Chapter 75 Side Story 7

Chapter 75 Extra 7

One day. Nan Liujing was processing documents in his office when Secretary Yan knocked and entered.

"Chairman Nan, the reporter from Oshikiri Entertainment Magazine called to say they want to schedule an interview with you."

Nan Liujing adjusted his glasses, his eyes still fixed on the computer screen, and replied without hesitation: "I've said it before, I don't accept any form of interviews. Please decline it."

Secretary Yan nodded: "Alright, Chairman Nan. Should I call Mr. Shen to explain the situation?"

Hearing the words "Mr. Shen," Nan Liujing finally looked up from the computer, a slight frown on his brow: "Shen Gali? What situation is there to explain to him?"

"Because the magazine's proposed interview theme is about the married life of you and Mr. Shen. I sent him a text to ask earlier, but he hasn't replied yet."

"No need, he won't reply." Nan Liujing returned his gaze to the computer, but his fingers froze on the keyboard.

After a moment of thought, he changed his tone: "Reply to the magazine and say I agree to their interview request, but the interview process must not exceed one hour at most."

Inside, Secretary Yan was ecstatic. Chairman Nan, with a mouth harder than stone, only turned into a softie when showing off his wife.

As soon as he got home, Nan Liujing, without even taking off his coat, strode into the bedroom and leaned close to Shen Gali: "Li Li, I want to give you a gift."

Shen Gali clearly wasn't falling for it: "Just say it directly, what do you want from me?"

Nan Liujing curled his fingers and touched his cheek, laughing with a hint of guilt: "It's almost our first wedding anniversary. I want to celebrate it properly with you. Besides, you always complain the city is too noisy. I happened to buy an old villa in the mountains—you can go there for some peace when you're feeling restless."

Shen Gali: Oh.

"Want to go see the house now? It's a building left by the Germans from the last century, Romanesque style. You should like it."

"Don't want to move. Just go shoot a video and show me."

Without argument, Nan Liujing scooped him up horizontally: "You don't have to move at all. I'll carry you to see it."

Shen Gali was certain: nothing good comes from sudden kindness.

As Nan Liujing said, the villa was deep in the mountains far from the city, but it looked like someone regularly maintained it. The trees halfway up the mountain were neat rows of spruce, with straight trunks and soft texture, especially lush in late spring, their dense foliage blocking out the sky and shrouding the area in damp mist. The old German villa stood amidst the shadow of the leaves.

The Romanesque architecture was simple and clean, favoring barrel vault structures, and with its stone material, it felt heavy and solid.

Nan Liujing carried Shen Gali on his back up the mountain path for a long time, only setting him down at the entrance without even panting, then smoothly opened the door.

A dusty, aged scent rushed out, but it was this old smell that gave a sense of untouched tranquility. The arched windows let in little light, making the interior even darker.

Shen Gali looked around and inexplicably felt a warmth in his lower abdomen.

When people get excited, they feel that warmth.

He loved this villa. The ceiling was extremely high, the uniform-toned wooden furniture retained the exquisite craftsmanship of its time, and the dark velvet sofa and burgundy Persian carpet were meticulously detailed.

From the moment he entered, there was a peaceful sense of quiet, undisturbed by anyone. Surrounded by mountains and trees, the interior was very dim, with only two Gothic stained-glass windows as tall as the dome letting in a faint ray of sunlight, illuminating a small patch of floor.

It was like an old movie from the last century—a mysterious, solid castle, a darkness that never saw daylight, old books with gold-embossed titles, everywhere exuding a gorgeous decadence.

"Do you like it?" Nan Liujing whispered softly in Shen Gali's ear.

He didn't really need to ask. A person who usually showed no interest in anything suddenly started examining things carefully—that was already a silent expression of liking.

Shen Gali hummed softly in agreement.

He liked it too much. Forget underground CBDs; he could live in this house until the end of time.

Nan Liujing had done many things and bought many things for him, most of which he couldn't care less about, but this old villa was an exception. It made him realize Nan Liujing wasn't entirely useless.

"This house hasn't been lived in for a hundred years. We need to get workers to install water and electricity before we can move in." For Nan Liujing, this place was far from modern city conveniences, making commuting and living inconvenient, but if Shen Gali liked it, he wouldn't mind climbing the mountain path every day to go to work.

"I want to stay tonight," Shen Gali said. "It's fine if I don't shower today, even if it's dark."

"Be good, we really can't today. We at least need to have someone clean it first."

Nan Liujing smiled: "Do you really like it that much?"

Shen Gali nodded casually.

"I performed so well, don't I get a reward?" Nan Liujing bent slightly, bringing his cheek close to Shen Gali's lips.

Shen Gali remained unmoved: "I'll reward you with a sticker."

Nan Liujing wasn't having it. He simply pulled the man close and kissed him: "How about this: there's a magazine that wants to interview us. If you're willing, I'll have people clean the house tomorrow, and we can do the interview right here."

Naive as Shen Gali was, he only heard "move in tomorrow" and completely ignored the "interview" part, agreeing without a second thought.

The next day. When Shen Gali excitedly arrived at the old villa and saw a bunch of reporters... he was speechless.

Socially anxious Li would be aggressive toward his husband but timid in front of strangers.

When several cameras were pointed at his face, he kept scratching the ground with his foot, looking for a crack to crawl into.

Today, Nan Liujing had dressed himself exceptionally well. The white shirt stood out brilliantly in the dim room.

The magazine was going to interview the couple live. As soon as the livestream started, a massive number of viewers poured in, causing the stream to lag. When they saw the background, they couldn't help but exclaim:

"Money is great! This house starts at hundreds of millions in bids. Chairman Nan really went all out to please his wife."

"Let me see Li Li! It's been so long since I've heard from him. I miss my Li Li baby so much!"

"Hurry up and start! I want to see Li Bao! Can't wait!"

When the camera zoomed in on Shen Gali, it happened to capture his profile looking up at the dome. His soft, exquisite facial contours outlined a very beautiful bone structure. The viewers were all envious of Nan Liujing.

"You, little punk, stole my wife. Nan Liujing, the enmity of taking one's wife is irreconcilable!"

The barrage instantly filled with a uniform "The enmity of taking one's wife is irreconcilable."

Seeing that the time was right, the host began with a standard polite opening: "Today, we have Mr. Nan Liujing, the current chairman of Huanhai Electronics, and his spouse, Mr. Shen Gali. I'm sure everyone is very curious about their married life. Our editorial team has selected some of the most-liked hot comments, and we'll ask the two of you to answer them one by one."

Shen Gali: Nan Liujing tricked me. He said I could just sit and look at the sky.

The host smiled: "First question. Forgive me for being blunt, but I heard that your marriage was a business arrangement with no emotional foundation, and that Mr. Nan was initially dissatisfied with this marriage. But what was the turning point that changed Mr. Nan's opinion of Mr. Shen, and who fell in love first in this marriage?"

"It was me," Nan Liujing said softly. "Actually, I had many misunderstandings about him at first, but Shen Gali is lazier than you can imagine. Even when misunderstood, he wouldn't bother to explain. Gradually, I realized that truly understanding someone shouldn't rely only on hearing; you need to see, to observe with your heart."

"And when did you realize you had fallen in love?" the host asked.

Nan Liujing paused in thought, then suddenly smiled: "In a game, he gave a hundred berries to someone else but only eighty-eight to me. For the first time, I experienced what jealousy felt like."

Shen Gali: ?

This scenario... seemed familiar.

What? Could Nan Liujing be none other than SUN? Then the netizen he secretly met that day was none other than Nan Liujing? How could this man be so scheming? He's been played for a fool.

Shen Gali is all worked up.

The host then asked Shen Gali, “And when did you, Mr. Shen, realize you had feelings?”

Shen Gali: “I forgot.”

Host: …

Shen Gali genuinely forgot—or rather, he wasn’t sure. He’s always been spacey about these things. By the time he came to his senses, it was when he thought the interview was over and he was about to leave, that he realized Nan Liujing might become his life's greatest regret.

Maybe that’s what it means to like someone.

“Li Li is so straightforward, he won’t even pretend.”

“Haha, that’s why I like him.”

The host smiled and went on, “Every relationship has its ups and downs. Have the two of you ever had disagreements or felt dissatisfied with each other?”

Nan Liujing: “No.”

That was the truth. Although he initially couldn’t stand Shen Gali’s lazy and laid-back attitude, looking back now, whether it was the “duck empty mouth” or the 9.99 yuan refrigerator, they were all incredibly endearing memories. Even imagining Shen Gali wandering dazedly in the market, forgetting his dinner recipe, made his heart melt—a cute, clueless little figure drifting listlessly.

Nan Liujing thought that given Shen Gali’s laziness, he’d probably give a brief "no" as well, but Shen Gali said:

“He forced me to wear a maid outfit. I was afraid he’d strip me of my right to line my own pockets… I mean, buy groceries, so I had to bow my head. That outfit is really hard to put on.”

Lurkers came out in the live comments:

“Maid outfit!!! Nan Liujing, what kind of stuff do you usually watch?!”

“Damn it! Do you dare post a photo for everyone to see? Keeping it all to yourself, huh.”

“WTF, a maid outfit? Chairman Nan, you really have unique tastes.”

“LOL, this couple knows how to have fun [drooling]”

Nan Liujing: …

It wasn’t a maid outfit, it was a Lolita dress. What kind of nonsense is always in Shen Gali's head?

He didn't need to guess what wild comments were flooding the live chat.

Shen Gali wanted to keep complaining, but then he felt it was too tiring to organize his thoughts. He didn't have the energy, so he shut up.

The host stopped her own mental whirlwind and pulled out the interview card: “Next segment is a little game prepared by our team to test the chemistry between you two.”

Staff handed each of them an erasable whiteboard.

“The rules are simple: I’ll ask a question and give three options. You must choose within a set time, and we’ll keep score. If your total score passes, you’ll receive a one-of-a-kind gift from our show.”

Shen Gali visibly wilted.

He still had to write? Couldn’t he just answer orally?

“Are you two confident?” the host asked with a smile.

Nan Liujing: “Yes. I know my partner pretty well.”

Shen Gali responded telepathically: No.

“First question: Please choose Mr. Shen Gali’s favorite drink. A: Tea, B: Pumpkin porridge, C: Cola.”

Nan Liujing was brimming with confidence. With a flourish, he wrote B on his board.

This one was too easy. No way, he’d get it wrong.

“Please show your boards when ready!”

Nan Liujing wore a smug smile, elegantly displaying his board to the camera, then glanced at Shen Gali’s answer.

C? Why did he choose C? Since when did he like cola?

“Oh dear, your answers don't match. But it’s okay, try harder on the next ones.”

The live chat was gleeful:

“Haha, Nan Liujing, you said you knew your partner best. Look at your answer!”

“I don’t know either, but I strongly condemn Nan Liujing. You're not fit to be a husband!”

The host cleared her throat:

“Second question: What is Mr. Shen Gali’s favorite flower? A: Sage, B: Lisianthus, C: Clivia. Please answer.”

Nan Liujing’s heart wavered. He felt sure this time, but lacking his earlier confidence, he wrote B, erased it, pondered for a moment, and finally settled on B.

When they showed the boards… Shen Gali, since when do you like Clivia? How can you two have different answers again?

The host awkwardly tried to save face: “It’s fine. A little distance between a couple can be good for harmony. There are still many questions left. Try harder.”

The result of their efforts: Where did Nan Liujing confess? — Nan Liujing wrote B: Aiqin Dam, Shen Gali wrote C: Presidential Palace.

Nan Liujing: Who goes to a presidential palace to confess? Unless they're out of their mind.

All four previous answers were wrong. If the next six were also wrong, it wouldn’t just be a matter of missing the gift—they’d have to announce to the world on camera:

We have zero chemistry. I don’t know my partner. This marriage is a sham.

Nan Liujing stared deeply at Shen Gali.

Was he really not understanding him well enough? When did he start liking cola? When did he develop a liking for Clivia? He couldn’t figure it out.

His gaze slowly drifted down to Shen Gali's hand.

Shen Gali was holding the whiteboard marker, clearly out of energy. The marker fell, and he couldn’t be bothered to pick it up.

Nan Liujing’s eyes snapped open.

Ha. Shen Gali, who says I don’t know you?

For all the host's remaining questions, regardless of the real answer, Nan Liujing went along and wrote C. Unsurprisingly, Shen Gali also wrote C for all of them.

The host looked at their identical answers, slightly stunned: “You got the rest right, but you both picked C. Did you two secretly discuss this?”

Nan Liujing elegantly crossed his legs, a rare smile creeping onto his usually cold lips: “No. It’s because I know my partner very well.”

“But according to our survey, for this question—the country Mr. Nan most wants to visit—should be Bolivia. Why did you both choose C, New Zealand?” the host asked, puzzled.

Nan Liujing looked at Shen Gali's slightly tired face and smiled: "Because my lover only chooses C."

The host looked totally baffled: "Is there any reason for that?"

"You may not know, but my lover doesn't care about the correct answer. He's lazy and only writes the easiest letter—like C, which takes just one stroke."

Shen Gali (thinking): He totally got me.

The host: ...

The audience: ... Their silence was deafening.

"Damn, Nan Liujing, I give up, I'll leave the hubby to you—take good care of him."

"I don't know why this scene hits me so hard. Whether it's the right answer or following his heart, Nan Liujing is always the one who knows Li Li best."

[“Spring & Scenic” is so good—Nan Liujing, I admit I was too loud before.]

After hearing the reason, the host laughed his head off.

After laughing, he wiped away his tears: "Actually, if a couple can maintain this kind of mutual respect and understanding, I believe they will go a long way."

Then he glanced at his watch: "Mr. Nan asked us to wrap up the interview within an hour because Mr. Shen doesn't really like crowded places. So today's interview ends here. It's a great honor to have you two. Later, our team will present the gifts prepared for you. We wish you a lifetime together, growing old hand in hand."

"Huh? That's it? I still haven't had my fill of Li Li yet."

"Boo hoo, I don't know when I'll get to see Li Bao's face again. Li Bao, please post more on Weibo, share your beautiful photos, pretty please [crying]."

After the interview, the two received a "one-of-a-kind in the world" gift from the program team and were asked to display it and take a group photo with the staff.

Shen Gali had wondered what earth-shattering gift such a big magazine could give—gold? Or a house? Either way, it would be very valuable.

Until he stood in the center holding a matching couple T-shirt with Nan Liujing, his face screaming "happy."

The couple outfit had their ID photos printed on the chest.

Shen Gali: There are three kinds of "la": micro-la, heavy-la, and… this show's never coming back la.