Everything I Got from Online Shopping Was Legit

Chapter 23: Not Bro, You’re Really Going for It?

“Can you close the car window, what are you showing off for, isn’t it hot?”

Inside the car, Yuan Meng gave Lin Mo, who was sitting in the passenger seat, a side-eye.

It was late August, the hottest time of summer. With the air conditioner on, the car wasn’t bad, but Lin Mo rolling the window down was just too much for her to watch.

What was the point of opening the window? Naturally, it was so that passersby on the street could take a few extra glances. Add to that this car’s high rate of turning heads, and the effect was obvious.

That’s right, Lin Mo had gotten a little carried away. After all, he had looked ordinary for more than twenty years. Suddenly, his looks had skyrocketed. Don’t even mention him being a university student in his early twenties—even if it were someone in their thirties or forties, they probably wouldn’t resist showing off a little.

Hearing her words, Lin Mo, who had looked calm on the surface but was secretly putting on airs, snapped back to reality. Having his thoughts seen through like that was undeniably a little embarrassing.

“Uh… was it that obvious?”

He had always thought that although he was secretly pleased, his exterior looked pretty natural, right?

“Just now, you looked like a peacock fanning its tail. Pretending to be casual, but really striking a pose so much your neck must be sore.

So what if you’re a bit paler, what’s with the act?”

Lin Mo: …

That really hit the nail on the head. He had to admit, Yuan Meng’s words instantly sobered him up.

There were plenty of good-looking people out there. He had only gotten paler. If he started showing off already, he’d just be laughed at by others.

Thinking this way, even Lin Mo felt a little ashamed of his behavior just now. To prevent it from happening again, he decided not to look in the mirror for now, to forget what he currently looked like.

“Ahem, so, Sister Yuan, why did Auntie suddenly want to invite me to dinner?” Lin Mo shifted the subject, asking curiously.

After all, he had only met Mrs. Jiang once. They shouldn’t really count as familiar, right?

“Did you forget? My mom used your secret recipe, and the effect was amazing. She was even showing it off to her sisters earlier today. Since she happened to be going out to the suburbs today, she asked me to invite you along, to thank you as well.” Yuan Meng explained helplessly.

She didn’t actually mind bringing Lin Mo out with her, she just hated her mother’s gossipy tendencies. She had already said they were just friends.

The real reason she still came to call on Lin Mo was simply because she couldn’t resist her mom. At the same time, bringing Xiao Black Dog along gave her peace of mind—she was worried Liu Rushuang might still harbor ideas.

“Thank me for what? Didn’t you tell Auntie that this was a deal between us? I did take money!”

To Lin Mo, this was originally just a transaction. There was no need for thanks. Everyone was just taking what they needed.

“I told my mom that your recipe is really rare, that you had to use up a lot of favors to get it. Don’t mention the price when she asks—I’m afraid she’ll get upset. Remember, don’t slip up.”

“Uh… isn’t that kind of dishonest?”

“Quit your nonsense. If you don’t say that, what if she asks me for money? Don’t you still want to sell the rest of your stuff for a good price?” Yuan Meng glared at him threateningly.

Lin Mo felt that a real man didn’t suffer losses in front of him. He decided to just listen to her.

Before long, the car had left the city.

“Sister Yuan, where are we going?” Lin Mo asked curiously.

“My mom’s friend’s horse ranch. Just for some relaxation. Oh right, can you ride a horse?” Yuan Meng asked casually.

Hearing that, Lin Mo was startled. Horseback riding? Wasn’t this exactly hitting the mark? Could there be some kind of matching mechanism at play?

“What’s that look for? Don’t worry, if you can’t, I’ll teach you. I’m awesome at it. Ever seen ‘Uma Musume’? The Emperor’s Step is insanely cool.”

Seeing his expression, Yuan Meng thought he couldn’t ride, so she quickly started bragging.

“Uh… I know a little,” Lin Mo said awkwardly, rubbing his nose.

“A little? Quit bluffing!”

Horse riding was one of those activities—except for certain regions where it was common, the rest were usually people with good financial means and time on their hands.

From what she knew about Lin Mo, he definitely didn’t fall into that category.

Lin Mo didn’t bother to argue. Soon, the car pulled into a ranch in the suburbs.

This was Lin Mo’s first time at such a place. If it weren’t for Yuan Meng, even after living here for three years, he wouldn’t have known it existed.

“Mom, we’re here!”

“Hello Auntie.”

The two walked into an open-air lounge. Right away, they saw Mrs. Jiang in riding gear. She was already well-maintained, and today, she looked even younger than the last time.

It had to be said, at this moment Mrs. Jiang was a perfect example of the phrase “graceful charm.”

“Xiao Lin, you’re here. Come sit down. It’s your holiday today, right? Auntie calling you over didn’t bother you, did it?” Mrs. Jiang smiled warmly, pulling him to sit.

Lin Mo quickly shook his head. “Not at all, Auntie. You’re looking amazing today. If I didn’t know better, I’d think you and Sister Yuan were sisters.”

As the saying went: no matter what, flattery never failed. Women, after all—praising them for being beautiful and youthful was never wrong.

Sure enough, Mrs. Jiang’s smile deepened. “Oh, where. Auntie’s already old. It’s all thanks to your recipe. I heard from Yuanyuan that you put in a lot of effort for it. Very thoughtful of you.”

Lin Mo laughed a little awkwardly, his face flushing red with guilt.

The only downside to his skin turning pale was that even the slightest blush was obvious at first glance.

Mrs. Jiang saw this and thought Xiao Lin was just a shy kid, so she quickly said:

“Yuanyuan, take Xiao Lin to change clothes and have some fun. I’ve already ridden for a while, so I’ll rest.”

“Okay, Mom!” Yuan Meng eagerly pulled Lin Mo away to change.

As they walked, Yuan Meng gave him a thumbs-up. “Didn’t think you were so good at flattery. No wonder emperors always liked eunuchs. Keep it up!”

Lin Mo: …

Soon, with the help of ranch staff, the two changed into riding gear—long boots, helmets, and simple black-and-white outfits.

When they came out, Mrs. Jiang looked them over with satisfaction. Both of them looked striking, while Lin Mo carried himself even more naturally. Compared to her own well-raised daughter, he was no less impressive.

“Not bad. Let’s go pick horses.” Yuan Meng looked him up and down, unable to stop herself from praising.

With that, the two followed staff into the arena.

Yuan Meng chose a tall chestnut horse, while Lin Mo, under the staff’s suggestion, chose a gentle-tempered black horse.

Although he had horseback riding knowledge in his head, he didn’t just mount and go. Instead, he patiently listened to the instructor’s guidance.

After all, this wasn’t like making tea. If he fell and died, that would be it. He wasn’t about to risk his life as a joke.

Ten minutes later, Lin Mo was already riding his horse alone, moving leisurely around the field.

‘Clop, clop, clop.’

A burst of hoofbeats came, and Yuan Meng rode up beside him. “Yo~ isn’t this Mister ‘I-Know-a-Little’? Why so slow?”

Saying that, Yuan Meng pointed a finger at him and started rapping:

“Don’t fall asleep here, why the long face,

Who told you you can’t tell the gap between us,

Yo, I’m Superman—”

The theme song from Hot Shot. Who knew she’d start mocking him like this.

Lin Mo sneered, squeezed his legs slightly, and the black horse shot forward in a burst of speed.

Yuan Meng was startled, but then saw Lin Mo riding smoothly, his body moving naturally with the horse’s rhythm. At a glance, he looked like an experienced rider.

“Not bro, you’re really going for it!”

……