Chapter 32

Chapter 32

Chen Mo woke up the next day and stared at his phone, which showed a nearly five-minute video call with Xi Siyan from last night. He was lost in thought. How did the call end? Oh, right, Xi Siyan said he had to go to the training base today and needed to sleep early.

As for how the conversation about self-pleasure got sidetracked, Chen Mo couldn't remember anymore.

He only felt that Xi Siyan was indeed an expert at changing the subject.

Chen Mo got out of bed, washed up, and left the room.

The entire villa was quiet.

Until a voice came from behind: "Excuse me."

Chen Mo looked at Yang Shule's sullen face and greeted him cheerfully, "Good morning."

That greeting made Yang Shule's eyes fill with disgust and confusion.

He asked, "How can you act like nothing happened after what you did?"

"I didn't act like nothing happened," Chen Mo raised an eyebrow. "I didn't pretend we were brothers or anything; I think I handled it pretty well."

"You!"

"Ah." Chen Mo interrupted, "Don't make me swear this early in the morning."

Yang Shule's face turned red as if he were constipated.

He looked up at the other end of the corridor and called out, his tone filled with frustration, "Brother."

Yang Zhi walked over, asking, "What's going on?"

Yang Shule replied, "Ask him."

But Chen Mo had already gone downstairs without even acknowledging Yang Zhi.

Yang Zhi shifted his gaze from the descending figure to Yang Shule, speaking calmly, "Shule, what did I tell you last night?"

This question made Yang Shule's eyes flicker.

His eyelashes lowered slightly, "I know he's not someone to mess with, and I haven't been deliberately provoking him. But Brother, before he went to boarding school, things weren't like this."

Yang Zhi asked, "What were they like then?"

Yang Shule looked up, "At least Mom and Dad didn't always argue because of him, and you never made me back down without understanding the situation regarding Chen Mo."

Yang Zhi frowned deeply, "I was there for everything that happened yesterday."

"Brother, do you really think I'm being unreasonable?" Yang Shule looked at Yang Zhi, trying to find the familiar indulgence or guilt in his eyes, but found none. He continued, "It was him who forbade my friends from using the pool, and when he was accused of plagiarism by his teacher, it ended up seeming like it was all my fault. Why I drifted apart from my friends and couldn't stay in the advanced class—this family isn't one where I can't tolerate him; it's where he can't tolerate me."

Yang Zhi had little patience for this matter.

But he still consoled him, "You're overthinking it. He doesn't plan to come back anyway."

"Isn't that exactly what he wants?" Yang Shule looked straight at Yang Zhi, "He will ruin the Yang family. That once perfect family."

Yang Zhi smiled, as if comforting a child.

"You have to accept the reality, Shule. He has returned, and that can't be changed."

Yang Shule lowered his head.

The line of his jaw tensed slightly.

Is that so? Can't be changed?

Since he was five years old, he had started to realize something.

Mom only used him to keep Dad around. She refused to accept the failure of her marriage, so whenever Dad had some scandal or wouldn't come home due to work, she made him call Dad. And Dad would always come back because the second child had restored the relationship with the Zhou family.

They seemed to love him, yet not quite.

For over a decade, he carefully maintained the integrity of the family.

Pouting, cajoling, pleasing everyone.

He once believed he was an excellent son, keeping the Yang family together.

And Yang Zhi, this older brother, Yang Shule knew he was cold.

But what did it matter? He liked him and enjoyed playing the role of a good older brother in a seemingly perfect family. That was enough.

But now, everything was ruined.

Chen Mo had won the favor of the Zhou family, and even coming out was overlooked due to his connection with the Xi family. This was what Yang Shule could not bear, even more than Yang Zhi starting to care about Chen Mo despite his inherent coldness.

Xi Siyan.

What did Chen Mo have that he didn't?

Chen Mo had no idea what was happening behind him after he went downstairs.

During breakfast, Yang Qi'an and Zhou Yaoqing finally came down.

After a whole night, the couple seemed to have no intention of reconciling, their faces cold toward each other. This made the atmosphere at the dining table stiff and awkward.

Chen Mo didn't care.

From the previous experience, the household staff seemed to be a bit afraid of him.

This morning, breakfast was set up close to him. A bowl of milky white fish soup was at a comfortable temperature, and before he could finish it, someone came forward to replace it.

Chen Mo sat alone, slowly eating. The only sound in the entire dining room was the slight clinking of his spoon against the bowl.

Perhaps because he ate so obliviously, Yang Zhi was the second person to pick up a spoon.

This made the others seem more conspicuous.

Yang Qi'an, who had intended to assert his authority as the head of the family and wanted to lecture Chen Mo about yesterday's incident, found himself unable to speak. In the end, he asked instead, "Xiao Mo, you and that child from the Xi family..."

"Dad," Yang Shule interrupted.

Yang Shule said, "It's just a rumor. You know Grandpa and Grandpa Xi have some old ties, and our families have maintained contact over the years due to this connection. When I was in school, Xi Siyan took good care of me. It's fine if outsiders spread rumors, but if we talk about it openly within the family, it might cause misunderstandings when it reaches the Xi family."

Yang Qi'an coughed awkwardly.

He did indeed have a project that he wanted to connect with the Xi family, but the old man refused to act as an intermediary in such matters. No matter how desperate he was, he didn't want people to know he was trying to use his son.

So he reluctantly reined in his emotions and turned to Yang Shule, saying, "Since they've been so considerate to you, you should invite them over for meals more often."

"Dad," Yang Shule poked his bowl, "I'm no longer in the experimental class."

After saying this, he glanced at Chen Mo again.

Yang Qi'an remembered how these two sons had been at odds in school, and now, pressured by the project, he said to Chen Mo, "You went too far with this. What can't brothers get over? Making such a scene for outsiders to mock us."

Chen Mo listened to this father-son duo and almost laughed.

He finished the soup in his bowl.

When he saw the bottom, he put down the bowl and said to Yang Shule, "I remember you chose to go to the regular class yourself?"

Yang Shule replied, "If I hadn't been forced out, do you think I would have wanted to?"

Yang Qi'an paused and said, "Yes, if he hadn't been forced out, why would he go to the regular class?"

"Indeed," Chen Mo nodded, wiped his mouth, stood up, "Was it me who forced you out?"

Yang Shule hesitated, "I didn't say that."

"Good."

Chen Mo pulled back his chair, waved to the servant, and had them bring his backpack.

Slung it over his shoulder, then said, "I'm done eating, so I'll leave first."

Saying he would leave, he didn't move.

Then, seeing everyone looking at him, he added, "Oh right, Xi Siyan probably hates being used. Dad, don't invite him over for dinner. And brother, stop mentioning 'A Yan' at the dinner table. Fix this habit; I'm seriously suggesting it. Goodbye."

A Yan.

Even after sitting in the car, Chen Mo still tasted the name on his tongue.

He had only heard Xi Siyan's uncle call him that.

Now hearing it from Yang Shule felt completely different from his past life. Before, he thought it indicated a deep and intimate relationship. After all, he had never called him that himself. Now, it just seemed too deliberate and awkward.

Probably because he had become too familiar with Xi Siyan recently.

Chen Mo arrived at school just as the bell for morning study rang.

The desk beside him was still as it had been, with two new test papers lying untouched on the surface.

Chen Mo put his bag down and casually stuffed the test papers into Xi Siyan's desk.

He had left early with Xue Ping from the class.

Many students in the experimental class were preparing for competitions, even though it was only their second year. There were various subjects like chemistry, math, and English. This highlighted the difference between the experimental and regular classes.

In this environment, Chen Mo felt neither pressure nor emptiness, yet something felt off, especially facing the empty seat beside him all day.

He never fell asleep during breaks anymore.

Even when resting, he would quickly get up when the bell rang.

The weather in Sui City changed rapidly. Within a week, students went from wearing two layers to sweaters, and finally, down jackets under their uniforms.

Chen Mo dressed warmly throughout the winter, often mocked for looking like he was going into hibernation.

Another day, lunchtime arrived.

Lao Gou invited him to the cafeteria.

It was drizzling outside, and the wind suddenly felt biting.

"Damn, it's cold," Lao Gou stomped his feet as soon as he came downstairs.

Chen Mo urged, "Let's hurry, or we'll end up eating cold food again."

Lao Gou led the way, cursing, "Those freshmen! They run faster than wild dogs every day at lunchtime, making life hard for us old folks, especially for you, who can't stand the cold."

Chen Mo kicked him in the butt with his leg wrapped in knee pads.

"Stop complaining. Not asking you to bring my food back to the classroom is already my last act of kindness."

Lao Gou quipped, "Thank you, Your Highness."

"Isn't that a eunuch?"

"Bullshit, no."

Halfway through, Qi Lin and his group caught up.

"Mo Ge, going to eat in the rain?"

Chen Mo was speechless: "Am I supposed to ascend to immortality if I don't eat?"

"No, what I mean is, why are you still going to the canteen yourself? Any of us could bring food for you." Qi Lin walked beside him, sharing half of his umbrella. He only wore two layers for style, shivering as he spoke: "Sui City's winters come suddenly every year, it's freezing. Yan Ge specifically told me to keep an eye on you before he left."

Chen Mo was taken aback, "He told you to watch over me?"

"Yeah, he said you haven't experienced a winter in Sui City and he's worried your leg might not handle it well."

The conditions at the competition training camp were less convenient than at school when it came to using phones.

Chen Mo didn't feel like it had been too long since he last saw anyone, as Qi Lin and his group always mentioned his Yan Ge whenever they had the chance. But hearing this, he was momentarily stunned.

Qi Lin added, "After all, he found a traditional Chinese doctor to treat your leg. If he comes back and sees you limping, he'd be furious."

"I grew up in a place even colder, it's fine." Chen Mo ignored the odd feeling and asked, "Is the competition training camp really that bad?"

A guy next to Qi Lin chimed in, "Of course, I participated in my first year but got eliminated halfway through. It was winter when we went, damn, if you weren't quick enough, you had to wash your face with cold water at night. That wasn't about competing; it was purely about forging iron willpower."

The group of guys burst into laughter, starting to vent their complaints.

Chen Mo waited for the laughter to subside, "That must have been tough."

"In fact, it's probably just this one time, within the province, so the conditions are a bit worse." Another person added, "With Yan Ge's abilities, he'll definitely make it to the national competition, and the environment will get better each time. He'll meet some of the country's top competitors."

Someone sighed, "Indeed, they're a different breed."

In truth, these people who were saying "a different breed" were already among the top students preparing for the college entrance exam.

Chen Mo couldn't help but marvel at the disparity in the world.

By the time the group reached the canteen, the line was already quite long.

Due to walking, his knee brace had slipped down a bit, so Chen Mo bent down to pull it up.

As he stood up, he suddenly noticed something about to poke him in the face.

The cameraman held the camera without stepping back.

This student's face truly holds up well on camera.

In the lens, the person wore a short white down jacket, a plaid scarf, and rain-dampened hair clinging to his face, making his complexion appear especially pale.

His gaze towards the camera was icy cold.

Staring straight ahead, he asked with a harsh tone, "What are you doing?"

Before the cameraman could explain, he marveled that with this face, the promotion for this year's full-documentary event would likely be more than sufficient.