Lying in bed, Lin Mo received a reply from Shen Yihan.
Her grin stretched from ear to ear.
In just one week, the family would be reunited.
Maybe they could even start a sweet romance.
The thought alone filled her with excitement!
After her shower, Lin Mo decided to call it a night.
She had school in the morning, and midterms were coming up on Wednesday and Thursday.
She wasn’t too worried about herself, but she was a little concerned about Shen Ji’an.
That guy had left her with a massive trauma over Mount Fuji!
Before bed, Lin Mo checked her phone again.
She noticed Xu Yan had sent two messages.
The first was a document.
The second read: [Here are some midterm questions I predicted. Take a look, and ask me if you don’t understand.]
Last night, Xu Yan had asked for her bank account number and transferred her a million yuan.
The amount was so large it almost made her feel guilty.
She proactively added Xu Zunlong on WeChat and thanked him.
Xu Zunlong had a cheerful personality and replied with a voice message, "Hahaha, no need to thank me! Uncle earns money just so you kids can spend it."
Lin Mo had met Xu Zunlong and his wife before.
They were childhood sweethearts, deeply in love.
Xu Yan had been a mischievous, talkative kid back then.
So whenever he went quiet, his teacher immediately knew something was off.
But when Lin Mo saw him yesterday, she realized how much he’d changed—nothing like the boy he used to be.
Probably because of his illness.
Lin Mo skimmed through the document he’d sent, then exited and replied: [Thanks, kid.]
Xu Yan didn’t respond further.
She forwarded the questions to Shen Ji’an.
[Take a look at these.]
Without waiting for his reply, Lin Mo set her phone down, yawned, and drifted off to sleep.
The next day flew by, and soon it was lunchtime after school.
Eating cafeteria food every day had gotten boring.
Fresh off receiving a million-yuan windfall, Lin Mo decided to treat Shen Ji’an to a meal out.
She also invited Zhao Zixin, Zhang Shuo, and Xu Yan.
After chatting with Xu Zunlong, she learned that Xu Yan had poor health and few friends at school.
He’d asked her to look out for him.
They agreed to meet at the school gate.
As Lin Mo arrived, an enticing aroma hit her.
Zhang Shuo’s nose twitched. "Roasted sweet potatoes!"
Shen Ji’an smelled it too. "Sis, want some? I’ll go buy some."
Lin Mo grinned. "Let’s all go."
The three of them approached the sweet potato cart.
Lin Mo said, "I’ll take five."
"Sure thing, fairy sister!"
The voice sounded familiar.
Lin Mo took a closer look and gasped. "Huang Mao, it’s you!"
He was wearing a hat, hiding his signature yellow hair.
Last week, Shen Ji’an had mentioned that Huang Mao had dropped out of school.
He’d also explained Huang Mao’s situation.
Education was the conventional path, but not the only one.
Lin Mo believed that as long as Huang Mao stayed kind and honest, he’d do just fine in life.
Shen Ji’an was stunned. "Wait, it’s you?"
Huang Mao pouted. "Boss, do I really have such a forgettable face? You didn’t even recognize me!"
Shen Ji’an smirked. "I only remember your hair color."
Huang Mao: "..."
He picked out five large sweet potatoes, packed them up, and handed them to Lin Mo.
When she reached for her wallet, Huang Mao shook his head and lifted the QR code. "No need to pay. From now on, your roasted sweet potatoes are on me!"
Lin Mo didn’t insist. She glanced at his setup—a beat-up electric tricycle with a makeshift grill, no signboard in sight.
She broke open a sweet potato and took a bite. It was deliciously sweet.
"Tell you what, I’ll take a promo photo for you!"
Huang Mao’s eyes widened. "Huh?"
Fairy sister was too good to him!
Misreading his expression, Lin Mo grinned. "I’m pretty famous at this school!"
Zhang Shuo nodded. "Just write ‘The roasted sweet potatoes loved by the school belle’—guaranteed to sell!"
Shen Ji’an hadn’t expected his sister to help his friend. Peering at Huang Mao from under his long bangs, he said, "You’d better thank her. Sis turned down modeling offers worth hundreds of thousands when she was younger."
Huang Mao beamed. "Thank you, fairy sister!"
It was true—Lin Mo had often been scouted as a child for entertainment gigs.
But she’d never been interested and always declined.
This was her first time doing anything resembling an ad.
After a moment’s thought, she struck a pose—right arm arched dramatically over her head, left hand cradling the sweet potato.
Everyone: "..."
Seeing their suppressed laughter, Lin Mo blinked. "Okay, let’s try another one."
This time, she bit into the sweet potato, giving a thumbs-up with her free hand.
The shot was vibrant, slightly quirky, and mouthwatering.
Huang Mao cheered. "Perfect! You look amazing, fairy sister!"
Xu Yan and Zhao Zixin soon joined them.
Lin Mo introduced Huang Mao with a smile. "This vendor’s a friend of mine. From now on, just mention my name, and you’ll pay full price."
Zhao Zixin and Xu Yan: "..."
Huang Mao’s grin widened.
Hehe, fairy sister called him her friend!
As the group prepared to leave for lunch, Huang Mao called out to Shen Ji’an. "Boss."
Shen Ji’an turned.
Huang Mao flashed a bright smile. "You go to college, I’ll roast sweet potatoes—we’ll both have bright futures!"
Shen Ji’an chuckled. "Yeah!"
At the fanciest Sha County Snacks near campus, Lin Mo told everyone to order freely.
After devouring their sweet potatoes, they weren’t hungry enough for a big meal, so they kept it light.
Zhao Zixin swiftly claimed the seat beside Lin Mo and whispered, "Goddess, how do you know Xu Yan? He’s the top student in our class."
Xu Yan was a bona fide genius—frequently absent, yet always ranked first in exams.
No one knew why he skipped so much, but his icy demeanor discouraged questions.
Teachers never scolded him either.
When you’re the undisputed best, rules bend.
Lin Mo took a bite of her chicken leg. "I’ve known him since he was little. I—"
"Want a drink?" A cool male voice interrupted.
They looked up to see Xu Yan holding two sodas.
Lin Mo chose Fanta; Zhao Zixin picked Coke.
Shen Ji’an, who’d ridden to school with Lin Mo that morning, already knew about Xu Yan.
His sister’s friend was his friend too—no reason to be hostile.
But did this guy have to steal his servant duties?
Xu Yan sat across from Lin Mo. "Did you check the questions?"
Lin Mo shrugged. "Midterms are easy for me."
Xu Yan frowned slightly. "You’re that confident?"
Lin Mo grinned. "Pretty much. First place shouldn’t be a problem."
Zhang Shuo’s jaw dropped.
Holy crap! Did she just declare she’d beat the reigning champion?
The battle was on!
Zhao Zixin, more composed, clarified, "He’s the school’s permanent top scorer."
Lin Mo hadn’t realized Xu Yan was that good. She looked at him, impressed. "Wow, you’re really something."
Xu Yan picked up his chopsticks, plucked a dumpling into his bowl, and met her gaze. "Lin Mo, how about a bet?"
Lin Mo shook her head. "No thanks."
She wasn’t about to gamble with a kid.
Xu Yan spoke calmly and continued, "If you rank first this time, I’ll have my father collaborate with your younger brother. He’s currently planning a 500-million-yuan project with a major shopping mall in Jingbei."
Lin Mo’s eyes lit up at his words, but then she frowned. "And if I don’t get first place?"
Xu Yan replied, "You go on a date with me."
