Yang Mo was not allowed to disclose his identity, so why was she blaming him now?
"Mom, it's all your fault. I told you a long time ago that someone like him isn't worth our attention. As long as we ignore him, he'll come crawling back in a few days. The more you act like you care about him, the more arrogant he becomes!" Lin Ruan huffed, crossing her arms in frustration.
In her opinion, Lin Cohen was far more suitable to be her younger brother—he was considerate, kind, and had even saved her life in the past. Where could they find such a good younger brother? Ever since Yang Mo had arrived, his presence had only caused Lin Cohen unnecessary embarrassment. Now that Yang Mo was gone, wasn't it better for the family?
Jo Yi Feng sighed. "Alright, enough. We'll come back tomorrow to pick him up."
"Come back tomorrow?" Lin Ruan raised an eyebrow. "Tomorrow is little Ken's 18th birthday. We've booked a banquet at the Imperial Palace Restaurant. Have you forgotten?"
Tomorrow was Lin Cohen's 18th birthday. The entire Lin family had been preparing for months, securing the most prestigious venue in the city. His older sisters had already prepared expensive gifts, and everything was in place for a grand celebration.
"Oh, look at me! I got so busy that I completely forgot!" Jo Yi Feng smacked her forehead. "I haven't even prepared little Ken's bar mitzvah gift yet. Let's go shopping first."
The two then drove off to the mall. Jo Yi Feng, who had just shed tears over wanting Yang Mo to come home, instantly forgot about him the moment Lin Cohen's birthday was mentioned.
Back in the classroom, Guo Fat nudged Yang Mo with his elbow. "Hey, who were those two women just now? They looked like they came from a rich family."
"Dunno. Probably got the wrong person," Yang Mo replied indifferently.
"Oh, I see. I just thought they might be your relatives."
"Where would I get such a good life?" Yang Mo let out a dry chuckle and refocused on his textbook.
But their conversation had not gone unnoticed. Ling Yin Luo, who sat in the front row, had heard every word. Unlike Guo Fat, she recognized the woman who had come looking for Yang Mo—Lin Ruan. There was no mistaking the custom-designed bracelet she was wearing.
Moreover, she had distinctly heard the word "Mom" being spoken outside the classroom. Was it possible that Yang Mo was truly related to them? And yet, he refused to acknowledge them. What was going on?
Her curiosity about Yang Mo's life deepened.
The first day of school after his rebirth passed quickly. After school, Yang Mo returned home to find a warm and inviting sight—his adoptive parents had already prepared dinner and were waiting for him.
On the table were dishes he loved: stewed corn with pork ribs, scrambled eggs with tomatoes, braised eggplant, and mapo tofu. The aroma of home-cooked food filled the air.
Yi Xing Yu was also helping in the kitchen. When she saw Yang Mo enter, her face lit up with joy. "Brother Yang Mo, you're back! Wash your hands and get ready to eat."
Yang Mo smiled. "Star Moon, why are you home so early today? Did you skip class?"
Yi Xing Yu pouted and crossed her arms. "Not at all! The last class was gym, but the teacher didn't show up, so we got dismissed early." She stuck out her tongue playfully.
Looking at the spread on the table, Yang Mo was deeply moved. Back in the Lin family, they never waited for him to eat. Forget about cooking his favorite dishes—he was lucky if he was allowed to sit at the same table. If he ate quickly, they would say he was uncultured. If he ate slowly, they would complain that he was being pretentious. No matter what he did, he was always criticized.
But here, in this humble home, they cared about his presence, his happiness, and his well-being.
After washing his hands, Yang Mo took his seat at the table.
"Brother Yang Mo, try this!" Yi Xing Yu eagerly picked up a piece of scrambled egg and placed it in his bowl. "I made it myself!"
Yang Mo raised an eyebrow. "Oh? Since when did Star Moon know how to cook?"
Yi Xing Yu grinned. "You didn't expect that, did you? Auntie taught me how to make it today! Go on, have a taste and tell me what you think."
He nodded and took a bite. As soon as he chewed, his face twitched slightly, but he quickly covered it with a smile.
"Delicious! I didn't expect your first attempt at cooking to be this good. Don't worry, everyone—this dish is mine! I'll eat it alone!" He quickly pushed the plate in front of himself.
Yi Xing Yu beamed with pride. "Really? You like it that much?"
"Of course!" Yang Mo forced another bite, doing his best not to react to the overwhelming saltiness.
But his adoptive parents weren't as skilled at pretending. Fang Dong Mei and Yang Chang hesitated, exchanging glances.
"Ahem... It's... It's okay," Fang Dong Mei said awkwardly, nudging her husband under the table.
"Y-Yes, yes! It's delicious!" Yang Chang quickly agreed, though his forced smile gave him away.
But Yi Xing Yu wasn't fooled. She finally took a bite herself—only to immediately spit it out. "Ugh! So salty! I must have added salt instead of sugar!"
She turned to Yang Mo with wide eyes. "Why didn't you say anything?!"
Yang Mo chuckled. "Who gets it right the first time? Cooking is all about practice. Try again next time, and I'll be your first taste tester."
Touched, Yi Xing Yu's eyes shimmered with gratitude. "Okay! Next time, I'll make it even better for you, Brother Yang Mo!"