After the Reborn Young Master Embraced a Life of Wellness – Chapter 68

Chen Mo didn’t know whether Xi Siyan had received the same flood of messages. He was honestly more amazed by everyone’s imagination than anything else, and didn’t bother replying one by one. Instead, he casually posted a WeChat Moment.

The picture: a well-arranged table of food, the colors vibrant and appetizing.

The caption: “Eat when you’re hungry. Simple truth, simple reason.”

The moment it went up, the people who’d been left on read earlier instantly flooded his comments.

Jiang Xu: “What’s this, an official announcement? You two haven’t posted in a million years, and now this drops out of nowhere?”

Xue Ping: “I’ve never liked anyone surnamed Xi, but this covert behavior is so not like you. If you’re being threatened, blink twice. I’m tired of always being second place anyway.”

Lao Gou: “??? I’d honestly believe it if you told me someone got Photoshopped out of that pic!”

Qi Lin: “I’m out of town, already messaged Lao Xi—no reply. But I’m betting my life you two are definitely up to something! If I’m wrong, may I wake up in the wilderness tomorrow with not a damn piece of clothing on!”

Bai Cheng: “…what happened?”

Sun Xiaoya: @Qi Lin “What do you mean ‘no clothes’?? Do you have some secrets I don’t know about??”

Chen Mo was confused.

He clicked on the photo, and then he saw it.

Across the table in the picture, there was a hand resting casually on the tabletop—elegant fingers, long and distinct, undeniably sexy. On the wrist was a watch worth over three million, making the presence seem even more refined and distinguished.

…Yeah, okay. That did look kind of suspicious.

He hadn’t noticed it when he took the picture, and now was half-tempted to delete it immediately.

But before he could do anything, the comments just kept rolling in.

Compared to the chaos from old friends, the speculation from outsiders was much more measured. Most assumed CM Group was entering the domestic market and had struck some sort of partnership with a rising new face.

Chen Mo was suddenly getting a lot of new contact requests.

After combining the social media buzz with the news clip from earlier, it wasn’t hard to figure out who he’d been dining with.

“Hahahaha, that tattooed guy was killing me.”
“That was Mr. Xi, right? Damn, I thought I’d see you two on the cover of Forbes—not the local police blotter. My bad.”
“Where did Mr. Chen treat Mr. Xi to dinner? That food looked great. Next time, bring me!”
“Brother Mo, are you confirming a collaboration with CM Group?”

Even some folks from the startup circle chimed in:

Old K: “?? Didn’t Mr. Xi say he was going to discuss something with you? How’d y’all end up in a viral news clip?”

Yuan Hao: “Master, you okay? That motorcycle guy was a total idiot!”

Su Qianran: “Your big bro just asked me why netizens are saying you and Mr. Xi look like a couple. What do I even say to that?”

Chen Mo hadn’t posted to his Moments in ages.

He wasn’t big on sharing in general, but now and then he’d post something—usually startup promotions, academic updates, or the occasional health PSA. No wonder everyone got hyped over this post.

It was their reactions that made Chen Mo realize just how far this had spread.

He flipped through his phone and saw that the video had already hit trending status.

“Do you think we should do some PR?” he asked as they finished dinner and got up to leave.

Xi Siyan was putting on his coat.
“No need. It’s not a scandal, nothing negative.”

Chen Mo’s gaze landed on the phone Xi Siyan had left on the table—still open to his WeChat Moments. His own post, front and center.

He felt awkward and tried to explain.
“Everyone was asking, and I didn’t feel like replying to them all individually, so I posted that.”

Who would’ve guessed that their shared contacts were so dramatic and immediately started stirring up nonsense?

Xi Siyan glanced at the screen, quickly catching on.

He picked up his phone and tapped a few times.

Soon, Chen Mo’s phone pinged with a new notification.

[Xi Siyan liked your post.]
[Xi Siyan commented: “Nice photo.”]

Almost instantly, Qi Lin replied:
@XSY “WTF. I messaged you and got no reply. I thought you were dead! But you had time to leave a comment???”

Jiang Xu: “Captain, I’ve been eyeing that watch for ages. Can I borrow it just to… lick it a little?”

Xue Ping: “Since you moved abroad, I haven’t felt the joy of rivalry. Now that I’m at TS, welcome back to the ring.”

Lao Gou: “Nice photo 🙃 [passive-aggressive tone .jpg]”

Chen Mo rubbed his temples, feeling a headache coming on.

He thought to himself: maybe it was a blessing in disguise that he hadn’t known these people in his past life.

Couldn’t take it anymore. He just shut off his phone.

Walking out of Juxiangzhai with Xi Siyan, a light drizzle had started outside.

Xiaolin had been waiting out front for quite a while.

He’d clearly seen the news too—and judging by his barely restrained grin when he saw his boss naturally raise an umbrella to cover Chen Mo’s head, he’d seen way more than he should’ve.

He got out of the car, walked over, opened the back door with uncharacteristic reverence, and said:

“Mr. Chen, please watch your step.”

“Thanks.” Chen Mo got into the car.

Xi Siyan followed and instructed calmly,
“To Rhine Ark.”

Chen Mo blinked in surprise.
“How do you know where I live?”

Xi Siyan replied, unfazed:
“There’s a tech park nearby. It’s halfway between Q University and Xinrui—logically, it’s the most strategic choice for you. Am I wrong?”

Chen Mo hesitated, “…I guess that makes sense.”

“Exactly.” Xi Siyan nodded. “Drive.”

Xiaolin was this close to bursting out laughing.

Not because anything was funny on its own—but because it was so obvious his boss was lying, and Mr. Chen knew he was lying, but couldn’t prove it, so he just looked vaguely exasperated. It was inexplicably hilarious.

As he started the car, Xiaolin asked,
“Mr. Chen, you and our CEO were really high school classmates?”

“Yeah,” Chen Mo replied, pulling away from the earlier awkwardness. “We sat at the same desk.”

Xiaolin nodded thoughtfully.
“No wonder you two seem to know each other so well.”

Do we, though? Chen Mo wasn’t sure.

After all, they hadn’t seen each other in years.

But it was also true—ever since they reunited, Xi Siyan had never once felt unfamiliar. Whether it was offering his clothes the first day they met again, staying calm when that biker caused trouble, or Chen Mo trying to treat him to dinner only for Xi Siyan to foot the bill in the end.

It all just felt… effortless.

It wasn’t hard for Chen Mo to connect this Xi Siyan in front of him to the old squad leader he once knew.

Meticulous, calm, and a gentleman to the core.

So when Lao Gou started ranting in the WeChat Moments and then followed up with a private message, Chen Mo replied simply:

“Don’t ask. We didn’t get back together.”

Lao Gou: “You think I’m buying that?”
Lao Gou: “There’s no fire rekindling that old flame?”
Lao Gou: “Okay, fine, I admit I used to be biased against him because of that gossip with the little celebrity. But he’s been front-page news all day today and hasn’t backed off once. At this point, I don’t even think it’s about not admitting your past—I think he might not want to forget it.”

Chen Mo: “…”

Lao Gou: “Go test him a little. Tease him. See how he reacts.”

Chen Mo: “Are you mentally ill?”

Lao Gou: “Why am I the one who’s sick? You two are the ones acting like weirdos. You told us you broke up, but for five damn years, neither of you even thought about dating someone new. I asked that bastard Qi Lin—he said the squad leader lived like a monk abroad. Blonde chicks, swimsuit models, thong-wearing goddesses were all over him, and he wasn’t interested in any of them!”

Chen Mo was speechless. The sheer bluntness made him instinctively turn his phone away, hiding the screen.

Which, of course, only made Xi Siyan glance over.

“Someone messaging you?” Xi Siyan raised an eyebrow.

“Lao Gou. He’s interning at the hospital and clearly has way too much free time,” Chen Mo replied, trying to play it off.

But the messages kept coming.

Lao Gou: “Look, at this point, if you two still don’t make a move, then either your squad leader’s equipment’s broken or you’re frigid. I know a specialist in our men’s clinic. One of the best. Want me to refer you?”

Chen Mo didn’t dignify that with a real response—he just sent a sticker of a three-meter-long sword.

Honestly, he was used to Lao Gou running his mouth. Especially after med school started, this kind of “therapy through nonsense” became their go-to way of blowing off steam.

Chen Mo normally didn’t take it seriously.

But right at that moment, he heard a voice next to him murmur: “Sexual dysfunction?”

“F*ck—!” Chen Mo jumped, startling Xiao Lin in the driver’s seat, who looked over in surprise.

Chen Mo immediately covered his phone, exasperated. “You heard wrong.”

“Didn’t you say it was Lao Gou?” Xi Siyan stretched his hand out. “We’re old classmates. Haven’t seen him in years. Let me say hi.”

“No need—really—” Chen Mo panicked, trying to block him.

But Xi Siyan just calmly reached out, and Chen Mo, defeated, had no choice but to hand over the phone.

Xi Siyan didn’t even scroll. He just hit record and said,
“Gou Yiyang. It’s me, Xi Siyan.”

Lao Gou practically dropped to his knees.

He immediately voice messaged back, frantic: “Ahhh! Squad leader! I’m sorry! I was just joking! Just messing around!”

Xi Siyan chuckled, replying:
“I’ll treat everyone to a nice dinner when things settle down. Make sure you come. I’ve returned the phone to Chen Mo—don’t take it seriously.”

He handed the phone back.

Chen Mo barely took it before the messages resumed.

Lao Gou: “Chen Mo! I’d take a bullet for you, but you stabbed your brother in the back for a man. Are you still human?!”

Chen Mo: “Who told you to talk sht?”*

Then he added:
*“Besides, Xi Siyan wasn’t mad. You should be honored. You’re almost getting VIP treatment.”

Lao Gou: “…?? You’ve completely lost it. I’m done with you.”

…But two seconds later:

Lao Gou: “Wake up. You dragged out a giant like CM Group and you still believe he’s just a polite gentleman?”

Chen Mo wasn’t naïve enough to think that just because Xi Siyan hadn’t thrown away the past, everything was the same as it used to be.

Even he had changed a lot over the years, let alone the other person.

As for whether Xi Siyan was really that “gentle”—Chen Mo hadn’t fully figured out where his boundaries were. For instance, when Xi Siyan followed him upstairs at Rhine Ark, he didn’t find it intrusive.

Standing in the elevator, Chen Mo casually said,
“I haven’t had time to send those clothes to the dry cleaner yet. Remember to have your assistant handle it when you take them back.”

Just as the elevator arrived at their floor, the doors opened to reveal two aunties in their fifties, heading downstairs.

The moment they saw Chen Mo, one of them lit up.
“Xiao Chen! Just got off work?”

“Yeah, finally clocking out.” Chen Mo smiled. “Heading to the square to dance?”

“Yup!” The auntie with the most stylish grandma-perm grinned. “Xiao Chen, did you think about what Auntie mentioned last time? My niece is really wonderful. A top student from a top university, just like you. She’s 26 now—only three years older than you. But y’know what they say: a woman three years older brings gold to her husband.”

Chen Mo wasn’t about to come out to elderly aunties in the building. That was just asking for a headache.

Ever since he moved here, the biggest challenge hadn’t been commuting or noisy neighbors—it was that the neighbors were too enthusiastic.

To them, the handsome young man living next door had everything: a successful career, a car, a house, no parents to fuss over him, and good looks. A perfect candidate for marriage.

He’d turned them down more times than he could count.

“Auntie, I really haven’t thought about it. Maybe in a couple years.”

As he spoke, he subtly pulled Xi Siyan closer.

Unfortunately, one of the aunties had no fear and immediately sized Xi Siyan up with sparkling eyes.

“Is this your colleague, Xiao Chen?” she asked. “How old are you, young man? Are you married?”

Xi Siyan raised an eyebrow.
“Yeah. Already taken.”

“Oh, married?” The auntie visibly deflated. “You don’t look that old, and your qualifications are great. Didn’t expect you’d already be off the market.”

She muttered this all the way into the elevator.

Chen Mo stood there by the door, stunned.
“When did that happen?”

“It’s fake,” Xi Siyan said bluntly.

He looked straight at Chen Mo’s face, eyes sharp, watching every flicker of emotion. Only when Chen Mo’s expression finally caught up did he lean in close and whisper:

“Brother Mo’s face can’t lie. You actually believed me?”