Sunlight streamed through the gaps in the curtains, spilling onto the pale green bedsheets.
A girl's fair, jade-like arm stretched out from under the covers, slender and delicate.
The entire scene resembled a richly colored oil painting.
"Buzz! Buzz!"
Her phone vibrated twice abruptly.
Lin Mo cracked her eyes open slightly and reached for the cool device.
It was a WeChat message from the so-called "Buddha of the Capital Circle."
[Sis, I’m boarding the plane now.]
[Landing around 11. See you at the hospital.]
Tossing her phone aside, Lin Mo was about to go back to sleep when she suddenly froze. She bolted upright in bed.
She hurried to the bathroom for a shower.
It came back to her—last night, she’d had those kinds of dreams all night long!
And the subject of those dreams? Xie Guanyan.
Warm water cascaded over her body as Lin Mo lightly smacked her own cheek.
That man was the untouchable, noble flower atop the highest peak—how could she defile him in her thoughts?
So inappropriate!
Speaking of which…
Lin Mo’s mother had given her the birds-and-bees talk early on, wanting her to protect herself.
Now that she was an adult, she wasn’t ashamed of such things—just the target of her dreams was problematic.
After all, he had absolutely no such feelings for her!
"This isn’t entirely my fault. The red wine bears most of the blame!" Lin Mo consoled herself.
Still, she had to admit, after crying her heart out last night, she felt lighter, as if she’d purged some lingering heaviness from her body.
She couldn’t remember the last time she’d sobbed like that.
Though it would’ve been better without the snot bubbles…
Downstairs, she found Xie Guanyan in the kitchen again, preparing breakfast.
Today’s menu: classic Beijing-style minced pork noodles, so fragrant it could knock you off your feet!
Lin Mo ate quickly, mostly because her conscience wasn’t entirely clear.
As she headed out, Xie Guanyan’s gaze lingered on her retreating figure.
She’d showered this morning—her scent carried the crisp lemon of her body wash.
She never showered in the mornings. Why today?
Was her room’s AC malfunctioning, making her sweat?
He’d have to check later.
Watching the girl get into the car, Xie Guanyan stood and made his way upstairs.
The housekeeper swiftly cleared the table, unfazed.
The master hand-washed Miss Lin’s clothes every morning before work.
The bedsheets changed every three days, the neatly folded clothes in her closet—all handled by Mr. Xie.
Long-term staff here knew what to keep to themselves.
Sometimes, the butler envied Xie Guanyan.
At least the master could wash the clothes of the girl he loved. He didn’t even have that privilege!
Shen Yihan hadn’t arrived in Beijing yet, so Zhang Nan came to pick up Lin Mo instead.
Noticing the fresh scent of body wash, Zhang Nan asked, "You showered this morning?"
Did something happen…?
No no no! She couldn’t let her imagination run wild! Control yourself!
Lin Mo nodded, improvising, "Yeah, I woke up feeling a bit hot."
Zhang Nan’s gossipy instincts itched. Eyes darting as she drove, she ventured, "So you and Mr. Xie…?"
Lin Mo replied, "He’s my landlord. I rent the place from him."
Zhang Nan hadn’t expected that. The sudden collapse of her newly shipped CP left her deflated.
"I thought you turned down Gu Zhongdeng because you were dating Mr. Xie."
Lin Mo didn’t elaborate, texting her fourth brother instead.
[I’ll be at the hospital soon. What do you guys want for breakfast? I’ll bring it.]
The fourth brother replied quickly: "Sis, no need, I've already bought some."
Zhang Nan continued her musings, the sweet smile fading from her lips. "Well, if you were dating Mr. Xie, Gu Zhongdeng definitely wouldn’t keep pestering you!"
Lin Mo smiled faintly. "Gu Jingchuan probably won’t come looking for me again either. It’s not like he’s short of girlfriends."
At the hospital, Lin Mo met Ji'an and Auntie Zhen.
To ensure Auntie Zhen and the fourth brother could rest properly, Lin Mo had booked a VIP ward.
Auntie Zhen looked much better today.
Ji'an handed a bag to Lin Mo. "Sis, this is for you."
Lin Mo took it and peeked inside, her eyes instantly lighting up. "Honey buns from Guansheng’s? Do people still have to queue for these?"
She hadn’t expected the shop to still be around after eleven years.
She had always loved them back then, and the second brother would often line up for her, sometimes with the fourth brother tagging along.
But whenever the fourth brother went, only half the buns would make it home.
Taking a bite, she smiled with her eyes closed. "Still just as delicious!"
The unease hidden behind Ji'an’s bangs faded. He had been afraid his sister might not like them anymore. Shaking his head, he said, "There’s hardly any queue now."
Lin Mo noticed he hadn’t eaten a single one from the bag, but she didn’t feel happy about it.
"Let’s eat together," she said with a smile.
The sweet aroma of honey buns filled the ward, creating a warm and cozy atmosphere.
Lin Mo didn’t rush the fourth brother to return to school.
There was no hurry—he could wait until after meeting the second brother.
"I want to see the rooms first before choosing which ward to stay in," Li Huanyu declared.
She’d had a bit of bad luck. Early that morning, on her way to an event, her car had been rear-ended, leaving her with a minor fracture in her arm.
This hospital was nearby, so she came here.
Another reason was that this hospital belonged to Gu Jingchuan’s family—which meant it was practically her family’s hospital.
Gu Jingchuan had already spoken to the director.
Naturally, the director was eager to accommodate Li Huanyu’s requests. "Of course, I’ll have the head nurse show you around."
Li Huanyu followed the head nurse through the VIP wards on the top floor.
Suddenly, through a slightly ajar door, she caught sight of a familiar face.
Still as delicate and beautiful as ever, chatting cheerfully with someone in the bed.
A cold glint flashed in Li Huanyu’s eyes. "I want this one!"
The head nurse hesitated. "Ah, but... this one’s already occupied."
Ignoring her, Li Huanyu—one arm in a sling—used her good hand to push the door open.
The sound of the door swinging open drew everyone’s attention.
With a scornful smile, Li Huanyu announced, "I’m taking this ward. Move to another one."
Lin Mo frowned slightly but didn’t speak yet.
Zhang Nan recognized Li Huanyu and realized this was deliberate retaliation for the humiliating incident when she’d been kicked out of Starlight Group.
The whole company knew about that.
Rolling her eyes, Zhang Nan retorted, "You’re ridiculous. We were here first. You can’t just demand we move. What, is this hospital yours?"
Li Huanyu raised an eyebrow. "Actually, yes. It is."
