Back when the two were studying in Jingnan, they had met Xu Yali's younger brother and nephew.
It had indeed been many years since they last saw each other, so running into them was a rare occasion.
The two of them linked arms with Xu Yali, one on each side.
Others who witnessed the scene couldn’t help but stare in admiration.
These three were simply too dazzling, each beautiful in their own distinct way—one radiant and lively, one poised and elegant, and the other utterly enchanting!
Their eyes were truly feasting on a visual banquet tonight!
"Xiaolong, you should still remember these two disciples of mine, right?" Xu Yali led the two over to Xu Zunlong and asked.
Xu Zunlong had been chatting with Huo Tingshen.
Since he wasn’t very familiar with people from Jingbei,
he had just witnessed Huo Tingshen secretly asking his wife for a dance and getting rejected, which had him laughing so hard his face hurt.
Huo Tingshen’s expression darkened.
Now, looking at his sister’s two disciples, Xu Zunlong nodded. "Of course I remember."
"Uncle Xu, hello!" Lin Mo and Zhao Ziling greeted in unison.
Beside them, Huo Tingshen’s face grew even darker.
If Zhao Ziling called Xu Zunlong "uncle," wouldn’t that mean he’d have to call him "uncle" too?
Xu Zunlong responded cheerfully, "Ah! It’s been so long. I forgot to bring red envelopes today—I should’ve prepared one for each of you."
Lin Mo held out her phone. "Scan-to-pay works too."
Xu Zunlong paused for a second before bursting into laughter. "Hahaha, you’re right! We can scan!"
This girl was just as bold as she had been years ago.
Back then, he had sported a long, thick beard that made him look quite intimidating.
Zhao Ziling would avoid him whenever she saw him.
But Lin Mo, with her big grape-like eyes wide open, had once asked him curiously, "Uncle, do you wash your beard every day? If not, doesn’t it get smelly?"
Embarrassed for a second, he had chuckled and asked, "Then tell me, does my beard look cool?"
She replied, "Of course! It could even double as a mop!"
Ever since then, whenever he saw his beard in the mirror, he’d think of a mop—until he couldn’t take it anymore and shaved it off.
His phone was in the villa, so he turned and called for his son, "Xiao Yan, bring me my phone!"
Lin Mo grinned, her eyes curving into crescents. "I was just joking, Uncle Xu."
Xu Zunlong shook his head. "But I’m not joking. Seeing you two today has made me really happy!"
Xu Yan went into the villa and returned quickly.
"Couldn’t find your phone, so let’s use mine to scan," he said to Xu Zunlong.
He unlocked his phone and looked at Lin Mo. "I’ll scan you."
Lin Mo didn’t hold back. "Well, if you insist! Zhao Ziling, open your payment code too!"
Zhao Ziling, who had always admired Lin Mo’s boldness, laughed. "I’ll pass. I’m about to get divorced and will have plenty of money soon!"
Huo Tingshen: "..."
How many more times would he have to hear the word "divorce" tonight?!
Xu Zunlong glanced at Huo Tingshen, barely holding back his laughter, and said to his son, "Then send Lin Mo a 100,000-yuan red envelope."
Lin Mo beamed. "I’m getting rich today! Thank you, Uncle Xu! You’re so handsome!!"
Her flattery was so effective that
Xu Zunlong instinctively straightened his posture, lifted his chin, and stroked his jaw. "Really? Even more handsome than back then?"
Lin Mo studied him seriously before nodding. "Absolutely. A timeless heartthrob!"
Xu Zunlong’s face lit up with delight. "Make it 200,000! Send her 200,000!"
Zhao Ziling was practically dying of laughter. She whispered to Lin Mo, "A few words from you, and Uncle Xu’s been reduced to mush!"
Xu Yan looked at Lin Mo’s payment code. "The amount is too large for a scan. Let me add your WeChat, and you can send me your bank details for a direct transfer."
Lin Mo blinked innocently. "Oh, I couldn’t possibly—here’s my contact card."
For the first time that evening, a faint smile appeared on Xu Yan’s cool and composed face.
Xu Zunlong introduced them. "Lin Mo, this is my son, Xiao Yan. He used to watch you practice dance when you were kids. Do you remember?"
Lin Mo looked at the slightly thin boy in front of her, surprised. "Oh, it’s you!"
Xu Yan’s eyes flickered. "Mhm."
Truthfully, they had crossed paths in the cafeteria several times, but she didn’t seem to recall any of it.
Lin Mo’s smile widened as she turned to Xu Zunlong. "Of course I remember! There was one time he had an accident in his pants, and I was the one who changed his diaper!"
Xu Yan: "..."
Xu Zunlong: "That happened?"
Xu Yali suddenly remembered. "Oh yes! That day, you had an emergency and left him alone in the dance studio. He was running around at first, but then he suddenly sat quietly in a corner. I knew something was off, but when I asked him, he wouldn’t say a word."
"Lin Mo went over to him, but he crawled away. She chased after him and noticed the smell. When she asked if he’d had an accident, he stayed silent. The moment she caught him, he burst into tears—so loud he nearly blew the roof off the studio!"
"I’d never changed a diaper before, so after someone bought one, Lin Mo did it. And he wouldn’t cooperate at all—she had to give him a little smack to calm him down."
Xu Zunlong roared with laughter and looked at Xu Yan. "Do you remember this?"
Xu Yan replied expressionlessly, "No."
Lin Mo added, "I have three younger brothers at home, so I’d seen my mom change their diapers before."
"Oh, my second brother is here too—Shen Yihan, come over!"
Shen Yihan had been talking to someone but hurried over at his sister’s call. "Sis, what’s up?"
Xu Zunlong held considerable status and influence in Jingnan’s business circles.
Lin Mo wanted her brother, the so-called "Buddha of Jingbei’s elite," to make his acquaintance.
Just as she was about to introduce them,
Xu Zunlong smiled. "I know him. Xie Guanyan already introduced us. Young Shen is quite accomplished for his age."
Shen Yihan smiled politely. "You flatter me, Mr. Xu."
Lin Mo hadn’t expected Xie Guanyan to be so kind to her brother—though, as his investor,
her brother’s success was essentially his success too.
Xu Zunlong turned to Xu Yan. "Say hello to your sister and brother."
Shen Yihan’s smile froze.
No way—his sister did not need another younger brother!
Xu Yan didn’t greet them. Instead, he said to Lin Mo, "I’m also in my last year of high school, at No. 1 High."
Lin Mo was puzzled. "Why are you studying in Jingbei?"
At this, Xu Zunlong’s expression dimmed slightly. "His health hasn’t been great. The hospitals here are the best for his condition."
This had always been a sensitive topic for the Xu family.
Xu Yali smoothly changed the subject. "Lin Mo, aren’t you also at No. 1 High? You two are schoolmates."
Lin Mo nodded. "Yeah."
Xu Zunlong asked curiously, "Lin Mo, why are you still in high school? You look..."
Before she could answer,
Xu Yan said, "She was in a car accident and bedridden for eleven years."
Xu Yali didn’t correct him—she knew the story Lin Mo told outsiders.
She just gave Xu Yan a meaningful look. "You’re quite well-informed."
Xu Zunlong, who spent most of his time in Jingnan and was extremely busy with work, had no idea about this. "I’m sorry, Lin Mo. I didn’t know."
Lin Mo smiled. "It’s fine, Uncle."
Xu Zunlong’s heart ached for her. "Xiao Yan, transfer your sister Lin Mo some more money!"
Nothing showed care like a hefty sum.
Lin Mo burst into laughter.
Xie Guanyan had been talking to others, but his attention never strayed far from Lin Mo.
Noticing how happy she looked, he walked over and asked gently, "What are you all chatting about?"
Lin Mo’s ears tingled at his voice. "Just reminiscing about the past."
Xu Yali happened to be just about to introduce Xie Guanyan as well. She said to Lin Mo, "You two should already know each other. Xiao Xie is a huge fan of classical dance performances—his favorite is The Ballad of Mulan. He comes to watch it almost once a month. Absolutely obsessed!"
Lin Mo was genuinely surprised by this. She glanced at the handsome man and remarked, "You’ve got excellent taste. I used to be amazing at performing it!"
It just so happened that Xie Guanyan’s favorite was her specialty.
How could this not be fate?
At this point, Zhao Ziling suddenly curled her red lips into a smirk.
She picked up her phone and sent Lin Mo a message on WeChat.
[Mo, I just thought of a foolproof way for you to win Xie Guanyan over.]
Lin Mo felt her phone vibrate in her palm.
She saw it was a message from Zhao Ziling—who was standing right beside her.
Without giving anything away, she glanced at her friend before typing back: [What’s the method?]
Zhao Ziling replied: [Perform The Ballad of Mulan for him… naked.]
