Finally.

Ye Chen eventually agreed to Teacher Gao's request on the other end of the call.

His agreement brought a sigh of relief to Teacher Gao.

It seemed the kid hadn't lied.

Good—so long as he hadn't lied and had changed his ways.

After all, nobody is perfect. If this once-prized student of his could return to the right path, it would bring Teacher Gao great comfort.

However, Ye Chen's agreement wasn't only because he didn't want to disappoint or worry his former teacher in this tricky situation.

He was also reminded of some unresolved grudges from his past life.

If those fools left him alone, that'd be fine.

But if they treated him like a clown for their amusement, stepping on him to elevate themselves, he wouldn't hold back.

He wouldn't even bother putting on a facade. He'd go straight for the jugular.

Forget any so-called camaraderie from being classmates. Forget keeping a low profile. Everything could take a back seat.

"Ye Chen, who are you talking to?"

Chen Yinuo asked as she walked into the living room, drying her hair, and noticed Ye Chen on the balcony.

When he hung up, she couldn't help but ask out of curiosity.

"It was my high school homeroom teacher, Teacher Gao!" Ye Chen smiled back at her.

"Is that the teacher you always said cared for you like no one else did? The one who brought you treats, souvenirs from trips, and even bought you clothes?"

Hearing this, Chen Yinuo immediately recalled the teacher Ye Chen had spoken about countless times.

"Yes, that's him!" Ye Chen replied as he returned to the living room.

"After everything that's happened over the years, now that things are better, you really should find time to visit him and catch up."Chen Yinuo encouraged him earnestly.

"Definitely," Ye Chen nodded.

Since his rebirth, he had almost forgotten about his mentor.

In his previous life, Teacher Gao had passed away a few years later.

This time, if he could catch the illness early, he might prevent the tragedy.

Once the thought crossed his mind, Ye Chen resolved not to let his teacher's life be cut short.

"So, what did he call about?" Chen Yinuo asked.

"He probably heard about how reckless I was the past few years and gave me a piece of his mind. He's heartbroken and disappointed," Ye Chen explained.

"Oh? How did you respond? Did you explain yourself?" she asked, concerned.

"I did. I was planning to visit him, but he's currently out of town for a conference and won't be back until next Saturday. Coincidentally, my high school class is hosting a reunion that day and has invited him and a few other teachers. Teacher Gao asked if I would attend and hoped I would go," Ye Chen elaborated.

"A class reunion? Are you going?" Chen Yinuo frowned slightly.

She wasn't a fan of such events.

Class reunions were supposed to be nostalgic, a fond recollection of youthful school days. In theory, it should be a beautiful thing.

But the reality often painted a different picture. Class reunions had turned into an arena of materialism and competition.

People talked more about their salaries, companies, houses, and cars than cherished memories.

Instead of fostering camaraderie, such gatherings often highlighted the gap between the successful and the struggling, leaving some triumphant and others feeling humiliated.

Having attended one such reunion three years ago, Chen Yinuo's disillusionment made her leave early, never to return. She even quit the class group chat.

So when Ye Chen mentioned a reunion, her reaction was understandable.

"I don't want to go, but Teacher Gao's words leave me no choice," Ye Chen said with a bitter smile.

"People are aware of your struggles over the past years, including your classmates," Chen Yinuo said, knitting her brows.

"Exactly. To be honest, I have zero interest in the reunion or reconnecting with those classmates. But since Teacher Gao asked, I'll go. If they don't bother me, that's fine. But if they try to mess with me, I won't hold back." Ye Chen's tone turned serious.

Seeing his determination, Chen Yinuo nodded thoughtfully.

"Alright. Do what you think is best."

"Let's stop talking about this."

Ye Chen's expression turned mischievous.

"Go put Yoyo to bed already."

"What are you up to now?" Chen Yinuo's face twitched.

"What do you think?" Ye Chen smirked slyly.

"I swear, you're getting more shameless. It's not even that late!" she retorted.

"Don't you want to?" Ye Chen teased.

That question hit the mark, and Chen Yinuo couldn't help but blush.

After shooting him a flirtatious glare, she turned and walked toward the bedroom.

Later that night, after their private time together, Chen Yinuo returned to the little girl's room to sleep.

As Ye Chen lay alone, he received a message from Lin Mengxi.

This time, it was about the class reunion.

He replied briefly, saying he would attend, and then quickly ended the conversation with a simple "Going to sleep."

Somewhere in an upscale apartment, Lin Mengxi, dressed in a luxurious silk nightgown, stared at his curt reply.

Although her natural beauty was undeniable, a faint trace of weariness from her past lingered.

Deleting her unfinished message, she muttered to herself, "You won't escape me, old classmate. I won't let you slip away again."

The next day at Huaxing Trade.

Chen Yinuo, glowing after Ye Chen's affection, immediately noticed something strange upon arriving at the office.

From the moment she walked through the door, colleagues greeted her with an unusual level of enthusiasm.

Although her promotion to team leader of the Business Cooperation Group had made her well-regarded, today's attitude felt excessive, almost sycophantic.

Even the vice president in the elevator offered her a deferential smile and eagerly pressed the elevator button for her.

Puzzled, Chen Yinuo couldn't make sense of it.

The mystery deepened when she reached her department, where her team's respectful yet peculiar gazes made her uneasy.

"Alright, what's going on today? From the moment I stepped into the building, I've felt something's off. Spill it—what happened?"she demanded.