Chapter 53: Girls Are Masters of Changing Faces

As they walked towards the driving practice area, Lin Jie was feeling a bit dejected. He couldn't understand how Ye Mo knew he was looking—did she have eyes on the back of her head?

Ye Mo stole a glance at Lin Jie, noticing his puzzled expression, which made her stifle a laugh.

Oh, boys who've never been in a relationship are just too easy to read.

But it wasn't really a big deal; Ye Mo was just teasing him out of habit, though Lin Jie might be feeling a little embarrassed.

Sensing that the timing was right, Ye Mo tugged on Lin Jie's sleeve as he attempted to walk ahead.

"What is it, sis...?"

Ye Mo gazed at him for a moment, then asked, "Have you forgotten something?"

Lin Jie froze. Forgotten something?

He didn't have a clue. Was Ye Mo expecting an apology?

Surely not! Would he really have to apologize for just looking at her waist?

But considering Ye Mo's unpredictable nature, Lin Jie hesitated for a moment before muttering, "I'm sor—"

"Huh?" Ye Mo cut him off, frowning. "What are you babbling about? I was asking if you forgot you promised to treat me to dinner. There's no need to apologize for that."

Realizing what she meant, Lin Jie quickly replied, "Oh, right! I'm sorry for forgetting, but how about we go for dinner after the practice?"

"Alright, where are you taking me?" Ye Mo asked, smoothing her hair and looking at him expectantly.

"Well, I haven't decided yet, but wherever you want to go, I'm game."

Ye Mo's lips curled into a subtle smile—this was exactly what she had been waiting for.

"Perfect! That's a promise then. Wherever I want to go, no backing out," she teased.

"Of course," Lin Jie responded earnestly.

In fact, he was relieved she would choose the place—saves him the trouble of deciding!

Ye Mo quietly observed Lin Jie, a soft smile blossoming on her face, delicate and pure, like a flower bud on the verge of blooming.

"I want to eat at your place," Ye Mo said.

"Sure... wait, you want to eat at my place?" Lin Jie instinctively agreed but then realized something was off. He stared wide-eyed at her.

"Not welcome?" Ye Mo's voice was soft, almost playful. "Fine, if I'm not welcome, it's okay. It's just that I hate it when people lie. You clearly said we'd go wherever I wanted... And here I am, poor me, giving you my room card, only to be refused a meal at your place…"

Lin Jie stood frozen, dumbfounded. It took him a moment to process, and when he finally did, he tilted his head in disbelief. So that's why she insisted on giving him the room card…

Couldn't she have just asked to go to his house outright? Why all the roundabout scheming?

For Ye Mo, however, the roundabout way was necessary. Though this bold move was unlike her, the idea of going alone to a guy's house for the first time made her nervous. What scared her more, though, was the fear of being rejected.

After all, Su Jiamu lived right next door to Lin Jie. If Lin Jie still had feelings for her, he wouldn't agree to take Ye Mo home.

And that, in Ye Mo's mind, would mean she had lost to Su Jiamu. Her pride and competitive spirit couldn't bear such a defeat.

If Lin Jie knew what was going through her head, he would've said, "You're overthinking this."

As Lin Jie remained silent, Ye Mo grew more embarrassed and frustrated. She raised her foot to stomp on him, but just as she did, Lin Jie sidestepped to speak, leaving her foot to land on empty air. She stumbled and ended up clutching his arm.

"What are you doing?!" Ye Mo huffed, pretending to be the wronged party.

"I…" Lin Jie was bewildered. Wasn't it her own misstep?

"You almost made me fall!" she puffed her cheeks, not genuinely angry about almost tripping but rather at his long silence. "You're such a villain!"

Lin Jie: "…"

"Fine, fine. I'm the villain. It's all the villain's fault, okay? So, sister, are you still coming to the villain's house for dinner?" he asked helplessly.

"Hmm? Of course I'm coming. Now that you're even guiltier, you better make something extra delicious to make up for it!" Ye Mo smirked, her expression swiftly changing again.

"Alright, then I'll need to go grocery shopping this afternoon," Lin Jie replied.

"You don't have any food at home? I'm fine with something simple."

Lin Jie's mouth twitched slightly. He thought to himself, "How could I dare to serve you something simple? Even if I wanted to, I wouldn't feel right about it."

"No, I'll go get some groceries later," he said.

"Hehe, I'll go with you!"

Having achieved her goal, Ye Mo was all smiles, cheerful even during driving practice, chatting happily with Wu Fei and leaving Lin Jie alone in the backseat.

Well, it seems girls really are masters of changing faces.

Though Wu Fei was an elder, he wasn't imposing, chatting casually with them. At some point, the conversation turned to Lin Jie.

With a sigh, Wu Fei said, "Xiao Mo, you don't know how worried my sister, Lin Jie's mom, is about him finding a girlfriend. She's at home all the time, afraid he's going to study himself into a hermit."

Hearing this, Lin Jie felt indignant. "Uncle, there's no way my mom's worried about that! I'm not bad-looking, and besides, I'm still young. Once I'm in college, I'll definitely bring someone home. You'll have to give me a big red envelope!"

Wu Fei burst into laughter. "Alright, alright! You bring someone home, and I'll give you a huge red envelope."

"Now we're talking!" Lin Jie smiled.

Lin Jie's parents had always been gentle with him, never strict. Once they realized they had missed out on some of his childhood, they gave him everything he asked for. Lin Jie, in turn, hadn't let them down, focusing on his studies and keeping fit. He never caused them any trouble.

Still, they were worried he'd become too much of a bookworm, preferring that he be a bit more rebellious. They were even supportive of him dating early.

"Finding a wife isn't easy these days, Lin Jie. You should settle down sooner rather than later."

Well… that mindset might be a little off, but in a way, it encouraged Lin Jie's interest in Su Jiamu.

While thinking about his family, Lin Jie caught a glimpse of Ye Mo turning around, her smile radiant.

Truly, girls are masters of changing faces—one moment soft and gentle, the next cold and unyielding.