Chapter 57

Chapter 57

Before meeting his "girlfriend," Qi Lin was already in a bad mood. He suffered a thousand cuts while inflicting eight hundred on the enemy; the other party stole everything but left him with just his underwear. According to Xi Siyan, it was typical karma. Of course, the other party had deceived him first, which was indeed malicious and deeply hurt the heart of an innocent young man.

Chen Mo genuinely doubted Qi Lin's sexual orientation, even though Qi Lin refused to admit that he had developed feelings for someone during those few days.

"He will go astray."

On the swaying bus, Chen Mo said to Xi Siyan beside him, "Are we really going to let it be?"

Xi Siyan looked over and asked, "What kind of astray?"

Chen Mo was momentarily at a loss, hesitating for a few seconds before saying, "For example, if he can't think straight and ends up with a messy private life..."

"The Qi family won't let it slide."

Xi Siyan's tone was calm. Seeing Chen Mo's disbelief, he continued, "You probably don't know, but the Qi family is very strict. Qi Lin may seem carefree, but he acts like a mouse seeing a cat when he's around his father. He wouldn't dare. Besides, it's not hard to find the person, but didn't you notice? He was loud about it but clearly hesitated when it came to calling the police. He doesn't want the other person to go to jail, nor does he seem interested in recovering his belongings."

Chen Mo was taken aback.

He hadn't thought of that.

Qi Lin had spent more than a day with the other person.

Apart from what Qi Lin had recounted himself, no one knew the details.

So how did those rumors start in Sui City last time?

Chen Mo had seen Qi Lin twice as an adult in certain occasions. His demeanor was indeed different from now, completely embodying the playboy persona. However, despite the rumors, he never seemed to have anyone by his side.

Having been a victim of those rumors himself, Chen Mo decided to let it go since Xi Siyan was so certain.

After all, Xi Siyan definitely knew more about Qi Lin and the Qi family.

It was already mid-August.

The summer vacation was mostly over.

On the day of departure, it was a sunny day with clear skies. After getting off the high-speed train and boarding the bus, it was nearly noon.

There were many people on the bus, and the old bus had a characteristic smell that made one dizzy after prolonged exposure. Chen Mo opened the window, letting the summer breeze rush in, feeling the swaying bus driving along winding roads, giving a sense of refreshing ease.

From Baima County to the town, people kept getting on the bus along the way.

The passengers spoke loudly in dialect, discussing trivial matters, entirely different from the atmosphere of big cities. Watching someone carrying a live chicken and a basket, squeezing Xi Siyan with nowhere to stand, Chen Mo couldn't help but smile.

"Let's switch seats." Chen Mo suggested.

Xi Siyan moved the chicken cage in the aisle and said, "No need."

But the woman with the chicken noticed and loudly said, "Hey, don't mind, young man. This is a black chicken I bought from the city for my grandson. He's about to enter high school and has been taking extra classes during the summer, working very hard."

Xi Siyan shook his head, "It's fine."

"Looks like you're students too? Just finished extra classes and heading home?"

Seeing this kind of enthusiasm, Chen Mo leaned out and smiled, "Yes, seniors, just finished extra classes."

"Oh," the woman nodded, "That's tough."

She then muttered to herself, "They look like they're from the city."

Xi Siyan glanced at Chen Mo, "Seniors just finished their college entrance exams, where did you take extra classes?"

"If I didn't say that, she'd ask about your entire family tree," Chen Mo nudged his arm, "They're quite enthusiastic. You should be on some beach or in a five-star hotel, but I insisted on coming here. You'll have to bear with it."

Xi Siyan raised an eyebrow, "Who says vacations must be at the beach or hotels? Don't think too much. The purpose of this trip is to be with you, not where we go."

The further the bus went, the more familiar the scenery became.

During his three years of junior high and one year of high school, Chen Mo traveled this road every month.

To others, he had only been away for a year.

In fact, he had been gone for a whole decade.

Chen Mo said he wanted to come back and see, but he had no specific destination in mind. After all, the old house of the Chen family wasn't really a home, and there shouldn't be anyone there after both parents were imprisoned.

So the first thing Chen Mo did upon arriving in town was to take Xi Siyan to the only decent hotel in town and check in.

Ten kilometers from this small town was a famous tourist spot in Baima County, known for its pleasant climate. Many people came here to escape the summer heat each year. Chen Mo initially worried there might be no rooms left, but the front desk said they were lucky; someone had just checked out early that morning.

A standard double room.

The environment looked clean.

It was two o'clock in the afternoon.

Chen Mo led Xi Siyan to a noodle shop he remembered for lunch.

"I've been here before," Xi Siyan said, sitting on a small stool by the roadside, blending into the bustling scene.

Chen Mo looked up, puzzled, and hummed in response.

Xi Siyan pointed to the breakfast shop nearby and said, "Just over a year ago, the reporters and local officials arrived early in the morning. It was still dark and raining, and the guide said it would take another hour to reach Yuhuai Village. Only that breakfast shop was open. The local officials sent someone to buy breakfast, and I got two buns and a cup of soy milk."

Chen Mo felt a strange sense of time and space displacement.

Stepping back into this place after ten years, listening to Xi Siyan recount the details of his brief visit over a year ago.

It seemed as though he knew the place far more intimately than Chen Mo did.

The feeling that someone else shared his memories, taking away some of the indescribable complexity.

This made Chen Mo recall related scenes from his memory.

"How was the taste?" Chen Mo asked.

Xi Siyan seemed to think for a moment, "Forgot. I didn't eat much; just remember the soy milk was very strong."

Chen Mo smiled, "That's a pity. Their buns are actually quite good."

Xi Siyan stared at his face for a while.

"Yes, it is a pity. I should have tried them."

After finishing lunch,

they encountered a tricycle heading to Yuhuai Village. Chen Mo decided to take Xi Siyan there again.

The road leading to Yuhuai Village had only been built a few years ago and was a dead end. Apart from the occasional vehicles from the villagers, there were hardly any passing cars on this road.

The tricycle was noisy, and the driver, an uncle from the neighboring village, did not recognize Chen Mo.

They chatted briefly along the way, with Chen Mo simply saying they were visiting relatives.

Xi Siyan sat opposite him in the back of the tricycle. The ride was bumpy due to uneven ground and stones. Chen Mo hadn't ridden such a vehicle in years and exclaimed softly several times. Seeing Xi Siyan's hair slightly disheveled from the wind and his slightly stiff face after a couple of jolts, Chen Mo thought his adaptability was surprisingly stronger.

The uncle dropped them off at the village entrance and refused to accept the money Chen Mo insisted on giving him. Chen Mo secretly placed it in a corner of the cargo bed.

He had only planned to take a quick look around.

But before he could even move from under the big tree at the village entrance, he heard, "Chen Mo? Is that you?"

Chen Mo turned around.

He saw a middle-aged woman carrying a basket of vegetables a few steps away. After a few seconds of recognition, she tentatively called out, "Auntie?"

"Oh my, it really is you! Why didn't you say anything when you came back!" The woman, excited by the familiar greeting, grabbed Chen Mo's sleeve and looked him up and down, saying, "You've changed, grown taller and fairer. Auntie almost didn't recognize you."

Chen Mo let her hold onto him, smiling slightly, "How have you been?"

"Good, good, everything's fine." After calming down, she looked at the tall young man beside Chen Mo and asked, "Who is this?"

"He's my classmate, Xi Siyan." Then turning to Xi Siyan, "This is Auntie who used to live next door. She's the mother of Xiao Hei I told you about."

"Hello," Xi Siyan greeted politely.

The middle-aged woman wiped her hands nervously and smiled, "Hello."

At this moment, four or five people, men and women, carrying hoes, walked over from a nearby path.

Compared to Xiao Hei's mother's genuine warmth, these people's excitement was real but their words were purely polite, perhaps even a bit probing and gossipy.

"Is it really Chen Mo? You've changed so much. It's true what they say, your parents' genes are amazing, being from the city and all."

"Indeed, didn't Chen Jianli and his wife also go to the city to enjoy life?"

"No way?" They continued chatting amongst themselves, "Can we trust what Chen Jianli says?"

"It's true. My sister-in-law's brother works in Sui City doing renovations. For a while, Chen Jianli kept drinking with him, saying he was filthy rich and admitted it was thanks to the Yang family."

"How generous. A little bit of their wealth would be enough for us commoners to live our whole lives."

"Exactly. Chen Jianli even said he recognized his son. With his character, who would have thought he'd have a son destined for greatness, better than us."

Upon hearing this, someone turned to Chen Mo.

"Chen Mo? Why are you alone? Aren't your parents here?" The person then looked at Xi Siyan, "Is this Chen Jianli's biological son? Doesn't look like it. I remember he didn't look like this a year ago..."

Xiao Hei's mother finally couldn't stand it anymore.

She spat twice, "What nonsense are you spouting! Always talking rubbish."

Without waiting for anyone to respond, she pulled Chen Mo and Xi Siyan away, saying she wanted them to stay for dinner.

Away from the others,

Auntie cautiously asked Chen Mo, "Tell me the truth, did Chen Jianli really go to the city to find you?"

"No," Chen Mo reassured her, "He's in jail."

Xiao Hei's mother was shocked, her eyes widening, "Really?"

"Really."

"That bastard, he deserves it!"

Chen Mo explained that the Chens were the only ones with their surname in Yuhuai Village, having no relatives. And Chen Jianli usually hung out with a bunch of unreliable people. While they might drink and brag together in Sui City, they wouldn't know the full story.

That's why even though Chen Jianli and Li Yunru's verdicts had come out, the villagers were still unaware.

Chen Mo and Xi Siyan couldn't refuse the invitation and went to Auntie's house.

Her husband had injured his leg at a construction site three years ago and had a slight limp. Seeing Chen Mo and Xi Siyan, he hurriedly went to pick some green beans from the field, saying it would add another dish for them.

Xi Siyan offered to help.

"Where's Xiao Hei?" Chen Mo asked after entering and not seeing anyone. "Shouldn't he be on vacation too?"

"He stopped going to school long ago." Auntie said irritably, "He said studying was too stressful. Half a year ago, his uncle used connections to get him an apprenticeship at a barbershop in the county. Now that he's busy, he hasn't come back for months."

Chen Mo was taken aback and said, "Then he achieved what he wanted. At least this is something he chose for himself."

"That's because he's not ambitious. Unlike you, who always had good grades and could earn your own tuition fees by middle school. That troublemaker, if it weren't for you fighting for him, who knows how badly he would have been bullied." With that, Auntie stood up immediately, "I need to call him. He'll be thrilled to know you're back; he might even take a day off to visit."

"Auntie," Chen Mo quickly held her back, "Don't call him. We're leaving soon and won't stay long. It's too much trouble to make him come back specially."

Auntie hesitated, "In the year you've been away, he often talked about you."

She then sat down again, "Well, Chen Mo, don't blame me for being blunt, but you shouldn't have come back. What's there to remember about Chen Jianli and Li Yunru? And this poor village, you don't belong here. Why come back after leaving?"

Chen Mo smiled, "What I remember isn't them. I remember you, Uncle, and Auntie, the little stream in front of our house, and the big locust tree at the village entrance. If it weren't for you saving me when I was young, I wouldn't be alive today."

The warmth of the blanket wrapped around him during that snowy day lingered in Chen Mo's memory.

Back then, he couldn't face himself or look back with enough peace of mind.

Auntie's eyes welled up with tears.

She cursed, "It's those two who lost their hearts and minds."

Chen Mo smiled and pulled out a tissue from the table to hand to her.

When he turned back, he saw Xi Siyan standing at the door, silent and unmoving.

After the conversation ended, Xi Siyan entered and said, "Uncle told me to grab another bag."

"Yes, yes," Auntie quickly went inside and brought out another bag.

Chen Mo could sense the awkwardness Auntie and Uncle felt around Xi Siyan.

After all, he clearly didn't belong here, standing out like a sore thumb.

Moreover, they had forgotten that Xi Siyan had actually been here before, and his demeanor now was completely different from the fleeting impression he left last year, making it impossible to connect the dots.

After dinner, the sun had set.

Since there were no vehicles here, Auntie and Uncle insisted they not leave.

Chen Mo and Xi Siyan decided to leave early the next morning.

At dusk, Chen Mo accompanied Uncle in the courtyard, occasionally talking about Xiao Hei's current situation. Chen Mo also shared some trivial details about himself—his studies, target universities, future plans.

The atmosphere was harmonious.

Inside the lit room, Auntie took the basket from the young man and pointed to the courtyard, saying, "I haven't seen him this happy in a long time."

Xi Siyan knew she was referring to her husband.

Seeing Xi Siyan listening attentively, Auntie began to chatter, "He really likes Chen Mo. He always says that kid is special. When he was young, oh, those memories break my heart. Chen Jianli and his wife treated him like a stray cat or dog. He was so thin you could see his ribs. Uncle and I thought about taking him in, but we couldn't, living in this rural area. So we secretly gave him food and necessities. That kid is sincere, supporting himself and earning a living under Chen Jianli's nose. By middle school, he could beat Chen Jianli so badly that he was cursed as an ingrate, but he's far from that. Three years ago, when Uncle hurt his leg in the county, he gave us all the few thousand yuan he earned from working..."

Squatting on the stone steps in the courtyard, Chen Mo stroked a yellow kitten.

The light from the room cast a fuzzy glow on his head.

Xi Siyan watched him for a long time.

For some reason, he felt like he had stood in this spot before, hearing these words.

But there was no one chatting with the homeowner on the steps.

This inexplicable feeling left him feeling empty and uneasy.

"Is this like the one you used to have?"

Hearing the familiar voice behind him, Chen Mo instinctively replied, "Which cat? I never had a cat."

Realizing his slip, he froze, thinking, "Oh no."

That time, he had dreamt and mentioned Ada, a stray cat he supposedly had, which Xi Siyan mocked him for naming fashionably.

Embarrassed, Chen Mo turned around, stood up, and tried to act nonchalant.

"Oh, you mean that one? It ran away after a few days. I forgot about it when you suddenly mentioned it."

Xi Siyan suddenly waved him over, "Come closer."

"What for?" Chen Mo was puzzled.

But he still stepped forward, only to be pulled into Xi Siyan's chest and hugged tightly.

Chen Mo, startled, whispered, "What the hell, are you crazy?"

As he struggled, he heard Xi Siyan exhale deeply.

"What's wrong?" Seeing that Uncle and Auntie hadn't noticed, Chen Mo relaxed slightly and asked, "I told you, you're too pampered, always..."

He didn't finish his sentence.

Because Uncle, who had been listening to the radio, turned around and asked, "What's going on? Why are you hugging? Chen Mo, is your friend having any problems? Come, tell Uncle."

Chen Mo opened his mouth, unsure how to respond to this sudden concern.

It was Xi Siyan who spoke.

He naturally let go of Chen Mo, but his left hand still stayed around his waist.

"Uncle, it's fine. I'm afraid I won't be used to sleeping alone at night, and Chen Mo didn't want to share a room with me."

"Chen Mo." The uncle immediately scolded him like an elder, frowning: "That's not right of you. Your classmate has come such a long way with you. Have Auntie move the bed later. It's understandable that you're not used to the countryside. It might be a bit hot, but you'll have to make do."

Chen Mo glanced at Xi Siyan: "Really not used to it?"

"Mm." Xi Siyan said calmly: "Sleep with me tonight."

Chen Mo spat: "Bullshit."