After the Reborn Young Master Embraced a Life of Wellness – Chapter 30

Chen Mo was sweating from the dance.

Amidst the admiring and curious gazes from the people around him, he was about to follow Xi Siyan off the dance floor—

When suddenly—

A soft piano melody began to play in the hall.

The crowd instinctively turned to look.

A Challenge from Yang Shule

At the center of the stage, Yang Shule sat gracefully behind a grand piano, dressed in a flowing white suit.

Under the warm glow of the spotlight, he played the well-known melody “Für Elise”, dedicating the song to the newly engaged couple.

The lights framed him, making the scene appear elegant and dreamy.

Guests gradually gathered toward the stage.

Sun Xiaoya’s expression darkened instantly.

Her tone was full of disgust as she gritted her teeth.

“Why the hell is he playing now? What, is he afraid people won’t know he can play? Does he have to show off? Ugh, it’s so pretentious!”

She then suddenly raised her voice—

“Look! He’s even looking over here! He’s obviously provoking me on purpose!”

Chen Mo followed her gaze—

And locked eyes with Yang Shule.

A Battle of Egos

In an instant, Chen Mo understood perfectly.

Yang Shule was responding to what he had said on the stairs earlier—

“Deliberate.”

A direct challenge.

But Chen Mo wasn’t interested in playing along.

He simply looked away and smiled at Sun Xiaoya.

“Why does it matter if he’s provoking you? It’s an engagement party—are you going to ruin your cousin’s big day just because of him?”

“Of course not,” Sun Xiaoya huffed. Her expression remained sour as she muttered, “But if this weren’t a formal event, I’d definitely go up there and slap that smug look off his face.”

Chen Mo chuckled.

He had seen their fights before—so Sun Xiaoya’s anger didn’t surprise him.

But he didn’t bother reminding her that Yang Shule’s real target tonight wasn’t her—

It was him.

Past and Present—Chen Mo vs. Yang Shule

Chen Mo had known for a long time that this moment would come.

There would be a day when Yang Shule could no longer pretend to be noble and above the conflict.

That day was today.

His position—both in school and in the Yang family—was far shakier than before.

And since neither of them had ever been the type to tolerate the other, it was only natural that one of them would break first.

In their past life, that person had been Chen Mo.

But it wasn’t because he couldn’t stand just Yang Shule.

There were too many people he couldn’t stand.

Yang Shule had simply been one of them.

So he had allowed him to sit comfortably in his ivory tower, keeping up his gentle, elegant young master persona, using that perfect image to manipulate and suppress others—

Until finally, he reaped all the benefits.

But across two lifetimes, the one who truly didn’t care for such childish fights—

Had always been Chen Mo himself.

What Chen Mo Fought For

For Chen Mo, the battles that mattered were those for profit, for care, for favoritism—

For proof that his existence wasn’t a mistake.

But life had taught him—

Those things were illusions.

At least in the Yang family, they were nothing more than a mirage in the mirror.

Touch them—

And all you get are ripples in the water.

Nothing real.

Between husband and wife.

Between father and son.

Between mother and son.

Between brothers.

The seemingly beautiful relationships—

Were nothing but thin veils hiding their ugly truths.

Underneath it all—

Selfishness.

Exploitation.

The price people pay for love and loyalty.

Everyone in the Yang family was an excellent actor.

And because Chen Mo refused to play along, he had never fit in.

The Inevitable Break

Eventually, in their past life, both he and Yang Zhi had ended up splitting the Yang family in two.

At first, Yang Qi’an and Zhou Yaoqing had only been perfunctory in dealing with him.

But over time, their attitude toward him had shifted from indifference to caution.

Meanwhile, Yang Zhi had repeatedly lost control, smashing his office in fits of rage, leaving his subordinates in constant fear.

Yet every time, when facing Chen Mo, he had forced himself to calm down, as if all the rage never happened.

Until one day, he had finally snapped—

“Have you ever thought of me as your brother?!”

Like a man gone mad.

So when Chen Mo eventually broke ties with the Yang family over company shares—

Everyone felt relieved.

It was as if the entire family had been suffocating.

And his departure was the breath of fresh air they had been waiting for.

This time around, Chen Mo truly had no interest in competing.

So he behaved perfectly.

But Yang Shule?

The moment Chen Mo stepped onto the very path he had once disdained—

He had no choice but to fight.

A Public Challenge

As the final note of “Für Elise” echoed through the hall, Yang Shule stood up amidst applause.

Leaning toward the microphone, he smiled and said—

“Second Brother.”

The hall buzzed.

“Second brother? So the Yang family ranks their sons? I guess the real and fake young masters get along well.”

“Which one’s the one who was found?”

Yang Shule waited for the murmurs to settle.

Then, still smiling, he continued—

“Our parents specially asked us to prepare a performance for our cousin and his bride. Second Brother, it’s your turn. And no—your dance from earlier doesn’t count.”

His tone was friendly, but his eyes were anything but.

He was waiting.

Waiting for Chen Mo to embarrass himself on stage.

Sun Xiaoya was speechless.

“What the hell?! Does he really think he’s the main character today? He seriously thinks he gets to decide who performs?!”

But while she fumed, the rest of the audience did not react the same way.

Because engagement banquets usually had blessing performances.

And since Yang Shule had called on Chen Mo, everyone’s attention naturally turned to him.

Whispers in the Crowd

“Chen Mo… He’s the one who just danced with the Sun family’s daughter, right?”

“He doesn’t look like he grew up in the countryside at all.”

“I heard the Yang family specially trained him. Isn’t that why he’s here tonight? To be evaluated by Old Madam Zhou?”

“Dancing is one thing. Social dancing isn’t hard to learn. But piano? That takes time.”

“He could just go up and give a blessing speech.”

“If he does, won’t that just highlight the difference between the two sons?”

“Young people care about their pride. No one wants to be humiliated in front of everyone.”

Chen Mo listened to all of this.

His expression remained calm.

As Sun Xiaoya panicked and whispered to Xi Siyan for a solution—

Chen Mo moved forward.

Step by step—

Through the sea of glamorous gowns and tailored suits—

And then—

He stepped onto the stage.

Unlike in his previous life, where Yang Shule had finished his performance and forced Chen Mo onto the stage—

Only for him to stand there in humiliating silence—

This time, things were different.

The people watching weren’t full of malice.

They were just curious.

Reactions from the Crowd

At a distance, Yang Zhi, who had been drinking with associates, stopped and frowned.

Meanwhile, the Yang couple, who were standing together arm in arm, murmured—

“When did we ever agree to let the kids perform? Shu Le is just messing around.”

But when Zhou Yaoqing replied,

“Young people, just fooling around.”

They let it go without another word.

Old Madam Zhou’s Decision

On the second floor, Old Madam Zhou watched the two young men on stage from afar.

She turned to her attendant and said,

“Let’s go back.”

The person beside her hesitated.

“Aren’t you going downstairs anymore?”

The old lady replied calmly—

“Let young people handle their own affairs. It’s not my place to interfere.”

“But what if the child suffers?”

The old lady smiled.

Her tone was firm.

“He won’t.”

Chen Mo’s Response

At that moment, Chen Mo took the microphone from Yang Shule.

With one hand casually in his pocket, he said—

“I’m not as knowledgeable and talented as my brother. I really can’t play the piano… but I can sing.”

The audience stirred with excitement.

“Let’s hear it, then!”

Chen Mo smiled, pulling out his phone.

“But I don’t quite remember the lyrics.”

He glanced at the engaged couple and asked,

“Cousin, cousin-in-law, you don’t mind me checking my phone while I sing, right? I might be underprepared, but I promise my blessing is sincere.”

His words were so naturally self-deprecating—

That people burst into laughter.

The engaged couple laughed too.

“Of course not!”

The atmosphere shifted instantly.

Casual, relaxed—completely different from what Yang Shule had expected.

The Performance

At first, everyone assumed Chen Mo was joking—

Maybe he’d sing some over-the-top, ridiculous love song like “Are You Gonna Marry Me Today” or “I’ll Love You Until I Die”.

But then—

A rich, velvety voice filled the microphone.

Low, soothing, utterly captivating.

What would I do without your smart mouth…

The song—“All of Me”—was familiar to everyone.

And when Chen Mo’s voice carried the first note, the hall fell silent.

There was no need for him to pretend to be deep or mature.

Yet—somehow—his voice felt inexplicably full of emotion.

From the second line, an unexpected addition entered the performance.

A piano accompaniment.

Xi Siyan.

The young heir of the Xi family, who had been mysteriously absent all evening, was suddenly seated behind the grand piano.

His playing was effortless, relaxed, as if this performance had been rehearsed a hundred times.

But it hadn’t.

The two of them—

One sitting, one standing.

One in the light, one in the dark.

Yet their synchronization was flawless.

As if they had planned it all along.

The Aftermath

When the song ended, the room erupted into applause.

Some guests sprayed champagne into the air.

Others shouted congratulations.

The moment was so naturally festive—

That it was time to cut the cake.

At the center of the hall, a massive, multi-tiered cake tower stood tall—

Decorated with chocolate, fruit, and delicate cream flowers.

This part of the night was always loud and chaotic, as young guests cheered and played games.

The couple was teased into kissing before they cut the first slice together.

The hall was buzzing with energy.

Meanwhile, Chen Mo had stepped off the stage.

Instead of joining the crowd, he simply leaned against the stage, holding a small piece of cake someone had enthusiastically handed him.

Several people called out to him—

“Chen Mo, come join us!”

He simply smiled and shook his head.

“You guys enjoy.”

The Gossip Begins

But just then—

A new conversation drifted into his ears.

“Shu Le, go call him over. Don’t you call him ‘Second Brother’? Someone sent a video of him singing, and my classmates are already asking for his contact info.”

“That’s right, Shu Le, go ask him!”

Yang Shule’s voice sounded stiff.

“…Stop joking around. My second brother likes men.”

A brief silence followed.

Then—

“Wait… what?”

“You mean he’s gay?”

“Huh, I never would’ve guessed.”

“Shu Le, does your family even know about this?”

“That was Xi Siyan playing the piano with him, right? So… does your second brother like him? Or are they actually… together?”

Their whispers grew quieter, their tones more secretive—

Until suddenly—

They all fell silent.

Because—

At some point—

The very person they were whispering about had appeared behind them.

Confrontation

Chen Mo tilted his head and smiled.

“Go on.”

His voice was calm, amused.

“What about the two of us?”

Yang Shule immediately stepped forward.

His expression shifted.

“Second Brother, you—”

The chatter stopped abruptly.

Because—

Chen Mo moved.

Without a second of hesitation, he grabbed the person in front of him and smashed his face directly into the cake.

Chaos Ensues

The room froze in stunned silence.

The next second—

Chen Mo grabbed Yang Shule by the hair, pulling him up from the mess.

As the crowd remained motionless, unable to process what had just happened, Chen Mo looked at the ruined cake with visible regret.

Then, in an unhurried, almost lazy voice, he said—

“What a shame. Even leftover cake like this is still a waste.”

The Aftermath

Yang Shule’s face was covered in cream.

His eyes and nose were buried under the frosting, making his expression unreadable.

Chen Mo looked at him, voice indifferent—

“I’ve tolerated you all night. You still aren’t done?”

And just like that—

The rumor that the Yang family’s adopted son and biological son got along well was officially shattered.

Elders Arrive

“What’s going on here?!”

The commotion finally attracted the attention of the elders.

Yang Qi’an and Zhou Yaoqing arrived, along with several other distinguished guests.

As expected—everyone started talking at once.

“Yang Shule insulted Chen Mo first.”

“No, Chen Mo attacked first!”

“It was them! They were whispering about Chen Mo being gay. They wouldn’t shut up—”

“Wait, what else did they say?!”

Yang Qi’an’s anger spiked as his voice boomed across the hall.

The Truth Spreads

And just like that—

Chen Mo’s sexuality—a topic that had previously only existed within the school—

Exploded into the upper-class circles of Suicheng.

Regardless of how different families felt about it, one thing was clear—

Yang Qi’an was furious.

But then—

The very same guest who had started this gossip chain reaction recklessly blurted out—

“I mean, isn’t it obvious? Chen Mo likes Xi Siyan. I mean, Xi Siyan even accompanied him on the piano! Who knows, maybe they’re actually together—”

Chen Mo’s Breaking Point

Chen Mo closed his eyes for a second.

This was so stupid that it actually made his stomach churn.

Then, as he reopened his eyes, he noticed—

Yang Qi’an’s face had gone through a rollercoaster of emotions.

From rage → shock → numbness → …Was that… delight?

At that moment—

Chen Mo felt so disgusted he could vomit.

The Clapback

Turning to the person who had just spoken, Chen Mo’s tone was mockingly calm.

“Classmate, let me get this straight.”

He took a step forward, tilting his head slightly.

“I like someone just because they played accompaniment for me? We’re in love just because we were on stage together? We live in the same dormitory—should I go ahead and say we’ve already slept together too?

And of course, you’re only making up rumors now because Xi Siyan isn’t here, right?”

The person froze, realizing just how absurd their words sounded.

They had nothing to say.

Silence.

Complete silence.

A Final Warning

Ignoring Yang Qi’an’s conflicted expression, Chen Mo turned his gaze back to Yang Shule.

With a look of complete disgust, he said—

“Control your precious son.”

“He has no business talking about whether I’m gay or not. And more importantly—if the Xi family gets involved because of this nonsense… Mom, Dad, it won’t just be ‘embarrassing’ for you.”

With that—he walked away.

The Aftermath: A Moment Alone

Behind the banquet hall, there was a small garden.

Ten minutes later—

Chen Mo was leaning against the wall, half-hidden in the dark, a cigarette burning between his fingertips.

From the archway opposite him, someone appeared.

Xi Siyan.

Chen Mo glanced up.

“So, you heard?”

His voice was casual, but there was an underlying hint of apology.

“Sorry for dragging you into this.”

Xi Siyan’s Response

Xi Siyan looked at him calmly.

Then—

“You refuted the rumor… but you casually threw in the part about sleeping together.”

His tone was neutral.

“Makes me question the kind of school environment you came from.”

Chen Mo laughed lightly.

“It’s fine.”

He didn’t elaborate, but in his past life, Gou Yiyang had once told him that Xi Siyan went abroad because of his sexual orientation.

Which meant—

Xi Siyan was surprisingly tolerant of these kinds of rumors.

Still—

Since Xi Siyan had clearly stated he wasn’t interested in men, Chen Mo had no intention of prying further.

Instead, he changed the subject.

“So… what happened to you today?”

“You were late, lied to Sun Xiaoya about being stuck in traffic, and disappeared for most of the night. Half the people here were looking for you. Where the hell were you?”

Xi Siyan’s Answer

Xi Siyan’s expression remained unreadable.

“You really want to know?”

Chen Mo paused for a second.

Then he nodded.

The next moment—

Xi Siyan took a step forward.

Then another.

And another.

Until he was right in front of Chen Mo.

Then—

He bent down slightly.

Chen Mo felt a light touch against his wrist—

Fingertips.

Trailing slowly down from his wrist—

Brushing across his palm—

Sliding past his fingers—

Until finally—

Xi Siyan plucked the cigarette from between his fingers.

Then, he stood up straight again.

Holding up the cigarette, he raised an eyebrow.

“You gonna light another?”

Chen Mo: Speechless

Chen Mo frowned instantly.

“…Annoying.”

He had zero intention of putting on a big show with Yang Shule tonight.

But somehow, he’d ended up doing exactly that.

And worse—

For free.

Xi Siyan had dark circles under his eyes, but for some reason—

He actually looked like he was in a good mood.

A strange contrast.

Then, in a slow but firm voice, Xi Siyan spoke again.

“Cigarette box. Hand it over.”

Chen Mo looked at him.

Xi Siyan’s expression was calm, unwavering.

But his tone?

Undeniable.