Chapter 13

Chapter 13

Chen Mo's popularity had indeed risen recently. This was evident from the fact that people would turn their heads when he walked by, and most of his classmates would call him "Brother Mo" whenever they encountered him outside the classroom. As for those who sneaked to the experimental class just to catch a glimpse of the new school bully, they usually only saw the back of his head.

This school bully wasn't very intimidating.

Not only did he look lazy, but during breaks, he always did one thing—sleep.

And he really slept soundly.

"Sometimes I wonder if he didn't sleep in his past life?" Qi Lin occupied the second-to-last row, looking at Xi Siyan with a familiar expression, and pointed at Chen Mo, whispering, "He's been sleeping for at least half an hour since morning study, right?"

Xi Siyan glanced sideways.

All he could see was the boy's messy, fluffy hair under the light and the tips of his ears reddened by his elbows.

Xi Siyan withdrew his gaze and looked at Qi Lin, "Why do you care about this?"

"It's not just me who cares." Qi Lin grinned mischievously. "To be honest, before, most of the girls peeking around our classroom door were there to see you. Now, at least a third of them are here for Chen Mo. Seriously, how did no one notice before that Chen Mo is actually quite good-looking? He's even threatening your position as the face of Suicheng No.1 Middle School. Don't you feel any sense of crisis?"

Xi Siyan looked at him without any expression.

Qi Lin automatically shut up.

He muttered, "Can't mess with him," acknowledging that the corner of the classroom where they sat was like a sacred ground, with few daring to approach.

Just then, two tall idiots barged through the door, slamming it against the wall, which woke up the sleeping god next to them.

Qi Lin watched as the person rubbed their arm before raising their head, almost saying: "Exactly, this is the vibe—the sleepy, disgruntled look after being woken up is exactly what attracts girls."

Xi Siyan suddenly spoke, "Are there rats in the dorm?"

"Huh?" Chen Mo took two seconds to realize he was talking to him.

Chen Mo: "What rats?"

"If there are no rats, why don't you sleep at night and sleep all day?"

Qi Lin tried to engage Chen Mo, "Sleep God, I'm also curious. Where did you learn this skill to fall asleep on any table? Can I be your disciple?"

Chen Mo yawned, hiding his drowsiness, and said, "Give up on treatment."

"Huh? What?" Qi Lin didn't understand.

Chen Mo glanced at Xi Siyan, who stood beside him with crossed arms, and gave an example to Qi Lin, "For instance, your Brother Yan works hard every day to be the top student, bearing the expectations of teachers and the future of the family and country. To achieve all that, just give up."

A soft scoff came from the side.

Qi Lin, almost brainwashed, maintained his clarity, "Brother Yan isn't normal. Despite all that, his sleep quality is freakishly good. He goes to bed at eight on weekends and gets up at six, followed by an hour-long run."

"Wow, great." Chen Mo clapped sarcastically and lay back down, saying, "I can't do that. If I don't sleep enough, my brain will crash."

Qi Lin envied his mental state, almost wanting to drag him up.

He asked, "The competition in the experimental class is intense. Aren't you worried?"

"Nope." The person lying on his arm closed his eyes again.

"What about the college entrance exam? Doesn't that make you nervous?"

"Just thinking about having two more years until graduation makes me more anxious."

"Okay." Qi Lin played his trump card, "Don't you want to compete with Yang Shule? I've noticed he's been working extra hard lately, barely even bothering Brother Yan. Don't you want to prove yourself and make your family proud? Show those who say you got in through connections that they're wrong?"

Chen Mo opened one eye to look at Qi Lin.

Then he turned to the side, "Your friend is insulting me. Can you do something about it?"

Xi Siyan raised an eyebrow, "Am I his father?"

"He could be your son."

"Thanks." Xi Siyan said, "I don't have such a son."

Chen Mo looked back at Qi Lin mockingly, "Did you hear that, traitor? Listen to the questions you just asked. Are you insulting me? Now, stand up, go back, or crawl back. You choose."

Qi Lin was sprayed with words in that exchange.

It wasn't surprising that Xi Siyan wasn't human, but he was insulting Chen Mo? He asked if he wanted to work hard, and he said he was insulting him?

Who was insulting whom?

Qi Lin left in humiliation but quickly returned.

"Mountain biking in the South Hills this weekend, Brother Mo? Interested?"

Chen Mo was taken aback, "Inviting me?"

"Mm-hm."

Chen Mo remembered the rumors about someone dying in a car race in the South Hills and heard Qi Lin boldly say, "Compared to car racing, I think mountain biking, a popular sport for the elderly, suits you better. Let's race this weekend, and let Grandpa teach you what real humiliation is."

Chen Mo began to look suspicious.

Was this person really the same Qi Lin rumored to have slept with countless boys in Sui City's gay scene? This overwhelming straight vibe. Chen Mo thought he relied on his EQ, but now, was it because of his size?

Chen Mo's gaze involuntarily dropped, and he heard Xi Siyan speak again, "It's a club activity. If you don't want to go, don't."

"A racing club?" Chen Mo turned his head.

Xi Siyan glanced at him. "The cycling club that collaborates with the school is mostly made up of students."

Chen Mo hesitated, then nodded. "Then... let's go."

"Go?" Xi Siyan questioned. "I thought you preferred sleeping in on weekends."

Qi Lin, standing nearby, suddenly realized something and looked at Chen Mo, immediately starting to mock him. "Oh, right. I almost forgot we have to gather at six in the morning. Can you even get up?"

Chen Mo ran a hand through his hair and looked up. "Yeah, I can skip sleep. After all, my weekends are more about teaching you a lesson."

"Damn." Qi Lin lunged forward, as if ready to shake Chen Mo by the neck.

Xi Siyan kicked the table, which moved just enough to block Qi Lin's leg, preventing a potential scuffle between the two who seemed oddly familiar.

"Class is starting," Xi Siyan said, tossing the book for the next class onto the table, and asked Qi Lin, "Still standing here? Waiting for me to see you off?"

Qi Lin grumbled and walked away.

Chen Mo chuckled softly.

Before he could stop laughing, he noticed Xi Siyan still looking at him.

Chen Mo looked back.

Xi Siyan: "Having fun?"

"Who wouldn't find it amusing? He's so easily riled up, tall and strong, yet can't handle a little provocation."

Chen Mo didn't miss a beat, but in truth, going to Nanshan meant beautiful scenery, fresh air, and the chance to ride a bike—perfect for his ideal weekend.

Xi Siyan seemed to understand his true intentions and offered, "Someone who can't handle provocation won't give up until they get what they want."

After all, Qi Lin was known for being impulsive and combative on the field.

Looking at the person beside him, unscrewing the thermos on the table, a faint scent of chrysanthemum lingered...

Xi Siyan subtly pressed his temples.

He couldn't quite recall what Chen Mo looked like the first time they met.

It was probably amid a throng of people, through the heavy rain, with the eyes of a cornered beast as he was pinned down by the police.

Around them were backward villages and livestock pens.

The air was thick with the pungent smell of rain mixed with indescribable odors.

The tears of the Yang couple weren't entirely fake.

Perhaps it was Chen Mo's foster mother, a woman, screaming at the police while a man lay on the ground, beaten beyond recognition by Chen Mo—his foster father, Chen Jianli.

It was a complete farce.

Yang Shule, sitting in the car, was pale.

He asked, "A... Brother Yan, that's Chen Mo, right?"

Xi Siyan looked away, gazing at the car ceiling.

Even thinking it might be the last time. The old lady had a soft heart and insisted he come along.

The reality was as expected.

Whether Chen Mo had been ruined by his foster family was unclear, but one could see the abyss in his eyes. If the Yangs maintained a facade of peace, they might achieve temporary harmony. If not, this son they found clearly wasn't someone to be manipulated, and the outcome was unpredictable.

Yang Shule's voice trembled, as if speaking to himself or asking Xi Siyan, "Why? Why me? I don't have such biological parents; I will never acknowledge them."

Xi Siyan's tone was calm, almost mocking.

"Those who wonder why aren't just you."

That was his maximum reaction to the situation. The ties between the Xi and Yang families had already done their part in helping find the lost son. Beyond that, he didn't care.

Less than a month later, the Yangs indeed stirred up some trouble.

Withdrawing the lawsuit seemed like something the couple would do. Yang Zhi might be better suited to manage the Yang family, but in such families, pampering a seemingly obedient younger brother was more fitting.

Perhaps someday, at some event or gathering, they would witness the end of this drama.

Unexpectedly, they found a feverish Chen Mo in an alley behind an internet café.

His words were sharp and unkind.

Xi Siyan tried to recall when he had offended him.

Then he understood. Anyone who seemed connected to the Yangs was, in his eyes, unforgivable.

After that, things started to deviate from expectations.

The Chen Mo he saw afterward was the same, yet different.

You'd say he doesn't fight for anything, yet he never backs down. You'd say he's ambitious, yet there's no trace of it anymore. The change was subtle but noticeable.

Like now.

Today's highest temperature is 35°C.

The person who woke up early, too sleepy to stay awake, and engaged in a mutual attack with Qi Lin, now holds a plain blue-gray thermos, lowering his head to blow on it.

He took a small sip.

Burning his tongue, he muttered under his breath, "Damn!"

He took another sip.

Frowning, he mumbled, "This is so bitter. There must be something wrong with the instructions."

Xi Siyan held back for a long time before finally asking, "Is it absolutely necessary for you to drink this hot water?"

The person looked over.

"Like you guys, gulping down an ice-cold bottle of water while sweating buckets?"

Xi Siyan's lips twitched. "There might be something called room temperature water in this world."

"It won't work at room temperature; chrysanthemum tea cools the body. Want a pack?"

"No need."

Chen Mo and Xi Siyan had been desk partners for almost a week.

Excluding any possible future relationship with a certain Yang classmate, as desk partners, Chen Mo had no complaints about him.

Quiet, untroublesome, and good for copying homework.

After all, high school homework was truly overwhelming, and even if he knew how to do it, he really didn't want to waste his brainpower on it.

What was going on today?

Was drinking hot water bothering him now?

Holding the cup, Chen Mo looked at him suspiciously. "Jealous of my healthy lifestyle?"

Xi Siyan seemed to have heard some absurd joke.

He laughed out of frustration.

"Jealous of my cigarette and tea combo?"

"Ice packs for my face?"

"Drinking hot water late at night?"

Chen Mo: "...Shut up."

Two seconds later, the math teacher stepped onto the podium in her standard black mid-heel shoes, carrying a stack of in-class test papers.

She placed them on the desk with a dull thud.

"This test."

"The overall performance is satisfactory."

The thirty-something female teacher had her hair neatly tied back.

Her light gray professional suit made her look like she was encased in an unchanging shell, rigid and solemn, not bringing any joy.

"However, there are some people I need to criticize seriously today."

As soon as she said this, the classroom buzzed with murmurs.

And as if he had anticipated it, Chen Mo met the teacher's piercing gaze and heard her say, "Chen Mo, 125 points. This score is just barely acceptable in our experimental class, but tell me, how did you solve the last problem?"

"Is there a problem with my solution, Teacher Bai?" Chen Mo slowly rose from his seat.

His eyes appeared nonchalant, but they were already clouded with a layer of gloom.

Bai Suxiu was also Chen Mo's math teacher in his previous life.

Chen Mo still remembered those words.

—Yang Shule has always excelled academically, winning numerous awards in various competitions. He didn't even accuse you of cheating and helped smooth things over! What about you?

That wasn't an in-class test; it was Chen Mo's first monthly exam after transferring to No. 1 High School.

In his previous life, he hadn't lived on campus either.

As the math class representative, Yang Shule explained to Bai Suxiu, "Teacher Bai, it was my mistake. I accidentally took the math test home yesterday."

In the teachers' office, Bai Suxiu accused him matter-of-factly, "Chen Mo, the difficulty level at No. 1 High School is not like your previous school. A score of 149, identical to the class representative's, and the same wrong question. Tell me it's a coincidence? If you apologize today, I'll let this go."

There was no way he would apologize.

That day, Zhou Yaoqing was called in.

Dressed elegantly, her face full of remorse, she said, "I'm sorry, Teacher Bai. It's my fault for not disciplining the children properly."

Bai Suxiu softened her tone. "I know what kind of child Shule is. This isn't his fault. For someone like Chen Mo, wanting to improve is good, but he needs to do it the right way."

"Yes, yes."

On the ride home that day.

Zhou Yaoqing spoke cautiously, trying not to hurt his pride, "Xiao Mo, I didn't tell your father or brother. They would be very angry if they knew."

Chen Mo sneered, "You should tell them."

Because of this remark, Zhou Yaoqing concluded that he was guilty and immature.

Later, Chen Mo's grades in all subjects steadily improved, except for math. He simply couldn't focus on any of her classes anymore.

The final score difference on the college entrance exam was also due to this.

Today.

It felt like history repeating itself.

Yet, there were some differences.

Chen Mo still remembered the last big problem.

For someone who had taken advanced mathematics in university, the extra problem wasn't difficult. Without much thought, he wrote down the solution steps.

Chen Mo thought he would be accused of cheating.

However, perhaps due to the shadows of past events, Bai Suxiu said, "You submitted your own papers. The class representative's paper was on the podium, and someone saw you writing on it. Moreover, your solving process is exactly the same as theirs. This content isn't even taught in high school."

She was almost directly accusing him of plagiarism.

"Who saw it?" Chen Mo asked.

The classroom fell silent.

Chen Mo scanned the room, "I'm asking, who saw me copying someone else's paper while writing on the podium?"

This was the first time Chen Mo showed such clear emotion in class.

Everyone had almost forgotten that this new transfer student, who usually slept through class, had beaten up a group of people and sent them to the hospital just a few days ago.

Bai Suxiu sternly said, "Chen Mo, who are you threatening? If you didn't copy someone else's answers, what were you writing?"

Chen Mo sneered, "The question was too easy; I was afraid it might scare the teacher, so I deliberately made several mistakes. Is there a problem with that?"

"You're being unreasonable!"

A hand suddenly pressed onto Chen Mo's tensed shoulder.

The palm was broad, and the fingers were long and slender.

The index finger gently tapped his shoulder twice, conveying a subtle message of calm.

Soon, the person beside him stood up.

"I watched him finish the last problem, Miss Bai," Xi Siyan said nonchalantly. "The answer was one-half, and he revised it once. In the remaining half-hour, he drew a... turtle next to the extra problem."

Someone in the class couldn't help but burst out laughing.

Bai Suxiu picked up the topmost paper and flipped through it.

Her face turned grim.

Chen Mo looked at Xi Siyan, wondering if his eyesight was 5.0.

Xi Siyan spoke again, even with a smile, "So, Miss Bai, shouldn't you apologize to the student you wrongly accused?"

At that moment, the entire class fell silent.

Only Yang Shule, sitting in the front row, tightened his grip on his pen after hearing Xi Siyan's words.

In fact, this math teacher was not well-liked.

Most students disliked her rigid teaching style, but Chen Mo knew she would continue teaching math in the experimental class until graduation.

Chen Mo also knew that Bai Suxiu suspected him of cheating because she had heard about his relationship with Yang Shule and assumed he had ulterior motives. She didn't believe a student from a backward county high school could solve such a problem.

The atmosphere became tense, and Chen Mo knew she wouldn't apologize.

This time, Chen Mo tugged at Xi Siyan's sleeve.

Xi Siyan grunted in acknowledgment, looking puzzled.

Chen Mo let go and looked at the podium.

"For the next monthly exam, if I place in the top ten of the grade, I stay. If not, the teacher stays."

Chen Mo simply didn't want to deal with a main subject teacher he despised every day. This disdain had been building up for a long time, many years, and countless faces flashed through his mind whenever he recalled it. He had hoped to get through this quietly, but now he felt like he had eaten something foul and needed to vomit.

Whether she goes or he goes, one of them had to leave.

Of course, it was likely to be him.

The math teacher's face turned livid, clearly not expecting Chen Mo to be so audacious.

The whole class fell into an eerie silence.

"Do you need a written report?"

Only the class monitor, acting as if no one else was present, mocked Chen Mo, "Your words don't count."

This could be interpreted as saying Chen Mo was overstepping his bounds.

However, those who had known Xi Siyan for a year or two understood that their class monitor was determined to protect Chen Mo.