After the kiss, Xia Mengdie only then realized what had happened.
At that moment, her cheeks couldn't have been more flushed with shyness.
She had always been the kind of girl who held herself with restraint.
But it was precisely this that made Lin Mo find Xia Mengdie even more captivating.
If it weren't for considering that his parents were in the living room nearby, Lin Mo could hardly stop himself from giving Xia Mengdie a fervent kiss.
After pondering, Lin Mo decided to abandon the idea.
After all, there was still a long life ahead of them.
To deeply love a girl meant to give her a sense of security, not to satisfy one's own desires.
In the afternoon and evening, Yang Chuxue took the initiative to chat with Xia Mengdie, and after getting to know her, her eyes showed even more approval.
The way she looked at her was no different than how one would look at a future daughter-in-law, which made Xia Mengdie feel somewhat embarrassed.
Yet, her heart was incredibly sweet!
After all, being valued by Lin Mo's mother, was enough to show that her future marriage to Lin Mo would have considerable support—at least a full tenfold!
Lin Mo saw that although it was the first time the two women had met, they seemed to share a bond deeper than sisters and couldn't help but shake his head.
It was as if he, their son and boyfriend, had become an outsider.
However, his woman getting close to his mother was an excellent thing.
It was at this moment Lin Mo's phone suddenly rang.
Seeing the caller ID was an unknown number, Lin Mo rejected the call directly, but the caller rang back again.
This time, Lin Mo answered, and immediately a familiar voice came from the other end, "Boss, is that you?"
"Xu Fei?"
Lin Mo was slightly surprised and said, "It's me. How did you get my number?"
"I got it from Zhong Qiaomeng. She said she ran into you in Imperial City a few days ago."
Xu Fei explained, his voice carrying a strange tone.
Lin Mo, of course, detected it and couldn't help but ask, "By the sound of your voice, it seems like you're troubled?"
Xu Fei chuckled bitterly, "You always understand me best."
There was the sound of gulping down alcohol from the other end, and Xu Fei's voice became somewhat dejected, "Boss, tell me, isn't love both beautiful and terribly tormenting?"
Lin Mo frowned slightly, "It seems like you've been through a breakup."
"If it was just a breakup, maybe I would feel a bit better."
Xu Fei's voice was tinged with bitterness, "Boss, you're my only good friend in Imperial City. Can you come out and have a few drinks with me?"
Without asking further, Lin Mo said, "Send the address to my phone."
"Thank you so much, boss. I reckon you might be the only one who can console me at this time."
Xu Fei's voice was sincere, but Lin Mo could tell that whatever he was going through must have hit him hard.
Xu Fei, as his best friend since senior year of high school, was in trouble, and it was natural for Lin Mo not to ignore it.
"Alright, don't mention it. I'll be there soon."
After hanging up the phone, Lin Mo said to Xia Mengdie, "Die'er, I might have to stop by the bar later."
"Going to a bar?"
Upon hearing this, Yang Chuxue's expression turned stern, and she said with a reproachful tone, "Mo'er, don't you dare go astray! You absolutely can't let down the heart of such a good girl like Mengdie."
"Auntie, Mo isn't that kind of person, I believe in him," Xia Mengdie said with a dimpled smile, not taking things too seriously.
Lin Mo couldn't help but give a bitter smile, "Mom, it's not what you think."
"Mo'er, you can't keep things from me and Meng Die."
Yang Chuxue's gaze was fixed on Lin Mo, clearly showing that she intended not to let him off the hook until he explained himself.
"Mom, how do I explain this to you."
Lin Mo hesitated for a moment but then explained affably:
"Here's the thing, half a year ago, when I was in my senior year of high school in Shu Province, I met a good brother."
"Just now, he called me, seems like he's encountered some trouble, is feeling really down, and wants me to join him for a couple of drinks."
"Nothing else particularly special."
"I see,"
Yang Chuxue's eyes then fell on Xia Mengdie, "You'll have to get Meng Die's permission before you go."
Lin Mo nodded, looked towards Xia Mengdie with a smile, and said, "Wife, do you allow me to go?"
Being called 'wife' in front of Yang Chuxue made Xia Mengdie's face almost burst with blush, her cheeks even more flushed with shyness.
However, being called 'wife' by Lin Mo, a surge of pure sweetness rose in Xia Mengdie's heart.
"Go ahead, Mo, whatever you do, I trust you."
"But don't drink too late; it's bad for your health."
"Silly girl, your boyfriend can handle his liquor like no other, don't worry, just wait for me to come home,"
Lin Mo pinched Xia Mengdie's delicate nose with extreme affection.
Upon hearing this, Xia Mengdie's face turned even redder, and she whispered faintly, "Mo, do you mean... you want me to stay over at your place tonight?"
Yang Chuxue, however, stared at Lin Mo with a pair of cold eyes.
"Meng Die is still young; you're not allowed to mess around or take advantage of her carelessly."
"Tonight, Meng Die can stay over at our place, but you are not to share a room with her, understand?"
Lin Mo gave a bitter smile, then nodded and promised, "Don't worry, Mom, I'll listen to you."
"Okay, off you go now."
The usually aloof Lin Mo was so obedient in front of his mother. If anyone else saw this scene, they would be genuinely surprised.
When Lin Mo arrived at the bar, it was already around nine in the evening.
It wasn't quite the start of the real nightlife yet.
Therefore, as soon as Lin Mo entered the bar, he immediately spotted Xu Fei and walked straight towards him.
Before he reached Xu Fei, Lin Mo could see from a distance that Xu Fei appeared to be in a state of utter dejection.
He looked like a tycoon who had gone through a night of catastrophic losses.
"Tell me, what's been happening lately?" Lin Mo sat down.
"Boss, I..."
Xu Fei started to speak but stopped, putting on a façade of strength in front of others, always trying to save face. But in front of someone he could confide in, he could hardly hold back and was on the verge of tears, "It's a long story!"
With that, Xu Fei took several more gulps of his drink.
Lin Mo didn't try to stop him, and after a few drinks, Lin Mo said, "If you still consider me your boss, then tell me everything from the beginning."
Taking a deep breath, Xu Fei's voice was choked with emotion, "Boss, my family has gone through a financial crisis, the company has gone bankrupt, and Zhang Qian has fallen in love with someone else. Now, I have nothing left!"