Chapter 82

Chapter 82

The sudden exposure of UA's involvement in a major cross-border economic case cast a heavy atmosphere over the second day of the seminar, as if the air had been solidified by cement, creating a sense of impending storm.

Chuanxing no longer dared to make any moves.

This also left the small businesses that initially targeted Chuanxing floundering like headless flies.

It was at this moment that Xinrui suddenly announced it would offer more reasonable terms than Chuanxing for cooperation, without buyouts. In just one day, Xinrui swiftly captured most of the targets originally secured by Chuanxing.

Their methods were swift and ruthless, and the competition was blatant and open.

This incident gave everyone attending the meeting a new understanding of the name Chen Mo.

The young man sitting behind the table was not the one who spoke the most during negotiations, but he was always the most incisive, cutting straight to the heart of the matter. When it came to his bottom line, he would not budge an inch.

"Master." Yuan Hao, carrying a stack of documents, followed Chen Mo around like a busy spinning top all day, looking somewhat weary by the end. Even so, when they returned to the hotel after packing up, he quietly asked Chen Mo, "Do we need to leave the door unlocked tonight? I still have the room card from this morning. Shall I give it back to you, Master?"

Chen Mo glanced down at the room card held out to him.

Compared to Yuan Hao's dark circles, Chen Mo, a chronic insomniac, seemed accustomed to such intense work, except that his complexion had become even paler. He said, "No need."

He did not ask where his disciple had discovered this, only saying, "UA just had an incident; there should be many things he needs to oversee. He won't be able to come over."

Though it was just a guess.

Two minutes later, Chen Mo received a text message from Xi Siyan on his phone.

Sure enough.

XSY: I have something tonight and can't make it. Go to sleep early, don't stay up too late.

There was a second message.

XSY: Someone here in Huajing has just prepared some new medicine for you. They will deliver it soon. Try it and call me immediately if you feel any discomfort.

Chen Mo felt that Xi Siyan was making a fuss over nothing.

After all, he knew well that his low fever wasn't a big issue. If he could rest for a while, it would be fine. The timing was simply not right, and Xi Siyan clearly understood him, not asking him to step back now.

This unspoken understanding often brought Chen Mo a sense of peace.

He knew he would never find another person who understood him so deeply.

Even though they each had secrets from each other, it did not diminish the authenticity of their feelings.

Chen Mo replied with an acknowledgment and quickly resumed his work.

On the third day of the seminar.

Chen Mo had a speech about the new applications of AI in the medical field.

Compared to the first day, when everything seemed constrained, Xinrui had quickly gained the upper hand over Chuanxing. Standing at the center of the seminar stage, speaking confidently to the large screen, all eyes were on him.

Including those of Xi Siyan, sitting in the front row.

Occasionally, their gazes met briefly before quickly moving away.

Chen Mo said, "My connection with artificial intelligence started quite late. The most vivid memory is from my youth, when someone accompanied me back to my hometown. That place was almost isolated from modern technology. Out of respect for the elders, we bathed using well water together, and the result was predictable—a cold... And the local doctor had limited resources for saline drips..."

Chen Mo recalled the fields of Yuhuai Village.

The cool mat in the small building.

The group of village bullies they encountered and the smoky atmosphere of the town's breakfast shop.

Even though that summer marked their parting.

Over the years, whenever Chen Mo thought of Yuhuai Village, the few vivid memories mostly revolved around Xi Siyan.

He rarely deliberately recalled them, but whenever he did, he always tried to vividly remember the image of that young man.

His high nose bridge, deep-set eyes, and slender fingers.

All these details ultimately formed the person sitting below him now.

Dressed in a tailored suit, legs crossed, seemingly calm eyes holding a hint of barely noticeable amusement.

Clearly, he remembered all the scenes Chen Mo had described from that year.

Chen Mo could hear his heartbeat, feeling different from countless times he had stood in similar situations. All of this stemmed from the fact that someone was carrying both his unrestrained past and a foreseeable future.

On the afternoon the seminar ended.

They flew directly to Sui City.

Unexpectedly, the flight was delayed, from four o'clock until six, and the airline finally informed them that they couldn't take off, arranging a flight for seven-thirty instead.

Old K was eager to return because he and Su Qianran had a meeting to attend.

Fuming with frustration.

"Let's go eat first," Chen Mo, familiar with Old K's impatience, led the way to a restaurant at the airport, unlike the sales department colleagues who were too scared to speak and the silent Yuan Hao.

Old K grumbled and followed, which relieved the tension and improved the atmosphere.

Ten minutes later, they found a buffet.

As soon as he stepped in, Old K abruptly retreated.

"What's going on?" Chen Mo, walking behind him, was hit by surprise.

Old K grabbed his arm and said, "Let's go somewhere else. It’s bad luck; Chuanxing people are here."

Chen Mo tilted his head to take a look inside, just in time to meet Ren Xiansen's gaze. This man had just lost UA as a powerful backer and had already lost interest in putting on airs. His eyes were like cold snakes, glaring fiercely at Chen Mo.

Chen Mo stared back expressionlessly.

Only when someone from the other side said something and turned away did Chen Mo retract his gaze and agree to change places.

There was another Chinese restaurant about twenty meters away.

As their group approached it, almost reaching the entrance, Old K muttered, "What rotten luck. In such a big airport, we still run into acquaintances."

It was then that Chen Mo noticed Xi Siyan and his party.

Apart from Han Qian, there were five others with him, possibly because two of them were foreigners, they chose a Chinese restaurant.

"Mr. Xi," Old K's social instincts kicked in, smiling as he walked forward, "what a coincidence, nice to meet you."

"Nice to meet you too." Xi Siyan shook hands with Old K while glancing at Chen Mo.

Once both groups met, they exchanged pleasantries and discovered they were all on the same 7:30 flight, so they decided to eat together.

At the long table in the restaurant.

Chen Mo sat opposite Xi Siyan.

Neither of them spoke much.

Since Han Qian was also a social adept, he chatted animatedly with Old K, involving everyone else, keeping the conversation lively.

This made their silence more noticeable.

Chen Mo ate little, occasionally turning to respond to others, mostly listening while leaning back in his chair. He crossed his legs, and in one movement, accidentally kicked the knee of the person opposite him.

Chen Mo was taken aback.

Xi Siyan, who had been speaking English with a foreigner beside him, paused and looked back at him.

Chen Mo raised an eyebrow.

This was a trivial incident.

Yet, Chen Mo felt a peculiar itch under Xi Siyan's calm gaze. Seeing him continue talking to others, Chen Mo stretched his leg forward, likely touching Xi Siyan's calf. Hearing him pause, Chen Mo subtly smiled. Mischievously, he deliberately traced his foot up the calf, to the knee, and then to the thigh, lightly brushing against it.

Until he went further, his ankle was suddenly gripped by a hand, a warning squeeze.

Chen Mo stopped, withdrew his foot, and casually put a potato cube in his mouth.

At this moment, Xi Siyan had just finished his conversation.

He glanced at Chen Mo's plate, frowning.

He quickly called over a server and whispered instructions.

Initially, no one noticed, but when they left after settling the bill, the server handed a takeaway bag to Xi Siyan.

Han Qian was shocked, "Didn't you eat enough?"

Xi Siyan didn’t answer.

So no one asked further.

Later, just before boarding, in the VIP lounge, observant people would notice the takeaway bag had somehow ended up in Chen Mo's hands.

Chen Mo held the bowl, taking occasional bites.

Xi Siyan stood beside him, still talking to others, but whenever Chen Mo paused, he would look down, frowning like a strict inspector.

Checking his watch, he tapped Chen Mo's armrest, "Ten minutes left, eat some more."

"I've already eaten," Chen Mo stated.

Xi Siyan replied, "Hmm, half an hour, a small bowl of mushroom soup, two bites of vegetables, including a potato you didn't plan to eat. Anything else?"

Han Qian, closest to them, twitched his lips.

For the first time, he looked at Xi Siyan as if he were a madman, and sympathetically glanced at Chen Mo.

Though he knew the situation between these two and understood that Xi Siyan had a strong controlling nature, he never expected him to manage people this way. Chen Mo wasn’t a caged bird; according to Han Qian, he held the biggest hidden investor in the new venture and had kept Ren Xiansen suppressed for years. How could he be a pushover?

Managing him this way wouldn’t just make him run; it would lead to a bloody confrontation.

However, Han Qian soon realized his judgment was off.

Because Chen Mo's reaction to Xi Siyan was strange.

He neither changed his expression nor overturned the bowl. Instead, under Xi Siyan's intense gaze, he slowly finished the small bowl of nutritious porridge.

Xi Siyan naturally took the packaging to dispose of it.

Chen Mo wiped his hands with a napkin, looking over with a slight smile, appearing polite and humble, "Does Mr. Han have any questions?"

Han Qian leaned closer, whispering, "I'm just curious, how do you tolerate him? After all, he..." Han Qian chose his words carefully, "acts like this in a relationship, which is beyond my expectations."

After saying this, Han Qian noticed Chen Mo smiling against the chair.

Unlike the Chen Mo Han Qian saw at the station that year, and different from the one he briefly got to know during this time.

The Chen Mo in front of him gently lowered his eyes, the corners of his mouth slightly curved upward.

Softly: "How does Assistant Han know I'm enduring? For someone I've decided to reconcile with, what can't I give him?"

Han Qian suddenly realized that in this relationship, it was Chen Mo who had been indulging all along.

It was he who granted the other person the power to enter his world and control it freely.

And the person smiling and saying he could give anything, sent a chill down Han Qian's back, making him silently sit back down.

After all, he hadn't forgotten.

On the day he took away someone else's man, the eager and talkative self was purely an embarrassment.