When Song Cheng stepped out of prison, a light rain was falling. He hunched his shoulders, sheltering against the wall to avoid the drizzle.
Outside the prison, vehicles and pedestrians were scarce. The rain showed no sign of stopping, forcing him to brave the downpour as he walked to the bus stop, waiting for the next ride.
Once aboard, he noticed the bus was sparsely occupied. Passengers took note of his shaved head and instinctively kept their distance, leaving an empty space around him.
The bus was eerily quiet. A holographic screen floating near the front played a stream of news updates.
Shen Ran’s face flashed across the screen, and Song Cheng recognized him instantly.
The man who had once groveled before him now spoke confidently on camera, not a trace of timidity in his demeanor.
Regret gnawed at Song Cheng—regret for boarding the Wangyue with his grandfather, regret for ever laying eyes on Shen Ran.
Sometimes, he even wished Chao Yin had miscarried when he pushed her down, that Chao Musheng had never been born.
If only Chao Musheng didn’t exist.
Without him, none of this suffering would have happened.
"The advent of eldercare robots not only relieves the younger generation of burdens but also ensures a comfortable retirement for the elderly..."
The reporter’s excited voice drew Song Cheng’s attention to the screen, where a robot moved with uncanny agility, its reactions so advanced it seemed like something out of a sci-fi film.
His jaw dropped. Had the outside world progressed this far while he was locked away?
All because of Chao Musheng—because of him, Song Cheng had lost his freedom and been left behind by the times.
Then, the face he loathed with every fiber of his being appeared on the screen.
Chao Musheng!
Murmurs of admiration rose among the passengers—some praising Chao Musheng’s striking looks, others marveling at the youth of the project’s lead developer.
Each word of praise was like a needle in Song Cheng’s ears. He glared at the screen, his eyes burning with envy and resentment.
During his years in prison, his grandfather had passed away, and the relatives who once clung to the Song family name had vanished without a trace. Every day inside had felt like an eternity.
The scenery outside the bus blurred past, the world now so unfamiliar he could barely recognize it.
No money, no home, no one to take him in.
The once-proud Young Master Song, stripped of his family’s influence, was worse off than an ordinary man. He had tried reaching out to old friends, only to be met with excuses, silence, or outright mockery.
"Young Master Song, short on cash?" A man who once trailed behind him like a dog pulled out a few bills from his wallet and tossed them to the ground. "Oops, my hand slipped. Pick them up yourself."
"You dare humiliate me?!" Song Cheng swung his fist at the man’s sneering face.
Prison life had been regimented, with strict labor routines that had toughened him physically. But fists were no match for numbers—soon, he was overpowered and beaten to the ground.
Laughter and jeers surrounded him as someone flung a wad of cash at his face.
"Still think you’re the Song family’s young master?"
"If I were you, I’d stay far away from the capital—unless you want to piss off Mr. Chao."
"A brat who pushed a pregnant woman doesn’t know the meaning of ‘knowing his place.’"
"You laugh at me now, but have you forgotten how you used to bow and scrape at my feet?" Song Cheng spat out blood, his ribs possibly broken, pain searing through his body. "You think sucking up to Chao Musheng will get you anywhere? Does he even know who you are?"
"That doesn’t matter," a man sneered down at him. "As long as everyone who knows Mr. Chao understands we’re nothing like you."
"Is Chao Musheng your father or your grandfather? Why grovel so hard?" Song Cheng shot back.
"You’ve been locked up too long. You’ve got no idea what Mr. Chao’s accomplished these years." The former fair-weather friend spoke Chao Musheng’s name with reverence. "Do you have any clue how much of a global sensation those eldercare robots caused?"
The significance of such high-intelligence robotics and their core programming was common knowledge worldwide, even earning a segment on the national news.
As Song Cheng listened to their worshipful praise—core technology, research breakthroughs, project lead—every word felt alien, worlds apart from the life he now led.
"What?" One term finally caught his attention. "Vice President of Kunlun Group?"
Chao Musheng wasn’t even thirty. How could he be Kunlun’s VP?
How could he manage all those research projects and hold such a high-ranking corporate position?
"How does he deserve this?!" Song Cheng’s composure shattered. His own downfall was unbearable, but Chao Musheng’s success was the final blow.
After the crowd dispersed, Song Cheng staggered to his feet, picking up the scattered money with trembling hands. The humiliation fueled a rage that threatened to consume him.
If his life was ruined, Chao Musheng wouldn’t get to enjoy his either.
---
"What a terrible ending," Chao Musheng remarked as they exited the cinema, tucking his hands into his coat pockets. "Forced reconciliation—living people speaking for the dead, pretending the victims would forgive."
Su Chenzhu adjusted his sleeve for him. "What kind of ending would you prefer?"
"Good rewarded, evil punished." Chao Musheng glanced across the street, where a crowd waited at the crosswalk.
Among them, Song Cheng clutched a hidden dagger beneath his jacket, barely containing his excitement.
Almost there—just a few dozen meters separated him from Chao Musheng.
"Take Song Cheng, for example—a waste of space who deserves to rot in prison forever." Chao Musheng bought two cups of hot milk tea from a nearby shop, handing one to Su Chenzhu.
"Speaking of that trash, isn’t his sentence almost up?" It suddenly occurred to him that Song Cheng would soon be released.
"I’ll have someone keep an eye on him." Su Chenzhu, who once disliked sweet drinks and snacks, had grown accustomed to sharing Chao Musheng’s preferences.
Whether he enjoyed them or not didn’t matter—what mattered was that anyone who saw them would know they belonged together.
Chao Musheng recalled Lian Hai mentioning He Yi years ago on the Wangyue. She had died in her prime, while Song Cheng, linked to her death, walked away unscathed and fled abroad.
He glanced at Su Chenzhu, who was sipping his tea. "No need to waste energy on garbage like him. He’ll get what’s coming sooner or later."
Song Cheng trembled with anticipation as the pedestrian light turned green. He merged into the crowd, inching closer to his target.
His lips curled into a manic grin.
Then, in an instant, his smile froze. The trembling from excitement morphed into terror.
A girl floated in midair, her bleeding eyes locked onto him.
He Yi—why was she here again?!
His teeth chattered uncontrollably. He spun around and bolted, only to trip and collapse on the sidewalk.
He Yi’s ghostly figure didn’t vanish. Instead, her neck twisted unnaturally as she drew nearer.
"Hehe."
Staring into her face, now inches from his own, Song Cheng let out a bloodcurdling scream.
"What’s all that noise?" Chao Musheng turned toward the commotion across the street. A crowd had formed, blocking the crosswalk despite the green light.
"Want to go see?" Su Chenzhu recognized the glint of curiosity in his eyes.
"Never mind." Chao Musheng suppressed his curiosity. "I have to give a speech at Jinghua University tomorrow, so I should get to bed early tonight."
A few passersby walked by, chatting animatedly among themselves.
"They say he’s got something wrong with his head."
"And he keeps talking about ghosts—as if ghosts exist!"
"Seems like he’s seriously ill."
Hearing their conversation, Chao Musheng suddenly understood—it must be someone with mental difficulties.
"Let’s go home." No longer distracted, Chao Musheng took Su Chenzhu’s hand and led the way back.
Another year’s campus festival arrived, and Jinghua University buzzed with excitement.
When Chao Musheng stepped onto the stage to speak, thunderous applause erupted from the audience.
He kept his speech concise, stepping down swiftly after finishing.
Zeng Ning looked up at the striking young man descending from the stage and raised her phone to snap a photo.
"Ningning, your photography skills are amazing," her friend remarked, glancing at her phone. "Send me a copy later!"
"Sure." Zeng Ning tucked her phone away, her gaze lingering on Chao Musheng in the distance, lost in thought.
Back when she was young and foolish, she hadn’t realized how fortunate she’d been. Now, in college and helping her mother manage the company, she understood just how lucky she was.
For a long time, she’d had the same recurring dream—one where she never met Mr. Chao at the hospital, where her mother passed away there, and where she, in despair, climbed to the rooftop and jumped.
Thankfully, reality was the opposite. Her mother was alive and well, and she herself had become the "Little Manager Zeng" her colleagues spoke of.
The older she grew, the more grateful she became for the helping hand Mr. Chao had extended back then.
And the more grateful she was, the more she hesitated to intrude on his life.
"Mr. Chao is so handsome—even his hair seems to glow. I heard he was already popular back in his school days. I wonder what his partner looks like."
Zeng Ning smiled at that. "He’s very good-looking. They’re a perfect match."
"How do you know?" Her friend’s curiosity piqued. "Ningning, have you met Mr. Chao’s partner before?"
"I was lucky enough to see him once." Zeng Ning averted her eyes.
It really had been luck—the kind worth remembering for a lifetime.
After the campus festival performances ended, Zeng Ning walked back to the dorm with her friends, all of them chatting about how outstanding their senior, Mr. Chao, was.
"Ningning?"
She whirled around, startled by the voice.
Her friends were even more surprised, their faces alight with excitement.
It was Mr. Chao!
Who would’ve thought Ningning actually knew him?
"Mr. Chao." Zeng Ning instinctively took a few steps toward Chao Musheng.
"It’s been years—you’ve grown so tall." Noticing her nervousness, Chao Musheng chuckled. "You used to call me Uncle. When did you switch to ‘Mr. Chao’?"
Staring at his youthful, handsome face, Zeng Ning couldn’t bring herself to call him "Uncle" now.
"I was planning to send this invitation to your mother so she could pass it to you." Chao Musheng pulled out an elegant card and handed it to her with a smile. "But since I ran into you, I thought it’d be better to give it to you directly."
Zeng Ning accepted it with both hands, confusion flickering in her eyes.
"A promise I made to you long ago." Chao Musheng winked. "I’d love for you to attend."
[If you and Uncle Su ever get married, will you invite me?]
The memory of her childish request rushed back. Clutching the invitation, Zeng Ning stared at Chao Musheng, her eyes burning with emotion. He’d remembered her words all these years—hadn’t dismissed them as a child’s whimsy.
Dazed, she hugged the invitation tightly as her friends crowded around her, their faces full of envy and curiosity.
"Ningning, when did you meet Mr. Chao?"
"Ahhh, I’m so jealous!"
Even after Chao Musheng left, Zeng Ning remained dazed by the surprise. Gazing in the direction he’d gone, she spotted another familiar figure amidst the crowd.
Mr. Su.
Su Chenzhu strode toward Chao Musheng, and the two stood side by side. Though they didn’t exchange any intimate gestures, the sweetness in their exchanged glances was unmistakable.
How wonderful.
Hugging the invitation tightly, Zeng Ning broke into a radiant smile.
The nightmare had been false, but the happiness before her eyes was real.
May the moon stay full, the years bring peace, and loved ones remain by each other’s side.
