The phone suddenly buzzed with a notification.
The handsome man lying flat on his bed instinctively reached for it, his heartbeat quickening.
Yet a second later, his pulse steadied again.
All day, he had been waiting for a message from Shanshan.
Even though he knew Shanshan didn’t like him that way, he had left without a word that morning.
Deep down, he still hoped she might send him a message—just one—to ask how he was.
After all, Shanshan might not have feelings for him, but she considered him a friend.
She had said so herself.
But there was nothing.
Not a single word all day.
At this late hour, Shanshan was usually fast asleep.
This message couldn’t possibly be from her.
It was probably Jin Yang, about work.
Work was important, of course.
Lowering his expectations, his slender fingers picked up the phone, unlocked it, and opened WeChat.
The chat marked with a red notification was none other than [Four Marriages Teach You Life].
The man’s striking eyes lit up instantly.
It was Shanshan. The message was from Shanshan.
His breath grew hot, his chest rising and falling rapidly.
But the moment he read the message, he bolted upright.
Shanshan needed a first-aid kit.
What had happened?
Had she fallen? Was she hurt? Or suddenly feeling unwell?
He swung his legs off the bed, his breathing heavy with urgency.
Without hesitation, he tapped the WeChat call button and dialed her.
Right now, it didn’t matter that she didn’t like him.
He had to know if she was okay.
But the call didn’t go through—it was busy.
Xie Guanyan’s handsome brows furrowed deeply.
Who was she talking to?
Her younger brother?
Whoever it was, he didn’t try calling again.
Instead, he grabbed his silver-framed glasses, snatched his coat, and strode out the door.
The Butler was jolted awake by his ringing phone.
Squinting, he saw it was a call from the live-in maid at the villa.
It felt like being slapped eight times in a row—he was wide awake in an instant.
The maid only ever called for one reason:
Something was wrong with Miss Lin.
He had instructed the staff to pay close attention to Miss Lin’s every move.
Tonight, she had been picked up by her younger brother, so he had gone home, assuming they were just out for a late-night snack.
He answered immediately. “What’s wrong?”
The maid replied, “Miss Lin seems to have a fever. She was just looking for fever medicine—where is it kept in the villa?”
Their usual duties were cooking, cleaning, and laundry for Lin Mo.
The Butler threw off the covers. “We ran out of fever medicine last time. I’m on my way.”
The last batch had been used when the master was sick, and he’d forgotten to restock.
After hanging up, he immediately dialed Lin Mo’s WeChat.
Meanwhile, Lin Mo’s head was throbbing like a lump of lead.
The moment she sent the message to Xie Guanyan, a WeChat call came through.
Too dizzy to check the caller, she answered, her voice hoarse. “Xie Guanyan, where’s the first-aid kit?”
Despite the fever fogging her mind, she remembered Xie Guanyan was on a business trip in Europe—one that would keep him away for a long time.
She wasn’t sure which city, but the time difference meant it was probably late evening there.
And Xie Guanyan, ever the night owl, would still be working.
Of course he’d call right after her message. He was always so thoughtful.
The Butler’s heart clenched at her words.
She had mistaken his call for the master’s.
Just how high was her fever?
Right—the master. He needed to inform the master.
Even if he were to fly back immediately right now, it would still take at least ten hours!
It’s hard to imagine how helpless he’d feel once he found out!
If he comes back, Miss Lin might already have recovered by the time he arrives.
But not coming back? Impossible!
"Miss Lin, this is the Butler. Please lie down and rest. I’ll call the private doctor right away."
The voice was clearly not Xie Guanyan’s.
Lin Mo frowned slightly. "Oh, it’s you, Uncle Butler. Where’s the medicine kit? There’s no need for the private doctor—I’ll just take some medicine and sleep it off."
When she was little and her parents were still around, she used to be extra fussy whenever she had a fever.
She’d demand their constant attention—being coaxed to take medicine, being coaxed to eat.
After they passed away, she rarely fell ill.
On the rare occasions she did, she’d just take some medicine and tough it out.
The Butler insisted, "That won’t do. I’ll call the private doctor right now, and I’ll head over immediately too. There’s no fever medicine in the kit."
Hearing there was no medicine, Lin Mo had no choice.
"Then could you please buy some fever medicine for me? It’s just a mild fever—no need for a doctor."
It didn’t feel right to summon Xie Guanyan’s private doctor in the middle of the night.
If the fever didn’t break in a few hours, she’d ask the "Buddha of the Capital" to take her to the hospital.
Arguing with a patient was pointless.
The Butler didn’t push back. Instead, he humored her. "Of course, of course."
After hanging up, he immediately sent a message to Xie Guanyan.
[Sir, Miss Lin has a fever.]
The reply came almost instantly.
[Send the doctor over!]
Butler: [Understood, calling right away. No need to worry too much.]
After sending the message, the Butler dialed the private doctor’s number.
Part of the reason the private doctor earned such a high salary was because he was on call 24/7.
Answering the phone, he asked professionally, "What’s the issue?"
The Butler hurriedly dressed while explaining, "Someone’s running a fever. Get to the villa as soon as possible."
The private doctor was puzzled.
Someone’s running a fever?
Who?
If he phrased it like that, it definitely wasn’t Mr. Xie.
Ah, right—the tenant at Mr. Xie’s place.
But the Butler sounded so anxious.
If this were just an ordinary tenant, he’d chop off his own head and let the Butler use it as a stool!
The private doctor got out of bed. "I’ll be there in thirty minutes."
With the doctor on the way, the Butler relaxed slightly.
Thankfully, a fever wasn’t a critical emergency.
He sent another update to Xie Guanyan:
[The private doctor will arrive in thirty minutes.]
After that, he went to freshen up.
At this hour, there was no point going back to bed—might as well treat it as an early start to the day.
Over the years, not having to live on-site had made his job quite easy, yet his salary remained generous.
Occasional overtime like this didn’t bother him at all.
After washing up, tying his tie, and smoothing his collar, the Butler hopped onto his pink electric scooter and set off.
Why a scooter?
Because the distance was short.
He actually lived in a villa just two kilometers away from Xie Guanyan’s.
And how could a butler afford a villa?
Simple—over the years, whenever Xie Guanyan invested in a company, he’d buy its stocks.
By now, he’d made a fortune and achieved financial freedom.
So why keep working as a butler? Why fear losing the job?
Pure passion.
Plus, staying in the role meant he’d always have insider info to buy stocks at the right time.
Autumn had arrived, and the morning wind carried a biting chill.
As it whipped against his face, the Butler winced.
But he figured, no matter how uncomfortable his face felt, it couldn’t compare to the ache in Xie Guanyan’s heart right now.
Europe was so far away.
Even if he took the private jet immediately, it’d still take at least ten hours.
Pulling up to the villa gate, he parked the scooter.
Just then, another car pulled to a stop nearby.
The butler frowned in confusion.
Had the private doctor arrived so quickly?
It hadn’t even been half an hour yet.
The next moment, the car door swung open.
The butler watched as a man in a crisp white suit stepped out from the driver’s seat.
