The next day, Saturday, was a beautiful day.

When Chen Mo opened his eyes, all he saw was the morning light streaming in through the window, accompanied by the crisp chirping of birds and faint voices from below, causing him to stare at the ceiling for a while before remembering where he was.

The folding bed was empty.

On the bedside table to his left sat a bowl of congee, still steaming slightly.

He got up to grab his phone.

Upon opening it, he discovered that his phone was nearly exploding with messages from the night before.

In the school group chat, which he had muted, many people had tagged him. He scrolled through casually, realizing that the video from last night had been shared. Many classmates went from guessing to excitement, and finally to shock when the identities were revealed.

There were also several friend requests from people he didn’t even know.

After glancing through, he didn’t accept any of them.

His finger stopped on the two most recent friend requests.

The first one had an avatar of a sunflower under a blue sky, with the WeChat name: Wang Nian.

The second avatar was a travel photo of a tree silhouetted against a fiery sunset, appearing spontaneous yet artistic. The WeChat name was casual: XSY.

Seeing these two avatars side by side, Chen Mo couldn't help but smile slightly, realizing that Yang Shule's little crush was just a common youthful infatuation at their age.

Although he didn’t care what Yang Shule wanted to add him for, he had no interest in finding out. He skipped the top request and accepted the one below.

The reason for the request was: I left early; remember to eat breakfast.

Not accepting would make him seem ungrateful.

So, he added the contact and sent a message: “Thanks for the congee.”

He didn’t know what the other side was doing, but the reply came quickly.

“Awake?”

“Otherwise, would I be thanking you telepathically?”

“Don’t argue early in the morning. That bowl of congee cost at least two yuan.”

“... Wasn’t it only worth one?”

At that moment, in the Si family’s old mansion.

In a courtyard blending Eastern and Western styles, a gentle stream flowed, with traces of last night’s banquet still evident in the busy figures of the servants cleaning up. In the spacious living room, an elderly man with silver hair was holding a cup of tea, using the lid to skim the tea foam, and leisurely exhaled before asking, “What are you laughing about?”

The one being questioned was Si Yan, who had returned early that morning and had already changed into a different outfit.

Unlike the formal attire from the banquet, his white shirt was tailored to fit snugly, and the golden embroidery on the shoulders subtly hinted at its luxury.

He was sitting in a pearwood chair at the lower end of the table, looking up as he replied, “You must have misseen.”

“I’m not old enough to be blind,” the old man took a sip of tea and said slowly, “What were you doing last night? Your second uncle already came back to sleep, yet you’ve learned to stay out all night.”

If anyone else from the Si family had been present, they would have long bowed their heads in submission.

But Si Yan didn’t, merely raising his phone and arching an eyebrow. “I’m almost of age now; don’t try to impose those outdated rules from seventy or eighty years ago on me—they won’t work.”

“Hmph.” The old man set his teacup down on the table beside him, expressing his dissatisfaction. “You think you can hide it from me? The one who texted you earlier was that kid from the Yang family, right?”

Si Yan looked back, surprised. “I thought you weren’t interested in these matters.”

“I have known Yang Congxian, the old master of the Yang family, for many years,” the elder’s face showed a hint of nostalgia. “It’s a pity. The current head of the Yang family had a turbulent relationship with his wife back in the day, and now, it’s been revealed that his son isn’t even biologically his. In contrast, the enduring love between your parents is the most comforting thing for your grandmother and me.”

Si Yan found this topic dull.

While his parents’ affection was nice, it was precisely because of that love that he had grown up in this mansion.

Because he was the perfect eldest son, his second uncle’s waywardness was particularly unacceptable to the old man.

Though there were many side branches of the Si family, there were only two direct sons. Counting down, Si Yan was the only remaining hope that had been placed upon him for generations.

However, he sometimes felt he didn’t live up to the expectation of being perfect.

For instance, bringing up his parents made him frown in annoyance. “What did you say to them last night? My mom sent me a three-page voice message that lasted sixty seconds. Anyone who didn’t know would think I committed some huge crime outside.”

The old man felt a bit exasperated. “And what about you? Your second uncle’s been drinking himself to death outside. Your mom has always felt guilty towards you. With you missing from such an occasion, how could she not worry?”

Si Yan leaned back in his chair.

He tilted his head back, hands resting on the armrests with arms crossed.

“I just don’t like her making decisions on her own.”

The elder shot him a look and picked up his teacup again, appearing inscrutable. “The Yang family doesn’t have just one son. Weren’t you just with another one last night?”

Si Yan tilted his head. “What do you mean?”

The old man said, “The late matriarch of the Yang family had a good relationship with your mother. Your mother asked you to take care of the Yang family’s child, but she didn’t ask you to marry a Yang girl. Whether you look down on one or two of them, during holidays and special occasions, you’ll have to act like a good older brother, won’t you? You’re an adult now, and your mother treats you like a disaster.”

Once the topic shifted to this, Si Yan felt a headache. “That’s because she never cries in front of you or Grandma.”

She directed all her acting skills at her husband and son.

At this point, Si Yan seemed to remember something and asked the old man, “Since you can suggest I act like a good older brother, why bring up last night’s incident specifically?”

The old man cleared his throat.

“Your Grandpa Yang specifically asked for me,” he said. “He’s quite satisfied with his grandson, whom he just found again. If you don’t want to get involved, at least be a little nicer.”

Si Yan was taken aback at first, then he scoffed.

He casually asked, “How should I be nicer?”

Before the old man could reply, he suddenly added, “Should I fight for him, clean up after him, sit next to him in class, help him study, and be his free chauffeur? Is that good enough?”

“Just have a better attitude!” The old man kicked him with his foot. “Stop bullying people. I heard from your Grandpa Yang that his grandson has a good heart and is soft-natured. You should take care of him more.”

Si Yan straightened up from his chair, propping his forehead and laughing for quite a while.

The old man asked him what was so funny.

Si Yan replied, “Is he really that soft and easy to bully? Just watch and see.”

With that, Si Yan stood up and left the hall.

The old man shouted after him, “Where are you going again?”

“To Nanshan.”

The elder, who had been sitting upright, suddenly stood up, waved at the nearby servants, and shouted, “Quick, stop that reckless kid! He’s going to drive recklessly again!”

“Calm down, Old Master.” The servant, who had been working in the Si family for many years, quickly patted the old man’s back and smiled. “Don’t worry, Ah Yan went to greet the old lady. He’s not going to Nanshan to race; he mentioned a cycling event. He specifically asked me to fetch a set of clothes from his apartment this morning because he’s planning to stay overnight on the mountain.”

“Really?” The old man looked skeptical.

The servant chuckled. “Yes, that kid is just teasing you on purpose. He knows how to behave well. You can rest assured.”

Only then did the elder calm down a bit.

He slammed his hand on the table and sat back down, grumbling, “Reckless little brat.”

The servant laughed quietly.

“Only you would scold him like that.”

Chen Mo left the hospital at nine o’clock and returned to his dorm to take a shower.

After spending a night in the hospital, he felt as if he had absorbed the hospital's unique scent, which made him wrinkle his nose.

Even though he was a frequent visitor to the hospital in his past life and had a friend like Gou Yiyang working there, it didn’t mean Chen Mo was accustomed to it. On the contrary, hospitals always reminded him of some unpleasant memories—like the time when Li Yunru threw a fit at the hospital entrance over a hundred yuan for his medical bills, and Chen Jianli said he was a money-losing burden. Or the day he underwent surgery on his leg, feeling cold under the glaring lights of the hospital, thinking that falling asleep right then didn’t seem too bad.

All of it made him feel an underlying aversion to hospitals, so it was quite surprising that he had a decent night’s sleep last night.

After taking a shower, Chen Mo wrapped a towel around his head and brushed his teeth while looking at his face in the mirror.

The genes from the Yang family had their advantages; at nearly thirty, the change in his appearance at seventeen seemed only to have softened his features slightly.

After taking his medicine, he began to feel drowsy again. Thinking it was the weekend with nothing to do, he climbed back into bed and let himself drift off into a deep sleep.

He was still groggy when he received a call from Gou Yiyang.

“You’d better have something important,” he said, his voice muffled under the blanket.

“It’s already one in the afternoon, Ancestor!” Gou Yiyang sounded incredulous, and then a little scared, “Didn’t the doctor say your condition looked serious but that after one night of IV treatment you should be fine? Why do you sound so weak? Is your stomach hurting again?”

Chen Mo was getting irritated.

Then he recalled how Gou Yiyang had started calling him "Ancestor" again, reminding him of the thirty-year-old Gou, who was almost his personal doctor in his past life and would often ask him if he was still alive.

Feeling a twinge of guilt, Chen Mo decided to be a bit kinder to the younger version of Gou Yiyang, who still had a childlike innocence.

He moved his phone away to glance at the time, then put it back to his ear. “Nothing’s wrong; I’m just sleeping. And what’s wrong with one in the afternoon?”

“Don’t you remember? We’re going to Nanshan to ride. Remember?”

Chen Mo rolled over in bed.

After a few seconds, he replied, “I remember now. But I’m a patient; I’m not going.”

Gou Yiyang confirmed, “You’re really not going? Not everyone rides; some girls from the club are taking a bus straight to the top. It’s just a team-building activity. If you’re not coming, I’ll notify the person in charge.”

Chen Mo didn’t have any strong feelings about it. After listening to Gou Yiyang ramble for a bit, he hung up.

He originally intended to sleep a bit longer, but his phone rang again.

“Is there something else?” he asked, eyes still closed.

“Xiao Mo.” This time, the female voice on the other end made Chen Mo open his eyes.

He sat up in bed, rubbed his hair, and didn’t pay much attention to the cautious silence on the other end before directly asking, “Are you looking for me?”

Zhou Yaoqing’s breathing was audible through the phone, slightly hurried, yet her tone remained soft and gentle. “Xiao Mo, are you not coming home today? Auntie made your favorite red date chicken soup.”

Chen Mo tugged at the corners of his mouth, recalling the pot that had tipped over that morning when he was at the dorm. “I don’t like chicken soup.”

There was a brief pause on the line. “Oh? What do you like? I’ll have Auntie make it for you.”

Chen Mo didn’t want to prolong the conversation.

He asked directly, “Is there something you want?”

“Nothing, really. It’s just that I haven’t seen you in a long time.” After saying this, it seemed she sensed Chen Mo’s reluctance, so she added, “Mom heard you were sick, and it was that kid from the Si family who took you to the hospital, right?”

Here we go.

Chen Mo thought blankly.

“Who said that, Yang Shule?”

Zhou Yaoqing replied, “He mentioned it casually…”

Chen Mo didn’t want to hear more and simply hung up.

By three in the afternoon.

About five hundred meters from the First High School entrance, a bus was parked quietly by the roadside.

Groups of boys and girls were clustered together, but the atmosphere felt a bit strange. The crowd was essentially divided into three factions.

Two groups, led by Sun Xiaoya and Yang Shule respectively, were in a standoff, while the rest stood by, not participating.

Gou Yiyang spotted Chen Mo from a distance and hurried over, surprised. “Aren’t you not coming?”

“I was bored in the dorm, so I came.”

Chen Mo didn’t feel like explaining that he didn’t want to listen to Zhou Yaoqing's rehearsed sob story or be urged repeatedly to return home.

He looked at the crowd that had gathered and tilted his chin. “What’s going on?”

“I don’t think you want to know,” Gou Yiyang said mysteriously, “Let’s just say that after last night, Sun Xiaoya and Yang Shule have completely torn their masks off. From now on, wherever these two are, it’ll probably be a battlefield.”

Just then, someone noticed Chen Mo.

The atmosphere inexplicably relaxed.

Some people he had interacted with recently greeted him, “Young Master Mo, you’re joining us too?”

“Aren’t you sick? Nanshan’s second half is all uphill; can you ride?”

Chen Mo replied, “I’m not riding; didn’t you say the bus goes straight to the top?”

“The club’s first rule is that no members outside the group can join activities.” The person speaking was Yang Shule, who had been watching Chen Mo ever since he spotted him. He looked a bit worn out today, and his eyes carried a shadow, glancing at Gou Yiyang beside him. “Gou Yiyang, if you break the rules, you should ask the others for their opinions.”

The crowd fell silent.

Though they claimed not to bring outsiders, it wasn’t that strict. In the past, there had been many precedents. This club had attracted a number of somewhat famous students from the school, and many had fought to get in, which was why the rule existed—to prevent anyone from causing accidents by bringing someone outside.

Who would have thought Yang Shule would suddenly take a stand?

Last night’s events seemed to be a turning point; previously, Yang Shule had been discreet in how he carried himself. Today, he openly showed his disagreement with Chen Mo.

Chen Mo interjected, “This has nothing to do with Gou Yiyang. If you have an issue, find someone who can enforce the rules and then talk to me about them.”

Sun Xiaoya mocked Yang Shule from the side, “Exactly. You’re calling others special when those behind you were brought in by you, right?”

Yang Shule’s side immediately had people who couldn’t stand it anymore.

“Sun Xiaoya, that’s too much.”

“Shule is just reminding us to follow the process. If you can’t stand it, then just drop out. I can’t stand you girls arguing every day.”

All the girls from Sun Xiaoya’s side suddenly turned pale.

“You guys are so arrogant, and yet you have no self-awareness!”

“When it comes to discussing things, attacking girls makes you feel superior?”

“Trash!”

The scene nearly spiraled out of control, leaving many people bewildered.

“What’s going on?!” This voice of anger came from Qi Lin.

He and Si Yan walked in from another side, quickly pulling apart two people who were about to tear into each other and surveying the surroundings. “Have you all gone mad? Sun Xiaoya, what’s happening?”

Sun Xiaoya pointed at Chen Mo. “Can he participate?”

“Chen Mo was invited by me,” Qi Lin said, confused, and frowned. “I reported in advance; the activity costs are shared, and his portion counts under my name. Who has an issue with that?”

Some people exchanged glances and looked down.

Nearby, Chen Mo asked Gou Yiyang, “Is what he said really that effective?”

“He’s the vice president of the club.”

Chen Mo raised an eyebrow. “Oh.”

At that moment, Chen Mo noticed Si Yan glance over at them and then casually look away as he spoke in a voice loud enough for everyone to hear, “Who still has business? If you have nothing to do, get on the bus. If anyone causes trouble today, come to Qi Lin to sign up; you won’t be allowed to join next time.”

The group moved hesitantly towards the bus.

Gou Yiyang draped an arm around Chen Mo’s shoulder as they headed for the bus. “Don’t doubt it; that guy is the president, and his word is law.”