Chapter 32

Chapter 32

Nan Liujing woke up to find it was still dark outside. He turned on the bedside lamp and glanced at the clock—only 5:30 in the morning.

Last night, he was halfway through tutoring Shen Gali when the guy got sleepy and passed out on the desk. Before leaving, he even made sure to turn off the air conditioner for him; if Shen caught a cold, he would probably cling to him and talk nonsense again, just like last time.

At this hour, Uncle Li probably hadn’t gotten up yet.

Nan Liujing waited in bed for a while, making sure there were no unusual sounds, then got up.

The dark silk pajama pants showed off his long, straight legs. Even though the pajamas were one-size-fits-all, his absurdly long legs still managed to extend a bit beyond the cuffs, and his pale, slender ankles gleamed faintly in the dim light.

Nan Liujing moved with a lively stride, showing no sign of having been paralyzed and wheelchair-bound for over a decade.

He walked to the wardrobe with practiced ease and casually pulled open the door—

Suddenly, a dark mass in the lower right corner of the wardrobe caught his eye.

Nan Liujing’s heart jolted violently, and he instinctively pulled over the wheelchair and sat down.

When he recognized the dark figure, he was first shocked, then self-deprecatingly laughed at his own panic.

The young man, who had hidden in the wardrobe for some purpose, wasn’t awakened by the sound of the door opening. He was curled up with his arms around his legs, his cheek resting on his knees. His somewhat long hair fell forward, half-concealing his eyes, leaving only his long lashes peeking through the strands, curled and quivering.

Nan Liujing stared at him intently, then let out a soft laugh.

This guy really had no shortage of tricks to play cute.

But the next moment, he noticed the half-stuck sticker in his hand.

Nan Liujing suddenly looked up at the headboard.

Sure enough, it was plastered with stickers, and he could even vaguely make out an "SB" shape.

Nan Liujing curled his lips in disdain: childish.

He reached out and patted Shen Gali’s cheek to wake him up. “Come out. Who breaks in and then falls asleep in the closet?”

Shen Gali was roused by him and blinked his sleepy eyes at the smirking man.

He thought for a moment.

Great, he’d zonked out again.

He stretched and crawled out. Having slept in such an awkward position all night, every bone in his body screamed in protest.

Nan Liujing fixed his gaze on him and said with a low laugh, “Spill it. What scheme were you cooking up while hiding in my room?”

Shen Gali extended his arms, which were covered in stickers. “Revenge.”

Nan Liujing thought it was a bummer—this guy was always so blunt, it gave him no sense of accomplishment.

He picked up a suit, pulled off the stickers on the cuff and back, and smirked. “Then you miscalculated.”

Watching Nan Liujing peel off all the stickers he’d painstakingly put on, Shen Gali pressed his lips together, his eyes so mournful they could cry.

“Since I caught you, you're going to help me wash up and get dressed.” Nan Liujing handed the suit to Shen Gali.

This spoiled little young master had probably never served anyone in his life. If he dared to walk out right then, he could also use the chance to have a word with him about his sneaking off to meet an online friend.

Shen Gali: mournful.jpg.

He already couldn't stand the villain, and now he had to help him wash and dress? Did he think he was some novel protagonist?

But wait—

Shen Gali glanced at the suit and suddenly noticed something.

On the chest of the suit, a dark blue heart-shaped sticker had luckily survived removal. Maybe because its color matched the suit, it was hard to spot without a close look.

Hmph. How could he fail to get revenge?

Shen Gali laid the suit face down on the bed and pushed Nan Liujing into the bathroom.

“Wash my face,” Nan Liujing ordered.

“How?”

“How do you usually wash?”

Shen Gali thought for a moment. He usually just splashed water on his face, but Nan Liujing was probably fussy. For the sake of his little revenge plan, he’d endure.

He turned on the faucet, cupped some water—then “Slap!” He slapped Nan Liujing square in the face, producing a crisp sound.

The slap nearly made Nan Liujing’s eye pop out of its socket. Inside, he pulled up his Cancellation Plan 5.0 and added 'violence' to the 'Shen Gali's Crimes' column.

Shen Gali squeezed out some facial cleanser, worked it into a lather, and said expressionlessly, “Say something if it hurts. The safe word is 'Eight million.'”

Nan Liujing gave him a sidelong glare.

Safe word? What kinda stuff does this guy watch?

Before he could finish thinking, Shen Gali pressed the foam-covered hand onto his face, then rubbed vigorously. Foam got into every crevice—mouth, eyes, nostrils.

Seeing his pained look, Shen Gali said again, “Say something if it hurts.”

Nan Liujing didn’t dare speak; the moment he opened his mouth, foam poured in. His hands, gripping the armrests, were tense and trembled slightly.

Shen Gali scrubbed a bit more, then got tired and looked for a handy tool; if he didn't get it clean, he'd be doubly tormented by Uncle Li and Nan Liujing.

He looked around and spotted a toilet brush hanging by the toilet…

Shen Gali held up the brush. “Say something if it hurts.”

The brief pause made Nan Liujing feel a vague dread.

He forced his stinging eyes open, barely able to see, and saw, less than two inches from his face, a large toilet brush.

“Shen Gali!” Nan Liujing roared, grabbing his wrist. “What do you think my face is?”

Shen Gali tilted his head, confused.

“But this cleans well,” he said, not understanding why Nan Liujing was mad. It was for his own good—why was he being so ungrateful?

Plus, Nan Liujing hadn’t said the safe word, so he probably wasn’t in that much pain. He could keep going.

Shen Gali pulled his wrist free and shoved the brush closer. “Just deal with it. Don’t be so dramatic.”

Nan Liujing glared at him, his already sharp brows now menacingly sharp.

He snatched the brush and tossed it aside, his clenched fingers white at the knuckles.

"Get out." He forced the words out through gritted teeth.

Shen Gali didn't hesitate—he turned and left.

A moment later, Nan Liujing came out with a dark expression.

Shen Gali picked up the suit jacket without a word.

Before Nan Liujing left for work, Shen Gali, for some unknown reason, actually stood at the door to see him off, though he didn't even say "goodbye"—and his gaze was anything but friendly...

In the car.

Driver Yang observed Nan Liujing's expression through the rearview mirror, sensing he was in a bad mood today—his face cold and grim, as if someone owed him a million bucks.

Nan Liujing's phone rang. He picked it up and saw "Father" flashing on the screen.

His already sour expression turned even more grim.

As soon as he answered, Nan Feng's domineering voice came through: "Nan Liujing, I don't care what happens in your household, but don't air the family's dirty laundry—otherwise, how can the Nan family save face?"

Nan Liujing frowned slightly, unsure what the old man was going on about now.

"This matter, spend whatever it takes and get the trending topic taken down quickly. Don't bring shame to the entire Nan family." Nan Feng said, and before Nan Liujing could respond, he hung up abruptly.

Nan Liujing stared at the screen showing the call had ended, his dark, deep eyes like a stagnant pool, unfathomable.

He rarely called, and when he did, it was only to interrogate.

He tossed the phone aside, then picked it up again a moment later.

His father had mentioned a "trending topic." Nan Liujing rarely went online and paid little attention to frivolous entertainment news—he didn't even know where to check the "trending topics."

But the phone notifications had already fed the information to him.

He opened a browser, and the search bar already displayed a trending term: "Huanhai Electronics Eldest Son Marital Crisis."

Along with another strange term:

"Nan Liujing, if you don't want your wife, you can give her to me."

After a moment of hesitation, he clicked on the related topic.

The matter started with the sad frog meme, with netizens speculating that the couple were on bad terms, and that Shen Gali, cut off financially by his own family, had no choice but to work part-time in a mascot costume in the sweltering heat to make ends meet.

Each story was told so convincingly, as if witnessed firsthand.

But that wasn't the main point. The main point was that Shen Gali, once universally hated, had transformed into a beloved "Cinderella" figure. His face was simply too stunning—kissed by God, caressed by the gods, blessed with all the best wishes. Even drenched in sweat, he was a vision of utterly broken beauty. A face so perfect it could drown out all criticism.

Besides the crazed shouts of "wife," there were also countless @-mentions of entertainment companies, requesting them to sign Shen Gali.

They felt even more pity that such a beautiful man had been married to a disabled, ugly, monstrous pervert.

Nan Liujing scrolled through the comments, his eyes as unreadable as a calm lake.

Only when he saw the comment "Nan Liujing, if you don't want your wife, you can give her to me" did his eyes flicker momentarily.

He turned off his phone, put on a mask, and let Driver Yang push his wheelchair into the company.

As soon as he entered the office, the diligent Secretary Yan handed him documents: "Good morning, President Nan. This is a document from Hinata Construction. Please review it."

Just as she finished speaking, she paused, her eyes fixed. "Um... President Nan."

Secretary Yan pointed to the area around her own chest.

Nan Liujing took the documents and unconsciously glanced down at his own chest.

A blue heart-shaped sticker was half-hidden in the breast pocket of his suit jacket, barely noticeable at a glance.

Nan Liujing let out a soft laugh.

So that little lazybones had suddenly changed his tune, helping him dress without complaint and even seeing him off—this was the reason all along.

How childish.

Nan Liujing reached for the sticker to tear it off, but his fingers suddenly stopped.

He slowly withdrew his hand and said in a low voice, "Hmm, I see. I'll handle it later. You can go now."

A moment later, Assistant Lin came in. After reporting on work, he pointed to the same spot and said: "President Nan, here."

He also pointed to his chest.

Nan Liujing: "Got it. I'll handle it later. You can go now."

Then Secretary Yu went in: "President Nan, here. There's something."

Nan Liujing: "Got it. I'll deal with it later. You can go now."

During the lunch break in the break room, the secretaries and assistants gathered together, their voices excited as if they had struck gold:

"Did you see the heart sticker? I bet a hundred bucks that was definitely his husband who put it on."

"No way? And the CEO still hasn't taken it off? What if a business partner sees it?"

"He probably wants to show it off, what can you do?"

"Is it because of that sad frog meme online? Is his husband getting back at him for not giving him money?"

"Getting back at him by sticking stickers on him?" Secretary Yan held her coffee cup, her face flushed. "That's way too cute!"

Meanwhile, the news about their marital crisis continued to brew, and amidst the wave of criticism, a few dissenting comments appeared:

"Everyone, stop guessing. President Nan and his husband are getting along great. His husband put a little heart sticker on his suit, and he can't bring himself to take it off. If a business partner sees it, he'll definitely be laughed at, yet he still won't remove it. If that isn't true love, what is?"

The netizens disagreed: "How much did your boss pay you? I'll double it. Don't lie."

A reply below: "To be fair, Shen Gali bought a bracelet from my shop with his wages after that day's gig. So the story about him paying for fees likely isn't reliable—he's probably already paid in advance."

"Agreed. Don't feel sorry for him either. Look at the clothes he wears; calculate if you could afford them on six months' salary without eating or drinking a thing. Netizens are still so naive, sympathizing with a rich husband wearing clothes worth 50,000 bucks while earning three thousand a month."

"So I have no shot at stepping in, huh?"

"Who was the bracelet bought for?"

"Wild guess: for Bai Wei. There was supposed to be a fan meeting with Bai Wei that day, but he didn't show up, and for a moment, the sad frog actually looked sad."

"Wow!! Double the joy! [Happy twirling]"

Someone stepped in to explain, and after some deliberation, everyone agreed that seemed to be the case, and the topic gradually cooled down.

*

Meanwhile, at a Western restaurant.

On either side of an elegant square table sat European-style sofas, with a crystal-clear glass vase on the vintage palace-style tablecloth holding a vibrant bouquet of red roses.

On one side of the table sat Nan Feiyao, dressed in a pristine white shirt with a pure gold collar ornament gleaming under the magnesium lights.

He glanced up, subtly observing the long-haired woman sitting across from him.

Her glossy, jet-black, straight hair appeared very pure, her large, round eyes accentuated her innocence, and her white short skirt fit perfectly, exuding the demeanor of a proper lady from a prestigious family.

When he accidentally met her gaze, she immediately blushed and lowered her head shyly.

This was Nan Feiyao's blind date—Ren Yinuo, the heiress of the country's largest media company.

Despite his repeated declarations to his family that he would only marry Shen Lanqing in this lifetime, his family would never allow him to form a marriage alliance with a failing, collapsing mess; their family wasn't in the business of charity.

The likes of Nan Liujing, who had been given up on, were irrelevant whether alive or dead, but Nan Feiyao, the heir to Xinghui Yeye, even if he didn't marry into another conglomerate family, must at least be with a leader in the industry.

Unable to defy his family, Nan Feiyao planned to meet Ren Yinuo and clearly explain his thoughts.

In the original story, Ren Yinuo was the second biggest antagonist after Nan Liujing. Driven by unrequited love, the innocent white flower eventually blackened into a venomous heart, capable of murder and arson, all to eliminate the major nuisance that was Shen Lanqing.

She liked Nan Feiyao because she had seen him once at a business gathering at the age of seventeen, and never forgot him since.

To become worthy of Nan Feiyao, she studied abroad for seven years, and now, having returned with her accomplishments, she was determined to win him over.

Seeing her keeping her head down, not daring to meet his eyes, Nan Feiyao could see through her little intentions clearly.

Suddenly, a strange thought popped into his mind.

"Yinuo," he called out very intimately.

"Mm... mm." Ren Yinuo blushed and timidly looked up.

He's so handsome. No matter how many times I see him, I can't believe such a charming young man exists in this world, and he's the heir of the nation's top financial group. How can I restrain my admiration for him?

"I heard your father is quite close to the president of the National Daily?" Nan Feiyao asked.

"Mm... it's a family friendship, we often interact." Just hearing Nan Feiyao's magnetic voice made Ren Yinuo's heart race.

"I also heard that President Lee's daughter is studying at Jinhai University?"

"Yes, she just enrolled this year, a freshman."

Nan Feiyao raised an eyebrow, then put on a troubled expression. "You must have heard about our company's plan to build a new college at Jinhai University."

"I know a little. I heard parents are unhappy about the construction of a top-tier professional college, feeling their children are getting the short end of the stick." Ren Yinuo's eyes lit up. "Brother Feiyao, is there anything I can do to help?"

Nan Feiyao rested his forehead on one hand, looking down with a sigh, appearing exhausted.

"As you know, my brother is currently in charge of the company. I disagree with the new college project, but I have no say. I'm afraid if this continues, not only will the parents hold a grudge against the school, but it will also tarnish the reputation of Huanhai Electronics."

"So, how can I help you?" Ren Yinuo, worried, tightly gripped her skirt and asked repeatedly.

"If you really want to help me, please get in touch with President Lee. At the very least, if we can't stop the new college from being established, have more reporters there on the day to report the situation accurately. We can't let my brother's single decision drag the whole family down, right?"

"Right, don't worry. I'll definitely explain everything properly to Uncle Lee." Ren Yinuo vowed, clenching her small fists.

Nan Feiyao revealed a relaxed, relieved smile, then pulled a rose from the vase, gently twirling its stem, and handed it to Ren Yinuo. "Thank you for your trouble, Sister Yinuo."

A breathy "Sister Yinuo" made Ren Yinuo's face flush deeply, as if countless pink bubbles were rising behind her.

For Brother Feiyao, I'll go all out!

Watching Ren Yinuo's utterly shy expression, Nan Feiyao let out a sneer in his heart.

Stupid woman. Believes anything.

On the day of the new college's inauguration ceremony, it also happened to be the day for senior graduates to take their class photos. As the investor, Nan Liujing would inevitably be present, and Shen Gali couldn't be absent either. With these two annoying people in attendance, Nan Feiyao planned to persuade dissatisfied parents to cause trouble. With the most authoritative newspaper, the National Daily, broadcasting live, he could easily stir up public sentiment online, eventually igniting popular outrage.

Did Nan Liujing think he could hold onto his position as Executive President?

Although the chairman position was undoubtedly Nan Feiyao's in the future—higher rank gets more power—even the president's seat wasn't something that useless cripple Nan Liujing could covet.

I want it all~

Leopard-head clenched fist.GIF

*

Over the past few days, not only did Shen Gali have to prepare dinner, which Nan Liujing wouldn't eat, but he also suffered his relentless torment—studying until dawn every day.

Shen Gali visibly lost more weight.

Recently, Nan Liujing had been coming home early to have more time to tutor Shen Gali on passing his exams, but today it was already seven o'clock and he still hadn't returned.

Shen Gali breathed a sigh of relief, grabbed his books, and climbed into bed.

But fate was against him. Uncle Li came up to inform him:

"Mr. Shen, today is the young master's stepmother's birthday. The young master went straight home after work and instructed me to bring you over now to celebrate Madam's birthday."

Hearing this bad news, Shen Gali wilted.

He didn't understand. What's so special about a birthday? Why all the fuss? As if nobody else has one.

Come to think of it, his own birthday was approaching.

Who would believe that the perpetually gloomy, half-dead Shen Gali was a Leo, born in that fiery summer?

But probably no one would remember, and certainly no one would celebrate his birthday.

When his mother was alive, they spent his birthdays together—buying a cake, cooking a feast, and chatting late into the night about their dreams for the future.

After his mother passed away, no one cared anymore, and gradually, he himself almost forgot his birthday. If not for the scorching heat reminding him, he might have truly let it slip.

Oh well. Birthdays are just a day. One less celebration still means one less day.

Shen Gali slowly slipped on his shirt, his face full of resistance.

I don't want to go. I don't want to go.

He remembered this plot from the original story: the antagonist took the protagonist to his stepmother's birthday party but cut off all his financial resources. The protagonist, strapped for cash, had to work overtime and gave the stepmother a self-painted picture, trying to salvage face with "the thought counts," but only made the antagonist lose face publicly. When they returned, the strange toys saw the light of day again, and the mansion once again echoed with the protagonist's screams.

Shen Gali: ...

Just get it over with.

"Mr. Shen—Sir, would you like to get the missus a birthday gift? It's not about the price, it's the thought that counts. I bet she'd be thrilled to get something from you." Uncle Li started going on and on again.

Shen Gali was short: "I'm broke."

Then he added: "There's still one unopened baby toy set we bought last time."

Uncle Li quickly cut in: "Let's skip that. She's way too old for that stuff. There's still time—why don't you think it over?"

Shen Gali, who'd planned to go empty-handed, thought it over for a moment and went upstairs.

When he came back down, he was carrying a plastic fertilizer bag. Something inside made angular bulges against the surface.

The moment Uncle Li saw that bag, a bad feeling crept up on him.

Printed on it in big letters:

"Good Fertilizer—Choose Zhongdan"

Where'd he dig this up? We still have this kinda junk around here?

"Mr. Shen… mind if I take a peek at what grand gift you've got for the missus? Could use some entertainment."

Shen Gali: "No."

"Why?"

"Already tied shut. Pain to open again."

Uncle Li: …

Seeing it was getting late, Uncle Li couldn't keep arguing. He just had to let him bring that bag into the car.

In the car, Shen Gali was already plotting.

He planned to hit the bathroom during dinner, then crash in there for an hour or so, and head home when the meal was over. Perfect.

Up front, Uncle Li kept shooting uneasy looks at the bag.

He couldn't shake the feeling it was… very dangerous.

This was Shen Gali's first time at Nan Liujing's place.

From the outside, it looked like a palace—grand and imposing. The landscaping was simple and stylish—nothing flashy, but clearly high-end. One look and you could tell this was old money.

As soon as he walked in, the servants—who'd been tipped off—were already waiting at the door. Two rows of maids in crisp uniforms bowed and greeted him in perfect unison.

The head servant spotted Shen Gali toting the bag and politely asked: "Mr. Shen, forget to take out the garbage? I'll handle it."

Shen Gali: …

Hearing the commotion, his stepmother, Yu Huaisu, hurried over to greet him. She was wearing a solid black sleeveless dress. Even in her forties, she'd kept herself up well—her neck was slender and smooth, as if time had left no mark.

Just like last time, she gave Shen Gali a warm smile: "Jiali, glad you made it. Long trip, huh? Come on in and sit."

Shen Gali was about to step inside when Uncle Li coughed behind him and whispered: "The gift…"

Shen Gali remembered and held up the bag: "Here. A gift."

Looking at the grimy bag, Yu Huaisu's lips twitched, but she quickly recovered her smile: "Jiali is so thoughtful. You actually remembered a gift for your stepmom. Thank you."

She took the bag, seeming to think it was dirty—she only pinched a tiny corner with two fingers.

Hearing her call herself "mother," Shen Gali cringed. He just gave her a smirk as a greeting, then strode straight into the house.

The huge, lavish hall looked like a parliament building. Antiques were crammed everywhere—total in-your-face wealth.

Near the floor-to-ceiling windows stood an oval table covered in a snow-white cloth, with silver cutlery and crystal stemware sparkling clean.

At the head sat Nan Feng, whom he'd met once. On either side were Yu Huaisu and Nan Feiyao, and at the far end, Nan Liujing in his wheelchair.

Nan Feiyao didn't look up from his phone. To him, Shen Gali was less noticeable than air.

Shen Gali thanked him a thousand times in his head for his rude disregard, which saved him from pointless socializing.

By the rules, Shen Gali should have sat opposite Nan Liujing. But he believed the shortest distance between two points was a straight line, so he plopped down next to him.

Nan Liujing didn't even glance at him, let alone say hello.

For Shen Gali, this was absolutely perfect!

He hoped nobody would pay him any attention—just treat him like air.

But the universe had other plans. Nan Feng spoke up: "Newlywed, it's been a while. You look thinner. Liujing not feeding you? Torturing you every day?"

Shen Gali had been about to complain about how inhumane Nan Liujing was—making him cook dinner, dragging him to paint with little kids, forcing him to play games, and so on.

But then he figured listing it all out would take forever and be a pain, so he just said:

"No."

Nan Liujing: Who's really torturing who here.

Yu Huaisu, never one to miss a chance to stir things up, seemed determined to get Shen Gali to admit the couple wasn't getting along. She kept pushing: "Jiali, you don't have to cover for Liujing. We know his temper. If he gives you a hard time, we'll straighten him out."

Shen Gali: "No."

He knew if he said anything at all, the conversation would never end. Silence was his best weapon.

Yu Huaisu didn't buy it and laughed: "No way, Liujing—"

Before she could finish, Shen Gali cut her off, pointing at the heart sticker on Nan Liujing's chest: "I stuck that on him."

At that, the whole room fell silent.

Everyone looked at the sticker on Nan Liujing's chest. Without Shen Gali having to say more, they all got it.

A CEO who meets all kinds of VIPs every day obviously cares about his image. And yet he let a stupid cartoon sticker stay on him all day. If that's not love, what is?

Nan Liujing only then realized the sticker was still there—and he had no idea how many people had seen it. But it didn't matter. He wanted to prove to those clueless netizens who called Shen Gali "wifey" just how much Shen Gali liked him. Whether he felt the same was another story, but nobody else had a right to even think about it.

He reached to his chest and peeled off the sticker, then stuffed it into his pocket.

Yu Huaisu's smile now looked downright awkward: "It's my birthday. I figured we'd just keep it low-key, just family. Since we're all family, let's be open. Come on, a toast."

As she finished, everyone raised their glasses and said, "Happy birthday."

Amid the chorus of "Happy birthday," Shen Gali slipped by with a few "mm-hmm"s.

He didn't like this woman and wasn't about to fake a blessing. His thing was just being straightforward.

Nan Feiyao took out an incense box and handed it over, smiling: "Happy birthday, Mom, may you stay forever young. It's just a small token, but I hope you like it."

Yu Huaisu grinned from ear to ear, casting a deliberate or accidental glance at Nan Liujing, took the box and opened it. Inside was a car key with a trident logo.

"It's a newly released limited edition, only ten units allocated in the country, already booked. But I heard you liked this car, Mom, so I went to great lengths to get it." Nan Feiyao said it like an explanation, but it came off as bragging.

Yu Huaisu affectionately ruffled his hair: "My precious son knows me best."

Nan Feng also presented his birthday gift: a set of Tiffany-blue jewelry rushed to make overnight by an Italian master craftsman, the only one of its kind in the world. It was said that the master was eccentric and only gave his works to those he deems fated.

Nan Liujing also gave a gift, which seemed rather plain compared to the other two: a set of pure gold jewelry.

"Auntie, happy birthday."

Yu Huaisu glanced briefly at the jewelry and said: "Actually, the gift I most want to receive is to hear you call me 'Mom'. All these years, that's been my only wish."

Nan Liujing said indifferently: "Auntie, please accept it. Happy birthday."

Call her 'Mom'? That's impossible even in the next life.

Yu Huaisu's smile faded a bit, cleared her throat, and took the jewelry: "Very beautiful, I like it. Liu Jing, you're thoughtful."

Nan Feng silently smoked his cigar, his brow slightly furrowed.

Then, misfortune struck.

After everyone had given their gifts, all eyes turned to Shen Gali.

Nan Feiyao smirked: "They say a mother-in-law is half a mother. I wonder what gift our newlywed brother-in-law has prepared for Mom? Let's see it."

He still felt nauseous thinking about that disgusting doll placed at Shen Lanqing's bedside.

Shen Gali pointed faintly at the snake-skin bag on the coffee table. The servant, with great perceptiveness, brought it over.

Shen Gali held up the snake-skin bag, expressionless: "Gift."

The moment Yu Huaisu saw the dirty bag, her mouth twitched again.

Under everyone's gaze, she reluctantly untied the bag and pulled out a... painting?

First reaction: A masterpiece of a great master.

But upon closer inspection, there was a shapeless black blob in the middle of the white paper, with a label in the lower left corner: "Butterfly."

Artist... Shen Gali...

Everyone: ... ...

However, Nan Liujing suddenly sat up straight, slightly frowning as he looked at the painting.

Shen Gali: Plan successful √, looking forward to the dark room.

Nan Feiyao let out a snicker, crossing his arms and looking at Shen Gali: "Brother-in-law, this act is truly astounding. I thought last time at Lanqing's birthday party was the pinnacle, but who would have thought there are even more unexpected surprises."

Yu Huaisu stared at the black mess, her smile finally cracked.

"This... you painted this." It was not a question but a statement.

Shen Gali nodded repeatedly.

"Why give this?" Nan Liujing's voice was low, as if he was holding back something.

Nan Feiyao chimed in: "Brother-in-law thinks that hosting one art exhibition makes you a master? How naive. Don't you remember how you got that exhibition?"

Today, with his parents backing him up and Lanqing not around, he was going to flip the table.

Last time he was completely played for a fool by this little jerk, even washing clothes and cooking for his family like a servant. I swore I'd get revenge, or I'm no man.

Nan Feng gave a light cough, signaling Nan Feiyao not to speak recklessly.

But it was just a light cough, not even a half-hearted attempt to stop him.

Nan Feiyao, seeing he had support, got even more fired up: "Brother-in-law, take this oversized piece of trash with you when you leave. Our house is big, but it's not a trash can."

Shen Gali: "Not taking it. Too much trouble to carry back and forth. If you're so capable, you deal with it."

The two were ready to tear into each other (from an outsider's perspective) on the verge of a blow-up. At that moment, Nan Liujing suddenly put down his knife and fork.

He looked coldly at Nan Feiyao and asked: "The car you gave to Auntie has a market price of 5.5 million, if I'm not mistaken."

Nan Feiyao didn't know what he was up to, so he held his position and nodded along.

Nan Liujing snorted coldly, toying with his cufflinks casually: "Someone offered 8 million for this painting at the exhibition, and I didn't sell it. If the museum hadn't closed early, it would have fetched 10 million easily."

"Cough! Cough!" Nan Feng choked on his cigar smoke, coughing violently.

Yu Huaisu thought she must be hearing things, lifted the painting to the light and studied it repeatedly, trying to find where the 8 million worth was hidden.

Nan Liujing continued: "Feiyao, how come you're not even as sincere as your brother-in-law?"

He was smiling, but not a single muscle moved; it was pure mockery.

Nan Feiyao's face turned pale as if Photoshopped a layer of color onto it.

This piece of trash is worth 8 million?

But it seemed true; he was also present at the auction, and someone did bid 8 million.

Go to hell, who are you mocking?

Yu Huaisu quickly smoothed things over: "Liu Jing, don't get upset. You know our family is all business folks, don't know anything about art. But after giving it some thought, I understand. Jiali is using the object as a metaphor for me, praising me as beautiful as a butterfly."

Shen Gali: So I'm the one who doesn't understand art.

Nan Liujing glanced at his watch, beckoned to Uncle Li, and then said: "Father, Auntie, it's getting late. We enjoyed the meal very much. We won't trouble you anymore; we'll take our leave now."

Not a single one of the three family members said a word. It was only when Nan Liujing reached the door that Yu Huaisu belatedly realized and stood up to see him off.

Nan Liujing simply said "No need to see us out," and then left with Shen Gali without looking back.

Nan Feiyao clenched his teeth, his jawbone clearly protruding.

He suddenly stood up and went back to his room, made a phone call, and opened with: "Have you contacted Editor-in-Chief Lee of the National Daily?"

On the other end of the line came Ren Yinuo's delighted voice, eager to claim credit: "Don't worry, Brother Feiyao, everything is going according to plan."

In the car.

Shen Gali leaned against the car window, blinking sleepily.

Nan Liujing shot him a sidelong glance and said indifferently, "They're just like that. It's not aimed at you. Don't take it to heart."

Shen Gali lifted his eyes slightly, his eyelashes curving into an arched shadow at the corners.

"Oh." A concise reply, his heart utterly unruffled.

He couldn't care less about what those people had said; he only found it odd that Nan Liujing would suddenly offer comfort.

"I gave an embarrassing gift. Punish me—send me to the dark room to reflect on my mistakes, how about that?"

Nan Liujing: ?

Deliberately provoking him? Trying to give him a stroke so he could inherit the family fortune sooner?

He regretted that bit of comfort he'd just offered, actually feeling a pang of sympathy for him. What a fool he was—spending too much time with Shen Gali had scrambled his brain.

"Alright." Nan Liujing lifted his chin arrogantly, his eyes dark and murky. "Then punishment it is. Come to my room tonight."

Shen Gali: Danger.

Why does this keep being different from the original?