Jiang Tang sent a WeChat message saying she had arrived at the entrance.
Lin Mo carried the bowl back to the kitchen and waved at Xie Guanyan. "I'm leaving now, bye-bye."
"Bye-bye, Uncle Butler!"
The girl's smile was bright and lively, her voice melodious.
The butler was momentarily stunned before breaking into an affectionate grin. "Take care on your way."
Goodness! This girl was absolutely adorable!
Once in the car, Jiang Tang handed her a lunchbox.
"President Shen asked me to bring you breakfast. Eat it on the way if you're hungry."
Lin Mo shook her head. "I've already eaten."
Jiang Tang looked surprised. "Where? Did you eat with Mr. Xie?"
In Beijing, many who respected Xie Guanyan referred to him as "Mr. Xie."
Not only was he one of the most influential figures in the capital, but he was also deeply committed to philanthropy.
His annual charitable donations ranked first nationwide, funding education for students in impoverished mountainous regions and even the construction of several temples.
Xie Guanyan had his own charitable foundation, to which Shen Yihan contributed yearly.
The Buddhist prayer beads on his wrist had been obtained from one of the temples Xie Guanyan had built.
"Yeah, Xie Guanyan made it himself. It was delicious."
Lin Mo didn’t hold back in praising her rival’s culinary skills.
A faint smile appeared on Jiang Tang’s usually cool face as she teased, "If the students from our high school back then knew that the school’s most famous rivals—the campus belle and heartthrob—were living under the same roof, and that the heartthrob even cooked breakfast for the belle, they’d be absolutely shocked."
Honestly, these two really had an unusual connection.
Lin Mo shook her head. "Xie Guanyan didn’t make it for me. He just happened to make an extra bowl."
Then she blinked in surprise. "Sis Jiang Tang, you know about my history with Xie Guanyan?"
Jiang Tang kept one hand on the steering wheel. "Of course. You two were legendary back then."
Hearing this, Lin Mo sighed and leaned back against the seat, muttering, "Now only he is. I’m not."
The novel’s author really treated her like a side character!
Seeing the delicate, radiant girl with her brows slightly furrowed, Jiang Tang’s heart softened. She reached over and patted Lin Mo’s head. "What’s the rush? You’ll become a legend again sooner or later."
Honestly, traveling through time from eleven years ago was already pretty legendary.
Shen Yihan had told her about it last night, and she’d been utterly astonished.
That was why Shen Yihan had asked her to take Lin Mo to Beijing No. 1 High School today—to check out the campus because Lin Mo was going back to high school.
Since the topic had come up, Shen Yihan hadn’t kept anything else from her.
Lin Mo nodded and clenched her fist. "Fighting! Little Deer!"
Jiang Tang burst out laughing. "I don’t know if Mr. Xie still sees you as a rival, but you definitely still see him as one."
Lin Mo shrugged. "He was the only one in high school who ever challenged my position as the top-ranked student. Before he transferred to our school, I was the undisputed number one. It’s hard not to see him as a rival, even if the gap between us now is insurmountable. But hey, a girl’s gotta have dreams!"
Jiang Tang was growing fonder of Lin Mo by the minute.
She was the only female science-track valedictorian Beijing had produced in the past two decades.
Her inner strength was undeniable—she never underestimated herself and carried an unshakable confidence that she was second to none.
"I believe in you!" Jiang Tang said sincerely.
At the entrance of Beijing No. 1 High School, the familiar tree-lined path remained unchanged.
Sunlight filtered through the leaves, casting dappled patterns on the ground.
Shen Yihan had already arranged everything with the school administration, so Lin Mo and Jiang Tang entered without any issues.
Eleven years had passed, but the campus hadn’t changed much—just a few new academic buildings and a sports complex.
Jiang Tang pointed out, "These buildings were all donated by Xie Guanyan—almost one per year."
Lin Mo shielded her eyes from the sun and noticed the initials "SS" engraved on the walls.
"Donated under his company’s name, right? He really has a soft spot for his alma mater."
She wasn’t particularly interested—it only made her sigh—so she turned away and asked, "Do you know which class Gu Jingchuan’s younger brother, Gu Jingzhou, is in?"
Jiang Tang replied, "Class 1. He’s a top student, consistently ranking in the top three of his grade."
"Then let’s go check out Class 1."
Lin Mo wasn’t sure how to identify her fourth brother through Gu Jingzhou, but she had to try.
Her fourth brother had gone missing as a child and was adopted under a different name. Otherwise, she could’ve just searched for his original name, Shen Ji’an.
Beijing had countless high schools—she couldn’t just go around demanding to see each school’s "troublemaker" without being labeled a lunatic.
Besides, the term "school troublemaker" was vague, something more common in novels.
For example, if someone asked who the troublemaker was during her own high school days, she wouldn’t have known.
Every class had a few mischievous students—who could say which one truly fit the title?
They reached the door of Class 1 just as the bell rang.
The moment class ended, energetic teenage boys surged into the hallway like wild bulls.
Jiang Tang instinctively shielded Lin Mo to prevent her from being jostled.
At twenty-five, Jiang Tang exuded a cool, mature aura.
Standing in the corridor with a girl who looked like a high school student naturally drew attention.
Lin Mo, however, felt completely at ease—after all, high school had only been a month ago for her.
Her clear, bright eyes scanned the students as she asked directly, "Is Gu Jingzhou here? I’m looking for him."
"Wow, someone’s here for Gu Jingzhou!"
"Another admirer from a different school? This girl is gorgeous—how does Gu Jingzhou keep getting so lucky?"
"Gu Jingzhou! A girl’s here to see you!" one boy shouted into the classroom.
Gu Jingzhou, absorbed in a book, didn’t even look up. "Tell her to leave. I don’t have time!"
He was swamped with work—no time for romance.
The boy who had called out turned back to Lin Mo awkwardly. "That’s just how he is. Don’t take it personally, beautiful. I’ll drag him out for you!"
How could Gu Jingzhou ignore such a stunning girl? If she were a student here, she’d easily be the school belle!
Lin Mo stepped out from behind Jiang Tang. "It’s fine. I’ll go in myself. Sis Jiang Tang, wait for me here."
Jiang Tang nodded just as her phone rang—she had a call to take.
Lin Mo had been in Class 1 back in the day, but this wasn’t the same classroom.
The chubby, helpful boy who had called out earlier guided her inside. "He’s sitting over there."
Lin Mo walked over and took the empty seat in front of Gu Jingzhou.
She tapped her slender, jade-white fingers on his desk. "Hey!"
Gu Jingzhou finally looked up, annoyed. "What do you want?"
Then he froze, his eyes widening slightly.
This girl was breathtaking—her delicate features resembled a porcelain doll’s, her peach-blossom eyes clear and mesmerizing.
And strangely familiar, as if he’d seen her somewhere before.
Gu Jingzhou bore a slight resemblance to Gu Jingchuan, with a handsome, boyish charm.
Lin Mo smiled warmly. "I just wanted to ask—have there been any troublemakers causing problems for you lately? From your school or others?"
This seemed like a reasonable approach.
If her fourth brother had beaten Gu Jingzhou badly enough to land him in the hospital, there must have been some conflict between them. It wasn’t like he’d just attack someone randomly on the street.
Gu Jingzhou was baffled by the beautiful girl's question. After a moment of thought, he shook his head. "No."
Lin Mo frowned. "Think harder!"
Gu Jingzhou pondered more carefully, then his eyes lit up. "I know who you remind me of—you look just like the girl my older brother dated in high school."
Lin Mo was exasperated. "That’s not what I meant!"
No matter how she pressed him, Gu Jingzhou insisted he hadn’t had any recent conflicts with anyone, boasting about his great social skills.
Lin Mo felt a headache coming on. Maybe the plot involving Gu Jingzhou and the fourth brother hadn’t started yet?
"Fine, let’s exchange WeChat. If anyone does end up in a dispute with you, message me!"
After securing Gu Jingzhou’s contact, Lin Mo left the classroom.
Gu Jingzhou watched her retreating figure, snapped a photo with his phone, and sent it to his brother.
[Bro, this girl looks just like your high school girlfriend!]
