Chapter 59

Chapter 59

Due to Xi Siyan's fever, they missed the initially arranged ride, and Uncle and Auntie wouldn't let them leave. However, they coincidentally ran into Maozi and his gang, and in the end, they returned to town on motorcycles.

Before leaving, Chen Mo watched Xi Siyan place a stack of cash under the pillow in the second-floor room.

Chen Mo did not stop him; he knew that Xi Siyan was giving this money not because they stayed overnight and ate something but because of himself—he was paying for him.

They arrived back in town around eleven in the morning.

Chen Mo treated Maozi and his gang to lunch. Since Xi Siyan had a solid constitution and took some medicine, his fever had basically subsided by the time they reached town, so he followed along as well.

He was just a bit coughy.

"Have some of this tea; it'll soothe your throat." Chen Mo seated everyone at a small restaurant, picked up a pot of buckwheat tea from the round table, poured a cup, and placed it in front of Xi Siyan.

Xi Siyan pulled out a chair, sat down, and took off his mask.

In that instant, Chen Mo could clearly sense the shock on everyone's faces around the table.

Chen Mo leaned over, moved closer to Xi Siyan, and whispered, "Your face is quite charming everywhere we go, Brother Yan."

"Brother?" Xi Siyan glanced at him, "Am I not your little brother?"

Chen Mo cleared his throat, sat back, and didn't respond to that.

Everyone at the table except Chen Mo and Xi Siyan were mostly high school students still studying in the county. Their topics were usually about those things. The pressure at the county high school wasn't as intense as Suicheng No.1 Middle School, with low college admission rates each year. Many like Maozi planned to work after graduation.

"Hey, Brother Mo," Maozi said, supporting himself on the table, "aren't you going back to school to take a look? Our high school renovated the teaching building and the playground last year; there have been significant changes."

"No," Chen Mo replied.

He only studied there for a year, so he didn't feel much nostalgia or sentimentality.

Maozi: "That's a shame. A lot of old classmates still remember you."

"Remember me?" Chen Mo was puzzled, "For what?"

For disappearing every now and then to do odd jobs?

Or for always being either fighting or on the way to a fight?

A boy next to Maozi chimed in, "Brother Mo, you must misunderstand yourself. I'm a freshman, one year behind you. When I entered school, I often heard your name."

Xi Siyan rinsed the chopsticks with hot water, handed them to Chen Mo, and asked on his behalf, "What did they say about him?"

"He's handsome," the boy said with admiration, "they say our school used to have a senior who got promoted directly from junior high to high school. Not only were his grades excellent, but he was also unbeatable in fights. Girls from neighboring Minnan High School would come to our school gate every day, betting on who would become Brother Mo's girlfriend."

Xi Siyan raised an eyebrow.

Chen Mo looked embarrassed and puzzled, "Is that true??"

"Yes!" Maozi nodded affirmatively, adding fuel to the fire in this unexpectedly passionate atmosphere, "But Brother Mo, you were quite intimidating back then, so few dared to talk to you. But girls liked that, right?"

Maozi didn't forget to seek agreement from the two girls at the table.

The girls wore heavy makeup of poor quality.

One of them, who seemed more outgoing, immediately smiled and said, "Yes, I'm from Minnan. Everyone thought you were very handsome. One of my friends even had a crush on you. She said you were different from those pretentious boys. She tried to catch your attention many times at your part-time job, but the only two sentences you ever said to her were 'thank you' and 'excuse me, can you move?' She was so frustrated she ended up liking someone else."

When Chen Mo heard these words, he didn't turn to look at Xi Siyan's face.

Not because he felt awkward.

It was simply that he felt like he was listening to someone else's life story.

Having experienced over a decade of adult life, he could now clearly understand that certain youthful infatuations were indeed unique. His days filled with emotional turmoil and life's uncertainties became a symbol of his individuality in others' eyes, creating a strange feeling. It was as if recalling this period of his life added a new dimension to its inherent darkness.

Perhaps it was a form of reconciliation with his real self at sixteen or seventeen.

People need to move forward and look ahead.

"Brother Xi," Maozi continued the conversation, not forgetting to inquire about Xi Siyan, "does Brother Mo have many admirers at school now?"

Xi Siyan slowly put down his chopsticks and nodded, "Yes, he does."

"I told you, see!" Maozi clapped his hands, "Brother Mo, do you have a girlfriend now?"

Chen Mo subconsciously glanced at Xi Siyan and swallowed the food in his mouth.

He answered, "No."

As for a boyfriend, he might have one.

But Chen Mo had no intention of proclaiming his homosexuality here, nor would he tell anyone about his true relationship with a certain "little brother."

A hidden, slightly mischievous thought emerged within him.

In the bustling little restaurant in the remote town at noon, he nudged the person next to him with his knee. When Xi Siyan gave him a warning glance, he continued to hook his foot around the other's ankle.

However, Chen Mo soon forgot this little incident.

Throughout the meal, Xi Siyan spoke little. Chen Mo, mindful of his condition, quickly wrapped up the meal.

After sending Maozi and his gang away, when Xi Siyan asked where they should go next, Chen Mo touched his forehead and said, "Let's go back to the hotel; you're still sick."

Xi Siyan had no objections and held out his hand.

Chen Mo looked down for a moment, then without hesitation, took his hand.

In the afternoon, the two of them stayed in the hotel without going out.

Before coming here, Chen Mo had already informed Su Qianran and Old K, so no one was looking for him. Lao Gou's group chat was still lively, with everyone talking about what they did over the summer and where they went.

Chen Mo scrolled up, reading while talking to Xi Siyan.

He mentioned that Qi Lin had finally appeared in the group chat, joking around normally, showing no signs of the incident from before.

When his grandfather called, Chen Mo noticed that Xi Siyan had already fallen into a light sleep, his head tilted against the pillow.

"Grandfather?" Chen Mo answered, lowering his voice.

Yang Congxian rarely called him personally; the last time was when Chen Mo severed ties with the Yang family. After learning of Chen Mo's determination, he surprisingly did not oppose it. He even had his financial manager transfer some money to Chen Mo, but Chen Mo didn't accept it.

The old man's voice through the phone sounded normal as he asked, "I heard you've returned to the Chen family?"

"Yes," Chen Mo didn't hide it. "There wasn't much to do during the break, so I came here."

"With the child from the Xi family?"

Chen Mo glanced at Xi Siyan again and softly affirmed.

Then he asked, "What is it, Grandfather?"

Yang Congxian: "You two..."

The old man's hesitation made Chen Mo pause, saying nothing.

Changing the subject, the old man sighed and continued, "Since you have the resolve to leave the Yang family, I have absolute confidence in your future. But my child, you can't live in this world alone. You face not only the Yang family but also colleagues and bosses in society, and your old friends and classmates. You're smart; you should understand what I'm saying."

Though the old man didn't say it outright, Chen Mo understood.

This was giving him an exit strategy.

Chen Mo got up from the sofa, glanced at Xi Siyan, and entered the bathroom.

He closed the door, frowned, and then said, "Is something else happening?"

It couldn't just be the half-guessed, half-made-up rumors from school; the old man wouldn't call specifically because of those.

"Do you know about the child from the Xi family going abroad?" The old man sighed, continuing on his own, "What kind of family is the Xi family? Even when our Yang family was at its peak, we couldn't compare. Friendship is friendship, but your father was confused. A family like the Xi family, which values face so much, if that child had grown up with his parents, it would be different. But he's the one your Grandfather Xi values most. Getting involved with him now isn't good."

Chen Mo didn't care about the Xi family's background.

Xi Siyan had clearly stated more than once that he had no intention of going abroad.

Chen Mo explained, "He won't go abroad. His school applications are already..."

"Xi Jianxing has gone missing abroad."

The old man's words left Chen Mo speechless, "Missing?"

"Missing is a good way to put it." The old man didn't intend to hide it. "In fact, he encountered malicious retaliation from competitors abroad and is currently in grave danger. The Xi family's overseas businesses have also suffered significant blows. The Xi family sent many people to search and chose to suppress the news. Your Grandfather Xi is seriously ill, the eldest son's focus is elsewhere, and the extended family relationships are complex. The Xi family will take three to five years to recover from this blow. That child... he doesn't have a choice, nor do you. Do you understand?"

Chen Mo leaned against the sink.

His mind was in turmoil.

In his previous life, Xi Siyan went abroad because the Xi family found out about his sexual orientation and sent him away.

Was it because of this?

The old man's special call wasn't to criticize Chen Mo and Xi Siyan's relationship but to remind him.

And given such a major event, Chen Mo hadn't heard Xi Siyan's phone ring immediately, indicating he hadn't received any notifications or messages. Clearly, the Xi family knew about Xi Siyan's whereabouts but didn't directly intervene due to the old friendship between their families.

This was the Xi family's stance, maintaining dignity while cutting off all retreat.

Chen Mo felt suffocated.

He looked up at the person in the mirror, young, but those eyes reminded Chen Mo of his past self.

There was a madness and determination to overturn everything.

But he was no longer that person.

When he came out of the bathroom, his eyes were already calm.

The old man had said, three days.

This was the final deadline set by the Xi family.

Before that,

Chen Mo selfishly decided to extend this holiday until the very last second.

When he came out, Xi Siyan was still asleep, his cold making his sleep deeper than usual.

Chen Mo took his temperature.

It was slightly rising, currently at 38.1 degrees Celsius.

"Xi Siyan," Chen Mo sat beside the bed, holding a glass of water and nudging him. "Wake up and take your medicine before sleeping."

Xi Siyan grabbed his wrist, opened his eyes, and spoke with a slightly hoarse tone, "I thought I heard you on the phone just now. Who called?"

Chen Mo paused, then naturally replied, "My grandfather."

"Mm." Xi Siyan didn't ask further, placing his hand on his forehead. "When we get back to Sui City, I'll go with you to see him."

Chen Mo had a fleeting impulse to tell Xi Siyan directly, after all, it involved a life. But if fate didn't go awry, years later Chen Mo would remember that he had heard news about Xi Jianxing.

At least it proved that this time there was no danger to his life.

After weighing the options, Chen Mo opened his mouth but ultimately said nothing.

"What are you spacing out for?" Xi Siyan took the medicine with Chen Mo's help, then took the water from him and placed it on the bedside table before asking.

Chen Mo came back to his senses, "Nothing, just thinking about where to go tomorrow."

Xi Siyan looked at him, frowning unconsciously, "Do you have something to say?"

This guy, his perceptiveness is terrifying.

Chen Mo pulled the blanket up to Xi Siyan's chin, pressing both sides and said, "Yes, I want to say you're running a fever again. Sweat it out, look how weak you are."

As soon as he finished speaking, Xi Siyan threw off the blanket, pulled him onto the bed, and wrapped him up.

"Weak?" he asked.

Chen Mo pressed against his chin, blinking suspiciously, "Not weak?"

Xi Siyan's hand threatenedly pinched Chen Mo's waist.

Chen Mo reacted strongly, bouncing up slightly but not escaping.

Their breaths mingled in the close space.

They looked at each other, the air seeming to freeze.

Xi Siyan lifted the blanket to let him go, but Chen Mo reached out to hold him, placing his other hand on Xi Siyan's shoulder, tapping lightly and leaning in to say, "I suddenly remembered another way to break a sweat, want me to help?"

As soon as he finished speaking, the hand around his waist tightened, making him grunt softly.

Xi Siyan's gaze was filled with danger and scrutiny, lowering his head to Chen Mo's ear, his voice rumbling from his throat, "You can?"

Chen Mo did not answer.

His hand moved downward, slipping under the shirt hem, finally disappearing at the edge of the loose black shorts.

As Xi Siyan frowned and tilted his head back, Chen Mo licked his Adam's apple, fearless, "You say, I do."