The dazzling glare reflected in Xiao Mo's deep eyes, as he quietly examined the ring in his hand, his expression inscrutable.

After a long while, he closed his palm and clenched the ring in the palm of his hand, silently lying down on the bed.

In fact, this ring shouldn't be kept. Xiao Mo increased his strength, allowing the ring to leave a deep imprint in his palm. Silently, he thought, why keep it? Besides constantly reminding himself of his failure, it is utterly useless.

...But he stubbornly refused to throw it away.

Under the same moonlight, Xiao Mo sighed helplessly while Xie Shuling, on the other hand, glanced at the softly glowing computer screen with a triumphant smile.

He gently clicked the mouse, confirming the purchase, and his gaze slowly slid down to the leather gadget by his side as he let out a low chuckle.

If possible, he also didn't want to resort to using his ultimate move, but unfortunately, Xiao Mo was a bone that was too difficult to chew, forcing him to do so.

"Xie Shuling modestly... You left me no choice..." Xie Shuling closed the computer with a satisfied mood, humming a song as she entered the bathroom.

In the following days, Xie Shuling suddenly restrained all his ambiguous behavior. Although he still reported to the set every day, he no longer brought milk tea or coffee, nor did he continue to give her chocolates. On one hand, Xiao Mo felt relieved, but on the other hand, he couldn't quite put his finger on the strange feeling inside.

He couldn't help but suspect if it was because Xie Shuling saw Lin Shouchen that day, which triggered these changes.

He often couldn't help but look at Xie Shuling with an inquisitive gaze. Every time their eyes met, Xie Shuling would reveal a subtle and eerie smile, causing him to involuntarily furrow his brows.

Two days passed in this manner. Just as Xiao Mo's agitated mood was about to reach its peak, the long-awaited package finally arrived for Xie Shu Ling.

To avoid suspicion, Xie Shuling deliberately wrote the address as a nearby collection point. He put on sunglasses and a mask, sneaking out of the house like a thief to retrieve the package.

After entering the door, Xie Shuling placed the cardboard box from his arms onto the ground. Excitedly rubbing his hands, he took out a pocket knife and carefully opened it, retrieving each item from inside one by one.

"Hehehe..." Xie Shuling picked up one of them and gestured on his own body, chuckling softly.

The next morning, before leaving, Xie Shuling stood in front of the mirror for a long time, frowning as he scrutinized his reflection.

The handsome and passionate face remains unchanged, perhaps due to excitement, the corners of his peach blossom eyes are slightly raised and tinged with a faint red, shimmering with a touch of water's sparkle. His trendy and well-fitting casual attire perfectly outlines the strong and graceful lines of his body, everything about him is no different from his usual self, except for the addition of a black leather collar on his slender neck. It fits flawlessly against his fair skin, the cold hardness of the leather juxtaposed with the vibrant flesh, adding a hint of sensuality to his already beautiful physique.

Xie Shuling furrowed his brows, staring at the thing on his neck, feeling that there was something strange about it. It was just a collar, but after putting it on, he couldn't help but feel a sense of unease, as if he had inexplicably become weaker in appearance.

Maybe Xiao Mo looks better when he wears it? That's why he treasures this thing and keeps it hidden in the cabinet.

"Xiao Mo, what kind of bullshit fetish is this..." Xie Shuling muttered, impatiently tugging at the collar around his neck.

He struggled for a long time, but in the end, he decided to endure it. He couldn't bear to let the child fall into the wolf's trap. Without making some sacrifices, how could he coax his runaway daughter-in-law back home? Xie Shuling built up his mental fortitude and imagined a scene where Xiao Mo and him reconciled and indulged in themselves. Only then did he feel much better. He casually picked up a scarf, hastily covering the collar around his neck, and set off for the filming location.

Coincidentally, this day was also the first day of shooting for Xie Shuling's scenes. After Xie Shuling arrived at the set, instead of going directly to the dressing room, he found a secluded spot to have a private conversation with Huang Da for a while.

Huang Da's eyebrows went from furrowed to relaxed, and finally he smiled with his eyes and patted Xie Shuling on the shoulder, gesturing for him to hurry up and put on makeup.

Xie Shuling smiled with a hint of satisfaction, and glanced meaningfully at Xiao Mo who stood not far away before turning around and leaving.

Xiao Mo stood in place, feeling thoroughly puzzled by his gaze, and a sense of foreboding arose in his heart.

He wasn't puzzled for long. When Xie Shuling appeared in front of him again, Xiao Mo's gaze suddenly became deep, followed by a flicker of annoyance.

He strode up to Xie Shuling, his voice low and said, "What are you trying to do!"

Xie Shuling smirked, extending a finger to play with the collar around his neck. He said cheekily, "Are you talking about this? Ah, I've suddenly developed a fascination with these things recently and thought it matched well with my character this time, so I decided to wear it."

Xiao Mo narrowed his eyes and coldly said, "Huang Dao won't agree."

Xie Shuling sighed and patted Xiao Mo's shoulder with a disappointed expression. "Huang Dao has already agreed, you saw it yourself, didn't you?"

Xiao Mo turned his head in disbelief and glanced at Huang Da, only to find Huang Da smiling warmly in their direction, gesturing for both of them to come over.

Xie Shuling smiled triumphantly and whispered, "Xiao Mo, as I've said before, I'm determined to win you over!" After speaking, he straightened his black robe and walked towards Huang Da.

Xiao Mo stood still, his expression on his face changing unpredictably. His eyes, as dark as a deep pool of water, fell upon Xie Shuling's increasingly delicate neck, accentuated by the leather collar. His Adam's apple rolled slowly, and he averted his gaze in a rather awkward manner.

According to the usual practice, Huang Da called Xiao Mo and Xie Shuling over and explained the play to them. Today, they were going to film a scene where the flower thief Tang Junqian accidentally stumbled upon Shen Jingmo, the fourth-ranked official's illegitimate son, who was being punished to kneel in the ancestral temple. Tang Junqian, feeling impulsive, insisted on sharing the punishment with Shen Jingmo.

"Shuling, the role of Tang Junqian is not so simple. Although he may be wild and unruly, indulging in the pleasures of beautiful women, he is not promiscuous," Huang Da said solemnly. "This character, if portrayed well, embodies the charm of a refined scholar with a taste of his own. However, if portrayed poorly, it can appear vulgar and despicable, causing disgust. You must grasp the right balance of it."

Xie Shuling nodded slightly, a playful smile hanging at the corner of his mouth. Ever since he read the script, he knew why Huang Da wanted to cast him in this role. After all, whether it was his appearance or his consistent packaging of his image, he perfectly met Huang Da's requirements.

Huang Da paused and looked at Xiao Mo, earnestly advising, "Xiao Mo, you know Shu Ling's skills very well. Acting against him won't be easy. What I want is not just your normal performance, but an extraordinary one. An actor's abilities should not have a limit. Sometimes, don't strive for perfection, as it can actually lead to better results."

Xiao Momo silently nodded, but his attention was somewhat scattered. Xie Shuling, who stood by his side, was truly a great source of distraction, especially with that black collar that trembled slightly along with the movement of his Adam's apple, occasionally stirring up his thoughts.

Damn it... Xiaomo silently cursed in his heart.