Chapter 67

Chapter 67

"You, what?" Xi Siyan subconsciously paused, causing the surrounding air to become even more tense.

Chen Mo's heart skipped a few beats inexplicably as he looked up seriously. "I'm hungry. I haven't eaten much since this morning. Do you have time? I'll treat you."

The eerie atmosphere instantly vanished.

Xi Siyan looked down at Chen Mo's hand covering his stomach under his clothes and frowned deeply.

He made two calls, one to order food and another to call a doctor for Chen Mo. However, Chen Mo stopped him. After confirming that Chen Mo's condition wasn't serious, Xi Siyan took him away from Huanshang.

The driver was Xi Siyan's current chauffeur.

Lao Lin had retired two years ago, and now it was Xiaolin, Lao Lin's nephew, who drove.

Xiaolin had just started his job.

He was a very enthusiastic young man. Seeing his boss bring someone along, he watched as they walked side by side—one calm and composed, the other gentle and courteous. Both were young, and just walking out of Huanshang drew many glances.

"Mr. Xi," Xiaolin asked after both got into the car, "where are we going next?"

"Juxiangzhai," Xi Siyan replied.

"What is that place?" Chen Mo asked from beside him.

Driver Xiaolin immediately responded, "It's a famous private dining restaurant in Sui City. My uncle said that Mrs. Xi used to love the food there and often hired their private chefs to prepare meals."

That place only served regular customers.

Most people didn't even know about it.

When he first started, Lao Lin had specifically told him that Mr. Xi was particularly concerned about privacy. So he couldn't help but be curious about the person his boss brought there, thinking their relationship must be special.

But looking through the rearview mirror, it didn't seem like it.

They sat separately, with his boss on the phone handling an urgent matter since getting into the car, while the person beside him didn't try to disturb him or show interest in the details of his work, instead chatting with the driver.

"My name is Chen," the other person smiled, revealing good manners, and introduced himself, "from NewTech."

"Mr. Chen, nice to meet you," Xiaolin nodded in greeting.

Two seconds later, Xiaolin suddenly turned back in shock. "NewTech? And your surname is Chen too? Are you telling me you're Chen Mo, the CEO who created the R2D concept?"

The other person smiled. "Am I that famous?"

"Really?" Xiaolin murmured, still in awe.

Smart technology was a field mostly explored by the young, but the realization of R2D products truly benefited the general public.

Xiaolin complimented sincerely, "Someone like Mr. Chen will surely have great fortune in the future."

"Thank you for the good wishes," Chen Mo smiled.

Having the chance to start over was already great fortune; he feared he might not be able to handle it again.

Just then, a motorcycle suddenly cut in front of them without slowing down, causing Xiaolin to slam on the brakes in surprise.

"Bang!"

The seatbelt jerked him forward and then snapped him back into his seat.

Xiaolin, still shaken, turned around anxiously.

"Mr. Xi, Mr. Chen, I'm sorry, are you...?" He apologized hurriedly.

His question stopped abruptly when he saw the situation in the backseat.

Because the usually reserved Mr. Xi, who had been occasionally responding with "mm-hm" on the phone, now had one hand on the backrest of the passenger seat and the other arm tightly around Chen Mo's shoulder, pressing his head against his neck, protecting him in a full embrace.

His reaction was swift, and his face looked grim as he turned to ask, "What happened?"

Xiaolin stuttered, about to explain, but then noticed the person pressed against Mr. Xi's chest lifting his head, his face slightly flushed from the sudden impact, and his breathing unsteady.

He explained for Xiaolin, "I saw it happen. The motorcycle didn't follow the rules."

Xi Siyan checked his shoulders, serious. "Are you sure you're not hurt anywhere?"

"I'm really fine," Chen Mo said, gesturing for him to let go.

Chen Mo instructed Xiaolin, "Find someone to handle this. I saw the motorcycle crash into the flower bed. Let's go check on it."

The motorcycle rider was a shirtless man.

In early October, he wore only a black sleeveless vest, revealing large tattoos on his shoulders whose patterns were indiscernible.

He had already stood up and was trying to lift his bike, his expression twisted in anger.

People slowly gathered around.

With some help, the motorcycle was quickly lifted. Upon hearing the owner had arrived, the man, without even looking, shouted, "How do you drive?! Are you blind?!"

After seeing that the man was unharmed, Chen Mo stepped forward calmly. "If you had eyes, why did you force your way in?"

"Hmph." The man sneered, noticing the expensive clothes and polite demeanor of the newcomer, and his arrogance grew. "So you think you're better because you drive a fancy car? You hit someone and still act so righteous. Pay up! If you don't pay, this isn't over."

Chen Mo was very hungry.

It was truly hunger.

The hunger made him somewhat irritable, especially when encountering such an unreasonable thug; his face instantly turned cold.

He was about to step forward when someone pulled him back from behind.

The person who had been so arrogant just moments ago saw another emerge from behind the one he thought he could easily suppress.

This newcomer was not like the burly, broad-shouldered man.

Nor did he share the icy demeanor of the previous person.

The newcomer exuded a chilling aura as he glanced at the motorcycle rider.

"The police have already been called, and the compensation amount will be sent to you in full." His tone was not cold, but it made people feel that he could threaten them effortlessly.

Photos were taken, questions asked, and responsibility determined.

They were delayed for nearly half an hour on the road.

Getting back into the car, Xiaolin said, "That guy clearly thought Mr. Chen was easy to bully. Even with the police there, he insisted that you were the one who acted rudely first."

Chen Mo sincerely asked, "Do I look like someone with a good temper?"

"Yes," Xiaolin nodded. "Mr. Chen has a refined demeanor, the kind that comes from years immersed in a scholarly atmosphere. It's hard to explain."

Chen Mo was taken aback and laughed.

"If it weren't for you, President Xi, I might have ended up seeing that guy at the police station."

"Huh?" Xiaolin was confused. "Why?"

"Because of a fight."

These words were not spoken by Chen Mo.

But by Xi Siyan.

He glanced at Chen Mo, who was looking at him, and said, "We're almost there."

"No rush, anyway, I'm already numb from hunger," Chen Mo replied.

Xiaolin, just a simple driver, felt uneasy sitting in front, thinking this atmosphere wasn't one where he should interject.

After all, how could he know that the person who had been the school bully for two whole years would be hard for anyone to connect with the accomplished Chen Mo they see now?

Even more so, from Chen Mo's perspective, there was a past life Chen Mo that even Xi Siyan didn't know about—a Chen Mo far from being good-tempered.

That Chen Mo only had a superficial acquaintance with Xi Siyan.

Their deepest interaction was the time Lao Gou mentioned, when he got drunk and went crazy in front of Xi Siyan. That was it.

They could never have sat in the same car like this.

Separated by five years of near-blank time, becoming independent and mature individuals, and still able to be calm and composed in the same space. Chen Mo didn't know what Xi Siyan's mindset was, but he treated it as the proper decorum between adults.

Even though just an hour ago,

In Huanshang's office, his heart raced due to the emotional impact of their reunion.

And just moments ago, during the accident,

When Xi Siyan unhesitatingly stepped in front of him, he was momentarily stunned.

Chen Mo couldn't deny that reuniting with Xi Siyan hadn't left him as calm and composed as he thought.

But Chen Mo knew that Xi Siyan, as the boss of CM, had just returned from abroad, likely buried under mountains of work. The new technology team he led would soon enter phase two of experiments. People rarely mentioned Xi Siyan's background anymore, and in Chen Mo's current circle, few knew about his past or original family.

They had both moved forward, onto broader paths.

Dwelling on whether those unsettling emotions stemmed from nostalgia or an unfulfilled memory wasn't a problem to ponder now.

At six in the evening, the city lights began to glow.

Ju Xiang Zhai was located in a relatively obscure ancient alley in the city center. The cobblestone path leading to its door was neatly arranged, and red lanterns hung along the entrance, making it hard to tell from outside that it was a restaurant.

The owner was a middle-aged man in his forties, with a kind smile.

Upon seeing Xi Siyan, he exclaimed in surprise, "You've changed so much in these few years. When did you return?"

"Just two days ago," Xi Siyan said upon entering.

He gave a brief introduction, mentioning Chen Mo as an old classmate.

The owner looked Chen Mo up and down, his smile carrying a deeper meaning.

Chen Mo asked, puzzled, "What's wrong?"

"You must be the one," the owner nodded towards Xi Siyan and said to Chen Mo, "This kid called me several times during the summer vacation of his second year of high school, asking me how to make soup and cook dishes. I wondered what he was up to. He said someone had a bad stomach. When I received that list of nourishing dishes today, I guessed it might be the same person. You're really handsome, young man."

This little joke didn't stop Chen Mo from showing surprise.

That summer, that vacation.

They occasionally spent lazy afternoons in that house, each doing their own thing. Chen Mo had tasted the soups and dishes Xi Siyan cooked, assuming he followed recipes from books, never imagining there was such a backstory.

Those details rushed back, overwhelming his thoughts throughout the short afternoon with Xi Siyan.

This led to Chen Mo, among the foie gras and smoked salmon appetizers, decisively choosing a cold dish of cucumber salad.

He was eager to eat something to fill his empty stomach.

Before he could pick anything up, the plate was taken away by Xi Siyan.

Chen Mo, holding his chopsticks, stared at him in slight shock.

Xi Siyan frowned first: "Your stomach is uncomfortable, yet you start eating cold food. If this is supposed to be health-conscious, have you been feeding a dog's stomach these past few years?"

Chen Mo: "……"

It had been too long since anyone dared to directly stop him from doing something.

People at the company treated him as the boss, and those he met at school were mostly juniors. Having been accustomed to being the one giving advice, it felt strange to be on the receiving end of such concern, reminiscent of that year when someone commented sarcastically about his habit of pairing cigarettes with black tea.

Chen Mo rested his forehead in his hand and chuckled softly.

Xi Siyan pushed a freshly served bowl of corn soup towards him.

"Don't rush if you're too hungry; have some soup to warm your stomach first."

Xi Siyan's mood didn't seem to lighten. After watching Chen Mo take a couple of sips, he continued frowning and asked, "Really not going for a check-up?"

"Really don't need to," Chen Mo said while sipping the soup. "The company provides free health checks every six months. Two months ago, I visited Lao Gou at work and got a few tests done then. Nothing serious."

Chen Mo glossed over many details.

Like how his busy work schedule often led to irregular meals and frequent bouts of gastritis, or how he needed to be extra careful with his legs during seasonal changes, or how he occasionally needed medication to sleep when anxious.

These were trivial matters.

At least, someone who understood boundaries wouldn't go into such detail with their ex-boyfriend who had just returned from abroad. He wasn't out of his mind.

Although Chen Mo didn't reveal everything, he knew from Xi Siyan's gaze that he suspected Chen Mo wasn't telling the whole truth. After all, Xi Siyan was once the genius of No. 1 High School, with an IQ far above average.

Chen Mo also asked a few questions about Xi Siyan's company, his experiences over the years, and his plans for returning to the country.

Their conversation seemed normal.

Like casual catch-ups, showing mutual concern, just like old classmates would. If they hadn't been apart for so long, Chen Mo might have wondered if they were acting too casually, almost as if they had never been together.

Just like how, as he moved forward, sometimes he doubted whether his past life was real.

Under Xi Siyan's watchful eye, the meal proceeded slowly and deliberately, but it wasn't finished yet.

Chen Mo never expected that they would end up on social news.

**Safe Driving, Responsible for Yourself and Society**

Originally posted by local police on their official account to warn and educate the public.

They even included a video of a man, visibly distressed, crying and repenting after learning he faced hefty compensation.

But the police didn't anticipate the sudden surge in views.

The comments section exploded:

"Holy crap, that luxury car is top-of-the-line. The tattooed guy thought he was tough, but socialism will teach you a lesson."

"Hey, did anyone notice two very handsome figures in the background?"

"I spotted them right away and took screenshots."

"There's something I'm not sure I should say, but I think I recognize both of them. Interested parties can search CM Group and the rising tech company. You'll find something interesting. Not much info available, though."

"Thanks, I searched, and now I'm wondering if bosses are all like this nowadays?"

"Guys, aren't you missing the point? When they were whispering to each other in the background, didn't they look really close?"

"Fangirls are scary."

"Yaoi goggles."

"No way. We went to the same high school; they're just old classmates."

Sitting in the store, Chen Mo, feeling a mix of emotions, asked Xi Siyan, "Who is this person?"

Then, Chen Mo received numerous messages.

Lao Gou: "???"

Qi Lin: "…"

Sun Xiaoya: "………………"

Jiang Xu: "You two?"

…

These people, whom he hadn't contacted in ages, suddenly reappeared, all asking the same question.

Holy crap, did you two get back together?