Chapter 3 – An Unexpected Encounter: The Young Master Meets Xi Siyan
Xi Siyan was the only child of the Xi family for three generations. His father held a prestigious position in the political sphere, and the Xi family as a whole had made significant strides in both business and politics. Their influence was undeniable.
Chen Mo hadn’t had much interaction with him in his previous life.
The first time they met had been in Yuhuai Village.
The Xi and Yang families had been close for many years, and it was through the Xi family’s connections that the Yang family had been able to confirm Chen Mo’s identity so quickly. On the day the Yang family came to retrieve him, Xi Siyan had been there too, accompanying Yang Shule.
Chen Mo still remembered that day vividly: the pouring rain, the muddy dirt road, and the luxury car parked at the village entrance. Xi Siyan had sat in the open back seat of the car, wearing a crisp white shirt, exuding an air of elegance. He hadn’t even bothered to step out of the vehicle.
Even the young girls in the village, who rarely saw such refined city folk, had blushed as they stole glances at him.
The second time they met had been in the school restroom.
Chen Mo had been smoking in one of the cubicles when he overheard a boy confessing his feelings to Xi Siyan.
Xi Siyan had responded casually, without a hint of embarrassment: “Yes, I like men.” But then, just as easily, he had rejected the boy without mercy. After the boy left in tears, Xi Siyan had washed his hands at the sink and, without even looking up, said coldly, “Have you seen enough? If you’re done, get out.”
Chen Mo had pushed the cubicle door open, meeting his gaze with an equally cold stare.
That wasn’t the last time their paths crossed.
The playground. The classroom. The Yang family’s house. The joint New Year’s gatherings between the Xi and Yang families.
They always seemed to meet, but they never grew close.
To Chen Mo, Xi Siyan had always been like a prince: born noble, unapologetically arrogant, and never bothering to hide his likes and dislikes. He was always surrounded by people, and among them, Yang Shule stood out as the most conspicuous and special.
Apart from their childhood friendship, Xi Siyan had no other reason to dislike Chen Mo. Yet his disdain was palpable.
In later years, Chen Mo only heard about Xi Siyan through Yang Shule.
Whenever she mentioned the surname “Xi,” her expression would light up.
“Mom, I’m going to the Xi family’s house! It’s Ah Yan’s birthday today, and I haven’t even picked up his gift from the store yet!”
“He’s going abroad soon. Who’s going to tutor me now?”
“Ah Yan, can I visit you during summer vacation?”
“When are you coming back?”
“Brother! He’s back this time, right?! Drive me to the airport to pick him up!”
“I’m not going to work at the company today. I already promised to eat at Ah Yan’s place. I won’t starve to death, okay?”
“Chen Mo, this project was personally overseen by Ah Yan. How did it end up in your hands?”
That last one had been during Chen Mo’s most cutthroat years.
Yang Shule had stormed into his office, her face full of disbelief. Chen Mo had been stunned by her audacity, then sneered. “What are you questioning? That project supports my entire team. Just because the other party’s boss is named Xi, do I have to back off for you, Yang Shule? Who do you think you are?”
Her face had gone pale on the spot.
Chen Mo had fully expected her to run to Xi Siyan to complain. He’d even braced himself for the project to be sabotaged.
But to his surprise, the project went smoothly until the very end.
At the celebration banquet for the project’s success, the two teams had gathered for a meal. Everyone was half-drunk when Xi Siyan arrived, fashionably late.
The boy Chen Mo remembered from high school was gone. The man who walked in had broad shoulders and a commanding presence. His every move exuded the confidence and maturity of someone accustomed to being in control. Yet, he was still the center of attention, still the focus of every room he entered.
He sat down on Chen Mo’s left.
One by one, people came over to toast him, and Xi Siyan drank every glass without so much as a frown.
Eventually, it was Chen Mo’s turn.
Chen Mo, already eight-tenths drunk, leaned back in his chair and raised his glass. “Boss Xi, I’ll drink first as a sign of respect.”
He tilted his head back and downed the entire glass in one go.
When he set the empty glass down, he raised an eyebrow at Xi Siyan. “What’s the matter, Mr. Xi? Not drinking?”
“You’re drunk,” Xi Siyan replied matter-of-factly.
Pretentious bastard.
Chen Mo cursed inwardly, his mood souring. He couldn’t help but think of Yang Shule’s earlier accusations and how Xi Siyan probably looked down on him for his aggressive tactics. The joy of the project’s success vanished.
Fueled by alcohol, Chen Mo stood up, using the table for support. He placed one hand on Xi Siyan’s shoulder and leaned in close, his voice low but mocking. “Squad Leader, we haven’t seen each other in so long. Are you really not going to drink with me? Or do you want everyone here to know that you and I go way back?”
Chen Mo couldn’t remember if Xi Siyan had eventually helped him that night. What he did remember was the cold, indifferent look in Xi Siyan’s eyes, reflected through the glass of wine.
The next morning, Chen Mo woke up in the apartment he’d bought outside the city. His head pounded with a vicious hangover, and when he opened his eyes, the first thing he saw was Gou Yiyang’s face.
“Why are you here?” Chen Mo croaked.
Gou Yiyang, clearly annoyed, snapped, “You blacked out, idiot. I told you to stop drinking so much. One of these days, you’re going to drink yourself to death!” Then, his tone turned curious. “By the way, when did Xi Siyan come back to China?”
Chen Mo frowned. “How should I know? Didn’t you say you two were close in high school?”
Gou poured him a glass of water. “We lost touch after he went abroad. He basically cut off contact with everyone in China. You know how it is—once people grow up, the gap between you widens. His circle isn’t one we can get into anymore.”
Chen Mo took a sip of water, listening as Gou continued in a gossipy tone. “But I heard another version. Apparently, his family had issues with his sexual orientation, so he cut ties with them too.”
Chen Mo wasn’t surprised. He remembered how Yang Shule had been constantly upset during those years, unable to reach Xi Siyan.
What a pair of star-crossed lovers, Chen Mo thought bitterly.
Putting down the glass, he said, “Thanks for picking me up last night.”
Gou gave him a strange look. “I didn’t pick you up. Xi Siyan sent you back.”
Chen Mo froze, turning to stare at him.
“You really don’t remember?” Gou asked, looking both amused and exasperated. “When I got there, your coat was lying in the middle of the road, and you were hanging off Xi Siyan’s neck like some kind of drunk hooligan. Do you know how embarrassing that was?”
Chen Mo’s headache worsened. “That’s not all,” he muttered, recounting how he’d forced Xi Siyan to drink at the banquet.
Gou gave him a look of pure disbelief. “Why the hell would you provoke him? No wonder he looked pissed.”
Chen Mo sighed. His drinking tolerance had always been poor, and he usually kept it under control. But that night, he’d been reckless.
He could only imagine how much Xi Siyan had wanted to kill him.
Good thing he didn’t need to bother. I died young anyway.
And now, at the start of his second life, the first person he had to run into was Xi Siyan.
Retribution, Chen Mo thought grimly.
In high school, Xi Siyan was already at the peak of his height, standing around 1.88 meters tall. His presence alone was enough to make people feel pressured, especially in the dim light of the night. His sharp, ridged eyes, high nose bridge, and defined features gave him an eye-catching, almost intimidating appearance.
He served as the monitor of the experimental class, but he was far from the type of rule-abiding student who would rat others out. To his classmates, he was more of a dependable leader, someone they instinctively gravitated toward when things went sideways. When Gou Yiyang and his group saw him, they rushed over like lost sheep finding their shepherd.
“Where is he?” Xi Siyan asked.
“Here!” someone waved, pointing toward Chen Mo. “He’s burning up—fever’s pretty bad.”
Chen Mo had already retreated into the shadows, leaning against the wall where the light couldn’t reach him. When Xi Siyan’s gaze followed the voice and landed on him, their eyes met. Chen Mo could clearly see a flicker of surprise in Xi Siyan’s expression, as if he hadn’t expected Chen Mo to be with this group of people.
But the shock disappeared as quickly as it came. Xi Siyan composed himself and walked over.
“How do you feel?” he asked.
They were standing so close that Chen Mo could catch the faint, clean scent of him. It was subtle but distinct, a fragrance that felt deliberate and refined. The shirt he wore looked plain at first glance, but the intricate gold stitching on the rolled-up cuffs betrayed its luxury.
“Not bad,” Chen Mo replied, leaning his head back against the wall. His tired eyes locked onto Xi Siyan’s, as if searching for a crack in his polished demeanor.
Unfortunately, this guy played the part of a “good squad leader” too well.
Without hesitation, Xi Siyan reached out and pressed the back of his hand to Chen Mo’s forehead. His brow furrowed slightly. “Your temperature is high,” he said.
Before Chen Mo could say anything, Xi Siyan started giving instructions like it was second nature.
“I’ll take him to the hospital,” he announced. Then, turning to the group, he asked, “Where are you all headed next?”
When someone answered, he added, “Behave yourselves. If Director Lai catches you, I can’t save you… What, do you think I’d risk my life for you? Do you think I’m not human? What’s wrong with being the squad leader? Even the squad leader can’t escape the nightmare of being scolded by the head teacher. You think I want to dream about solving physics competition problems in my sleep?”
Despite his lighthearted tone, his commanding presence kept everyone in line. “Lao Gou, come over and give me a hand,” he said.
Chen Mo didn’t even have the chance to refuse. He was dragged out of the alley by the two of them.
By the car, Gou Yiyang glanced at Chen Mo, who was leaning against the vehicle, and teased, “What’s wrong with you? Are you really crazy?”
“Let go,” Chen Mo said, glancing at Gou’s hand still gripping his arm. His tone was tinged with irritation. “I’ve got a fever, not a terminal illness. Why are you treating me like a prisoner?”
“You don’t know what’s good for you,” Gou shot back, letting go of his arm. He pulled a pack of cheap Heart to Heart tissues from his pocket, the kind that cost two yuan per pack, and handed one to Chen Mo. “Here, wipe your face. You’re sweating like crazy.”
Chen Mo took the tissue but didn’t use it. Instead, he crumpled it into a ball in his palm. The sweat on his hands made the paper hot to the touch, and the fever burning through his body left him irritable.
After speaking with the driver, Xi Siyan turned back and asked Gou, “Are you coming with us?”
“I can’t,” Gou said apologetically. “My grandma just called and insisted I come home.”
Chen Mo knew how much Gou’s grandmother meant to him. The old woman had been in poor health and had passed away shortly before Gou graduated high school.
Years later, whenever they drank together, Gou would talk about how much he regretted not spending more time with her when she was alive. He always said he had been too impatient, too dismissive of her constant nagging.
Chen Mo immediately said, “You don’t need to come with me.”
Though his voice was hoarse and his words sounded strange, he still added, “Spend more time with her while you can. She might nag, but that’s what happens when people get old.” After a pause, he added, “Don’t be so impatient.”
He could feel two pairs of eyes on him after saying that, but he remained calm.
Gou was stunned for a moment before nodding. “I know. Thanks…brother.”
Then, turning to Xi Siyan, he patted his arm and said, “Class monitor, I’m handing him over to you. Call me if anything happens.”
Ten minutes later, the Maybach quietly cruised through the night market, its sleek frame incongruous with the lively street scene. The windows were shut, isolating the car’s interior from the bustling world outside.
Chen Mo leaned back in his seat, raising an arm to cover his eyes. The silence in the car was suffocating, with the other person sitting next to him so quiet it was as if he didn’t exist.
“Drop me off somewhere on the side of the road,” Chen Mo said abruptly, breaking the silence.
From beside him, he felt a gaze so heavy it was almost tangible. Then came the calm, questioning voice: “And then?”
“Then I’ll take a cab. Or walk. Whatever,” Chen Mo replied, his tone indifferent.
The response seemed to puzzle Xi Siyan. “Is it really necessary to go to such lengths?”
“Is it unnecessary?” Chen Mo dropped his arm and turned to look at him. His fevered exhaustion was evident in the creases pressed into his eyelids, but his words were sharp. “No one else is here. Gou must’ve been out of his mind to call you. And you—seeing it’s me you’re helping—still want to play along? Why?”
Xi Siyan’s expression darkened, and his lips curled into a humorless smile.
“Do you think I was acting just now?” he asked, his voice laced with a faint chill.
Chen Mo raised an eyebrow. “Weren’t you?”
“Chen Mo,” Xi Siyan said, his tone colder now. “I don’t like meddling in other people’s business. But if I do, I don’t appreciate being accused of ulterior motives. Especially not with some excuse about you and your Yang family drama. If you’re dissatisfied, fight for what you want on your own.”
Chen Mo chuckled, the sound low and mocking.
“Fight for what?” he asked. “Your childhood sweetheart?” He leaned closer, his voice dripping with sarcasm. “Is he even worth it?”
The veins on Xi Siyan’s forehead visibly throbbed, but before he could respond, Chen Mo leaned back in his seat, smirking. “And if it’s not him, are you competing with the rest of the Yang family? Don’t waste your time.”
Despite the provocation, Xi Siyan didn’t throw him out of the car.
The Maybach pulled up to the hospital entrance.
Chen Mo stepped out, watching the car’s taillights fade into the distance before turning and heading inside.
Meanwhile, in the car that had just turned the corner, the driver, Uncle Lin, glanced at the rearview mirror and hesitated before speaking. “Si Yan, is it really okay to leave him like that? He looks seriously ill.”
“He’s so sharp-tongued,” Xi Siyan replied coldly. “Why should I help him?”
“I don’t think he’s targeting you,” Uncle Lin said carefully, trying to smooth things over. “It’s the Yang couple who’ve gone too far. They’ve been so obviously biased… Even though Shu Le was taken away by mistake, it’s not his fault. I understand why you’ve always sided with Shu Le—you two grew up together. But in this situation, being too partial isn’t fair.”
Xi Siyan didn’t respond to the comment about the Yang family. Instead, he said, “Uncle Lin, when did you start believing gossip?”
Uncle Lin chuckled. “Am I wrong? You’ve always helped your own people, no matter what. When have you ever cared about being fair?”
The car fell silent for a moment.
Then, Xi Siyan said, “Call the hospital. Tell them to keep an eye on him.”
“…Don’t let him die from his illness.”
