Lin Mo clicked through the photos one by one, examining them carefully. None of them were her younger brother.
Though he was only six when she died, she could still recognize his features—his eyes, his brows, the shape of his face.
Back then, he had been a chubby little boy, round and adorable.
She typed a reply: Thanks, but it’s pretty late. You should get some rest!
Zhang Shuo responded almost instantly: I’m still working on a test.
A photo followed—a math exam.
Lin Mo skimmed through the questions, her brow furrowing slightly. Go to sleep. Not a single one of these answers is right.
No point in even trying.
Zhang Shuo: No way? Let me check the answer key.
He hadn’t expected the hour he’d spent slaving over the test to earn such a blunt critique.
And Lin Mo had replied within minutes of him sending the photo.
Was she being too hasty?
This was a practice test he’d bought himself, and today was his first attempt.
Flipping to the answer key at the back, he checked each question one by one.
A minute later, his world crumbled.
Not a single answer was correct!
Damn, you’re actually a genius! I bow to your wisdom! By the way, which school did you say you go to?
Lin Mo chuckled. Some things are better left unknown.
Zhang Shuo: …
“Who are you texting?”
Xie Guanyan watched the slight curve of the girl’s lips, his elegant brows knitting together.
“Someone from No. 1 High. You wouldn’t know them.” Lin Mo set her phone down and went back to eating her spicy noodles.
Under the table, Xie Guanyan’s hand clenched into a fist, his nails digging into the unhealed cuts on his palm. His long, thick lashes veiled the darkness in his eyes.
She still liked Gu Jingchuan. To get close to him, she’d first approached Gu Jingzhou.
But what could he do?
If he killed Gu Jingchuan, Shanshan would be heartbroken.
At least Gu Jingchuan hadn’t met Shanshan yet.
If only the two of them could never cross paths…
His lashes lifted, his deep, shadowed gaze piercing through his glasses to settle on the girl.
She was bent over her noodles, a slender stretch of pale neck exposed.
He wanted to lock her away. Then she’d never see Gu Jingchuan again.
A sudden chill crept up her neck, damp and unsettling.
Lin Mo looked up to see the beautiful man adjusting his glasses with a single finger. The tiny mole on the bridge of his nose was oddly alluring, and his smile was gentle. “Want more?”
The dining table wasn’t large, and they sat close enough that Xie Guanyan’s striking looks occasionally left Lin Mo dazed—like now.
She quickly brushed off the strange feeling. “No, this bowl’s enough. Thank you…”
After her shower, Lin Mo sprawled across the bed, lifting her long, fair legs in a half-hearted attempt at exercise.
This was her penance for the late-night snack—more psychological comfort than actual weight loss.
Staring at the ceiling, she realized she’d discovered another of Xie Guanyan’s virtues.
He was an amazing cook!
Morning came quickly.
When Lin Mo went downstairs, she found Xie Guanyan in the kitchen again.
Seemed the chef had another morning off.
She helped herself to a large bowl of pork and century egg wontons.
After the first bite, her eyes lit up. “I’ve never seen this filling before. Where’d you get it?”
Today, Xie Guanyan wore a pristine white suit with gold-rimmed glasses, looking every bit the refined gentleman.
“The butler made the filling,” he said smoothly.
Lin Mo gave the butler a thumbs-up. “Butler, you’re amazing!”
The butler’s lips twitched. “Ah, you flatter me.”
And flatter him she did—because it wasn’t his doing at all.
Xie Guanyan had ordered the ingredients yesterday and woken up early to prepare everything himself.
A billionaire, up at dawn to make wontons? Just like yesterday’s chicken soup.
Unheard of. Unimaginable.
The butler couldn’t understand why his employer didn’t just admit he’d made it.
He’d asked that very question this morning.
Xie Guanyan’s elegant fingers folded the wonton wrappers as he answered flatly, “She doesn’t like me.”
The words nearly brought the butler to tears, a sharp pang in his chest.
So that was it.
If someone didn’t like you, no amount of effort would move them—it’d just feel like pressure.
So Xie Guanyan chose silence, quietly doing things for her without expectation.
Ah! The man was living out a pure, selfless love in the prime of his life!
It reminded the butler of his own youth—buying breakfast for the girl he liked… and her boyfriend.
Or paying her rent so she could live with said boyfriend.
Turns out, even someone as untouchable as Xie Guanyan was cut from the same cloth.
To them, love was sacrifice, no matter how foolish it seemed.
Just as Lin Mo finished eating, Shen Yihan arrived. She returned her bowl to the kitchen and waved goodbye to Xie Guanyan and the butler.
The butler beamed. “Take care, Miss Lin!”
When he turned back, he saw his employer’s gaze fixed on the girl’s retreating figure, unmoving.
The butler sighed. Poor man.
And poor him—he’d never get to deliver the classic line: You’re the first woman he’s ever made soup for!
Nor could he say: I haven’t seen him smile like this in years.
His employer was a good man, mild-tempered and quick to smile—even if those smiles never reached his eyes.
Lin Mo slid into the car.
Shen Yihan handed her a lunchbox. “You must be hungry. Eat up.”
Yesterday, Jiang Tang had ended up eating the breakfast he’d brought for her.
Now here was Shen Yihan, trying again.
“I already ate,” Lin Mo said.
Shen Yihan nodded. “Ah, the chef at Xie’s place made you something?”
Lin Mo shook her head. “Xie Guanyan cooked it himself. It was delicious!”
Shen Yihan’s eyes widened. “But you hate sandwiches and granola.”
His sister had always preferred warm, soupy breakfasts—noodles, wontons, rice vermicelli.
But most working professionals settled for cold meals.
Xie Guanyan seemed like the type—an elite who’d pair his avocado toast with a freshly brewed Americano.
Lin Mo buckled her seatbelt. “You wouldn’t believe it, but Xie Guanyan’s tastes are just like mine. Noodles and wontons for breakfast, spicy noodles for late-night snacks. And he’s really good at making them!”
Shen Yihan twisted the Buddhist beads on his wrist. “Who turned a billionaire into a personal chef?”
Lin Mo burst out laughing. “No idea. But his chef’s been away these past two days, so he had to step in.”
Shen Yihan glanced back at the villa. “Xie Guanyan—top-tier businessman, philanthropist, and now a master chef? The man’s practically perfect.”
Lin Mo’s eyes widened. “Shen Yihan, don’t tell me you’re falling for him. He’s straight, you know.”
Shen Yihan: “…”
A vein throbbed at his temple. “I just admire his dedication to his work. That’s all.”
Lin Mo relaxed. “Good. Learn from him, then.”
Shen Yihan nodded, starting the car. “By the way, it’s weird—none of the villas nearby are for sale. Jiang Tang asked around, but no one’s selling.”
Lin Mo had initially thought Xie Guanyan might be hard to live with.
But over the past two days, she found him surprisingly easy to get along with.
Back in high school, his indifference toward her had likely stemmed from their rivalry for the top academic spot.
Now that they were no longer competing, he treated her with warmth and gentleness—his demeanor so refreshing it felt like basking in a spring breeze.
"It's fine. Xie Guanyan is quite pleasant to be around. If you're too busy, you don’t need to pick me up during the day. I can stay at the villa—he probably won’t find me annoying. Besides, I plan to leave early and return late for school, so don’t bother buying anything."
"Instead, you could ask around if anyone knows a good doctor for sleep disorders. That would address the root of the problem."
Though she’d seen many doctors before without success, perhaps current specialists had better solutions.
"Alright," Shen Yihan replied.
Jiang Tang took a taxi to work that day.
The receptionist greeted her as usual, "Good morning, Assistant Jiang!"
Jiang Tang nodded. "Morning."
The receptionist suddenly noticed the glimmering gold bracelet on Assistant Jiang’s wrist—unusual for someone who rarely wore jewelry.
"Are you getting married, Assistant Jiang?" she asked with a smile.
Jiang Tang frowned. "Why do you ask?"
The receptionist gestured to her wrist. "That bracelet looks like part of a wedding set."
It wasn’t necessarily a marital symbol, but since Assistant Jiang never accessorized, the gold bracelet stood out as something special.
Jiang Tang raised her hand, a faint smile playing on her lips. "No, this was a gift from Xiao Mo."
With that, she strode toward the elevator, eager to start her workday.
She completely missed the receptionist’s starry-eyed, fangirling expression!
The receptionist immediately posted in the office gossip group:
[OMG!!! Big Sis gave Assistant Jiang a solid gold bracelet!!! Assistant Jiang treasures it so much—wearing it like a sacred relic!!! I’M DECEASED!!!]
Replies flooded in:
[This is a FEAST!!! I’m hyperventilatinggggg!!!]
[I wanna roleplay with Assistant Jiang—she’ll pretend to be me at work while I go play with Big Sis!!!]
Days passed without Lin Mo uncovering any useful leads.
She texted Gu Jingzhou daily with the same question: [Any conflicts with anyone today?]
Gu Jingzhou’s reply was always the same cool two words: [Nope.]
Zhang Shuo also reported his every move, confirming no disputes arose.
Truthfully, Gu Jingzhou was a model student—spending his days diligently studying, eating, and using the restroom.
Lin Mo was at a loss.
Mornings were spent mopping up Xie Guanyan’s breakfast, while her days unfolded in Shen Yihan’s office, buried in books.
Eleven years had changed the gaokao’s format, so she had to relearn and practice.
Her goal remained unchanged: topping Beijing’s college entrance exams.
Evenings alternated between Xie Guanyan’s homemade snacks and his takeout runs.
Though she’d told Shen Yihan not to trouble himself with pick-up and drop-off duties, he still sent either himself or Jiang Tang daily—not wanting Xie Guanyan to think him unreliable.
Lin Mo didn’t mind; her days passed easily wherever she was.
One night, as she lounged on the sofa with fruit, a message from Zhang Shuo popped up:
[Our school’s hosting a basketball friendly match this Sunday against another school. Wanna come watch?]
