Chen Mo tried to reason. “You only said smoking is prohibited in 4-1-3, but this is outside the school. There’s no such rule here, right?”
“Yes,” Xi Siyan replied, “but now there is.”
Chen Mo: “No.”
“Really not going to hand it over?” Xi Siyan raised an eyebrow.
Chen Mo mimicked his expression. “Nope.”
The back garden door opened intermittently, with people coming and going. Occasionally, someone would notice the two standing close together in a dimly lit corner.
If anyone had recognized them, they would have realized that the so-called “model student” of the Xi family, often used as an example to educate younger generations, was currently blocking the biological son newly found by the Yang family. His behavior was neither polite nor gentlemanly.
Without hesitation, he pressed down on Chen Mo’s hand, reached into his trouser pocket, and pulled out half a pack of cigarettes.
It was an outright robbery—straightforward and completely unreasonable.
Chen Mo was dumbfounded by his actions.
Only when the cigarette pack landed in Xi Siyan’s hand did he finally react. Hesitantly, he asked, “If you want to hit me, fine. But what’s the deal with snatching?”
Just then, someone approached. Xi Siyan casually tossed the cigarette over and glanced at Chen Mo. “I don’t smoke.”
The one who caught the cigarette mid-air was Qi Lin.
It was the first time Chen Mo had seen him that night. Setting aside the grievance of his cigarette being confiscated, he asked, “You just got here?”
“I’ve been here all night,” Qi Lin walked over, slinging an arm over Xi Siyan’s shoulder. Flipping the cigarette pack between his fingers, he smirked, “What’s this about? Your second uncle’s been cursing you to anyone who’ll listen, and now you’re bullying your own roommate? Good thing Chen Mo helped clear up the dirty rumors about you.”
Chen Mo’s face darkened. “What dirty rumor?”
But that wasn’t the point. Last time, when he had a stomachache, he met Xi Siyan’s second uncle at a KTV. The man had even accompanied him to the hospital. Now, Chen Mo asked, “What’s going on between you and your second uncle?”
Xi Siyan replied flatly, “It has nothing to do with my second uncle. Don’t listen to his nonsense.”
Qi Lin cut in, unconvinced. “Nonsense? How dare you say that the high school life documentary project from the Municipal Education Bureau just popped up out of nowhere? You’re not even participating, so why are you interfering? Your second uncle must be losing his mind—why else would he be cursing you?”
Hearing the words “high school life documentary,” Chen Mo froze.
So, it really was happening.
In his previous life, both he and Yang Shule had been candidates.
The so-called documentary aimed to capture students’ daily school lives and interactions with their families for promotional and educational purposes. Those selected needed to have compelling stories, outstanding grades, or significant public interest—all of which Chen Mo possessed.
If he had agreed, it would have meant complete transparency—nothing hidden from the cameras.
Back then, he refused, and the Yang family certainly wouldn’t have agreed either. Ultimately, the documentary featured Yang Shule and three other students.
In his past life, when the school informed him about it, Chen Mo rejected the offer without a second thought. He never paid it any mind. But later, he vaguely noticed that during that period, Yang Shule seemed particularly popular—he was being watched wherever he went. That was all.
This time, hearing about it in advance, the feeling was different.
Chen Mo turned to Xi Siyan. “This project… is it related to you?”
“I just knew about it ahead of time.” When Xi Siyan met his gaze, his expression wasn’t a complete denial. He said calmly, “But I suggest you participate.”
Chen Mo: “Reason?”
“The last time you gave me those clothes, I accused you of trying to manipulate public opinion. Turns out, you handled it quite well.”
Qi Lin was confused. “What are you guys even talking about?”
Xi Siyan kept his eyes on Chen Mo. “This event is just an opportunity. Whether you choose to involve the Education Bureau or not, it’s going to happen anyway. But in my view, you should take full control. Only when you hold the opportunity in your own hands do you have the power to choose.”
At that moment, Chen Mo caught a glimpse of the future Xi Siyan—the ruthless businessman he would later cross paths with.
A man who never left things half-done.
So, if his name had been on the candidate list in his past life, it couldn’t have been a coincidence.
What did he want?
Chen Mo narrowed his eyes. “Why are you telling me this?”
“Didn’t you stand up for me tonight?” Xi Siyan replied.
Qi Lin, utterly lost, scratched his head. “I don’t get what you two are on about, but I say do it. These documentaries are aired in major schools nationwide—maybe you’ll even become a city-wide sensation.”
Chen Mo didn’t respond.
Unlike Qi Lin, he understood Xi Siyan’s intention perfectly.
Xi Siyan clearly knew that he had just linked the Yang family and the Chen family together. If this documentary recorded his life, it would either expose the baby-switching scandal to the public or give the Yang family complete control over the narrative.
For Chen Mo, that would mean repeating past mistakes.
Even if revenge wasn’t his ultimate goal in this life, some things had to be confronted.
Had he handled things differently back then, would Chen Jicheng have continued to haunt him?
Even now, there was no way out.
Xi Siyan’s suggestion gave him a strange illusion—if he had participated in his past life, would things have been different? It seemed like he had the chance to change something, yet he let it slip away.
Just like how he had always viewed Xi Siyan through the lens of his preconceived notions—someone who was always with Yang Shule, who once stood in Yuhuai Village. He had never truly tried to understand him.
And now, that same person was telling him to go all the way.
As Chen Mo was lost in thought, he vaguely heard Qi Lin and Xi Siyan still talking.
Qi Lin: “So what do I do with this cigarette? I don’t even smoke.”
“Throw it away,” Xi Siyan said.
Qi Lin groaned. “Damn, Master Xi, this isn’t fair. Chen Mo’s not your student or your son, but you boss him around at school, and now you’re controlling him when he smokes outside too? You’re way too overbearing.”
Xi Siyan: “Throw it away or not?”
“Fine, fine.” Qi Lin surrendered and turned to Chen Mo. “Brother Mo, I’ll toss it for you. With your stomach problems, you really should cut down on smoking.”
Chen Mo nodded indifferently. “Go ahead.”
Then, Xi Siyan leaned in slightly and asked, “No more arguing now?”
Chen Mo turned back and asked, “Weren’t you the one who snatched it first?”
Qi Lin ignored their exchange and instead turned to Chen Mo excitedly. “But Brother Mo, what you did tonight was huge. You actually came out in front of your parents—damn, that takes guts.”
Chen Mo didn’t respond.
If not for Yang Shule, he wouldn’t have bothered to let the Yang couple stir up a scene over this matter.
By the time the banquet ended, it was already late at night.
The excitement had passed.
Chen Mo was hailing a taxi by the roadside to return to school when a sleek black car slid up beside him. Yang Zhi was in the back seat.
“Get in.”
Chen Mo didn’t hesitate. Since Yang Zhi had brought him to the banquet, it was only natural for him to be responsible for sending him back.
Besides, he didn’t want to stand out in the cold.
As soon as Yang Zhi’s car pulled away, another car that had been parked nearby also started moving forward.
The driver, Uncle Lin, glanced at the person in the backseat and asked, “He got into his brother’s car. Do you want to follow him?”
“No need,” Xi Siyan withdrew his gaze. “Let’s go back.”
Uncle Lin turned at the next intersection.
He drove all the way to the Xi family’s old estate and then spoke again. “Why didn’t you tell him that if you hadn’t stepped in, his adoptive father would’ve caused a scene? If this wedding banquet had been ruined, the Zhou and Yang families would’ve put all the blame on him.”
Xi Siyan opened his eyes slightly.
“The Yang family made a verbal agreement but refused to pay in the end. That’s on them, not Chen Mo. He shouldn’t have to bear the consequences,” Xi Siyan’s tone was indifferent. “Since we already intervened in the public narrative, it’s only fair we help prevent unnecessary trouble for him.”
Uncle Lin chuckled. “Then why use your second uncle as an excuse?”
“An excuse?” Xi Siyan turned slightly, looking out at the night scenery beyond the car window. “The event is real, and I did intend to remind him. It’s not an excuse.”
Uncle Lin kept his eyes on the road and sighed. “This road again… I still remember the first time I saw you take that kid to the hospital. With your temper, you just left him at the entrance and walked away.”
Xi Siyan seemed to recall the memory as well.
He lowered his head slightly, smiling.
“Things are different now.”
Uncle Lin: “It hasn’t been that long, has it?”
“But I actually feel a little regretful, Uncle Lin.”
That emotion was foreign to Xi Siyan.
He had always been decisive. Yet, for some reason, he regretted that night.
And all because he had left a “classmate” he barely knew outside the hospital doors.
A fever, no one around to care for him.
He had no doubt that from the moment Chen Mo arrived at the hospital until he left, not a single soul had come looking for him.
As for why he regretted it…
Uncle Lin seemed to understand. “Ayan, your grandfather once said something about you that I think was spot on. You’ve never lacked for anything since childhood, and you’re too good at everything. One day, you’d regret your arrogance. But that kid—he’s got a good personality, he’s open-minded. I don’t think he’d hold a grudge over something so small.”
Xi Siyan rested his elbow against the car window. “True.”
Chen Mo wouldn’t care.
Compared to everything he had experienced, that was just the tip of the iceberg.
But for him, now that he was familiar enough with Chen Mo—once was enough.
Xi Siyan pulled out his phone and sent a message.
[Let me know when you get back to school.]
A soft notification dinged, and a message popped up on the screen.
[Can’t make it. Staying home tonight.]
Xi Siyan frowned.
Another message followed.
[No idea what’s up with Yang Zhi. When I woke up, he was already at the door…]
The multiple ellipses seemed to convey Chen Mo’s speechlessness.
Xi Siyan chuckled.
[Came to pick you up?]
[Not necessary. I’ll just stay here. At least the bed’s softer than the one in the dorm.]
After sending the message, Chen Mo stepped out of the car.
The Yang family’s villa was still brightly lit despite the late hour.
This was the first time Chen Mo had returned since moving into the school dormitory.
Inside, the Yang couple and Yang Shule had already arrived.
Servants were bustling about. After all, the young master had returned with his head covered in cake frosting. The couple had different expressions on their faces—it was unclear if they had argued on the way back, but as soon as they stepped inside, they went to their respective rooms without a word.
Chen Mo yawned as he followed Yang Zhi inside.
Just then, a servant carrying a small bottle hurriedly rushed past, nearly knocking into Chen Mo.
Crash!
The small purple bottle shattered.
A strong, pungent fragrance filled the air, making Chen Mo’s nose itch.
Yang Zhi turned to look, his gaze cold. “What’s wrong with you? Why are you in such a hurry?”
“Y-Young Master…” The servant was startled, especially upon realizing that the person beside Yang Zhi was Chen Mo.
After all, the last time Chen Mo had lost his temper in this house…
The servant trembled as he held the small, broken bottle in his hand. “This is the brand of aromatherapy that Young Master Shule usually uses. It was gone in his room, so I was just about to bring a new one up.”
The words had barely left his mouth when a loud voice came from upstairs.
“A Xiang! Why haven’t you brought it up yet?”
Just as the voice rang out, Yang Shule, wearing a bathrobe, appeared at the top of the stairs.
His hair still had traces of white cream in it, his face was red from scrubbing, and irritation was written all over his expression.
But the moment he looked downstairs, he immediately spotted Chen Mo.
He rushed down in a fury.
Gritting his teeth, he snapped, “Chen Mo! How dare you come back after what you did?!”
Chen Mo turned to Yang Zhi and asked calmly, “I was wondering the same thing—how did I get back here?”
Yang Zhi frowned deeply at Yang Shule’s reaction. “Shule, this is his home too. Is there a problem with him coming back?”
“Brother,” Yang Shule’s anger flared up again, but as soon as he met Yang Zhi’s gaze, his rage turned into grievance. He pointed accusingly at Chen Mo. “He pushed me into the cake in front of everyone! He went too far!”
Yang Zhi’s frown remained. “Didn’t you force him to go on stage first?”
“I only said it casually during the interaction! He was already dancing in front of everyone—how was I supposed to know he didn’t want to?”
“Oh.” Chen Mo dragged out his response, his tone lazy. “I just felt a little itchy, so I accidentally pushed you in. You didn’t react at the time, so I assumed you were fine with it.”
“Chen Mo, you—!”
Ignoring him, Chen Mo stepped over the broken glass on the floor.
Turning to the servant who still looked flustered, he said, “Send some essential oil to my room. Something suitable for bathing and sleeping. Just don’t make the scent too strong.”
“O-Okay.” The servant nodded quickly.
Yang Shule snapped, “Send it to me first! If it’s broken, go get another one!”
The servant hesitated, looking unsure.
Chen Mo simply waved a hand. “Give it to him first. Goodnight, brother.”
Behind him, Yang Shule continued to complain while Yang Zhi responded in a tone that was hard to tell whether he was comforting him or just trying to shut him up.
Chen Mo went upstairs and into his room.
Everything was just as he had left it—cleaned but untouched.
He picked up a robe he had never worn before and walked into the bathroom.
The only advantage of this place?
The oversized bathtub with a built-in massage function.
Chen Mo filled it with steaming hot water and soaked in it until he felt drowsy.
Then came a knock at the door.
The servant carefully handed him a small bottle of essential oil along with his phone. “Young Master Mo, I saw that your phone was on, so I brought it in for you.”
“Thanks.”
Chen Mo took the phone with wet hands and saw several unread messages.
The most recent one was from Xi Siyan.
[Are you sure you don’t need to answer it?]
Chen Mo’s hands were too wet to type, so he simply tapped the video call button.
This was the first time he had ever video-called Xi Siyan. After all, they saw each other at school every day.
The call rang twice before it connected.
On the screen, Xi Siyan’s face appeared even more striking in the soft lighting. It was only a half-body shot, making it hard to tell exactly where he was—probably his room or somewhere at home. The surroundings were quiet.
“Squad leader,” Chen Mo greeted.
The heat from the water made his voice slightly hoarse. The massage function on the bathtub was at its highest setting, sending vibrations through the water. He hummed slightly, stretching lazily. “Don’t worry, I really don’t need to answer it. But thanks for checking on your classmate in the middle of the night.”
Xi Siyan, still looking at the screen, frowned slightly and asked in a low voice, “What are you doing?”
“Bathing.”
Chen Mo answered, then noticed himself in the small preview window.
His face was flushed from the heat, his wet hair clung to his forehead, and his whole body trembled slightly from the vibrating massage jets.
It took him a second to realize—
Xi Siyan might have misunderstood.
The thought made him laugh.
Leaning sideways against the edge of the bathtub, he looked at the camera and grinned. “Relax. No matter how shameless I am, I wouldn’t do that while looking at your face.”
Xi Siyan stared at him through the screen, his expression unreadable.
Then, after a pause, he asked, “What can you do?”
Chen Mo smirked.
Because of his position, he was now very close to the camera—intentionally so.
He didn’t say a word.
But through the phone screen, two words could be seen forming on his lips.
—Self-abuse.
And then, as Xi Siyan’s expression darkened slightly, Chen Mo burst into laughter.
