Charging foul Red card

Lin Mo's spiritual sense had already detected this woman.

When someone is doing something with blatant lack of focus, they’re usually a cop.

But Lin Mo found no trace of law enforcement on her.

Which meant she was here to spy on him.

This person was clearly suspicious, and now she was trying to strike up a conversation.

But like a true sigma male, Lin Mo decisively took the album to the checkout counter.

He couldn’t care less about her intentions.

By the time Lin Mo had tucked the album into his backpack and was about to head home, the woman chased after him.

"Hey there, little brother. Where are you headed? Want me to give you a ride?"

Lin Mo turned to face her—a woman in sunglasses with a curvaceous figure and impeccable fashion sense.

He was 100% certain she was here for him.

After leaving a spiritual mark on her, he finally spoke.

"I’m a minor. Keep harassing me, and I’ll call the police."

With that, he raised his phone.

Good. The woman smiled and took two steps back.

Lin Mo turned and walked away without another word.

Jiang Chengyue watched Lin Mo’s retreating figure.

"Not even a hint of reaction to a beauty like me? Are all high school boys this upright these days?"

To be fair, most boys his age would’ve reacted the same.

Right now, things like Kamen Rider probably interested them more.

Lin Mo boarded the bus home.

By the time he was on the road, Jiang Yunlu had already returned.

"Dad kept insisting I eat when I got home, but I was already stuffed. (?????)"

"Just tell him your friends fed you, so you’re not hungry."

"Bingo! That’s exactly what I said. Then he gave me this sulky look and warned me not to eat outside food."

Definitely a doting father. But Lin Mo—the invincible cultivator—wasn’t fazed in the slightest.

I, Lin Beixuan, act as I please. Since when do I owe anyone an explanation?

Back home, he placed the newly bought album into the CD player—one of the few things his father had left him.

The tube amplifier was top-notch, paired with two speakers his dad had meticulously tuned.

The player itself wasn’t anything special.

With music playing, Lin Mo flipped through the practice problems he’d bought earlier.

The music didn’t disrupt his focus at all.

He didn’t jump straight into solving papers. Instead, he started with an Olympiad math guide.

It took him just over two hours to finish the entire book.

After that, he began tackling problems.

Armed with a solid foundation, Lin Mo breezed through the exercises, solving them effortlessly with his own logic.

Olympiad math often had multiple solutions to a single problem.

By the time he finished a full test paper, every blank space was filled.

For each question, he’d used at least two methods—some straightforward, others even simpler.

Perfect. The Olympiad was as good as conquered.

Lin Mo walked to the fridge and pulled out an ice-cold can of cola.

Pop. He cracked it open and downed it in one go.

Gulp, gulp—

The fizz exploded in his mouth.

"Ahhh, refreshing!"

His home computer had already been moved to the rental apartment.

But Lin Mo had a smartphone, and with Wi-Fi, internet speed wasn’t an issue.

That said, speeds back then weren’t exactly blazing fast. Watching a movie required buffering first.

While waiting for the cache to load, a text came in.

It was from Xie Yuling.

"Mom wants to know what you’d like to eat tomorrow."

"How about we go grocery shopping together when I get back tomorrow afternoon?"

After a long pause, the reply came: "Okay! But my mom said she went to buy ribs and vegetables in the morning because the pork seller sprays saltwater by noon, and the meat won’t be as good then."

Lin Mo understood the reasoning—spraying saltwater reduces bacterial growth since Yangcheng was still scorching hot at this time. Without it, the meat would likely spoil.

So those in the know would buy all their ingredients for the day in the morning and just store them in the fridge at home.

"Got it. Wait for me this afternoon."

Much later, another text arrived.

"Oh, and can I borrow your computer? I need to look something up."

"No problem. Just turn it on—it’s ready to use."

Lin Mo wasn’t worried Xie Yuling wouldn’t know how to use it. Schools in Yangcheng had computer classes, even if they weren’t particularly educational. At the very least, students knew how to power it on and off.

He’d also left a spare key at Auntie Zheng’s place.

"Thank you!"

As for the files on his computer, he’d already hidden them securely. With his sharp wits, no one would ever find them!

Boom!

A sudden clap of thunder split the air, and rain poured from the sky.

Typical summer weather—one moment, clear skies; the next, a downpour.

"Rain this heavy calls for snacks and a movie at home."

Just as Lin Mo had started "Secret" and grabbed a bag of chips, an incoming call blocked the screen.

He didn’t have many numbers saved, but this one was from Chu Miaomiao.

She rarely called, so he picked up.

"Hello?"

"Lin Mo, are you there?"

Her voice trembled slightly, though the background was silent.

"I’m here. What’s wrong? Are you okay?"

"N-no… nothing’s wrong. Mom’s not home, the power’s out, and there’s thunder. I can’t reach her… I didn’t know who else to call."

Ah. The girl was afraid of the dark—and thunder.

As for whether she was scheming, Lin Mo could confidently say no. She was downright guileless.

"I happen to be near your place. Give me ten minutes."

A blackout?

Did lightning strike a transformer?

That happened often enough.

Lin Mo grabbed an umbrella and activated Invisibility + Swift Steps!

Raindrops deflected off his spiritual barrier as he sprinted toward Chu Miaomiao’s home.

When he arrived, he saw the entire area was dark—clearly, the lightning had hit the power box.

So he phased through the wall and dashed toward her building.

With the elevators down, he took the stairs.

Mid-climb, he deactivated his techniques and trudged up step by step, calling Chu Miaomiao again.

"I’m at your building now, coming up the stairs."

A soft, shaky voice answered.

"Okay… can you stay on the line? I’m really scared."

"Of course. Try turning on your phone’s flashlight."

Chu Miaomiao’s family was well-off—she had an iPhone 4.

Its flashlight was decently bright.

"I did, but I’m still scared."

"Alright, hang tight. I’m running up now! Can you open the door for me?"

"Y-yes."

So Lin Mo kept the call going as he ascended.

Luckily, no one else was using the stairs. He bolted up, then feigned heavy breathing into the phone.

"Come open the door."

Soon, the door swung open.

With a soft thud, Lin Mo pulled open the door, and a figure immediately flung itself into his arms.

A full-frontal collision!

Red card!

Yet Lin Mo steadied himself and caught the girl effortlessly.

"Hey, it's alright. No need to worry."

"Mom’s not here... I’m scared!"

"I’m here. Don’t be afraid."