Drop and Helplessness

Although people were coming and going at the school gate, Chu Miaomiao thought about it carefully before hugging her lunchbox and jogging over with quick, small steps.

"Yunlu, why haven't you gone back to eat yet?"

Situ Yunshu looked at this girl, who resembled a frightened little deer, with great interest, finding her rather cute.

Jiang Yunlu took a deep breath as if mustering a great deal of courage. She turned sideways, a trace of shyness on her face.

"Miaomiao, this is my mom. I'm eating with her today."

After speaking, she turned to Situ Yunshu and formally introduced her, "Mom, this is my good friend, Chu Miaomiao."

"Oh? Nannan's good friend."

Situ Yunshu's gaze bypassed her daughter's shoulder and landed precisely on the takeout lunchbox Chu Miaomiao was hugging.

Her voice was warm and pleasant to the ear, naturally possessing an irresistible charm, as if every word had been carefully ironed out to be perfectly fitting and comfortable.

After all, the eldest daughter of the Situ family was a lady of a prominent household. When facing outsiders, she was naturally a bit more noble and elegant.

"A chance encounter is better than a formal invitation. Since we ran into each other, don't eat alone. Come, Auntie is treating, let's go eat together."

Jiang Yunlu froze for a moment upon hearing this. Her subconscious reaction was to decline, but she swallowed the words just as they reached her lips, merely turning her head to look at Chu Miaomiao.

After all, Chu Miaomiao was so introverted.

Who knew that Chu Miaomiao would only think for a brief moment before answering crisply, "Okay."

"Then what about your food?" Jiang Yunlu pointed at the lunchbox in her hands, somewhat surprised by her readiness.

Chu Miaomiao said directly, "It's fine! I'll leave it at the security booth and ask the security guard uncle to give it to Lin Mo to eat when he gets back."

With that, she trotted over to deliver the lunchbox to the nearby security booth, earnestly giving a few instructions to the security guard on duty.

Watching the girl's brisk figure from behind, Situ Yunshu withdrew her gaze, looked at her daughter leisurely, and casually tossed out a question, "Is she also your romantic rival?"

These words were like a needle, accurately piercing Jiang Yunlu's tense nerves.

"Of course not!" she retorted almost instantly, her cheeks growing somewhat hot. "Mom, don't talk nonsense. She is just the younger sister from Lin Mo's old neighborhood."

This explanation came too quickly and too urgently, making it seem more like she was covering something up.

The smile in Situ Yunshu's eyes deepened as she unhurriedly exposed her, "Look, I just mentioned it casually, and you rushed to clear up her identity and background to me. Besides, I didn't even mention Lin Mo, so why did you explain it so clearly?"

"I..."

Jiang Yunlu was instantly at a loss for words, a breath caught in her chest, unable to go up or down.

She felt like a cat whose mother had bitten the back of its neck, all the fur on her body standing on end, yet she was completely helpless.

Her mother's words were like a key, unlocking the matters of the heart she had been deliberately avoiding all day.

Early this morning, when her phone screen lit up, she had already seen the message Lin Mo sent.

"Are you willing to listen to my explanation?"

Those few short words, along with that familiar name, lay quietly on the screen.

She stared at it for a long time before finally choosing to turn off the screen, leaving it unanswered.

It wasn't out of spite, nor was it anger, but rather a more complex emotion.

She didn't know what kind of attitude she should adopt to face Lin Mo.

Aunt Qiong was pulled back from the brink of death by him, and her own mother was safely rescued because of him, allowing their family to reunite after many years.

This debt of gratitude was so heavy it left her breathless.

So, should she be deeply grateful to him and obey his every word?

She didn't know.

All along, she had racked her brains trying to establish the image of an independent, confident young lady in front of Lin Mo, someone who could even stand shoulder to shoulder with him.

But reality repeatedly reminded her that it wouldn't work.

It turned out it had never worked.

This massive disparity and sense of powerlessness caused Jiang Yunlu to suffer immensely.

She liked Lin Mo, a point she never denied, but what she wanted was mutual attraction with both of them standing on the same level, not him bestowing favors from on high while she could only humbly look up from below.

No one could understand this pride of hers.

This wasn't unreasonable haughtiness, but a pride carved into her very bones.

Yet this pride she cherished so much appeared so pale and insignificant in the face of Lin Mo's overwhelming abilities and favors.

Just as her thoughts were in turmoil, Chu Miaomiao came skipping back.

Although Situ Yunshu saw it all, she could only smile and put her arm around her daughter's shoulder, teasing in a relaxed tone, "What are you thinking about? Your brows are furrowed so tightly they could crush a mosquito. Come on, even if the sky is falling, we need to fill our stomachs first."

Jiang Yunlu was guided forward by her mother. As she looked up, she met Situ Yunshu's eyes, which seemed capable of seeing through everything.

There was no blame in that gaze, only understanding and a trace of heartache.

She felt completely seen through.

Right then, Situ Yunshu suddenly leaned close to her ear and asked in a low voice that only the two of them could hear.

"If your dad and I had worried about so many things back then, you wouldn't be here."

After speaking, she patted Jiang Yunlu's back.

Chu Miaomiao looked at the two of them with a curious expression and then said,

"I've given the instructions, let's go."

Jiang Yunlu's thoughts were pulled back to the present.

The three of them got into the car and drove toward the restaurant they had booked in advance.

On the back street of the school, at the Longjiang Pig Trotter Rice shop!

Lin Mo buried his head, dealing with the last bite of pig trotter rice in his bowl. Within his divine sense, the minor disturbance at the school gate had already concluded.

He smacked his lips, having no intention of going over.

At a time like this, it was better not to get involved.

Food was more important anyway.

Having eaten and drank his fill, Lin Mo strolled back to the school gate. Before he even entered, he saw Security Captain Wang Jinxi jogging over, carrying a delicate insulated lunchbox in his hand.

"Student Lin Mo, I've finally waited for you!"

Wang Jinxi had a warm expression as he handed the lunchbox over. "A student named Chu Miaomiao asked me to give this to you."

Lin Mo took the lunchbox, nodded, and said, "She told me about it. Sorry for the trouble, Captain Wang."

"Heh, no trouble at all."

Wang Jinxi chuckled and watched Lin Mo enter the school. His attitude was even more respectful than if he were facing the principal.

Returning to the messy classroom, Lin Mo opened the lunchbox Chu Miaomiao had sent.

It had three tiers: sweet and sour spare ribs, stir-fried seasonal vegetables, and on the bottom tier of rice lay a perfectly cooked sunny-side-up egg with a runny yolk.

Lin Mo picked up his chopsticks and started eating again. As a cultivator, this amount of food was nothing more than an appetizer.

However, his divine sense fell respectively on Xie Yuling and Jiang Yunlu.

Xie Yuling and Ning Qingcheng went home to eat.

After eating, the two of them would chat in their room without taking a nap.

At noon, they would just spend time together chatting.

"It seems Jiang Yunlu is also mad at Lin Mo," Xie Yuling said, looking out the window and unable to hold back a sigh.

Ning Qingcheng abruptly turned her head. "Huh?!"