Chapter 37

Chapter 37

The next day, when Shen Gali woke up, he found the travel magazine on the bedside table.

He had seen this magazine in Nan Liujing's car before.

The Salar de Uyuni in Bolivia...

Located in the Potosí department of Bolivia, South America, it is one of the rarest wonders of the world. Its formation conditions are extremely harsh—even if all factors are present, not everyone can witness it; it all depends on luck.

It is said that the water on the surface of the salt flat is like a mirror, reflecting the sky, making it hard to tell which is real and which is fake. Some also call the endless salt flat like the Jerusalem in the Bible, pure and sacred.

Shen Gali put the magazine back. Thanks, but no thanks. A gloomy guy with a fifty-meter radius who couldn't care less.

Speaking of the villain's birthday, the original story began dumping information into his head.

The villain grew up in a financial family and had seen all kinds of treasures, but he was especially fond of the original protagonist, Shen Lanqing. As long as it was given by Shen Lanqing, the villain would cherish even a leftover burger. So on his birthday, all he wanted was a gift from Shen Lanqing.

Shen Lanqing, considering that the other person was his brother's husband, politely prepared a gift out of courtesy—a hand-painted portrait of the villain.

But when he was giving the gift, he happened to see the expensive watch his brother had prepared for the villain. Feeling his own gift was too cheap to hand over, he didn't offer it, so the villain missed out on the gift from his beloved.

The villain had long known the original owner had planted a bug in the watch, trying to steal company secrets to set the villain up. As a result, the villain not only lost the gift from his beloved but was also humiliated in this way by the original owner. Furious, the villain grabbed the original owner by the hair and slammed his head against the wall, leaving him bloody and nearly dead on the spot.

Not only that, he also had people take the original owner to a seedy club, throwing him into a private room with some old men with weird kinks. After one night, the original owner was completely out of it.

One of the old men was very satisfied with the original owner's appearance and asked if he was willing to enter the entertainment industry to make money. At the time, the original owner only wanted to escape the villain's clutches as soon as possible and agreed without a second thought.

In the end, he did enter the industry, but what awaited him were jobs he got by selling his body, and the money he earned was all divided up by the company and the old men.

Shen Gali thought, seriously, if you can't write, just don't.

Nevertheless, Nan Liujing swallowed his pride and asked Bai Wei to come see him. If it weren't for Nan Liujing, Shen Gali might never have been able to pass on that lisianthus bracelet. Although he didn't understand his intentions, he now owed him one.

He hated owing favors. He hated people with no sense of boundaries.

He stared absentmindedly out the window. From here, he could clearly see the full view of the hundred-acre garden. In midsummer, it was a sea of lush green.

Shen Gali found such vibrant scenes irritating. All that vibrant life was a burden to someone who had no attachment to the world.

A classic line suddenly popped into his head:

"When the last leaf falls, I'll go too."

He raised his hand and started counting the leaves on the nearest tree.

Before long, he felt suffocated.

When would all the leaves fall? By then it'd be ages—would he have to live to be two hundred?

*

Evening, in the study.

Nan Liujing was facing his computer when Uncle Li came in with some white fungus and lotus seed soup.

As expected, the young master had skipped dinner again tonight. Shen Gali had once again found a unique way to waste ingredients.

Uncle Li also handed over the account book and said respectfully, "Young master, I've tallied up this month's household budget. The total food expenditure is fifty-five thousand yuan. The rest of the expenses..."

Before he could finish, he saw Nan Liujing's brow furrow.

Nan Liujing took the account book and flipped through the daily expenses. "Where did all that money go?"

He didn't care about the small amount of money, but he was puzzled. He couldn't even recall what he had eaten tonight or last night.

"Since Mr. Shen has been doing the grocery shopping, I didn't feel comfortable asking about the leftover funds," Uncle Li said, his voice growing softer.

Should he take the fall? He couldn't let a little money ruin their relationship. These days, the two had finally made some progress. If it all went back to square one because of a mere fifty thousand yuan, he'd go down as the villain for all time.

"It's my fault for not settling the balance with Mr. Shen in time," Uncle Li said, being straightforward and taking the blame.

Nan Liujing suddenly recalled when Shen Gali had asked him for the exam fee.

So he'd really been broke all along.

When he first moved in, he hadn't brought any dowry—he came with nothing. It seemed the Shen family really intended to abandon him, not even caring if he'd be looked down on without a dowry.

No wonder he went out to work in this heat. Nan Liujing had assumed he was pulling some scheme again, playing the victim for sympathy.

He'd been wrong.

"Forget it, it's not a big deal. Let it go," Nan Liujing closed the account book.

Uncle Li let out a silent sigh of relief and continued, "Young master, the fridge at home is acting up. Should I call someone to fix it tomorrow?"

Nan Liujing was about to say "you handle it," but then paused and said after a moment, "Even if it's repaired, it might not last long. Get a new one."

"Very well, I'll contact the company tomorrow to send a new refrigerator," Uncle Li said, referring to Huanhai Electronics. They never had to pay for their appliances—one call and it's delivered.

"Switch brands," Nan Liujing said casually, his eyes still on the documents he was reading.

"Why? There's hardly a better product on the market than Huanhai Electronics. This refrigerator breaking down is just an isolated incident," Uncle Li didn't understand.

Nan Liujing: "I'm bored with it. Get a different brand, and while we're at it, check out the competition."

"Oh, and one more thing," he added. "I have a task for you tomorrow. Let Shen Gali handle buying the new fridge."

"Mr. Shen probably has zero experience with fridges—I'm worried..."

Nan Liujing set down his cup with a clink that sounded like a warning. Uncle Li quickly fell silent.

*

The next day, when Shen Gali received the task of buying a refrigerator, his first reflex was to complain internally—'how annoying'—but soon his mind changed.

Wasn't this the perfect chance to line his own pockets?

Nan Liujing adjusted his cuffs and asked casually, "What's your budget?"

Shen Gali had never bought a home appliance in his life and had no clue about prices. He vaguely remembered that when his family bought a refrigerator over a decade ago, he asked his mother how much it cost, and she said nine hundred yuan.

More than ten years had passed, so the price had likely gone up. He guessed maybe eighteen hundred, and he could also pocket a bit extra.

So he held up six fingers—meaning six thousand.

Nan Liujing glanced at him and said to Uncle Li, "Transfer sixty thousand to his account. If it's not enough, I'll top it up."

Shen Gali: ???

Shen Gali: !!!

Wait, such a deal actually existed?

A windfall of 58,000 yuan felt too awkward to accept.

So he said to Nan Liujing, "Go cheat on me, I'll keep watch for you."

Nan Liujing's hand holding the cup froze abruptly, then he slowly lifted his head and gave him a questioning look that could kill.

Shen Gali recalled the time when a psychologist had come for a consultation and asked him what he would do if Nan Liujing cheated but gave him 100,000 yuan a month. Back then, his answer was that 100,000 was too much to accept without guilt; 50,000 would do, and he'd keep watch.

But as soon as he said it, he regretted it. Keeping watch was too tiring. Who knew how long Nan Liujing would be at it? What if the "rain" lasted all night? Then he'd have to sleep on the floor outside the door?

A lousy deal.

Nan Liujing also recalled that exchange from the psychological consultation and said in a low voice, almost like a warning, "You'd better hope for the best. If I really do cheat, you won't get a single penny."

Shen Gali: Not a loss either—at least I'd get some peace and quiet.

The driver came to pick up Nan Liujing for work, while Uncle Li had put together a detailed shopping guide for Shen Gali: distances to various major shopping malls, brand sales rankings—down to the last detail.

After going over everything, Uncle Li left to take care of the task Nan Liujing had given him.

The huge mansion was now empty, just Shen Gali. Saving money was important, but chilling was always the top priority.

He decided to take a nap. Just an hour, no big deal.

Seven hours later—

Well, he'd slept in again.

It was already 4 PM. Uncle Li still hadn't returned, but according to the guide he'd made, most stores were about to close. Only a few ones way out there—far enough that he'd definitely get lost.

He thought for a second, then a lightbulb went off.

Isn't online shopping all the rage now? Convenient, fast, and time-saving. He'd take a look online.

He downloaded Taobao. He'd never shopped online before, but at least he could use a smartphone. He typed in "refrigerator" and a bunch of filter options popped up: brand, capacity, structure, smart type, etc.

Hmm... no clue.

He scrolled all the way to the bottom and saw the "price" filter.

Of course, he'd buy the cheapest one. And he'd pick a double-door model—Nan Liujing would surely be satisfied with a fridge that matched his build.

Sorted from cheapest to most expensive, the first result had over 30,000 sales and was only—

9.9 yuan!

Free shipping too.

The shop's main page showed a picture of a farmer wearing a straw hat, looking distressed, holding a bunch of tiny refrigerators, with big words next to it:

"Fridge not selling! Help us!"

Shen Gali: ...?

Is this a trend now? Poor guy. Let's help them out.

The fridge was pink, and it said it came with free drinks. What a steal. Nan Liujing gets free drinks, and the cute pink might clean his dirty soul—two birds, one stone.

He ordered right away. The shipping address was nearby, just across the street. The seller said it would arrive soon.

Before the fridge arrived, he had to make dinner.

The second he thought about dealing with pots and pans, the joy from his little deal vanished.

He picked up the recipe book Uncle Li had left and skimmed it. He still couldn't understand—would practicing day and night actually fix his terrible cooking?

The more he thought, the more annoyed he got. But he had to do it—otherwise, how else would he pad his little nest egg?

After plating the food, the doorbell rang.

Shen Gali didn't budge. Whether it was Nan Liujing or Uncle Li, they had hands and feet—why couldn't they let themselves in?

The doorbell kept ringing, sounding pissed off.

Didn't hear it, didn't hear it. If I didn't hear it, it never happened.

Soon, the fingerprint lock beeped, and Uncle Li's voice came through: "Mr. Shen, are you home? The master has come to visit."

The master? Who's that? Never heard of him. Can't I just ignore him?

The next second, the kitchen door was pushed open, and Uncle Li and Shen Gali stared at each other.

...

Nan Feng sat on the living room sofa, flanked by two bodyguards in black suits, all three with stern expressions.

Uncle Li served tea and jumped in to take the blame: "The neighborhood hasn't been safe lately. I told Mr. Shen not to open the door for anyone. I'm sorry for the disrespect, sir. Please forgive him on my account."

Nan Feng idly ran his finger around the rim of his teacup, his gaze shifting to Shen Gali across from him.

Shen Gali's eyes were half-closed, his long bangs covering part of them, but not hiding the long lashes poking through. He looked completely spaced out, as if he might fall asleep any second.

Nan Feng snorted and looked away: "When will Liu Jing be back?"

"The young master will be back in about ten minutes. Please have some tea, sir. And maybe stay for dinner tonight?"

"Alright. I have something to discuss with Liu Jing anyway."

As soon as the words fell, Shen Gali looked at them both with eyes that already seemed to say "I feel sorry for you."

Not my circus, not my monkeys.

Nan Liujing arrived right on time. The moment he saw Nan Feng on the sofa, his already cold face turned even icier, and a cold aura seemed to radiate from him.

He seemed to think of something, and spoke to Shen Gali in a low voice: "Go upstairs first."

"What, is there something you're hiding from me? Do you think I'm going to eat him?" Nan Feng sneered.

Shen Gali: "He's probably afraid you'll accidentally hit me if you two start fighting."

As dense as he was, he could sense the gunpowder in the air.

Nan Feng & Nan Liujing: ...

Nan Feng waved his hand, signaling for him to sit: "Sit down. I was just passing by today, thought I'd look in on Liu Jing and give him some praise. That new academy thing was handled very well—brought both fame and profit."

Shen Gali: Bochi doesn't deserve it.

While they chatted,

Uncle Li smiled, saying it saved him the trouble, and without a second thought, carried the dishes to the dining room.

But the moment he caught sight of Shen Gali, it was like a thunderbolt from the blue!

These were Shen Gali's dishes! ! !

His hands holding the plates trembled slightly, the bowls and plates clinking together as they hovered above the table, frozen in place.

Nan Feng shot him a strange look: "Old Li, you're not even as old as I am, and your hands are already shaking?"

A cold sweat broke out on Uncle Li's forehead, his smile uglier than tears: "Sir, these are just simple homely dishes, nothing fit for the table. How about I go prepare something else in the kitchen?"

Nan Feng tapped the table: "No need. I happen to be hungry. Set them down."

Uncle Li: *Fine, don't say I didn't warn you.*

Putting down the dishes, he slipped away as fast as his feet could carry him.

Normally, Nan Liujing and Shen Gali sat opposite each other during meals. Today, with a guest, the two sat side by side for once.

Nan Liujing cleared his throat softly: *You made these?*

Shen Gali cleared his throat: *Mm-hmm.*

As a few covered bowls were removed, a strange smell spread through the air—like undercooked river fish, both fishy and nauseating.

Nan Feng stared at the unrecognizable substance in the bowls, frowning: "Did the new wife make this?"

Shen Gali nodded tactfully, his expression growing even more pitiful.

The dish looked utterly disastrous. Nan Feng, being blunt, said what he thought: "You stay at home and don't work, and this is what you busy yourself with?"

"Yes." A confident reply.

It was Nan Liujing who spoke up: "He helped buy a new fridge today. He's got plenty to keep him busy."

*Be glad you've got anything to eat. Don't find fault.*

Speak of the devil—the fridge arrived. Before anyone could lift their chopsticks, the doorbell rang, and the delivery guy yelled, "Package delivery! Come out and sign!"

Uncle Li hurried over, calling the two bodyguards: "I think the fridge has arrived. Lend a hand, you two."

The two men took off their suits, rolled up their sleeves, and prepared to work.

Two minutes later.

The three returned.

They each held out two fingers, in a tripod formation, carrying a computer-sized box as they came in.

Everyone: ...?

Nan Feng was the first to look at Shen Gali: "This is the fridge you bought?"

Shen Gali hadn't expected to be tricked by that farmer grandpa's pitiful, sorrowful face.

A nine-ninety, free-shipping fridge... turned out to be a mini toy the size of an arm, complete with finger-sized drinks.

"How much did you spend?" Nan Feng asked.

Shen Gali: "Sixty thousand."

Nan Feng: ...

He suspected Shen Gali was not quite right in the head, and the evidence was solid.

"Sixty thousand for a piece of junk? New wife, I know you liked to fool around before marriage, but now that you're married, you need to settle down. How can you keep joking about life?! Tell me, can this thing even work?!" Nan Feng slammed the table, forgetting whose home he was in, his voice rising sharply.

Shen Gali was about to open his mouth—

"How can it not be used?" Nan Liujing cut him off in a low voice. "Bring the fridge over."

Uncle Li respectfully placed the mini fridge on the dining table. Nan Liujing took a look—double doors, no less.

Impressive.

He opened the fridge, casually put a plate of food inside, and asked his father: "No problem, right?"

He took it out, then put a bottle of seasoning in: "No problem either, right?"

To sum it up, he concluded: "It's a fridge that works normally. Why would Father lose his temper in someone else's home and casually dismiss others' efforts?"

Shen Gali: ?

Nan Feng stared wide-eyed, running a hand through his hair: *Good boy, I have no argument against that.*

Nan Feng gritted his teeth.

Seeing his father stop looking for a fight, Nan Liujing told Uncle Li to take the fridge to the kitchen.

To be honest, Nan Feng's real motive was to find fault with Shen Gali. Ever since that tea ceremony when he had called him "Grandpa" in front of everyone, he hadn't let it go!

His eyes darted to the dining table: "Forget the fridge. Let me taste the new wife's cooking."

Uncle Li and the others' expressions instantly turned to sympathy.

Nan Feng had a simple plan: after tasting, he would insist it was terrible, tagging Shen Gali as "wasting food," leaving him with no argument.

*Kid, you think I can't handle you?*

He picked up a piece of carrot and slowly brought it to his mouth.

Everyone held their breath, eyes fixed on his mouth, bodies leaning forward unconsciously.

He chewed a couple of times and froze.

One second, two seconds, a whole minute passed. Nan Feng remained motionless, as if even breathing had stopped.

A still image.

A faint redness appeared around the corners of his eyes.

Uncle Li was scared stiff. He quickly handed the old man a cup of water to rinse his mouth.

Finally, Nan Feng stirred. He slowly pushed the cup aside, put one hand on the table, and hung his head.

The next moment, soft sobs came from inside his sleeve, growing louder and louder until they turned into a child's wailing.

This time, Shen Gali and the others were the ones frozen in place.

Alright, alright. Even if it was bad, there's no need to cry like a baby.

"Master..." Uncle Li shrank his shoulders, not sure how to comfort him. "Or should I whip up something else?"

Nan Feng jerked his head up, snatched the plate containing the unknown substance, and, like a homeless guy who hasn't eaten in days, shoveled food into his mouth while tears streamed down his face.

Everyone was stunned.

Did the poison fry his brain?

As Nan Feng devoured the food, he sobbed and mumbled something, and they could barely make out two words:

"Mom."

When Nan Feng was young, his family was extremely poor, during a famine when corpses littered the land. For a single bite of food, his mother, who had trouble walking, carried him—only seven years old then—up the mountain to dig roots. She was unfortunately bitten by a venomous snake and died from the snakebite.

Later, his father took him away from their hometown to a big city. They made it big selling sweet potatoes, and eventually founded what is now Huanhai Electronics.

Now he has everything he needs. Even buying the stars in the sky is just a matter of opening his mouth. But his mother never got to enjoy even a single day of such good days. Before she died, she was skin and bones, still clutching a handful of roots, telling Nan Feng to go back and cook them.

"It tastes like Mom's cooking." As Nan Feng spoke, his nose started running.

In his childhood memories, the most delicious food he ever ate was the carrots his mother cooked. She begged from relatives and only got one small carrot, which she divided into three portions: one for soup, one for stir-fry, one for cold salad.

That was the most delicious meal Nan Feng had ever had during those days when he worried every day that he'd starve the next.

After growing up, he hired many chefs, trying to recreate that taste, but it was never the same.

He thought he would grow old carrying the regret for his mother—but today—

He gazed at Shen Gali, tears streaming down his aged face, and whispered softly, "Mom..."

Shen Gali: No, no, no, I'm not worthy.

A bodyguard nearby muttered doubtfully: "Is it really that good? Doesn't look it."

Uncle Li whispered in his ear: "Actually, the master's sense of taste has been off since he was a kid... but no one ever told him."

In a short while, Nan Feng devoured the whole table. He even had a couple of drinks while eating, and finally got so drunk he couldn't walk, so the bodyguard had to carry him out.

Before leaving, Nan Feng, lying on the bodyguard's back, reluctantly grabbed Shen Gali's hand, his face flushed with tears and alcohol, slurring: "New daughter-in-law, come over and hang out sometime. I'll tell you about my mom."

Shen Gali, though annoyed by the old man, felt it struck a chord at this moment because of the word "mom."

As time passes, the traces of many people and things are slowly erased. Death isn't the end—forgetting is.

But what remains deeply etched in memory is the mother's eternally youthful face.

Nan Feng left with his sobbing longing. The three of them—Shen Gali, Nan Liujing, and Nan Feng's son—snapped out of it after a long pause.

A sixty-year-old man, cried his eyes out missing his mom... This was perhaps one of the few soft and pure spots in his heart.

Forget it, pretend you didn't see anything.

"Shen Gali." At that moment, Nan Liujing said darkly.

Hearing that tone, Shen Gali knew Nan Liujing would have words with him about the fridge. To prevent his little stash from flying away, he put a hand to his forehead, swaying like a frail willow, and basically crawled up the stairs: "I can't, my heart's acting up. I'll go lie down for five minutes."

Nan Liujing watched him disappear around the corner of the stairs, then turned his head, raising a hand to hide the smile on his lips.

You idiot.

That night, Nan Liujing entered '60,000' under expenses with a note: 'Shen Gali's allowance.'

*

Recently, Shen Gali noticed that all the appliances seemed to break all the time. One day he had to buy a TV, the next an AC. By pocketing the difference, Shen Gali had stashed away 500,000 yuan in his secret fund in a short time.

Although it was still far from his dream retirement fund, he had never even seen 500,000 yuan before transmigrating into the book.

Remembering the video of them feeding each other dessert, he had originally planned to show it to Nan Liujing as soon as he graduated, hoping to get kicked out ASAP. But now, money was more important. He could endure a little longer.

Meanwhile, Nan Liujing had been acting mysterious lately. One day, he brought home three huge cardboard boxes. When Uncle Li asked what they were, he wouldn't say. He went upstairs and locked himself in his bedroom. Although he hadn't been eating dinner before, he used to at least come downstairs to take a look. These days, he didn't even do that. As soon as he came home, he went upstairs, busy with something.

But when Uncle Li helped him organize his suits, he muttered a few words: "Where did the young master go to pick up cats and dogs? How come there are white hairs on his clothes?"

Equally bizarre was that recently, when Shen Gali helped Nan Liujing practice the game account, he almost never saw SUN online.

He remembered from before transmigrating into the book, when he was in the hospital, a fellow patient in the next bed told him a story.

The guy used to play a large online game. There was a big spender in the guild—very generous, pouring in hundreds of thousands, often giving members benefits, sending red envelopes of eight hundred or a thousand. Then one day, he suddenly disappeared. When players messaged him hello, he never replied.

Everyone was wondering, and then they all got investigation calls from the police. They learned that this guy was using the game to launder dirty money. He got arrested later.

Could SUN have been arrested too?

Considering this possibility and not wanting to be harassed by the police, Shen Gali mercilessly deleted the friend.

On Nan Liujing's side, as he busied himself, it was soon the birthday of the two of them.

The day before the birthday, Shen Gali hung up on Shen Lanqing's calls several times. Finally, out of patience, he turned off his phone. So Shen Lanqing came directly to the door.

Shen Gali lay weakly by the bed, listening to Shen Lanqing's endless chatter, his soul having fled through the nine heavens.

His phone kept dinging:

Nan Feng: "Son, when are you planning to come back and sit with us? I'll have your mother-in-law make you something good to eat."

Hein: "Shen Gali, I heard your birthday is coming. Name whatever you want, even the stars in the sky, no problem."

Shen Lanqing: "Brother, I thought about it. The day after tomorrow is your birthday. I'm planning to hold a small birthday party for you at home. Just the two of us. I won't tell anyone. Do you prefer chocolate cake or fruit cake?"

Shen Gali: "I don't celebrate my birthday."

Since his mother passed away, Shen Gali was even more reluctant to celebrate his birthday, because that day was both a birthday and a day of maternal suffering.

But in truth, who doesn't wish that, on this special day, someone would take the initiative to say "Happy Birthday" without being reminded?

But definitely not the "Happy Birthday" from nuisance number one, two, three, and four.

Shen Lanqing was still on the side, dreaming about the birthday plan, his face flushed with excitement.

And in the original story, the original owner had longed for his birthday, fantasizing countless times about opening the door to a shower of confetti and everyone holding a cake to congratulate him. But the villain would rather entertain his drinking buddies than give him a second glance. The birthday was just like any other day, even worse—the villain would come home drunk and beat him up again, leaving him to spend the day in the dark room.

If possible, he prayed to spend that birthday alone in the dark room.

Shen Lanqing kept asking him what gift he wanted, afraid that if he bought something his brother didn't like, it would disappoint him. So he decided on a direct approach: "Whatever my brother wants, even magma from the center of the earth, I'll do it."

Shen Gali didn't answer him, but his train of thought got derailed by his repeated mention of "gifts."

Speaking of gifts…

He and Nan Liujing happened to share the same birthday, and Nan Liujing had even swallowed his pride to invite Bai Wei, whom he most wanted to see.

I get it. He's doing me a favor on purpose, making me feel grateful, so I'll remember him until I die.

No way. Don't think you can pull one over on me.

It's time to give him a mind-blowing surprise.

In an instant, Shen Gali's gaze fell on the travel magazine that Uncle Li had left here on purpose—

*

On his birthday, Shen Gali woke up to a barrage of texts and calls.

Today, Uncle Li was actually being decent for once, considering it was his birthday and didn't wake him early, wanting him to sleep in. But some people had even less tact than Uncle Li.

Turning off his phone, Shen Gali slowly sat up, looked out at the hundred-acre garden, got up, went to the kitchen, took out a new bag of salt, and headed downstairs.

He poured the salt out onto the ground, patted it flat with his palm, and had a rough plan forming in his head.

At the breakfast table, two bowls of longevity noodles sat side by side, neatly arranged. Uncle Li wheeled Nan Liujing in and warmly said to them, "Young master, Mr. Shen, happy birthday. May your days be blessed with joy and harmony!"

"Thanks, you too," Nan Liujing said flatly, then looked at Shen Gali.

Uncle Li quickly shot him a look for him to say something nice to the young master, but Shen Gali tuned him out completely, staring out at the garden, doing the math in his head.

"Come to think of it, you two share the same birthday! This must be fate—a bond built over countless lifetimes!" Uncle Li clasped his hands, tears in his eyes, getting emotional over his own words.

Shen Gali: Retract that. Staring at each other in this life is already unbearable; I sure as hell don't want more lifetimes of this.

Nan Liujing continued eating his noodles impassively, then rinsed his mouth and headed off to work.

The driver had already come to pick him up, but for some reason, he stuck around, fiddling with his tie and cuffs, stalling.

Until he cleared his throat, clearly hinting at something.

Uncle Li, thrilled on the inside, whispered to Shen Gali, "Go wish the young master a happy birthday—he's been waiting for it, you know."

Shen Gali chewed his noodles slowly without looking up: "Happy b-day."

Nan Liujing: …

"Driver Yang, let's head out."

In the car.

Nan Liujing stared out the window, his heart feeling heavy.

In past years on his birthday, he would receive hundreds of birthday wishes via text, and employees would specially create surprises for him. But because of the sheer volume, he never read the texts or unwrapped the gifts.

This year was no different—except he scrolled through the hundreds of texts again and again, trying to find that familiar sender who had never messaged him.

But there was none.

An endless stream of birthday texts and calls kept pouring in. Every time his phone lit up, he'd glance down.

Still nothing.

The sky outside was gloomy—the forecast said there would be moderate rain in the evening.

Pretty much matched his mood—not great.

Nan Liujing habitually patted the seat. After a moment, his hand came up empty. He looked down—his travel magazine was missing.

Driver Yang spoke up, "Uncle Li took the travel magazine. I saw you thumbing through it a bunch of times. Boss Nan, you thinking about taking a trip?"

Nan Liujing didn't answer.

He had just taken over the company, and a lot of people were watching him like hawks. He couldn't step away now. Having come this far, he had to be cautious, one step at a time; one wrong move and years of hard work would go down the drain.

Driver Yang chuckled, "The Salar de Uyuni in Bolivia is beautiful, isn't it? If you ever get the chance, you should check it out."

Nan Liujing stared out the window, lost in thought. The Salar de Uyuni... it's beautiful, but when will he ever have the chance?

In another life?

*

Nan Liujing's house.

Shen Gali looked around. The villain was gone; Uncle Li was gone. Good.

He searched online for a while and found an idle construction crew, and a salt factory.

To cover the hundred-acre garden with salt, he would need about 600 tons. Industrial salt was about 400 yuan per ton, so that'd be 240,000 yuan. Too damn expensive.

For someone as cheap as him, spending money was like pulling teeth.

Even though the money came from Nan Liujing in the end.

But didn't he work hard every day scheming to expand his secret stash?

Tsk, in the end, it was all Nan Liujing's fault. He indiscriminately hated everyone without boundaries.

Though seeing Bai Wei was pretty nice, he had to admit.

Shen Gali lay on the bed, sighing for a long time, scrolling weakly on his phone, his eyes almost closing.

Suddenly, the words "80 yuan/ton" appeared.

No matter the quality, if it's cheap, it's good.

At ten in the morning, the construction crew arrived on time with their forklifts. Looking at the luxurious garden landscaping, they hesitated: "Are you sure about ruining such a beautiful garden?"

Shen Gali grunted in confirmation.

Then he added, "Leave half an acre at the south gate."

Every bit saved counts.

The several forklifts, laden with guilt, slowly headed toward the garden.

The towering redwood trees were uprooted, crashing down, scattering their fruits everywhere. The manicured lawns instantly turned into dirt, grass seeds flying.

Large chunks of salt were spread over the dirt, crushed and leveled by the workers with forklifts into fine salt sand. Looking around, everything was white, as if a heavy snow had just fallen, endless and pure, covering the whole world.

The white was bright and dazzling. Shen Gali left, satisfied.

This time, the total expenditure including labor costs was 60,000 yuan.

Shen Gali’s heart was bleeding.

In the evening, a light drizzle began to fall, forming a thin layer of water on the level salt field.

Lulled by the rain, Shen Gali fell into a peaceful sleep amidst the sleep-inducing white noise. His phone screen kept lighting up silently as texts poured in.

Asshole #1:

“Brother, the rain’s stopped. Should I come pick you up?”

“Brother must be sleeping again, that’s okay, I can wait (*^▽^*)”

Half an hour later:

“Brother, it’s six o’clock, still not up? Can I come over now?”

“Brother, you little sleepyhead, time to get up... I’ll be there in half an hour, wait for me... mwah!”

Shen Lanqing looked around the small villa in the suburbs, sweat beading on his face, soaking his flushed cheeks.

He had gotten up at six in the morning to rush here and set up the venue, even meticulously measuring the placement of the red wine. The oval table was covered with a snow-white tablecloth, with a delicate pink rose bouquet in a central artistic basket, and sparkling crystal candlesticks.

Shen Lanqing was sure today would be the most unforgettable day for his brother.