Chapter 40

Fortunately, Jin Yi didn’t have the chance to continue dwelling on this topic, as the school anniversary event finally began in earnest.

After the usual speeches from the principal and other addresses, they moved on to the honored alumni speech segment.

Amid the eyes of numerous alumni, Liu Xuhui stepped up to the podium, followed by his daughter.

“Good morning, teachers, alumni, and students. I am honored to stand here today as a representative of the school’s outstanding graduates on this occasion of Rong University’s anniversary…”

As Liu Xuhui’s voice rose and fell, his daughter simultaneously signed fluently in sign language.

To accommodate alumni who couldn’t attend, Rong University provided a live broadcast and media coverage for the event. Liu Xuhui and his daughter’s well-coordinated speech was streamed to viewers nationwide through the cameras.

This was the first time Jin Yi had seen an alumni bring a sign language interpreter to the school anniversary, and he felt it was quite novel. He turned his head and noticed that Xu Shijia was also listening attentively for a change.

Liu Xuhui was a prominent alumnus from the previous few graduating classes of the Law School at Rong University. He had an incredibly bright future and had even married the school belle. However, after a few years, he mysteriously vanished from the public eye.

Jin Yi didn’t pay much attention to this gossip, but he couldn’t help but overhear other alumni from the law school whispering nearby—

“Have you heard about Bai Feng?”

“It’s truly a case of knowing someone’s face but not their heart. I really believed he and his wife had a deep relationship, but it turns out he was the one who intervened in Senior Liu Xuhui’s marriage to his ex-wife. That ex-wife left because Liu Xuhui’s daughter is deaf, and she ran off with wealthy Bai Feng…”

“Did you know? Bai Feng was originally supposed to be one of our alumni guests at the anniversary, since he’s now considered an excellent entrepreneur. But then Bai Feng got caught up in a scandal, and people exposed him online. His so-called charity was all fake; he was terrible to the deaf child he adopted, and his wife is even more outrageous—she abandoned the child just because Liu Xuhui’s daughter was deaf, yet she pretended to adopt a deaf child for show.”

“Back in law school, I heard from another senior that Bai Feng was the type who didn’t study but just coasted along, and he bought his way into our school. Liu Xuhui was the real talent everyone praised and recognized; he was also a kind person.”

“Yeah, I used to know a senior who lamented about Liu Xuhui. After all, raising a deaf child alone would force someone to sacrifice their career. But who would’ve thought Liu Xuhui was so impressive? Under such adverse conditions, he managed to turn all that into his advantage. I saw in the news recently that he became a lawyer for the deaf, and I felt both admiration and moved by it.”

“Having Liu Xuhui replace Bai Feng to speak at our anniversary is finally a good decision by the school.”

“Bai Feng has really been through it lately. Not only has he been exposed for his past scandals, but the investments his company secured also fell through. I heard that his son was caught stealing at a supermarket.”

“I know about that. He originally adopted a deaf child, and all the blame for the theft fell on that kid. Recently, they terminated the adoption agreement, and his son didn’t take any responsibility, yet he still didn’t learn his lesson and went out to steal. That’s how he ended up getting caught red-handed!”

“Like father, like son? When the parents are unfaithful, the child steals. It’s not a family if they don’t share the same door…”

…

Jin Yi had only heard a little about Senior Liu Xuhui before, but now he learned the details and couldn’t help but stretch his neck to look at the podium.

Although Liu Xuhui wasn’t wearing designer clothes, he was dressed appropriately, exuding a gentle and elegant demeanor with a scholarly air combined with a convincing professionalism. He spoke at length, sharing a few anecdotes about his efforts in expanding legal services for the deaf community. His few words contained incredibly moving details as he described the confusion and difficulties he faced when first entering the market. He focused on the challenges that deaf individuals face in accessing legal services:

“My child is deaf. Because of this condition, I always worried about them being bullied in society. But sometimes life is fair; what others see as your flaw is actually your unique ability. When you change your perspective, you can use that uniqueness to achieve more than anyone else. Your shortcomings can also be your strengths.”

“I graduated many years ago and have not become a successful entrepreneur or a partner at a top law firm, but I am very content. I have faced many setbacks before finally walking the right path today. What I want to say to everyone is that a life with flaws is not frightening, and a life that has taken detours is far from over. Even if you become the most ordinary star in the night sky, you can still persist in using your faint light to illuminate the paths of travelers.”

“Today, I stand here with my child to tell all the deaf friends who can see this video that you too can stand in the spotlight, find your own way, and strive to keep moving forward.”

It was clear that Liu Xuhui was speaking from the heart. Jin Yi noticed that when he spoke passionately, there were even tears in his eyes, and his daughter, who had prepared to translate his speech into sign language, also had red eyes as she listened to her father’s words.

In the audience, Jin Yi saw another child of the same age, watching everything with tear-filled eyes. It seemed this child was also deaf, using sign language to communicate something to Liu Xuhui’s daughter, clearly moved by Liu Xuhui’s speech and inspired.

The alumni speeches were originally one of Jin Yi’s least favorite parts of the anniversary celebration, as the speakers were typically wealthy and powerful individuals who would recite pompous platitudes.

However, this time, he found himself genuinely touched.

Alumni like Liu Xuhui should be recognized, praised, and held up as role models for younger students.

There are many paths in life; success isn’t solely measured by wealth, fame, or power.

Clearly, Jin Yi wasn’t alone in this sentiment; everyone present seemed to feel the same way. Jin Yi looked around and saw that everyone’s expressions reflected their emotional engagement.

No one was on their phones or whispering to one another; all eyes were quietly following the father-daughter duo on stage.

—

Lin Shu watched Liu Xuhui on stage, feeling both touched and relieved.

She had been waiting for this moment.

At some point, Wang Tie Niu and Xu Shijia had also come to stand beside her, and the three of them quietly focused on Liu Xuhui, listening to his steady speech.

Years had passed, but Liu Xuhui still radiated charisma. His speech was neither long-winded nor tedious; his simple words carried sincerity and honesty. When he finished, the audience erupted into thunderous applause.

In that applause, Lin Shu finally smiled.

Xu Shijia turned to see this scene.

Lin Shu’s smile was carefree and radiant, like apricot blossoms blooming vigorously in March, full of resilient vitality, beautiful and unabashed.

Her dark, bright eyes shone more vividly than ever, devoid of mischief or playfulness, filled with sincere emotion and deep feeling, like the brightest moon in the night sky—beautiful, pure, distant—but it also stirred a sense of possessiveness in him.

If only her eyes were directed solely at him…

Xu Shijia’s mind became a whirlwind of confusion, yet amidst the chaos, one fragment of thought seemed destined to come true.

Lin Shu’s gaze shifted from Liu Xuhui and suddenly landed on Xu Shijia.

In her eyes, the remnants of her unfinished smile were radiant and flawless, as if she could see through to his heart.

Xu Shijia felt guilty and instinctively averted his gaze.

He flustered, “It looks like Jin Yi is looking for me; I’ll go check on him.”

Throwing down those words, Xu Shijia rushed back to Jin Yi’s side like he was fleeing.

—

Jin Yi was so absorbed in Liu Xuhui’s speech that he didn’t even notice Xu Shijia had stepped away.

Hearing some noise beside him, he turned to look at Xu Shijia and exclaimed, “This senior is really impressive!”

After the applause that echoed for a long time, Liu Xuhui did not leave the podium.

He paused for a moment, then looked toward a certain spot in the crowd—

“Today, I want to give special thanks to my mentor, who never gave up on me, who didn’t care about my age, my burdens, or my previous lackadaisical attitude toward work. It was she who extended her hand to me, guiding me step by step, helping me realize that sometimes the difficulties and flaws in life can actually be my most precious qualities.”

In his earlier speech, Liu Xuhui had controlled his emotions well, but as he reached this final acknowledgment, his voice carried a hint of choked emotion, and his eyes showed obvious tears and gratitude.

He was genuinely thankful for this person.

So who was it?

Which alumni from Rong University had helped him?

Jin Yi followed Liu Xuhui’s gaze, trying to identify this mentor, but there were simply too many people.

Fortunately, Liu Xuhui didn’t leave them guessing for long.

His voice rose and fell clearly and powerfully—

“I want to thank Lin Shu, a partner at Tianhao Law Firm, my boss. It is you who gave me and my daughter the opportunity to stand here today; it is you who allowed us to shine again, to be seen, who changed our lives and provided many deaf individuals with the opportunity to receive legal services and change their lives!”

Lin Shu?

Jin Yi was taken aback for a moment. Following Liu Xuhui’s gaze, he indeed spotted that familiar, radiant face in the crowd.

Could it really be this Lin Shu?

She was so young and yet a partner at Tianhao Law Firm?!

In response to Liu Xuhui’s gratitude, Lin Shu wore only a faint smile on her face. She didn’t seem to display much emotion, which only piqued Jin Yi’s curiosity.

What kind of profound appreciation must Liu Xuhui have for her to express such heartfelt thanks at the alumni anniversary speech?

At this moment, on the podium, Liu Xuhui had not yet left—

“Of course, besides thanking my boss, I also want to thank my colleagues, Xu Shijia and Wang Tie Niu. We are a relatively new team at Tianhao Law Firm, but the atmosphere is great. I hope my juniors who are interested can send their resumes to my boss when they graduate.”

Liu Xuhui regained his humorous tone, pulling everyone back from the earlier emotional moment into a relaxed atmosphere. He laughed, saying, “We joke that being a lawyer is no different from working in a factory; it’s equally tough. Today, I’m tasked with recruiting new team members, hoping to bring in some new male and female workers for our team.”

Everyone laughed at Liu Xuhui’s words, but Jin Yi couldn’t bring himself to smile.

He looked at Xu Shijia, uncertain, and asked, “Liu Xuhui is your colleague, and Lin Shu is your boss? She’s really not your romantic interest? This woman looks so young and beautiful, yet she’s already a partner?”

Because of Liu Xuhui’s heartfelt gratitude, Lin Shu waved to him in acknowledgment and nodded with a smile to those around her, tacitly confirming her identity. The surrounding gazes converged on Lin Shu, and just like every time, alumni began to approach her, initiating conversations. Many men, eager to meet Lin Shu but previously unsure how to approach her, quickly took out their business cards to exchange contact information, spurred on by Liu Xuhui’s words.

Lin Shu seemed quite accustomed to this; her every gesture exuded the calmness and composure expected of a partner, her bright eyes radiating confidence.

Jin Yi still looked incredulous. “Is she really your boss?”

“No.” Xu Shijia glanced at Lin Shu, who was surrounded by a group of men, her expression darkening. He turned his gaze back and said irritably, “She’s my ancestor!”

Jin Yi had no trouble understanding this. “So, you have a crush on your boss? Xu Shijia, you really are something!”

He recalled his previous comments in front of Lin Shu: “Fortunately, I didn’t say anything reckless. As for your confession wall, there’s no trace of it online, so I just praised your good health and strength. That’s definitely a plus.”

The moment he said that, Xu Shijia shot back sarcastically, “Of course it’s a plus! If I were weak and didn’t have enough stamina, how could I work like a mule for her?”

Jin Yi was left speechless.

To be honest, he really didn’t understand Xu Shijia. “I thought you had moved on from your first love and were starting a new, healthy relationship, but instead, you’re planning to have an office romance with your boss?”

What kind of person would want to date their own boss?

What kind of mentality would fall for someone who assigns them work every day?

Did Xu Shijia have a masochistic tendency?

Lin Shu was beautiful, but how could someone so young elicit such heartfelt gratitude from Liu Xuhui? Wasn’t she a formidable character with a strong hand?

Wait a minute…

Jin Yi suddenly froze. He finally remembered why Lin Shu’s name sounded familiar.

In a flash, he recalled the summer of their senior year in high school, when Xu Shijia drunkenly mentioned that name.

Isn’t it… isn’t it Lin Shu?!

Jin Yi stared at Xu Shijia in shock. “Is she the one who bought your first time for one hundred nineteen yuan?!”

He had thought Xu Shijia was moving on from his past, but it seemed he was still stuck in that pit!

Jin Yi had guessed who Xu Shijia’s unrequited first love was in the past, considering all the female classmates he had gotten to know over the three years of high school. He had eliminated them one by one.

Now that the truth was revealed, Jin Yi felt bewildered.

When did Lin Shu have any interaction with Xu Shijia in high school?

He pondered hard, and now with Lin Shu’s name, he had a new understanding of that puzzle from the past.

This time, Jin Yi finally remembered.

“Was she the senior who constantly targeted you during your senior year?”

“Was she that beautiful in high school? I remember her as a fierce, unkempt senior!”

“How did you even develop feelings for her? When did that happen? I remember she used to scold you every day! She never gave you a good look! Every time you went to the wonton shop, you begged her to let you finish the last two wontons, but she refused! What do you even like about her?”

Xu Shijia’s expression darkened. He glared at Lin Shu, who was still laughing and chatting with the other alumni, and said flatly, “I appreciate her unwavering dedication over the years.”

“Where’s the dedication in that?”

Xu Shijia replied sarcastically, “She used to scold me every day in senior year. Years have passed, and she still scolds me the same way, even after knowing my family background. How is that not her unchanged nature?”

Jin Yi: “…Bro, why can’t you just look forward after all these years? There’s spring in front of a sick tree; what’s the point of this?”

Xu Shijia’s expression was cold as he self-deprecatingly said, “What’s the point? I’m just pathetic and have a masochistic tendency.”

On the other side, Lin Shu didn’t glance at Xu Shijia at all; she was enthusiastically chatting with alumni from Rong University.

Jin Yi couldn’t help but feel sorry for Xu Shijia. Wasn’t it clear that he was trying to give his heart to a moon that only shines in a gutter?

“It doesn’t necessarily mean you have a masochistic tendency; it could just be a case of being stuck in a first love. That first impression is too profound, so you can’t move on. You haven’t dated anyone in all these years or had much interaction with the opposite sex. Maybe it would be better to let go a bit and try dating someone new. You might discover that your first experience wasn’t that different after all, and you could move on.”

Wherever Xu Shijia looked, Lin Shu was surrounded by men who all had ulterior motives for wanting to befriend her, most of whom were superficial and only interested in her beauty.

Xu Shijia observed that Lin Shu accepted a business card from a new tech tycoon in Rong City with a calm expression, showing no eager enthusiasm, only the politeness of keeping a distance.

These men were foolish, thinking that their status and position would earn Lin Shu’s admiration.

Xu Shijia wanted to laugh; Lin Shu didn’t care about a man’s identity or background at all.

She had never considered taking a shortcut through marriage.

Even the fact that she was the daughter of the CEO of the Xinhai Group didn’t make Lin Shu look at her twice.

So how could these men dare to?

Lin Shu was like a shining star, beautiful and vigorous. She was different from those girls who were merely pretty; she had eyes that didn’t hide her ambition and debrothere, full of self-confidence.

In those eyes was a strong sense of self-awareness, exuding an unmanageable aura, embodying a freedom that could never be tamed, giving off a feeling of being completely unyielding and even difficult to deal with.

Xu Shijia had originally thought time would calm all emotions, and he had indeed tried to do so.

But the reality was, unsurprisingly, a failure.

The moment he saw Lin Shu again, Xu Shijia felt utterly defeated.

Even if she were the moon, he wanted to keep her to himself.

…

“I don’t want to,” Xu Shijia firmly rejected Jin Yi’s proposal. He continued to stare intensely at Lin Shu, saying, “I want her.”

“A man doesn’t easily give up; he must rise again where he fell.”

With that, Xu Shijia shot Jin Yi a glance and headed towards Lin Shu with an unfriendly expression.

This left Jin Yi in a state of shock.