Chapter 68

Chapter 68

Chen Mo wasn't sure if Xi Siyan had received similar messages. He was surprised by these people's wild imaginations and didn't bother to reply to each one individually. Instead, he casually posted a picture on his social media.

The table full of food, with its vibrant colors, looked very appetizing and nutritious.

He captioned it: "When you're hungry, eat. Simple truth, simple reason."

Some of the people who hadn't been replied to immediately flooded the comments section under his post.

Jiang Xu: "Official announcement? You two haven't posted in ages, and now you do this?"

Xue Ping: "While I've never liked the Xis, this sneaky behavior is not like you. If you're being threatened, just say so. I'm tired of being second place all the time."

Lao Gou: "??? If you had photoshopped out that person, I might have believed it!"

Qi Lin: "I'm out of town, but I already asked Old Xi, and he didn't reply. But I swear on my honor, something is definitely going on between you two! If I'm wrong, let me wake up naked in the wilderness tomorrow!"

Bai Cheng: "…What happened?"

Sun Xiaoya: "@Qi Lin, what do you mean 'naked'? Do you guys have some secret I don't know about?"

Chen Mo was quite confused.

When he clicked on the picture, he noticed a hand at the opposite end of the table, naturally resting there. The hand was full of defined knuckles, looking very attractive, and the watch worth over three million yuan on the wrist made it even more luxurious.

Looking at it this way, it did seem a bit suggestive.

Chen Mo hadn't noticed when he took the photo and was about to delete it right away.

But the comments kept pouring in.

Compared to some old acquaintances, most external guesses were relatively normal, speculating whether CM's entry into the domestic market was related to a new collaboration.

Chen Mo's account now included many people from his business partners.

Given the recent news, it wasn't hard to guess who he was dining with.

"Ha ha ha, the tattooed guy cracked me up."

"Is that President Xi across from you? Wow, I thought I'd see you two in financial magazines, not on the legal news. My apologies."

"Where is President Chen treating President Xi? It looks delicious; maybe we can join next time."

"Is Brother Mo admitting a collaboration with CM?"

There were also comments from within the Xinrui company.

Old K: "?? Is President Xi discussing business with you? How did it end up on the news?"

Yuan Hao: "Master, are you okay? That motorcyclist is an idiot!"

Su Qianran: "Your big brother just asked me why netizens are saying you two look good together. How should I respond?"

Chen Mo hadn't been active on social media for a long time.

Although he rarely posted before, he occasionally shared updates. Recently, however, his posts were mostly advertisements for Xinrui or professional records, sometimes even health tips. No wonder these people were excited.

But their reactions made Chen Mo realize that the news was much more popular than he had thought.

He checked his phone and saw that the topic had indeed gone viral.

"Do we need to handle public relations?" Chen Mo asked as they were leaving after dinner.

Xi Siyan turned to pick up his coat. "No need. It's not negative news, so there's no point."

Chen Mo immediately noticed Xi Siyan's phone on the table, which was displaying his social media post. He felt embarrassed.

He explained, "Everyone was asking, so I thought it would be easier to clarify it once."

He didn't expect the mutual friends on their social media to be so unreliable, immediately spouting nonsense.

Xi Siyan glanced back at his phone, understanding what Chen Mo meant.

He picked up his phone and tapped a few times.

Soon, Chen Mo received a notification.

A new comment appeared under his post.

Not only did Xi Siyan like the post, but he also commented: "The photo is well taken."

Qi Lin replied instantly: "@XSY, you didn't reply to my messages. I thought you were dead, but apparently not!"

Jiang Xu: "Class president, I've had my eye on your watch for a while. Can I lick it?"

Xue Ping: "Since you left the country, I haven't felt the joy of competition. Now I'm in TS, come and challenge me."

Lao Gou: "The photo is well taken [sarcastic tone].ipg"

Chen Mo felt his head pounding.

He thought to himself that if he hadn't known these people in his past life, it might have been a blessing from heaven.

Unable to bear it, he simply turned off his phone.

As he walked out of Juxiangzhai with Xi Siyan, it started drizzling outside.

Xiaolin had been waiting outside since early morning.

He had obviously seen the news as well. Because he saw something he shouldn't have, he felt inexplicably excited when he noticed his boss instinctively shielding Chen Mo with most of the umbrella he had taken from the store.

Getting out of the car, he walked around to open the back door, his tone becoming even more respectful.

"Mr. Chen, please be careful."

"Thank you." Chen Mo got into the car.

Xi Siyan followed and got in after him, instructing Xiaolin: "Head to Rhine Ark."

"How did you know I live there?" Chen Mo, who had just settled in, turned in surprise.

Xi Siyan remained unperturbed: "There's a tech park nearby, and it's between Q University and Xinrui. It should be your best option right now. Aren't you there?"

Chen Mo hesitated for a moment: "...Yes, I am."

"Then that's settled." Xi Siyan urged, "Drive."

Xiaolin was on the verge of laughter.

Not because of anything else, but because his boss was clearly not telling the truth, and Mr. Chen knew he was making things up but had no evidence, which made the situation amusing.

Xiaolin started the car and asked Chen Mo, "Mr. Chen, you and our CEO were really high school classmates?"

"Yes," Chen Mo said, shifting from the previous topic, "we were desk partners."

Xiaolin nodded: "No wonder you two seem so familiar with each other."

Familiar?

Chen Mo wasn't sure. After all, they hadn't seen each other for years.

But since meeting again, Chen Mo hadn't felt any strangeness from Xi Siyan. Whether it was lending him clothes upon their first meeting, his calmness when dealing with the thug driver, or when Chen Mo offered to treat him to dinner and Xi Siyan ended up paying, everything felt natural.

Chen Mo easily connected the present Xi Siyan with the past class monitor.

That meticulous, composed, and gentlemanly person.

So when Lao Gou first ranted about him on social media and then pursued him in private chat, Chen Mo replied, "Stop asking. We haven't gotten back together."

Lao Gou: "Do you think I believe that?"

Lao Gou: "You two didn't reignite old flames?"

Lao Gou: "I admit I had some bias against him due to that gossip about the young starlet, but today's news has been up for so long without him taking it down. I think it's questionable whether he wants to acknowledge your past."

Chen Mo: "..."

Lao Gou: "Take the initiative. Test him, tease him, see if he reacts."

Chen Mo: "Are you crazy?"

Lao Gou: "Why am I crazy? Isn't it you two who are crazy? You suddenly told us you broke up, and in five years, you've shown no interest in dating. I asked Qi Lin, and he said the class monitor was like a monk abroad. Those blonde girls and guys in thongs tried to get into his bed, but he showed no interest at all."

Chen Mo was speechless; the crude words made him instinctively turn his phone away.

This only drew Xi Siyan's attention.

"Someone is looking for you?" He raised an eyebrow.

Chen Mo shook his head, "It's Lao Gou. He's interning at a hospital and is bored today."

Lao Gou continued bombarding him.

Saying: "If it's come to this, if you two don't take the next step, either the class monitor has erectile dysfunction or you have sexual aversion. I know an expert doctor in urology at our hospital. Should I introduce him to you?"

Chen Mo sent Lao Gou a three-meter-long sword emoji.

He had already gotten used to Lao Gou's occasional nonsense.

Especially since college, Lao Gou claimed it was their medical students' unique way of relaxing.

Chen Mo didn't think much of it until he suddenly heard, "Erectile dysfunction?"

"Damn." Chen Mo's exclamation startled Xiaolin in the front seat.

He covered his phone, speechless: "You read it wrong."

"Isn't it Lao Gou?" Xi Siyan reached out, "We're old classmates, haven't seen each other in ages. Let me say hi to him."

Chen Mo leaned towards Lao Gou, "No need... right?"

Xi Siyan persisted, holding out his hand.

After a pause, Chen Mo had no choice but to hand over the phone.

Xi Siyan didn't scroll through it; he simply sent a voice message: "Gou Yiyang, this is Xi Siyan."

Lao Gou immediately groveled.

He apologized via voice message: "Ah, class monitor! I was just joking!"

Xi Siyan smiled: "When we're less busy, I'll treat everyone to dinner. Remember to come. I'm giving the phone back to Chen Mo. Don't worry, I didn't take it seriously."

Xi Siyan handed the phone back to Chen Mo.

Chen Mo received an immediate scolding.

Lao Gou typed: "Chen Mo! I'm risking my life for you, and you stab your brother in the back for a man. Are you human?!!"

Chen Mo typed lazily: "Who let you talk nonsense."

He added: "Also, Xi Siyan isn't angry. He's just being polite. You should know when to stop."

Lao Gou: "…………?? You're already delirious; I don't even want to argue with you."

Two seconds later, he continued: "Snap out of it. Running a huge group like CM, do you really believe he's a gentlemanly and polite person?"

Chen Mo certainly didn't think that just because Xi Siyan hadn't lost his past self, he was still exactly the same as before.

Even he had changed a lot, let alone the other party.

As for Lao Gou's mention of impoliteness, Chen Mo hadn't yet figured out Xi Siyan's boundaries. For example, when Xi Siyan came to Rhine Ark and went upstairs with him, he didn't feel offended.

"The clothes haven't been sent to the dry cleaner yet," Chen Mo said in the elevator. "Remember to have your assistant take them there."

The elevator just arrived at their floor, and they encountered two aunts in their fifties who were going down.

Seeing Chen Mo, they enthusiastically greeted him: "Xiao Chen, getting off work?"

"Yeah, getting off work," Chen Mo smiled and asked, "Going out to dance?"

"Yes," one of the aunts, with the latest trendy perm for middle-aged women, said, "Xiao Chen, how about that thing I asked you last time? My niece is really great, a top graduate from a prestigious university like you, and she's twenty-six this year. Although she's three years older than you, an older woman by three years is like holding a gold brick."

Chen Mo wasn't planning on declaring himself gay to middle-aged people; that would only invite trouble.

However, since moving here, his biggest problem wasn't commuting or neighborly disputes but overly enthusiastic neighbors.

In their eyes, the young man next door was successful at a young age, both of his parents had passed away, he owned a car and a house, and he looked good—making him the perfect marriage candidate.

Chen Mo had refused more than once or twice.

He politely declined: "Auntie, I haven't thought about it. Let's see in a couple of years."

Then he pulled Xi Siyan along to pass by.

One of the aunts boldly grabbed Xi Siyan and looked him up and down with shining eyes.

"Are you Xiao Chen's colleague?" the aunt asked. "How old are you? Are you married?"

Xi Siyan raised an eyebrow, "Married."

"Married??" The aunt looked disappointed. "You don't look that old. With such good conditions, I didn't expect you to be married."

The aunt muttered as she entered the elevator.

Leaving Chen Mo standing at the elevator entrance, stunned: "When did this happen?"

"Fake," Xi Siyan scrutinized Chen Mo's face, trying to read through him and not missing any emotional changes. Until Chen Mo returned to normal, Xi Siyan leaned closer and whispered, "Brother Mo, you can't even tell a lie anymore. Do you really believe that?"