Many children, many blessings; a stunningly beautiful wife is given to you right from the start.

"Squeak—"

A soft sound.

The baseboard, which was tightly glued to the body of the instrument, was completely peeled off by Lin Mo. The edges were smooth, and not a single splinter was sticking out.

"alright."

Lin Mo breathed a sigh of relief, feeling a little smug.

With this skill, it's a waste that he's not out there applying screen protectors to phones under overpasses.

As soon as the baseboard was opened, a scent mixed with the aroma of wood and moisture wafted out.

The two leaned closer, their foreheads almost touching.

Inside the body of the instrument, the structure is clear, with two slightly raised "sound chambers" that resemble two reclining dragons running through it.

At this moment, a layer of water seeped into the bottom of the Nayin, making it wet and distressing to look at.

"So much water!"

Shen Qinghe exclaimed in surprise.

She quickly rummaged through the cabinet and pulled out a few pieces of cotton cloth. Kneeling in front of the table, she carefully tore the cloth into thin strips, then rolled them up with bamboo skewers and inserted them into the narrow belly of the zither.

The cotton cloth quickly became soaked, so she changed into a new one and probed again, repeatedly absorbing the water.

Back and forth, in an endless cycle.

Lin Mo squatted to the side, watching quietly.

A woman who takes things seriously possesses a unique charm.

Especially the one in front of me.

The simple dress was soaked through by the rain, clinging to her body, revealing her slender waist and the shapely curves of her breasts, made even more pronounced by her kneeling posture...

Cough!

Do not look at what is improper!

Lin Mo silently recited it in his heart, but his gaze was quite honest.

at last.

The water inside the instrument's body was completely absorbed.

Shen Qinghe carefully wiped all the parts, sorted them, and placed them in a ventilated place to dry.

After doing all that, she slumped onto the carpet and let out a long sigh.

She looked at Lin Mo, who was silently protecting her, and her timid eyes were now filled with gratitude.

"Uncle, thank you so much for today."

Shen Qinghe stood up and gave Lin Mo a respectful curtsy.

"If it weren't for you, this zither... would probably be ruined."

"Sixth Sister-in-law, we're family, no need to be so polite."

Lin Mo waved his hand, then took her arm and lifted her up.

I got my hands on a warm and smooth piece.

A blush crept onto Shen Qinghe's cheeks. She instinctively wanted to pull her hand away, but felt it would be too impolite, so she stood there, letting him support her.

"Uncle, you may not know this, but this zither is a keepsake left to me by my mother."

"It's also... my only remaining thought..."

Shen Qinghe explained softly.

Lin Mo naturally knew through the whispers in his mind.

So I gently comforted you, "Don't worry, let it air out overnight, and I'll put it back exactly the same way tomorrow. I guarantee it will look brand new."

"Um."

Shen Qinghe responded softly, a warm feeling flowing through her heart.

With the major concern resolved, she finally felt a chill.

Her clothes, soaked by the rain, were icy cold, making her shiver involuntarily.

"Go change into dry clothes quickly, you don't want to catch a cold."

Lin Mo frowned.

"Um."

Shen Qinghe nodded, feeling somewhat apologetic as she looked at Lin Mo's equally soaked clothes.

"Uncle...you should go change too."

"You're soaking weter than me."

He got so soaked because he was trying to save his guqin.

"Okay, I'll head back now."

Lin Mo nodded.

The mission is accomplished; it's time to gracefully retire and leave the goddess with a dashing silhouette.

With that, Lin Mo turned and walked out.

But they had only taken one step.

A bolt of lightning suddenly ripped through the night sky, followed by a deafening clap of thunder overhead!

"Crack—!"

"ah!"

Shen Qinghe trembled in fright and instinctively grabbed Lin Mo's clothes.

Ok?

Lin Mo paused, feeling a force on the hem of his clothes.

Turning around, I saw Shen Qinghe's pale face, her eyes filled with terror.

This is……

Lin Mo's heart stirred.

Is it because it's afraid of thunder?

Oh open?

Wouldn't that be a great opportunity?

If she asks him to stay, wouldn't he be able to stay with her legitimately?

Then... hehehe.

The script had already been automatically generated in Lin Mo's mind.

In a moment, Shen Qinghe will surely rush into his arms with tears streaming down her face, her little fists pounding his chest.

"Waaaaah, Uncle, thunder is so scary! I'm so frightened, please don't go!"

Then he wrapped his arms around her and held her tightly in his arms!

Then his imposing figure sheltered her, and he whispered in her ear in a magnetic voice.

"Sixth Sister-in-law, don't be afraid!"

"With my husband here, I'll hold up the sky for you even if it falls!"

perfect!

Shouldn't this boost my favorability to the maximum?

Take it!

Lin Mo's mind was racing with calculations, and his face was already radiating an aura of dominance, preparing to welcome the beauty into his arms.

Can……

He waited for a long time, but the fragrant jade he had expected did not appear.

Shen Qinghe remained frozen in place, her fingers gripping his clothes tightly, her long eyelashes already glistening with tears, making her look pitiful.

Lin Mo thought to himself, "Sixth Sister-in-law, why don't you pounce on me already!"

The atmosphere has been built up to this point!

The props (lightning and thunder) are all in place, why aren't you following the script?

What a waste of all that acting I spent so much time preparing!

Feeling helpless, Lin Mo had no choice but to speak up.

He pretended to be confused and turned to look at Shen Qinghe.

"Sixth Sister-in-law, are you... alright?"

He softened his voice, trying to guide the plot.

Shen Qinghe's delicate body trembled, and she realized that she was tightly gripping Lin Mo's clothes.

She abruptly released her grip, took a half-step back as if electrocuted, and her face flushed red instantly.

Shen Qinghe glanced at the torrential rain outside the door and listened to the occasional rumble of thunder in the sky.

I'm scared, really scared.

She has been afraid of thunder since she was a child.

Can……

A lone man and woman, caught in a storm...

If I were to ask my uncle to stay, and word got out, would I... would I even want to live?

What will my uncle think of me?

Will you think I'm too casual?

No, no, this is too embarrassing!

Inside Shen Qinghe's head, it felt as if two little people were fighting wildly.

A woman dressed in a traditional lady's dress pointed at her nose and berated her for being shameless.

Another person huddled in a corner, trembling, crying and shouting that the thunder was terrifying.

In the end, the little girl dressed in a lady's dress kicked the other one away.

Reason triumphed over fear.

Shen Qinghe took a deep breath and slowly released her grip on Lin Mo's hand.

"No...it's nothing. Take care, Uncle. Be careful on your way."

"?"

Lin Mo's smile froze.

He watched helplessly as Shen Qinghe let go of his hand, her stubborn expression conveying, "I'm fine, I'm okay, you can go now."

no……

This plot doesn't make sense, does it?

Shouldn't she be terrified by the thunder, her eyes filled with tears, then hugging herself tightly, crying and begging herself not to leave?

Why are you pushing people away?

Is this girl born in the Year of the Donkey?

So stubborn!

But seeing Shen Qinghe's stubborn look, Lin Mo finally sighed.

Hey……

Forget it.

There's plenty of time in the future.

Good food is worth waiting for; haste makes waste.

Lin Mo nodded while comforting himself.

"Okay, I'm leaving now. You should get some rest."

As he spoke, he turned around again.

But just then...

"Crack!!"

Another thunderclap boomed, even closer and louder than the last one!

"ah!!"

Shen Qinghe screamed again.

The hand that had just loosened its grip on Lin Mo's sleeve seemed to have a mind of its own, and once again gripped it tightly with lightning speed.

Lin Mo: "..."

Lin Mo was speechless; he felt his patience was rapidly running out.

no……

Why are you pulling on my clothes?!

Give me some words!

If you don't say your lines, how can the plot continue?

Sigh... never mind.

Let me break the ice!

"Sixth Sister-in-law, are you afraid of thunder?"

Lin Mo asked directly.

"No, no..."

Shen Qinghe's voice was already tinged with tears, but she still stubbornly denied it, shaking her little head like a rattle drum.

Lin Mo was amused by her appearance.

Okay, you're really stubborn!

"Okay, then I'm really leaving."

As he spoke, Lin Mo turned around for the third time, deliberately slowing his pace, step by step, toward the door.

"Crack! Crack! Rumble—!!"

As if even the heavens couldn't bear to watch any longer, a series of thunderclaps seemed to tear the sky apart, and the whole house trembled!

At this point, Shen Qinghe's psychological defenses completely collapsed.

She shrank back, her whole body trembling uncontrollably, her face as white as a sheet of paper.

Watching Lin Mo's figure recede into the distance, the last light in those beautiful eyes went out, replaced by endless fear and resentment.

He really...

I'm leaving...

However, Lin Mo did not open the door.

"Bang!"

He slammed the door shut behind him and then, with a "click," bolted it shut.

Shen Qinghe: "?"

She stared blankly at Lin Mo's movements, her mind completely blank.

"Sixth Sister-in-law, the rain outside is too heavy, and the thunder is too loud."

After locking the door, Lin Mo turned around and walked towards her step by step.

"I'm afraid of the dark, and I don't dare to walk alone at night."

"Could I stay here for the night?"

Shen Qinghe looked up at Lin Mo, her mind a jumble of thoughts, and nodded subconsciously.

"good……"

But as soon as the words left her mouth, she realized what she had said and quickly tried to make amends.

"I...I mean, Uncle is right! The rain is heavy...the roads are slippery...we should...we should stay..."