Lin Mo stood with his arms crossed, not saying a word. Even though he knew what this man was plotting, he had no intention of exposing him directly; it would be meaningless.
Tong Dong acted as if he had grasped a lifesaver, a glimmer of hope reigniting in his eyes. "Then... how much would that cost? I'm still a student, I don't have much money."
"I sold it to that person for just over two thousand. I'll try my best to negotiate for you and get it back for under three thousand. How does that sound?" The boss wore a look that screamed, "I'm looking out for you."
Tong Dong gritted his teeth. It seemed this price was an astronomical figure for him, yet he showed almost no hesitation.
"Alright! I'll go borrow the money!" He pulled a somewhat worn-out phone from his pocket and handed it over.
"Boss, please leave your number. If there's any news, you must tell me immediately!"
"No problem!" The boss took the phone briskly, quickly typed in his number, gave himself a missed call, and saved Tong Dong's number in the process.
He handed the phone back to Tong Dong, even reaching out to pat him heavily on the shoulder, his tone earnest.
"Don't worry, I'll keep a close eye on this for you! After all, it's your mother's relic, the meaning is different.
If it really comes down to it, I'll give you the buyer's number when the time comes, and you can talk to them yourself. Maybe seeing your filial piety, they'll give you a discount."
His words were airtight and deeply sincere.
It would be truly difficult for an ordinary person not to be deceived.
Tong Dong nodded repeatedly in gratitude, his eyes turning slightly red.
The boss reached out again and patted Tong Dong's shoulder.
From beginning to end, Lin Mo acted like an outsider, watching silently.
After bowing in thanks, Tong Dong pulled Lin Mo along and walked in the direction of the school.
As he walked, he calculated how much scholarship money he had left.
"I still have quite a bit of scholarship money. It should be enough to redeem the jade pendant."
Walking down the street, Lin Mo nodded.
"What's wrong?" Tong Dong was curious about Lin Mo's silence.
"Nothing. I was just thinking, what if he said that on purpose just now, intentionally inflating the price?"
Tong Dong sighed softly.
"Actually, I know. But that jade pendant is a necessity to me, so even if he inflates the price, I'll still buy it. But at least I didn't say the wrong thing just now, so he won't raise the price too high."
It was obvious that Tong Dong wasn't actually stupid. He was just worried the other party would hike up the price, which was why he acted so submissive.
When the time came, by acting like he needed to scrape the money together and bargain, even if they did raise the price, it wouldn't be by too much.
He should be able to get it for at least a little over two thousand.
But if Tong Dong had revealed how much money he actually had, he probably would have been scammed out of every last penny.
Jokes aside, although he lacked social experience, he still had the intelligence.
Lin Mo simply patted Tong Dong's arm. "Let me know when the transaction happens."
Tong Dong nodded heavily. Without Lin Mo around, he actually felt insecure.
As they spoke, they had already arrived near the school.
The scorching sun hung high in the sky. After a busy morning, their stomachs had long started protesting.
Tong Dong grabbed Lin Mo and said directly, "Let me treat you to lunch."
At this stiff phrasing, Lin Mo couldn't help but laugh.
"Alright, I won't hold back."
Lin Mo walked straight toward the rice noodle shop.
After saying that, he didn't wait for Tong Dong to react. With the ease of a regular, he turned the corner and led him straight to the rice noodle shop at the intersection.
Come to think of it, it really had been a while since he last had a taste of this.
"Oi! Boss." Before Lin Mo had even fully stepped through the door, his voice carried inside.
The shop was quiet and deserted. During the summer vacation, the students had all gone home, so there wasn't much business.
The boss was wearing reading glasses, sitting leisurely to the side reading a newspaper. Hearing the familiar voice, he didn't even look up before throwing out a complaint.
"What are you doing here, kid?"
"Why can't I be here? Hurry up, I'm starving. Get me two bowls of noodles, extra meat!" Lin Mo boldly pulled out a chair and sat down, gesturing for Tong Dong to join him.
"Hey! You brat, I must have owed you in a past life."
The boss grumbled, but the wrinkles on his face spread into a smile. He took off his glasses, slowly folded the newspaper, and then turned to enter the back kitchen.
His unhurried demeanor made it seem as though he was certain Lin Mo wouldn't dare rush him.
Tong Dong stared blankly for a moment, but he didn't say anything.
A short while later, the boss walked out carrying a large tray.
"Bang!"
Two steaming bowls of rice noodles were placed heavily on the table, the broth nearly splashing out.
What was piled in the bowls was less like toppings and more like a mountain of meat, almost completely hiding the noodles underneath.
"Boss, how much for these two bowls? I'll pay." Tong Dong immediately stood up, ready to take out his money.
"No need."
The boss waved his hand and shot a sideways glance at Lin Mo. "When this kid comes here to eat noodles, he never has to pay."
Tong Dong was stunned.
Free?
"Hear that? Our willingness to come eat here is giving the old man face. Once the two of us become top scholars, he can change his sign to 'Top Scholar Rice Noodles.' People will have to line up just to eat here. This is called an early-stage investment, understand?"
Tong Dong looked completely bewildered.
"You can promote yourself like that?"
As a top student who always ranked at the top of his grade, his head was filled with formulas and theorems, yet at this moment, he felt his entire knowledge system taking an unprecedented hit.
"This is called the Face-Face Fruit, get it?"
Lin Mo spouted a bit of nonsense, and seeing Tong Dong still wearing an expression of questioning his life choices, he said no more, picked up his chopsticks, and dug in.
"Slurp—"
A large mouthful of rice noodles mixed with crispy roast meat and broth was sucked into his mouth, the rich aroma instantly exploding on his palate.
The mixed noodles of Hero City emphasized a dry fragrance, while the soup noodles here focused on a fresh and mellow flavor.
It was hard to say which was better, but getting it for free made it exceptionally delicious.
Seeing this, Tong Dong also picked up his chopsticks and took a bite.
The next second, his eyes lit up.
The noodles were smooth and chewy, the braised meat rich and flavorful, and mixed with the slightly spicy broth, it was simply a perfect match.
He no longer cared about figuring out the Face-Face Fruit. Mimicking Lin Mo, he began slurping down the noodles in large mouthfuls.
After sweeping through the food like a whirlwind scattering the clouds, the two leaned back in their chairs, thoroughly satisfied.
Lin Mo pulled out a tissue, wiped his mouth, and said to Tong Dong, "I have things to do this afternoon, so I won't be going back to school."
"Yeah, you already know how to do all the test papers anyway." Tong Dong nodded, then couldn't help but ask out of curiosity, "What are you going to do this afternoon?"
Lin Mo stood up, slipped one hand into his pocket, and raised an eyebrow at him in mock mystery.
"Kids shouldn't ask so many questions."
With that, he waved at Tong Dong, turned around, and walked away stylishly.
Tong Dong couldn't quite figure Lin Mo out, but he felt that at the very least, Lin Mo was much more vibrant than he was.
By this time, Xia Zhi had already taken Ning Qingcheng to Pengcheng.
Meanwhile, Yanhuang Awakening had also reported everything that had happened.
It wasn't that no one had suggested taking Ning Qingcheng to Tianjing for an examination.
It was just that Director Long had suppressed all such proposals.
The main excuse was that they didn't know much about the Wind Spirit Moon Shadow Sect and didn't want to risk offending them.
Therefore, Ning Qingcheng was not given a hard time.
ap a wealthy young lady? Or else I'll be eliminated by the system? Ye Feng, who awakened the Kidnapper System, originally wanted to live a peaceful life but never imagined he would become a kidnapper of young women. However, after some time, he discovered that all the girls the system ordered him to kidnap were far from ordinary. "Big brother Ye Feng~ You've kidnapped my heart, and now you're not allowed to leave me ever again~" "Ye Feng~ You kidnapped me back then, now it's my turn to capture you♡" "Little Feng, you're mine! You can only be mine!" "Ye Feng, none of them deserve you. Only I love you the most♡" ... This is madness, they've all gone mad! Wait, what? Why are all the girls I kidnapped yanderes?!
uld barely embark on the path to immortality. Just as he was on the verge of death, his golden finger awakened. No matter whether it was poison, drained blood and vital energy, diminished lifespan, or any other physical debuff caused by paying a price—once midnight passed, everything would be refreshed. From then on, whenever someone asked what kind of person Chu Ran was, the answer was simple: Forbidden arts that other cultivators dared not learn? Chu Ran would learn them. Prices that even demonic cultivators dared not pay? Chu Ran would pay them. Lifespan that even righteous cultivators dared not burn? Chu Ran would burn it. All the blood essence in his body? Take it. Want both his hands and feet? He would cut them off and send them to you. You say he’s finished? He wasn’t built to sit idle. You think he’s gone mad? No—he was simply waiting for midnight. From that day onward, Chu Ran would respect neither Heaven nor Earth, bow to neither gods nor ghosts. He had only one wish: For midnight to arrive a little sooner.
ions, keeping it grounded and realistic】 After quitting his job, office worker Su Yang accidentally binds with the "Enjoy Life System." As the name suggests, simply by indulging in life's pleasures, he can earn random rewards from the system—no need to spend money on beautiful women or grovel before anyone. Just enjoy, and the money follows, making it all about effortless fun. The system comes with a scanning feature, allowing him to establish a favorability bond with women rated 85 points or above. Every 20-point increase in favorability unlocks additional rewards. After suffering through over twenty years of hardship, Su Yang trembles with excitement, his dull eyes suddenly gleaming with newfound hope. "Enjoy life? How hard could that be?"
ive and Ruthless] Before his transmigration, Ye Xuan was playing a game called "Severing Emotions to Attain the Dao." The game's core wasn't about leveling up by fighting monsters, but about conquering various "bad women" with wicked personalities and cold, fickle natures. There was only one method to conquer them: stay unwaveringly by their side, then die at a critical moment, driving them to madness after losing the protagonist. The higher their level of regret, the higher the player's score. To dominate the server, Ye Xuan conquered all the bad women. In the early stages, he showered them with boundless tenderness, only to choose to sacrifice himself for them later, making them weep bitterly and drown in regret. Among them were: Xia Lengyue, the unfaithful immortal wife who chased after powerful men and discarded her husband like trash. Ye Qingcheng, the Demonic Venerable of the Joyous Union Sect, who appeared pure and innocent but was, in reality, promiscuous. Wu Lingxiao, the Empress of the Great Xia Dynasty, who lusted after men and loved maintaining a harem. Bai Qiangu of the Endless Demonic Sect: a bloodthirsty mass murderer. However, when the protagonist transmigrated into the game world, he made a horrifying discovery. Eight hundred years had already passed. The bad women he had conquered had now each become deities and revered ancestors. Faced with the endless stream of toxic women coming for him, Ye Xuan could only rely on his god-tier acting skills to carve a path of survival through this world of treacherous women.
