CH 50

Ji Yao: “…”

Lately, there had been too much going on. Ever since he reunited with Jiang Heng, everything had been moving forward at a breakneck pace. Ji Yao hadn’t quite adapted to this chaotic, fast-paced life. At times, he would remember one thing and forget another, but he always remembered that he needed to pursue Jiang Heng. He almost forgot about this particular matter.

But he couldn’t entirely blame Jiang Heng for it. Jiang Heng had only mentioned that Ji Yao should pretend to be his boyfriend without specifying a time frame. Ji Yao had waited, but there was no follow-up, so he naturally put it to the back of his mind.

Due to family reasons, Ji Yao was extremely anxious about interacting with elders. If Jiang Heng hadn’t hung up the phone so quickly, he might have given in to the impulse to escape.

He vividly remembered the scene when his own sexual orientation was exposed. Although his own parents were conservative and strict, most Chinese parents couldn’t calmly accept the fact that their son was gay. So even though Jiang Heng had mentioned it casually and naturally, Ji Yao couldn’t help but think of the worst.

Could it be that Auntie was trying to draw a snake out of its hole and catch them all at once? Ji Yao couldn’t help but wonder.

The more he thought about it, the more he felt it was a trap. He paced around the staircase like a caged animal, growing increasingly nervous. Subconsciously, he thought about pulling out his phone to call Jiang Heng and ask him to “reconsider.”

His phone was clenched in his hand, already warmed by his body temperature. He absentmindedly unlocked the screen, and the call log page appeared, still open and waiting.

Ji Yao’s fingers had already moved to Jiang Heng’s contact list, but before he could dial, something suddenly clicked in his mind.

At that moment, Ji Yao seemed to faintly grasp Jiang Heng’s thoughts.

There was no doubt that they liked each other, but they were both past the age where they could afford endless trials and errors. Being together now meant facing many more challenges than before.

Ji Yao had left home, severed ties with his parents, and lived as a lone wolf, not caring about anything. He naturally thought he wouldn’t repeat the same mistakes as before and didn’t take Jiang Heng’s concerns seriously.

But now, it seemed he wasn’t any better than before. He was still sensitive to anything related to “family,” and he was even a little afraid of facing Jiang Heng’s mother as a “pretend” boyfriend. His subconscious mind made him want to run away.

But that wouldn’t do, Ji Yao thought. I’ve already promised Jiang Heng.

He had already disappointed Jiang Heng once, and he couldn’t afford to disappoint him a second time.

Ji Yao forced himself to turn off the screen, using the thought that he had already agreed as a way to convince himself. Finally, he reluctantly reached a truce with his instincts and decided to temporarily ignore this matter.

He pocketed his phone, returned to the office from the staircase, and then grabbed a cup of milk tea from the “dessert corner.”

“I found the one who bought the snacks,” Ji Yao said with the milk tea straw in his mouth, vaguely saying, “Don’t worry, tell everyone to eat in peace.”

The young nurse replied with an “okay.” She had wanted to ask him who it was, but Ji Yao had already entered the office and closed the door behind him.

Ji Yao’s mind was in turmoil, but with no one to talk to, he spent the whole afternoon restlessly, as if there were needles pricking him in the office.

This state of mind continued until 4:30 in the afternoon when his phone suddenly vibrated, and a local news notification appeared.

Ji Yao’s gaze shifted from his computer screen as he scrolled down a bit. He then realized that the topic that had popped up was about the outcome of the Liu Qiang case.

Ji Yao was momentarily stunned. He wiped his hands and glanced at the topic.

That Weibo post had just been posted a few minutes ago, and there weren’t too many comments yet. Ji Yao clicked on the video embedded in the post and found that the case had already been decided about ten minutes ago.

Liu Qiang had been prosecuted for perjury, and he was ultimately found guilty and sentenced to two years and ten months in prison. Liu Qiang, however, expressed his intention to appeal the verdict in court.

In the video, Li Linghua and the others exited the courthouse first, and reporters gathered at the door, eager to interview her. However, Jiang Heng stepped forward and stopped them.

“My client is not currently accepting interviews,” Jiang Heng said, with a somewhat distant smile. “Whether the suspect is guilty or not, the sentencing is determined by the law. Personal opinions cannot influence anything, so there is no need to investigate further.”

The reporter in the front, from a relatively well-known online news channel, asked with a somewhat malicious tone, “This case has had a significant social impact. Before the trial, many netizens expressed their desire for a severe punishment for Liu Qiang. So, in this context, was the sentencing influenced by public opinion, even though the Liu Qiang case did not result in serious consequences?”

“Public opinion will not sway the judiciary, and the judiciary will not be biased,” Jiang Heng replied, his tone carrying a hint of coldness. “The fact that Liu Qiang did not cause serious consequences is due to the fairness and justice of the judiciary. The judge is meticulous, which is why he wouldn’t falsely accuse innocent people.”

“So, are you saying that public opinion had no influence on the verdict under these circumstances?” the reporter asked.

Jiang Heng did not directly answer that question. He pushed his glasses up and looked around at the people in front of him.

“The law is written in black and white and is available for anyone to read for a few hundred yuan. There is no favoritism in the judiciary. Sentencing falls within a certain range, and as long as it is within that range, everything is reasonable.”

Jiang Heng looked at the reporter who had asked the question, smiled at him, and continued, “Let me give you an analogy. If a thug harasses a woman on the street, and a good Samaritan steps in when there are few people around, he might get a slap on the wrist. If there are more people, he might get slapped a few more times. Do you understand?”

The reporter’s face turned alternately pale and red as Jiang Heng spoke. He wanted to retort, but Jiang Heng’s words had sealed all the loopholes, making it impossible for him to question whether advocating violence was acceptable.

After all, Jiang Heng had said it was “acting as a good Samaritan.”

Jiang Heng withdrew his gaze from the reporter and walked away from the crowd.

The video shook for a moment and abruptly ended with his back view.

That short video, just a few minutes long, already had quite a few comments below it. Perhaps because of Jiang Heng’s strong presence in the interview, one of the top comments was about him.

[Lawyers are really good at speaking—by the way, he’s quite handsome.]

Seeing this, Ji Yao couldn’t help but click the like button for that comment.

As the end of the workday approached, Ji Yao finished his handover of tasks and made rounds in various wards before heading back. Just as he reached the hospital’s entrance, he received a call from Jiang Heng.

After changing into casual clothes, Ji Yao walked out of the hospital building and spotted Jiang Heng’s car, which was parked conspicuously in front.

Jiang Heng had waited at the hospital instead of going home after the trial. He was currently sitting in the driver’s seat, resting with his eyes closed.

Ji Yao, carrying an unopened piece of cake from the afternoon, approached the car and tapped on the window.

Jiang Heng, looking slightly tired, opened his eyes and glanced at Ji Yao before unlocking the car door.

Ji Yao got into the passenger seat, and as he examined Jiang Heng’s pale face, he asked, “Are you upset?”

“The sentencing was lighter than I expected,” Jiang Heng replied.

“That’s not bad,” Ji Yao consoled him. “Didn’t they confirm that the murder had nothing to do with him?”

Jiang Heng pursed his lips, still not in the best of spirits.

The trial had taken the whole day, and Jiang Heng had followed it from start to finish. Now, he was feeling a bit drained. Ji Yao placed the dessert box on his lap and asked, “Did you have lunch?”

“No,” Jiang Heng replied. “There wasn’t enough time.”

Ji Yao seriously said, “In that case, let’s grab something to eat now. If you don’t eat these snacks, you’ll be even hungrier later. After we met your mum, we can have a proper meal.”

Bringing up this topic made Ji Yao uncomfortable. Whenever it was mentioned, he couldn’t help but think about the major hurdle in front of him. He felt like he was sitting on pins and needles.

Jiang Heng drove the car out of the hospital parking lot and couldn’t help but glance at Ji Yao with curiosity.

“What’s wrong?” Jiang Heng asked. “Are you feeling nervous?”

“Of course,” Ji Yao said through gritted teeth. “Aren’t you? I mean, who wouldn’t be anxious when they have to come out to their family? Let me tell you, just be cautious. Coming out can be like walking on thin ice. Maybe your mom will be polite and grant you your freedom. But if you really bring your boyfriend to meet her, you never know what might happen.”

This statement seemed to strike a chord with Jiang Heng, and he burst into laughter. Ji Yao even suspected that if parking wasn’t prohibited at the hospital entrance, he might have parked the car by the roadside and laughed for three minutes before continuing.

“It’s okay, don’t be afraid,” Jiang Heng said after laughing. “My mom is a unique woman. She won’t meddle in my affairs, let alone yours. Oh, she might express some concern, she’ll probably worry about the lifespan of the cactus that’s going to spend the rest of its life with me.”

Ji Yao: “…?”