The lighting in the KTV was already dim.
Now, with several men wearing masks that completely concealed their faces, the only thing left to judge was their figures.
The selection made by the manager fit Zhao Ziling’s requirements well—none of them were short, and all were quite slender.
Each of them wore a dress shirt, some in white, some in black, and one in light gray.
For some reason, Lin Mo found the man in the light gray shirt oddly familiar.
Yet, she couldn’t quite place where she might have seen him before.
Had an old classmate of hers turned to this line of work?
Since she couldn’t recall, she decided to let it go.
She couldn’t very well ask him to remove his mask for a look.
If he really was someone she knew, the awkwardness would be unbearable for both of them.
Her gaze swept over the male models, scrutinizing them one by one.
Unconsciously, Lin Mo began comparing their physiques to Xie Guanyan’s.
They didn’t even come close.
Xie Guanyan stood nearly 190 centimeters tall, with broad pectorals, a sharply defined eight-pack, and an impeccable build.
Not to mention his perfectly sculpted backside.
Lost in thought, Lin Mo instinctively glanced at Xie Guanyan.
The strikingly handsome man was sipping from a wine glass, his chin slightly tilted up, his Adam’s apple bobbing sensually with each swallow.
Paired with his silver-framed glasses, he exuded an air of refined decadence.
Lin Mo frowned.
Why was he drinking alone?
As far as she remembered, the last time they’d shared red wine at home, he hadn’t touched a drop.
Was he nursing some sorrow today, or was he just in the mood?
For a moment, Lin Mo lost interest in selecting a male model—she’d only come out of curiosity anyway.
Being chosen, being scrutinized from head to toe—this was something Huo Tingshen had never experienced before.
Yet here he was, standing in a KTV private room, masked and playing the role of a male model.
Never in his wildest dreams had Huo Tingshen imagined he would stoop to this!
His hands clenched into fists, veins bulging as if ready to burst.
He had driven here himself in a frenzy.
But when he reached the door of the private room, his usual impulse to kick it open faltered.
Through the small window, he spotted Lin Mo, Shen Yihan, and Xie Guanyan seated inside.
Just the thought of what these people had done last night made the veins at his temples throb violently.
They weren’t like Zhao Ziling’s usual crowd—this group feared nothing.
If he barged in now, he could easily predict what awaited him.
Zhao Ziling was dead set on divorcing him. If he treated her the same way as before, he’d earn himself a few slaps at the very least.
That hotheaded brat might even throw a punch.
And in the end? There was no way he’d be able to take her with him.
He’d just be kicked out, humiliated.
Huo Tingshen stood outside the door, his face alternating between ashen and livid.
For the first time in his life, the mastermind behind the Huo Corporation was at a complete loss.
If he let Zhao Ziling continue like this, now that she believed herself free, who knew what she might get up to with these male models?
How dare these filthy men lay a finger on her!
But if he didn’t allow it, he had no leverage left to control her.
So, in a moment of reckless desperation, he chose to enter and keep an eye on her.
Of course, he couldn’t show his real face—hence the arrangement with the manager.
He would never forget the look on the manager’s face, nor the words spoken to him:
"Who are you? Get out of President Huo’s body this instant!"
He truly wasn’t himself anymore. Zhao Ziling had driven him mad!
Now, standing in line with these repulsive men, he glared at the woman lounging on the sofa—dressed in a seductive black dress, exuding allure.
Every breath he took felt like poison.
What’s so great about those men out there anyway?
It wasn’t until he saw Xie Guanyan—a man on equal footing with him—drinking alone in gloom that Huo Tingshen’s mood improved slightly.
Serves him right. Did he really think letting a woman run wild would make her cherish him?
Women need to be disciplined!
Usually dressed in sleek suits, today he’s even wearing a green T-shirt to pretend he’s young.
Youthful? Hardly. But the green? Oh, he’s seeing it loud and clear.
Xie Guanyan had always been sharp with his perception.
He noticed Lin Mo glancing at him.
He also sensed a peculiar gaze fixed on him.
Fingers slender and defined around his glass, he lifted his eyes to meet the owner of that strange stare.
Familiar.
Zhao Ziling, noticing Lin Mo’s hesitation, assumed she was worried and declared, "None of you dare lay a hand on my friend. Keep a respectful distance, understood?"
"As for me, you don’t have to—but you’d better read my mood before making a move. Got it?"
The commanding aura of a young madam, honed over years in the Huo household, radiated from her.
The clueless male models replied obediently, "Yes, ma’am!"
Only Huo Tingshen nearly choked on his fury, his glare locked onto Zhao Ziling in silence.
Tipsy but still perceptive, Zhao Ziling caught the hostility in the eyes of the male model in the light gray shirt. She crossed her long legs and leaned back. "What? You got a problem? If you’re not happy, get out and send someone else in!"
Huo Tingshen: "..."
His fingers dug into his palms, but he stayed quiet.
Zhao Ziling had paid for a good time, and her patience wore thin. "Can’t you speak? If you’re mute, get out too!"
Huo Tingshen: "........."
Afraid his real voice would betray him and get him kicked out, he forced a strained reply, "Understood."
The moment those words left his mouth, Xie Guanyan couldn’t hold back—a soft, amused chuckle escaped his throat, low and irresistibly smooth.
Lin Mo, already watching him, turned her attention his way with concern.
What’s with this guy? One minute brooding over his drink, the next laughing to himself.
Serious mental instability.
What’s going on with him?
Huo Tingshen heard Xie Guanyan’s laugh and mentally cursed him to the depths.
Laugh? What’s so funny?
You’re about to be publicly humiliated, and you’re laughing?
Noticing Lin Mo’s gaze, Xie Guanyan met her eyes.
In the dim light, their stares locked.
He watched as the girl leaned slightly forward, her neck elongating as she asked, "Are you okay?"
The unmistakable care in her eyes soothed some of the restlessness in his heart.
She’s worried about me!
The strikingly handsome man mirrored her movement, his voice a magnetic murmur, "I’m fine."
Shen Yihan, sandwiched between them: "..."
Shen Yihan spun his prayer beads but stayed seated.
The situation was complicated.
Male models on one side, Xie Guanyan on the other.
His sister was still young, curious about everything, but it was his duty to protect her.
As for Xie Guanyan, he could tell the man wasn’t as composed as he seemed—drinking alone spoke volumes.
"You’re fine? If you’re fine, go buy some Liuliume. Hey, ‘Buddha of the Capital,’ go fetch some Liuliume!" Lin Mo said.
Shen Yihan: "..."
His expression remained blank. "Just ring for a server."
Lin Mo blinked, straightening up again. "Fine. I want the coffee-flavored ones."
Xie Guanyan also sat upright, his thick lashes lowering.
He understood Shen Yihan’s motives.
Lin Mo was his sister; protecting her was natural.
Earlier, during dinner, the atmosphere had been warm. Xie Guanyan had downed a few beers.
At the beginning of his entrepreneurial journey, he used to drink heavily—so much so that it once led to a stomach perforation. Back then, he couldn’t refuse the social obligations.
Later, he drank far less, and in recent years, he hardly touched alcohol at all.
But when you stop drinking, your tolerance fades.
Just a few beers now leave him lightheaded, and he’d just downed a glass of whiskey.
Having Shen Yihan as a buffer was a good thing.
He feared his self-control might falter, leading him to do something he’d deeply regret.
Holding the glass, he didn’t take another sip.
Zhao Ziling, completely absorbed in the fun, didn’t even recognize the exaggeratedly sweet voice as Huo Tingshen’s. With a playful lift of her brow, she said, “Alright then, how about each of you introduces yourselves and shows off a talent?”
