Chapter 49: "I Promise You, I Won’t Lie"

"You're right," Lin Jie said softly.

"Whether it's right or wrong doesn't matter. What's important is for you to know, Lin Jie, that you're not at fault," Ye Mo said, her gaze steady as she met Lin Jie's eyes.

If loving someone were wrong, then the very notion of love would become absurd and laughable.

A faint trace of jealousy stirred in Ye Mo's heart for Su Jia Mu, that girl who was always so fearlessly loved, never truly appreciating what she had.

Lin Jie's lips curled into a gentle smile, though a fleeting sorrow passed through his eyes. "Am I really not at fault?"

"Of course not," Ye Mo responded firmly, her voice unyielding.

Lin Jie nodded in quiet acknowledgment, falling silent. He couldn't help but think of himself as a coward at times.

He couldn't bear the weight of rejection, so he constantly denied everything, trying to convince himself that he hadn't lost.

But from the moment he decided to turn his silent affection into open love, the game was already lost beyond repair.

Su Jia Mu didn't like him.

Yes, Lin Jie admitted it.

He acknowledged it—she just didn't like him.

"I'm not blaming you," Ye Mo said, her lips pressing into a thin line as she looked at Lin Jie. "But you told me you were having a midnight snack, and here you are in a bar. I don't like being lied to."

"I'll never lie to you again," Lin Jie chuckled, "Who knows when you might suddenly show up next to me?"

Ye Mo lightly hit him on the arm. "Still not convinced, huh?"

"How could I not be? I hold you in the highest regard, Sister Mo."

Since the moment Ye Mo had spoken those words, Lin Jie's respect for her was genuine.

Even if Ye Mo herself couldn't live up to her own ideals in the future, even if her perspective changed, Lin Jie would always remember that in his moments of self-doubt, it was Ye Mo, with all her pride, who told him he wasn't wrong.

"As long as you respect me," Ye Mo said, satisfied as she sank back into the sofa. She smiled and glanced at the group that had been struggling to keep the party alive, nudging Lin Jie as she caught his eye and winked, "Want to join them?"

Without hesitation, Lin Jie refused, "No, those girls are trouble."

Ye Mo burst into laughter, her eyes twinkling with curiosity. She instinctively slung an arm around his shoulders, pulling him closer. "Is that really the reason you're not playing with them?"

Lin Jie, of course, wasn't going to fall into such a simple trap. "I'm just here to drink, nothing else. I didn't come to the nightclub for any other reason."

It sounded like an excuse anyone could easily see through, but Ye Mo, watching his earnest expression, found herself unable to argue.

"Come on, you can relax with me around," Ye Mo stood up and patted Lin Jie's arm gently.

She had noticed that her presence had somewhat disrupted the atmosphere. Lin Jie's friends were here, and she didn't want to spoil their fun or make things awkward for him.

The best solution was to blend in, ensuring that everyone felt at ease.

Everyone had already invited Lin Jie to join multiple times, only to be declined each time. But now, they watched in amazement as the beautiful girl simply patted his arm, and he obediently stood up to follow her.

"Mind if we join you?" Ye Mo asked with a smile, leading Lin Jie over and taking a seat.

Mo Jiale, overjoyed, immediately signaled the waiter to bring two more sets of dice.

At this point, others started to seize the opportunity, trying to pry into Ye Mo and Lin Jie's relationship.

Everyone wanted to know what was going on between them.

"Me and him?" Ye Mo raised her chin slightly and cast a fleeting glance at Lin Jie. She replied nonchalantly, "I'm his sister… well, kind of."

That did it—everyone now had a clear sense of the ambiguity between the two.

What was more telling was that Lin Jie made no effort to deny it.

Zhao Yan, unable to hold back any longer, set down his drink and leaned in beside Lin Jie, asking, "Bro, where on earth did you find yourself a sugar momma?"

Following Mo Jiale, Zhao Yan had come into contact with several luxury brands recently, so he was eager to show off his newfound "expertise." He launched into an enthusiastic breakdown of how much Ye Mo's outfit likely cost, ending with a lavish compliment.

If Zhao Yan and Mo Jiale hadn't already realized that the woman next to Lin Jie was the very "white-rich-beauty" he'd mentioned before, they'd be fools.

They also recalled that Ye Mo happened to be a social media influencer.

"Enough with the chatter, let's get back to playing," Mo Jiale interrupted, cutting short Zhao Yan's rambling.

Once Ye Mo joined the game, the other girls fell unusually silent. Only they knew the reason.

Some people, no matter where they are, simply command the room—radiant and dazzling like stars.

Ye Mo blinked innocently, doing her best to keep a low profile, but no matter what, people couldn't help but turn their attention to her.

What's going on? They're all staring at me—how am I supposed to tease Lin Jie like this?

Ye Mo had little interest in the drinking game. She was far more focused on how to mess with Lin Jie.

Meanwhile, Lin Jie played along quietly, rolling dice, guessing, playing the game as intended—but always targeting Ye Mo.

Ye Mo soon realized that Lin Jie was deliberately setting her up to make her drink. Annoyed, she retaliated, determined to outplay him.

What started as a group drinking game soon became a silent battle between the two of them.

Mo Jiale watched, a cigarette dangling from his lips, barely holding back laughter.

Whenever Lin Jie called out a number, Ye Mo would immediately challenge it. And when it was Ye Mo's turn, Lin Jie did the same.

Yet, despite their playful rivalry, the atmosphere became lively again, with everyone chiming in, and some girls even jumping up in excitement.

After all, this was what nights out were meant for—this energy.

As the mood reached its peak, Ye Mo gently nudged Lin Jie under the table with her long legs, whispering, "Rookie, stop drinking already. Enough's enough."

Lin Jie, unwilling to concede, replied, "You're the rookie."

Rolling her eyes, Ye Mo retorted, "Right, and I don't know who the idiot is that's been drinking non-stop."

"That's because you're a cheat," Lin Jie grumbled.

Ye Mo had been calling out false numbers, and Lin Jie had fallen for it every time. The moment he added, she would immediately challenge, and he'd lose.

"You could lie to me too, you know. But you're too honest for your own good. Are you an idiot?" Ye Mo chuckled, reaching out to tap him lightly on the forehead.

"I promised you… I wouldn't lie to you."