Chapter 18

The meal with Tie Niu and his father was tasteless for Lin Shu, like chewing on wax.

After the meal, Tie Niu and his father were in high spirits, laughing and chatting, having had a few drinks. In Tie Niu’s excitement, they even took a group photo together. Unfortunately, the liveliness was theirs, while Lin Shu had nothing.

Since Tie Niu rarely saw his father and was a bit drunk, Lin Shu gave him a half-day off. Tie Niu walked his father out, while Lin Shu walked alone back to the law firm.

All she had left was a signed copy of The Wisdom and Philosophy of Sows by Professor Wang Hanzhong…

Lin Shu’s mind kept replaying the harsh words she’d said to Wang Yannian and his secretary. Her head ached—her first impression was surely ruined.

She glanced at her phone. No missed calls, no messages.

Of course. Wang Yannian, the head of Xinhe, was a man with pride. After being rejected so bluntly multiple times, it was unlikely he’d come back, humbling himself again.

Besides, Lin Shu was certain that Wang Yannian hadn’t sought her out because he valued her talent, but more likely to demand an explanation for how she’d treated his son.

Thinking about how she had scolded his son made Lin Shu’s scalp tingle.

Her chance with Wang Yannian was clearly blown. And since she couldn’t just meet with him whenever she wanted, the opportunity to explain herself was gone. Once someone is thoroughly offended, it’s hard to undo the damage.

But it wasn’t a complete dead end.

There was still a slim chance!

Lin Shu might not be able to see Wang Yannian, but she could see his son!

All she had to do was swallow her pride, mend her relationship with Xu Shijia, and ask him to return to work. Even if it meant humbling herself, so what?

Great people can stretch and bend when needed.

If today she had to be humble, tomorrow she could rise again like a strong Siberian wolf!

As long as Xu Shijia stayed in her team, she could always find ways to make him work. She just needed to adjust her medicine.

Wasting no time, Lin Shu immediately contacted the HR department to get Xu Shijia’s home address, bought a fruit basket and flowers, and drove to his place.

People generally soften when medicineed kindly. As Xu Shijia’s boss, Lin Shu was confident that by showing care and concern, her grand gesture would move him, and he’d soften too.

If she could patch things up with Xu Shijia, she’d also be back on good terms with Wang Yannian. She believed that Xu Shijia could help mend things with his father, allowing her to make peace with Wang Yannian.

**

However, despite all the mental preparation, standing at Xu Shijia’s door still made Lin Shu nervous.

Talking a big game is easy; actually doing it is hard.

Lin Shu wasn’t the type to grovel. Though she had told herself to treat the “prince” kindly, she hadn’t changed her behavior in everyday work because of that relationship. In her view, personal relationships were all about reciprocity—if people treated her with respect, she would return the favor.

So now, having to mend her relationship with Xu Shijia, Lin Shu wasn’t about to start being fake or overly flattering. If Xu Shijia had skipped work, it was still an absence. If he hadn’t followed procedure, she wasn’t going to approve his leave. The rules were the bottom line, and she had to reinforce that.

However, Xu Shijia had stood up for her when Zhong Peng lost control and tried to attack her. Although he wasn’t seriously hurt, that act of bravery deserved gratitude. That’s why, despite Xu Shijia’s changed status, Lin Shu was willing to visit him. But because of the previous misunderstandings, her feelings were mixed with both embarrassment and frustration.

Embarrassment because she’d been left in the dark. Frustration because Xu Shijia had deliberately kept her in the dark.

It was all very complicated.

**

Xu Shijia naturally lived in an upscale neighborhood. Luckily, for convenience, he didn’t live in a remote villa. His home was a spacious apartment in the city center, peaceful despite the bustling surroundings, with one unit per floor.

Lin Shu took a deep breath, gathering her courage, and rang the doorbell.

Fortunately, Xu Shijia was home. The doorbell had barely rung before he opened the door.

“Mom, you’ve come back three times already, knocking again and again! I get it, okay? I’ll take a break from work and rest up. That woman told me not to go back anyway—she doesn’t like me and is always picking on me…”

Xu Shijia was wearing a bathrobe, clearly having just finished a shower. The robe was loosely tied at his waist, and his wet hair still dripped water. He lazily wiped his hair with a towel, which covered his eyes, so he didn’t immediately realize that it wasn’t his mother at the door, but Lin Shu.

Lin Shu knew it was impolite to stare, but her eyes were instinctively drawn to the sight. Xu Shijia’s face was handsome, but since the towel was covering it, her gaze wandered lower, and she had to admit that his physique was also impressive.

The robe covered most of Xu Shijia’s body, but the open neckline revealed just enough muscle to be intriguing—not exaggerated, but subtly defined, exuding a sophisticated kind of sex appeal.

Clearly, this was the kind of physique only a life of comfort could afford, and there was no sign of any weakness that would require rest.

Before Lin Shu could say anything, Xu Shijia tossed aside the towel and noticed her standing at the door.

“What are you doing here?”

He clearly hadn’t expected Lin Shu, and stared at her in surprise. Instinctively, he tightened his robe before slamming the door in her face.

“…Is this what they mean by failing before even starting…” Lin Shu thought.

This result didn’t surprise her. She hadn’t expected to win Xu Shijia back in just one visit. Undeterred, she left the fruit basket and flowers at his door and started texting him.

“Xu Shijia, I was in the area and wanted to check on you. After all, you got hurt trying to protect me, and I really appreciate that. I left some fruit and flowers at your door.”

That would’ve been enough, but Lin Shu couldn’t resist adding more:

“By the way, since you haven’t resigned yet, you’re still required to follow firm procedures. If you really need to take leave, please submit the form in the OA system. But in the future, make sure to submit the leave request in advance, not after the fact.”

Just as she sent the message and turned to leave, the door swung open again.

Xu Shijia had changed into a sleek black shirt and casual black pants, looking cool—except for his hair, which was still sticking out wildly from a hurried blow-dry. His attempt to look composed was somewhat undermined by the rebellious tufts.

He glanced at the fruit basket and flowers. “Shouldn’t you thank someone in person when you visit them? I mean, I did do a brave thing, didn’t I? Why does it feel like you came just to nag me about leave procedures?”

“I didn’t want to bother you…”

“How am I a bother?”

Lin Shu pointed at his chest and said tactfully, “Your shirt buttons are misaligned. And you’ve just showered—it’s possible someone else might be here.”

Xu Shijia looked down and realized, in his haste, he had indeed buttoned his shirt wrong.

Thankfully, this time he didn’t slam the door. He let Lin Shu in, though without much expression, and then retreated to his room.

When he returned, he was back to his usual laid-back self, every button in place. Only a few tufts of hair stuck up, giving him a slightly quirky look that matched his personality.

“No one else is here,” he said, handing Lin Shu a glass of water. “If you don’t believe me, feel free to check every room.”

What? Why would Lin Shu do that? She wasn’t here to run a sting operation! How ridiculous.

But Xu Shijia didn’t seem to realize how strange his offer was. He glanced at her again and added, “I’m a very clean person. I don’t bring random women home. If you weren’t my boss, you wouldn’t have been let in either.”

“…Should I thank you for that?” Lin Shu thought.

Xu Shijia awkwardly cleared his throat. “Hold on, I’ll make some tea.”

As he headed to the kitchen, Lin Shu noticed some papers spread across the dining table. They caught her attention.

They were medical reports and test results, dated from a few days ago, yesterday, and today.

It seemed Xu Shijia hadn’t thought to put them away, leaving them scattered on the table. Lin Shu wasn’t intentionally snooping, but her sharp vision, enhanced after MEDICAL surgery, and her excellent memory, made it hard not to absorb the information.

The first thing she noticed was a report with both images and graphs. A quick glance revealed the title: Semen Analysis and Motility Report.

It was the male health check that Xu Shijia had been forced to undergo.

Lin Shu didn’t want to look, but the word “normal” jumped out at her.

Although she didn’t read too deeply, the indicators suggested that Xu Shijia’s reproductive health was in excellent condition.

It seemed there was no issue of infertility here.

Uncomfortable with what she’d seen, Lin Shu shifted her gaze, but there were so many reports on the table that she accidentally spotted another one.

This one confirmed that Xu Shijia had indeed received an injection the day he was injured—but not a vitamin shot. It was a clotting agent to help with his condition.

Beneath that were more lab results, filled with blood analysis data.

Having seen them, Lin Shu couldn’t ignore the findings. She glanced at the date.

The blood test had been done this morning.

So Xu Shijia hadn’t overslept and skipped work this morning; he’d actually been at the hospital for tests.

And right there, written plainly in the medical records, was the diagnosis: Xu Shijia suffered from a serious coagulation disorder and had a long history of the condition.

Which meant…

He was very aware of his condition and knew how troublesome it would be if he got injured and bled.

But clearly, in that moment when he stepped forward to protect Lin Shu, he hadn’t considered any of that at all.

He didn’t even subtly or overtly seek credit afterward. Instead, he tried to downplay the situation with humor, even at the risk of being misunderstood by Lin Shu.

That made his actions much more commendable than simply stepping up.

The dissatisfaction and resentment Lin Shu had previously felt toward Xu Shijia were instantly replaced by guilt and a complex mix of emotions.

Did Xu Shijia hide the truth because he felt embarrassed as a man to have such a condition?

No, that wasn’t it.

Xu Shijia was someone who could openly admit his own vulnerabilities. With his personality, he wouldn’t feel that having a blood-clotting disorder was damaging to his pride.

There was only one reason left—

He didn’t want Lin Shu to feel guilty or carry a psychological burden because of it.

And indeed, just as Xu Shijia had anticipated, now that she knew the truth, Lin Shu was nearly overwhelmed by waves of shame.

Not only had Xu Shijia stepped up and gotten injured to protect her, but he was also misunderstood by her afterward, and Lin Shu had even scolded him harshly.

At this moment, she deeply regretted it.

The awkwardness and resistance she had felt earlier about repairing her relationship with Xu Shijia were completely gone. Now, Lin Shu sincerely wanted to thank him again, regardless of his status.

Initially, when Lin Shu came to visit, she did so partly because she felt compelled to reconcile with Xu Shijia due to his position. But now, in this moment, she genuinely wanted to improve their relationship.

Whether he was the heir to a powerful family or just an ordinary rich kid, the moment he stepped forward despite knowing about his blood disorder, he was simply a kind, brave, and passionate person.

Just then, Xu Shijia walked out of the kitchen.

He handed Lin Shu a cup of tea, paused, and continued the earlier conversation, adding, “There’s really no one else here in my house. Don’t get the wrong idea about me. It’s still broad daylight—do you think I’d be indulging in indecency in the middle of the day? Besides, I wouldn’t take time off just for that…”

It seemed like he wanted to say more, but after glancing at the scattered test reports and medical records on the table, he suddenly stopped, pursed his lips, and quickly gathered the papers, stuffing them into a drawer. It was clear he didn’t want Lin Shu to see what was on them.

Unfortunately, Lin Shu had already seen them.

But since Xu Shijia didn’t want her to know, Lin Shu decided to play along and pretended not to have noticed.

In her heart, though, her feelings toward Xu Shijia had completely changed. She looked into his eyes, no longer criticizing or questioning him, but instead sincerely and with concern asked, “How’s your health now? Are you feeling better?”

Xu Shijia was momentarily stunned, and his voice sounded a bit unnatural, but the corners of his mouth lifted into a faint, restrained smile as he proudly raised his head. “I thought you were here to scold me for not going to work. Now you’re suddenly concerned about me? Realizing how valuable a warm-hearted citizen like me is, huh?”

“Didn’t you tell me to leave? That there was no way you’d keep me here?” Xu Shijia glanced at Lin Shu. “So, what brought you here today?”

“I gave it some thought, and you did, after all, get injured while working. You deserve a few days off.” Lin Shu coughed awkwardly, also feeling a bit unnatural. “And by the way, I want to clear something up—I don’t dislike you.”

She glanced at Xu Shijia quickly. “In fact, I think you’re quite pleasant to be around now.”

She meant it. Xu Shijia turned out to be much more decent than Lin Shu had expected. Although he had a bit of a temper and was rather particular, he was genuinely kind.

Xu Shijia clearly didn’t expect Lin Shu to say that. He froze for a moment, but soon after, his expression shifted to one of smugness, as if this was exactly how things should be. His eyes and the corners of his mouth showed barely concealed pride.

“Just a few hours ago, you couldn’t stand me. Now, suddenly, you find me pleasant?” He wore an expression like he had figured everything out. “But yeah, I suppose with a physique like mine, it’s hard for anyone to not find me pleasant.”

Lin Shu had to admit, sometimes vanity can be a virtue—it certainly made it easier for him, and others, to find a way out of awkward situations.

The atmosphere began to lighten up.

Sensing the moment, Lin Shu took the opportunity to praise him. Now that she didn’t feel resistant to Xu Shijia’s status, her thoughts became more open, and she complimented, “Of course. These days, even lawyers need to pay attention to their image. A good image makes dealing with clients much easier. With your great appearance, excellent demeanor, and solid professional knowledge, you’re truly rare.”

Xu Shijia’s expression didn’t change, but his ears and cheeks flushed slightly. He cleared his throat. “You just want me to go back to work, don’t you?”

Lin Shu didn’t deny it. “Yes. I hope you’ll rejoin our team.”

Returning to a familiar topic, Lin Shu felt much more at ease. “Xu Shijia, you have great potential. If you’re willing to put in the effort, you have a bright future ahead. The reason I told you to quit before was because I was really angry. Seeing someone with your potential give up and settle for less is frustrating. You understand, right? It’s not easy to find someone with your potential.”

Xu Shijia’s smugness grew even more evident, but he held back from immediately agreeing.

He gave Lin Shu a sidelong glance. “Didn’t you say before that you’d never ask me to stay? What’s with all this inconsistency from team leaders nowadays?”

Well, he certainly knew how to take advantage of the situation…

Never mind. Thinking about how Xu Shijia, with his blood disorder, had still taken a hit for her, Lin Shu felt her irritation subside.

“Leaders should stand firm on the right things, but they should also be able to recognize their mistakes, admit them, and correct them.” Lin Shu spoke sincerely. “After thinking it over, I realized that because you’re the most promising member of the team, I was a bit ‘harder’ on you. I expected more from you than I did from Tie Niu or Liu Xuhui, and that was unfair.”

As Lin Shu finished speaking, Xu Shijia’s eyebrows practically shot up in triumph. If he had a tail, Lin Shu had no doubt it would be wagging proudly right now.

Fortunately, in some ways, Xu Shijia was a simple and naïve person.

It seemed that she had successfully reconciled with him again this time.

“Besides today, I’ll give you another day off tomorrow, but you’ll need to follow the proper procedures,” Lin Shu pressed on.

“Xu Shijia, I was quite harsh with you before, and there were other reasons for that. Perhaps because you’re too close to the situation, you can’t see it clearly, but any observer can tell how much I favor you and how I’ve been mentoring you. Think about it—I took you on business trips, I brought you along to meet clients for this case; anyone with eyes can see that I’m cultivating you as a core member of the team.”

“But the more I do that, the more you need to be careful about avoiding misunderstandings. Otherwise, what will others in the firm think? They’ll definitely feel you’re becoming arrogant because of the favoritism, thinking you disregard the rules of the firm just because the team leader values you. In the long run, who do you think gets hurt?”

“I’m already a partner; my foundation is steadier than yours, and switching jobs is easier for me. You’re still at the beginning of your career as a lawyer. If you skip the procedures and just show up, aren’t you handing over ammunition to others? In the end, it’s your own reputation and relationships that will suffer.”

“That’s why I was so harsh on the phone with you; it was mainly for the others to hear, especially for our team members like Tie Niu. I want them to know that I treat you fairly and won’t indulge you in everything. My previous favoritism was because you truly are the most hardworking and eager to learn in the team.”

Lin Shu adopted a sincere attitude. “I’m still young, and to manage the team and motivate everyone, I need to create a fair atmosphere where team members feel that as long as they work hard, everyone has a chance. You should understand that, right?”

Sure enough, Xu Shijia was struggling to contain his smile. He looked at Lin Shu and quickly averted his gaze, his cheeks flushing even more as he tried to appear nonchalant. “Okay, I get it.”

“You make it sound like I’m spoiled and arrogant. I’m not like that.” Xu Shijia glanced at a nearby plant. “My mom came this morning and took my phone, so I didn’t have time to go through the leave process. Next time, I’ll remember to handle it in advance.”

After a moment, he added, “Of course, it’s best if I can avoid taking leave. I’ll make sure to follow the process for today’s leave, but I won’t need one for tomorrow. I’ll come to work as usual.”

Xu Shijia stood up. “I’ll go cut you some fruit.”

Looking at his upright figure, Lin Shu felt a sense of reassurance.

Although Xu Shijia was the heir to a powerful family, it was clear that age-old principles of gaining people’s hearts still applied. As long as the right medicine was taken, it was effective regardless of whether one was a prince or not.