The private room was no longer filled with singing, but it wasn’t exactly quiet either.
Zhao Ziling was discussing with a cute, boyish-looking male model about what game to play next.
The charming male model knew how to sweet-talk, and with just a few words, he had Zhao Ziling laughing delightedly.
Meanwhile, Lin Mo’s actions had drawn the attention of everyone in the room.
Even Huo Tingshen, who was practically grinding his teeth to dust, glanced over.
Seeing Lin Mo reject the male model’s company and instead eagerly take a seat beside Xie Guanyan, his eyes widened in disbelief. Jealousy burned in his chest like a physical pain!
Xie Guanyan got exactly what he wanted, while his own wife was busy being fawned over by others!
Shen Yihan, who had stood up earlier, still hadn’t sat back down.
Watching the scene unfold, he actually felt a wave of relief.
Sitting next to Mr. Xie was far better than sitting beside some random male model.
The male model in the black shirt froze for a second, clearly displeased at losing a customer.
Finally settling beside Xie Guanyan, Lin Mo was thrilled.
Woo-hoo~
At this close distance, it was only natural if his abs accidentally brushed against her hand, right?
Xie Guanyan paused mid-motion, overwhelmed by a surge of exhilaration.
Lin Mo had chosen him over the male models!
Struggling to control his quickening breath, he raised his right hand and took another sip of whiskey.
The fiery burn spread from his throat to his stomach, slightly tempering his emotions.
Turning his head, he gazed at the beautiful girl beside him.
Just as he was about to speak, he noticed her staring intently at his face.
Xie Guanyan tensed—had he missed a spot shaving?
He ran a hand over his chin. Smooth. Not a single stubble in sight.
“What are you looking at?” he asked, his voice slightly rough from the alcohol.
The lighting was dim, but Lin Mo could still make out the striking contours of his bone structure and his lips, glistening from the whiskey.
They looked soft, almost translucent.
She wasn’t much of a drinker.
But if the alcohol were poured over him, she’d gladly indulge.
Her mind spiraled into scandalous territory until his deep, velvety voice snapped her back to reality.
Even though she’d only had two sips of beer today, her ears tingled, and her head spun.
Was this normal? She wasn’t even drunk!
Could she and Xie Guanyan be sharing sensations?
She’d read steamy novels with similar tropes—usually forbidden ones.
Like brothers sharing sensations, where if one slept with his girlfriend, the other would feel it too.
Eventually, they’d end up fighting over the same woman.
But if she and Xie Guanyan shared sensations, it wouldn’t be as fun.
If he got a girlfriend someday, she’d just be a creep, vicariously experiencing his intimate moments!
The thought of Xie Guanyan having a girlfriend someday suddenly struck her.
Lin Mo froze.
The naughty thoughts vanished, replaced by an unfamiliar, complicated emotion.
“Nothing,” she murmured softly.
Xie Guanyan watched as the sparkle in her eyes dimmed into something wistful and distant.
He had no idea what had caused the shift.
“Everyone, listen up! The game’s about to start!” Zhao Ziling’s announcement cut through their conversation.
Shen Yihan still hadn’t sat down, debating where to position himself.
Twirling the Buddhist beads around his wrist, he finally moved toward Lin Mo.
But Lin Mo pointed to the spot on Xie Guanyan’s other side. “Buddha’s favorite, you sit there!”
The black-shirted male model had been eyeing Xie Guanyan for a while.
No way was she letting him sit next to Xie Guanyan!
Shen Yihan obliged, settling on Xie Guanyan’s right—right beside the black-shirted model.
To make space for the game, the brawny male model (who had once lifted Uncle Fang with one hand) shifted the sofas into a rough circle.
Now, the seating arrangement was:
Lin Mo on the far end, Xie Guanyan beside her.
Zhao Ziling at the opposite end, flanked by the cute male model on her left and the muscular one on her right.
The male model in light gray—the one she’d dismissed as “old”—had no chance to get close.
The light-gray-clad model tried to shove the muscular one aside. “Move!”
But the muscular model wasn’t having it.
With one push, he sent him stumbling back.
Huo Tingshen landed hard on his backside, fuming silently.
Zhao Ziling smirked. “Someone help the old man up!”
Huo Tingshen clenched his jaw, resisting the urge to punch the floor into splinters.
Once back on his feet, he attempted to displace the cute male model instead.
The cute model pouted, whining to Zhao Ziling, “Sister~ He’s pulling me! It hurts!”
Huo Tingshen nearly shattered his own teeth from how hard he was grinding them.
What kind of two-faced pretty boy was this?!
Zhao Ziling shot him a glare. “Go sit on the far end!”
Huo Tingshen refused to budge. Instead, he grabbed a glass of liquor and downed it in one go.
Normally, Zhao Ziling treated service staff with respect.
But tonight, she couldn’t stand the sight of this particular “male model.”
Seeing him not only disobey but also steal drinks, she snapped, “I only let you stay out of pity. If you can’t follow orders, get out!”
Huo Tingshen’s grip tightened—
Crack.
The glass shattered in his hand.
Shards sliced into his palm, the residual alcohol searing the wounds. Pain shot up his arm, making it tremble.
He didn’t know why he’d subjected himself to this torture.
All he wanted now was to haul Zhao Ziling over his shoulder, take her home, and teach her a lesson she wouldn’t forget.
But that wasn’t an option.
He’d have to wait until this farce ended. Then, no matter what, he’d find a way to take her with him.
Between the dim lighting and the background music, Zhao Ziling missed the sound of breaking glass.
She didn’t notice the “old male model” in light gray dripping blood from his hand.
Lin Mo, now fully invested in the game, asked eagerly, “What are we playing?”
Zhao Ziling’s red lips curled. “‘Same or Different.’ Everyone states something they’ve done. If you haven’t done it, you drink. For example, if I say, ‘I’ve been married,’ anyone who hasn’t been married stands up and drinks. Those who match me don’t.”
“You can also say something you can do. If others can’t, they drink.”
“Basically, same—no drink. Different—drink!”
The rules were clear: if you wanted others to drink more, you had to get creative.
Lin Mo noticed Auntie Zhen and Jiang Tang looking lost.
She waved them over. “Auntie Zhen, I’ll teach you how to play.”
Auntie Zhen beamed. “Sounds fun!”
To prevent cheating, Zhao Ziling added, “One drink can be split into three sips max. No lying, no skipping!”
“Those who can handle it, go for hard liquor. Otherwise, stick to beer.”
She then pointed at Huo Tingshen. “Old male model, go pour the drinks.”
Huo·Old Male Model·Tingshen: “……”
