The internet was on fire.
News about Chen Mo had exploded across every major platform. No matter the app, the headlines were the same: "Chen Mo, Chairman of Marching Ant,""Youngest Billionaire in China,""The Perfect Boyfriend," and more. By midday, Chen Mo's name was as recognizable as Zhao Min's—maybe even more so.
Some fans went so far as to post bold love confessions on the Marching Ant Company's official account, sparking even more discussion.
And the man at the center of it all? Currently pushing a shopping cart through a supermarket with Xiaoyu.
"Didn't you say you were staying in the dorm for a few days?" Chen Mo asked as they strolled past the produce section.
"I get it now," Xiaoyu replied, chuckling as she dropped a box of greens into the cart. "I finally understand why you've been so low-key."
Chen Mo raised an eyebrow. "Why's that?"
"Girls are more complicated than I thought," Xiaoyu said, sighing. "After the news about us broke, a bunch of girls from my class started pestering our dorm. Yesterday was unbearable. They kept bothering me to ask you out to hang with them. And who knows what they were really after."
Chen Mo looked confused. "Hang out… and then what?"
Xiaoyu gave him a deadpan look. "Take a wild guess."
Chen Mo grinned. "I genuinely don't know. What's the next step?"
With a threatening smile, Xiaoyu reached for a bunch of carrots. "Keep playing dumb and you'll be eating those raw. Want to go?"
"Nope! Not interested," Chen Mo said quickly, shaking his head.
"They made our whole dorm awkward. That's why I didn't go back today. If I did, they'd label me as some selfish traitor or something. You're not seriously going to abandon me, are you?"
"How could I?" Chen Mo smirked. "Besides, having you around saves me from cooking… and someone's gotta wash my smelly socks."
"You really do see me as your live-in maid, huh?" Xiaoyu rolled her eyes but smiled. "What do you want for dinner?"
"Fish," Chen Mo said without missing a beat.
"Then let's—" Xiaoyu froze mid-sentence. Something in his tone made her pause. She turned, only to find him staring at her with a not-so-innocent look.
Her ears turned red instantly. "Why are you staring at me like that when you say you want fish?!"
Without waiting for an answer, she spun around and rushed toward the fresh market section.
Watching her flustered retreat, Chen Mo chuckled softly and followed behind with the cart.
At the fish stall, Xiaoyu stood dazedly in front of a tank before finally snapping out of her thoughts. "Boss, how much for this fish?"
"12 yuan a kilo," the auntie behind the stall replied with a grin. "You've got good taste, girl—these are the best in the tank. I'll pick the biggest one for you."
"Not too big, please," Chen Mo interjected quickly. "There's only two of us, we won't finish it. Maybe just half, or a smaller one."
A sharp pain shot up from his foot.
Xiaoyu had stomped on him.
She didn't look at him, but her reddening cheeks gave her away.
"I mean, we already bought so many dishes," Chen Mo muttered, leaning close to whisper. "We'll end up wasting it. Okay, okay, I surrender..."
The stall owner smiled knowingly. "Young man, girls who know how to cook fish are rare these days. You better hold on tight."
"I will," Chen Mo said, laughing.
On the way home with their groceries, Xiaoyu walked with her head slightly lowered, face still a little flushed. As soon as they entered the villa, she darted into the kitchen. Chen Mo followed, grinning.
"What kind of fish do you like the most?" he asked while washing vegetables.
"I like all kinds," Xiaoyu said. "My dad owns a fishing boat. Every time he came back from sea, he'd bring loads of fish. I've loved it since I was a kid."
"My uncle had a fishing boat too," Chen Mo added. "He used to drop off fish for us. But I've been away from home so much these past years, I haven't eaten it in a while."
That made Xiaoyu pause, a small smile forming on her face as she remembered something.
"What are you smiling about?" Chen Mo asked.
"I'm just thinking… you're kinda like a dead fish. Stiff and dumb."
"Where am I dumb?" Chen Mo pretended to be offended. "If I were that fish, I'd at least say something profound like: 'We're from the same root, why fry each other in the pan?'"
"Want me to toss you in the pan next?"
"Let's not," Chen Mo laughed.
Soon, dinner was ready. There was too much food for just two people, and of course, the fish took center stage.
As they sat down to eat, Chen Mo smiled in contentment. This kind of life was simple—but good.
But something was off. Xiaoyu barely said a word. She seemed preoccupied, her gaze drifting and dodging.
After dinner, she quietly cleaned up and then disappeared into her room without another word.
The night grew deeper, stars twinkling outside.
Chen Mo sat on the sofa, browsing news on his phone. Articles, blog posts, and gossip flooded his feed—some accurate, others completely made-up. He laughed at the absurdity of some of them. He'd never imagined he'd be the subject of so many wild stories.
He was just about to head to his room when Xiaoyu stopped him at the hallway.
"You're not going anywhere," she said.
And so, he stayed in the living room.
Just as he was scrolling through another article, the bedroom door opened.
Xiaoyu stepped out, hair still damp, wearing a loose nightdress. She sat beside him, fidgeting with the hem. Her cheeks were pink, and she wouldn't meet his eyes.
Seeing her like that made Chen Mo's expression soften.
"You done staring?" she murmured, voice a little shaky. "Come blow my hair."
"Sure."
Chen Mo quickly fetched the hairdryer. It had become their little ritual—if he was around, he always dried her hair after showers.
But tonight felt different. She was more tense, more shy.
Even the first time he'd done it, she hadn't been this nervous.
"Are you okay?" he asked gently.
"Don't ask."
"If you're not ready, I can wait."
"I said don't ask, you idiot…" Xiaoyu mumbled, face now completely flushed.
"Okay, okay, I won't," Chen Mo said, smiling softly as he focused on drying her hair.
The gentle hum of the dryer, the warmth of Chen Mo's hand—slowly, Xiaoyu began to relax. Her shoulders loosened. Her breathing steadied.
But as soon as the dryer turned off, her nerves returned full force. Her body tensed again.
Then she looked up—and saw that damn smirk on Chen Mo's face.
"All right," he whispered. "This little fish… is mine now. I won't even leave the bones."
Before she could react, he scooped her up and carried her toward the bedroom.
Xiaoyu's mind went completely blank. She didn't even try to resist. Her face was buried in his shoulder, hiding the blush she couldn't fight off.
She knew this moment would come.
As the door opened and Chen Mo leaned in to kiss her, just as her arms started to wrap around his neck—
Riiing!
The phone rang.
"Mer Bro, you've got a call!"