Chen Mo’s decision to live in the school dormitories met with unanimous opposition from the Yang family.
The couple presented their objections in the most high-minded terms.
“No matter what, the food, clothing, and living conditions at home are better than those at school. Your eldest brother didn’t live in a dormitory until he went to university. We can’t feel at ease letting you move to school on your own.”
Yang Shule looked both haughty and insulted.
“If you’re unhappy about sharing a car with me to and from school, I can take the bus every day instead. Who are you trying to prove something to by moving into the dorms? You’re making it look as though I’m the one who drove you out!”
Yang Zhi was the only one who didn’t express an opinion.
Perhaps that was because Chen Mo had informed him of his decision first.
Early Monday morning, the Yang family was unusually gathered around the dining table in the living room.
Yang Zhi sat there scrolling through the news. In response to the excessively quiet atmosphere at the table, he said indifferently, “If he wants to live in the dorms, let him.” Sooner or later, he would be unable to stand it and would beg to move back home.
“Big Brother!” Yang Shule threw down his spoon, making it clink against the bowl.
His face showed his displeasure. “He was the one who wanted to drive me out, and now he’s the one moving into the dorms. What are my classmates at school going to say about me?!”
Zhou Yaoqiong comforted him. “Lele, these things between classmates will pass quickly if you don’t pay attention to them. The most important thing for you right now is to focus on your studies.”
As they were speaking, Chen Mo came downstairs with a suitcase.
When he reached the bottom step, he casually handed the suitcase to the driver, then walked over and sat down in his usual seat at the dining table. As though genuinely curious, he asked in a rather good mood, “What are you talking about?”
“We’re talking about you two going to school,” Zhou Yaoqiong replied. She thoughtfully ladled a bowl of soup for Chen Mo as well and spoke gently. “You’re the same age, and you’re even in the same class. If you both work hard at your studies, you’ll be able to help your eldest brother more in the future. He has so much to deal with every day. It’s really quite hard on him.”
Yang Shule immediately declared, “I’m definitely not going to join the family company. I want to make a name for myself through my own abilities in the future.”
Zhou Yaoqiong smiled with a look of relief, then turned to ask Chen Mo, “What about you, Xiao Mo?”
“Me?” Chen Mo chuckled. “Didn’t Grandpa say before that once the younger generation turns eighteen, they can receive their year-end dividends from the group? When the time comes, just put my name down with the company and have my share transferred to me regularly every year. That’s all.”
Zhou Yaoqiong’s smile froze. After hesitating for two seconds, she said, “Th-that’s fine too. Your eldest brother certainly won’t shortchange you.”
Yang Zhi, who had been sitting silently nearby, suddenly glanced at Chen Mo. His expression suggested both surprise and an inability to resist making a sarcastic remark.
“You certainly have lofty ambitions.”
Chen Mo ignored him.
It was Yang Qian’an, the head of the family, who brought the conversation back on track.
“You’re determined to live in the dorms?”
Chen Mo answered smoothly, “It’ll help me focus on my studies.”
Chen Mo thought to himself that since they had already established his image as a well-rounded, exemplary student, they naturally had no reason to reject this excuse.
Yang Qian’an was silent for a few seconds before finally saying, “If you want to live there, then go ahead. If you need money, just say so.”
Seeing that her husband had agreed, Zhou Yaoqiong looked at Chen Mo, and a belated sense of guilt suddenly welled up inside her.
Chen Mo had lived in their home for barely more than a month in total.
He was already somewhat different from the way he had been when he first returned.
The hostility that had once made her feel so uneasy seemed to have disappeared. The designer clothes fit him well, and when he sat at the long dining table, he drank his soup in an unhurried, graceful manner. There was even something pleasing about the sight.
She couldn’t help wondering what kind of person this son would have become if he had been raised by her from childhood.
Thinking of this, she called out, “Sister Zhang?”
“Coming, Madam.” A servant from the kitchen, known as Sister Zhang, emerged, wiping her hands on her apron.
“Please bring Xiao Mo another bowl of the soup simmering in the kitchen,” Zhou Yaoqiong instructed. Then she turned to Chen Mo and said, “Drink a little more. The food at school certainly won’t be as good as it is at home. Today’s soup was made with a light broth. If you like it, come home on the weekend and I’ll make it for you again.”
Chen Mo set down his spoon and leaned back against his chair. His smile was the very picture of a loving mother and filial son.
“Thank you, Mom.”
Beside him, Yang Shule watched this scene, unconsciously tightening his grip on his spoon.
“Madam.” At that moment, Sister Zhang suddenly spoke up.
She glanced at Yang Shule, who had his head lowered so that only the crown of his dark hair was visible. Feeling instinctively sorry for him, she spoke in a rather unpleasant tone.
“This soup takes two hours to simmer, and there isn’t much of it to begin with. Didn’t you say it was specially prepared to help Young Master Le replenish his energy and blood?”
Chen Mo nearly burst out laughing.
Zhou Yaoqiong’s expression turned extremely awkward. Soon, however, displeasure appeared on her face.
“It’s not as though there’s only one bowl left. How much can Lele drink by himself?”
“It’s fine, Sister Zhang.” Yang Shule raised his head and smiled at her. “I’ve been taking medicine lately, and I’m almost completely recovered. Besides, I still have to go to school today.”
Sister Zhang opened her mouth.
“Clang!”
It was the sound of Yang Zhi throwing down his spoon. His tone was unpleasant as he said, “Sister Zhang, you’ve worked in our household for more than ten years. Since when has our family had to fight over a bowl of soup?”
Sister Zhang’s face paled slightly.
Without saying another word, she turned and walked back toward the kitchen.
Soon, the clay pot of simmering soup was brought out, wrapped in a cloth.
Chen Mo, who had been sitting with one leg crossed over the other, stood up to make room. While he was at it, he reached out and said, “I’ll take it.”
But less than a second later, another sudden crash rang out.
Chen Mo looked at the shattered clay pot scattered across the floor. The goji berries, red dates, black-boned chicken, and other ingredients were still steaming as they spilled everywhere.
Amid the complete silence, Chen Mo spoke with a hint of regret. “Sorry about that. It was too hot, and I couldn’t hold it steadily.”
Sister Zhang’s chest heaved.
He had clearly done it on purpose, yet his half-hearted apology left her so speechless that she couldn’t get a single word out.
She had originally thought he would at least receive a few words of reprimand.
Instead, Yang Zhi frowned. “Why are you still standing there? Can’t you see how hot it is?”
Zhou Yaoqiong said, “It’s spilled, so let it be.”
Yang Qian’an added, “Sister Zhang, get someone to clean it up.”
Chen Mo casually picked up the backpack from his chair and said, “Looks like I’m not destined to enjoy this soup. I’ll be going, then.”
As he passed Sister Zhang, he glanced once more toward Yang Shule, who had lowered his eyelashes again, making his expression difficult to read.
“Xiao Le, don’t take this to heart. I wasn’t targeting you.” As he spoke, Chen Mo took another step back and looked at Sister Zhang. “Although this soup takes a lot of time to prepare, I’ll have to trouble you to stew another pot for my younger brother. Oh, and Sister Zhang, there’s something else I should remind you of. During holidays and festivals, I’ll inevitably have to come back as the Yang family’s biological son and help receive guests. I hope you’ll prepare a few extra portions then. I don’t mind it myself, but if you end up embarrassing the entire Yang family, I’m afraid that no matter how many years you’ve worked in this household, they might not be able to keep you on. I’d feel quite bad about that.”
Sister Zhang trembled with fear. At last, the way she looked at him was tinged with genuine apprehension.
Meanwhile, several servants farther away had been secretly watching the scene. Especially those who had previously tried to make things difficult for Chen Mo—they now wished they could vanish on the spot, praying he wouldn’t turn his attention to them next.
Chen Mo paid no further attention to the expressions on the faces of those behind him or to whatever thoughts were running through their minds.
The moment he stepped out the front door, he was greeted by a clear sky, gentle breezes, and warm sunlight.
The driver took Chen Mo all the way to the school. Even the way he helped carry Chen Mo’s luggage when he got out of the car seemed particularly respectful.
“If you’re missing anything, just message me. I’ll buy it and bring it over.”
Chen Mo pulled up the handle of his suitcase and said, “It’s fine. Go take care of your own work.”
“Sure! Then I’ll wait for you at the school gate right on time after classes on Friday.”
“No need to wait for me.” Under the driver’s stunned gaze, Chen Mo continued, “The weekend break is too short. I’ll come home during the longer holidays instead. I’ll call you when the time comes.”
Ignoring the driver’s troubled expression, Chen Mo dragged his suitcase toward the school entrance.
The entrance of Sui City No. 1 High School was bustling on Monday morning.
Parents dropping off their children seized the opportunity to give them endless reminders and instructions. Car horns, street vendors calling out to sell breakfast, and administrators scolding students who had forgotten their student IDs all blended into a noisy chorus.
The students were dressed in identical school uniforms, lining up to enter through the gates.
It wasn’t the beginning of a new school year, so the sound of Chen Mo’s suitcase rolling over the stone pavement attracted quite a few curious glances.
Chen Mo joined the queue.
Two girls stood in front of him. Hearing the noise, they turned to look at him before quickly turning back to continue their enthusiastic conversation.
“There was a racing competition at Nanshan last weekend. I heard someone from our school took first place.”
“Are you crazy? People have died racing there before. Who would be reckless enough to risk their life like that?”
“I don’t know. The security level around the event was pretty high. I only heard about it from a distant relative of mine who’s quite wealthy. Most of the people who go there looking for thrills are rich kids. There are plenty of rotten apples among them, too.”
“Speaking of rich people, I heard something even more exciting happened this weekend with the Yang family in the second year. You know, the family involved in that mix-up where the wrong baby was raised? Someone posted about it on the school forum. You should go take a look…”
The two girls pressed their heads together, whispering as they stared at a phone.
Then, apparently after seeing something, they suddenly became excited.
Chen Mo vaguely heard the name Xi Siyan. One of the girls exclaimed excitedly, “He was there too?!”
“That’s not surprising, is it? Everyone says he has a good relationship with that fake young master from the Yang family.” The other girl sounded a little calmer, though her voice still carried a trace of admiration. “I heard that when he advanced directly from the junior high division, the teachers even recommended that he skip a grade. I don’t know why he ultimately didn’t. And he wins first place in competitions every year. The top students at the other schools get nervous just hearing his name. The key is that he’s athletic, intelligent, handsome, and rich. Ordinary people like us could crane our necks all day and still might not even get a glimpse of someone like him.”
A young girl’s dreams were always so innocent and beautiful.
With only a few scattered pieces of information, they could bestow countless halos upon the person they admired, imagining him to be the peerless hero of their dreams.
Chen Mo had no intention of ruining their fantasies by telling them that the person they were discussing was also one of those “rotten apples” from Nanshan they had just mentioned.
Chen Mo had learned by chance that Xi Siyan loved racing.
He also knew that during the two years Xi had spent abroad, he had obtained an international professional racing license and participated in numerous major competitions.
Overseas, no one cared that his surname was Xi. Perhaps he had felt no need to maintain that image of a proper, refined gentleman, allowing the extreme desire for control buried deep in his nature to show.
After returning to the country, he continued to play the role of the Xi family’s rising young elite, exchanging pleasantries and drinks with others in the business world, presenting himself as the perfect gentleman.
To old acquaintances who talked about him, he was still the same person they remembered: the unattainable sun who had inspired the admiration of countless girls during their school years.
The girls continued talking.
Their topic suddenly took a sharp turn. One girl lightly tapped the other, and the two exchanged a knowing look.
“Wake up. He might not even like girls.”
“Right? I’ve watched him play basketball several times, and that guy who always waits on the sidelines to bring him water is the one surnamed Yang, isn’t he?”
“That’s the one. I heard he hasn’t been coming to school for a long time, but the Yang family held a gathering this week, and the two of them appeared together again.”
“Do you think he might have deliberately avoided skipping a grade back then just to stay with him?”
“Honestly, it’d be a real waste if you didn’t go to the forum and write an analysis post.”
…
Chen Mo was thoroughly enjoying the gossip when the line had already advanced to him.
As it happened, the teacher on duty at the school gate today was the director of the second-year high school level. He was also the same Bald Lai, Lai Xianfu, who had scared Gou Yiyang and his group into running as if a pack of dogs were chasing them last Friday.
Director Lai was actually only in his early forties, but his hair was thinning.
He recognized Chen Mo.
Having read Chen Mo’s old student records and the news articles portraying him as a model student, Director Lai managed to squeeze a friendly expression onto his stern face. He said, “I’ve already received your application to live on campus, Student Chen Mo. Your attitude toward studying seriously is commendable. No matter how difficult your circumstances were in the past, now that you’re here, you must continue working hard and studying diligently. You must do right by yourself, and in the future, you must do right by your alma mater as well!”
His words were so impassioned that Chen Mo, despite appreciating his kindness, was somewhat taken aback.
In his previous life, his high school years here had been oppressive and tense. Director Lai had genuinely worried that he might not be able to adapt, and he had even told Chen Mo not to pay attention to what people at school were saying about him.
In the years after Chen Mo graduated, whenever he returned to school, he would invite Director Lai out for a meal.
Even after he had grown considerably older, Director Lai was still serving as a grade director. He would look at Chen Mo with a relieved expression and say, “Your college entrance exam results weren’t ideal back then. Given your state of mind at the time, I really thought you might never recover from that setback. Thankfully, thankfully!”
During their last meal together, however, Director Lai had seemed a little worried.
“Chen Mo, you don’t look like you’re doing very well. Have you been unhappy all these years? Sometimes, no matter how you live, life is only going to be one lifetime. Don’t push yourself too hard.”
Chen Mo had poured him a drink. “I’m doing fine. Thank you for continuing to worry about me all these years.”
Back to the present.
Chen Mo stood there in a relaxed posture and smiled. “Thank you, Director Lai. Next time, I’ll bring you something to repay you for your guidance.”
Director Lai frowned and waved his hand. “Student Chen Mo, you really shouldn’t develop this kind of habit…”
“It’s nothing expensive. I recently discovered a new brand of black sesame paste. It’s all-natural, with no additives.” By this point, the students around them had stopped to watch. They stared as Chen Mo continued, “It nourishes the liver and kidneys, protects the blood vessels, and, on top of that… prevents baldness.”
At first, the people around them snickered. Soon, they could no longer hold back, and a burst of laughter erupted.
A teacher nearby who knew Director Lai joined in the teasing. “Director Lai, students these days already know how to bribe people. At the very least, you should punish him by making him read a three-hundred-word self-criticism at the flag-raising ceremony!”
Director Lai looked at the student standing before him, at the relaxed smile on his face.
It seemed all his worries had gone straight to the dogs.
He scolded him with a laugh, “Why aren’t you getting inside already?”