Chapter 42: Yes, Let Him Wait for a While

"You can't be so nice to a guy. Just look at the messages you've sent him. If someone else saw them, they might think you, the great Miss Ye, are acting like a lovestruck puppy!"

Far away in Kyoto, Yunduo was lounging comfortably with a face mask on when her phone chimed with a special notification. The sound made her drop everything, face mask forgotten, as she eagerly grabbed her phone.

Like Ye Mo, Yunduo was a university student, though one year her junior. She, too, had never dated, claiming she was too focused on work, with all her attention devoted to Ye Mo. In fact, Ye Mo was the only person she had set a special notification for.

Which university student could so easily earn tens of thousands of yuan a month, especially someone like Yunduo, who came from a modest rural background?

Being chosen by Ye Mo to be her assistant was something Yunduo was endlessly grateful for. She treated Ye Mo like her savior, constantly thinking about how to make everything perfect for her.

But when she saw Ye Mo's message, Yunduo leapt off the bed, her short legs carrying her in a hurry. Her brows arched high as she quickly typed a response.

Ye Mo, full of delight, had told her that Lin Jie had finally come to his senses and was planning to buy her a gift.

Thus, Yunduo sent that opening remark.

"How can this make me a lovestruck puppy? I'm not chasing him," Ye Mo replied, puzzled.

"Mo-jie, you can't be too good to a guy. If you're too nice, he won't value you. You should give him the cold shoulder for a bit," Yunduo suggested, her eyes twinkling with mischief.

It was the first time she had seen Ye Mo so happy over a simple dress. At school, Ye Mo had received countless gifts, from the inexpensive to the extravagant, yet she never gave them a second glance.

Now, seeing Ye Mo so pleased over something so small, Yunduo was baffled... had Ye Mo been bewitched during that last trip?

"You're right! I had planned to give him the cold shoulder at first, but when he mentioned the dress, I got so excited I forgot all about it."

Yunduo: "..."

Now, Yunduo was genuinely concerned. She didn't dare ask directly if Ye Mo had fallen for this Lin Jie, nor did she dare inquire if Ye Mo intended to pursue him.

She merely listened to Ye Mo share her chat logs every day, complaining about how clueless Lin Jie could be, recounting his many faults.

And each time, Yunduo would force a smile, too timid to say much.

If Ye Mo's family ever found out... heaven only knows what might happen.

"Little Yunduo, you're absolutely right!" Ye Mo perked up, her spirits lifted. "I need to show my cold, aloof side. Let him feel the pain of losing me."

"Exactly, that fits your cool and elegant image perfectly," Yunduo agreed with a nod of satisfaction.

If Ye Mo's fans knew about the messages she sent Lin Jie daily, her carefully curated image would surely crumble.

After all, Ye Mo had always portrayed herself as a distant, untouchable queen. And before she met Lin Jie, that had been the absolute truth.

Who could have guessed what sort of charm Lin Jie possessed to ensnare Ye Mo so completely?

"Yes!" Ye Mo affirmed.

Just as Yunduo was about to speak again, Ye Mo's voice, calm and casual, interrupted her thoughts. "Hey, help me choose this dress, will you? It suits me, and the price is reasonable. It won't put too much pressure on him."

Yunduo: "..."

"Mo-jie."

"Hmm?"

"You're beyond saving. Go ahead and be his lovestruck puppy!"

"How dare you! I'll dock your pay!"

…

The familiar dimly lit living room, the familiar sofa, the familiar reclining posture.

Lin Jie stared blankly at his phone, looking at Ye Mo's latest post on her social media feed. She had uploaded photos—pictures he had taken for her during their last outing.

Lin Jie hadn't expected her to actually use his photos.

Not only had she posted them on her feed, but she had also shared them across all her social media platforms. This left Lin Jie both surprised and a little proud.

After all, this entire set of updates from such a prominent influencer had come from him.

Especially when he saw the comments praising the photos for their cinematic quality, Lin Jie couldn't help but rub his nose in embarrassment.

"Flattery, pure flattery," he muttered to himself.

Yet, something still felt off. As Lin Jie scrolled through his notifications, he realized that his account had more red dots than usual—he had finally surpassed the 99+ mark for the first time!

Excited, Lin Jie thought to himself, I've been inactive for days, but somehow, I've gone viral... which of my posts blew up?

Was it his food diary? His sunset photography? Or maybe the city nightscapes?

None of the above.

It was simply because Ye Mo had tagged him in her post.

When did Ye Mo even find out about his account?

This was the first time Ye Mo had ever tagged anyone in her posts, so naturally, many of her fans flocked to his page, leaving comments and likes. Some jokingly speculated about the nature of his relationship with Ye Mo, while others mistook him for a professional photographer and inquired about his rates.

Lin Jie found it amusing but refrained from replying to any comments.

Even so, he was grateful for Ye Mo's gesture, as it had brought him a surge of traffic.

Lin Jie couldn't help but marvel at the vast influence Ye Mo wielded. She might not have millions of followers like the top-tier influencers, but her engagement was consistently high, and her fanbase grew steadily.

Thinking he should thank her, Lin Jie sent Ye Mo a message, casually asking if she had eaten.

He watched as the "typing" indicator appeared on his screen... but then, nothing.

One minute, five minutes, ten minutes passed.

Lin Jie: "???"

Ye Mo, who usually replied instantly, had suddenly gone silent. Lin Jie was slightly surprised, but didn't think too much of it. After all, Ye Mo was a busy person, and it wasn't unusual for someone like her to be unable to reply right away.

Besides, Lin Jie was accustomed to people not responding to his messages promptly.

Each time his phone buzzed, Lin Jie hoped it was Ye Mo, but it never was.

As time passed, he started feeling a bit uneasy, his mind racing with unnecessary thoughts. Several times, he began typing a follow-up message, only to delete it.

Frustrated with himself, Lin Jie turned his attention to answering messages from others.

"Wanna hang out today?" Mo Jiale asked.

"Sure, I'm free. Where are we going?"

"I've booked a private room at the bar. You, me, Zhao Yan, and a few girls from the marketing team... we'll sing a few songs."

It was odd how quickly Lin Jie had transitioned from hating bars to finding them somewhat enjoyable in just one night.

He figured it was a good way to unwind, so after a brief hesitation, he agreed.

"Alright then, I'll come pick you up in a bit."

"Okay."