The villa was now devoid of live-in maids.
Only two people remained inside.
The atmosphere was so quiet it felt suffocating.
The strikingly handsome man suddenly moved closer.
His breathtaking face, adorned with a small mole on the tip of his nose, loomed large before her, an overwhelming visual impact.
His low, husky voice brushed against her ear like a feather—both soothing and tantalizing.
Lin Mo’s heart leaped into her throat.
Her slender, fair hands instinctively pressed against the floor.
Her breath hitched for a second.
She began to wonder if she had misheard.
What had Xie Guanyan just said?
Something about a tongue? And how it was… good at something?
Was that even appropriate to say?
Then, Lin Mo caught a faint whiff of alcohol in the air.
A closer look at his eyes revealed a glassy sheen behind his silver-framed spectacles.
Ah—he was drunk.
But shouldn’t drunkenness lead to shameless dancing or something?
At least then she might have had some self-control.
Now? It was nearly impossible.
After all, refusing Xie Guanyan was something she simply couldn’t do.
The problem was, he wasn’t in his right mind right now.
She wouldn’t be the one at a loss here.
But what if he regretted it so much upon sobering up that he’d want to bite his own tongue off?
Staring at his beautiful face mere inches away, Lin Mo’s long, fluttering lashes trembled slightly.
"Do you even know what you’re saying?" she whispered.
Her sweet, youthful breath fanned across his face—light, teasing, yet striking his heart like a sledgehammer.
For a moment, it felt like blood was flooding his veins.
Regret surged into his eyes.
What had he done? He’d scared Shanshan!
Immediately straightening up, he adjusted his glasses with one hand, too ashamed to meet her gaze.
"I’m sorry," he murmured.
I’ve lost my mind. Completely lost it.
How could he have asked something like that?
What was he even trying to do?
Hadn’t he promised himself that if Shanshan really started dating someone, he’d wish her well?
And this was how he kept that promise?
His left hand clenched into a fist, fingers digging into a barely healed scar.
The pain should have sobered him up.
But it didn’t.
The shadows in his eyes only grew darker.
He couldn’t bring himself to wish her happiness.
Not even a little.
Why had he said those things?
Because he wanted to leave an indelible mark on her memory.
He wanted to give her the best experience possible.
So that even if she ended up with Xu Yan, she’d still remember his touch.
And he’d keep serving her.
Back when Shanshan had been delirious with fever, she’d mumbled that she wanted him to… please her.
Did she not want that anymore now that she was sober?
He hadn’t touched another drop after returning from the restroom to the private room.
The more his emotions spiraled, the more he had to restrain himself.
He was terrified that if he got completely wasted, he’d do something he’d regret for the rest of his life.
But he’d already downed several glasses of baijiu earlier.
The alcohol was still raging through him.
Now, an overwhelming sadness crashed over him.
How could Shanshan go back on her word?
After apologizing, the man lowered his head.
His soft hair fell over his forehead, barely concealing the sharp bridge of his nose.
Lin Mo felt a tiny flicker of disappointment.
Drunk people always spouted nonsense—they were never resolute.
Still, the fact that he’d even brought this up excited her.
The drunken Xie Guanyan was nothing like his usual self.
If she ever wanted some excitement in the future, all she had to do was get him drunk.
But tonight? She’d let it slide.
She wasn’t mentally prepared at all.
And he wasn’t in any state to be sure of himself either.
Yet she couldn’t resist reaching out to ruffle his hair.
"You’re drunk," she said softly. "Go upstairs, wash up, and get some sleep."
Sorry, but right now, he really does look like a big, sad puppy.
At her touch, the "big puppy" lifted his head.
Behind his silver frames, his deep eyes were glistening, his voice thick with intoxication yet strangely tender.
"I don’t want to sleep."
If he slept, morning would come too soon.
And tomorrow was the day she’d confess to Xu Yan.
Lin Mo’s heart clenched when she noticed the redness at the corners of his eyes.
"Xie Guanyan… are you crying?"
Xie Guanyan had always been the epitome of emotional stability, his face perpetually graced with a smile.
In all the time they’d lived together, she’d never seen him upset.
He was always energetic, always composed.
What could have happened tonight to break him like this?
Crying?
Xie Guanyan hadn’t even realized it himself.
He removed his glasses, using his knuckles to wipe at the tears.
But instead of stopping, they only fell faster, heavier.
Dropping onto the plush carpet, leaving damp marks behind.
If this were Shen Sizhan’s tears, Lin Mo would have known exactly how to handle it.
But with Xie Guanyan?
She was at a complete loss.
And the way he cried was so restrained, so heartbreakingly beautiful.
Not loud sobs like Shen Sizhan, just silent, endless streams of tears.
His stunning face was streaked with them, his eyes and nose flushed red.
He looked like he was about to shatter.
Lin Mo’s heart ached, but she didn’t know what to do. She could only hand him tissues.
"If you need to cry, then cry," she murmured.
Just like how he’d quietly stayed by her side when she’d cried before, she’d do the same for him.
Telling him not to cry wouldn’t help—when emotions overflowed, they had to be released.
Lin Mo stopped unpacking the deliveries, instead wrapping her slender arms around her knees, resting her chin on them.
To spare him any embarrassment, she didn’t look at him directly, instead fixing her peach-blossom eyes on the shattered blue roses in the vase.
She waited in silence for two minutes before turning back to him.
His eyes were still red, but the tears had stopped.
His gaze, wet and pleading, remained locked on her.
Lin Mo blinked.
"Feeling better?"
While she’d been looking at the roses, he’d been staring at her.
Dressed in cute cartoon pajamas, her long hair cascading over her shoulders.
This beautiful, radiant girl—soon, there’d be a boy standing proudly by her side.
"No," he admitted helplessly.
Lin Mo paused.
If crying hadn’t helped, maybe she could cheer him up.
"Then let’s not dwell on the sadness. How about a game? I’ll ask, you answer."
"The company recently laid off staff, leaving only one person. Who was it? A) Xiao Zhang, B) Xiao Wang, C) Xiao Hao, D) Xiao Bu!"
She was trying so hard to lift his spirits—how could he not play along?
After a brief pause, he answered, "D."
Lin Mo shook her head.
"Nope! It’s C—Xiao Hao. Because ‘Xiao Hao’ sounds like ‘won’t be laid off’ in Chinese!"
The moment she finished, she burst into laughter, rolling on the carpet.
"Ahahahaha—honk—hahahaha!"
Xie Guanyan: "……"
He hadn’t been amused by the joke itself, but by the sound of her laughter.
This wonderful girl—he wanted to hold onto her so badly.
Maybe it was the alcohol. Maybe it wasn’t.
But he reached out and grasped her delicate ankle.
His palm was cool against her skin, and the sudden contact made Lin Mo shiver, her laughter cutting off abruptly.
"You—"
Without his glasses, the desire in Xie Guanyan’s eyes was laid bare.
He didn’t even try to hide it.
His elegant fingers curled around her ankle, gently pulling her toward him.
His damp, pleading eyes locked onto hers, his voice a velvet whisper, laced with temptation.
"Lin Mo… let’s try, okay?"
