Ye Mo looked at the woman standing before him with some surprise. Her hair was short, and although she wasn't particularly beautiful, she was rather plain but decent-looking. She seemed somewhat familiar, yet he couldn't quite place her. After the flood of memories before class, most things had faded away, leaving only the memories from before his rebirth.
"Hmph! Ye Mo, after I've lent you money so many times, you actually pretend not to recognize me? You're really despicable!" the round-faced woman snapped.
Suddenly, Ye Mo remembered her name was Wang Ying, from the Wang family in the capital. She was carefree and blunt, often speaking without much filter, but with a kind heart underneath. She also studied at Ninghai University. Ye Mo had few acquaintances back in the capital, especially after being cast out of the Ye family.
He knew Wang Ying because she and his sister Ye Ling were classmates and often came to his house to play. Over time, they became acquainted.
Although Ye Mo was expelled from the Ye family, and many who once knew him now pretended not to, Wang Ying was lively and straightforward. She never acted cold towards him and had even lent him money several times when he was in a tough spot.
"Uh, it's you, Wang Ying. Sorry, my mind was a bit fuzzy just now—I didn't recognize you," Ye Mo said, while secretly thinking that since he was short of money, maybe he should ask her for more.
Just as he was about to ask, Wang Ying lowered her voice mysteriously: "Ye Mo, do you know who the most famous person in the capital is after you? Well, not exactly famous—more like the biggest laughingstock."
She seemed completely unaware that her words might hurt Ye Mo's pride and continued happily.
Without expecting an answer, she continued in a secretive tone, "A few months ago, the Ning family went to your Ye family to break the engagement. Do you know what your uncle said?"
Ye Mo replied coldly, "I'm Ye Mo. I don't have an uncle."
"Oh, sorry, I forgot you're no longer part of the Ye family. Well, your uncle—oh no, I mean Ye Dabo—said that Ye Mo isn't part of the Ye family anymore. As for the engagement, I don't know much, but I heard he's at Ninghai University. You can go negotiate with him there."
"The Ning family is furious, but there's nothing they can do. Hey, Ye Mo, did anyone from the Ning family come to see you? I heard the Song family sent people to Ninghai to try to marry Ning Qingxue off to Song Shaowen. Haha, you'd never guess what your fake fiancée said."
Wang Ying said this with a mischievous grin, eager to see Ye Mo's reaction.
Ye Mo shook his head secretly. To be honest, he had little impression of Ning Qingxue. Although she was the capital's most beautiful woman and his fiancée, he was no longer the original Ye Mo nor the Ye family's legitimate grandson. Ning Qingxue's attitude no longer concerned him—she could marry whoever she wanted, and it wouldn't stir a single ripple in his heart.
Besides, no matter how beautiful Ning Qingxue was, she could never compare to his beautiful master. He had been too naive before, mistaking his master's care for mere concern. Now, after experiencing life and death, if he still couldn't understand Luo Ying's feelings, he might as well die again. He wasn't even sure if Luo Ying had been reborn like him.
Lost in thought, Ye Mo spaced out.
Seeing this, Wang Ying hurriedly said, "Ye Mo, although Ning Qingxue is beautiful, she belongs to the Ning family, and you're no longer the Ye family's young master, so…"
Ye Mo understood her meaning and smiled faintly: "Ning Qingxue? I've already forgotten."
He spoke the truth; he didn't really remember who Ning Qingxue was. If anyone felt real to him, it was Wang Ying standing before him.
Wang Ying rolled her eyes, thinking it was strange that he believed himself.
But she pressed on: "Saying that about Ning Qingxue will hurt her feelings. Do you know who the biggest joke in the capital is right now? It's her."
Ye Mo was stunned. How could she be laughed at? His impotence and expulsion were public knowledge—if the Ning family issued a statement breaking the engagement, that would be the end of it. Why would a ghost like him dare to interfere?
Wang Ying continued: "After the Song family proposed marriage to Ning Qingxue, she publicly declared she was already Ye Mo's and wouldn't marry anyone else—unless… but she never finished that sentence. Nobody knows what that 'unless' means. Her words spread quickly. Her father was furious and supposedly locked her up. Who knows if that's true?"
It was because of this statement that everyone laughed at her. Although it was clear she used Ye Mo as an excuse to reject Song's proposal, behind her back people said she hadn't experienced men and didn't understand impotence. When she does find out—
"Oh, sorry, I'm not targeting you with these words—it's just what others say," Wang Ying said, suddenly realizing the "impotent guy" she mentioned was standing right in front of her. She probably guessed why Ye Mo had pulled down his pants earlier.
Ye Mo thought Wang Ying was shameless, speaking like she was dumping a bucket of beans, never caring about context. But he wasn't bothered, since he wasn't truly impotent. Once he reached Qi Gathering Stage Three, his blocked meridian would open. Though hard to reach, it was still a hope.
As for Ning Qingxue's words, Ye Mo wasn't taking them seriously. Though he hadn't met her, being the capital's top beauty probably meant she wasn't interested in Song Shaowen and used Ye Mo as a shield. What puzzled him was why she would say it publicly instead of just rejecting the Song family privately.
Then he realized: Ning Qingxue didn't want to be engaged to anyone right now. That 'unless' was a loophole. When she was ready to marry someone, she'd finish that sentence.
This woman was no simple character.
"Here, this is for you," Wang Ying said, handing Ye Mo a thick envelope.
Ye Mo opened it, surprised to find a stack of money. He thought, I haven't even asked yet, and she's already lending me so much.
"This is from your brother—uh, Ye Zifeng. He told me someone asked him to give this to you. Didn't say who, but I guess it's him," Wang Ying explained.
The mention of his half-brother and half-sister reminded Ye Mo: Ye Ling never looked kindly on him, but Ye Zifeng had been somewhat decent.
This money was badly needed now, and there was no need to return it immediately. He could pay it back later.