Chapter 35

Chapter 35

Xi Siyan crossed the road, stepping closer to Chen Mo. Amidst the cacophony of honking cars, Chen Mo could hear the faint rustling of snowflakes hitting the umbrella.

Soon, half of the black umbrella was over his head.

Xi Siyan's gaze swept over his slightly damp hair and shoulders, asking, "Why didn't you bring an umbrella?"

"Did you just get back today?" Chen Mo asked at the same time.

After asking, Chen Mo answered first.

"I forgot." Then he added, "It stopped raining when school ended, and I didn't think it would snow... pellets."

Xi Siyan seemed amused by his deliberate emphasis on the word, knowing that Chen Mo had grown up in a place where winter snow could reach his calves.

The umbrella in Xi Siyan's hand tilted a bit more towards him.

He glanced back at the path Chen Mo had just come from and explained, "Sui City does have heavy snow some years, but it's just New Year's Day. Even if there is any, it wouldn't be now."

As he finished speaking, he looked away and said, "Let's go."

Chen Mo was puzzled. "Where?"

Xi Siyan glanced at him and said, "Are you planning to stay at school for the three-day New Year's break?"

"That was the plan," Chen Mo replied as they walked side by side to the traffic lights. "Lao Gou and the others originally planned to go to a place called Icefield Town for the holiday. They said there were many New Year's events and a ski resort, but I didn't want to join the crowds, so I declined."

Just then, the light turned green.

Xi Siyan stepped off the curb first, holding the umbrella and turning to wait. "I happen to be going there. They asked me to bring you along."

Chen Mo was a bit surprised. "Didn't you just get back?"

"Icefield Town isn't far," Xi Siyan chuckled. "Mainly because my preliminary competition results were good, and they wanted me to treat them."

Chen Mo commented, "Pretty cheeky."

He didn't ask Xi Siyan about it because he knew that "good" meant winning first place in the city-level competition.

Not only the city-level competition, but also the national competition followed, and he even had to participate in the International Physics Olympiad. In his previous life, Chen Mo thought he would continue down this path, but in fact, he gave up his admission offer and went abroad smoothly. A few years later, he returned to take over the vast Xi family business and did exceptionally well.

For someone from the Xi family, how could there be only one path in life?

No matter what choice he made, it would be something ordinary people could never catch up to.

Xi Siyan asked, "Are you coming? It's one of the few chances you have to take advantage of me."

Chen Mo still asked, "When will the training for the national competition start?"

"Probably after the new year."

Chen Mo nodded to show he heard.

Knowing that starting from the second half of the semester, there would be fewer opportunities to see him at school.

By now, they had reached the car. Xi Siyan opened the rear door and held it open gentlemanly, gesturing for him to get in. "Get in the car, or we'll arrive too late."

"I haven't said I'm going yet," Chen Mo stood by the door, looking down at himself. "Besides, I didn't bring anything."

Xi Siyan gently pulled him, reminding him to get in first.

"Just buy what you need there," he said directly.

After the car had already driven several hundred meters,

Chen Mo finally realized.

Looking at the person beside him who was resting with closed eyes, he said, "Don't tell me you never intended to take me back to school?"

Xi Siyan opened his eyes and looked over.

Raising an eyebrow, "I came specially to pick you up. Are you sure you don't want to go?"

The interior lighting was dim.

Chen Mo looked into Xi Siyan's eyes and noticed a hint of genuine fatigue.

"Didn't sleep well?" he asked.

"Mm," Xi Siyan raised his hand to pinch his temples, smiling helplessly. "I've been working on an experiment for almost two days straight. So, Mo Ge, can you be a little touched? I need to rest for a bit."

Chen Mo was speechless.

Whether to go or not didn't make much difference to him, but he couldn't possibly ask him to turn back now.

His phone buzzed with a message from Lao Gou.

Lao Gou: "Where are you?"

Chen Mo: "...How did you know I was coming?"

Lao Gou: "The class monitor asked where you were. I said you weren't here, and he said to bring you along."

Chen Mo: "Didn't you guys ask him to bring me?"

Lao Gou: "Does it matter?"

Chen Mo: "..."

Lao Gou: "Anyway, when Brother Yan is on the job, even if you were hibernating underground, he'd probably dig you up no matter what."

Chen Mo: "Thanks a lot."

Chen Mo wasn't particularly afraid of the cold; he just disliked all the troubles and discomfort that winter brought. For example, the aching in his knees and the constant coldness in his hands and feet. No amount of medicinal baths seemed to help.

The car's heater was running strong.

Leaning against the backrest, Chen Mo felt drowsy, especially with a superhuman who hadn't slept for 48 hours right beside him.

Uncle Lin drove smoothly.

Chen Mo had no idea when he fell asleep.

He only woke up due to the bumps, feeling a numbness in his neck and shoulders. When he got up, he realized he had been sleeping head-to-head with Xi Siyan, with most of his head resting on Xi Siyan's shoulder. Xi Siyan, with his arms crossed and long legs barely stretched out, must have been even more uncomfortable than Chen Mo.

However, Xi Siyan was still asleep. Chen Mo glanced at the wrinkles on his clothes and subconsciously patted them flat.

In the next second, his wrist was caught.

Xi Siyan opened his eyes, his voice still hoarse from sleep: "What are you doing?"

"Being so alert?" Chen Mo motioned for him to let go. "I'm just taking care of the clothes I paid for and asking how they feel on you."

Xi Siyan sat up, moving his shoulders, frowning as if sharing Chen Mo's discomfort.

Then he looked at Chen Mo: "Should I take them off for you to try?"

Chen Mo: "No need to be so literal."

By then, it was already dark outside.

Icefield Town was over a hundred kilometers away from Sui City and colder. It was nearly eight o'clock in the evening, and snow had already settled on the roadside grass, unlike in Sui City where it melted upon landing.

They were likely approaching their destination as traffic became denser.

Chen Mo asked Uncle Lin, the driver, "Have you been here before?"

"Often," Uncle Lin said with a smile, looking back at Xi Siyan and then at Chen Mo. "Didn't Siyan tell you? The Xi family has a resort here. The winter tourist flow breaks records every year, it's very lively. There's an Ice Fire Festival, ice sculpture hotpot, amusement parks, New Year bonfire parties—there's plenty to do."

Chen Mo looked at Xi Siyan's unresponsive face. "So we're on your home turf. The others don't know, do they? If they did, they wouldn't be pestering you to treat us."

"Hmm, they don't." Xi Siyan replied while feeling his pockets.

Chen Mo: "Looking for something?"

Xi Siyan quickly pulled out a medal and tossed it into Chen Mo's lap as casually as if it were a pack of tissues.

"I left in a hurry and didn't go home, so this is all I have."

Chen Mo picked it up and examined it under the light, giving a puzzled sound.

"For me?"

"Just play with it."

"Bribing me?"

"Can it bribe?"

Chen Mo looked it over a few times and put it in his pocket.

He smiled: "Then I'll see how Brother Yan treats guests on his own turf."

Sure enough, the group from school had indeed booked the Xi family's resort.

This resort had been recently expanded over the past two years, situated halfway up a mountain, rivaling luxury hotels in first-tier cities. At night, it was brightly lit, with a fountain pool on the dam offering a panoramic view of the town.

Chen Mo took the medal Xi Siyan had tossed him, just playing along.

And the Xi family's wall of honor was likely already full, so they wouldn't think much of this small item.

But Xi Siyan really treated himself like a tourist.

Upon entering the resort, they registered and checked in.

When leaning on the front desk to ask for Chen Mo's ID, Lao Gou and Qi Lin came out of the elevator wearing disposable slippers.

"Class President? Finally back."

"Mo!"

"You should have called when you arrived, sneaking in quietly."

Lao Gou looped an arm around Chen Mo's neck. "I knew you'd come. You should get out more, right, Brother Yan?"

Lao Gou turned to Xi Siyan for agreement.

Xi Siyan handed over Chen Mo's ID, smiling: "Yes."

"Hey, don't give it, don't give it." Lao Gou noticed Xi Siyan's action and rushed over, snatching the ID back. "We already booked rooms for you. But they're all double occupancy. You wouldn't believe the reviews online about the great service and environment. Who knew the prices would be so outrageous, especially during holidays. These rich capitalists are heartless."

Chen Mo looked at someone who grew up in a capitalist household, raised an eyebrow, and agreed: "Yeah, pretty heartless."

Chen Mo held back a laugh.

Qi Lin and the others came downstairs to eat.

They had just arrived and didn't join them.

Chen Mo followed Xi Siyan upstairs and, after seeing the elevator stop at the fifth floor, realized he had forgotten to get the room card from Lao Gou.

He called him.

The corridor, carpeted from the elevator, made no sound as they walked.

Chen Mo followed Xi Siyan's footsteps, speaking into the phone as he walked: "Which room are you in? Room 502, right... No, you didn't give me the room card; I'll just get it from the front desk... There are two people in 502? Why didn’t you tell me earlier..."

Before Chen Mo could finish, the person in front of him suddenly stopped.

He bumped into him.

After entering the villa, Xi Siyan had taken off his coat and was holding it in his hand. At that moment, he was wearing a white cotton undershirt. When Chen Mo collided with him, he felt the warmth of his body.

He was stunned for a moment, then looked up: "What?"

Xi Siyan paused for two seconds, looking at Chen Mo's still confused face.

From Chen Mo's phone, Lao Gou's voice continued, "Yeah, I'm sharing a room with Jiang Xu. He insisted on staying up all night gaming with me. Brother Mo, you’ll have to share with the class monitor. The rooms have two single beds. The class monitor doesn’t like guys, but if you pretend I’m there, I believe the two of you will be perfectly innocent even if you hug each other."

Chen Mo was exasperated.

Before he could think of how to respond, a hand reached out and took his phone.

Xi Siyan hung up the call for him.

With his other hand, he swiped open the door on the right, pushed it open, and leaned against it.

Xi Siyan asked about the phone call: "Have you two hugged before?"

Chen Mo rolled his eyes: "Listen to him ramble."