Chu Miaomiao was surprised, but since she had promised Lin Mo to stay quiet, she remained silent.
Only after Zhang Yuzhong left did she look at Lin Mo with curiosity, though she still didn’t speak.
"Alright, go ahead and say it."
"Uh... uh! Wait, no—how did you know the money... the money would be here?!"
Lin Mo shrugged. "I can read fortunes, so I knew. Anyway, wait here. I’ll go find the homeroom teacher."
In class, Chu Miaomiao wasn’t afraid of much.
So Lin Mo headed straight for the teachers’ office.
Students had left for the day, but the teachers were still working.
Knocking on the door, Lin Mo saw that many teachers were still present. He remembered Chen Xiaoya’s desk well—he’d visited the office plenty in his past life.
Chen Xiaoya was currently typing at her keyboard, likely working on a lesson plan.
Despite her name meaning "little elegance," she was already a woman in her forties.
"Ms. Chen."
She was the only one in the office with that surname, so Chen Xiaoya immediately looked up.
"Oh, it’s you. Haven’t left yet?"
"Was about to, but I came back for something I forgot. Ended up finding the stolen class funds instead."
Chen Xiaoya paused, then repeated, "You found the stolen class funds? Hand them over."
"They’re still in the classroom. I left Chu Miaomiao to watch the money while I came to report it."
Hearing there was another witness, Chen Xiaoya didn’t doubt Lin Mo. She stood and followed him back to the classroom.
Sure enough, there was a blue document folder.
Lin Mo pointed behind the cabinet, speaking with a serious tone.
"I came back to get something and noticed the cabinet was sticking out a bit. That’s when I found the money inside. Probably the thief knew bags would be searched, so they hid it there first, planning to retrieve it later."
That was indeed the case.
Chen Xiaoya took the folder, then glanced between Lin Mo and Chu Miaomiao.
"Why are you two together?"
Seriously, Chen Xiaoya? I just solved your case and recovered stolen money, and you’re fishing for signs of puppy love?
"She used to be my neighbor. We ran into each other recently, and I’m going to her place for dinner later, so we walked together."
Chen Xiaoya scrutinized them.
Lin Mo was attentive in class and rarely made mistakes in homework. As for Chu Miaomiao, she was average but well-behaved.
"Keep some distance at school. What you do outside is your business. Go home now. We’ll discuss the rest during Monday’s class meeting."
With that, Chen Xiaoya left first.
Only Lin Mo and Chu Miaomiao remained.
But that was just how Chen Xiaoya was—strict on the surface, but kindhearted underneath.
Lin Mo made sure the windows and doors were locked before leading Chu Miaomiao out of the school.
At the bus stop, there weren’t many people waiting.
But it was rush hour, so every bus was crowded.
Lin Mo and Chu Miaomiao could only swipe their cards at the front and squeeze in through the back.
Lin Mo was tall enough to easily grip the overhead handrail.
But Chu Miaomiao, a petite southern girl barely over five feet, couldn’t even reach the side handles.
Seeing this, Lin Mo said, "Hold onto my clothes."
Chu Miaomiao looked up at him blankly, but before she could react, the bus suddenly braked hard.
With nothing to hold onto, she nearly flew forward.
Lin Mo moved fast, pulling her back.
The girl crashed into his chest, instinctively wrapping her arms around him.
Referee! Foul! That’s a clear charging violation!
Lin Mo kept one arm around her shoulders, shielding her as best he could.
"Bloody hell, can you even drive?! If you don’t know how, stay off the road!"
The driver unleashed a torrent of Cantonese fury.
Hearing the outburst, Chu Miaomiao snapped out of her daze and loosened her grip on Lin Mo’s waist.
Lin Mo whispered near her ear, "Just hold on, or you’ll fall again."
Her movements slowed, but she didn’t hug him this time—just clung to his clothes.
Chu Miaomiao kept her head down, too embarrassed to look up.
How could this happen?!
I just hugged him like that... but it felt so safe.
Lin Mo’s embrace was so comforting.
Any girl would feel something special for a handsome boy who saved her.
Especially when he radiated such security.
And Chu Miaomiao felt that safety with Lin Mo.
"Next stop: Baixing Park. Please prepare to exit..."
"Alright, we’re here. Time to get off."
The doors opened, and Lin Mo guided Chu Miaomiao out.
Reluctantly, she let go of him, her face flushed. "Th-thank you. For earlier."
"Don’t mention it. Couldn’t just let you fall."
Lin Mo released her first, and Chu Miaomiao finally loosened her grip on his clothes.
Gotta admit, the school uniform was sturdy—no stretching despite the tugging.
They returned to the residential complex.
The security guards had been replaced by a new batch, at least looking more professional now.
In upscale neighborhoods like this, many residents had connections, so the property management didn’t dare act out of line.
As subordinates, they just followed the homeowners’ association’s orders.
Spotting Chu Miaomiao, their priority protection subject, the guards immediately saluted and opened the gate.
But Chu Miaomiao, still wary from past experiences, eyed them with suspicion.
The guards could only scream internally about the unfairness—previous guards’ mistakes had left them paying the price.
Soon, Lin Mo arrived at Chu Miaomiao’s home.
The aroma of cooking already filled the air.
Chu Lintian emerged from the kitchen wearing an apron.
"Oh, Lin Mo’s here! Help yourself to drinks—there’s cola, Sprite, and milk in the fridge. What would you like?"
Chu Lintian had a good impression of Lin Mo.
Sitting stiffly on the sofa, Lin Mo replied, "No need to trouble yourself. Water is fine."
Chu Miaomiao quickly fetched a glass for him.
"Dinner will be ready in half an hour. There’s fruit on the table if you’d like some."
"Thank you."
As a guest, Lin Mo stayed polite, quietly sipping water and eating grapes while seated.
Only then did Chu Miaomiao, sitting beside him, finally ask,
"Why...?"
"You want to know why I let Zhang Yuzhong off and even lent him two hundred yuan, right?"
She nodded.
"Zhang Yuzhong ranks top five in our class, so he’s clearly smart. His skin’s sunburned, his hands calloused, and his shoes are old but clean.
That tells me he’s a poor, hardworking kid with decent upbringing."
Listening, Chu Miaomiao couldn’t recall noticing any of these details about Zhang Yuzhong.
She just nodded.
"Most telling was his expression."
Lin Mo remembered the look in Zhang Yuzhong’s eyes when caught—
"Full of regret, relief, and guilt."
Of course, the real reason Lin Mo lent the money was knowing it would eventually end up on Mai Zirong’s desk.
But that part, he couldn’t say.