Mo An paused for a moment, appearing to think about how he should respond. He observed my face for a while, and after confirming that I truly was in the dark, he pulled out his phone.
He scrolled through it for a bit and then turned the screen toward me.
I caught a glimpse, snatched the phone from his hand, and spoke unhappily.
“Why do you still have photos of other men on your phone?”
Hearing my questioning tone, Mo An frowned with displeasure and spoke.
“Can you stop straying from the point like that?”
I placed the phone on the table with great momentum though the actual movement was very light. This seemingly peaceful relationship between Mo An and me relied entirely on my persistent efforts; I didn’t dare truly touch his “reverse scales” (sore spots) and get kicked out for no reason.
“Is the point not that you have photos of other men saved on your phone?”
Mo An’s face, which had always maintained a relatively indifferent and calm expression, seemed to be trending toward irritability under my pestering behavior.
He picked up the phone unhappily and spoke while facing me directly.
“Take a good look, are you familiar with this man?”
Fine. Adopting the attitude of “if I can’t provoke him, I can at least hide,” I backed down, making a silent vow in my heart.
Mo An, you just wait. Right now, I don’t have the status to control you, but one day, you will belong to me from the inside out, from top to bottom.
I looked at the screen with great rejection, and an “Eh…” escaped my lips.
Then I took the phone back from Mo An’s hand, zooming in on the photo in disbelief.
“This, this, isn’t this Brother He from just now?”
“Yes, it’s him.” Thinking about it, Mo An wasn’t used to this kind of match-making behavior. When he spoke, he didn’t have the “everything under control” manner he had at the company; there was always an unspeakable awkwardness present.
I seemed to understand now. Just to please my future “wife,” I had “exchanged” a few words with someone at that influencer shop, and somehow I was inexplicably taken a liking to.
“Brother, he likes me?”
Seeing that I finally understood the whole situation, Mo An seemed to breathe a sigh of relief and nodded.
I stared fixedly at Mo An; his attitude was clear without him having to say a word.
The person I had thought about for so long, the person I had made such a great resolution to pursue.
Forget about him considering it this attitude of wishing I would disappear immediately before his eyes was truly disheartening to see.
I silently chanted in my heart three times: “Don’t get angry, don’t get angry; if you ruin your health, no one will take your place.”
I spoke with a facade of calmness: “What is your opinion?”
Mo An probably didn’t expect me to speak so calmly. Only then did he take a serious look at me. After thinking for a moment, he still expressed his thoughts clearly and explicitly.
“Senior Brother He is good in both character and circumstances. I think you can consider it.”
Look at this attitude of my future wife. It’s as if he can’t wait for me to be with someone else, to be happily married and have children soon. How discouraging.
I spoke unhappily: “What if I don’t agree?”
Mo An didn’t expect that I could still exchange words so calmly about this matter, and he looked at me twice more.
Thinking back, some of my previous reckless actions must have left him with the impression that I only act on impulse and behave crudely.
He spoke without much hesitation: “This depends on your own will. Although I do want to help Senior Brother He, matters of the heart still require mutual willingness. I won’t participate in the rest.”
Watching Mo An discuss the issue of my future with such a calm face, the anger I had forcibly suppressed showed signs of resurfacing.
I looked at him with an unshielded gaze, wanting to see if he could continue discussing this with me naturally, comfortably, and without hesitation.
I refused to give up. I didn’t believe that the event that had such a huge impact on me was so insignificant in Mo An’s heart as if it left no trace when the wind blew.
Mo An felt he had said all there was to say. After finishing, he took the coffee cup in front of him and took a light sip.
Then, seeing that I didn’t seem to plan on speaking again, he put down the cup and spoke softly.
“Young Master You, how about this you think it over. Senior Brother He is really quite good.”
After waiting a moment and seeing I had no intention of opening my mouth, Mo An likely felt that the conversation just now had wasted his precious time and prepared to see me out.
“Alright, if there’s nothing else, you should head out first.”
Fine. It seemed this man was indeed unshakable and could indeed handle this matter with a peaceful mind. Looking at this attitude, far from having had a “one-night stand” relationship, it was as if we were complete strangers.
No, a difference could still be seen: I was just a soldier under his command.
The man had even seriously considered the compatibility between his senior brother and me from my perspective.
To hell with being calm! My wife is talking to me about another man. Why should I still be calm?
My wife is trying his hardest to push me away on what grounds should I remain even-tempered?
I quickly walked to the other side of the desk.
Mo An sensed my movement but didn’t make any response.
Indeed, since I met him again, Mo An’s attitude toward me had always been like this—meeting changes with constancy, appearing unmoved even if Mount Tai were to collapse before him.
My left hand grabbed one side of the armrest of Mo An’s chair. With one forceful pull, I turned him around to face me.
Mo An, still very calm at this moment, placed the pen in his hand on the desk. Only then did he raise his eyes to look at me.
Those eyes that I had always liked stared straight at me without speaking.
Even though I was very angry just now, seeing my own reflection fall into those beautiful eyes, the anger in my heart dissipated a little.
I couldn’t help but raise my hand, intending to stroke those beautiful eyes.
In the many nights I spent thinking of Mo An, what I missed most were these eyes that had left a deep impression since the first time we met.
How could Mo An have such beautiful eyes? They were hard to forget.
My hand was almost about to touch Mo An’s face. I could even almost feel the temperature of his skin when Mo An tilted his head to the side.
This dodging movement made me very unhappy.
I grabbed his chin with displeasure and questioned him: “Mo An, what exactly am I to you?”
A familiar question for a familiar person.
I hoped for a different answer. As it turned out, Mo An was the truly ruthless one; I really was that insignificant to him.
He spoke without much hesitation.
“You Quan, I know you haven’t forgotten what happened before, but that incident truly didn’t have much of an impact on me. Furthermore, under those circumstances, had it been any other man, I would have been fine with it too.”
Listen to that, what kind of bullshit answer is that? It makes it sound like under those circumstances, I was just a tool for venting lust.
Even any other man would do it?
The strength in my hand involuntarily increased, and I saw Mo An’s beautiful brows knit tightly together.
A moment of hesitation hit my heart. Just as I was wondering whether to stop, Mo An spoke.
“Can you… can you be a little more calm?”
I took a deep breath and said: “Say those words to me one more time.”
The ferocious tone would let anyone hear the dissatisfaction in my heart.
Involuntarily, I increased the force in my hand. An expression of distress appeared on Mo An’s face, and my heart ached.
In the end, I was the one to admit defeat first, unable to bear using force.
When I lowered my hand, that beautiful chin had already turned red.
Words of apology reached the tip of my tongue, but I forcefully pressed them back into my stomach.
Mo An couldn’t sense my inner turmoil. Only after I lowered my hand did he speak slowly.
“I don’t know how to date.”
“Why?” The counter-question escaped my lips. I thought Mo An would say something to reject me, but I didn’t expect him to directly say he doesn’t know how to date, meaning the target wasn’t just me.
Mo An glanced at me before speaking: “That is my private business.”
He paused for a moment after speaking before continuing: “Besides, my relationship with you is clearly not close enough to discuss these matters.”
Suppressing the urge to snap a certain someone’s beautiful neck, I grabbed Mo An’s chin again.
“Who can you talk to about these things? Does your relationship with anyone else have the intimacy of ours? Or…”
At this point, I saw Mo An’s expression stiffen. It seemed that by repeatedly mentioning that night, a certain person’s memory of it was also gradually deepening.
I smiled and continued.
“Or, Manager Mo, can you just sleep with anyone, and then calmly work together after sleeping with them?”
These words were laced with malice. I could clearly see the disapproval in Mo An’s eyes.
I had already been yielding enough. If anyone else had treated me like this, I would have resorted to fists and feet long ago. For Mo An, I always had infinite tolerance.
Even though I was so angry just now, the moment I saw the expression of distress on his face, I let go immediately.
Mo An finally stopped letting me have my way. With a flick of his arm, he swatted away my hand that was holding him. He turned back to the desk, no longer looking at me.
His cold voice drifted into my ears.
“Young Master You, even though this is your father’s company, you cannot act so willfully. I do not want to hear such insulting language a second time. Now, please leave.”
In my heart, I knew Mo An definitely wasn’t that kind of casual man; both his reaction that night and his identity proved it.
I was also just stimulated by Mo An’s repeated coldness and his attempts to push me away; the words had just come out in the heat of the moment.
Many times, I wanted to break the indifference on Mo An’s face, but I never expected it to be in this manner.
I had found this person with such difficulty; I couldn’t wait to care for him with every fiber of my being, so how could I bear to do this?
“I’m sorry, I didn’t mean it that way just now.” To know one’s mistakes and correct them is the greatest virtue. Better to coax my future wife myself.
Besides, I haven’t even caught him yet; I can’t scare him away.
“Please leave immediately…”
“I can leave, but don’t be angry…” Having finished my mental construction, I reverted to my usual thick-skinned self.
Mo An didn’t even look at me, speaking coldly: “Get out…”
Carrying the thought of wanting to “shred” that “Good Big Brother” I had just met, I helplessly obeyed my “wife’s” orders and silently rolled toward the door…
Mo An’s voice came from behind me, “Wait…”