The next day dawned bright and sunny once again.
Lin Mo woke up, freshened up, and hurried downstairs with quick, light steps.
Lately, every night before bed, she found herself looking forward to the next morning’s breakfast.
It felt like she had returned to the days when her parents were still alive.
Her parents had been deeply in love, and no matter how busy work kept him, her father would always prepare breakfast for the whole family before heading to the office.
Back then, she, too, had fallen asleep each night with that same sense of anticipation.
As she reached the bottom of the stairs, the rich aroma of meat wafted through the air.
Her mouth watered, and she dashed into the kitchen.
There stood the broad-shouldered, narrow-waisted man, once again tied up in an apron.
The black apron accentuated his lean, sinfully attractive waistline.
Lin Mo didn’t dare look for too long.
Peeking over his shoulder, she craned her neck to see the pot. "President Xie, what’s for breakfast today?"
"Beef rice noodles," Xie Guanyan replied softly, glancing down at the girl’s delicate, radiant face.
The butler, standing by the doorway, watched the scene with a knowing smile.
How was this any different from a loving married couple?
Lin Mo eyed the bubbling beef bone broth in the pot and the tender, melt-in-your-mouth beef beside it.
She turned and gave the butler a thumbs-up. "Uncle Butler, did you simmer the bone broth and cook the beef again? Amazing! It’s a shame you’re not a professional chef!"
The butler’s eyelid twitched, but he didn’t bother with modesty. "No shame at all, no shame."
He hadn’t lifted a finger.
"Go wait outside," Xie Guanyan said smoothly as he poured the rice noodles into the broth.
When he raised his hand, Lin Mo noticed the golden bamboo bracelet she had gifted him the night before, now adorning his jade-like wrist.
The gold stood out vividly against his cool, pale skin, and the bamboo segments accentuated the refined lines of his wrist—elegant yet luxurious.
Lin Mo’s eyes widened slightly in surprise.
She hadn’t expected him to actually wear it, let alone for it to suit him so perfectly.
She really had an eye for this!
A small, proud smile tugged at her lips.
Two steaming bowls of beef rice noodles, garnished with scallions, were soon placed on the dining table.
Lin Mo took a slurp and couldn’t help but praise, "This is incredible! I wouldn’t let go even if you slapped me!"
Xie Guanyan chuckled, his gaze lingering on her face. "That’s quite the endorsement."
Lin Mo grinned. "You’ve been scrolling through Douyin too, huh? By the way, I’m heading to No. 1 High School today to watch a basketball game. Remember that friendly match we had back in our senior year?"
Xie Guanyan’s thick, long lashes lowered as he stared at his bowl. "Mm, I remember."
For Lin Mo, the memory wasn’t too distant.
"I remember you signed up for it too, right? I was actually a little excited when I heard you were playing."
"Really?" Xie Guanyan’s eyes flicked back to her, a flicker of eagerness in them.
"Of course! With you busy preparing for the game, you’d have less time to study—perfect for me to catch up!" Lin Mo smirked.
Xie Guanyan: "…"
"But when I went to watch, you weren’t on the court. I only saw Gu Jingchuan and the others. Why didn’t you play?" Lin Mo asked.
Xie Guanyan adjusted his silver-framed glasses with a single finger, masking the fleeting sharpness in his eyes. "Didn’t want to give you the chance to overtake me."
Lin Mo picked up a piece of tender, perfectly cooked beef and popped it into her mouth. "I knew it!"
When two rivals were neck-and-neck, even one extra set of practice problems could tip the scales.
True adversaries thought alike.
"All done! I’m off—gotta get there early to snag a good seat!"
Lin Mo carried her bowl back to the kitchen and waved at Xie Guanyan and the butler.
Xie Guanyan stood, dabbing his lips unhurriedly with a napkin. His tone was casual, almost testing. "I’ll go with you. I’m free today, and it’s been a while since I’ve visited No. 1 High."
"Great!" Lin Mo beamed. "I didn’t ask Shen Yihan to pick me up today, so we can just take your car."
Otherwise, she’d have to hail a cab.
Maybe it was lingering trauma from the accident, but she didn’t feel like driving alone these days.
Xie Guanyan’s eyes flashed with imperceptible excitement at her lack of refusal. "Let me go change first."
In the bedroom, Xie Guanyan’s slender, well-defined fingers removed his glasses and set them on the desk, his deep, glass-like eyes cold and unreadable.
He peeled off his white dress shirt, revealing the sculpted lines of his abdomen—marred only by a few stark, jagged scars cutting across his pale skin.
One hand reached into the wardrobe for fresh clothes while the other typed a message on his phone:
[Check Gu Jingchuan’s schedule for today.]
