The night was deep, and the spacious villa held only two people, so quiet that their breaths were audible.
The man’s voice was magnetic and soothing, flowing gently into Lin Mo’s ears like water, seeping into her heart.
Her long, curled lashes trembled slightly.
She lifted her glass and took a sip of red wine, the rich flavor spreading down her throat.
A few seconds later, the corners of her lips curled into a faint smile. "I’m not unhappy."
Just deeply sad.
Sad that such a thing had happened to her fourth brother, sad about Auntie Zhen’s suffering, sad that so many families were still enduring that kind of despair.
"You can show your sadness too," Xie Guanyan said.
Lin Mo’s peach-blossom eyes widened slightly. "Do you have mind-reading powers?"
How did he always know what she was thinking?
Xie Guanyan adjusted his glasses with his slender, elegant fingers. "It’s not hard to guess. Everyone has emotions. Anyone in your situation would feel sad."
"You can let your emotions show—at least in front of me."
As he spoke the last sentence, his heart pounded violently, and his palms grew inexplicably damp.
Lin Mo had never drunk alcohol before, knowing it could cloud her mind. She disliked the feeling of losing control.
But tonight, she indulged herself.
Her tolerance was low.
After just one sip, her head already felt a little dizzy.
The man’s words lingered in her ears, sending a tingling current through them, making the tips burn.
She took another sip and blinked. "Really?"
Her delicate, fair face was now tinged with a faint blush, her peach-blossom eyes glistening with a hazy wetness.
Xie Guanyan’s Adam’s apple bobbed uncontrollably, though his hand holding the glass remained still.
He wouldn’t let himself touch alcohol.
Because he feared he might do something irrational.
Suggesting they drink was only to help her release some of her pent-up emotions. The way she suppressed them made his heart ache unbearably.
At an age when others were carefree, enjoying the best years of their lives,
his "Shining One" had already become an unbreakable warrior.
Since crossing over eleven years ago, she had grown apart from her peers. She had no friends left.
Her college entrance exam scores were useless—she had to start her education all over again.
The rival she once saw in him had already achieved fame and success, while she had nothing.
Just listing these things was enough to make anyone miserable for a long time.
But she never showed it. She accepted reality quickly, calmly rearranging her life.
Even when barely keeping herself together, she still searched for her long-lost fourth brother.
Her strength was undeniable—but what about her fragility?
The thought made Xie Guanyan’s heart feel pierced, a dull, throbbing pain spreading through him.
Since her return, the only time he had seen her visibly down was during a basketball game at their old high school.
Because of Gu Jingchuan.
With her brothers absent, she had only let a fraction of her emotions slip.
Perhaps, in her heart, she felt she could show her feelings in front of Gu Jingchuan—they were in a relationship, after all.
But she could also show them in front of him.
What he loved had never been just the radiant, sunny version of her.
He loved her as a whole—flaws and all.
Someone who could be happy or sad, strong or vulnerable.
Xie Guanyan gazed at the girl before him, emotions surging in his eyes.
But the question was—what identity did he have to let her reveal her feelings without hesitation?
"Yes!" The girl suddenly answered her own question, nodding emphatically.
Xie Guanyan’s heart lifted slightly, his breath growing warmer.
Did she see him as a friend now?
"We’re rivals. Why would I care about my image in front of you?"
Xie Guanyan: "..."
The corners of his lips stiffened before curving into a faint smile. "Mm."
Different paths, same destination. It didn’t matter.
The moment the beautiful man nodded, something in Lin Mo’s mind seemed to snap.
Tears spilled uncontrollably from her eyes.
"My fourth brother is so pitiful… Auntie Zhen is so pitiful… Those traffickers deserve to die! I want to smash them!"
She sobbed between words.
Large teardrops splashed onto the sofa, turning the green fabric a deeper shade.
"I miss Mom and Dad… I miss them so much…" Her voice grew increasingly choked.
Xie Guanyan had wanted her to cry it out—to release her emotions.
So he sat silently beside her, watching as she wept.
But behind his glasses, his eyes were filled with unconcealed heartache.
He raised a hand to pat her back but stopped halfway, restraining himself. Instead, he handed her a tissue.
Lin Mo cried harder and harder, until a snot bubble popped out.
The last shred of her rationality made her cover her face with her hands. "Oh my god!"
Her other hand stealthily reached for more tissues on the table.
Good grief! She had said she didn’t care about her image, but this was too embarrassing!
It was impossible not to laugh at the sight of her hiding her face while fumbling for tissues.
By the time Lin Mo wiped her nose clean, she caught the man stifling a laugh.
She glared at him, tilting her chin up defiantly, her voice slightly hoarse from crying. "Hmph! Laugh if you want! I don’t care!"
Her tear-filled eyes shimmered, her fair nose now adorably red, utterly unaware of how captivating she looked.
The glare from her peach-blossom eyes held no intimidation—it was more like a kitten batting at someone with its soft paws, only making them itch.
In the end, he couldn’t hold back.
A soft chuckle escaped his throat, his chest vibrating slightly with it.
She had said he could laugh, but now that he did, Lin Mo was displeased.
The alcohol made her impulsive. She stood abruptly, grabbing Xie Guanyan’s tie in warning. "Oh, you’re really laughing? I’ll remember this, you jerk!"
Her sudden closeness caught Xie Guanyan off guard.
He was seated; she was standing.
With his tie in her grip, he had no choice but to tilt his head up to look at her.
The warmth of her breath, carrying the scent of red wine, brushed against his face.
Heat surged through his entire body. His hands, pressed against the sofa, sank deeper into the cushions, the veins on his pale knuckles standing out starkly.
Lin Mo had never seen Xie Guanyan from this angle before.
He was over a head taller than her.
At this proximity, she could clearly see his long, thick lashes behind his glasses, his straight nose bridge, and the faint tea-colored mole at the tip.
Her throat suddenly felt dry. Her gaze drifted lower.
His lips came into view—beautiful, petal-like.
Thin, slightly red, soft.
They looked… very kissable.
Her sadness was abruptly replaced by a different kind of emotion.
Her heartbeat quickened, pounding so loudly it nearly deafened her.
"I’m sorry. I was wrong."
The usually untouchable man tilted his head back, his lips parting slightly as he spoke in a soft, pleasing voice. His pale, alluring Adam’s apple bobbed—utterly mesmerizing.
Lin Mo blinked, then huffed haughtily. "That’s more like it!"
She released his tie, though her pulse refused to slow. "I’m going to bed now. Crying made me tired!"
Xie Guanyan didn’t stop her, his voice strangely restrained and husky. "Mm. Goodnight."
A glass of red wine still hadn't robbed Lin Mo of her ability to move. She quickly dashed upstairs, the light tap of her footsteps fading, leaving only a faint trace of her delicate fragrance behind.
She didn’t notice the unnatural flush on Xie Guanyan’s face, nor the overwhelming desire darkening his eyes.
As the young girl’s figure disappeared from sight, he lowered his gaze and spoke coldly, “Behave. If you keep acting like this, sooner or later, you’ll scare her away.”
Little Xie Guanyan: “…”
