Chapter 24

The day after attending the charity gala, Lin Shu was contacted by a former client from her previous law firm. The client was about to open a branch in Rong City and wanted Lin Shu to handle not only the company’s ongoing legal consultancy but also matters like drafting the company charter and handling establishment procedures.

As a result, Lin Shu spent most of her day in meetings with this client, discussing the structure of the new company. By the time the client left and she returned to the law firm, it was already past working hours.

What surprised Lin Shu was that Xu Shijia, who usually disappeared right at the end of the day, was still at his desk.

He hasn’t left yet?

As she passed by him, Lin Shu said politely, “If there’s nothing pressing, you should go home and rest early.”

Xu Shijia looked a bit awkward but still maintained his composure: “Oh, no rush. I’ll leave in a bit. I can’t help it; as they say, the more capable, the more work they get. It’s just one of the age-old workplace rules.”

“……”

More capable? No, it’s more like ‘the poorer, the more work’!

If you weren’t low on cash, would you even be here working? Isn’t money the real reason you’re staying late?

Sure enough, Xu Shijia cleared his throat, preparing to segue into his next point: “But I think my overtime efforts have been noticed by everyone. While overtime pay is trivial for someone like me, it represents recognition of one’s work ethic. It’s a way to acknowledge hard work and dedication. The money itself isn’t important, but the act of paying for overtime is significant…”

Look at him, trying to leave himself an out.

This is the first time I’ve ever heard someone ask for overtime pay in such a “fresh and elegant” manner.

Lin Shu cut him off with a deadpan expression: “Tianhao Law Firm operates on a flexible work schedule. Each team leader evaluates the monthly workload and awards bonuses accordingly. What matters is completing your work, not just sitting in the office, pretending it counts as overtime.”

She looked directly at Xu Shijia and said, emphasizing every word: “In other words, only overtime that I acknowledge is considered overtime. Only efficient overtime counts as overtime.”

“What exactly do you have on your plate today that couldn’t be finished during regular working hours?”

As expected, Xu Shijia was stumped by her question. He hesitated for a moment before stiffly saying, “The work’s already done. I stayed voluntarily to review the case files we just closed a few days ago…”

“That’s not called overtime; that’s called studying. Who needs to study? Perhaps someone who realizes their skills are still lacking and wants to catch up in their free time. That’s a personal issue—why should the firm pay for that?”

Lin Shu flashed a smile: “But I’m touched that you’ve realized the need for self-improvement and that you’re so passionate about studying. You can take the files home with you. Just sign them out in the logbook at the archives. By the way, I have a few freshly printed case studies on my desk—take them with you and read those too. We can discuss them tomorrow morning.”

After saying this, Lin Shu didn’t wait to see Xu Shijia’s crestfallen expression and walked away, humming a tune.

**

Lin Shu grabbed a simple meal near the firm. Initially, she planned to relax and not work for the rest of the night. However, she felt more energetic than expected, so she decided to return to the office to collect some documents about her client’s company for further study at home. But when she got back, the files that were supposed to be on her desk were nowhere to be found.

The document Lin Shu was looking for had originally been placed on top of some printed case studies she wanted to review. Now, both the case studies and the document were gone, as was Xu Shijia. She guessed that he might have mistakenly taken them home along with the case files.

Lin Shu immediately called Xu Shijia.

The call took a while to connect, and the signal was poor.

Fortunately, after some questioning, Xu Shijia found the document while searching through the case files: “I have it with me.”

“Okay, you’re home now, right? I’ll drive to your neighborhood to pick it up. There’s also a case file you took home last time, right? I’ll grab that too; I need to summarize and organize it. I’ll be there in about half an hour and call you when I arrive,” Lin Shu said, checking her watch.

But on the other end, Xu Shijia sounded a bit unnatural: “Half an hour won’t work. I’m not at home right now.”

Lin Shu was puzzled: “You went out?” The background noise on Xu Shijia’s end was indeed loud, like he was somewhere outside.

“Huh? Oh… yeah, I’m out shopping…” Xu Shijia quickly replied, trying to cover up, “It’ll probably take me another hour to get home, so you can head out later.”

Lin Shu was surprised. Xu Shijia still had money to go shopping? Maybe, even though one of his bank accounts was down to three figures, he had other cards?

But in the next moment, the sounds in the background made everything clear:

“The train is approaching Jinxi Station. You can transfer to Line 3. Please exit through the doors on the left in the direction of travel…”

Lin Shu’s expression remained blank as she said, “You’re shopping in the subway?”

What followed was an irritated Xu Shijia, caught in his lie: “I’m off work now! I don’t need to report my actions to you! Why are you checking up on me like that? Anyway, I’ll be home in an hour!”

**

An hour later, Lin Shu waited a little longer at the entrance of Xu Shijia’s neighborhood before he finally arrived.

He looked utterly exhausted, like his soul had been drained, leaving only a shell behind, with an expression filled with hopeless despair.

Xu Shijia was still tall and handsome, dressed in his usual expensive-looking clothes, but he no longer had that commanding, runway-model aura. Instead, he looked like someone who had just spent three sleepless days and nights working at a construction site.

Although he had stayed late at work and then taken the subway afterward, missing the rush hour, the crowd in the subway had clearly overwhelmed him.

The usual confidence and pride in his face seemed shattered.

But even so, when he saw Lin Shu, he still tried to put on a brave front, forcing himself to look energetic. In a blatant attempt to maintain his image, he said, “Oh, I was taking the subway to build my tolerance.”

Xu Shijia explained, self-righteously, “The strong help themselves, the weak trap themselves. Am I weak? Of course not.”

“Since I realized yesterday that I have an allergic reaction to the subway, I have to overcome it. You know, most allergies can be beaten with desensitization therapy. The logic is to expose yourself to small, manageable doses of the allergen, gradually stimulating your immune system until you’re no longer allergic. So today, I took antihistamines ahead of time, and I’ll gradually reduce the dose each day until I’m no longer allergic. You get it, right? People like me shouldn’t have weaknesses.”

Got it.

Taking antihistamines to ride the subway every day is cheaper than taking a cab.

A smart move for someone facing a drop in finances.

“Here’s the document you wanted.” Xu Shijia handed Lin Shu the document from his bag. “As for the other case file, I took it home a few days ago. It’s at my place.”

“Okay. I’ll go with you to get it.”

Lin Shu said this and started to head toward the main entrance, but Xu Shijia quickly stopped her.

“Don’t use the main gate.”

“Huh?”

Xu Shijia brushed his hair aside and looked away, speaking seriously, “Oh, there’s a side entrance in the neighborhood. It’s a shortcut, and it’s closer to my place.”

Without waiting for Lin Shu’s response, Xu Shijia turned and started walking. Lin Shu didn’t think much of it and followed him.

The “side entrance” Xu Shijia mentioned turned out to be an abandoned gate at the back of the neighborhood. There wasn’t even a security guard, the iron gate was rusted, and the area was overgrown with weeds. It was completely deserted, without even a streetlight. Lin Shu followed Xu Shijia through the dark, feeling like a thief sneaking around at night.

And…

Wasn’t this supposed to be a shortcut? Why did it feel like a longer, more roundabout route?

Lin Shu felt a bit confused, but Xu Shijia maintained a serious demeanor.

Thankfully, after walking for a while, they finally reached Xu Shijia’s building, and she followed him into the elevator.

“Wait here. I left the case file in my study. I’ll go grab it.”

Lin Shu stood at the entrance, intending to take the case file and leave.

However, before Xu Shijia could retrieve the file, the well-lit room suddenly plunged into darkness.

“Are you kidding me?!” Xu Shijia’s frustrated voice came from the study. “A power outage at this time? What’s the power company doing?! Cutting off electricity for the whole neighborhood at night without warning?! I’m going to file a complaint!”

Lin Shu glanced at the neighboring building, where the windows were still brightly lit: “I don’t think this is the power company’s fault.”

Xu Shijia seemed to realize the problem, but instead of calming down, he grew even more irate. Lin Shu overheard him making a call in the dark.

“I already told you that the property management has no right to cut off water and power to residents! You’re affecting my daily life, and I’ll file a law… what? Oh…”

Lin Shu listened as Xu Shijia’s tone shifted from furious to utterly deflated. Moments later, he hung up.

“This is supposed to be a high-end complex, right? Can the property management just cut off water and power whenever they want?” Lin Shu asked.

In the dark, Lin Shu couldn’t see Xu Shijia’s expression, but she heard his embarrassed and awkward voice: “No, it’s a misunderstanding. It wasn’t the property management.”

“It’s just an electrical issue,” Lin Shu heard Xu Shijia cough lightly and repeat, “Just a simple circuit problem, nothing major.”

His voice was calm and steady: “I’ll call the repair crew to check the wiring. Once the power’s back on, I’ll find the case file for you. Just wait a bit, it won’t take long.”

After saying that, Xu Shijia hurriedly disappeared into his room, fumbling around in the dark. Strangely, even though the room was pitch black, he still closed the door behind him.

Lin Shu waited in the living room for a while, but Xu Shijia didn’t come out. After thinking it over, she decided to ask if she could use the flashlight on her phone to look for the case file in the study herself.

That way, once she found what she needed, she wouldn’t have to waste more time here.

She approached Xu Shijia’s door, and she swore she had no intention of eavesdropping. However, just as she was about to knock, she heard his frustrated voice from inside, loud and clear—

“Bro! If you still consider me your brother, lend me some money!”

“I can’t even pay the property fees anymore. I’m too scared to walk through the main entrance because the property manager is always there, waiting to give me dirty looks. Can you imagine that? Me, Xu Shijia, the youngest son of Xinhe Group, sneaking into the complex through the side gate!”

“Dad doesn’t allow you to give me money? That’s fine, no one will know if you don’t tell him, right?”

“Bro, I’m not asking for much! Forget about the property fees, I can wait until payday. But you’ve got to help me out with the utility bills at least, right?”

“Just a few hundred bucks will do! My electricity got cut off because I couldn’t pay the bill! Look, it’s the middle of the night, everyone else has a warm, well-lit home, while your dear little brother is sitting here in the dark, cold, and lonely.”

“Do you even know what I’ve been reduced to? I had to take the subway home tonight! Yes, the subway! I’m allergic to it, but why did I take it? Because I realized antihistamines are cheaper than a taxi! Turns out, poverty can overcome all difficulties and diseases!”

“I haven’t even had dinner tonight! I’m out of money, and all my cards have been frozen! I’m cold, hungry, and thirsty…”

“Bro, just lend me a bit of money, and I swear I’ll be your brother for life! You’re like a father figure to me—if you want, I’ll even call you ‘Dad’ from now on!”

Xu Shijia’s voice softened, clearly trying to plead his case with emotion.

“Bro, we Chinese people are more reserved, so I’ve never said this before. Maybe you don’t know, but I’m going to shout it out loud now so you understand how I feel.”

Through the door, Lin Shu heard Xu Shijia’s heartfelt declaration: “Bro, I love you.”

“If you love me too, send your dear brother a nice little 520 red envelope…”

Unfortunately, before he could finish saying “envelope,” the call seemed to cut off.

“Hello? Bro? Hello?!”

Moments later, Lin Shu heard Xu Shijia muttering through gritted teeth—

“Great, just great!”

“Now not only has my electricity been cut off, but my phone has been disconnected for unpaid bills too!”