It seemed like the matter had passed just like that. After learning that her son wanted to seek treatment for his legs, Wang Zhixiu quickly found a specialist for Ji Chenai. However, when the doctor conducted a thorough examination, he looked surprised.

“Are you sure the initial diagnosis was a severe spinal injury?”

Wang Zhixiu was taken aback, clearly not understanding the meaning behind his question. “Of course… I went to several hospitals just to confirm it.”

“Strange,” the doctor muttered, handing her the report. “After this examination, we found that his spine doesn’t actually have any serious damage. Walking right now is still out of the question, but based on these results, he doesn’t need a wheelchair.”

For a moment, Wang Zhixiu’s eyes widened, filled with disbelief and overwhelming joy. Her voice trembled. “D-Doctor, are you certain?”

The doctor nodded and then glanced at Ji Chenai with curiosity. “If you don’t mind, would you be willing to let us study this case further?”

Of course, he minded. If his recovery had been purely natural, allowing the hospital to research it wouldn’t be a problem but this was thanks to Xiao Qi, his miraculous cheat-like ability. If they really started digging, who knew what kind of complications it could bring? That said, the human body was a mysterious thing—some people were diagnosed with terminal illnesses and still managed to survive.

Ji Chenai declined the doctor’s request. Though visibly disappointed, the doctor remained professional and designed a thorough rehabilitation plan for him.

Wang Zhixiu repeatedly expressed her gratitude. She had already resigned herself to taking care of her son for the rest of his life, believing he would never stand again. Yet now, fate had given her hope—Ji Chenai had a real chance to walk again. The joy was so overwhelming that she didn’t even know how to react.

When they got home, Wang Zhixiu immediately shared the good news with Zhou Yumian, who was just as thrilled. The family celebrated by preparing a lavish dinner, even opening a bottle of wine.

Ji Chenai used to have a decent alcohol tolerance, but this body had never had a drink before. After just two sips, a soft blush bloomed on his cheeks, making him look unexpectedly adorable.

For most of her life, Wang Zhixiu had worried over this one thing. Now, she could finally see the light at the end of the tunnel. If Ji Chenai could walk again, he would have the chance to go outside, explore the world, and no longer be trapped at home, drowning in quiet melancholy.

Tears shimmered in her eyes. She took another big sip of wine, savoring the rare taste of relief and happiness.

At noon, Ji Chenai shared the news with Zhou Yaoyun, who was far away in another country.

Surprisingly, Zhou Yaoyun replied almost immediately this time.

“Brother, I really can’t wait to see you again.”

It had been nearly a year since he left, and during that time, he hadn’t returned even once. Apart from sending Ji Chenai a few photos, he had shared very little about his life.

Ji Chenai reassured him, telling him not to worry or rush.

Zhou Yaoyun then mentioned that he might disappear for a while again and told Ji Chenai not to be concerned.

Curious, Ji Chenai casually asked where he was headed. He hadn’t expected a response—Zhou Yaoyun was usually vague about such things—but to his surprise, he actually answered and even sent over a few photos.

The images showed a dense rainforest, with a small, makeshift tent hanging between the trees.

“The mosquitoes here are relentless,” Zhou Yaoyun complained pitifully. “I’m covered in bites—it’s unbearable.”

Ji Chenai wanted to laugh but couldn’t quite bring himself to. He suddenly felt as if the two of them existed in completely different worlds. Though emails served as a bridge between them, there was still an undeniable sense of distance.

Zhou Yaoyun continued to grumble about random things—how he had walked so much that he got a painful blister on his foot, how a wasp had stung his finger and now it was ridiculously swollen. But beyond these trivial complaints, he said nothing about what he was actually doing. Not a single word.

After ending his conversation with Zhou Yaoyun, Ji Chenai suddenly had a whimsical idea. He instructed Xiao Qi to track the email address and see what Zhou Yaoyun was actually up to.

Xiao Qi agreed without hesitation and immediately got to work.

About ten minutes later, Ji Chenai heard Xiao Qi’s exaggerated cries.

“This is tragic! Absolutely tragic!”

Ji Chenai’s heart clenched. “What happened? What’s wrong?”

“Zhou Yaoyun! Zhou Yaoyun, he…!”

Ji Chenai snapped impatiently, “Spit it out!”

“He’s lounging around with two bunny girls, drinking and sending you emails on his iPad.”

Ji Chenai’s expression darkened. “And that’s what you call tragic?!”

“I meant you’re the tragic one,” Xiao Qi replied matter-of-factly.

Ji Chenai: “….”

A few days apart, and somehow, Xiao Qi had become even more insufferable.

Now knowing that Zhou Yaoyun was off living the dream, Ji Chenai shut his email with a scowl, refusing to reply. He knew Zhou Yaoyun had high emotional intelligence, but this was just infuriating. On one hand, he was whining about getting eaten alive by mosquitoes in the rainforest, and on the other, he was wrapped around bunny girls in a bar. Ji Chenai wouldn’t be surprised if the only bite marks on him were from those bunny girls leaving love bites.

Meanwhile, on the other side of the email, Zhou Yaoyun noticed the sudden silence. He sent a few more messages, but when there was still no response, he figured Ji Chenai must have gotten busy and set his tablet aside—for now.

Ji Chenai was already fuming over Zhou Yaoyun’s antics, but what truly pushed him over the edge was what happened next.

Just as he had decided to ignore Zhou Yaoyun’s emails, Xiao Qi, in an act of extreme “thoughtfulness,” plastered a photo of Zhou Yaoyun lounging with the bunny girls right in front of his face. To make matters worse, it even helpfully explained that Zhou Yaoyun wasn’t just in a bar—he was in a casino.

Ji Chenai’s face darkened. “If you’d just shut up for once, no one would mistake you for being mute.”

“Wow,” Xiao Qi huffed. “You were so sweet when you needed me to do something, but the second I deliver results, you turn on me. Typical. Truly heartless—use and discard, just like that.”

Ji Chenai’s eye twitched. “Where the hell do you even pick up this kind of nonsense?!”

Thanks to Xiao Qi’s thoughtfulness, whatever good mood Ji Chenai had left was completely obliterated.

Just then, Wang Zhixiu called him for dinner. Taking a deep breath, Ji Chenai forced his expression back to neutral before stepping out of his bedroom.

Ever since she found out that his legs could be saved, Wang Zhixiu had been over the moon. The house had been filled with lavish meals for days, every dish made to suit Ji Chenai’s tastes.

He turned on the TV and set the table while waiting for dinner to start.

The television happened to be broadcasting local news, but Ji Chenai paid it no mind—until Xiao Qi suddenly shrieked.

“Look at the news! QUICK!”

Ji Chenai instinctively turned his head, and his gaze landed on a familiar face.

A few days ago, while out shopping with Zhou Leling, he had witnessed a man knocking over an elderly person. Now, that same man was on the news. Though his face was blurred, Ji Chenai immediately recognized his voice.

Onscreen, the man let out a weary sigh and said, “These days, trying to do a good deed is harder than ever.”

The reporter pressed, “So you were the one who helped the elderly person up?”

The man, completely shameless, declared, “That’s right. I was driving home when I took a shortcut down a small road and suddenly saw an elderly person lying on the ground. I hesitated for a moment, but in the end, I still went over to help him up…”

The reporter asked, “And then he accused you of knocking him down?”

The man sighed dramatically. “Yeah, just my bad luck. My dashcam had broken a while ago, and I hadn’t gotten around to fixing it. Now, no matter what I say, I can’t prove my innocence.”

The interview continued with a few more questions, but the bias was obvious—the reporter clearly leaned toward believing that the man had been falsely accused by the elderly person.

Helping an elderly person up—something that should have been a simple act of kindness in a country known for its culture of respect and etiquette—had become an impossible moral dilemma. In the eyes of the public, every elderly person who had fallen to the ground had become a scalding-hot iron block.

Some wanted to help. No one dared to.

Ji Chenai put down his chopsticks, his expression darkening as he watched the news. Regardless of what the man’s true intentions were, his actions were undeniably harmful.

Forget the elderly man’s reputation—once a story like this spread, it would only deepen people’s fear of helping others. To be fair, if Ji Chenai didn’t have Xiao Qi, there were plenty of situations he wouldn’t dare step into either.

Xiao Qi wailed, “I’M GOING CRAZY! My negative energy levels are off the charts! LA-LA-LA!”

Ji Chenai ignored its antics and asked, “Do you remember which hospital the elderly man was taken to?”

Xiao Qi: “Southwest Hospital…”

Ji Chenai: “Let’s head over after dinner and check things out.”

Naturally, Xiao Qi had no objections, but it seemed too rattled by the man on the news to say another word for the rest of the meal.

Wang Zhixiu frowned. “Xiao Qin, is that all you’re eating?”

Ji Chenai had completely lost his appetite but seeing his mother’s worried expression, he forced a smile. “Mom, I’m really full.”

Wang Zhixiu still looked unconvinced. “A growing boy like you can’t eat so little. Here, I’ll get you a bowl of chicken soup.”

Ji Chenai saw that resistance was futile and reluctantly handed over his bowl.

After dinner, he called Zhou Leling to ask if she was free that evening.

Zhou Leling immediately caught onto his tone. “What’s wrong?”

Ji Chenai briefly explained what he had seen on the news.

The moment she heard it, she exploded. “Are you kidding me?! Wait for me—I’m coming with you to Southwest Hospital!”

After setting a time with Zhou Leling, Ji Chenai went online to search for more details on the news report.

With the internet being what it was, the story had already spread like wildfire. The controversy had blown up enough to make the trending list.

Because of the news segment’s clear bias, most netizens were furiously condemning the so-called “scamming old man.” Comments like “It’s not that the elderly have become bad—it’s that bad people have grown old” were already considered the more rational takes. Others took it even further, launching direct personal attacks and even calling for doxxing.

Public opinion was a terrifying force, especially in an era where online witch hunts were commonplace. Ji Chenai could already imagine the kind of pressure the elderly man was facing—the flood of hatred, the accusations, the shame. A single news report had turned him into a villain in the eyes of countless people.

If the truth of this situation was as it seemed, then Ji Chenai wouldn’t have much to say but since he had witnessed what really happened, there was no way he would just stand by and let things spiral out of control.

Judging by the luxury car that middle-aged man was driving, it was clear he was wealthy. Taking down an elderly man like this would be all too easy for someone like him.

Ji Chenai casually dropped a comment in the discussion thread: “The Slanderer’s Redemption” but it barely made an impact. That confirmed one thing—most of the netizens in the thread had no idea what really happened. And since they didn’t know the truth, their comments weren’t truly slanderous, just misguided.

At around six in the evening, Zhou Leling arrived. She was still carrying her schoolbag, clearly having come straight from class. Panting slightly from rushing over, she knocked on the door and called out, “Aunt Wang, is Brother Qin home?”

Wang Zhixiu looked surprised to see her. “Xiao Ling? What’s the matter?”

Zhou Leling quickly adjusted her expression. “Nothing, Auntie! I just heard Brother Qin’s legs can be treated, so I came to hang out with him.”

The moment Wang Zhixiu heard the word legs, her face lit up with a smile. “Oh, of course! I’ll go call him.”

When Ji Chenai saw Zhou Leling, he greeted his mother and told her he’d be eating out.

Wang Zhixiu was more than happy for him to go out and enjoy himself. She handed him some money for dinner and reminded him to come home early and stay safe.

After listening to his mother’s usual warnings, Ji Chenai finally stepped out with Zhou Leling.

Once they reached the ground floor, Zhou Leling turned to him and said, “Alright, Brother Qin, spill. Tell me everything in detail.”

Ji Chenai let her push him forward as he explained the news he had seen at noon, along with his suspicions.

Hearing how the elderly man was being falsely accused, Zhou Leling was even angrier than she had been over the phone. “How can people be like this? This is awful! It’s exactly because of scumbags like him that people are afraid to do good deeds!”

Ji Chenai nodded. “Let’s go to the hospital first and check on the old man. See how he’s doing.”

Zhou Leling agreed, and the two of them headed toward Xinan Hospital.

It was nearly six o’clock—rush hour. To save time, Ji Chenai hailed a taxi. The driver turned out to be a kind-hearted man and upon noticing Ji Chenai’s limited mobility, he not only helped him into the backseat but also carefully placed his wheelchair in the trunk.

On the way, the driver struck up a conversation. “You two heading to the hospital for something important?”

Ji Chenai replied, “Just visiting an elder.”

Hearing that, the driver praised Xinan Hospital’s medical expertise, then grumbled about the high cost of healthcare.

About twenty minutes later, they arrived at the hospital entrance. After retrieving Ji Chenai’s wheelchair, the driver handed him a phone number. “If you need a ride back, just give me a call.”

He probably offered out of kindness, seeing that Ji Chenai had difficulty walking and that Zhou Leling was just a young girl.

Ji Chenai noted down the number and thanked the driver.

Watching the taxi disappear into the traffic, Zhou Leling sighed. “See? There are still plenty of good people in this world.”

Ji Chenai nodded in agreement. “That’s true.” But it was like the relationship between ink and clear water—one drop of ink could stain an entire glass of water, but it took a much greater amount of water to fully dilute the ink. Bad deeds always stood out more than good ones.

As they entered the hospital, Ji Chenai was still wondering how they would locate the elderly man’s room. However, whether by luck or misfortune, as soon as he and Zhou Leling stepped into the inpatient ward on the first floor, they were met with the sound of a heated argument.

One voice, in particular, stood out to Ji Chenai—it was all too familiar.

It was the same man from the news, the one claiming he had been falsely accused.

At that moment, he was putting on a show of concern, speaking in a deliberately patient tone.

“Sir, you can’t be so ungrateful!”

=^_^=