Chapter 160 : All-Star Lineup
Chapter 160: All-Star Lineup
When it came to holding up appearances, in Wang Chu and Sichuan Girl’s eyes, this armor was simply the most fitting choice possible.
If someone wore that suit as part of the groomsmen team on their wedding day, even the bride wouldn’t be as eye-catching.
As for Lin Mo, he simply wanted to make the Rushuang Empress a little less pleased. Besides, this was her own request — if she wanted it, he had to deliver.
And it wasn’t like he didn’t look good in it; the reactions of passersby said it all. Ever since he’d walked out in this outfit, not a single person on the street had been able to look away.
In fact, when he first appeared, the number of people turning their heads to look at him even outnumbered those who’d noticed the two beautiful women standing side by side.
Sure, there weren’t as many beauties around, but armored heroes like Emperor Armor were even rarer, alright? Most importantly, what he wore was the Ultimate Emperor Armor, the kind that could only be summoned by someone with pure Five Elements bloodline. How could two mere women possibly compare?
“Hey, hey, hey, don’t touch me! I’ll take it off myself, alright?!”
“Hurry up! Don’t make me do it myself! I’m warning you, I’m really angry right now — I’m fuming!!”
“Didn’t you say you wanted me to wear the coolest outfit I had?”
“If you dare say another word, I’ll make sure you don’t even get a sip of that Ku Cha Zi!”
Lin Mo: “…”
Inside Liu Rushuang’s office, Lin Mo was peeling off the armor from his body.
The reason, of course, was that once Liu Rushuang realized the armored man before her was the little man she herself had called over, the anxious heart she’d been holding onto completely dropped.
Without even getting a word in with her friends, she dragged him upstairs by the arm. Luckily, most of the employees had already gotten off work by now; otherwise, everyone in the company would have found out that their Director Liu had brought home an Emperor Armor warrior.
Thankfully, Lin Mo still had clothes on underneath, or else he might have had to walk out naked today.
When Lin Mo had finished undressing, all he had left on was a white T-shirt and a pair of baggy shorts — not even shoes.
“Here, slippers. Make do with these for now. Also, lower your head!” Liu Rushuang tossed him a pair of slippers as she spoke.
Seeing the stern look on the Rushuang Empress’s face, Lin Mo didn’t dare talk back and quietly lowered his head.
The next second, a pair of hands pressed down on his head — cool water dripping between her fingers — as she began rubbing and tousling his hair.
There was no helping it. To wear the Emperor Armor’s helmet, he’d had to mess up his hairstyle completely. If she brought this kind of ‘boyfriend’ to meet her friend — even if it was just to strengthen her single-girl image — Liu Rushuang couldn’t stand it.
Fortunately, the Rushuang Empress was both deft and quick. Under her nimble hands, Lin Mo soon looked somewhat presentable again.
Sure, he wasn’t exactly well-styled, but the young man had a good foundation — fair skin, clean features — so after a bit of tidying up, he didn’t look half bad.
“Mm~ Not bad. Remember, don’t pull any more stunts, alright?” Liu Rushuang gave him a once-over, smiling as she spoke.
Her earlier anger was completely gone, replaced by a stunning radiance.
Today, Liu Rushuang was dressed much more simply than usual — a plain white long dress, the neckline modest, revealing neither shoulders nor back. She wasn’t even wearing high heels, just a pair of white sneakers. It looked almost intentional.
“No problem. But you’re dressed pretty plainly today,” Lin Mo said, tugging at the stretched collar of his T-shirt. His hair was a bit messy, and there were faint red marks on his neck from when Liu Rushuang had been fixing him up. To a stranger, it might have looked like he’d been… mistreated.
Seeing his appearance, Liu Rushuang froze for a second — then suddenly felt like laughing. Somehow, it did match her “little man” narrative quite well.
After all, Lin Mo’s youthful looks and age were right there for all to see. Even if she claimed he was older, no one would believe her. Fate was funny like that — this was definitely a happy accident.
“Of course I dressed simply. Do you not know what we’re doing today? Come on, downstairs!”
Liu Rushuang shot him a look before pulling him along toward the stairs.
In a nearby business-style Western restaurant, a woman had already been waiting for a while. They should’ve arrived earlier, but an unexpected situation had come up.
Just then, the door to the private room opened. Liu Rushuang walked in naturally, holding Lin Mo’s hand. The two weren’t interlocking fingers — just two fingers intertwined — looking every bit like a normal couple.
That was another one of Liu Rushuang’s little tricks. Interlocking fingers would’ve looked too deliberate, but just a casual, two-finger hold looked more natural.
“Sorry, something came up earlier. Let me introduce you — this is my recently confirmed boyfriend, Lin Mo.
And this is my childhood friend, Zhao Yun.” Liu Rushuang made the introductions.
The moment she finished, both Zhao Yun and Lin Mo turned to look at each other — eyes widening in mutual surprise.
Lin Mo looked at the woman before him — short hair, slightly taller than Liu Rushuang, at least 1.72 meters. Among women, she was definitely tall.
Her features weren’t as stunningly beautiful as Liu Rushuang’s, but she was quite pretty — and more importantly, her figure was almost unfair. Even the naturally graceful Rushuang Empress dimmed a little in comparison.
Simply put, her waist-to-hip ratio was outrageously good, and she was well-endowed. If Miss Yuan were here, she wouldn’t even need to say a word — she’d be crushed on the spot.
Her skin was a bit darker, but that was only compared to Liu Rushuang, who had been cheating by using his facial cleanser. In truth, she was just a shade or two darker than Liu Rushuang used to be.
There wasn’t a hint of makeup on her face — which only made her look more heroic. Lin Mo even noticed clear muscle definition on her exposed arms.
And the most crucial part — this woman’s name was the same as General Zhao Yun from the Three Kingdoms. No wonder she looked so valiant!
Meanwhile, Zhao Yun was also sizing up the young man her friend had brought.
Not short, but a bit too fair-skinned, lacking a bit of masculinity. His face was clean, leaving a good first impression — though he looked quite young, even a little boyish. After all, what grown man showed up wearing armor?
Most importantly, his name was Lin Mo — the same as the hometown name of her old comrade’s Mazu Empress. Now that was interesting.
After one look around, Zhao Yun realized — there wasn’t a single normal person in this room.
A Zhao Yun with the same name as a Three Kingdoms general, a Lin Mo sharing a name with Mazu, and a Liu Rushuang — this was practically an all-star lineup.
One practiced martial arts, one cultivated immortality, and one could charm both martial artists and cultivators alike. Just looking at them together was enough to make anyone feel overwhelmed.
“Hello, I’m Lin Mo.”
“Hello, I’m Zhao Yun — the ‘Yun’ from ‘all living beings’.”
The two exchanged greetings, then all three sat down together.
“Yun always clarifies that when she introduces herself,” Liu Rushuang said with a laugh after they sat. “Otherwise, people think she shares a name with Zhao Zilong.”
Lin Mo chuckled and nodded. Indeed, words could paint vivid images — and the moment she said it was the ‘Yun’ from ‘all living beings,’ it immediately sounded like a girl’s name.
Soon, Liu Rushuang called over the waiter to order. Since Lin Mo had never eaten Western food before, he let her pick for him — a steak. The rest she and Zhao Yun handled.
Before long, several delicate dishes were served. Lin Mo tried a few — the taste was decent, though he wasn’t used to it. Most dishes were heavy on cream or cheese, which he didn’t care for. Still, one meal like this was fine.
The steak, however, tasted quite good. He was hungry anyway, so he finished it quickly.
Of course, the three hadn’t come here mainly to eat — just to have a proper meeting place.
During the meal, Liu Rushuang and Zhao Yun chatted with each other, occasionally bringing Lin Mo into the conversation. Everything appeared perfectly normal — at least, Lin Mo didn’t sense anything out of place.
Halfway through dinner, Zhao Yun suddenly turned to him and asked, “So, how did you manage to win Rushuang over? From what I know, my sister here is very picky. You look a few years younger than us — quite the charmer, aren’t you?”
Hearing this, Lin Mo didn’t panic. He glanced at Liu Rushuang and smiled. “She and my sister know each other. After seeing each other a few times, we just got closer, and then it happened.”
In just two sentences, he explained how they met and hinted that he was indeed younger, but left out all the details.
“You even went after your friend’s little brother? You’ve got guts now, huh,” Zhao Yun said with a teasing smile toward Liu Rushuang.
Before meeting this so-called “little man” of Liu Rushuang’s, Zhao Yun had kept a calm face, though her emotions underneath were far from steady.
Logically, she knew Liu Rushuang’s personality — not someone who would easily start dating — and she also knew that Liu Rushuang had probably noticed her own feelings. After all, she could feel the distance that had been deliberately created between them.
But when Liu Rushuang announced she had a boyfriend, Zhao Yun still couldn’t accept it completely.
She had even planned it out: when they met, whether it was true or not, she’d put pressure on the guy right away, stir up some tension between them, and make them break up naturally.
But as fate would have it, Lin Mo’s strange entrance had completely killed her fighting spirit.
Simply put, she didn’t feel any threat from Lin Mo at all. He was young, harmless-looking, a bit childish, with that clear, naïve look in his eyes.
With a guy like that, Zhao Yun didn’t even feel like putting up a fight. She couldn’t muster hostility — in fact, she even felt a bit sorry for him. She didn’t have the heart to play rough.
“Come on, what’s wrong with a younger guy? I just happen to like this type. After all, a friend’s little brother tastes even sweeter, right?
And don’t tease him,” Liu Rushuang said, smiling as she moved a piece of steak she’d eaten from onto Lin Mo’s plate. “My little boyfriend’s still a college senior — he can’t handle a sly old fox like you.”
Though it was done intentionally, it looked completely natural — just a casual, intimate gesture between lovers.
After all, eating each other’s leftovers was an act of closeness. In simple terms, Liu Rushuang was emphasizing that she was not single.
As Lin Mo felt a sharp pain under the table from her foot, he obediently picked up the steak she’d given him and took a bite.
Imported beef — finally got to try it.
Seeing his action, Liu Rushuang looked very satisfied and, in turn, reached over to take a shrimp from his plate to eat herself.
Watching the two of them interact, Zhao Yun’s eyes narrowed slightly. Even if Lin Mo didn’t seem threatening, she still felt something stir inside her.
But since they were “a couple,” she couldn’t say anything. She could only suppress her feelings and smile faintly. “A senior, huh? No wonder you look so young. But you’d better work hard — Rushuang’s standards are no joke. Even if your family’s well-off, you’ll need your own abilities to match her.
Oh, by the way, which university are you from? What major are you studying?”
Before Lin Mo could answer, Liu Rushuang interjected, “Xiao Mo’s one of Jiangning’s most promising young traditional Chinese medicine doctors — a student of Professor Li from the Medical University.”
Zhao Yun nodded. “I see. Impressive — bright future ahead.”
Lin Mo also nodded but didn’t explain further. He knew Liu Rushuang must have her reasons for saying that.
The three continued to eat and chat casually. Zhao Yun occasionally asked about their daily lives and relationship, while Liu Rushuang alternated between feeding Lin Mo and describing little moments they’d shared — things like him massaging her stomach, giving her massages, or fussing over her like a caring boyfriend.
Some were true, some fabricated, and Zhao Yun couldn’t quite tell which was which — but her emotions grew heavier the more she listened.
Finally, dinner came to an end. The three went to the parking lot to say their goodbyes.
“Thanks for the meal. I’ll head off first,” Zhao Yun said, waving to them.
Liu Rushuang waved back. “Go ahead, we’ll grab dinner together again when you’re free.”
Lin Mo nodded in response, and only then did Zhao Yun drive away.
“She didn’t seem too happy — didn’t even smile,” Lin Mo said as he watched her car leave.
Hearing that, Liu Rushuang gave him a sidelong glance and said teasingly, “Please, you’re supposed to be my boyfriend right now. You might even be ‘stealing’ a woman from her — what kind of smile do you expect? You think she’ll grin and wish us eternal love and a happy marriage?”
“Ahem.” Lin Mo chuckled helplessly. “Being your man is really something — not only do I have to fight men for women, but I even have to compete with women.”
“That just proves your big sister here is popular,” Liu Rushuang said with a smirk, leaning closer until their faces were nearly touching. She raised their still-linked hands and smiled meaningfully. “So, how does it feel being my man today? That steak was good, wasn’t it?”
Lin Mo shot her a look. “I don’t eat beef.”
“You don’t eat beef, but you ate my beef. What, planning to share a kiss with big sister next?” Liu Rushuang laughed playfully, clearly in a good mood.
Seeing that she was teasing him again, Lin Mo rolled his eyes and said dryly, “If I really did, you’d be the first to complain. Don’t start.”
With that, he turned to leave.
“Hey, hey, hey! Why are you leaving? Say something! Maybe I will let you have a taste!” Liu Rushuang called after him.
Hearing that, Lin Mo abruptly turned back and stared straight at her. Liu Rushuang immediately shut her mouth, feeling a sudden nervousness.
“You—”
“Your shoelace’s undone,” Lin Mo said calmly.
Liu Rushuang looked down — sure enough, her white sneaker’s laces were loose. Just as she was about to squat and tie them, Lin Mo beat her to it, crouching down in front of her and reaching out to fix them.
“I—I can do it myself, I—”
But as she watched Lin Mo’s hands continue moving, her voice grew softer and softer. Her fingers fidgeted nervously, unsure what to do.
Could Xiao Mo have actually been moved by me? Oh no, what do I do now? Agree? No, Su Su would kill me. But if I don’t… will I hurt his pride? Maybe I should…
Her thoughts spiraled — her face flushed — she bent down slightly, lips parting dryly. “Xiao—Xiao Mo, I—”
Before she could finish, Lin Mo finished tying her shoes, stood up, and gently cupped her face with both hands, lifting her to her feet.
In that instant, the air between them turned charged with something indescribable. A blush spread quickly across Liu Rushuang’s cheeks; she could even hear her own heartbeat.
Lin Mo met her gaze and smiled softly. “It’s fine. All done.”
“Th-thank you, Xiao Mo,” Liu Rushuang whispered, not daring to meet his eyes.
“My pleasure. Let’s go.”
Lin Mo glanced at her, then turned to leave.
At that moment, Liu Rushuang had to admit — she’d actually been moved by this boy several years younger than her. It was obvious. Especially when Lin Mo cupped her face and looked at her — she’d never felt her heart race like that before.
Watching his back as he walked away, she instinctively took a step forward to catch up — but the next second, she stumbled.
Looking down, she realized both her shoelaces had been tied together.
Liu Rushuang:
“You son of a *****———”