The story of how Gu Jingchuan pursued Lin Mo for three years during their time at No. 1 High School was something almost every one of his friends knew about.
For years afterward, whenever friends gathered, someone would inevitably joke that Lin Mo was Gu Jingchuan’s "white moonlight"—the one who got away.
Gu Jingchuan himself believed it too.
After all, how could anyone forget the girl they’d chased for three years, only to lose her on the way to their first date?
The slums reeked of a pungent, unpleasant odor, strong enough to carry even at the entrance.
But at that moment, all Gu Jingchuan could smell was the faint, sweet fragrance drifting from Lin Mo.
She stood there, alive, bathed in sunlight.
Her skin was like polished jade, her eyes bright, her teeth pearly white. Her long hair was casually tied into a ponytail—just like back then, radiant to the extreme.
The sound of her voice, light and melodious, reached his ears.
But the moment he processed her words, his lips twitched slightly.
Ignoring the girl’s bewildered expression, he spread his arms, ready to embrace her.
Lin Mo, seeing his movement, instinctively crouched and slipped right under his arm.
Gu Jingchuan: "..."
Left hugging empty air, he turned around, his voice rough with emotion. "Lin Mo, why are you avoiding me?"
After so long apart, wasn’t a hug the least she could give him?
Zhang Nan, trailing behind Lin Mo, recognized Gu Jingchuan at a glance.
Normally, anyone would be thrilled to meet a celebrity.
She was a little excited too—until she saw him trying to grab Lin Mo. Instantly, her goodwill vanished.
"What do you mean, ‘why’? Since when is it okay to just grope someone?" Zhang Nan snapped, stepping protectively in front of Lin Mo.
Gu Jingchuan’s expression darkened. "Mind your own business. She’s my girlfriend!"
Zhang Nan frowned and glanced back at Lin Mo. "Seriously?"
Just last night, she’d seen gossip accounts on Douyin claiming Gu Jingchuan had gotten back together with Li Huanyu.
Gu Jingchuan had been utterly confident Lin Mo still loved him.
But after that failed embrace, doubt crept in.
His phoenix-like eyes—often joked online for looking "even at a dog with deep affection"—fixed on Lin Mo, his heartbeat quickening.
She wouldn’t deny it, would she?
After all, they’d never officially broken up!
Yet Lin Mo didn’t even spare him a glance, simply laughing as she told Zhang Nan, "Of course it’s fake."
Zhang Nan nodded. "I knew it! No way you’d have some old guy like him as a boyfriend."
At first glance, Lin Mo seemed impossibly young, nothing like the "older sister" everyone at the company called her—a term of respect she’d adopted.
But standing next to Gu Jingchuan now, the age gap was glaring.
Gu Jingchuan winced. "Old? I’m only twenty-nine!"
Zhang Nan scoffed. "Twenty-nine is practically thirty, which is basically forty, and soon you’ll be fifty. Face it, you’re ancient."
Gu Jingchuan’s eye twitched. "Your math skills are truly something."
Lin Mo burst into laughter, her peach-blossom eyes crinkling beautifully.
The sight made Gu Jingchuan’s heart race.
Back in high school, he’d fallen for her the moment she took the stage as student representative—radiant under the sun, like the brightest star in the sky.
Nothing in the world could compare to the joy of a lost love returning.
Especially when that love was still eighteen.
He stepped closer again, reaching for her hand. "I know you’re upset, but let me explain—"
Lin Mo dodged. "I really don’t have time for this. Bye."
With that, she turned to leave, her hair swirling with that familiar scent.
Gu Jingchuan leaned in, voice low. "Lin Mo! I know you’re a transmigrator!"
She froze mid-step, turning back with a sharp, searching look in her eyes.
Who had blabbed?
Wait—very few people knew about her transmigration, and none should have any connection to Gu Jingchuan.
He must have figured it out himself.
Well, the male lead of a novel couldn’t be a complete idiot.
"So what?" Lin Mo shot back.
Gu Jingchuan faltered.
Right. So what?
Was he going to turn her over to some lab for dissection?
Taking a deep breath, he forced himself to stay calm. "Lin Mo, what I mean is—we never broke up."
"Then let’s break up now," Lin Mo said.
Gu Jingchuan: "..."
Her bluntness caught him off guard, yet it made perfect sense.
With all his scandals, someone as proud as Lin Mo would never accept him as he was now.
"Lin Mo, please. The moment I heard you were back, I dropped everything to find you. I haven’t even gone to set for two days—"
"Hold it right there. Skipping work just means you’re irresponsible and unprofessional. Don’t drag me into it."
Zhang Nan grinned, two dimples appearing.
She’d expected Lin Mo to be moved. Instead, the girl was as clear-headed as someone doused in ice water at dawn.
The slums’ entrance was crowded, and by now, many had recognized Gu Jingchuan.
He’d made no effort to hide today—no sunglasses, no mask.
Phones were already pointed his way, snapping photos.
But unlike his usual impatience (like that time he’d been rear-ended), today he held his chin high, proudly showcasing his sharp jawline.
Lin Mo, however, had no interest in trending online.
Grabbing Zhang Nan’s wrist, she bolted. "Let’s go!"
Before Gu Jingchuan could react, Lin Mo was already a blur in the distance.
…Was this how things were supposed to go?
He didn’t chase her—mostly because he’d never catch up.
Running a hand through his hair, he strode back to his sports car.
Fine, Lin Mo was still mad. That was fixable.
At least his other goal was accomplished.
Once those photos hit the internet, his team would spin a story.
In the entertainment industry, Gu Jingchuan wasn’t known for being chaste. His playboy persona was his brand.
He thrived on scandals—they kept him relevant.
And when Xie Guanyan saw the headlines?
Sheer agony.
Did that bastard really think he’d let the car "accident" slide?
No way.
If he’d won Lin Mo’s heart once, he could do it again.
Xie Guanyan better brace himself for another round of torment.
Back in the car, Gu Jingchuan texted his private investigator:
[Get me Lin Mo’s phone number.]
The reply came instantly: [50,000.]
His brows furrowed. Highway robbery.
But what choice did he have? He needed a way to reach her.
For Lin Mo, he’d already spent 100,000 just tracking her down.
After transferring the money, a message from his younger brother, Gu Jingzhou, popped up:
[Bro, did you go see that girl? What did you even say to her? She hasn’t texted me in two days!]
