novelraw Chapter 170 : You’d Be Easier to Steal Away
Chapter 170 : You’d Be Easier to Steal Away
Chapter 170: You’d Be Easier to Steal Away
Stopping her at the door was, of course, impossible. Though Lin Mo might look like a naïve and somewhat foolish college student, he still knew basic manners.
“The place is quite clean. Did Rushuang come by today?”
Inside the living room, Zhao Yun set the things she brought on the dining table, looked around, and asked casually.
She had to admit—the place was different from what she’d imagined. She didn’t expect a guy’s place to be this tidy; she thought it would be messy and chaotic. After all, from her past experience handling cases, most men’s living environments were… unspeakably bad.
The reason she asked if Liu Rushuang had come today was because she noticed more than one pair of slippers on the shoe rack by the door. That meant someone else came by often.
If he lived alone for long periods and no one ever visited, there wouldn’t be so many pairs of slippers on the rack.
“Ah—ah, no, she didn’t come today. My roommates dropped by. They were the ones who helped me move. Oh—please, have a seat,” Lin Mo said, hurrying into the kitchen to pour water.
Meanwhile, Zhao Yun continued to look around as she spoke: “Oh, I see. I thought you two were already living together.”
Then it struck her—Lin Mo was still a college student. The people coming by could easily be classmates, not necessarily a girlfriend.
“No, no, not that fast. We only started dating recently,” Lin Mo said, returning with the water. His tone carried a trace of shyness, as if embarrassed by the topic. What he didn’t realize was that the awkwardness came more from the woman in front of him.
No matter his doubts about her orientation, they were still a man and a woman alone in one apartment—and the sky outside was already growing dark. He couldn’t help but feel a little uncomfortable.
Most importantly, the woman before him wasn’t plain-looking at all. Her beauty wasn’t as instantly striking as Liu Rushuang’s, but she was undeniably attractive.
After coming upstairs, Zhao Yun had even changed clothes—swapping her loose T-shirt for a tight athletic tank top, paired with relaxed sports pants. Her already distracting figure now had even greater visual impact. Even if he tried, Lin Mo couldn’t stop himself from noticing.
And since she kept talking to him, it would’ve been rude to avoid looking at her entirely. That would only make him seem guilty or disrespectful.
“I see. But since you’ve moved out, I guess you’re already preparing for that step. Gotta say, the place looks nice—spacious, too. Doesn’t feel like it’s meant for one person,” Zhao Yun said, testing the waters.
Lin Mo’s apartment was a large four-bedroom unit—bigger even than Sichuan Girl’s place. He had only tidied up two rooms: one as his bedroom, the other as a computer room. The remaining two were empty, making the space feel rather open for one person.
Hearing her words, Lin Mo was torn between laughing and crying. He’d just wanted a private place to hide his secrets, yet now Zhao Yun thought he’d moved out to prepare for living with Liu Rushuang.
Still, given her tone and his identity, he simply nodded. “That was the idea. But it depends on her, of course. It’s just… once you’re in a relationship, staying in the dorms becomes inconvenient, so I moved out.”
As Lin Mo spoke, Zhao Yun wandered around the living room, her eyes landing on a bicycle near the corner.
Unlike Sichuan Girl and the others, she recognized what she was looking at. As a criminal police officer, she could tell at a glance the bike wasn’t cheap.
Inwardly, she tagged Lin Mo as someone from a decent family. It made sense—she knew Liu Rushuang’s background. Ordinary men didn’t just struggle to chase her; many couldn’t even stand before her without feeling inferior.
When someone was too outstanding, they naturally gave others pressure. That was normal. And money—enough of it—was often the quickest way to ease that pressure.
Just then, Zhao Yun noticed the transparent display case in the living room—inside were a banner and certificates for “Bravery and Justice.”
“You—you even received a Courage Award from our city? When was that?” she asked, surprised.
She’d met many wealthy people, but few who’d earned that kind of honor.
“Oh, just recently. A fire broke out in a residential area, and I used an excavator to save a mother and daughter. The school commended me for it,” Lin Mo replied with a smile.
It wasn’t something he could eat or spend, but it sure looked good on display in the living room.
Hearing that, Zhao Yun’s heart wavered. She suddenly felt guilty for having entertained certain… dark thoughts earlier. That was indeed a bit too much.
“Uh—well then, how about a couple of drinks? Let’s call it a housewarming celebration,” Zhao Yun said quickly, changing the subject with a rare hint of awkwardness on her face.
Since she had already brought food and drinks, Lin Mo couldn’t really refuse her kindness. He nodded in agreement.
He had already eaten dinner, but rejecting her would have been even more uncomfortable.
They sat down at the dining table. Zhao Yun had brought four dishes—stir-fried beef, braised prawns, cola chicken wings, and a cold cucumber salad.
“Uh… I can’t hold my liquor well. Two bottles max, or I’ll end up puking,” Lin Mo said, raising his beer with a sheepish smile.
He wasn’t exaggerating. Last time he drank with his cousin, he got drunk after just a few rounds.
“No worries, just drink as you like,” Zhao Yun said, seemingly unfazed—or maybe her mind was elsewhere—as she drank cup after cup.
From time to time, she asked about Liu Rushuang, and Lin Mo answered every question patiently.
“Ah, I really envy couples like you,” Zhao Yun said suddenly, beer bottle in hand, her gaze unfocused. “Free to love openly, showing your affection without a care.”
Lin Mo froze briefly, then smiled. “We’re not doing anything wrong. Why be afraid of showing love? Once you’re in a relationship, you’ll do the same.”
“Heh~ if only it were that easy. The hardest thing is when your feelings aren’t accepted by others. That’s real pain,” Zhao Yun murmured. Her eyes grew hazy, cheeks flushed pink.
Lin Mo understood enough to catch her meaning—but he couldn’t comment on it.
“Love is about mutual affection,” he said gently. “Wouldn’t you agree?”
Zhao Yun glanced at him, staying quiet for a while before smiling faintly. “Let me ask you this—what’s more important, liking someone or being compatible?”
“Compatibility matters more, probably. But I don’t think two people can be perfectly compatible. Compatibility comes after hundreds, thousands of adjustments. The foundation for all that effort, though, is liking each other,” Lin Mo said thoughtfully.
He knew what she meant, but there was nothing he could say to console her. He’d never experienced unrequited love, but he knew it wasn’t pleasant.
“You’re quite clear-headed,” Zhao Yun chuckled. “Still, I really envy you for finding such a beautiful girlfriend. If I were a man, I’d have made a move already—then you wouldn’t stand a chance. Come on, cheers!”
Lin Mo clinked glasses with her, smiling silently. Some things were better left unspoken.
That was exactly why Liu Rushuang had chosen such a delicate way to make her feelings known to Zhao Yun. Otherwise, with the Rushuang Empress’s usual decisiveness, she wouldn’t have needed to go through all this trouble—just look at poor Yuan Hua next door.
At that moment, Zhao Yun suddenly downed the rest of her drink and said,
“You really hit the jackpot. Such a good girlfriend—you’d better cherish her. If someone else steals her away, you’ll be crying for sure.”
Lin Mo: …
Other than you, no one else could make Rushuang Empress this anxious. And you still have the nerve to say that?
“What’s mine can’t be stolen, and what can be stolen was never mine. Besides, I have faith in her. She’s not the type to be swayed,” Lin Mo said with a smile, patching the conversation with a boyfriend’s quiet confidence.
He thought that would be the end of it—perfectly said.
But then Zhao Yun suddenly added,
“True, Rushuang isn’t that kind of person. You, on the other hand, might be easier to steal. Should I give it a try?”
Lin Mo: ???
Seeing his stunned expression, Zhao Yun followed up with a playful grin—
“Just kidding!”
Lin Mo: …