Miao Xin held the warm Jade Token in her hand, stopped in her tracks, and it was only when she lifted her head that she realized she had arrived in front of a room. Behind the door, something seemed to be calling to her, giving her an urge to step inside.
Inside the room, Lin Mo was sitting cross-legged, practicing his breathing exercises. Suddenly, as if sensing something, his eyes snapped open. He quickly walked to the door of the room and opened it.
Their eyes met, and both of them stood frozen.
The look on Lin Mo's face slowly shifted from indifference to wild joy, and even his breathing became rapid. This was disconnected from his Dao Heart; the elation stemmed from his feelings for the woman before him.
"It's you!" Miao Xin, clutching the Jade Pendant, slipped it into her pocket. She was wearing a light yellow jacket over a white T-shirt, a combination that rendered her pure and captivating. Her raven-black hair cascaded over her shoulders. She stood still, her presence extraordinary and solitary.
But as soon as she saw Lin Mo, a faint stirring on her face turned ice-cold with a tinge of disgust. Wasn't this guy the one she had run into at the boxing match today? What was he doing here? What did the Jade Pendant have to do with him?
By now, Miao Xin was filled with countless questions, which, of course, she kept deep within her heart. But she held no favorable sentiment toward the man before her.
"Meng Die, have you finally remembered me?" Lin Mo exclaimed ecstatically, spreading his arms wide before pulling Miao Xin into a tight embrace.
By this moment, he was certain that the slightly aloof, or rather indifferent, woman before him was Xia Mengdie.
Before Miao Xin could react, she was encased in his arms, enveloped by a uniquely masculine scent. Her soft shoulders pressed against his chest, feeling the warmth and pressure of Lin Mo's body. Instantly, her beautiful face flushed with anger and a chill.
"Bang!"
Suddenly, Miao Xin swung her palm towards Lin Mo's chest, the slap driven by rage, but as her hand neared Lin Mo, the force weakened slightly.
Lin Mo's eyes widened in shock. He quickly controlled his body, compressing the True Yuan in his Dantian. Otherwise, Miao Xin's slap, rather than injuring him, could've hurt her instead.
Lin Mo bore the blow, then his body staggered backwards, his eyes filled with astonishment. He hadn't expected that Xia Mengdie would act as if she didn't recognize him at all.
What's more, the chill on Xia Mengdie's face and the coldness in her eyes were not feigned. They were a genuine display of revulsion and indifference.
"You philandering scoundrel, I don't know you at all. If you dare to be so impudent again, believe it or not, I will kill you on the spot," Miao Xin sharply rebuked.
She had already shown restraint just now, or else she might have killed the youth before her.
"Meng Die, do you really not remember me? I am Lin Mo. Don't you recall our time together? The days we shared?"
Lin Mo's expression darkened, could it be that Xia Mengdie had truly forgotten him, or was it that the woman before him wasn't Xia Mengdie at all?
"I've been living in... Anyway, I don't know you at all," Miao Xin said, pursing her thin lips while looking at the sorrow and distress on the young man's face. Yet, an indescribable feeling emerged in her heart, as if it pained her a little too.
Even though Lin Mo had contained the True Yuan within his body, his body was so tough that even bullets could only itch him at best. What truly made him spit blood was Xia Mengdie not recognizing him; the yearning he had accumulated for over a year had attacked his heart and lungs, and that was why he vomited blood.
"If you dare to insult me again, I won't hold back," Miao Xin said as she turned and walked towards her room. She hadn't struck him severely because she felt that the young man before her didn't seem like a bad person, especially the sorrow and pain in his eyes, which didn't seem feigned.
Perhaps he had simply mistaken her for someone from his past, so he was so agitated; otherwise, as a disciple of the Miao Xue Divine Palace, how could she tolerate being treated lightly by an ordinary man?
However, as Miao Xin was pondering this, a group of people had already approached, led by a bald man in a suit and tie, followed by a horde of scantily clad, voluptuous women, their various perfumes mixing and drifting through the hallway.
These people were actually heading straight into Lin Mo's room. Miao Xin clenched her fists, the sliver of sympathy she had for Lin Mo turning into genuine disgust, "Indeed, a dissolute playboy, a rakish dandy; to think I had imagined him as some lovelorn man."
Thinking this, Miao Xin returned to her room. When Miao Zhu came back, she brought with her bags of food. Seeing her senior sister's face looking upset, Miao Zhu couldn't help but show a puzzled expression:
"Senior Sister, you look a bit off, are you feeling unwell?"
"It's nothing, just feeling a bit down," Miao Xin thought of Lin Mo now rolling in the sheets with those vulgar women, and couldn't help but feel an odd anger inside.
As she became aware of this feeling in her heart, her beautiful face slightly changed colors. She had only had a chance encounter with Lin Mo, and even if he had mistaken her for someone from his past, they were still just strangers; why did she feel so uncomfortable now?
Lin Mo wiped the fresh blood from the corner of his mouth, knowing that Xia Mengdie had completely forgotten him, and that any further explanation would probably be futile.
"Master Lin, the second master instructed me to bring some girls over to chat with you. What do you think of these ladies? If you don't like them, I'll go get different ones right away," Bald Xie said with a sycophantic smile, bowing and scraping, "Please call me Master quickly."
"Good day, Master," a row of women of various appearances bowed, with their hands crossed over their abdomens, calling out in unison.
"Get lost, I don't want any," Lin Mo frowned, his expression indifferent.
Bald Xie, upon hearing Lin Mo's words, was initially stunned, then realizing Lin Mo's grim and icy demeanor, was taken aback and quickly led the group of women out with their tails between their legs.
"Bald Brother, what kind of boss is that? He doesn't even like us girls; could it be he's impotent?" one woman said disdainfully.
No sooner had she spoken than Bald Xie slapped her face hard, "Damn it, keep your voice down. If you offend Master Lin, I'll throw you to Africa to work as a prostitute."
"Meng Die, no matter what's happened to you, I will find out the truth," Lin Mo clenched his fist, a sharp glint passing through his eyes.