Chapter 65

Chapter 65

The next day.

Nan Liujing was awakened by the vibration of his phone. The first thing he did after opening his eyes was to check if Shen Gali beside him had been woken up. Seeing that he was still asleep, he threw on a robe and headed to the living room.

The caller was Special Assistant Lin: "President Nan, I've contacted the two victims through a lawyer. Both sides said they're willing to sue voluntarily. Originally, they insisted on a public prosecution, but as soon as they heard from the lawyer that in a private prosecution case, they could apply for emotional distress compensation, they changed their tune instantly."

Nan Liujing said, "Mm. Good. Before they formally file the lawsuit, tell them that there's no set standard for emotional distress compensation and they can decide the compensation amount themselves. Make sure they don't change their minds halfway."

Special Assistant Lin was confused: "I don't understand. So, President Nan, are you planning to settle this with money? If you're going to spend money, why not directly negotiate privately with the victims?"

Nan Liujing said: "It's not about the money. If we go through public prosecution, Shen Lanqing will definitely go to jail. As long as the victims are willing to file a private prosecution, there's a turning point in the matter."

Special Assistant Lin was impressed: "President Nan, as expected of you."

Buying trending topics and removing them was probably also part of the plan. If the court, during its case quality assessment, saw the one-sided online public opinion, it might define this as an "attempt to manipulate the judiciary" or "conflict with public sentiment." They might see this as undermining judicial authority, hindering social harmony, and being detrimental to the rule of law. It might even backfire.

So Huanhai Electronics took the blame, and also saved Shen Lanqing's life, even though Huanhai had already been torn to pieces online.

When Nan Liujing returned to the bedroom, he was surprised to see Shen Gali already sitting up, staring blankly out the window.

"Awake?" Nan Liujing sat beside him and asked softly.

Shen Gali: "Yeah. Something on my mind, couldn't sleep well."

Nan Liujing glanced at the clock: "Couldn't sleep well, yet you slept until noon."

Shen Gali: ...

Shen Gali lay back down. Anyway, there was nothing to do. Even worrying about Shen Lanqing wouldn't help.

Seeing him so idle and listless, Nan Liujing worried that Shen Gali might spend the next few decades in bed. Lying around all day not only erodes a person's willpower, but with his already weak immune system, lack of exercise would make him sick often.

At the very least, he needed to find something that interested him, to keep him from rotting in bed all day.

Nan Liujing grabbed his limp, weak hand and shook it: "Tell me, what did you use to do when you had nothing to do? I want to know more about you."

Shen Gali: "Just lie down."

He wasn't exaggerating. Apart from going to school, he spent most of his time lying in a hospital bed.

"What about when you were little? What did you play with your classmates? Soccer? Jump rope?"

Shen Gali fell silent at this.

Once upon a time, he didn't see lying down as his ultimate life goal. He also wanted to play soccer with his classmates, but every time he approached, they would run away as if avoiding a virus, making gestures like shooing away a beggar:

"Go away, go away! My mom said I can't play with you. If something happens to you, we can't take responsibility."

He held back tears and forced a bitter smile: "Then can I just watch you play?"

The kids all shook their heads together: "Can't watch either. What if you get excited and have an episode? We'd still be responsible."

Perhaps from then on, Shen Gali understood that he was a burden to others and shouldn't appear in their line of sight, causing them to panic. A dark, cramped corner was the best place for him.

Gradually, he began to hate crowded places, complex sports, and the warmth of sunlight.

Although Shen Gali remained silent, Nan Liujing could guess from his pensive expression combined with the knife scar on his chest.

Wasn't he the same? He had endured humiliation and spent over twenty years in a wheelchair. To achieve today's revenge, he had been ostracized by his classmates. Even later, when he went to study in the US, the country that touted freedom, democracy, and human rights was just as wary of his leg condition. The scion of a wealthy business empire, who should have thrived among his peers, became a "freak" in their eyes.

Once rejected, he lost all interest in that activity forever.

Nan Liujing gently twirled a strand of Shen Gali's hair, his voice slow and soft: "How about we play soccer together?"

Shen Gali closed his eyes: "Not interested. Let me lie down."

Most boys are naturally drawn to soccer, thinking it's cool to sweat and win with teammates on the field.

So after Shen Gali refused, he felt a tightness in his chest, an indescribable discomfort.

"Is that so? What a pity. I just happen to be able to gather ten people to form a soccer team," Nan Liujing said regretfully, even heaving a long sigh.

"That's not right. A soccer team needs twenty-three people. Eleven on the field, the rest are substitutes," Shen Gali said mockingly. "Armchair soccer fan doesn't even know the numbers."

Nan Liujing wasn't annoyed by his mockery; instead, he asked, "If you're not interested, how come you know it so well?"

Shen Gali: ...

Fell right into the trap.

In the afternoon, Shen Gali was somehow coaxed into changing into a soccer uniform, and then coaxed into going to the Jinhai City Sports Center.

Besides Shen Gali, Special Assistant Lin and Driver Yang, who should have had the day off, were also coaxed into coming.

There was also Freddy, a Premier League Manchester United star who had been paid a huge sum for his trouble. He happened to be vacationing in Jinhai, and had been lured by the sheer power of money.

With Uncle Li as the goalkeeper, they had exactly eleven people.

The opposing team was also hired by Nan Liujing from a soccer club, claiming to be the best eleven from an amateur team. The entire lineup was professional and formidable.

Nan Liujing wasn't playing. He sat on a chaise lounge on the sidelines, quietly keeping score.

Before the official match, Nan Liujing handed Shen Gali a whistle: "You are the chosen one. You have multiple superpowers. At any time during the match, you can blow the whistle to activate your superpower."

Shen Gali: ?

Is that a rule in soccer? He'd never played before, but he'd watched plenty of games and knew the rules well. Was this a new rule for this year? Wouldn't that be unfair to everyone else?

Regardless of fairness, Shen Gali's mind wasn't on that now. This was his first time standing on a soccer field, and this time, he wasn't a spectator. His emotions were complex. On the one hand, he was annoyed by the blazing sun above and anxious about the crowd; on the other hand, there was a slight thrill from playing soccer for the first time.

After the referee blew the whistle, the match officially started.

Against the amateur soccer enthusiasts on the other side, even with Freddy on his team, Shen Gali's side was hopeless. One person can't carry ten.

Special Assistant Lin took a mighty swing, like an eagle spreading its wings. It looked fierce, but the ball stayed put while his glasses flew off several meters. With 1000-degree myopia, Special Assistant Lin couldn't see where the ball was and crawled on the ground like a blind person feeling for it.

Shen Gali: ...

The half-century-old goalkeeper Uncle Li watched the ball fly toward him and leaped up valiantly to block it from going in, but his jump was no higher than a rabbit's hop. The fast-flying ball skimmed over his head and into the goal, nearly giving him a bald spot.

Shen Gali: ...

No fun at all.

Nan Liujing was exasperated by their lack of progress. The opponent had already scored three points, but their side couldn't even touch the ball.

Then he looked at Shen Gali—was he taking a stroll on the field? The center-back passed the ball to him, but he ran slower than a turtle—like, actually slower. By the time he reached it, the opponent had already snatched it, dribbling away several meters. Shen Gali's ridiculously slow reflexes finally kicked in, and he lifted his foot at thin air, turning into a lawn-care expert. Losing balance, his knees buckled and he plopped straight onto the ground.

Everyone: ...

They had just watched someone fight thin air.

Opponent players: Is this what it feels like to steamroll noobs?

Freya was about to cry—what a humiliating way to earn cash.

Shen Gali's stamina cap has always been fifty meters. He was already completely wiped, kneeling on the ground for ages.

So boring. Soccer is seriously boring, especially watching the other team cheer when they scored. Totally pointless.

Maybe he should just kick the ball a couple of times, wrap it up fast, then go home and lie down.

Just as he made up his mind, he heard a "thump" beside him, then saw Driver Yang grabbing his chest and dropping to his knees, slowly slumping down, then punching the grass in frustration:

"Damn it, is this where we give up? My dear mother back home still hopes I'll bring back the trophy, but Mother, I'm foolish, I can't fulfill your wish..."

Shen Gali: ?

The next second, Special Assistant Lin also crumpled next to him, with tears in his eyes: "I can't accept this! I won't go down like this! I won't give up the honor of being the top defender, but a four-zero score—how do I catch up?!"

Shen Gali pulled a face in disgust.

What were they acting out?

But then Freya also dropped at his feet, forming a three-man ring around him, and he couldn't stand it anymore.

Freya pounded the grass three times: "Shit! This can't be the end—there's gotta be a better way! If we had that superpower whistle, we could flip the whole game! Shit! Who's got the superpower whistle? Who's the real chosen one?"

Shen Gali: ...

The opponent players were frozen for a good few seconds, then suddenly looked terrified: "Oh my God! Someone actually has a superpowered whistle! Damn it, why isn't it one of our players? That way we could definitely win!"

Through all that clumsy acting, one after another, Shen Gali caught on—they were putting on this show just for him.

What else could he do? He blew the whistle.

He grabbed the whistle, and the sound immediately echoed across the field. The loudspeaker boomed with the ref's excited voice: "The chosen one has returned! Everyone heed! The superpower is about to be activated—Time Freeze ability!"

The moment the words left his mouth, everyone froze like stone statues, even their breathing came to a halt.

Shen Gali's toes curled—he'd never been this awkward in his entire life.

He looked around and had to give them props for their acting—the scene was totally still—even Nan Liujing on the sidelines stayed frozen mid-sip.

Shen Gali's scalp was crawling with embarrassment, just wanting to end this whole thing.

He gave it his all, but he still moved like molasses, kicking the ball toward the other team's goal. Halfway, the ball veered off course, and he awkwardly chased it back to keep going.

Finally, the ball went in, and at that moment time started flowing again. The field instantly exploded with thunderous cheers. His teammates mobbed Shen Gali, chanting "Savior" on repeat, while the other team stood there teary-eyed, clapping warmly:

"He's a tough opponent, but his never-give-up spirit deserves even more praise."

Shen Gali: ... Seriously, can you guys stop acting? It's so embarrassing. I want to find a hole in the ground to crawl into.

In the rest of the match, Shen Gali used his high-tech superpower to bulldoze through the opponents.

When everyone went after the ball, he used flight—he grabbed the ball and got hoisted up by a crane straight into the goal.

When the opponent faked a dribble, he used illusion magic—he scattered a bunch of balls so they couldn't tell real from fake, making them steal the wrong one.

In the end, his team won, but he felt ashamed. He'd rather lose with dignity than win in such a humiliating way.

Nan Liujing clapped slowly, nodding: "Not bad. With such a strong player on our country's team, advancement is within reach."

After the match, everyone except Shen Gali gathered in the lounge. Nan Liujing handed out red envelopes one by one and commented on the acting:

"Too fake. Go back and study more, practice more. You can't perform like this next time."

"Hehe, we're not professionals, we tried our best."

"Mr. Nan is really generous. To please his beloved, he even hired a crane. How did you get it in?"

"Never mind that. Mr. Nan always finds a way. Thank you for the big red envelope! Let us know if you need us again."

...

Nan Liujing found Shen Gali sitting by the field, staring blankly at the trophy in his hands.

Sitting down beside him, Nan Liujing smiled. "So impressive—first time playing and you won. The trophy looks beautiful. Can I touch it?"

"Today, I felt very embarrassed," Shen Gali said bluntly. "That superpower thing was awkward."

Although Nan Liujing hadn't played personally, as an observer he also sensed Shen Gali's embarrassment. But if they hadn't done that, Shen Gali's team would only have been crushed by the opponent, losing even more shamefully.

"But," Shen Gali changed his tone, a faint smile creeping to the corner of his mouth, "I'm still pretty happy. Everyone played along with me, acted hard to make me laugh."

This should be the first time in his life that no one shunned him because of his condition, but instead, they all tolerated and took care of him.

It was such an ordinary heartfelt exchange, yet Nan Liujing's heart stirred because of these words.

Thump, thump.

His heart beat fast.

He moved closer to Shen Gali, sitting right next to him, feeling through the thin shirt the lingering heat from the intense activity.

"From now on, let's play soccer often."

Shen Gali gazed at the field dyed in sunset, and after a long pause, nodded. "Okay."

"Let's go back. What do you want for dinner?"

Shen Gali didn't move. "I'm so tired, I can't walk."

Nan Liujing: "You spent the whole afternoon strolling like an old man, and that tired you out?"

He complained verbally, but his body honestly crouched down in front of Shen Gali. "Hop on."

Shen Gali unhesitatingly leaned onto him, and Nan Liujing stood up effortlessly.

The sunset's golden glow covered the earth. In the vast field, their two figures appeared lonely and small.

Shen Gali was too tired and soon fell into a deep sleep.

Driver Yang had already parked just outside the sports center. When he saw Nan Liujing carrying Shen Gali out, he trotted over to help, but was stopped by a look from Nan Liujing.

Clearly, he wanted to carry his husband for the remaining several kilometers.

*

A few days later, Special Assistant Lin called to say that the two victims had formally filed suit against Shen Lanqing.

Nan Liujing said, "Good. Arrange a meeting with them in the next few days."

When the two learned that Nan Liujing wanted to meet them privately, they talked it over and concluded that since Shen Lanqing was Shen Gali's younger brother, and Nan Liujing was Shen Gali's husband, he was definitely going to ask them to drop the case. No way!

Nan Liujing had met many people, but this was the first time he had encountered such arrogance face-to-face.

At the agreed meeting place, the two said, as soon as they saw Nan Liujing, "We're busy with the appeal these days, so make it quick. But let us be clear upfront—don't even think about settling privately. Everyone knows the harm we suffered, and we won't let this go easily."

Nan Liujing sat across from them, a faint, enigmatic smile on his lips.

Boys their age should be just like that—full of fearless, youthful bravado, not like Shen Gali, always listless and dispirited.

But sometimes, youthful spirit is just a fancy word for stupidity.

"You misunderstand. Shen Lanqing's matter has nothing to do with me; I have no obligation to help him. I asked you here today to discuss something privately and hear your opinions."

After saying this, Nan Liujing pushed a document folder across the table toward them.

The two stayed put and asked warily, "What's this?"

"Evidence my lawyer collected of your reckless online behavior. You know what you've said and done online."

The two exchanged suspicious glances and still didn't dare to take the folder.

Seeing their cowardice, Nan Liujing found it ridiculous. "They're just things you did yourselves. What's there to be afraid of?"

One of them still insisted, "What exactly are you getting at?"

But his earlier arrogance had faded.

"Regarding your spreading false rumors online, as well as your long-term cursing, insulting, and sending bloody images to my husband—this has had a serious negative impact on his physical and mental health, causing him to suffer a sudden heart attack, mental anguish, and leaving him depressed and listless. Care to guess how much compensation I would demand if I sued you?"

Hearing this, the two grew even more timid. "We didn't know Shen Gali had a heart condition. And besides, who knows if what you're saying is true or if you're just bluffing?"

"In that folder is a doctor's diagnosis. You're both students at prestigious schools, so you should be able to read. Take a look at what you've done." Nan Liujing looked disdainful, his chin raised arrogantly and overbearingly.

One of them slowly reached out, but the moment his fingers touched the folder, he pulled his hand back.

They didn't have the courage to look at the evidence of the harm they had caused.

The two secretly glanced at Nan Liujing; when their eyes met, they immediately looked down guiltily.

Although cyberbullying laws were incomplete, the lawyer across from them was from Huanhai Electronics—top-notch and ruthless. Rumor had it that during a civil case, they even managed to get the opposing lawyer sent to jail. If he pursued this, they'd be in serious trouble. Paying until bankruptcy would be the least of their worries; they might even end up in prison.

"Have you decided? I'd like to hear your opinion: private settlement or formal legal proceedings?" Nan Liujing effortlessly gained the upper hand and pressed his advantage, crushing the opposition.

The two weren't stupid. They understood that Nan Liujing's "private settlement" alluded to Shen Lanqing's case—if they settled, everyone would be fine; if they continued the appeal, he could also sue them, and they might not even get enough from Shen Lanqing to cover a single hair on Shen Gali's head.

After all, there was no fixed amount for emotional damages; the plaintiff could demand whatever he wanted.

"So you're saying you didn't come here about Shen Lanqing's case!"

One of them surrendered first; the other, isolated, didn't dare continue his defiance. "We sincerely apologize and hope Mr. Shen will forgive us. We'll do our best to meet any request you make. We hope you can forgive us this time. If this gets out at school, we're done for..."

Nan Liujing gave a smirk.

Even when they tried to be clever, they were just stupid. Two idiots.

But Nan Liujing pressed on relentlessly. "Then I'd like to ask, regarding Shen Lanqing's case, what are your plans?"

"Actually, we didn't suffer any real harm. The blow to the head stopped hurting after a while. And looking at the whole thing, it all started because of us. We were the ones in the wrong first. Now that we've had a change of heart, let's just forget about it."

"You two are sincere and magnanimous. Then I'll let bygones be bygones. But I hope you understand one thing: never mistake your stupidity for justice." Nan Liujing smiled, opened his wallet, and pulled out two hundred-yuan bills, placing them in front of the two. "It's getting late. Take a cab home."

The two took the money, bowed deeply, apologized, and thanked him, then fled the room.

In the car, they felt they had narrowly escaped disaster, marveling that Nan Liujing hadn't sued them.

But they had no idea that the whole affair was Nan Liujing's manipulation. He had deliberately made them think they held the advantage, prompting them to file suit, turning what was originally a public prosecution case (which couldn't be withdrawn) into a private prosecution case (which could be withdrawn). Then, by involving another matter, he forced them to settle voluntarily, leaving them thinking they'd gotten off easy and seeing Nan Liujing as a great benefactor.

Nan Liujing sat in the room for a while longer. Seeing it was late, he called Driver Yang to pick him up.

As he left, a server came to clean the room and noticed the folder left on the table. She hurried after him.

Nan Liujing said casually, "Just throw it away. It's all scrap paper."

It was indeed scrap paper. He didn't have any diagnosis for Shen Gali. Shen Gali had probably never even seen their private messages.

But as it turned out, his gamble paid off. The two didn't dare look, firmly believed the diagnosis existed, became terrified, and eagerly sought a settlement.

When he got home, Shen Gali was curled up in bed watching a TV drama starring his mother. But even though it was his mother acting, he wasn't sure how much he actually took in.

As soon as he saw Nan Liujing, he immediately asked, "Did you meet the two victims? What did they say? Are they willing to settle with Shen Lanqing?"

Nan Liujing slowly loosened his tie, his sharp brows deeply furrowed.

"Sorry, I did my best, but they wouldn't budge. Shen Lanqing is probably going to end up in jail this time."

Shen Gali said, "Can you think of another way? Besides you, I can't think of anyone else who can help Shen Lanqing."

Nan Liujing sat down beside him, gently stroking his back, looking very troubled.

"This is very troublesome. I'm already exhausted dealing with company matters every day. My mind is all over the place now. I want to take a good rest tomorrow. Maybe after clearing my head, I'll find a solution."

Shen Gali asked naively and innocently, "Can I help you?"

Nan Liujing gave a tired smile. "Yes. And only you can."