Not only was he looking forward to their return, but even Gu Baotian and Gu Xuan couldn’t help mentioning them from time to time.
"Happy, let me tell you, the scenery here is so beautiful!" Jiang Mo excitedly shared her experiences with Gu Ye.
Gu Ye had been to the Maldives before, so he had already tried all the activities she described. Still, he quietly listened, soaking in the excitement and joy radiating from her words.
After finishing her stories, Jiang Mo added, "We’ve been playing for three or four days now. I guess we’ll be back soon."
Gu Ye replied, "Enjoy yourselves, but come back early. Don’t wait until I’ve left for work before you return."
Though Jiang Mo said that, she wasn’t actually sure when Su Yunjin planned to go back. At dinner that evening, she tried to probe for an answer.
"What, are you tired of traveling and want to go home?" Su Yunjin asked. That couldn’t be—young people loved vacations.
Jiang Mo shook her head. "No, I was just asking casually."
This was a vacation! How could she get tired of it? If she had money and didn’t have to work, she’d be traveling all the time.
Wang Xia took one look at her and guessed, "Did someone at home ask when we’re coming back?"
Jiang Mo grinned. She had to admit, her mom’s experience made her sharp.
Su Yunjin huffed, "Ignore them. There’s plenty of food and drinks at home. Those grown men won’t starve."
With the lady of the house having spoken, Jiang Mo relaxed and continued enjoying the blue seas, clear skies, and sandy beaches.
After a few more days of fun, Gu Xuan video-called Su Yunjin. Under her youngest son’s relentless persuasion, Su Yunjin finally gave the order to pack up and head home.
Before leaving, Jiang Mo wanted to buy some souvenirs with her own money.
But she found there wasn’t much worth buying—and just as Li Daming had predicted, many of the so-called "imported" crafts were actually made in China.
In the end, she settled for small trinkets, fridge magnets, and chocolates.
Li Daming knew when they were returning and arrived at the airport early to wait. After helping load the luggage into the car, he glanced at his daughter and remarked, "You look a little tanned."
Jiang Mo pulled out a compact mirror to check. "Really? Don’t worry, my skin bounces back fast. I’ll be pale again in a couple of days."
With their return, the Gu household regained its lively atmosphere.
Jiang Mo handed out the chocolates she’d brought back to Chef Li and the others.
When Gu Xuan came home from school and saw them, he cheered, "Sis Jiang Mo! You’re finally back! I missed you so much!"
"I missed you too! Look, I brought you a gift." Jiang Mo handed him a seaside-themed fridge magnet.
Gu Xuan pocketed the gift and whispered, "If you hadn’t come back soon, Grandpa might’ve gone looking for you himself."
"Too bad I’m not on summer break yet. Once school’s out, let’s go on another trip together!"
"I have to work, so I don’t know if I’ll have time during summer break," Jiang Mo admitted honestly. This overseas trip had been an unexpected stroke of luck for her.
Gu Xuan thumped his chest proudly. "Hey, I’m still the third young master of the Gu family. Stick with me, and I’ll make sure you live the good life. Consider it handled!"
Jiang Mo didn’t take it seriously and nodded absentmindedly. "Sure, sure."
She had also brought a gift for Gu Ye, but unfortunately, he’d left for work the day before. She placed it on the table and sent him a photo.
When Gu Ye saw it, he replied, "You promised to come back before I left."
Jiang Mo defended herself, "I said probably, not definitely. Besides, I had to listen to Madam Su."
After two days back at work, the post-vacation fatigue faded. Checking the date, she realized tomorrow was the day she and Pei Ting had agreed to visit their alma mater to see Teacher Yuan.
She sent Pei Ting a message: "Senior, we’re meeting at Teacher Yuan’s place at six tomorrow, right?"
Pei Ting replied quickly: "Yes. I’ll pick you up."
"No need to trouble yourself. I know Teacher Yuan’s place like the back of my hand. Let’s just meet at the entrance."
"It’s no trouble. Don’t be polite with me."
In the end, Jiang Mo sent him her address.
The next day, after finishing work, Jiang Mo clocked out at 5:30 and headed home. She grabbed the gift she’d prepared, picked up the flowers she’d ordered, and waited at the gate.
Before long, a black Volkswagen Phaeton pulled up slowly. The window rolled down, revealing the driver—a man with sharp features and a faint smile. "Jiang Mo, hop in."
Hearing the familiar voice, Jiang Mo, who had been playing with her phone while holding the flowers, looked up, her eyes brightening. "Senior!"
She quickly climbed into the passenger seat.
Pei Ting took the flowers from her and placed them in the back. "Traffic was a bit heavy. Didn’t keep you waiting too long, did I?"
"Not at all. I just got here a few minutes ago." Jiang Mo fastened her seatbelt and made small talk. "Senior, how have you been? Busy?"
As the car merged into the main road, Pei Ting answered, "Manageable."
"Your law firm has a great reputation and strong expertise. You probably don’t lack clients." Jiang Mo added, "These past couple of years, a lot of lawyers have been opening accounts on Douyin to offer legal advice. It’s gotten pretty popular."
"Have you ever thought about doing that? You’re highly skilled, and with your looks, I bet you’d attract a lot of clients."
Then she chuckled to herself. "But then again, you don’t need more clients anyway."
"I’ve seen those videos," Pei Ting said, adjusting the air conditioning slightly. "Is this temperature okay for you?"
By late May, Jiangcheng was already heating up.
Jiang Mo nodded. "It’s perfect. Very comfortable."
Pei Ting kept his eyes on the road. "You seemed to have a great time on your trip."
She had posted quite a few updates on social media.
At the mention of it, Jiang Mo pulled a fridge magnet from her bag. "Yeah, it was amazing! Here, this is for you. It’s also made in China, so don’t judge."
"Thanks." Pei Ting took it and examined the vibrant colors.
Jiang Mo waved it off. Fridge magnets were cheap but cute—she’d bought a bunch.
"So, you’re adjusting well to your new job?" Pei Ting knew Jiang Mo was working as a housekeeper for the Gu family.
"Very well. Good pay, great benefits." Jiang Mo grinned. "Every profession has its stars. Being a housekeeper isn’t any worse than other jobs."
Pei Ting smiled. "You excel at anything you do. I never doubted that."
"You flatter me. I’m nowhere near as impressive as you, Senior," Jiang Mo said. "You’re the law school’s heartthrob, the pride of our professors."
Pei Ting was three years her senior. When Jiang Mo first entered university, his name constantly came up in lectures—praised for his intelligence, expertise, and sharp mind.
Later, when she saw his photo, she had to admit he was handsome enough to deserve the title of "Law School Prince."
At one point, during finals, someone had started a trend of "Worship the Prince, Pass Your Exams," where students changed their profile pictures to Pei Ting’s photo in hopes of avoiding failing grades.
Jiang Mo first properly interacted with Pei Ting during her third year of university, by which time Pei Ting was already nearing the end of his master's degree.
Their increased communication was largely thanks to Teacher Yuan.
With her sweet-talking charm, Jiang Mo had won Teacher Yuan's favor, while Pei Ting was Teacher Yuan's prized final disciple. Through repeated encounters, the two gradually grew familiar.
Pei Ting turned his head slightly before looking back, asking, "Really? Am I as handsome as you all say?"
"Of course you are! You're the type who's good-looking without even realizing it," Jiang Mo chimed in. "With your looks, stature, and that high IQ of yours, if you were posted online, the comments section would be flooded with admirers."
It had been a while since they last met, and as they chatted idly during the drive, they soon found themselves on the campus of University A.
Teacher Yuan lived in the faculty dormitory assigned by the university—staying on campus made it convenient for him to bike to his classes.
Jiang Mo had initially walked to her lectures too, but she eventually got herself a bicycle. Unfortunately, thefts were common, and over the years, she lost quite a few bikes.
Later, she wised up and stopped buying new ones, opting instead for beat-up secondhand bicycles—at least no one bothered stealing those.
Seeing the familiar campus again, even though she had only graduated not long ago, it somehow felt like a reunion after years apart.
The car pulled up at the faculty dormitory, and Jiang Mo stepped out, carrying gifts and a bouquet of flowers.
Pei Ting held the cake and presents as the two walked upstairs together.
"Teacher Yuan, Pei and I are here to see you! Happy birthday!" The moment the door opened, Jiang Mo beamed with a radiant smile, her voice bright and cheerful.
