Chapter 57

Lin Shu felt a mixture of complex emotions and panic. She avoided Xu Shijia’s gaze and question, her mind still filled with many uncertainties.

She felt that the hospital was not a good place to discuss such matters, so she decided, “Since Lin Yiqing is Xu Mingmei’s friend, I’ll contact her to see if she knows Lin Yiqing’s husband. She can handle her current affairs and come to the hospital afterward, and also notify Lin Yiqing’s relatives.”

The hospital was chaotic, noisy, and busy, and Lin Shu couldn’t help but feel tense, her mind overwhelmed, like an overloaded computer.

No matter what, she decided to take care of Lin Yiqing’s matter first.

Xu Mingmei had just finished a visit with a client. When she heard from Lin Shu that Lin Yiqing had unexpectedly gone into early labor while visiting the law firm, she felt deeply apologetic and immediately expressed that she would head to the hospital. However, before she could arrive, it was Lin Yiqing’s husband who had already gotten there first.

After Lin Yiqing regained consciousness, the first thing she did was call her husband to share the good news.

Upon hearing the joyful news, the father of the child rushed over almost immediately.

At that moment, Lin Shu was once again certain that the child in Lin Yiqing’s womb was definitely not Xu Shijia’s. Even through the incubator, it was obvious that the baby’s profile looked exactly like Xu Nan, the father.

Xu Nan was a middle-aged man whose clothing clearly indicated they were from a high-end brand. He appeared to be well-off, refined, and rather high-profile. He wasn’t alone—he was accompanied by a woman of a similar age.

When Lin Yiqing saw her husband, she wasn’t overly excited, but when her eyes landed on the woman behind Xu Nan, her expression instantly relaxed, as if relieved. “Aunt Zhou! Thank goodness you’re here!”

Only then did Lin Shu realize that the woman accompanying Xu Nan was a caregiver whom Xu Nan had hired after Lin Yiqing became pregnant. This woman was only slightly older than Lin Yiqing, and thanks to her well-maintained appearance, she looked almost the same age. Though the woman’s clothes didn’t show a brand, they were made of high-quality fabric and didn’t look cheap. Her overall appearance was striking, and she didn’t look like someone who would be serving others, but rather someone who seemed to be the one being served.

Lin Yiqing spoke highly of this Aunt Zhou.

“Aunt Zhou has been wonderful. During my pregnancy, all the meals I ate were made by her. She followed the pregnancy diet strictly and was very particular. There were times when my blood sugar fluctuated, and I was worried it would affect the baby, but Aunt Zhou would take me out for walks every day to regulate my sugar levels. She even made me special low-glycemic meals. Whenever I had checkups, and my husband couldn’t accompany me, Aunt Zhou would go with me, help me get my number, and take care of all the paperwork. She’s really familiar with the whole process. Since she’s been with me, I’ve become lazier and don’t do anything anymore. I just rely on her!”

The unexpected early birth made Lin Yiqing feel a bit anxious, but since her husband brought Aunt Zhou, she completely relaxed. “With Aunt Zhou here, I’m fine!”

What she said was indeed true.

Although Aunt Zhou didn’t look like a traditional nanny, she was quite exceptional in her work. She had arrived with a suitcase.

Since Lin Yiqing couldn’t produce milk after the early birth, Aunt Zhou opened the suitcase and took out the prepared milk powder and bottles to start preparing the formula.

Lin Shu glanced at the suitcase and saw that it was carefully packed with various baby products, most of them imported brands. It seemed Aunt Zhou had prepared for every possibility. There were even multiple brands of each type of item, as if she feared the baby wouldn’t like one. She was indeed well-prepared and thoughtful, which explained why Lin Yiqing had been so relaxed upon seeing her—her earlier anxiety about becoming a new mother had completely disappeared.

Though it was an early birth, both mother and child were safe, and Lin Yiqing’s husband couldn’t hide his joy.

“Thank God! The Xu family finally has an heir!”

“I, Xu Nan, finally have a son!”

With a beaming face, he turned to Aunt Zhou and repeatedly urged, “Make sure you take good care of the child! If you need more money, just ask me!”

Although Aunt Zhou was very responsible and meticulous, she wasn’t the child’s biological mother, so her reaction to the birth was rather subdued. She simply nodded and looked a bit tired, but it was clear that she was relieved that Lin Yiqing had safely given birth.

Xu Nan, with a loud voice, said, “Yiqing, after this, Aunt Zhou will take care of the child. You don’t need to worry about anything. Just focus on recovering. I’ll take care of the baby’s name and birth certificate. I’ll handle everything. Also, since I’m worried Aunt Zhou might be too busy taking care of the baby and not able to attend to you properly, I’ve already arranged for a nurse to come, and she’ll be here soon. If you need anything, just tell the nurse, okay?”

Although Xu Nan rushed to the hospital first to see the baby in the incubator, his actions were understandably thoughtful and generous. Given his considerate behavior, Lin Yiqing’s eyes were filled with hope for the future life of their family of three. She looked happy, nodding constantly.

“I can’t stay too long, or I’ll disturb you and the baby. I need to handle some urgent financial matters at the company. Stay here and take care of yourself.”

Xu Nan hurriedly arrived and just as quickly left.

By the time Xu Mingmei arrived at the hospital, Xu Nan had already left, and they didn’t even meet.

She didn’t have time to visit Lin Yiqing. As a new mother, Lin Yiqing was physically and mentally exhausted. After she managed to see her husband and made sure that the baby was being looked after by the reliable Aunt Zhou, she finally began to rest.

However, what Xu Shijia had said earlier—that Lin Yiqing reached out to him and the others because she wanted advice on a divorce agreement—was puzzling. From what she could see now, Lin Yiqing’s relationship with her husband seemed fine, and they had just welcomed a new family member. So why would divorce even come up?

Lin Shu had everything arranged and handled, and was about to talk to Xu Mingmei to understand more about Lin Yiqing’s situation and if it could lead to potential business opportunities. But then she realized that her meeting time with another client was approaching. Being punctual was the greatest virtue of a lawyer, so she couldn’t afford to waste any more time. She immediately headed toward the client’s company.

—

Xu Shijia was afraid his mother’s identity might be revealed, but since Lin Yiqing was now asleep, he felt he could take a chance.

Almost as soon as he saw Xu Mingmei, anger surged within him. He took the opportunity to pull her aside while Lin Shu wasn’t paying attention.

“Mom! Look at what you’ve done! Lin Shu now misunderstands me and is going to transfer me out of the team!”

…

But when Xu Shijia confronted Xu Mingmei, she only hesitated for a second before defending herself.

“Xiao Bao, I really did talk to Lin Shu, but it was all a misunderstanding. Who would have thought there would be such a coincidence? Look at it—‘Xuejie’, ‘Lin’, both of them are high school graduates, everything matches up, even her real husband’s surname is Xu! It’s too easy to mix them up!”

“You knew it was a mistake, so why didn’t you clarify it with Lin Shu?”

Xu Mingmei looked a little uncomfortable. She cleared her throat, then insisted, “I’m doing this for your own good! Look at you—you’re getting older and still haven’t found a partner. While Lin Shu is giving you a break, why not do something else? After you get married and have kids, you can come back and focus on your career.”

She glanced at Xu Shijia, “As for Lin Shu wanting to transfer you, then go ahead. Just leave!”

Xu Shijia was stunned. “She wants to transfer me out, and it’s all because of you! Why should I leave?”

“Once a broken mirror, it’s hard to put it back together. She’s already decided to let you go, and even if it’s a misunderstanding, there’s still a rift between you two. You can’t go back to how things were before. Deep down, you must feel that she doesn’t trust you, and that’s why you were so easily misunderstood, right?”

“I don’t have any hard feelings toward her…”

“You do, you definitely do. People are like that. It’s like a man who’s been cheated on. To save his marriage, he might say he forgives his wife, but if she stays, he’ll spend the rest of his life bringing up old grievances!” Xu Mingmei spoke with conviction, “In my opinion, since the two of you are like this now, with a crack in your relationship, Xiao Bao, listen to me. Just go to Lawyer Chen’s office. Tonight, when you come home, I’ll make you a nice dinner.”

Looking at her mother’s shameless attitude, Xu Shijia was furious.

She wants to make him a nice dinner before he leaves?

Who has a mother like this?

But with the misunderstanding cleared up, Xu Shijia felt his mind stirring again.

Was Lin Shu’s rejection earlier in the office just because she thought he was already settled down with a family? Could it be that she really fell for Pan Yu at first sight?

Xu Shijia’s thoughts were in chaos. After thinking for a moment, he turned to Xu Mingmei and said, “Mom, tell Lin Yiqing’s senior not to reveal our relationship and identities when she meets us.”

“And I’m not coming home for dinner tonight.”

He didn’t have time to eat at home.

The shock of his transfer earlier in the morning had been so overwhelming that he had blurted out his confession. He should have said those words in a more romantic setting with more seriousness.

Then, Lin Yiqing’s sudden premature labor and the fact that Lin Shu was busy meeting with another client meant that Xu Shijia hadn’t had the chance to explain his feelings properly. Those two or three sentences weren’t enough to express how he felt.

Because of this, Xu Shijia didn’t want to waste another minute. He was determined to make the perfect plan and confess to Lin Shu once more, with a stronger approach.

When the misunderstanding was cleared up, he clearly saw the hesitation and nervousness in Lin Shu’s eyes.

He didn’t believe that she had no feelings for him!

Pan Yu was nothing! They only met once! As long as he gave it his all, how could Pan Yu compare?

Xu Shijia was not about to give up on Lin Shu!

—

Xu Shijia worked through the night to create a detailed plan. He had arranged for the perfect ambiance at a top restaurant, contacted his team to set up the venue, ordered flowers and wine, even arranged for a projection screen and hired an orchestra.

No matter what, he was going to give Lin Shu an unforgettable confession.

Once everything was arranged, it was already past mealtime, but he still had to go home. Such an elaborate confession required a “battle outfit” that would make Lin Shu take notice.

His expensive, meticulously chosen suits were hanging in his wardrobe at home.

Since he didn’t want his family to know he was confessing to his boss, Xu Shijia was lucky that Xu Mingmei had agreed to work overtime at the law firm, and his older brother, Wang Yizhou, was out attending social events. Only his workaholic father was home. When Xu Shijia sneaked back, his father was still loudly giving instructions to his assistant.

However, as Xu Shijia daydreamed about the success of his confession the next day, he overheard his father, Wang Yannian, mentioning a familiar name.

“Pan Yu? A young, talented man, really great! They are such a perfect match!”

A perfect match?

Pan Yu found someone?

Wang Yannian, completely oblivious to the two hateful glares coming from the stairwell, continued happily, “I didn’t expect the young man to move so fast and find someone so quickly, falling in love at first sight! I really admire this kind of young person—he’s decisive and efficient! Not only is he efficient at work, but he’s also quick in love! If he likes someone, he goes for it right away!”

“Unlike my useless younger son,” Wang Yannian said, “at the last wine party, he was so drunk, and it was Pan Yu who helped him. But it was also thanks to my younger son that Pan Yu got close to his girlfriend. If it weren’t for him, they wouldn’t have become so familiar. Our Xiaobao finally did something great for once!”

At his age, Wang Yannian enjoyed playing matchmaker for like-minded young people. His tone was filled with a sense of achievement. “Pan Yu just sent me a message, saying he successfully confessed! He thanked me for hosting that wine party! He also wants to thank our Xiaobao, saying he’ll take his girlfriend to dinner with him someday since they all know each other now!”

…

The conversation quickly shifted to work, but Xu Shijia felt like he was stuck on the stairs.

Pan Yu had found someone.

He confessed tonight.

It was love at first sight.

Thanks to the drunken incident, he had become familiar with his girlfriend.

His girlfriend, Xu Shijia also knew.

…

It was the last time he drank too much that Lin Shu had asked Pan Yu to take care of him. So, was it that moment when he had inadvertently pushed Lin Shu toward Pan Yu? Had he helped their love blossom?

All the details fit.

The only one who could meet these conditions was Lin Shu. Who else could it be?

Wang Yannian cheerfully finished his call and received an invitation from an old friend for a late-night fishing trip.

“Alright, alright, I just opened a bottle of red wine, planning to have a drink and go to bed. But since you’re inviting me to go night fishing, I won’t drink anymore. I’ll head out now, see you at the usual place!”

Xu Shijia remained hidden in the darkness, hearing the sound of his father humming a tune as he left and the door closing behind him. The house fell into darkness and silence.

His mind was tangled with immense frustration and regret.

Damn it.

He really deserved to be damned.

Why did he drink that wine?

Why was he so impulsive?

Why was he a step too slow?

Why was it Pan Yu?

Why not him?

So, the hesitation and nervousness in Lin Shu’s eyes earlier—was it simply because she didn’t know how to react to a subordinate’s sudden confession?

Had her panic only been about how to reject Xu Shijia?

It wasn’t until this moment that Xu Shijia realized he wasn’t as optimistic or indifferent as he had thought. Everything related to Lin Shu had never been something he could handle easily or according to his will.

He was like a clumsy student, fully aware he hadn’t studied properly, but unwilling to give up, still hoping to pass the test. Yet, as soon as he stepped into the exam room, he already knew how it would end.

Beneath the arrogance and optimism lay his insecurity, cowardice, and bluffing.

In front of Lin Shu, Xu Shijia had never truly been confident, which is why he was so cautious. He didn’t dare to express his feelings directly, so he acted in a sarcastic way. He didn’t dare to reveal that Lin Shu was his first love. He waited like a hunter, hoping for the right moment.

And then, this was the result.

Like a joke.

Because of him, Lin Shu ended up with Pan Yu.

In fact, at this very moment, Pan Yu might already be with Lin Shu.

Otherwise, she should have finished meeting her client by now. He had confessed to her—why hadn’t she taken the initiative to contact him yet?

Was it because she didn’t want to?

Was it because she wanted to avoid him?

So, was she now holding Pan Yu’s hand, talking about the troubles caused by a subordinate’s unexpected confession?

The thought was driving Xu Shijia mad.

He knew he was completely irrational right now, but he desperately wanted to talk to Lin Shu, to make one last attempt.

After a lot of mental preparation, Xu Shijia finally dialed Lin Shu’s number, only to hear the familiar “beep” sound, as if it was always out of reach.

Moments later, he received the inevitable outcome—

“The number you dialed is currently unavailable. Please try again later.”

Xu Shijia felt like he had been hit in the head with a stick. His mind buzzed as he dejectedly lowered his phone.

He gritted his teeth and waited for a moment, but all he had was the vast, empty silence of the villa.

Lin Shu hadn’t answered his call.

She hadn’t returned his call.

Well, of course.

Why should she?

He was just a subordinate, and soon he would be transferred out of the team—no longer her subordinate.

And Lin Shu and Pan Yu, they had just confessed to each other and were now a couple, in the most intense phase of their relationship. They were probably only thinking of each other—why would they have time for someone else?

Maybe they were walking hand in hand by the lake right now, or maybe they were kissing, or maybe they were doing even more intimate things…

Imagining it was worse than the reality.

Xu Shijia stared at the bottle of red wine Wang Yannian had left on the table, feeling like alcohol was the only thing that could heal him right now.

After all, it was his own house. What did it matter if he got drunk and embarrassed himself? This time, no one would know.

—

When Lin Shu returned home after seeing her client, it wasn’t late at all. She had enough time to even check a few work emails.

But for some reason, she found it difficult to concentrate.

She couldn’t stop thinking about Xu Shijia.

He was still single.

He said he liked her…

But had his first love really ended?

When Xu Shijia confessed, everything had been so rushed that Lin Shu hadn’t had the chance to calm down and ask him properly.

But he said he was single, and his eyes had pleaded with her, yearning for her to give him a chance.

Now, as Lin Shu recalled Xu Shijia’s gaze, her heartbeat quickened.

It was a completely new feeling, something only Xu Shijia had ever made her feel.

Lin Shu’s mind was in a mess.

She didn’t know how to face it, so she simply lay on her bed and covered her head with the blanket, like an ostrich.

At work, she always knew how to clear her thoughts and act quickly, thanks to her experience. But when it came to romance, she felt completely lost.

So how should she face Xu Shijia tomorrow?

Would Xu Shijia take the initiative to contact her again to clarify and explain things?

When would he contact her?

The more Lin Shu thought about it, the more anxious she became, to the point where even her drowsiness disappeared.

At a time like this, she couldn’t just take the initiative to call Xu Shijia, could she?

Wasn’t it him who confessed first?

Wasn’t it him who wanted her to consider him?

So, it should be him who calls first to continue that unfinished confession and clearly present his points, arguing why Lin Shu should give him a chance.

But now, the one who started it all was silent.

Lin Shu felt a little frustrated and decided to throw her phone aside and take a shower.

By the time she finished drying her hair and picked up the phone she had left charging, she discovered that Xu Shijia had called her—half an hour ago.

She had been in the shower at that time.

Unfortunately, he hadn’t called again after that.

Was something wrong?

Was it about the transfer?

Or was it because of the confession?

It was only at this moment that Lin Shu realized she was completely unprepared to face Xu Shijia.

She hadn’t even thought about the transfer issue.

If the reason to transfer Xu Shijia disappeared, then it would be fine to keep him, but once something is said, it’s hard to take back. As a partner, she couldn’t just go back to Chen Par and change her mind…

Lin Shu suddenly felt nervous and uneasy.

Just as she was hesitating whether to return the call, her phone rang unexpectedly.

She looked down and was surprised to see that it wasn’t Xu Shijia calling, but his older brother, Wang Yizhou.

Why was Wang Yizhou calling her at this hour?

Lin Shu was a little taken aback.

When she answered the phone, she was even more surprised—

“Is this Lawyer Lin? I’m sorry to disturb you at this hour, but there’s something I need to ask of you. Could you please come to my house?”

Although his words were polite, the invitation clearly left little room for Lin Shu to refuse.

“There’s something serious going on at our house, and it seems we really need you to come in person to handle it.”

Though he was requesting her presence, Wang Yizhou’s voice was awkward, as if he had been forced into making this call. He paused for a moment, then forced himself to remain calm and continued, “I’ll send you the location. We’re in a rush and I couldn’t arrange for a driver to pick you up, so please, Lawyer Lin, could you just take a taxi over here?”

Wang Yizhou wasn’t like Xu Shijia; he was a mature and composed man. If it wasn’t urgent, he definitely wouldn’t be calling her like this.

Lin Shu felt a bad premonition in her heart. “Is something wrong with Xu Shijia?”

“Yeah,” Wang Yizhou replied.

There was probably no way to explain the situation clearly over the phone, so Wang Yizhou didn’t say much. He just repeatedly urged Lin Shu to come quickly, as though even he was at a loss for how to deal with it.

Lin Shu hung up the phone. There was no time to think, and she didn’t even have time to tidy herself up properly as she rushed downstairs. It wasn’t until she was in the taxi that she could catch her breath and start thinking about what could have happened.

The more Wang Yizhou refused to explain, the more it made Lin Shu feel like things were complicated.

She felt a mix of anxiety and unease. She didn’t know what had happened to Xu Shijia or why Wang Yizhou was so insistent on her coming.

It was this late—was there something urgent that needed to be said right now?

Xu Shijia hadn’t contacted her, had something serious happened to him?

When the taxi sped to the front of Wang Yizhou’s villa, Lin Shu saw that Wang Yizhou had been waiting by the door.

“Sorry, Lawyer Lin, for bothering you so late.”

Though Wang Yizhou was still trying to maintain his usual calm, his eyes betrayed the awkwardness he was feeling.

As soon as he saw Lin Shu, he looked almost relieved, as if she were the savior. He led her into the villa, saying, “I’m sorry for taking this drastic step, but there’s no one else who can handle this except you.”

His words made Lin Shu feel a sense of urgency. “What happened to Xu Shijia? What’s going on?”

Wang Yizhou looked like he didn’t want to say much. He pointed upstairs, “The master bedroom’s shower room on the second floor.” His tone was full of helplessness, “You should go see for yourself.”

The shower room?

Was Xu Shijia taking a shower?

Would it be appropriate for her to go in?

Seeing the confusion in Lin Shu’s eyes, Wang Yizhou pressed his lips together and briefly explained, “He’s not in the shower.”

With a look of helplessness and despair, he added, “If he were in the shower, that’d be better.”

After a brief hesitation, he looked at Lin Shu and said, “Forget it. I’ll take you up there to see.”

Lin Shu followed Wang Yizhou upstairs to the master bedroom on the second floor.

This room seemed to be Xu Shijia’s. It was a suite, and the bathroom was inside the bedroom. As they reached the bedroom door, Lin Shu heard the sound of water running in the shower.

She hesitated and glanced at Wang Yizhou behind her. He gave her a signal to go ahead.

Lin Shu, holding back her unease, pushed open the shower room door. As expected, the showerhead was on, the water running at full force, spraying water everywhere. The moment she opened the door, the sound of the water became even louder.

But despite the noise, Lin Shu clearly heard Xu Shijia’s voice—

“Lin Shu! Are you even human?! You’re heartless!”

“You manipulative woman!”

“You’re a scumbag! You abandoned me after using me! You’re a fraud!”

…

Xu Shijia wasn’t taking a shower at all. He was still wearing his suit, but he looked a mess.

He was standing in the shower, holding the showerhead in his hand, and the water kept pouring down on him, soaking him completely. His hair was soaked and no longer styled, dripping wet. His clothes were soaked through, and he looked disheveled, chaotic, and beyond control.

Here is the English translation of the passage:

—

At this moment, Xu Shijia, in this state, was shouting angrily under the showerhead.

“Lin Shu, this isn’t over between us!”

“You’re really not human, you don’t deserve to be human!”

…

Lin Shu turned expressionlessly to Wang Yizhou and asked, “Has he been drinking again?”

Probably at his wit’s end, Wang Yizhou calmed down and nodded. “Yes. When I came home, I saw an empty wine bottle on the table. When I found him, he was like this.”

It was one thing to curse, but what was he doing, holding the showerhead over his head? Why was he in the shower cursing?

And he was yelling at Lin Shu like this—who gave Wang Yizhou the confidence that Lin Shu could handle the drunken Xu Shijia?

Xu Shijia was an adult. Since he knew how he acted every time he drank, why keep drinking and causing trouble for others?

Lin Shu had been feeling like a nervous wreck because of Xu Shijia’s sudden confession, but now, she just felt ridiculous.

She had been rushing here, thinking something had happened to him, only to find out that Xu Shijia had drunk himself into a stupor and was now yelling at her. It made her feel somewhat absurd.

They say that when someone’s drunk, their true feelings come out.

So, Xu Shijia’s true feelings were to angrily curse her out in the shower.

Lin Shu was extremely angry.

She was angry at the drunken Xu Shijia, angry at Wang Yizhou for calling her over, and even angry at herself for actually worrying about Xu Shijia.

She was a partner at Tianhao; she wasn’t the assistant sent to clean up the messes made by the Wang brothers!

“Let him have his little drinking tantrum.”

Lin Shu held back her emotions and, with a dismissive tone, said this before she tried to leave.

But just as she was about to turn around, Xu Shijia suddenly stopped his tirade.

“Lin Shu?”

The sound of the water from the showerhead was deafening, and Lin Shu’s voice was almost drowned out by it. But somehow, Xu Shijia, despite being drunk, stopped his angry shouting as soon as he heard her voice. It was as if a magnet had drawn him in, and he instinctively began searching for her in the narrow shower room.

Following the sound of her voice, he quickly located Lin Shu.

The moment he locked eyes with her, Xu Shijia miraculously fell silent.

He still stood there holding the showerhead above his head, but now, he was completely quiet and obedient.

Lin Shu felt uneasy under his gaze, her previously calm heartbeat starting to race again.

She didn’t want to lose face in front of a drunk person. Trying to act composed, she said, “Why aren’t you continuing to curse?”

“I’m not cursing at you. You’re the one who’s been bad to me.”

“Bad to you? How have I been bad to you?” Lin Shu asked. She had dropped everything to rush over as soon as she heard something was wrong with him—how could that be “bad”?

Wang Yizhou was still present. To accuse her of being bad in front of him? That wasn’t going to fly. Tianhao was still a potential business partner; Lin Shu had to clear her name.

But Xu Shijia was determined to refuse Lin Shu any dignity.

Instead of apologizing, he acted aggrieved.

“Bad to me? I called you for an hour in the pouring rain! You didn’t answer a single call! Not one! You didn’t even call me back!”

As if to prove how much he was suffering, Xu Shijia raised the showerhead again, still spraying water.

“Look! I didn’t put the phone down for one hour! I kept calling you! The rain kept falling, too, just like you! It was relentlessly hitting my head, loud and constant, the raindrops were so heavy, my head felt dizzy from it, but I kept calling you! You didn’t pick up a single call! The rain kept falling for an hour, and I kept calling! But you didn’t pick up because you were with Pan Yu!”

Lin Shu held back her emotions and turned to Wang Yizhou, who was expressionless. “He’s been holding that showerhead over his head for an hour?”

“Yes,” Wang Yizhou replied calmly. “Seems like it’s been a good workout for him. His arm strength is quite impressive; he held it for an hour without stopping. He’s been spraying water for so long, and he’s still very energetic. It seems like his brain can still function, even with all that water in his head.”

Lin Shu: “…”

But Xu Shijia had completely lost his sense of reason. The mention of Pan Yu seemed to trigger him, and his tone became even more agitated, full of inexplicable hostility and aggression.

“Lin Shu, tell me, what’s so great about Pan Yu? I’m a hundred times better than him!”

“Why did you choose Pan Yu over me? You even transferred me away! Are you human, Lin Shu? You’re not human!”

“I came to Tianhao, and I’ve been working my butt off for you! Have I ever complained? No, I haven’t. I could skip this shift, but I still went to work every day to see you, even when you didn’t give me overtime pay. I still stayed late for you!”

Lin Shu couldn’t take it anymore. “Xu Shijia!”

Wang Yizhou was still here! Did he even know what he was saying?

Her face flushed, but even in this critical moment, Lin Shu couldn’t forget about work and the need to win over the potential client, Xinhe. Instinctively, she turned to Wang Yizhou to explain, “I didn’t stop giving overtime pay; it’s just that the bonuses are usually paid at the end of the month. This month hasn’t been issued yet. Our law firm offers good benefits and follows labor laws…”

But the explanation seemed pointless, as Wang Yizhou gave Lin Shu a complex look. He just gave her a meaningful glance and said:

“Lawyer Lin, now do you understand why this situation really needs you to handle it?”

Understood, understood!

Lin Shu’s scalp tingled.

Fortunately, Wang Yizhou was somewhat reasonable. “Would you like me to give you two some space?”

Just as Lin Shu forced a smile and nodded, Xu Shijia’s voice broke down again.

“You don’t just smile at Pan Yu! You smile at my brother too! You only smile at other men! But you never smile at me! You just know how to scold me! PUA me! Tell me to work!”

“Brother! You’re not allowed to leave! Lin Shu, you need to make up your mind today—choose me, or choose my brother!”

Lin Shu: “…”

It was hard to tell how much Xu Shijia had drunk this time, but Lin Shu was certain that it was more than ever before. How else could he be spouting such nonsense?

Unfortunately, Xu Shijia had completely lost his rationality.

“Lin Shu, let me tell you, my brother is no good, and Pan Yu isn’t either. Neither of them can work like a slave for you.”

“My brother is older than me; he can’t handle being worn down by you for years. Pan Yu is so thin and weak—how could he keep working non-stop like I do?”

Xu Shijia didn’t seem to have any shame about offering himself as a laborer. His tone even had a hint of humility: “They can’t do it, but I can. I’m willing to work for you my whole life.”

He glared at Lin Shu, looking a bit self-destructive: “Don’t talk about working like a slave for you—I’d even be your dog.”

“But they definitely can’t do it.”

Xu Shijia was fixated on holding the showerhead, boldly making his declaration in the artificial downpour he’d created himself.

“Lin Shu! Why don’t you want me? I can be your slave, I can even be your dog!”

“I’ll do anything you say!”

When he mentioned being a dog, his voice grew full of bitterness: “But you don’t appreciate it, you don’t love me, you don’t want me, you don’t cherish me. I’m treated worse than disposable items. You use me up and throw me away. You heartless, ungrateful, cruel woman—you’re nicer to dogs than you are to me! The last time you went out to visit a client, you even petted their dog, smiling at it so brightly. The second time you went, you brought dog biscuits for the dog! When the dog was sick, you even checked in on it!”

“Why? You’re good to Liu Xuhui, you’re good to Iron Bull, you’re good to everyone, even the dog! Why can’t you be a little better to me?”

“You already have me, so why can’t you look at me and only me? Why do you have to look at other people?! Why are you agreeing to blind dates? Why are you still looking at Pan Yu?”

Xu Shijia was bringing up old grievances: “You even looked at my brother before! What’s so good about my brother? He’s no good!” He pointed angrily at Wang Yizhou, who was standing behind Lin Shu. “He’s a workaholic! He’s not romantic! He’d ignore you for work!”

“But I won’t.” Xu Shijia knew how to pull someone down to lift himself up. He looked directly at Lin Shu, disregarding that his brother was still present, his gaze fixed on her. “I’ll remember every word you say. I’ll buy a house in the development project by Xinhe, the one you like, and we’ll live happily together.”

“I don’t even need a bedroom with a view, because I won’t care about the view anymore. I’ll only be looking at you.”

…

Lin Shu was left stunned and blushing, her mouth dry and tongue-tied. For the first time, she completely lost her ability to speak, unable to utter a single word.

She stared at Xu Shijia, truly not knowing what to do with him.

This idiot—did he really think it was a good idea to confess like this in front of her brother…?