CHAPTER 23 (PART 1)

“…Mm.” Shi Li struggled as she took off the clothes she had just put on.

Shen Jingyan held the measuring tape and gently wrapped it around her chest, causing Shi Li to hold her breath, trying her best to ignore the strange sensation. His hands moved over her body. Although she could clearly feel his body heat, the layer of latex gloves in between made it feel slightly unreal.

The combination of ticklishness and artificial detachment nearly drove Shi Li insane. Every time his hands pinched a particular spot, she suspected he was doing it on purpose. But looking at his face, he remained completely calm, without a hint of any other emotion. She could only endure it. It wasn’t until half an hour later that she was finally freed from his hands.

“Put your clothes back on. You’ve worked hard.” Shen Jingyan smiled.

Shi Li let out a long breath and quickly dressed. Shen Jingyan politely turned his back to her, giving her enough time to put her clothes on, but… he had already seen and touched everything. Did this courtesy even mean anything at this point? Shi Li silently complained to herself, buttoning her shirt all the way up to the top.

“I’m done,” she said, taking a moment to compose herself before notifying Shen Jingyan.

Shen Jingyan turned around and, seeing that she was properly dressed, nodded. “Let’s move on to the next thing.”

“…There aren’t any more tests that require taking my clothes off, right?” Shi Li asked dryly.

Shen Jingyan chuckled. “No, don’t worry.”

Shi Li glanced at him but didn’t feel particularly reassured.

The following examinations were numerous and complex. Shi Li quickly put aside the earlier body measurements and focused on the current tests. Before she knew it, the entire morning had passed, and she had finally finished the long medical check-up.

“The other results are out too. Aside from malnutrition, there’s nothing serious,” Shen Jingyan said, sitting across from her with a slight frown. After a pause, he continued, “But even that alone is a problem. You’ll need to recover your health before we can proceed with the next steps.”

“…Am I delaying your work?” Shi Li asked worriedly.

Shen Jingyan looked at her. “It’s fine. I’ve been working on this project for years. We’re in the final stages now, so there’s no rush. Just focus on cooperating and gaining some weight.”

“I’ll do my best,” Shi Li said. She then took the initiative to pick up a piece of braised pork. As soon as she put it in her mouth, her body instinctively resisted, but she forced herself to swallow it.

Shen Jingyan watched her efforts with a smile. When she finished eating, he gently reminded her, “You don’t have to push yourself. Take your time.”

“I just wanted to make you happy,” Shi Li said, locking eyes with him for the first time as she brought up their past. “Back then, you asked me to wait for you, but I broke my promise. I’ve always felt guilty about it. And yet, not only do you not hate me, you’re even helping me get through this difficult time. I’m really grateful.”

Male Lead Hatred Value: 20%

Huh? She had brought up their past, so even if the hatred value didn’t decrease, it should have at least increased. Why was there no change at all?

A bit puzzled, Shi Li decided to push further. “I remember you used to treat me so well, always giving me the best. The time I spent with you was honestly the best period of my life.”

Male Lead Hatred Value: 20%

Shi Li: “…” What was going on? Why wasn’t there any change? Was the hatred value broken?

— Hatred Value display is functioning correctly. The male lead’s current hatred value is confirmed to be 20%.

Shi Li’s mouth twitched as she looked at Shen Jingyan in confusion.

Shen Jingyan fell silent for a moment after hearing her words, then let out a soft sigh. “You didn’t intentionally break your promise to wait for me. How could I be angry with you? The past is the past. Let’s not bring it up anymore. Once the experiment is over, I believe we’ll both have good futures ahead.”

…No, don’t stop talking about it! Hatred and resentment all stem from the past. How was she supposed to resolve things if they never even discussed it? Shi Li sighed internally but outwardly nodded. She picked up her drink and raised it toward him. “You’re right. Looking forward is better. I’m sure the future will be great.”

Shen Jingyan smiled and clinked his teacup against her glass.

After finishing the meal, Shen Jingyan needed to head to his company. Shi Li thought she would be going too, but unexpectedly, he insisted on sending her home. “You’ve completed today’s tasks. For now, just focus on recovering your health. When the time is right, we’ll move on to the next phase.”

“I’m… not going with you?” Shi Li asked in disbelief.

Shen Jingyan smiled. “No. Your body isn’t in good condition yet. Even if you came with me, you wouldn’t be able to do anything. It’s better for you to rest at home. Eat more snacks when you can—let’s stop by the supermarket first so I can buy you some things.”

“S-So… my job now is just to stay home and gain weight?” Shi Li stammered.

Shen Jingyan nodded. “For now, yes. You need to gain at least 20 pounds. Once you increase your weight, I’ll help you with training later. The goal is to get your body into optimal condition as quickly as possible.”

Shi Li stared at him, unable to stop herself from exclaiming in amazement. She had expected that with Shen Jingyan’s help, the five million would be easy to earn, but she hadn’t imagined it would be this easy. It was as if she had thought this world was set to hell mode, only to realize it was actually beginner mode from the moment she arrived.

“What’s wrong?” Shen Jingyan asked, his lips curving slightly at her astonished expression.

Shi Li forced a laugh. “Nothing. I just think… this life is way too good.”

“Good things don’t last forever,” Shen Jingyan’s smile deepened. “Once the experiment starts, you might not think so anymore.”

Shi Li waved a hand dismissively. “It won’t be worse than what I imagined. I think this is pretty great already.”

As they chatted, the car approached her apartment complex. Shen Jingyan parked by the curb and took her to a nearby supermarket.

Since it was a weekday and only lunchtime, the supermarket wasn’t too crowded. Shen Jingyan pushed a shopping cart while Shi Li trailed behind him as they headed for the snack aisle.

“Sweets make you gain weight the fastest. I’ll grab some cookies,” Shi Li said. Being someone who was getting free food, free lodging, and five million yuan, she felt a strong sense of self-awareness and responsibility. As soon as they entered the aisle, she searched for the most fattening food.

Shen Jingyan stopped her in time. “Pick what you like. Don’t force yourself to eat things just to gain weight.”

“It’s fine, cookies are tasty enough.” Shi Li wasn’t too fond of cookies, but for Shen Jingyan’s sake, she was willing to make an effort.

Shen Jingyan gave her a disapproving glance and put the cookies back on the shelf. “Don’t lie. I know what you actually like.”

He then picked up several bags of potato chips and a bottle of soda—exactly the kind Shi Li preferred.

Shi Li watched as he effortlessly selected her favorite snacks, and a strange feeling welled up in her heart. “You… still remember?”

“Of course. I remember most things about you,” Shen Jingyan replied with a gentle smile.

Shi Li looked into his warm gaze, her heart skipping a beat. After a moment, she jokingly said, “Don’t look at me like that. It’s kind of… heart-fluttering.”

“Is it?” Shen Jingyan chuckled. “Then I’ll stop looking. But be good and choose things you actually like, okay? People’s tastes don’t change easily. If you force yourself to eat something you don’t enjoy, you’ll eat less. It’s better to eat what you love—your appetite will increase naturally, and you won’t have to suffer to gain weight.”

“…So that’s why you keep insisting,” Shi Li murmured, a little disappointed.

Shen Jingyan paused, then looked at her seriously. “Not just because of that.”

Shi Li: “?”

Before she could ask, he turned and walked toward the freezer section, picking out yogurt and ice cream for her. Shi Li watched his back for a long moment before finally following him.

The two of them stayed in the supermarket for more than half an hour, and finally came out carrying two large bags of snacks. When they were walking towards the car, an old woman was walking beside them with her child. The child was jumping around and almost bumped into Shi Li several times.

“Please keep an eye on your child. He almost ran into my friend,” Shen Jingyan said politely, shielding Shi Li by his side as he looked at the elderly woman.

The old woman shot Shen Jingyan a disgusted glance. “Did he actually run into her? I didn’t see anything.”

“He almost did, but he hasn’t yet,” Shen Jingyan replied with patience.

The old woman sneered arrogantly. “Then let’s talk when he actually does.”

Just as she finished speaking, the child shot forward like a little cannonball, crashing into Shi Li. She let out a startled cry, and the plastic bag in her hand fell to the ground with a loud smack. The child’s eyes lit up at the sight of the snacks, and without hesitation, he snatched an ice cream and ran off.

“Hey! What’s wrong with you?!” Shi Li had originally wanted to let it go, but at this point, she couldn’t help but get angry.

The old woman immediately glared at her. “What’s wrong with you?! You’re a grown adult, and you can’t even hold onto your things properly! If my grandson gets sick from eating that, I’ll call the police and have you arrested!”

“Can you be reasonable? Your grandson stole my things. That’s called theft. Do you understand?” Shi Li was so infuriated by the woman’s shamelessness that she actually laughed in disbelief.

The old woman gave her a sarcastic glance. “Then go ahead, call the police. Let’s see them arrest an old lady and a little kid. What exactly did we steal from you?”

As they argued, passersby began to stop and watch. The old woman then dramatically dropped to the ground and started wailing as if she had been grievously wronged. Meanwhile, her little grandson stood beside her, casually eating the stolen ice cream, looking completely unfazed—as if this was a routine occurrence.

Shi Li was stunned by the woman’s shamelessness. She was about to continue reasoning with her when Shen Jingyan stopped her. “Forget it. She’s an elderly woman with a child. Let’s not stoop to their level.”

“But she’s clearly in the wrong,” Shi Li frowned.

Shen Jingyan sighed and said gently, “I know, but arguing with them in the middle of the street is undignified and not worth it. Let’s just consider it as us treating the kid to an ice cream.”

Since he put it that way, Shi Li had no choice but to let it go. She pressed her lips together and nodded. Seeing this, Shen Jingyan let out a sigh of relief and was about to take her away when the old woman suddenly grabbed Shi Li’s leg, wailing and cursing, “You wretched skeleton demon! Bullying the elderly and children—you’ll die a miserable death! Even if I become a ghost, I won’t let you go!”

Shi Li: “…”
She didn’t mind being cursed at, but being called a skeleton demon? That was a bit much, wasn’t it?

Before she could retaliate, Shen Jingyan spoke up. “Grandma, we were in the wrong, and we apologize. But you shouldn’t say such things about my friend.”

Shi Li instinctively looked up at him and was momentarily taken aback by the coldness in his gaze. But when she took a closer look, it was gone—replaced by nothing more than displeasure.

…Maybe she had imagined it. After all, despite being bullied like this, he was still able to speak so gently. With a temperament that good, how could he possibly have a cold glare?

Shi Li cleared her throat and tried to pull her leg free, but despite the old woman’s age, she had a surprisingly strong grip. No matter how hard Shi Li tried, she couldn’t break free.

Hearing Shen Jingyan’s words, the old woman escalated her act, crying even louder and demanding compensation. Shi Li was beyond frustrated and was about to argue back when Shen Jingyan pulled out a few hundred yuan from his wallet and handed it over to quickly settle the situation.

The old woman snatched the money, shot Shi Li a triumphant look, then took her grandson and left.

Shi Li had always lived a smooth-sailing life and had never encountered something like this before. Even though she knew these were just fictional characters, she still couldn’t let it go. Seeing Shen Jingyan remain completely unaffected only made her feel even more aggrieved.

“Alright, don’t be angry anymore. She’s already so old and still has to resort to this kind of behavior to make money. That’s pretty pitiful, isn’t it?” Shen Jingyan seemed to understand her feelings. After sending her home, he didn’t immediately return to work but stayed to comfort her.

Shi Li gave him a speechless look. “…You really know how to take things lightly.”

“It’s just the truth. There’s no point in being upset over someone with such poor morals.” Shen Jingyan smiled. “I have to go to work now. You stay home and take it easy. You can use anything in the house. Don’t overthink it.”

Shi Li was silent for a moment before saying, “You never used to be like this.”

The Shen Jingyan she remembered would have wanted to kill that old woman on the spot, not turn the other cheek and let it go.

“People grow up,” Shen Jingyan said with a soft laugh, reaching out to ruffle her hair. His expression was both gentle and helpless.

This was something he used to do all the time—whenever he couldn’t do anything about her or when he wanted to comfort her. Being treated like this again, Shi Li couldn’t help but think back to the past, her eyes flickering with confusion.

It was true that people grew up, but she had never seen someone change so drastically. The Shen Jingyan standing before her was nothing like the reckless delinquent he used to be.

“I’m really going to be late. I have to go.” Shen Jingyan glanced at his watch. “Don’t let this get to you. Just relax, okay?”

Shi Li nodded. “Be careful on the road.”

Shen Jingyan responded with a smile, then turned to leave. Shi Li followed him to the door, planning to see him off. As he changed his shoes, he looked back at her and said, “If you don’t have anything to do this afternoon, stay home. Tonight, I’ll pick you up and take you to a really great restaurant.”

“You’re seriously fattening me up. I feel like a pig being led to the slaughterhouse,” Shi Li said with amusement. Her mood had finally lifted a little.

Shen Jingyan chuckled as well and teased, “You’re far more precious than a pig. There are plenty of pigs, but there’s only one of you. Of course, I have to take good care of you.”

“…Thanks, I guess.” Shi Li rolled her eyes at him.

Shen Jingyan ruffled her hair again before repeating, “I’m leaving. Get some rest. And remember, don’t go anywhere until I get back, alright?”

“Got it.” Shi Li nodded. After watching him leave, she closed the door and let out a deep sigh as she looked at the pile of snacks on the coffee table.

Meanwhile, after Shen Jingyan drove out of the residential area, a small figure suddenly darted across the road. He slammed the brakes just in time, and the little figure tumbled to the ground, landing about two meters away from the car.

Shen Jingyan quickly got out to check, only to chuckle when he saw the familiar face. “It’s you again. You know it’s dangerous to run around like that, right?”

The little boy—clearly the same one from earlier—looked up at him. “I know you. You have ice cream.”

Then, without shame, he sat on the ground and declared, “You hit me. You have to pay me.”

“But I don’t have any money,” Shen Jingyan said playfully.

The boy’s eyes darted around. “That’s fine. Just give me your ice cream. Give me all the ones you bought earlier.”

Shen Jingyan studied him thoughtfully for a moment before nodding. “Alright. They’re all yours.”

The boy’s eyes lit up, and he immediately scrambled up from the ground.

—

Back at home, Shi Li was lounging on the couch watching TV, a bag of chips in her lap and a milk tea on the table. This kind of life was so relaxing it felt like a dream. As she absentmindedly watched the screen, sleepiness crept in, and soon, she dozed off.

Not long after, a loud knocking at the door jolted her awake.

“Who is it?” she called, frowning as she walked over.

“Police, open the door.” The voice came from outside.