The sudden warmth of a delicate body against his chest left Xie Guanyan’s mind blank.
His entire body stiffened as if struck by lightning, completely robbed of the ability to move.
As he watched the young woman’s face press against his chest, her body began to slide downward.
Just as he reached out to steady her, she was abruptly pulled away from his embrace.
Shen Yihan steadied Lin Mo, his brows furrowed in concern. "Sis! What’s wrong?"
Straightened back to her feet, Lin Mo’s consciousness slowly returned. She shook her head lightly. "It’s nothing. I haven’t slept in a day and a night—just too exhausted."
Shen Yihan let out a relieved sigh before turning to Xie Guanyan. "Mr. Xie, my apologies. My sister suffers from severe insomnia and didn’t sleep at all last night. She accidentally bumped into you just now."
Anyone who didn’t know better might think his sister was trying to pull a scam.
But Xie Guanyan truly lived up to his reputation as a gentleman of impeccable grace.
Even with a stunning beauty like his sister collapsing into his arms, the man hadn’t reacted at all!
Over the years, there had never been any rumors of women in Xie Guanyan’s life. The business circles of Jingbei even whispered that he preferred men.
Shen Yihan hadn’t believed it before, but now he was starting to.
Besides, back in high school, his sister had been adored by everyone.
The fact that Xie Guanyan had become her sworn rival probably meant he had zero interest in women.
It took Lin Mo a moment to realize just how embarrassing the situation was.
Her face burned red with humiliation.
Damn body, hold it together!
She lifted her head with an awkward smile. "Actually, that’s exactly why I came to see you today."
The lingering sensation of her touch still electrified his skin. Xie Guanyan turned away slightly to mask the flicker of emotion in his eyes. "Let’s sit and talk."
The living room featured a set of deep green leather sofas.
Lin Mo’s eyes lit up. "Xie Guanyan, you actually kept this sofa set?"
Xie Guanyan settled onto the couch, crossing his long legs and smoothing the hem of his shirt.
"It’s still functional," he replied casually. "Why?"
Lin Mo sat on the familiar sofa, running her hand over the surface. "You’ve taken good care of it. I had this custom-made in France at a hefty price."
Who would’ve thought her old rival, despite being a billionaire, still held onto frugal habits?
She remembered how his family hadn’t been well-off in high school—his uniform always washed to a faded hue.
Now, less than a meter separated them.
Xie Guanyan carefully controlled his gaze and breathing, keeping his tone neutral. "Was this villa originally yours?"
Lin Mo nodded. "Yes. That’s why I’m here—I’d like to buy it back."
She gestured to the dark circles under her eyes. "As you can see, I could pass for a panda at the zoo. Surely you don’t want your old classmate dropping dead from exhaustion?"
Her slender fingers pointed to the faint shadows beneath her tired yet clear eyes.
She hated resorting to emotional blackmail, but she was desperate.
Back in high school, she’d tried dorm life to save time but ended up sleepless for three straight days.
She’d collapsed in class and been rushed to the hospital in an ambulance.
Xie Guanyan had already noticed the faint discoloration under her eyes. His gaze lingered briefly before shifting to the glass coffee table.
"Sorry, but I’m not looking to sell the villa right now."
Shen Yihan took a seat as well.
With his sister and a true heavyweight present, he instinctively sat upright, hands resting on his knees, the black Buddhist beads on his wrist dangling slightly.
He chimed in, "Mr. Xie, the price is negotiable. We wouldn’t be bothering you if we had other options. This villa’s location isn’t ideal—hardly any neighbors, not much of a community vibe."
He paused, then added, "Ah, I forgot to introduce myself. I’m Shen Yihan, CEO of Starlight Group. We’re currently developing a luxury villa community—you might’ve heard of it. I can reserve the prime lot for you. It’s larger than this place, designed in Suzhou garden style, spanning ten acres. How does that sound?"
Lin Mo shot her younger brother a mental thumbs-up.
At least he was useful in a pinch.
Money, property—whatever Xie Guanyan wanted, they could offer.
The butler standing nearby was stunned.
This villa’s market value barely touched 200 million.
Starlight’s new luxury villas? Those started at a billion.
Only a fool would refuse!
"Apologies, but I’m not interested in selling," Xie Guanyan replied with a faint smile.
The butler: "…"
"Any particular reason?" Lin Mo leaned in slightly.
Her flawless face drew closer, her captivating peach-blossom eyes shimmering.
Xie Guanyan’s throat went dry. He picked up his teacup and took a sip, his Adam’s apple bobbing as he swallowed. His lips curved into a light smile. "Reason?"
The strikingly handsome man had deep, amber-like eyes, their true emotions obscured behind his glasses.
Lin Mo blinked, then understood.
Her old rival was asking for her reason—why she had to have it.
Of course. He didn’t need money.
To him, wealth was just a number now, meaningless to his lifestyle.
He hadn’t changed a bit since their school days.
Outwardly refined and gentle, yet coldly distant at his core.
She didn’t know how he treated others, but with her, it had always been this way.
Every time they crossed paths in school, his gaze would dart away as if she repelled him.
No surprise—there could only be one top student.
Watching her momentarily stunned expression, Xie Guanyan allowed himself a few more greedy glances before adjusting his glasses and lowering his eyes. "I’ve grown accustomed to living here. I’d rather not move."
Shen Yihan’s left hand unconsciously fiddled with the Buddhist beads on his right wrist, his brows knitting together.
This was trouble.
When money couldn’t solve a problem, things got complicated.
He glanced at his sister.
Lin Mo was equally stumped.
Xie Guanyan could’ve refused without explanation, yet he’d humored them with one—and a perfectly reasonable one at that.
If she were settled somewhere, she wouldn’t want to sell either.
Pride ran deep in Lin Mo’s bones. Even facing her now-illustrious rival, she felt no inferiority.
Her initial approach had been straightforward—she was willing to pay more, after all.
But now she realized her mistake.
She was the one asking for a favor. She needed to adjust her attitude.
Her peach-blossom eyes glimmered as she shifted closer to Xie Guanyan, adopting a more familiar tone. "Xie Guanyan, I doubt you even remember who I am. After my car accident, I suddenly ‘came back to life.’ Aren’t you curious how that happened?"
Eleven years had passed—some small talk before business was only proper.
She’d been too impatient.
The sweet fragrance of her perfume enveloped him. Xie Guanyan’s pulse quickened, his ears burning, his breath turning ragged.
This was the closest they’d ever been in their lives.
His gaze fixated on her face—her soft, rosy lips parting slightly, the faint glimpse of her pink tongue.
He couldn’t hear a word she was saying. Only one thought consumed him:
I want to kiss her…
The dark impulse seized him. Xie Guanyan clenched his fist, his nails digging into the half-healed cuts on his palm. The pain cleared his mind, and he forced his eyes away, murmuring, "Hm."
Conversations required back-and-forth.
Lin Mo had tossed out a question, only to receive a disinterested hum in return.
As if to say, "Oh, not that curious."
Lin Mo awkwardly rubbed her nose and continued, "Since we’re old classmates, I won’t lie to you. I traveled here from eleven years ago. Do you believe me?"
Shen Yihan’s eyes widened in shock—he never expected his sister to blurt out the time-travel secret so casually!
He hadn’t even told Jiang Tang yet.
The butler standing nearby frowned deeply, thinking this girl was spinning quite the tall tale.
Believing her time-travel story was as likely as believing he was the Emperor Qin Shi Huang!
Only a fool would buy that!
"I believe you," Xie Guanyan replied with a gentle smile.
The butler: "…………"
