Lin Mo had always been fond of shiny things—gold, diamonds, the stars in the sky...
Add to that the fact that she had been exceptionally pretty since childhood, delicate as a porcelain doll, with a charming personality that made her the center of attention wherever she went.
So her parents gave her the nickname "Shanshan" (Sparkle).
Not many people knew about this nickname—only her family.
Her younger brothers rarely used it; only her parents called her that.
Lin Mo couldn’t remember how long it had been since she last heard it.
If she counted from the present timeline, it had been fifteen years.
Hearing those two words suddenly now made her heart skip a beat.
How did Xie Guanyan know about it?
"Your nickname is Shanshan?" The man’s voice on the other end of the line was much clearer now, returning to its usual composed and gentle tone.
Lin Mo frowned. "Huh? Weren’t you calling me?"
Xie Guanyan got up from the bed while still holding the phone, suppressing his rapid breathing as he straightened the sheets.
He had only meant to lie down for a moment to soak in Shanshan’s lingering presence, but exhaustion had overtaken him, and he’d fallen asleep.
He hadn’t slept at all the night before, and last night had been no different—he couldn’t fight the drowsiness.
He was despicable, shameless, and perverted, just like back then.
Half-asleep, hearing Shanshan’s voice on the phone, he had instinctively called out her nickname—the one he had kept buried in his heart for over twenty years, never once uttering it in front of her.
He dug his fingers into the wound on his palm, the pain sharpening his focus and restraint.
He shouldn’t have slept here. It was disrespectful to her!
And he absolutely couldn’t let her discover the dark thoughts he’d harbored all this time—it would terrify her.
His mind raced for an excuse. "I was in a video conference. One of my subordinates has a daughter also named Shanshan. I was greeting her."
Lin Mo blinked. "Working this late? Model Worker Xie! Come open the door for me."
So that was it. Of course Xie Guanyan wouldn’t know her nickname—that made no sense.
It couldn’t have been Shen Yihan either.
The so-called "Buddha of the Beijing elite circle" might be long-winded, but he knew his boundaries.
What a coincidence.
"Alright, I’ll be right there," Xie Guanyan said.
"What nickname?" Shen Yihan, standing beside her, asked curiously.
Lin Mo hung up and shook her head. "Nothing, just a misunderstanding. Xie Guanyan was greeting his subordinate’s daughter during a video call. I thought he was calling me by my nickname."
Shen Yihan’s brow twitched slightly as he spun the Buddhist beads around his right wrist. "What a coincidence. You and Xie Guanyan really have some fate tying you together."
Lin Mo kicked him. "Get lost already!"
A few minutes later, the ornate villa gates opened, revealing a man in a white dress shirt.
He still wore those silver-framed glasses, the top button of his shirt fastened all the way up, exuding an air of restrained elegance—like the most untouchable flower atop a snow-capped mountain.
Shen Yihan quickly stepped forward to greet him. "Mr. Xie, sorry to disturb you so late. Next time, I’ll make sure to bring my sister back earlier."
Xie Guanyan’s expression remained mild. "It’s fine. I wasn’t asleep yet."
Lin Mo strode inside with her snacks, then turned to glare at Shen Yihan one last time. "Be careful on your way back."
The gates slowly closed behind her. The path from the entrance to the living room was long, winding through the garden.
Xie Guanyan walked behind her, his shadow completely enveloping her.
Only then did Lin Mo realize—this man was tall.
"How did you get so tall?" She turned to look at him.
Under the moonlight, his features were strikingly handsome, his aloof demeanor radiating an untouchable, aristocratic aura.
The tea-colored mole at the tip of his nose only added to his allure.
For some reason, Shen Yihan’s words echoed in Lin Mo’s mind—Notice Xie Guanyan’s good qualities.
Well, she had already discovered one.
Xie Guanyan was intensely attractive.
His presence was too pristine, too refined. Even with his usual gentle smile, he felt distant—the kind of man who made you want to taint him, just to see what he’d look like when desire finally broke his composure.
"You’re not short either," the man replied softly.
Lin Mo lifted her chin, proud as a peacock. "Of course! Don’t forget, I’m only eighteen. I’m still growing—I’ll get even taller!"
Xie Guanyan’s glass-like eyes, hidden behind his lenses, fixed on her under the hazy moonlight.
The garden was in full bloom, but next to her, every flower paled in comparison.
Lin Mo cheerfully entered the villa and dropped her snacks on the living room table. "Xie Guanyan, help yourself to these if you want. Don’t be shy."
With that, she bounded upstairs.
Xie Guanyan watched her retreating figure, his gaze darkening behind his glasses as his fingers pressed into the wound on his palm.
Shanshan had shared her snacks with him, and yet he had disrespected her like this.
He truly deserved to die.
Once in her room, Lin Mo took another shower before settling into bed.
She noticed the sheets were still faintly warm.
What kind of fabric was this? The insulation was incredible.
She didn’t dwell on it, scrolling through her phone until she drifted off.
The next morning, Lin Mo woke up unusually early—around eight.
As soon as she stepped out of her room, the rich aroma of something delicious wafted from the kitchen.
She hurried downstairs to investigate.
There, standing at the stove, was the tall, broad-shouldered man—now wearing an apron over his white shirt, a spoon in his elegant hands.
The black apron cinched at his narrow waist, the stark contrast emphasizing his lean, almost sensual frame.
Lin Mo’s gaze lingered for a moment before she quickly looked away, spotting the golden chicken broth simmering in the pot.
Her mouth watered instantly. She patted Xie Guanyan’s shoulder. "Mr. Xie, eating something this nourishing first thing in the morning?"
Xie Guanyan stiffened slightly before turning to her, his voice smooth and pleasant. "The housekeeper prepared the broth yesterday. I’m making chicken noodle soup."
Lin Mo’s peach-blossom eyes curved with delight. "Would your tenant, Lin Mo, be fortunate enough to get a bowl too?"
For good food, she had no shame.
She loved chicken noodle soup. Gu Jingchuan used to bring it to her all the time during senior year.
"Of course," Xie Guanyan replied amiably, his clear eyes meeting hers through his glasses.
The housekeeper standing at the kitchen doorway nearly choked.
He had not prepared any broth yesterday.
Xie Guanyan had gotten up at five in the morning to make it!
Who in their right mind woke up at dawn to cook chicken soup?
Now it was clear—his employer had feelings for this girl.
"Wait, why are you cooking? Don’t you have chefs?" Lin Mo asked as she watched Xie Guanyan add noodles to the pot.
If there was a housekeeper, surely there were chefs too?
"The chef had something to attend to this morning," Xie Guanyan answered gently.
The housekeeper suppressed another twitch.
Bullshit. The chef had been forced to take the morning off.
He’d received a frantic call from Chef Li earlier, the man nearly in tears—Did I do something wrong? Is Mr. Xie firing me?
This job paid several times more than anywhere else, with half the workload.
Chef Li’s world had almost ended.
After devouring a large bowl of noodles, Lin Mo gave Xie Guanyan a thumbs-up. "Mr. Xie, your cooking skills are amazing!"
It tasted familiar—almost exactly like the chicken noodle soup Gu Jingchuan used to bring her.
Then again, a rich kid like Gu Jingchuan wouldn’t have made it himself. It must’ve been his family’s chef.
