Wang Le Chang's eyes widened in shock, his face filled with disbelief. It was as if the world around him had frozen in time, and everything blurred into the background. Only Lingyin Luo's words echoed in his ears like rolling thunder.
His heart pounded. How could this be?
This scene was straight out of one of those over-the-top Dragon King novels he had been reading lately. But if Yang Mo was truly the lost young master of the Lin family, then his behavior today had been a disastrous mistake. If Yang Mo decided to sever the collaboration between the Lin family and the Wang family, his entire household could face ruin. He knew better than anyone that without that supply contract, his family would be no better off than the declining Ling family.
A deep chill ran down his spine as he forced a stiff smile and cleared his throat.
"W-why are you dressed like a poor student when you could be a young master?" he blurted, the awkwardness in his tone painfully obvious.
The sudden shift in attitude was laughable. Just moments ago, he had looked down on Yang Mo, but now, faced with the possibility of him being a Lin family heir, he was scrambling to save face.
"Haha… So you're the young master of the Lin family," Wang Le Chang said with an ingratiating laugh, his waist instinctively bending forward in a half-bow as if to show respect.
But before he could say another word, Yang Mo spoke up, his tone calm and indifferent.
"I used to be a member of the Lin family. But not anymore. I left that world behind and have nothing to do with them now."
He took a sip of his drink, his expression unreadable.
Wang Le Chang's thoughts ran wild. A lost young master…? Then, it clicked—he had heard whispers about a lost son of the Lin family. It was something people pretended not to know but gossiped about behind closed doors.
Realizing this, Wang Le Chang's body slowly straightened again, and a smirk crept onto his face. If Yang Mo was truly cut off from the Lin family, then he wasn't worth fearing. His momentary panic vanished, and his arrogance returned.
"This brother must enjoy eating lobster, huh?" Yang Mo suddenly said, his gaze playful.
Wang Le Chang blinked. "What do you mean?"
"I just watched you bend over one minute and stand upright the next… Kind of like a lobster."
A few chuckles erupted from the table.
Wang Le Chang's face darkened. If Lingyin Luo wasn't present, he would have called his goons over to teach Yang Mo a lesson. But for now, he forced a tight-lipped smile and turned to Lingyin Luo.
"Well then, Sister Luo, I'll take my leave. I have some friends waiting. I'll visit your family soon," he said with forced politeness before striding away.
As soon as he left, Guo Fat burst into laughter, clutching his stomach.
"Haha! Did you guys see that? The moment he heard you were the Lin family's young master, he nearly peed himself! That face-changing skill was better than a Beijing opera performer's!"
His laughter was infectious, causing the others to chuckle as well.
But just a few steps away, Wang Le Chang stopped and cast a sinister glare in their direction before heading to his own table.
One of his companions, noticing his sour mood, asked, "Brother Chang, what was that about? You didn't seem to be having a good time just now."
Taking a sip of his coffee, Wang Le Chang sneered. "Just a bunch of country bumpkins… and an outcast from the Lin family. Not worth mentioning."
He emphasized the word 'outcast' with extra venom, as if trying to regain his pride.
"Oh? He's that Lin family outcast? I've heard a bit about that mess. If he really is an outcast, then the Lin family probably doesn't give a damn about him," another companion mused before smirking. "Daring to mess with Brother Chang… Should we send someone to rough him up?"
Wang Le Chang waved his hand dismissively. "No need. Let them enjoy their time for a few days. As long as he doesn't get in the way of me chasing Sister Luo, I don't care."
He leaned back in his seat. In his mind, Lingyin Luo was already his. Without his financial support, the Ling family would crumble, and sooner or later, she would have no choice but to accept him.
"Let's head to the Imperial Club later. I heard some fresh young students are arriving tonight."
His friends grinned knowingly, their laughter filled with malicious intent.
Meanwhile, back at Yang Mo's table, Guo Fat was still teasing him. "Yang Mo, that act you pulled, pretending to be the Lin family's young master, was legendary! You had that guy pissing himself!"
Yang Mo smiled faintly. "I wasn't pretending. I really was the Lin family's young master."
The laughter around him stopped abruptly. Guo Fat and Jiang Jia froze, their hands stiff as if time had paused for them.
Guo Fat snapped out of it first, grabbing Yang Mo's arm in disbelief. "M-Mo, you're kidding, right? You're really the Lin family's young master? No way!"
Having been Yang Mo's classmate for three years, Guo Fat had never seen him act like a rich kid. In fact, Yang Mo's lifestyle was below even that of an average student.
Jiang Jia also looked at him in shock. "You're serious? But your last name is Yang, not Lin…"
Yang Mo nodded. "I have no reason to lie. But like I said, I have nothing to do with them anymore."
He then explained everything—his past, his struggles, and how he had been cast out. Of course, he left out the part about being reborn.
As they listened, Guo Fat's initial shock turned into rage. He slammed his fist onto the table. "That Ling Andong is a monster! How could he treat his own son like that?! And those sisters of yours—how could they side with an adopted son over you?!"
Jiang Jia's expression was filled with sympathy. "I can't believe something like this happened in real life… It's like something out of a tragic novel. I can't imagine how hard things must have been for you, Yang Mo."
Even Lingyin Luo, who had been silent, found herself deeply affected. She had known Yang Mo was the lost Lin heir, but she had never known the full extent of his suffering. Compared to him, her life was peaceful and happy. At least her parents loved her, and she had no siblings to fight over inheritance.
Yang Mo simply smiled, his voice calm. "It's all in the past. The Lin family has nothing to do with me anymore."
And with that, he truly let it go.