The man's magnetic and pleasant voice reached her ears, causing Lin Mo's peach-blossom eyes to tremble slightly.
Why had she asked him out to dinner?
Of course, because she liked him!
But now wasn’t the right time to confess.
She had already noticed that Xie Guanyan didn’t reject her closeness.
Perhaps it was just as Zhao Ziling had guessed that day.
He had some feelings for her, but not enough to make the first move.
That was good news for her.
Confessing now would be too casual.
She needed to prepare a proper confession, one that would strike right at his heart.
Make him like her even more.
Enough to want to be with her.
Meeting his deep gaze, Lin Mo grinned. "Since you gave me a villa, it’s only polite for me to treat you to dinner!"
The answer was expected.
Xie Guanyan hadn’t actually meant to ask for a reason.
Her inviting him to dinner was enough—no explanation needed.
He was always free, always willing to share a meal with her.
He’d only asked to distract her.
His hand brushed against something cold, and he immediately closed his fingers around it, standing up. "Alright, let’s go."
The tall, long-legged man suddenly rose to his feet.
Lin Mo’s hand was still resting on his wrist.
She briefly considered holding his hand but quickly dismissed the thought.
Too bold. She didn’t want to scare Xie Guanyan.
One step at a time.
He was so hungry he was getting lightheaded—getting food was the priority.
Lin Mo released his wrist and stood up from the office chair.
She’d already forgotten about whatever had fallen on the floor earlier and walked out.
Xie Guanyan let out a quiet sigh of relief, tucking the golden dog figurine into his notebook and closing it.
He put on his glasses, grabbed his coat with one hand, and followed her out.
Jin Yang, in the assistant’s office, had been keeping an eye on the situation outside.
When he saw his boss emerge, he immediately noticed the man’s good mood.
The corners of his lips curled up unconsciously.
What a thoughtful and clever assistant he was!
Not many people were left in the company.
The two walked side by side, taking the elevator down and passing through the lobby.
The receptionist spotted Lin Mo again and couldn’t hide her excitement.
Pretending to greet Xie Guanyan, her eyes lingered on Lin Mo. "President Xie, you’re leaving for the day?"
Xie Guanyan nodded politely.
The receptionist couldn’t resist adding, "Miss, you’re so beautiful! Are you President Xie’s relative?"
Xie Guanyan’s brow furrowed slightly.
Was the age gap between them really that obvious?
Enough that people assumed they couldn’t possibly be anything else.
Lin Mo smiled sweetly. "No, we’re classmates."
Calling him a friend was too generic—classmates sounded more meaningful.
The receptionist’s eyes widened. "That’s hard to believe! You look so young!"
The moment the words left her mouth, she realized she might have indirectly called her boss old.
She hurried to correct herself. "President Xie, you’re also very youthful! You don’t look a day over thirty."
Xie Guanyan: "..."
Xie Guanyan: "I’m twenty-nine."
The receptionist’s lips twitched. "My apologies, President Xie! I must’ve mixed it up—President Huo across the street is the one in his thirties."
Rumor had it President Huo was getting divorced. She wondered if it was true.
Everyone knew Xie Guanyan was mild-tempered. Unless it was a serious mistake, a slip of the tongue wasn’t a big deal.
But Lin Mo took her words to heart.
Without the receptionist’s reminder, she’d almost forgotten about the eleven-year age gap between her and Xie Guanyan.
If Xie Guanyan knew she was only eighteen, would he think she was too young?
The two stepped out of the lobby and headed for the parking lot.
Once in the car, Lin Mo sent Xie Guanyan the restaurant’s address and fastened her seatbelt with slender fingers.
She sighed inwardly.
If Xie Guanyan hadn’t dated women his own age, would he really consider someone so much younger?
But in her past life, she’d been his age.
Xie Guanyan steered with one hand, his gaze fixed ahead. The orange-red sunset couldn’t penetrate the depths of his eyes.
He was already twenty-nine.
Would Shanshan think he was too old?
The car ride was unusually quiet.
Lin Mo subtly straightened her posture.
Though she was young, her figure was well-developed.
Her curves were ample—perfect for burying one’s face in!
Xie Guanyan’s peripheral vision never left the girl beside him.
Noticing she wasn’t leaning back in her seat, he asked gently, "Is the seat uncomfortable? You can adjust it."
Lin Mo: "..."
Perfect. Might as well be winking at a blind man.
At the restaurant, Lin Mo and Xie Guanyan walked in together.
Two bodyguards followed shortly after.
When they saw only two people at the table—no third wheel—the older bodyguard excitedly punched his younger brother’s chest. "I knew it! I knew it! Miss Lin really cares about the boss!"
The younger brother: "..."
He forced a smile. "I don’t know about that, but you sure don’t care about me."
The older brother retracted his fist. "Of course I do! Now that the boss is eating, we can eat too. Order whatever you want!"
He opened the menu, and his eyes nearly popped out at the prices.
A waiter approached. "What would you two like to order?"
The older bodyguard: "To leave."
The younger brother: "......"
Lin Mo had known the restaurant was expensive beforehand.
But this was her first time treating Xie Guanyan to dinner—the high cost reflected how much she valued him.
Just as she pushed the menu toward Xie Guanyan, a waiter approached. "Miss Lin, your flowers."
It was a bouquet of icy-blue roses, still glistening with dew.
They looked freshly picked, vibrant and delicate.
Lin Mo didn’t take them immediately. "I didn’t order flowers."
The waiter smiled. "They’re from the gentleman across from you."
Her heartbeat quickened as she looked at Xie Guanyan.
The refined man, dressed in a white shirt with the top two buttons undone, said calmly, "Since my classmate is treating me, I couldn’t come empty-handed."
Lin Mo was delighted. She accepted the bouquet with both hands. "Wow! I love them!"
They matched her dress perfectly!
At several red lights, she’d noticed Xie Guanyan typing on his phone.
She’d assumed it was work-related.
Turns out, he’d been ordering her flowers!
How could any man be this chivalrous?
Xie Guanyan ordered two signature dishes before passing the menu back to Lin Mo.
She added a few more.
While waiting for the food, Lin Mo texted Zhao Ziling:
[Hehe! On the way here, he ordered me a bouquet of flowers!]
Zhao Ziling replied instantly: [Holy crap! Xie Guanyan, the ultimate charmer!]
Lin Mo: [Charmer? More like I’m the one teasing him!]
After sending the message, she flipped her phone face-down on the table.
It was rude to be on your phone during a meal.
The seaside restaurant had a fantastic ambiance.
Their table offered a perfect view of the ocean outside.
The sun had fully set, leaving behind a breathtaking blue hour.
On the beach below, people strolled leisurely.
Groups of friends, giggling couples, and elderly pairs holding hands.
Xie Guanyan’s gaze drifted to the sand, remembering the second time he’d met her there.
Back then, he never could’ve imagined that one day, Shanshan would invite him to dinner.
After a brief glance, his attention returned to the girl across from him.
No scenery, no matter how beautiful, could compare.
Lin Mo also didn't pay much attention to the scenery outside. Her gaze fell on the man sitting opposite her.
She took a sip of water and planned to probe his view on the age gap from the side.
First, she made some small talk.
"What a nice view this restaurant has! There are so many people outside."
"How could someone come out wearing floral shorts!"
"And the guy in floral shorts even has a girlfriend!"
Then, as if casually, she said, "Well, I have a friend who isn't as lucky as the guy in floral shorts to have a partner. The age gap between her and the guy she likes is quite large, and the guy is a bit bothered by it."
Often, one can glimpse a person's thoughts by discussing a matter.
This is more reliable than asking directly.
Mainly because asking directly would be no different from confessing.
She couldn't take it. Her heart was already pounding rapidly.
Suddenly changing the topic, Xie Guanyan put down the water cup in his hand.
Almost instantly, he knew that she wasn't talking about a friend.
She was talking about herself.
No wonder her date with Xu Yan was cancelled.
Xu Yan cared about Shan Shan's age, and the two had a disagreement because of it.
Didn't he know that she had time - traveled?
Her explanation at school was that she had been in a vegetative state for eleven years. Maybe Xu Yan only knew this version.
After all, time - traveling was just too unbelievable.
Darkness churned in Xie Guanyan's eyes, but he still looked gentle on the surface. "If the guy minds, it's advisable to find another guy."
