Striving for Science C24 pt2

After making lunch, Shen Chang'an realized deeply that men are all liars, their words can't be trusted. He wouldn't eat the braised fish, nor the crispy pork ribs. How could this be called not being picky?

"My fish isn't fishy at all, give me some face and try it." Seeing Dao Nian's face full of refusal, Shen Chang'an looked at him with pleading eyes.

"It has bones, it's troublesome." Dao Nian's face was full of indifference.

"So you don't dislike the taste of fish, you just don't want to deal with the bones?" Shen Chang'an used clean chopsticks to pick up the meat from the fish's belly, removed the bones, and put it in Dao Nian's bowl. "You're the first person who can be so lazy in the face of delicious food."

Dao Nian lowered his head and ate the fish, then looked up to meet Shen Chang'an's sparkling eyes. "How is it, delicious?"

He nodded, then stared at the fish without speaking.

"My dear buddy, you're already a grown-up baby, you need to learn to do things for yourself." Shen Chang'an picked up a piece of tender fish in front of Dao Nian, deboned it, put it in his mouth, and swallowed it. "Being too lazy won't get you good things."

Dao Nian's face was impassive.

Shen Chang'an grinned, showing his teeth.

"Humph." Dao Nian used a spoon to scoop up tofu, resolutely refusing to bow to the delicious food.

Shen Chang'an sighed, carefully placing a piece of fish in Dao Nian's bowl: "Eat it, Dao Three-Year-Old. I was wrong. You're not a grown-up baby, you're still just a baby."

Dao Nian ignored him and lowered his head to eat the fish he had placed.

After finishing their meal, Shen Chang'an saw that the sun was not out, so he pushed Dao Nian outside to breathe some fresh air. This residential complex didn't have many residents, and the lush trees made people feel relaxed and refreshed.

"The air in this complex is so good. You should have people push you out for walks more often." Perhaps because he was full and not going to work, Shen Chang'an felt that the trees were exceptionally green and the air was exceptionally good, as if with each breath, the vitality was being transmitted to his limbs and bones.

Occasionally, passersby would see Dao Nian and quickly stop, whispering greetings. Once they were far away, they would take off running.

Shen Chang'an turned to look at the third elderly woman who had run away, and lowered his head to ask Dao Nian: "Those people seem to be afraid of you?"

"Yeah, they owe me money and haven't paid it back. They're guilty." Dao Nian lowered his eyelids, his expression indifferent. "Don't mind them."

"Oh, in the future, if you're not close to someone, don't lend them money." Shen Chang'an said, "I have a college classmate who borrowed a thousand yuan from me, and he never paid me back until graduation. Now, the ones who owe money are the bosses, and the ones who lend money are just grandchildren."

The two walked for a while and came to the edge of a beautiful pond. The pond was shrouded in mist, like a fairyland. Shen Chang'an stretched his neck to look left and right, his face full of confusion.

"What are you looking at?" Dao Nian asked.

"Don't you think it's strange? There's no fog today, yet there's mist all over this artificial pond?

"There's a fog machine inside." Dao Nian raised an eyebrow. "What's wrong?"

"Nothing, I'm just admiring the rich people's pursuit of quality of life." Shen Chang'an thought, otherwise, who would spend money to create smoke effects by the pond? They're not crazy.

After circling around, when he returned to the artificial pond, Shen Chang'an found that the mist on the surface of the water had disappeared. He hesitated and said, "Maybe it's broken. Should we contact the property management?"

"No need, it will automatically shut down when it's time." Dao Nian stared at the few carp swimming in the pond. "Saves electricity."

"That's right, it's almost time to go to work in the afternoon." Shen Chang'an suddenly realized, rich people are still good at budgeting.

The wheelchair Dao Nian sat in was of excellent quality, and it made no sound at all when pushed on the bluestone road. Shen Chang'an had only walked around outside, but he felt that the ecological environment of this complex was simply too good, so good that he dared not guess how high the property fees for this complex were.

Back in the house, Shen Chang'an saw Liu Mao and the twins in the living room. Thinking they had work to do, he offered to go to his room to rest.

"Mr. Shen, please wait a moment." Liu Mao stopped Shen Chang'an. "We've already taken care of the online rumors. Do you think this is suitable?"

He opened his laptop, turning it so that Shen Chang'an could clearly see the online content.

Shen Chang'an leaned in to take a look. It turned out that the media had interviewed the woman who was still in the hospital. The woman's account was completely opposite to Zhang Qiang's. Hospital staff and the woman's colleagues came forward to testify, saying that the woman was diligent in her work and usually very frugal and simple.

In the face of the internet, many people are not afraid to unleash their negative emotions. But sometimes the internet can leave people with nowhere to hide. Soon, netizens found out that the man who claimed his wife was a spendthrift and was involved with other men was not only lazy and good-for-nothing, but had also gone whoring. Even more disgusting was that his parents often cursed his wife in the village, calling her a "hen that can't lay eggs."

People like to sympathize with the weak, especially when they saw how sick the woman was, and how Zhang Qiang had confined her to the house and only gave her talisman water to drink. Their emotions were even more agitated, and they cursed Zhang Qiang's ancestors for eighteen generations.

Some netizens also sympathized with the innocent male staff member who was dragged into this. Because he was conscientious in his work, he had promptly discovered something was wrong with the family and rescued the woman. Unexpectedly, he was inexplicably labeled as the "other man."

After being scolded and sympathized with by netizens, Shen Chang'an found the whole thing quite ridiculous. Fortunately, he was a single man who could take care of himself, and he wasn't afraid of these rumors and gossip. But if the person involved had a family, would they still dare to be so proactive in helping others in the future?

Would he worry about his wife misunderstanding him?

Would he worry that his children would be ostracized or bullied by other classmates because of these rumors?

"Mr. Shen, regarding this matter, I suggest you sue the media that spread the rumors and that Zhang Qiang. These people will only learn their lesson after they suffer a loss." Seeing that the situation had reversed, but Shen Chang'an didn't show much joy, Liu Mao said, "We have the most professional lawyers here, and we can definitely help you get justice."

Shen Chang'an nodded. If someone did something wrong, they should be punished.

***

Zhang Qiang had been a bit unlucky these past few days. Initially, he was happy to see all the people online scolding the nosy young man and his wife. But as he was going downstairs, he accidentally fell and broke his leg.

Breaking his leg was bad enough, but just as he got into the ambulance, he encountered a car accident. Everyone in the car was fine, and even the ambulance only had a small chip of paint missing. But he broke his other leg.

When he arrived at the ward, the three other patients were all masters of snoring, making it impossible for him to sleep. Now, his distant cousin was calling him, saying he was being sued. He found it ridiculous. He had only said a few words, what crime had he committed?

He opened his phone and saw that everyone online was calling him a scumbag. He couldn't take it anymore and started arguing with people online.

What did it have to do with these people that he didn't want to spend money on his wife's treatment?

A woman who couldn't give birth, and who often worked late into the night, who knows what she was doing out there?

If that man from the Civil Service Department wasn't involved with his wife, why would he meddle in other people's business?

Zhang Qiang became more and more spirited as he cursed, unable to hear even the voices of his fellow patients, just spewing obscenities online.

"Bah, you'll be the one who gets karma." He only stopped when his phone died, then tossed it onto the hospital bed. He wanted to curse his wife for not bringing him food yet, but then he remembered she was still in the hospital, and had even exposed his shortcomings in front of reporters.

He muttered a few curses, waiting for his parents to rush over from the countryside to take care of him.

In a daze of sleep, he heard the doctor talking to his parents, saying something about his sperm being problematic.

Bullshit! His performance was rock-solid seven times last night.

***

After dinner at Dao Nian's place, Shen Chang'an turned on the TV, pulling Dao Nian in to complain about the brainless drama, occasionally peeling a few pumpkin seeds or pistachios for him.

Dao Nian just sat beside him, quietly listening to his ramblings.

"Don't you think this protagonist is messed up? He knows the villain has bad intentions, but still lets him go. And then he turns his back to the villain and leaves? What kind of idiot does that?" 

Shen Chang'an crushed a small walnut in his hand, peeling out the nutmeat and placing it in Dao Nian's hand. "Can't there be any protagonists who just kill the villain and don't give a damn about the consequences?"

After finishing the walnuts, the TV show ended. Shen Chang'an patted the cushion on the sofa: "I don't know what the screenwriter was thinking with this plot."

"Sleep." Dao Nian turned his head to look at the pitch-black window. "It's going to rain tonight, and it will get colder."

"Really?" Shen Chang'an imitated Dao Nian's gesture and looked out the window, but all he saw was darkness.

"Mr. Shen, I'll take you to your room." Liu Mao appeared from somewhere, smiling at Shen Chang'an. "The wind will be strong tonight, so make sure you close the windows."

"Okay." Shen Chang'an nodded, but then turned back as he reached the stairs, leaning down to whisper in Dao Nian's ear, "Dao Nian, do you need to use the bathroom? I'll take you. Men, you know, can't hold it in…"

He hadn't seen Dao Nian go to the bathroom since noon.

Dao Nian looked at him expressionlessly, reaching out to press his hand against Shen Chang'an's face, pushing him towards the stairs.

"Shut up!"

Shen Chang'an rubbed his face and followed Liu Mao upstairs. During the short walk, Liu Mao turned to look at him several times. He couldn't pretend to be unconcerned: "Mr. Liu, be careful of your feet, don't fall down the stairs."

"How could that happen, I'm..." Before he could finish, his foot stumbled, and he almost rolled down the stairs. Fortunately, Shen Chang'an was quick-witted and grabbed him.

"Haha." Liu Mao chuckled dryly, led Shen Chang'an to a room door, and opened it. "If you don't like anything, just tell me, and I'll have someone change it immediately.

Looking at the elegant and comfortable room, Shen Chang'an quickly shook his head: "It's all good, I like it very much."

"That's good." Liu Mao breathed a sigh of relief. He whispered, "Mr. Shen, our master has a bit of a temper, please be patient. He definitely doesn't dislike you."

"What's wrong with him?" Shen Chang'an was puzzled. "Dao Nian is very good."

Although he doesn't talk much, he's very tolerant in other ways. How can that be considered bad?

Are the requirements for friends in the social world so strict?

Liu Mao was about to say something else when he saw Dao Nian at the end of the corridor and quickly shut his mouth.

How could he make the master believe that he wanted to improve the relationship between the master and Mr. Shen, not badmouth him?

I'm waiting, I need an answer ASAP!