Mo has already left the industry, there won’t be any waves. Next, you have to seize the opportunity.]

Jiang Mo left, but the show must go on. They might invite another guest to fill Jiang Mo’s spot. His mother reminded him that he still had a chance. There were more than 20 days left, perhaps he could make Chi Yu see him differently.

Lu Xuan pressed his forehead against his knees, his brows furrowed deeply.

Whenever he saw the name Chi Yu now, he would recall the disdainful look Chi Yu gave him in the stairwell.

An instinctual fear made him reluctant to get close to Chi Yu anymore.

He had been arrogant in front of Chi Yu and Jiang Mo, but after being ruthlessly slapped in the face, he couldn’t bring himself to do something like that again. His self-esteem wouldn’t allow it.

But he also didn’t dare tell his mother that Chi Yu had seen through him a long time ago.

He could imagine his mother’s reaction.

He also wanted to be courageous like Jiang Mo and leave the show. He didn’t want to continue recording.

[Mother: Why did Chi Yu quit the show?”]

Lu Xuan was momentarily stunned and didn’t reply to his mother’s message immediately. He quickly opened Weibo and saw a new trending topic.

#ChiYuAnnouncesWithdrawalfromRecording# Chi Yu’s influence was still so powerful that within a few minutes of the post being published, it exploded on Weibo.

[Mother: Is it because of Jiang Mo? How could you lose to Jiang Mo? You’re clearly so outstanding…]

Lu Xuan’s fingers clenched, turning pale. He didn’t want to see what his mother had written after that.

For the first time, he felt a rebellious mentality towards this unfamiliar woman.

Why did she force him? He was like a tool, treated tenderly when he had value, but once he failed to meet the goal, he was ruthlessly cast aside.

Was Jiang Mo treated the same way when he was with the Jiang family?

Why did it turn out like this? Why couldn’t his life go smoothly?

He was born into the right family, but it was stolen from him. Just when he finally had a bit of success, he was dealt a heavy blow.

Was fate playing a joke on him?

The last train had stopped running, and there were many people taking the overnight train. However, it wasn’t crowded this time, and there was only Lu Xuan sitting in his seat.

After Jiang Mo boarded the train, he stared blankly at the chat box that had now been changed to Chi Yu’s name for a long time.

Chi Yu hadn’t replied to his message, probably busy.

His reflection appeared on the window, the traces of tears at the corners of his eyes hidden by the darkness. Suddenly, his reflection on the window smiled genuinely, with a heartfelt smile.

Lu Xuan was in a rising phase of his career, and he couldn’t just let him release the recording. He still had the script that Sister Hong had sent him as evidence, so the trade was quickly and happily agreed upon.

He cleared the debt he owed the company, the company peacefully terminated the contract with him, and he withdrew from the dating show.

Finally liberated, he had long stopped wanting to continue in this circle.

Jiang Mo happily opened Weibo. He logged in with his secondary account, unable to receive private messages from fans. He didn’t care about the trending events that were causing a sensation online because they had nothing to do with him anymore.

There were updates to the posts he had previously bookmarked, and he was bored, so he clicked on one of them.

[Sorry, I’ve been busy with work. Finally had some free time and spent it catching up on recent videos. Oh my, who went crazy? It’s me! But let’s get back on track and continue presenting evidence.]

[All of Chi Yu’s old fans know that he’s incredibly bold. Would he really be scared by a small horror game? He’s just pretending to be scared to have an opportunity to tease Jiang Mo and get close to him. This guy is so bad. When I saw Jiang Mo naively believing his words, I felt a bit sorry for him. I also want a silly little idiot like that!]

Jiang Mo: “…”

Jiang Mo rubbed his face. So Chi Yu was really pretending.

Unexpectedly attacked by a sudden rush of memories, Jiang Mo fiercely hit his head against the seat in front of him.

Damn, he was so embarrassed. He was so stupid.

[When Jiang Mo wasn’t around, he always remembered to tie his apron. But when Jiang Mo was present, he conveniently forgot? He just wanted Jiang Mo to tie his apron for him. When Jiang Mo extended his arm, he deliberately straightened his waist and stood on his tiptoes. Can you believe how shameless he is? Is he playing with a cat? The funniest thing is that Jiang Mo even apologized to him. I was so angry that I pounded the ground on the spot. My son is so useless, always being so foolish. He doesn’t even realize when he’s being taken advantage of. [Biting Handkerchief.jpg]]

Jiang Mo: “…”

With a different mindset, when Jiang Mo read the post again, his face felt hot and he felt embarrassed.

Chi Yu wasn’t showing him pity or brainwashing him like some people claimed. Chi Yu genuinely liked him.

[When Jiang Mo cried and withdrew from the dating show, I was about to grab a knife and head to Z City to battle Ye Lin! But I didn’t expect someone to beat me to it. Sisters, it’s the Lunar New Year, go to Chi Yu’s Weibo. Oh my god, who went crazy? It’s me!]

Jiang Mo was taken aback, and he quickly closed the post and opened Chi Yu’s Weibo.

Just thirteen minutes ago, Chi Yu had posted a new update. It was a formal announcement, stating that Chi Yu was withdrawing from the dating show. It didn’t seem like it was posted by Chi Yu himself but more like it was posted by the studio. However–

Many people were asking why in the comments, and the first reply below was from Chi Yu himself.

[Why are you withdrawing? Is it because of Jiang Mo?]

[@Chi YuV: When someone runs away, you have to chase them.]

He didn’t answer yes or no, but this kind of reply was more suggestive than a direct answer.

Chi Yu’s response held a secret that only the two of them could understand.

Jiang Mo’s Adam’s apple bobbed, and he sweat in the palm of his hand as he held onto his phone.

He likes…

Chi Yu likes him.

Jiang Mo rested his head against the table in front of him, and his eyes slowly closed.

He likes him too.

…

His phone vibrated, and Jiang Mo buffered for a long time before opening his eyes.

[Chi Yu: Just finished work, didn’t see your message earlier.]

[Chi Yu: I’m waiting for you at the train station. Contact me when you arrive.]

Jiang Mo was startled and quickly typed a reply. The train passed through a tunnel, and the signal was blocked. He anxiously tapped his leg, and the message was delayed by two minutes before it was sent.

[MOMO: You’re already at the train station?]

[MOMO: I still have six hours to go. Don’t come so early!]

[Chi Yu: Well, I’m already at the train station.]

[Chi Yu: It’s not too early because you’ll come.]

Jiang Mo: “…”

Because I knew he would come, so it’s not early at all.

Her cheeks quickly turned red. Chi Yu was always like this. Even if she wasn’t in front of him, she could stir up all his emotions.

But he loved hearing those sweet words.

[MOMO: Find a nearby hotel and get some rest.]

[Chi Yu: Are you tired?]

[MOMO: I’m not tired yet.]

[Chi Yu: I’m not tired either. I want to be with you.]

[MOMO: How will you accompany me?]

Chi Yu sat on the bench at the train station, and a smile couldn’t help but appear on his lips. He could imagine Jiang Mo asking with a serious tone.

Silly.

[Chi Yu: Forget it, it’s getting late. You should rest for a while. If there’s anything, we can talk when we meet.]

He was afraid that he couldn’t hold his excitement, so he asked the questions he couldn’t wait to know in his phone. He still needed to be patient for a while before they could meet in person.

He wanted to hear Jiang Mo say it in person.

[MOMO: And you?]

[Chi Yu: I’ll sleep for a while too.]

[MOMO: Okay.]

Saying they would sleep, Jiang Mo couldn’t stop thinking about Chi Yu. He couldn’t fall asleep for the remaining hours of the train journey.

He felt regretful. If he had known that Chi Yu was waiting for him, he should have booked a flight ticket. At least it would have been faster.

The announcement of the approaching station came through the broadcast. Jiang Mo had already packed up and was waiting by the door early. The moment the train doors opened, he rushed out of the carriage.

The sound of the suitcase wheels echoed in the quiet morning. It was still dim outside, and there weren’t many people at the train station.

Jiang Mo sent a message to Chi Yu after he got off the train. He didn’t call, afraid that Chi Yu might still be asleep.

Suddenly, the handle of his suitcase was pulled, and Jiang Mo turned around in surprise, only to be enveloped in a somewhat cold embrace. A deep voice sounded above his head.

“Gotcha.”

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