Chapter 77: Individual Heroism

Compared to the bravery of the officer, Si Shang seemed to finally understand why, after more than a decade of fruitless pursuit, the woman he could never win over relied so much on someone else.

“You don’t have to answer my questions—this concerns a life and constitutes a criminal case,” Si Shang added, his tone easing a little as he even gave Lin Yu a reassuring pat on the shoulder. “But don’t worry, this falls under excessive self-defense, and we’ve already handed the matter to the prosecution.”

“At the same time, we’ve decided not to hold you accountable. It’s up to the court now, but if the prosecution and we both agree, and the police also determine it was legitimate self-defense, you’ll be free.”

Free?

Lin Yu pondered this. Such a thorough explanation was probably not just for his sake—it was meant to put Ji Ya at ease. But thinking it through, until the legal process was finished, he likely wouldn’t be leaving the hospital.

He looked up at Ji Ya, about to ask what would happen with the show, when Director Lin Jia appeared at the doorway, breathless as if she’d just rushed over. “Are you alright?”

“Lin, do you know your reputation as an invincible Lu Bu has spread across every major social media channel? You’re famous now!” Lin Jia excitedly showed Lin Yu the livestream comments and netizen reactions.

The video of him in the alleyway brawl had gone viral, with every marketing account reposting it in awe, hailing him as the reincarnation of Lu Bu, to the point that Lin Yu himself doubted whether it was all some internet legend’s fabrication.

But the comments from viewers snapped him back to reality—everything had truly happened.

“All I can say is, this is a pure, true hero!”
“Damn, I never noticed—Dog Yu is this fierce?!”
“That creepy guy is disgusting! Has he never seen a woman in his life?!”
“Ugh, I’m honestly nauseated! After watching the live broadcast, I’ve been so angry I can’t even eat! I’m going to go fight with my boyfriend now!”
“Dog Yu, mwah mwah mwah!”
“The production team is useless—only now do they step up?”
“Ridiculous, go flame them under their Weibo post!”
“I just care about one thing: can I still keep watching this show? I really love several of the couples!”
“Support physical punishment for criminals who harass women!”

...

The next morning, Lin Yu was discharged. According to Ji Ya’s assistant, who had just rushed over, it was Ji Ya who resolved the matter, though Lin Yu had no curiosity about what methods she used.

Maybe... it was because of that man?

The internet was in an uproar, all about Lin Yu and Ji Ya encountering a creep, with Lin Yu’s heroic intervention dominating the trending topics.

The situation had reached a relatively satisfactory resolution. The production team took responsibility, and the netizens stopped their vitriol—supporting the show’s continued broadcast and demanding that the true culprit be brought to justice.

Accompanying Ji Ya’s assistant Xiao Lin was a middle-aged man in a suit, whose calm but forceful presence initially made Lin Yu mistake him for some corporate president. It was only after Xiao Lin’s introduction that he learned this was Tan Shumo, the lead attorney from Ji Ya’s family’s elite law team.

“Tan Shumo.”
“Lin Yu.”

The two men exchanged polite greetings, then sat face to face on the hotel room sofa. Tan Shumo quickly summarized the situation, having already gathered all the evidence and prepared a written report.

“From what we’ve seen, you can indeed be considered to have acted in legitimate defense. But since this is a criminal case, I need more details about what happened at the scene. The goal is to find a way to completely exonerate you.”

Xiao Lin brewed fine black tea for the two and stood by, awaiting instructions.

“If I remember correctly, the way those guys handled their knives wasn’t ordinary, and the scar-faced leader hinted he’d done time.”

Tan Shumo glanced at Ji Ya, who signaled him with her eyes. Then, watching Xiao Lin immediately turn and leave, he smiled, tapping the table as he voiced his thoughts.

“I understand your intentions. I’ll arrange everything as soon as possible.”

In his firm handwriting, he wrote words like “serious offender,” “criminal record,” and “severe sentence” on the paper.

Put simply, he would stack on as many charges as possible, leaving the other side no room to escape. After all, repeat offenders receive much harsher sentences.

Tan Shumo’s intentions had been clear from the start—those who provoked the Ji family would be crushed, with no chance of reprieve. This was the true power of the Ji family, who could blot out the sun with a wave of the hand.

You might have the opportunity to make a mistake, but you would never get a second chance.

Lin Yu was momentarily stunned. Was his communication really that effective now, to make Tan Shumo leap to such ruthless conclusions?

“Mr. Tan... please don’t misunderstand.”
“I only suspect that this wasn’t their first attempt at such a crime—I’m not making a direct accusation.”

Tan Shumo smiled faintly. Was it really a misunderstanding? He didn’t think so.

“No one who offends the Ji family ever comes to a good end, Mr. Lin. This is the wish of both the old master and the young lady. Rest assured, you will bear no responsibility for this.”

“If you have any other concerns, you can speak to me directly.”

There was a strange smile on Tan Shumo’s lips; it was clear enough what he meant without further explanation.

In the eyes of capitalists, human life was as insignificant as an ant—anything that could be solved with money was not a problem at all.

Lin Yu understood perfectly and felt a little lost.

But he quickly regained his composure. After four years of being betrayed in his previous life, all his devotion had only benefited his ex-girlfriend and her lover. In this life, he had long since shed his former hesitations and softness.

As Niu Goluo Yu, how could he possibly show mercy to the cur who had almost cost him his second chance at life?

Yet one thing puzzled Lin Yu, and his gaze landed on Ji Ya.

It was strange. Wasn’t the heiress of the entertainment world always known for her aloof elegance? She shouldn’t have been willing to handle such a tricky matter herself, especially one that could affect her reputation.

Wasn’t she afraid... that rumors would spread, and people would call her ruthless? Then again, for a female CEO to stand firm in the business world, she must have survived her share of battles.

Lin Yu blinked at her. It seemed he and Ji Ya were more alike than he’d thought.

“Mr. Tan, I’ll do whatever my boss says.”

Boss?

Tan Shumo looked at Ji Ya in confusion. What kind of entertainment company was this, using “boss” like a gang?

Ji Ya merely smiled, saying nothing. Tan Shumo let it go, organized his files, and left to report back.

Director Lin Jia soon called Lin Yu to join the others. The director’s personal summons made Lin Yu a bit nervous—was something wrong?