After Gu Ye finished speaking, he saw what Jiang Mo was holding in her hand and helped take it. "What did you buy?"
"I didn't buy it. It's a gift Senior Pei brought back from a business trip out of town," Jiang Mo said.
Unsolicited favors always have ulterior motives.
Gu Ye snorted, "This Senior Pei of yours is quite the nice guy, huh."
His words carried a noticeable tinge of sourness.
Whether it was her imagination or not, Jiang Mo felt his words sounded a bit jealous.
"Senior Pei really is quite nice," Jiang Mo said, feeling the weather was a bit hot and a mosquito was biting her leg. She looked down to swat the blood-sucking mosquito on her leg.
Gu Ye noticed this. Standing downstairs wasn't really a solution anyway.
What's up with dad? Not busy lately? How come Uncle Li is home so early?
"How about we go sit in the milk tea shop at the entrance? I have a temporary gig tomorrow, need to go record a variety show as a last-minute fill-in."
Jiang Mo nodded, "Sure."
Gu Ye grabbed Jiang Mo's hand and led her towards the neighborhood exit.
As they walked and chatted, a middle-aged woman carrying some groceries walked towards them, giving them a few glances.
Jiang Mo turned her head, noticed her, and greeted her, "Aunt Liu, been to the supermarket?"
"Yes, are you two heading out?"
"Mhm, going for a stroll." After saying that, she looked down at their clasped hands and hurriedly tried to shake it off.
Hmm... didn't shake free.
Gu Ye didn't understand, "What's wrong?"
Looking back to see the person had walked away, Jiang Mo sighed, "Aunt Liu knows my parents, and they're on good terms... I hope she won't mention seeing us."
"It's dark out, she probably didn't see clearly. Don't worry," Gu Ye comforted.
He then steered the conversation back to Pei Ting. "That Senior Pei of yours, he doesn't have a girlfriend yet, right?"
"Seems not, haven't heard anything."
"Oh, then should I introduce someone to him?"
Jiang Mo frowned, giving him a sidelong glance. "Huh? Since when are you and Senior Pei so close? I didn't know that."
"Hey, your senior is my senior too," Gu Ye said. "I'm just showing some concern."
"Speaking of which, that senior of yours seems decent. Didn't you ever have any thoughts about him before?"
"So that's why you asked so many questions today, laying the groundwork here," Jiang Mo spoke up. "Never thought about it. Satisfied?"
"I'm not doubting your relationship with him, and I'm not stopping you from meeting him," Gu Ye's survival instinct was strong. "I trust you completely."
The unspoken part was that he had absolutely zero trust in Pei Ting.
"So is this the reason you came over tonight? Relax, Senior Pei doesn't like me anyway."
Silly, of course he likes you, you just don't know it.
Gu Ye: "...Sort of. Also, I'm going away, won't see each other for a few days."
The two lingered for a little while at the milk tea shop, then went to Gu Ye's car. Gu Ye took down a Hermès shopping bag from the car.
"A bag for you, as a congratulations-on-your-new-job gift."
Although Jiang Mo didn't study bags, the Hermès packaging was too recognizable.
"This gift is a bit too expensive. Don't buy things like this in the future. I'd rather we go have a few nice meals."
Gu Ye: "As you wish."
After their sweet moment, Gu Ye accompanied Jiang Mo back into the neighborhood and saw her upstairs.
But sometimes, the more you worry about something, the more likely it is to happen.
For example, the two were spotted by Li Daming who was taking out the trash.
"I knew I wasn't seeing things. That figure was definitely my daughter," Li Daming came around and looked at the person next to Jiang Mo. The figure was also familiar, though wearing a mask.
"Uncle Li."
As soon as the voice came out, Li Daming was stunned. "Second Young Master?"
"Goodness, what are you doing here?"
On the surface, Li Daming was taking out the trash, but in reality, he was lying in wait.
He had just received a message from his good friend Old Liu, saying she saw Jiang Mo and her boyfriend being affectionate downstairs.
She was even asking about the guy's situation.
Then Li Daming was dumbfounded.
My daughter is dating?
Impossible, absolutely impossible.
He and his daughter were so close; if she were dating, she would definitely tell him.
"I really didn't see wrong. The two of them were even holding hands. If they weren't in that kind of relationship, would your daughter let someone touch her?"
Li Daming was confused, and then he came downstairs.
"I had some legal matters and came to ask Xiao Mo about them," Gu Ye found an excuse.
"Is that so? Then come on up and sit," Li Daming said.
Jiang Mo saw it was getting late and spoke up, "Dad, his questions are pretty much answered, and he needs to hurry home."
Li Daming exchanged a few more polite words verbally; he was waiting to go back and interrogate Jiang Mo.
Once the father and daughter went upstairs and the door closed, Li Daming inquired, "Are you dating someone?"
"Dad, where did you hear that?" Jiang Mo played dumb.
"Your Aunt Liu said she saw you downstairs, said you and a boy were being all lovey-dovey, inseparable and whatnot."
No way... that's too much of an exaggeration.
"You're really dating? Ah, my heart is broken. You didn't tell your mom, your brother, I can understand, but you didn't even tell me. Looks like you forget your dad once you have a boyfriend."
That's too much drama, hey.
"Let me weasel out... no... explain," Jiang Mo said. "The boy Aunt Liu saw was Gu Ye."
