“Lin Mo? Why are you here too?” Xiao Jibo looked at Lin Mo, who was eating with his head lowered, and spoke in surprise.
Even though Lin Mo was trying his best to reduce his presence, from Xiao Jibo’s angle he could still see Lin Mo’s profile clearly.
Seeing that he had already been noticed, Lin Mo knew there was no point in hiding anymore. He lifted his head and met Xiao Jibo’s resentful gaze.
Hearing this, Su Qianqian immediately turned around as well. She looked at Lin Mo in shock and frowned. “Lin Mo, didn’t I tell you not to follow me?”
From Su Qianqian’s position, she could not see Ye Qingqing. She assumed Lin Mo had followed her here.
“Miss, are your eyes not working? Can’t you see there are other people here?” Ye Qingqing, who had been ignored, stood up at once and retorted.
Su Qianqian was stunned for a moment. Her expression darkened visibly.
“Heh. Lin Mo, you’re really something. You just came back from the airport and you’re already out on a date?” Su Qianqian said coldly, her tone full of sarcasm.
Lin Mo frowned, not understanding why Su Qianqian seemed so angry. Still, he stood up and explained patiently, “Qianqian, Qingqing and I are not what you think. I want to enter the music industry, so I came to ask her for help.”
“The music industry? You want to become a singer?” Su Qianqian asked, puzzled.
“Yes.”
“Why? The path of a singer is not easy. Besides, you’ve neglected it for so many years. Are you sure that with your current singing level, you can smoothly enter the industry?” There was undisguised discouragement in Su Qianqian’s words.
“What do you know? Gold will shine one day no matter how many years it has been buried underground. Besides, with me helping Senior Lin, why would entering the music industry be impossible?” Ye Qingqing shot back without mercy. “Let me tell you, don’t underestimate Senior Lin. With his talent, he will definitely shine brilliantly in the music industry in the future.”
As she spoke, she gave Lin Mo a comforting smile, once again boosting his confidence.
Lin Mo shook his head with a bitter smile. The contrast between the two women was striking. From beginning to end, Su Qianqian had never believed in him. Her words even carried the meaning that he was overestimating himself. In contrast, Ye Qingqing had supported him from the start, encouraging him wholeheartedly. That warmth made Lin Mo deeply moved.
“Qianqian, I’ve already made up my mind. No matter how difficult this road is, I will walk it to the end. And… I also need to stand at the very top of the music industry to wait for someone, someone very important.” Lin Mo met Su Qianqian’s gaze, his voice firm.
A gentle smile appeared on his face.
Su Qianqian’s expression froze. Her chest felt heavy. Seeing the tenderness on Lin Mo’s face, she vaguely sensed that the important person he spoke of was a woman, perhaps even the woman he loved.
At that thought, it felt as if a massive stone pressed down on her heart, making it hard to breathe.
Lin Mo was stunned. “Qianqian, what do you mean?”
He could not understand why she would react so strongly to his decision to become a singer.
“Lin Mo, I hope you understand that you’re already past the age of dreaming. You should accept reality. Stop thinking about those unrealistic things. Wouldn’t it be better to honestly find a job and earn some money? And… for someone insignificant, are you really going to waste so much time?”
As she spoke, there was a trace of nervousness in Su Qianqian’s eyes, as if she were trying to test how important that person truly was to him.
Lin Mo smiled bitterly. Even though her words were harsh, he had no intention of arguing. He nodded slightly and spoke softly, his eyes filled with nostalgia. “She’s not insignificant. Back then, she was the one who loved listening to me sing the most. I once swore that one day, I would stand in the brightest place and sing a song for her. Although she disappeared many years ago, I believe she hasn’t forgotten me.”
When he was young, Lin Mo often imitated the singers on television and sang to Shen Youchu. Gifted with natural talent, his singing had always been exceptionally good. The two of them had promised that when they grew up, Lin Mo would stand on stage and perform for Shen Youchu, and Shen Youchu would sit in the audience as his most loyal listener.
Unfortunately, as time passed, Shen Youchu left with her parents. Because of his debts, Lin Mo never fulfilled that dream. But now, he was determined to complete the promise they had once made.
“So he still remembers all of that?” Su Qianqian thought to herself, disbelief filling her eyes.
Back when her legs were not crippled, wasn’t she the one who loved listening to him sing the most? Whenever she felt upset, she would go to the bar to listen to Lin Mo sing. His clear voice and beautiful melodies always brought her a sense of healing.
Although the girl who loved his singing had long since changed, Su Qianqian never expected that Lin Mo would still remember. Not only that, he had even sworn to stand on stage and sing for her to make her stay.
But was it worth it? She already had Xiao Jibo. She could never like Lin Mo.
At that moment, Su Qianqian’s heart was filled with conflicting emotions. Yet the words she spoke were cold. “Lin Mo, I advise you not to waste your effort. Doing this will only make me more disgusted.”
Lin Mo was confused and was about to ask for clarification when Ye Qingqing spoke first.
“Enough! You scumbag woman. Senior Lin pursuing his dream has nothing to do with you.”
“Alright, Qingqing. Don’t make a scene in front of so many people,” Lin Mo said gently as he pulled Ye Qingqing’s arm.
Ye Qingqing glared fiercely at Su Qianqian but said nothing more. However, when she turned back and met Lin Mo’s eyes, she instinctively lowered her head, her cheeks flushed red.
Perhaps others did not know, but during university, she had also been one of Lin Mo’s loyal fans. She often sat quietly under the stage at school performances, listening to him sing. Back then, she had already admired him deeply.
“Qianqian, don’t be angry. If Lin Mo wants to pursue his dream, shouldn’t we support him? And the person he mentioned must be very important to him. Maybe she’s right in front of him. What do you think, beauty?” Xiao Jibo suddenly spoke, unwilling to be ignored. As he spoke, he glanced meaningfully at Ye Qingqing.
Su Qianqian seemed to understand and also looked at Ye Qingqing.
Ye Qingqing’s pretty face turned red, clearly exposed. “Y-you… don’t talk nonsense,” she said nervously.
Seeing this, Su Qianqian had already guessed most of the truth. Her face darkened.
“You like Lin Mo?” Su Qianqian asked coldly.
Ye Qingqing secretly glanced at Lin Mo, took a deep breath, and gathered her courage. “So what if I do? Senior Lin is gentle and considerate. He has a charm that ordinary men don’t possess. And… and he’s so handsome. Why can’t I like him?”
“You…” Su Qianqian was so angry that her chest rose and fell, yet she could not find words to refute her.
Yes, she knew better than anyone how good Lin Mo was. He was responsible, dependable, and attentive in everything he did. How could a man like that not be liked by someone?
Yet when she heard Ye Qingqing admit it openly, she felt an unprecedented sense of panic.
Soon, she forced herself to calm down and resumed her indifferent expression. Even if Ye Qingqing liked Lin Mo, would Lin Mo like her in return? Su Qianqian believed that Lin Mo’s feelings for her were far beyond what Ye Qingqing could compare to. He would never like Ye Qingqing.
At the same time, Lin Mo himself stood frozen. Even he had not known that Ye Qingqing harbored such feelings.
“Heh. Little girl, let me give you some advice. When choosing a man, you should keep your eyes open. Don’t be fooled by appearances. What’s the use of being handsome? Can that put food on the table? He doesn’t even have a stable job or income. If you get together with him, are you planning to support him?” Xiao Jibo said sarcastically, unable to suppress his irritation.
Lin Mo’s brows furrowed slightly. It was obvious that Xiao Jibo had a strong prejudice against him. Otherwise, he would not have been making things difficult at every turn.
Lin Mo might be honest, but he was not someone to be bullied. Just as he was about to respond, Ye Qingqing let out a cold laugh. “Oh, so it’s you.”
“You know him?” Lin Mo and Su Qianqian asked at the same time.
Ye Qingqing ignored Su Qianqian entirely and turned slightly toward Lin Mo with a smile. “Senior Lin, when I was on the plane, he came over to ask for my contact information. And not just mine. He asked every pretty girl on the plane for their contact details. Some of us, like me, could tell he wasn’t a good person, so we didn’t give it to him. I thought he looked familiar when we got off the plane earlier. Now it seems the two of them really suit each other. They’re both equally fickle.”
Lin Mo suddenly understood. He remembered how Xiao Jibo had lowered his head at the airport when he saw Ye Qingqing, clearly afraid of being recognized.
“You… you’re talking nonsense. Qianqian, don’t believe her one-sided story,” Xiao Jibo said angrily, hurriedly trying to explain.
Su Qianqian did not respond to him. Instead, she looked at Ye Qingqing and sneered coldly. “Do you think I’ll believe what you say? I know exactly what kind of person Jibo is. He is not the kind of playboy you describe, and he certainly wouldn’t be interested in a woman like you.”