“It really is ridiculous”
Ji Shileng casually agreed.
For a while, he had even suspected Shang Jianli had gotten into the program through connections. His family, harmonious?
A day without an argument would have been a miracle.
Afraid Su Ke would get worked up and start another online fight, Ji Shileng warned him, “If you still want to argue later, just hire paid commenters to do it. We haven’t finished our actual business”
Su Ke refreshed the page.
“It’s fine. There probably won’t be any more arguments. I made a few of them cry yesterday. They’re likely drowning in tears and reforming themselves by now”
Ji Shileng very much wanted to ask whether “drowning in tears” was appropriate in this context.
“Oh? That security guard posted an apology video?”
“General Shang, look, I cooperated and recorded the video”
Zhang Qiang got up from his chair and clutched Shang Jianli’s sleeve with both hands.
“Please show some mercy. Stop making things difficult for me”
The overall economy was poor, and jobs were hard to find.
He had neither qualifications nor connections. He had only landed the security position at Lannian Gardens through a bit of cunning, taking someone else’s place.
Shang Jianli’s gaze was icy. One glance made half of Zhang Qiang’s body go rigid, and he timidly released his grip.
Shang Jianli asked softly, “Then why did you make things difficult for my partner?”
Zhang Qiang trembled, unable to speak for a long moment.
The owner of Lannian Gardens finished editing the video and walked past him to Shang Jianli.
“Take a look. How’s the edit?”
“Mm”
They discussed it briefly, then Shang Jianli said, “Direct public opinion toward me. If anyone attacks him, deal with it”
The owner put away his device, clicking his tongue.
“That protective?”
“He did nothing wrong. He never deserved to be insulted”
Shang Jianli’s tone was calm.
“Let me experience the power of cyberbullying for a change”
“All right, then. I’ll get to work”
The owner did not understand, but respected his decision.
Patting Shang Jianli’s shoulder, he pointed at the man on the floor.
“Will you handle him, or shall I?”
“You do it”
“Fine. Drag him away”
He gestured, and the bodyguards behind him roughly hauled Zhang Qiang off the floor.
Panicking, Zhang Qiang struggled with all his strength, but the towering men in black quickly subdued him.
Throwing caution to the wind, he shouted, “Shang Jianli, what do you mean, making things difficult for your partner? Did you give a damn about him back then?”
“Fool us if you want, but don’t fool your—”
Before he could finish, a guard stuffed a wad of cloth into his mouth.
The owner crouched and forcibly gripped his jaw.
“What? You’ve lost your job, and now you don’t want your tongue either?”
He slapped Zhang Qiang hard enough to daze him.
“Such rude shouting. You’re disturbing me”
“I’m leaving. Otherwise, I’ll be late”
Shang Jianli seemed entirely unaffected by those remarks.
He had arranged to meet the Ji family at one that afternoon to discuss Mr. Bai.
“Go ahead. I won’t see you out”
The owner released his grip and leisurely wiped his hands with a handkerchief.
“As for Zhang Qiang, I’ll take good care of him. Don’t worry”
Shang Jianli nodded slightly and left without looking back.
“All right. His attitude seems suitably apologetic”
Su Ke set down his chopsticks and opened the comments.
The situation was much better than he had expected. No one was mentioning Ji Shileng.
Almost all the criticism was aimed at Shang Jianli, calling him cold, unfeeling, and heartless.
“The atmosphere in the Empire…”
Su Ke paused to find the words.
“Even a dog passing by would get kicked twice. They even dare to tear into the general like that…”
There had been criticism of Shang Jianli the previous night, but only from a small minority.
Now that the apology video was out, everyone below it was loudly condemning him.
Ji Shileng finally finished his breakfast and opened the recommended article.
He sat cross-legged and turned up the volume.
“I’m sorry. Once again, I apologize for my previous ignorance…”
“I believe General Shang Jianli’s indifference, in some respects, encouraged me to make things difficult for his partner…”
Halfway through, Ji Shileng closed the page.
Entirely unsurprised, he said, “The internet feels like a place beyond the law. When people don’t have to bear any real legal responsibility, they love attacking someone as a mob”
Whatever they were doing.
They had so many people on their side.
Surely that meant they were right.
So what if he was a general?
They would only be delighted to catch a “general” making a mistake, then claim the moral high ground and mercilessly denounce him.
Ji Shileng had already experienced it himself.
He was all too familiar with online attacks and cyberbullying on the interstellar network.
“A bunch of idiots”
Su Ke delivered this verdict while still sporting a bird’s nest of hair, creating a rather incongruous impression.
“Then stop wasting your time on idiots”
Ji Shileng readily followed his lead, his eyes empty, holding nothing.
“Second Brother says there’s a meeting at one that we need to attend. Can we make it?”
Su Ke checked his watch.
“We should”
Their breakfast had taken place at lunchtime.
By the time they finished, it was already noon.
Ji Shileng nodded and stood, indicating he was ready to leave.
Su Ke wiped his mouth with a tissue and signaled that he was ready too.
Ji Shileng paused.
“Are you going to the meeting with that bird’s nest on your head? Should we find somewhere to tidy it up?”
Appearing in public like that would be a little embarrassing.
“Too much trouble”
Su Ke pressed his hair down again and said frankly, “Besides, I doubt a salon could fix it quickly”
“What if Shang Jianli’s there?”
“We’re going to the salon. Right now!”
Su Ke grabbed Ji Shileng’s arm and rushed out.
Even if it could not be fixed quickly, it had to be fixed. He could not lose face in front of that Shang bastard!
He had to show some spirit as someone from Ji Shileng’s side of the family.
Ji Shileng fell silent.
He had known it.
A challenge to Su Ke’s pride worked every time.
Fortunately, there was a chain hair salon beside the hotel. It was faster than expected: by the time Ji Shileng finished a dungeon run, Su Ke had undergone a complete transformation.
Even so, they had little time left.
The driver caught the final seconds of green lights and drove fast and aggressively, finally delivering them to the Imperial Military Office just in time.
Ji Shileng opened the door and stepped out. Looking up, he immediately met Shang Jianli’s gaze a short distance away.
His breathing faltered for half a beat. Then he closed the car door and let his gaze pass over him.
Walking beside him, Su Ke draped an arm around his shoulders. Spotting Shang Jianli, he shot him a fierce glare.
Whether it was Ji Shileng’s disregard or Su Ke’s anger, Shang Jianli accepted it all.
He fell into step behind them, his gaze fixed on Ji Shileng.
Today, Ji Shileng wore a white crew-neck sweatshirt with ivory trousers, a slender stretch of pale neck showing above his collar. He looked wonderfully soft and gentle, even if he kept pretending not to see him.
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