Gu Ye showed no trace of embarrassment at being caught—what did a kid like Gu Xuan even understand?
He spoke softly, careful not to wake the person beside him. "Aren’t you sleeping?"
The elderly passengers behind them had chatted for two hours before their lively voices gradually faded, replaced by drowsy silence. The train car was now perfectly quiet—except for the sounds of Gu Xuan playing his game.
"I’m not sleeping," Gu Xuan shook his head, fully engrossed in his game.
Kids really were bundles of energy. Gu Ye decided not to bother with him anymore and turned to adjust the curtain, blocking out more light. A wave of drowsiness hit him, and soon, he too drifted off to sleep.
Under the blazing sun, the car sped down the highway.
Jiang Mo dozed in and out of sleep, vaguely aware of a slight weight on her shoulder. When she finally roused herself, it took her a couple of seconds to realize that someone was indeed leaning on her.
Gu Ye’s head had somehow tilted onto her shoulder.
His sleeping face was now magnified right before her eyes.
A blanket had also been draped over her at some point.
Resting her head against the window, she pulled out her phone to check the time—just over an hour left to their destination.
She scrolled through videos for a while, though her shoulder was starting to ache.
Using two fingers, she gently pressed against Gu Ye’s forehead, trying to nudge his head back upright and free her right shoulder.
But the moment she applied a little pressure, he stirred, showing signs of waking.
For some reason, Jiang Mo panicked and instinctively shut her eyes, pretending to still be asleep.
Gu Ye did wake up, yawning as he glanced around. Noticing Jiang Mo’s blanket had slipped, he reached over to pull it back up.
Then his gaze landed on her face—somehow, her hair had gotten tangled over it.
"Such a messy sleeper," he muttered, leaning in to brush the strands away.
A strange sensation trailed across her skin, from her cheek to her ear.
Jiang Mo kept her eyes shut, feeling every movement. A faint itchiness crept into her chest, and her fingers unconsciously tightened around the blanket.
Luckily, it didn’t last long. Once her hair was neatened, Gu Ye reached for his water bottle, taking a few sips.
From the backseat, Gu Baotian, who had been pretending to sleep, craned his neck and asked, "How much longer till we get there?"
"Grandpa, you’re awake. Want something to eat?" Gu Ye kept his voice low. "We’ll be there in just over an hour."
"Still that long?" Gu Baotian clicked his tongue.
"It’s not too far now. Let’s grab a bite and chat—we’ll be there before you know it," Zhong Xiaoqin chimed in.
Gu Baotian nodded. "It’s noon already. Now that you mention it, I am feeling a bit hungry."
The car soon buzzed with lively chatter again.
Seizing the moment, Jiang Mo pretended to wake up, stretching lazily.
Gu Ye smiled at her. "You’re up. Perfect timing—let’s eat something."
Covering a yawn, Jiang Mo replied, "Sure. I’ll have a sandwich."
After everyone finished their meal, the car continued on its way, finally arriving at the hotel amid eager anticipation.
The hotel was nestled in a scenic resort, surrounded by lush greenery and serene waters.
The moment they stepped out of the car, the temperature difference was immediate—cool and refreshing.
No wonder this place was known as a summer retreat.
While the hotel manager handled check-in, the group waited in the lobby.
Gu Xuan tugged at Jiang Mo’s hand. "Sis Mo, I’ve got a secret to tell you."
"What secret?" Jiang Mo asked curiously.
Gu Xuan leaned in. "While you were asleep in the car, my second brother was secretly taking pictures of you."
"He… was taking pictures of me?" Jiang Mo hesitated.
"Yeah, yeah!" Gu Xuan nodded vigorously. "I bet he was snapping your bad angles. If you don’t believe me, check his phone."
Jiang Mo shook her head. "I wouldn’t dare ask to see his phone."
Gu Xuan, wise beyond his years, smirked. "What’s he gonna do, eat you?"
"Exactly. I’m scared he’ll yell at me," Jiang Mo joked.
The hotel had arranged four rooms for them. Jiang Mo and the Gu family—grandfather and grandsons—were assigned a luxurious suite.
The suite had three bedrooms: one for Gu Baotian, one for Jiang Mo, and a shared one for the two brothers.
Standing by the floor-to-ceiling window, Jiang Mo admired the view. "The scenery here is amazing—so open and fresh."
"It’s decent," Gu Ye said, joining her. "But there are even better places. I’ll take you there someday."
"I know where you mean!" Gu Xuan sprawled on the couch. "That place we went to abroad last year. Too bad I forgot the name."
After enjoying the view, Jiang Mo returned to unpacking, hanging clothes in the wardrobe.
When she reached Gu Ye’s suitcase, he stepped in to help.
But the moment her fingers brushed against a black pouch, he swiftly snatched it away. "I’ll handle this one."
Though he claimed he’d take care of it, Jiang Mo noticed he simply stuffed the pouch into the drawer without opening it.
A second later, it dawned on her what might be inside.
Once the unpacking was done, the group decided to head out for an early dinner, saving the sightseeing for later.
They chose one of the two restaurants Jiang Mo and Gu Ye had picked earlier.
Dinner was lively, with the elderly men indulging in drinks.
Liu Guochuan, slightly tipsy, announced, "When we get back, I’ll give you all gifts. My autobiography’s about to be published—one copy for each of you!"
"Here we go again, bragging about your book," Gu Baotian scoffed. "As if you’re the only one with one."
"Exactly," Pan Weidong chimed in. "Mine’s coming out soon too. I’ll send you copies."
Liu Guochuan glared. "Seriously? Weren’t you all mocking me before? Now you’re just copying me?"
Gu Baotian retorted, "What, you got a monopoly on autobiographies? Let’s see whose turns out better."
"Mine will definitely be superior," Liu Guochuan said, turning to Jiang Mo. "Right, Mo?"
Jiang Mo, mid-bite, looked up. "Huh?" She opted for diplomacy. "They’ll all be great in their own ways."
"You’re such a smooth talker," Liu Guochuan chuckled. "Jiang Mo, are you sure you won’t reconsider my grandson?"
Zhong Xiaoqin frowned at the tipsy group. "Stop pestering her. She clearly isn’t interested in your grandson. Give it up."
"Yeah, hands off our Jiang Mo," Gu Baotian said protectively.
"She just works for your family—that doesn’t make her yours," Liu Guochuan grumbled.
Not wanting to be the center of attention, Jiang Mo quickly changed the subject. "Grandpas, grandmas, let’s focus on the food!"
Gu Ye, however, caught onto something. "Wait, what’s this about? Grandpa Liu tried setting you up with his grandson?"
Jiang Mo laughed awkwardly. "Oh, he was just joking."
Liu Guochuan, sharp as ever, cut in. "I was dead serious."
Jiang Mo: "…Grandpa Liu, please don’t make this harder."
After dinner, they returned to the hotel, where Gu Baotian went straight to bed.
Gu Ye lingered at Jiang Mo’s door, a hint of jealousy in his voice. "So… you met Grandpa Liu’s grandson?"
"It wasn’t a formal meeting, just a couple of times at Grandpa Liu’s place," Jiang Mo explained. "Oh, it was just Grandpa Liu joking around after having too much to drink at dinner."
"Grandpa Liu’s grandson—what’s he like? Handsome?" Gu Ye zeroed in on the key point.
Jiang Mo: "...He’s fine. Uh, I think I need to use the bathroom."
By the time she came out, he was gone.
Jiang Mo was about to take a shower when Gu Xuan came running over, phone in hand, tapping away excitedly.
"Jiang Mo, look! I got my second brother’s phone. See? I told you he was secretly taking pictures of you."
Gu Xuan proudly displayed the photo on the screen—a shot of Jiang Mo asleep in the car.
Why… would he take a picture of her?
"My brother’s being sneaky. Definitely up to no good," Gu Xuan analyzed.
No sooner had he spoken than Gu Ye stormed in, snatching back his phone. When he saw the photo on display, he glanced at Jiang Mo, flustered and defensive. "How dare you take my phone without asking? And how did you even unlock it?"
"Hmph! You left it unlocked. I was just showing Jiang Mo the photo you took of her!"
"Come on, you’re going back to your room!" Gu Ye dragged Gu Xuan out by the collar.
