"The light's green!"
Lin Mo noticed Xie Guanyan staring at his phone, oblivious to the traffic light. She spoke up to remind him.
Xie Guanyan's fingers tightened around his phone, his knuckles turning white, but when he looked up, his expression remained as composed as ever.
"Alright."
With a light press on the accelerator, the car moved forward smoothly.
Does Shanshan know Gu Jingchuan is coming today?
Probably not.
If she did, she wouldn’t have let him accompany her to No. 1 High School.
A girl as proud as her would never mention Gu Jingchuan to Gu Jingzhou—she’d want Gu Jingchuan to come looking for her.
But if she ran into Gu Jingchuan at the school, would she even glance at him?
Definitely not.
She liked Gu Jingchuan so much that she’d even lowered herself to get close to Gu Jingzhou!
Xie Guanyan’s breathing grew uneven. His slender fingers reached up to loosen his tie, only to realize he wasn’t wearing one today.
"What’s wrong?"
Even at this distance, Lin Mo wasn’t so oblivious as to miss the shift in Xie Guanyan’s mood.
It was as if something had unsettled him deeply.
Did it happen after checking his phone? Was there some emergency?
The girl’s sweet voice pulled him back. Xie Guanyan steadied himself, exhaling imperceptibly.
Keeping his eyes on the road, he replied in a measured tone, "Nothing serious. Just a minor issue with a company contract."
"Is it urgent? If you need to handle it now, you can drop me off here. We’re close to No. 1 High—I can walk the rest of the way."
Lin Mo didn’t want to delay Xie Guanyan’s work.
This was a man who dealt in millions every minute.
Another intersection. The light turned red.
Xie Guanyan braked gently and turned to look at the radiant girl beside him.
She was dressed casually today, her long hair tied into a high ponytail, a small golden dog pendant dangling near her chest.
He envied that pendant.
"No need. The fault isn’t on our end. My assistant will handle it—I just need to give instructions."
He picked up his phone again, the cool surface spreading through his palm. His gaze flickered to the bamboo bracelet on his wrist.
He craved even the slightest bit of Shanshan’s attention.
Behind his glasses, his eyes darkened. His fingers typed out a message.
A reply came quickly: ["Understood, President Xie."]
Lin Mo didn’t press further. Xie Guanyan wasn’t her scatterbrained younger brother—he knew his limits.
If she said too much, she’d start sounding like a nagging mother.
Soon, the car pulled up to the gates of No. 1 High.
Stranger vehicles weren’t allowed inside.
A security guard approached. "Hello—oh! President Xie! Long time no see! I’ll raise the barrier right away!"
No one at No. 1 High was unfamiliar with Xie Guanyan.
A top graduate who’d gone on to achieve great success, he donated a building to the school every year.
In the school’s decades-long history, no other alumnus had given back so generously.
Xie Guanyan nodded politely. "Yes, it’s been a while, Uncle Fang."
A billionaire of his stature still addressing him as "Uncle Fang"?
The guard felt a rush of warmth. No wonder this man was so successful!
He’d been working at the school for twenty years—he’d been there when Xie Guanyan was a student.
Principals had come and gone, but he’d remained, steadfast in his post.
Then he noticed the beautiful girl in the passenger seat.
Uncle Fang’s eyes widened.
This was the first time he’d seen Xie Guanyan bring a woman back to their alma mater.
"President Xie, is this your girlfriend?" he couldn’t help but ask.
The girl shook her head. "No, Uncle Fang."
The barrier had already been lifted with the press of a button. Before Uncle Fang could react further, the car drove past.
Staring at the silver car’s retreating figure, the guard was baffled.
Wait—why did she call him "Uncle Fang" too? And so naturally!
He tried to recall the girl’s face—strikingly beautiful…
But the more he thought, the more familiar she seemed.
Not just a passing glance—he’d definitely seen her before.
Removing his cap, Uncle Fang scratched his shiny, bald head.
Where had he seen her? Why couldn’t he remember?
Was she a celebrity?
After racking his brain, he still couldn’t place her.
Putting his cap back on, he frowned. "Good heavens! Maybe I’m getting early dementia!"
"Uncle Fang is still working here?" Lin Mo exclaimed in surprise.
No. 1 High’s security team worked 24/7 in shifts.
The last time she’d visited with Jiang Tang, she hadn’t run into him.
Uncle Fang had been quite famous back then—mostly because his bald head intimidated troublemakers.
Some would-be delinquents took one look at him and fled.
But in truth, he was a man of strong principles!
Eleven years later, he didn’t seem as fierce anymore.
Xie Guanyan nodded. "Yes, he never left. He’s the one who reported our principal’s affair with his mistress."
Lin Mo burst out laughing. "Uncle Fang is still Uncle Fang—forever young, forever righteous!"
She’d wanted to greet him properly, but Xie Guanyan had driven in too quickly.
The car parked near the gymnasium.
Lin Mo stepped out, squinting against the bright sunlight.
A shadow fell over her.
She looked up—Xie Guanyan was holding an umbrella over her.
"How does your car have everything?"
It was like a magic vehicle.
Adjusting his glasses with one hand, Xie Guanyan replied calmly, "The butler prepares it."
Lin Mo smiled. "Uncle Butler is so thoughtful! Let’s go—looks like there’s a big crowd for the basketball game today!"
On a Sunday, the school should’ve been quiet.
But students streamed toward the gymnasium, eager for a break from their studies.
Many carried umbrellas too.
The two blended into the crowd, looking like any other high schoolers.
In this familiar setting, the tall man’s grip on the umbrella tightened, his fingers pale.
Finally, he was standing openly by Shanshan’s side.
Even if this chance had been stolen through underhanded means.
[Bro, you’re really coming? No filming today?]
At a red light, Gu Jingchuan read Gu Jingzhou’s message.
His heartbeat quickened as he checked the short distance left on his navigation.
He’d been unable to focus last night, even ignoring Li Huanyu.
This morning, he’d made an excuse and flown back to Beijing alone.
Straight from the airport, he’d driven here.
With a cap and mask, no one would recognize him.
He needed to confirm whether it was really Lin Mo.
The whole thing felt surreal—he had to see for himself.
[Almost there!]
His foot pressed harder on the accelerator, urgency gnawing at him.
The car sped forward.
Then, out of nowhere, another vehicle swerved violently into his lane!
