Chapter 31

Chapter 31

Shen Gali’s eyes snapped open.

The peculiar frog-like ringtone of the alarm clock gave him a start.

In front of him lay a copy of "Introduction to Software Engineering," the blurry text on the page had left clear imprints on his cheek.

For the damned exam the original owner had to take, he had started a crazy self-study mode.

But after the serious illness, his body hadn't fully recovered; sitting for a while made him drowsy. Even with the will to work hard, his body’s limitations got the better of him, so he ended up sleeping on the book all night.

His neck was numb and painful, but Shen Gali still forced himself to stand up and go splash water on his face.

Today he had an important task that demanded an early start.

He splashed a splash of water on his face hastily, and kept his eyes shut the whole time he brushed.

Called by Uncle Li to the dining room for breakfast, Shen Gali sat at the table feeling nauseous.

Nan Liujing across from him looked up, saw the few lines of small text that hadn’t been washed off his face, and let out a sneer.

“Well, aren’t you a sight. How many more surprises do you have that I don’t know about?”

Shen Gali slowly picked up a slice of bread, eyes lowered, saying weakly, “You’re stunning too.”

This was true; although he didn’t know why Nan Liujing differed from the original description, he meant it sincerely.

Unexpectedly, upon hearing this, Nan Liujing’s fingertips trembled, and he glanced sideways with a mischievous look.

Suppressing his nausea, Shen Gali ate the bread, slung on his backpack, and said, “I’m heading out.”

Nan Liujing watched his back. Hell must have frozen over—Shen Gali actually got up early.

This year’s summer seemed to come earlier than usual. The LED screen on the square broadcast a heat warning. Jinhai City, due to its geographical location, has a typical temperate maritime climate—mild winters, cool summers, pleasant weather. But in recent years, with the worsening of global warming, temperatures have been rising year by year. This year, even at the beginning of July, it already reached 38 degrees Celsius.

The blazing sun above dazzled Shen Gali’s eyes; the scene before him seemed to melt in the heat, constantly warping and writhing.

He arrived at the toy store he’d agreed to meet at the day before. The owner greeted him warmly and thoughtfully prepared an iced drink to cool him down.

“It’s too hot today, so I’m adding 50 yuan as extra for the heat. Tough gig. If it gets too hot, you can find some shade to rest.”

The owner handed over a green mascot costume. As soon as Shen Gali took it, the fuzzy texture against his skin felt even more sticky and stifling.

But day-labor jobs were scarce, and handing out flyers was the fastest way to earn money as a part-time job. From 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. with an hour’s break, about seven hours of work earned 300 yuan—not a lot, but not nothing. At least it would allow him to buy a decent gift for Bai Wei.

What kept him going—getting up early, putting on the heavy suit, and standing in the sun—was the meeting with Bai Wei at 5 p.m.

Once the mascot suit was on, the stifling heat made it hard to breathe, and it was heavy, like carrying a kid on his back.

The moment he put on the suit, Shen Gali had second thoughts.

He quickly glanced at Bai Wei’s photo in the coffee shop next door, and that gave him motivation.

Wearing the frog mascot costume, Shen Gali stood in the shade, watching passersby through the frog’s mouth.

It was too hot; everyone hurried past, unwilling to stay even a second in the sun.

Shen Gali held out a flyer for a long time, but no one took it.

Only a street sweeper resting in the shade took pity on him and asked for one, but the next second, it went into the trash can.

His clothes were soaked with sweat, sticking uncomfortably to his skin. Just as he was about to faint, the owner hurried over and pulled him into the air-conditioned store: “It’s too hot; even I’m sweating buckets with the AC on. Take a rest.”

Shen Gali pulled off the frog head, taking deep breaths of fresh air. His sweat-drenched hair was visibly dripping, and he looked as if he’d been dunked in water. A flush of heat appeared on his originally pale, sickly face.

But he felt guilty getting paid without doing any work. After eating an ice cream the owner gave him, he cooled down a bit, put the head back on, and returned to the sun.

The square he was in backed onto the financial center. Often, he saw well-dressed office workers holding dainty umbrellas while buying coffee, leaving a whiff of fragrance wherever they passed.

Shen Gali remembered his teacher’s earnest teachings from school: “No job is better than another, but there is a difference in hard work and rest. Therefore, your teachers always tell you to study hard, hoping that in the future you won’t have to endure the hardships of manual labor.”

Today, he finally understood those words.

He stood until noon without distributing a single flyer. Although it wasn’t his fault—the heat was to blame—he still felt embarrassed.

So when the lunch break came, and the owner repeatedly called him to rest, he didn’t budge.

At that moment, a woman in business attire and Gucci high heels stopped beside him. She wore an employee badge and held a black parasol as she took out her phone to take a call:

“I’m so pissed off. That Chen bastard faked a stomachache again and made me come down to go pick up a damn cripple. It’s 38 degrees today, and I have to pick up a damn cripple. Fuck, am I in some Mercury retrograde? Nothing goes right.”

Whatever the other person said on the phone made the woman reveal a smug smile: “What if that cripple takes a liking to me? If he were normal, I might consider it. After all, he’s rich—saves me ten years of hard work.”

Shen Gali listened silently nearby, then suddenly held out a flyer to her.

The woman glanced at the flyer, tossed her hair, and waved impatiently as if shooing away a beggar: “Oh god, get away, get away. Be careful not to touch me.”

As she spoke, she took out a wet wipe and bent down to wipe her spotless high heels, then casually tossed the used wipe on the ground and nudged it aside with her heel.

Shen Gali let out a long sigh.

Guess these people have no clue why it’s been so hot lately?

He picked up the wipe and shoved it back into her hand, pointing at the nearby trash can.

Have some decency, got it?

The woman instantly flared up, about to yell, when a black Maybach pulled up in front, cutting off her rage.

She immediately straightened up and walked gracefully forward in her high heels.

The car door opened. A well-dressed man and woman got off, plus a driver. They lifted a wheelchair from the trunk and respectfully went to the back seat to open the door.

The driver raised a black umbrella over the car door, while another man who looked like an assistant and the female secretary helped a man out of the back seat.

Shen Gali: ...

This man seemed familiar.

No matter how he looked at it, it was his husband of convenience...

The woman who had been so arrogant earlier immediately changed her expression, docile as a lamb, smiling sweetly: “President Nan, hello. I am the secretary to the chairman of Dajiang Industries. I’ve long admired you. The chairman specifically instructed me to come down and receive you.”

Nan Liujing’s eyes behind his sunglasses coldly glanced at her, with a meaningful smile at the corner of his mouth.

Dajiang Industries had been hoping to discuss cooperation with Huanhai Electronics since last year. After multiple rejections, the other party had shown full sincerity. Nan Liujing happened to be passing by today, so he arranged to meet the chairman to probe further.

As a result, the other party might have thought that an Executive President was not worthy of meeting with their chairman, so they only sent a secretary down to receive him.

Nan Liujing casually glanced and caught sight of a green frog standing beside the female secretary.

Though the person was completely covered by the costume, that depressed, slacker vibe radiating from him was strikingly familiar.

What else but a lazy bum? Instead of handing out flyers, why was he showing up here?

The dopey green frog stood still for a long time before suddenly making a strange move.

He dragged one leg as if mimicking someone with a limp, moving forward slowly with difficulty.

After a moment, he stopped again, his vacant frog eyes eerily fixed on the female secretary.

Everyone exchanged bewildered looks, unsure whether this big-headed frog was mocking Nan Liujing or if he actually had a real disability.

Nan Liujing frowned slightly, following his gaze to the unnatural smile on the female secretary's face.

Looking down, he saw she was holding a dirty wet wipe and a phone, with the call screen still visible.

Nan Liujing pressed his lips into a cold, sharp line.

He got it—it wasn’t just the chairman of the other company, but even his secretary liked to look down on people through a crack in the door.

Nan Liujing looked away, toying with his diamond cufflink, and said in a low voice, "Since your company feels that our Huanhai Electronics falls short, I think we can discuss the collaboration another time."

The secretary froze, totally clueless about what just happened, and hurried forward to smooth things over. "President Nan, is there some misunderstanding? Our company has always been eager to cooperate with Huanhai Electronics. The chairman has been waiting for you for a long time. It’s quite hot outside—shall we talk upstairs?"

As she approached, Nan Liujing’s assistant and the driver stood firmly in front of her, politely saying, "This is President Nan’s decision. Please go back. Please let the chairman know what happened. Thanks for your time."

"Wait, President Nan, I—"

The secretary tried to say more, but the male assistant held out his hand, politely stopping her.

Nan Liujing rolled his wheelchair to the car and suddenly stopped.

After a long pause, he slowly turned back to look at the dopey green frog.

"Frog, can I have a flyer?" he asked softly, with a faint smile.

Shen Gali didn’t hesitate, dragging his bulky body forward and handing over the stack of flyers in his hand.

This was the first flyer he had managed to give out.

Nan Liujing took one, looked it over a few times, then added, "Tell your boss I'll drop by in the next couple of days. That’s all."

The goofy frog tilted his head, looking both goofy and cute.

Once in the car, Nan Liujing said to his assistant, "You head back to the company first. I have other things to attend to."

The male assistant pushed up his glasses. "Alright, please make sure to stay safe."

The assistant got out and took a taxi back, while Driver Yang remained. Driver Yang asked curiously, "President Nan, where to next?"

Nan Liujing closed his eyes, fingers tapping lightly on his knee. "Find a parking spot nearby."

"And then?"

"Then you can take a break. I’ll call you when I need to be picked up."

Driver Yang was puzzled but had no choice but to comply.

Nan Liujing sat in the back seat, pulling the curtain partly to cover his face, his gaze fixed through the car window on that dopey big-headed frog standing motionless under the scorching sun.

Dummy. Can’t you find some shade?

*

At five in the afternoon.

From the toy store came the boss’s cheerful laughter. "Kid, you’re amazing! You actually helped me snag Huanhai Electronics as a super big client. How can Uncle ever thank you?"

The boss’s wife chimed in, "You worked really hard and were super dedicated. I’m sure you’ll succeed in whatever you do in the future. Auntie's a good judge of character!"

With that, the boss’s wife pulled out an envelope and said with a smile, "Here’s your pay for today. You’ve worked hard. Go home and have something cold to cool down. Make sure you don’t overheat."

Shen Gali took the envelope with his frog hand and was about to take off the costume when he glanced at the clock on the wall.

Five o’clock!

Bai Wei is coming!

This costume is a pain to get on and off, and there’s no time.

"Boss, wait for me—I’ll be right back!" He dashed out of the toy store.

Meanwhile, at Dajiang Industries.

"I busted my butt to get this big shot here, and you—do you have any idea how you offended him? He didn’t even step inside and directly rejected the collaboration! Do you know how much loss that caused the company?!"

"I... I don’t know either. He just suddenly said he wouldn’t cooperate. I really don’t know." The secretary’s eyes filled with tears, her voice trembling.

She knew full well what rejecting Huanhai Electronics meant—not just huge short-term losses, but if word got out, all those companies that depend on Huanhai would catch wind of it. Who would dare to cooperate with them then? With Huanhai Electronics’ influence, crushing them would be like stepping on an ant.

"This matter won’t be taken lightly by the board. Think hard about what to do. If you can't get them to forgive you, you know the consequences."

The chairman sighed, softening his tone. He could roughly guess what had caused this situation and said earnestly:

"Young lady, you should watch your tongue."

...

Shen Gali stood in an accessory store, carefully studying a row of bracelets.

The boss had given him five hundred yuan as a day’s pay, but that was nowhere near enough for expensive jewelry. After browsing for a while, he found this small boutique store specializing in affordable luxury, with reasonable prices.

The dazzling selection of accessories left Shen Gali overwhelmed.

Then he spotted a sterling silver bracelet with a tiny lisianthus pendant.

Back in that other world, lisianthus was his mother’s favorite flower. She loved its elegant form and even more its flower language: unchanging, sincere love.

Every blooming season, their balcony would be filled with white lisianthus, paired with a few pink lilies—tasteful and beautiful.

The bracelet was exactly five hundred, and the shop owner, chuckling at his frog head, threw in a free velvet gift box.

With the bracelet in hand, he was running on fumes, but Shen Gali still rushed to the café.

Outside the café, they'd set up a small stage. Though simple, it was nicely decorated with a European-style sofa, a white round table, and a pergola decorated with classy flowers. Beside it stood Bai Wei’s roll-up banner.

Bai Wei hadn’t arrived yet, but many fans had already gathered at the entrance. Compared to younger artists’ fans, Bai Wei’s fans seemed more low-key and older, so the crowd was smaller than what you'd see for younger stars.

Shen Gali stood with the other fans behind a white wooden fence, all eagerly waiting for the star to show up.

Shen Gali nervously rubbed the small box containing the bracelet, feeling nervous.

What should he say when he sees her? Should he just call her "Mom"?

But if he did that, would she think he's strange and leave a bad impression?

Shen Gali hated all social interactions. Thinking of words to say was exhausting, and besides, they might never meet again. She was just a fleeting dream, a passerby—who would care about the sweet nothings they said?

But this time, after taking several deep breaths, he began to organize the perfect words in his mind. He had to make Bai Wei remember him.

What should he say?

"Hello, I'm your fan. You're very beautiful. I really like you."

No, no, no. That sounds creepy.

"Sister Bai Wei, you look exactly like my mom. Is this destiny?"

No, no, no. That seems like trying too hard to get close.

While he was deep in thought, the coffee shop staff brought out speakers and started playing a melodious background music. To warm up the crowd, the staff began performing a dance they had rehearsed.

Shen Gali had no interest in watching. His gaze, through the frog's mouth opening, was fixed on the entrance to the square.

Boom-boom, boom-boom.

His heart started beating wildly, out of rhythm.

At five in the afternoon, the temperature had dropped a bit, but it was still humid and hot. Shen Gali, carrying the heavy plush costume, felt like he was drenched in sweat, his mind starting to go fuzzy.

At 5:15, Bai Wei still hadn't appeared.

"What's going on? Is the big star pulling a diva act? So many people are waiting for her, and it's hot out. These days, anyone can be a star," grumbled a middle-aged man standing nearby, watching the scene.

"She's not pulling a diva act," Shen Gali couldn't help but retort. "She's busy. You think everyone's like you, idling after dinner and gossiping about people?"

Not satisfied with just that, he added, "Besides, if someone like you exists, why can't she be a star?"

The man stared at the big frog who had just verbally attacked him, wanting to fire back, but his mind was blank—most of his energy was spent on gossiping. So he backed off and moved to another spot to keep watching the show.

With the annoying person gone, Shen Gali kept his eyes fixed on the entrance.

More and more people gathered. Some who had waited over half an hour couldn't take the heat anymore and left, grumbling.

But Shen Gali firmly believed that the more important someone was, the harder it was to meet them. He was willing to wait as long as it took.

Once he saw Bai Wei, all the waiting would be worth it.

But then—

The music abruptly stopped. A coffee shop staff member suddenly took the stage, his expression hard to read.

"Sorry to keep you all waiting. I'm really sorry. I regret to inform you that due to an oversight by our staff, we didn't coordinate the schedule with Ms. Bai Wei's assistant. We apologize. We just received word that Ms. Bai Wei has a prior engagement today and cannot make it. You guys don't need to wait anymore. As an apology, every customer who comes in today gets 70% off."

A crack of thunder struck Shen Gali like a bolt from the blue.

He froze.

What did he say? Bai Wei isn't coming?

More than anger, he felt disappointment.

The whole miserable day had been fueled by the hope of seeing Bai Wei. And now, it was all a pipe dream.

A few young people nearby noticed something amusing and pointed at Shen Gali, whispering among themselves. Some even pulled out their phones to record something or other.

To express their apology, the staff announced they had prepared other dance numbers and invited everyone to stay and watch if they liked.

Shen Gali leaned weakly against the railing, his head drooping, his body aching and his mind hazy. Even lifting a finger felt like too much.

So disappointed…

He had hoped to see his mom one more time.

But she was a big star, and he was just a tiny speck of dust in the vast world, looking up at magnificent Rome. And this makeshift stage was his own private utopia.

Would there ever be another chance?

The light velvet box was soaked with sweat, leaving dark patches of sweat stains.

Shen Gali took one last look at the stage and slowly removed the stuffy frog head.

His hair, drenched in sweat, stuck to his cheeks. His face was a blur of sweat and tears, obscuring his vision.

He returned the costume to the toy store and walked slowly along the road. Even now, his eyes were still blurred, and the stone tiles underfoot felt like jelly—soft and unreal.

"Beep-beep—" Suddenly, a car horn sounded behind him.

He didn't want to respond. Nothing good ever came of it.

He continued walking with his head down, but the next second, a black Maybach pulled up beside him.

The rear window rolled down, and Nan Liujing's cold face appeared in his line of sight.

"Get in." His voice was always devoid of warmth, like a command.

Shen Gali didn't have the energy to argue. He pulled open the door and climbed in.

He didn't want to know why Nan Liujing was here. Right now, he had no interest in anything in the world—everything was just a headache that needed thinking about.

The car's air conditioning cooled the oppressive heat. Shen Gali leaned against the window, his lashes half-lowered, shadowing his eyes. The night lights painted his face in a riot of colors.

The light on his face broke into geometric patterns, flickering on and off, like a spotlight on a department store mannequin.

Nan Liujing glanced at the velvet box in Shen Gali's hand and then at the billboard for Bai Wei's meet-and-greet still on the roadside. He had a rough idea.

Although Shen Gali had always been lifeless and listless, today there seemed to be a hint of melancholy.

After a long silence, Nan Liujing asked quietly, "Do you really want to see her that much?"

Shen Gali blinked and let out a barely audible, "Mm."

"And even if you do see her, will she remember you?" Nan Liujing asked flatly.

Shen Gali didn't respond.

Did he need a reason to want to see his mom? Or is that a bad thing?

What child in this world doesn't want to see their own mother?

When they got home, Shen Gali walked upstairs without a word and didn't even ask about dinner. Nan Liujing didn't push him.

Nan Liujing entered Shen Gali's bedroom and saw him already lying in bed, still wearing his sweat-soaked shirt.

"Go shower, then come here." Nan Liujing commanded.

Shen Gali didn't move.

"I heard your final exam is coming up. Are you confident you can pass without studying?" Nan Liujing asked again.

Shen Gali couldn't be bothered to respond.

He couldn't even scrape together the registration fee, let alone worry about the exam.

"I'll help you review. If you successfully get your ISTQB certification, I'll give you a reward," Nan Liujing said. "Let me clarify, it's not for your sake—if my wife doesn't even have a college degree, I'd be embarrassed to tell people that."

Shen Gali glanced up briefly, then closed them again.

That twisted villain's "reward" probably meant making him cook an elaborate meal, huh?

"I've already paid the registration fee for you. I'm not short fifteen hundred dollars, but I don't want to pay it a second time." Nan Liujing's voice grew colder. "Go shower, then get ready for the lesson."

Shen Gali still didn't move. He was too tired; he just wanted to lie down.

Nan Liujing looked toward the door and said slowly, "Li..."

Before he could say "Uncle Li," Shen Gali sat up, grabbed his pajamas, and headed to the bathroom.

*

That night, netizens scrolling through short videos before bed came across a trending one.

In front of a dazzling neon stage stood a fat frog in a striped scarf, its eyes half-closed, mouth slightly open and hanging down. Its plastic eyes held no trace of the colorful lights—they were empty and lifeless.

"Haha, such a sad frog. Looks like it's about to cry."

"In this dazzling world, your eyes are still hollow. Somehow I find that weirdly cute."

"Ugly-cute. So adorable."

"He looks so pitiful. I want to hug him (｀Д)!!"

"I heard it's because he didn't get to see Sister Bai Wei, so he's sad. Haha, it's both heartbreaking and funny."

The video quickly reached tens of millions of views. Netizens flocked to the comments section, feeling sorry for the frog that missed Bai Wei, and tagging her to come see.

The video went viral for no clear reason. Frog mascot costumes are common, but there was something odd about this one that touched their hearts.

Maybe it was because the atmosphere on-site was so lively, yet the frog seemed out of place—standing in the crowd but not part of it.

The "Sad Frog" hashtag inexplicably trended across major platforms, perhaps because netizens saw themselves in the frog.

They were all outsiders; the crowd's joy just highlights one person's loneliness. To avoid looking lonely, they fake smiles and ingratiate themselves—it's exhausting.

Seeing the video blow up, netizens who had witnessed the sad frog on-site posted another set of photos.

In the photos, Shen Gali was holding the frog headpiece, leaning against the railing, wistfully gazing at the brilliant stage. His hair was drenched in sweat, sticking messily to his face. His face was wet with sweat or tears, clinging to his pale skin. It was just too damn heartbreaking, okay?!

Netizens were furious.

"Oh my god, I don't know if it's his good looks, but Shen Gali looks so pitiful. I want to reach through the screen and hug him."

"Forget everything else, with a face like that, I'd do anything for him. Would I make him wear a mascot suit in over 30°C heat handing out flyers?!"

"@Nan Liujing, what were you thinking? Is Huanhai Electronics going bankrupt? A CEO's wife handing out flyers in the heat—are you crazy?"

"Just throwing this out there: I'm Shen Gali's class monitor. He was really late paying the registration fee for this ISTQB exam. I'm pretty sure he barely scraped it together from working today."

"@Nan Liujing, you really live up to your twisted reputation. You won't even give him fifteen hundred?!"

"Still, Shen Gali's family is pretty well-off. He's a little rich boy. There's no way he needs to work. Is this some kind of stunt?"

"Go do that stunt yourself in nearly 40°C heat wearing a frog suit."

"Nan Liujing, if you don't want this wife, you can give him to me. I'm not as rich as you, but I can still fork over fifteen hundred."

"I've heard a rumor that Shen Gali isn't biologically related to his family, and then..."

"What kind of absurd plot is this? Even if he's not biological, they've raised him for over twenty years. Even a stone would warm up in your hands. But now that they know he's not blood-related, they don't treat him like a person anymore. [Angry]"

Maybe it was the ripple effect from the sad frog. Netizens seemed to see themselves in Shen Gali. They didn't care about the terrible things he had done before; they just felt a surge of anger with nowhere to go. A crowd flocked to the official accounts of Shen's company and Huanhai Electronics to demand answers.

#NLJ, if you don't want your wife, give him to me#

#I've forgiven Shen Gali. Even if he made mistakes, this punishment is enough#

Among the top five trending hashtags, Shen Gali single-handedly garnered nationwide sympathy, taking up two of them.

No, the punishment wasn't enough.

Otherwise, Shen Gali wouldn't be sitting at his desk at one in the morning, listening to Nan Liujing go over key exam points.

Shen Gali hadn't attended college before transmigrating into this book. So subjects like discrete mathematics and information technology required for software engineering—he knew absolutely nothing. He could barely handle English and Marxist philosophy, but the professional courses were completely beyond him.

With only twenty days left until the final exam, cramming was his only option.

He wasn't looking forward to whatever reward Nan Liujing would give him. He went along with it for his mother's dying words: "I'm sorry I couldn't see you graduate."

Nan Liujing, like an all-knowing god, even with an MBA, had no trouble with software engineering. He quickly eliminated unimportant knowledge and focused on key points.

Shen Gali followed the initial material, but it was too late, and he had worked all day. His body was at its limit. Nan Liujing's clear explanations turned into a lullaby, went in one ear and out the other.

Ultimately, he couldn't resist sleep. His head crashed onto the book. [peaceful.jpg]

Nan Liujing was interrupted by the sound. He looked up.

The loose pajama collar gaped open like a sail, clearly revealing what lay beneath. A small crimson mole above the faint pink nipple looked like a drop of blood, set against the snow-white skin, creating a fragile, broken beauty.

This time, Nan Liujing didn't look away. His eyes traveled from the wide-open collar up, noticing another mole of the same color on his neck.

So many moles.

His gaze moved further up to his peaceful sleeping face.

Nan Liujing tapped his pen lightly on the desk, tapping it absently.

Can a guy's eyelashes be this long?

Although his face was always pale, if you looked closer, his lips still had a faint pink tint.

Nan Liujing rested his chin on his hand and gazed at him for a long time.

But somehow, it still felt like something was missing.

After a moment's thought, Nan Liujing raised an eyebrow.

He knew what was missing.

*

Heat, the kind that makes you drenched in sweat.

Shen Gali slowly opened his eyes, woken by the heat.

He instinctively looked at the air conditioner and saw it was set to twenty-six degrees.

On a day like this, twenty-six degrees of AC was nowhere near enough.

He turned down the temperature, looked around, and noticed that Nan Liujing had left at some point.

But wait, something felt off, like something was seriously off.

Shen Gali sat at the desk, thinking, staring blankly.jpg

He slowly extended both arms—

The backs of his hands, his fingers, his arms—everywhere he could see was densely plastered with 3D stickers, making him look like a honeycomb.

There were cute fruit patterns, Peppa Pig, Ultraman…

Shen Gali: ...

Even though he hadn't caught him red-handed, he could tell without a doubt who did it.

Shen Gali gritted his teeth.jpg

This big villain wasn't just a pervert, he was also childish. He stuck so many stickers all over him, each one stinging like a tiny needle when peeled off.

Shen Gali peeled off a few stickers, then grew tired.

Time to lie down.

No, he couldn't lie down. He couldn't let Nan Liujing think he was an easy target. He had to teach him a lesson.

But he was so tired.

Maybe just lie down for a bit?

No lying down! Get up!

After an inner tug-of-war, Shen Gali figured that under the cover of night, it was the perfect time for revenge.

He looked around and found Nan Liujing's "tools of the trade" still on the table—a stack of 3D stickers.

Picking up the stickers, he crept silently to the door of Nan Liujing's bedroom, quietly pushed the door open and poked his head in.

The rhythmic sound of breathing came from the bed. Shen Gali confirmed Nan Liujing was fast asleep, then tiptoed inside.

But the moment he entered, he felt confused again.

What was I here for again?

His eyes landed on the stickers. Oh right, to teach him a lesson.

Shen Gali peeled off a sticker and placed it on Nan Liujing's computer. Not enough, so he stuck more, finally spelling out two letters—SB.

Sticking just the computer wasn't enough. He had to let him know that life was full of surprises.

Tiptoeing to the bedside, Shen Gali took a rare, careful look at Nan Liujing's sleeping face.

Objectively speaking, he was genuinely handsome—fine features, a hint of wickedness in the upward slant of his eyes, dark hair and a striking face, but utterly detestable.

Shen Gali braced himself with one hand on the headboard and carefully stuck stickers on the headboard above him.

He also made sure not to cluster them too much to make them easy to remove, and threw a few onto the pillow for good measure.

After finishing the headboard, he still had a large stack of stickers left.

Shen Gali decided to make the most of them.

He scanned the spacious room and finally settled on the large wardrobe in the corner.

Nan Liujing's home had a separate walk-in closet, but for convenience, he kept a wardrobe in the bedroom for clothes he'd wear in the next few days.

What a lovely sight it would be if tomorrow, when he went to the office, he found his suits plastered with Peppa Pig.

Shen Gali opened the wardrobe, ripped off a sticker, and stuck it on the cuff of a suit jacket.

Suddenly, the sleeping Nan Liujing turned over, startling Shen Gali so much that he instinctively hid inside the wardrobe.

Holding his breath, he stared at the bed. Seeing that Nan Liujing only turned over and didn't move again, he let out a small sigh of relief.

Turned over?

Turned over?

Something felt off?

After racking his brains for a while, Shen Gali gave up on it in a second.

No, it was normal. Everyone turns over in their sleep.

Sitting in the corner of the wardrobe, he suddenly found it wasn't a bad spot. He could sit comfortably without being discovered by Nan Liujing if he got up to use the bathroom.

He even closed the wardrobe door.

After all that sticking, and needing to decide where to stick them so Nan Liujing wouldn't quickly find them, Shen Gali had exhausted a lot of brain cells. And now he was tired again.

When you're tired, drowsiness creeps back in.

Shen Gali decided to take a quick nap, just a little one, then get up to finish his grand revenge plan.

With that thought, he closed his eyes contentedly.

The room fell into utter silence. The hands of the clock on the wall went round and round—