Chapter 23 – Her Suspicion
Mo Tingjue froze halfway into sitting, stuck in a painfully awkward posture.
Under normal circumstances, he wouldn't even breathe the same air as Mo Tingyan if he could help it.
But after witnessing how Mo Tingyan behaved toward Wen Zhi…
He suddenly had a terrifying thought:
Would Mo Tingyan try to get close to Wen Zhi… just to retaliate against him?
That possibility made his stomach twist.
After a few seconds of hesitation, he straightened his back and forced a polite smile.
"Don't worry, brother. I'm just joining everyone for fun. I promise not to disturb anyone."
Mo Tingyan's gaze drifted lazily over him, cold and unreadable.
Letting Mo Tingjue stay wasn't a problem to him—
In fact, he was curious to see just how this man planned to "pursue" Wen Zhi.
Seeing that his brother wasn't objecting, Mo Tingjue let out a breath of relief and sat down beside Wen Zhi.
But Wen Zhi immediately stood, walked away, and settled between two coworkers instead—putting a clean, sharp distance between the two of them.
She lowered her head and continued scrolling through her phone as if he didn't exist.
Mo Tingjue's face stiffened with embarrassment.
Lin Yue, ever the spectator, chuckled.
"Mr. Mo, did you two have a fight?"
Mo Tingjue forced a helpless smile.
"It's my fault. I upset Xiao Zhi, so she wants to break up with me. That's why I thickened my skin and followed her here—to earn her forgiveness."
Mo Tingyan drawled lazily from the sofa, voice laced with effortless mockery.
"Since you're so sincere, why don't you tell everyone exactly what you did wrong?
With all these people around, I'm sure they can help you come up with ideas."
Mo Tingjue's expression darkened.
Of course Mo Tingyan knew exactly what happened. And he was deliberately pushing him into humiliation.
Not happening.
To preserve his dignity—and prevent Mo Tingyan from making things worse—Mo Tingjue could only say,
"No need. I've already bothered everyone enough. Please enjoy yourselves. I'll find my own way to show Xiao Zhi my sincerity."
Lin Yue chimed in, pretending to be helpful:
"Mr. Mo, just talking won't coax a girl. You need action. Buy her gifts or something."
Her gaze slid pointedly toward the simple necklace resting against Wen Zhi's collarbone.
She deliberately added with a faux-innocent smile:
"Look at our Wen Zhi—one of Jiang Airlines' top beauties—but she's wearing something so cheap and plain.
Aren't you from a wealthy family? Yet your girlfriend's necklace looks… rather humble.
Don't tell me you can't bear to spend money on her?"
Wen Zhi instinctively touched her necklace—
the one she bought for four thousand yuan.
She liked it.
But she suddenly worried—
Would Mo Tingyan feel inferior hearing that?
She lifted her eyes, expression calm though her voice held a biting chill.
"You have an average face. If you don't wear expensive jewelry, you really have nothing left to rely on."
Mo Tingyan's lips curved faintly, amusement glimmering in his gaze—
along with a hint of disdain no one else caught.
Lin Yue flushed with embarrassment.
"Wen Zhi, don't misunderstand. I was trying to help—"
Wen Zhi let out a cold, sarcastic laugh.
"Were you?"
Lin Yue's face stiffened, unsure how to respond.
Then, unexpectedly, Mo Tingyan leaned forward—right in front of Wen Zhi.
Her heart jumped.
Don't you dare pull something stupid in front of everyone—
But he didn't touch her.
He simply studied the necklace, then smirked lazily.
"You clearly don't recognize quality. That necklace around Wen Zhi's neck?
It's a custom-made CJ piece. Not available on the public market. Pure high luxury.
Seven figures at least."
Lin Yue scoffed.
"Impossible. It looks way too plain—"
Mo Tingyan replied calmly,
"The only CJ boutique in the city belongs to my friend. I don't mistake their work."
Wen Zhi frowned.
The man really dares to brag.
Meanwhile, Mo Tingjue looked at the necklace again, remembering how his sister Wen Xue mentioned a few nights ago that some top-tier tycoon had bought Wen Zhi a four-million-yuan necklace.
Could it be this one?
Who gave it to her?
Why did she accept it?
Why did she wear it?
Did she… already have a new romantic interest?
Whoever it was—
the man was clearly wealthy. Very wealthy.
Mo Tingjue's heart tightened sharply.
Who is this 'mysterious tycoon'?
He was about to ask when Mo Tingyan's lazy voice rose again, effortlessly taking control of the room.
"Since we're all gathered, just singing seems boring. Why don't we play something more interesting?"
Everyone's attention shifted to him instantly.
Lin Yue, eager to erase her earlier embarrassment, asked quickly,
"What do you want to play, Captain Mo?"
Mo Tingyan's lips lifted in a wicked smirk.
"A competition."
He turned to Lin Yue.
"For example… a talent competition. I read your résumé. Your piano skills are supposed to be pretty good, right?
This private room has a piano.
Who else knows how to play? Let's have a match."
Lin Yue's eyes lit up—
partly starstruck, partly thrilled.
Captain Mo had read her résumé?
Her heartbeat quickened at the thought.
Ever since Mo Tingyan joined the airline, he became the dream man of every unmarried flight attendant.
After yesterday, when the purser's powerful husband got mysteriously fired, rumors about Mo Tingyan's "connections" had only fueled the admiration.
If she could snag a man like that…
Just imagining it made her giddy.
She gave him a sweet smile.
"A competition? Sure. But shouldn't there be a prize?"
Across the room, Mo Tingjue's attention sharpened.
Regardless of whether Wen Zhi had someone new—
Mo Tingyan was a threat, and he needed to be stopped.
If Mo Tingyan accepted a date with Lin Yue, Wen Zhi would see his true colors instantly.
He eagerly hoped Mo Tingyan would agree.
Even Wen Zhi—with her arms crossed, expression cool—felt an unexpected stab of irritation.
Knowing Mo Tingyan…
That shameless flirt…
He'd probably agree, right?
But Mo Tingyan only smirked, tugged off the wristwatch on his hand, and placed it on the black table with a soft clink.
"This is the first watch I bought after starting work," he said casually.
"Let's use it as the prize. Whoever wins gets the watch."
A blatant rejection of Lin Yue's candlelight-dinner proposal.
Her smile faltered for a second.
But when she recognized the brand, her eyes widened.
"Captain… this watch is famous. Over two hundred thousand.
Are you sure you want to use it as a prize?"
Mo Tingyan shrugged lazily.
"It's already off my wrist. You think I'd joke about it?"
Wen Zhi felt her brain buzz.
Two hundred thousand?