Chapter 18: The Rival Always Wants to Taste Him Again [18]

Chapter 18: The Nemesis Can't Stop Wanting a Taste of Him "18"

Shi Mo read Yun Mujin's messages and knew she was genuinely angry—otherwise, she wouldn't have said that.

That made him curious about what Lin Ran had done this time.

"I've got nothing to do with him. If he rubs you the wrong way, just hit him—no need to worry about me."

Shi Mo shot back, then got ready to head back to the Shi residence to see what was actually going on.

He'd also leave Ye Qi some room to do his thing.

As Shi Mo closed the door, a faint smile curled at the corner of his mouth, a flicker of anticipation in his eyes.

He couldn't wait to see what little toys would be waiting for him when he got back tonight.

He'd given Ye Qi plenty of time—he'd better not let him down...

At the Shi residence.

The moment he stepped through the door, Shi Mo felt something was off about the atmosphere in the living room.

His mom and dad were nowhere in sight.

Yun Mujin sat on the sofa, legs crossed, peeling an apple like it was no big deal.

Meanwhile, Lin Ran sat on the opposite sofa, glaring at her with a venomous look, like she was his sworn enemy.

On closer inspection, Shi Mo noticed a clear handprint on Lin Ran's face—whoever had hit him had really laid into him.

Shi Mo tsked to himself but still walked over quickly. "What happened here?"

Both of them looked at him the moment they heard his voice.

Lin Ran immediately stood up and walked toward him, his face lighting up a little:

"Ah Mo! You're finally back. I've been waiting forever for you."

As he talked, he shot a glance at Yun Mujin, who was also coming over, and immediately put on a weak act, leaning into Shi Mo.

But Lin Ran was probably sure that Shi Mo—who was willing to work with him and supposedly liked him—wouldn't dodge.

So he leaned into Shi Mo and started complaining.

"You won't believe how I got picked on just now..."

But his attention was fixed on Yun Mujin, a smug look flashing in his eyes—he never noticed Shi Mo had already stepped aside.

He pitched forward into empty space, unable to steady himself in time, and crashed to the floor with a loud thud!

"Ah!"

Lin Ran was stunned, his words dying in his throat.

His injuries from the last beating hadn't fully healed, and now he'd fallen again—the sharp pain left him reeling for a good while.

Yun Mujin was taken aback for a second, then burst out laughing:

"Hahaha... Lin Ran, if you're sick, why didn't you just stay in the hospital? Why'd you even come out?"

"Look at you now—you just fell a second ago, and now you've fallen again. Tsk tsk tsk..."

"Honestly, if your legs are already done for, just tell me. We've known each other for a while—I'd definitely buy you a cane."

Yun Mujin loomed over Lin Ran, arms crossed, her mocking smile completely unconcealed.

Shi Mo acted like he'd just noticed Lin Ran on the floor, a glass of freshly poured water in hand, turning back with a surprised look.

"Lin Ran, how did you end up on the floor? Are you still not feeling well? Want me to call a doctor to check on you, or send you to the hospital?"

Shi Mo asked with concern, but he didn't look the least bit worried.

He strolled over to the two of them, taking his sweet time, and glanced at Lin Ran, still lying on the ground.

"What? Can't get up anymore? Then I'll call an ambulance for you."

Shi Mo drawled, which made Lin Ran—who'd been waiting for him to lend a hand—freeze up with a stiff look.

In the end, Lin Ran gritted his teeth and picked himself up off the floor.

"Don't bother. I'm fine."

How could Shi Mo be so clueless! He hadn't even caught him earlier, and now he wouldn't even give him a hand when he fell!

Lin Ran glared at the unbothered Shi Mo, seething inside. When he got back, he was definitely going to write him a perfect boyfriend manual!

He'd make Shi Mo study it hard—this kind of thing could never happen again. Otherwise, no matter how much he liked him, he'd be pissed!

"What now? What happened this time?"

Shi Fu's voice came from upstairs, his face looking dead tired.

When he saw Shi Mo, he couldn't help but shoot him a dirty look.

He'd finally raised his son, but the kid wouldn't take over the company. At his age, he still had to run things and couldn't retire—fine.

Today was supposed to be a rare day off, and yet someone had shown up at his door talking about getting engaged to his son, so he didn't even get a moment's rest.

Shi Mu had been home at first, but after finding it too draining to deal with Lin Ran, she'd promptly called up her girlfriends and gone shopping.

She'd dumped everything on Shi Fu.

So now, when Shi Fu saw Shi Mo, he just snorted coldly. "You actually remembered to come back!"

Shi Mo held up his phone with an innocent look. "Didn't you message me to come back?"

Shi Fu: "..."

He was going to haul this brat back to the office for overtime tomorrow!

No—he'd drive him there himself, right now, and drop him off at work!

Lin Ran quickly spoke up: "Uncle Shi, don't blame Ah Mo. It's all my fault—I just haven't seen Ah Mo in ages, I was worried about him."

Yun Mujin, munching on her apple and eating up the drama, smiled at Shi Mo and said:

"Brother Shi Mo (chew chew chew) did you put green tea in your water (chew chew chew) why do I (chew chew chew) smell something so tea-flavored in the air (swallow—)"

Lin Ran instantly darkened his face and shot her a fierce glare:

"Yun Mujin, you've got a real sharp tongue."

Yun Mujin spread her hands and shrugged helplessly:

"Can't help it—sweet talk's only for good-looking guys like Brother Shimo."

Lin Ran: "???"

Lin Ran: "Are you calling me ugly???"

Yun Mujin gave him an approving look and nodded in agreement:

"Well, if you say so, I can't argue with that."

Lin Ran gritted his teeth in fury, glaring at Yun Mujin with murder in his eyes.

"Yun Mujin! Don't go too far!"

Yun Mujin ducked behind Shi Mo and echoed his words back at him in a mocking tone:

"You~don't~go~too~far~"

447 was already rolling on top of Shi Mo's head, laughing his ass off, and Shi Mo finally couldn't hold back his laughter either.

Shi Mo had no doubt that if he and his old man weren't here, the two of them would definitely come to blows.

Still, he kind of enjoyed watching Lin Ran get all riled up.

Shi Mo mused: [Xiao Qi, do you think at this rate he'll end up dying from anger just like the original host did?]

447 thought for a moment and said seriously: [Probably not. And besides, if he really did die of anger, what would happen to the protagonist's luck on him then?]

Shi Fu had also had enough of the show and only then stepped in, clearing his throat a couple of times:

"Ahem... ahem... Alright, A Mo, Lin Ran, you two come with me to the study. I have something to discuss with you."

With that, he headed back upstairs toward the study.

Shi Mo also toned it down a bit and followed after him.

Lin Ran quickly responded, "Got it, Uncle!"

But before heading upstairs, he shot Yun Mujin a cold, calculating look, a flicker of scheming in his eyes.

Yun Mujin smiled back at him, and as he turned, she chucked the apple in her hand right at the back of his head, then covered her mouth with a fake gasp:

"Oops! My hand slipped—sooo sorry about that~"