Chapter 19

Xu Shijia had been scolded harshly by Lin Shu that morning, and no matter how good-natured he was, he couldn’t be happy about it.

He had gotten hurt for her, yet she treated him like this. Xu Shijia felt somewhat aggrieved, but he didn’t expect things to take a turn for the better when Lin Shu personally showed up with a fruit basket and flowers.

It made sense—where could she find an employee like him? It was normal for Lin Shu to visit him multiple times.

To Lin Shu, he was certainly different from the other two team members; he was special.

As he handled the fruit, Xu Shijia felt quite pleased with himself.

As for Lin Shu’s sudden 180-degree change in attitude, Xu Shijia thought it was understandable.

With a handsome employee like him, just seeing his face could lighten her mood.

Didn’t she say it herself? Just looking at him made her feel more at ease.

This was the charm of looks and personality.

Unable to help himself, Xu Shijia began to hum a tune. It was at this moment that his phone buzzed incessantly with message notifications.

Usually, the “Tianhao Retirement Home” group, which was often silent except for Tie Niu sharing and forwarding posts, suddenly lit up with nearly fifty messages, as if it had been rejuvenated.

What major event had happened in the firm recently?

Curious, Xu Shijia opened the group chat and discovered that most of these messages were voice notes—

“Brothers in the group! There’s something I can’t hide from you all any longer—Par Lin is actually a fan of my dad’s books!”

“Today, thanks to my connection, I facilitated their meeting! My dad even gave Par Lin a signed book, and we took a group photo together! The atmosphere was amazing! I couldn’t help but have a little drink! Par Lin is really nice! Knowledgeable, with a wide range of interests, and so approachable! He even gave me the afternoon off!”

“Though I feel bad for you guys, I feel like my relationship with Par Lin has gotten a step closer! We’re a team, but I’ve really left you two behind! I know it’s not fair to you, but the world is unfair, so you guys need to step up!”

It was clear that Tie Niu had indeed been drinking; his voice carried an excitement that was unusual for him, even slurring a bit.

As if to prove the truth of his words, Tie Niu shared a few photos in the group.

The first was a picture of the three of them together.

In the company of Tie Niu and his dad, Lin Shu’s beauty stood out even more.

Xu Shijia bit his lip and saved the photo.

After a moment of thought, he cropped out Wang Tie Niu and his father.

But Lin Shu was a fan of Tie Niu’s dad’s books? What kind of books did Tie Niu’s dad write? Xu Shijia felt a bit curious.

Fortunately, Tie Niu soon provided the answer. After the group photo, he thoughtfully shared a picture of his father’s signed book—

“The Wisdom and Philosophy of the Sow.”

Xu Shijia stared at the large characters in the photo, speechless.

Who would have thought that Lin Shu had such interests? Did she like raising pigs? Or did she just have a simple fondness for them? It seemed that Xinhé didn’t invest in the breeding industry; was she going to persuade her father and brother to venture into that area…?

Xu Shijia’s thoughts were wandering when he heard another voice message from Wang Tie Niu—

“Actually, I really admire Par Lin. He didn’t give Xu Shijia any special treatment at all. At lunch today, Wang Yanniang, the general manager from Xinhé, suddenly came to find Par Lin, probably to discuss work or something, but Par Lin still prioritized lunch with my dad! Just think about it—what kind of spirit of equality is that! What does this show? It shows that Par Lin pays great attention to the spirit of contracts, having made an appointment with my dad first. Even when Wang Yanniang personally came, Par Lin remained unshaken! I felt a great deal of respect from that! I will definitely work hard under Par Lin from now on!”

How could his father suddenly be looking for Lin Shu? Was it to confront her about his injury? Or…

Wait a minute!

Xu Shijia’s previously relaxed demeanor vanished as he suddenly realized something.

Wang Yanniang’s photo had been publicized in the news, and Lin Shu had initially mistaken Wang Tie Niu for Wang Yanniang’s youngest son. Now that she had met Wang Tie Niu’s dad and was sought out by his own father, wasn’t that…

The answer was obvious.

Lin Shu must have figured out that he was actually the youngest son of the chairman of Xinhé Group.

So…

No wonder she had scolded Xu Shijia so harshly in the morning, threatening to replace him with someone more obedient, and then showed up in the afternoon with fruits and flowers, saying so many reassuring things.

Xu Shijia’s lips pressed down, and the pride he had felt earlier disappeared completely. His brows furrowed, as if he had been struck in the head.

It wasn’t because she genuinely valued his talent and thought he was special; Lin Shu’s change of heart had simply come from realizing his identity as the little prince of Xinhé.

No wonder she seemed like a completely different person from morning to afternoon. Was it his personal charm that changed her attitude?

No.

It was his financial background.

Throughout his life, Xu Shijia had been flattered and favored by many because of his family background. Compared to those people, Lin Shu’s behavior was nothing special or exaggerated; it was merely typical of what many around him had done.

Xu Shijia should have calmly accepted it, just like he always had.

However, now that it had come to this, he found he could not tolerate it.

Others might get away with it, but Lin Shu was different.

Rather than having Lin Shu be nice to him simply because she knew he was the youngest son of the chairman of Xinhé, Xu Shijia would have preferred she treated him equally and fairly out of ignorance.

Lin Shu could not become a superficial, status-driven person who changed her attitude with the tides.

Originally happy to prepare the fruit, Xu Shijia now felt no joy at all.

Was there any sincerity left in Lin Shu? Everything about her felt like a ploy! She was practically the queen of emotional manipulation!

—

Lin Shu had been waiting in Xu Shijia’s living room for him to cut the fruit. However, when he finally emerged from the kitchen, she realized he had nothing in his hands.

He had entered the kitchen with a smile, but now, his entire face was dark.

“What’s wrong? Are you feeling unwell?”

However, for some reason, Lin Shu’s concern didn’t seem to ease Xu Shijia’s mood. His expression grew even worse, and he shot her a glare filled with irritation.

Huh?

As Lin Shu stood there, bewildered, she heard Xu Shijia respond curtly, “The peeler at home broke, and I can’t peel apples with a knife.”

So he had taken so long in the kitchen just for that?

He was upset over something so trivial?

“You can cut some other fruit; my fruit basket has plenty of other kinds…”

But before Lin Shu could finish her sentence, Xu Shijia interrupted her sarcastically, “I only like apples; I just want to eat apples.”

What was the big deal about just eating apples? Was it worth being so upset over not getting an apple?

He sounded like a child…

But remembering that he had gotten hurt because of her, Lin Shu sighed and resigned herself to entering the kitchen to grab a knife.

“Then I’ll peel them for you.”

Lin Shu quickly peeled two apples and even playfully shaped them into rabbits with toothpicks, presenting them to Xu Shijia.

However, even after her thoughtful gesture, Xu Shijia’s expression grew even darker.

He glared at the cute rabbit-shaped apples and said through clenched teeth, “What? Is it now trendy for the boss to peel apples for subordinates? Do you do this for others, too?”

“Of course not.”

No one else had gotten hurt for her, nor had anyone else gone as far as Xu Shijia did, sacrificing himself for others. Lin Shu was not a philanthropist; she wouldn’t waste time peeling apples for someone unless there was a reason.

Lin Shu was well-versed in the tricks of workplace relationships. Almost instinctively, she seized the opportunity to respond. She looked directly into Xu Shijia’s eyes and said earnestly, “You are special in the team; you’re the one I have the most confidence in. You stepped up when it mattered, so peeling an apple for you isn’t a big deal. It’s normal for a boss to occasionally care for their subordinates.”

“Then why don’t you take care of Tie Niu and Liu Xuhui?”

Huh?

Lin Shu was a bit perplexed.

Shouldn’t a normal person feel happy when their boss took special care of them? Based on previous experiences, Xu Shijia had always responded positively to the notion of being “the most special.”

What had changed? Why was this approach suddenly ineffective?

His tone was becoming increasingly hostile.

Could it be that men had periodic emotional fluctuations?

Lin Shu was at a loss. Glancing at the time, she said, “I have a client meeting scheduled for the afternoon, so I’ll head back to the office now. You should take care of yourself. Since you can come to work tomorrow, I’ll see you then.”

To which Xu Shijia defiantly replied, “I might not come tomorrow.”

Lin Shu was taken aback. “Are you feeling unwell again?”

“No.” Xu Shijia shot her a glance. “How could I be unwell? My boss personally peeled apples for me. I feel great, especially great.”

“I just don’t know if I’ll be able to get up tomorrow.”

It seemed Xu Shijia really did need time to recover and was embarrassed to admit the truth. Instead, he made up a flimsy excuse, risking misunderstanding.

So Lin Shu responded gently, “Actually, you’ll be better able to focus on work once you’re fully recovered. Why not take another day off tomorrow? You can rest and come back the day after, as long as you complete the process in the OA in advance.”

She smiled at Xu Shijia, “I’ll take my leave now; you rest well.”

…

—

Wang Yizhou had just returned from a business trip when he heard about Xu Shijia’s injury, so he called right away to check in.

However, before he could ask Xu Shijia about her injuries, his brother jumped in with the topic—

“Brother, do you know that the moment that woman found out who I am, she became all polite and submissive toward me? It was as if she was about to turn into a love-struck fool! If she’s not going to be a lawyer, she could easily audition to perform in a Sichuan opera face-changing act!”

“Before she didn’t know my identity, she made me work overtime every day, used psychological manipulation on me, and assigned me endless tasks. You wouldn’t believe it! Now she’s completely compliant! I just mentioned that I might not be able to come to work tomorrow, and she actually let it go! She even reminded me to take good care of myself!”

Wang Yizhou was still adjusting to the time difference. He rubbed his forehead, feeling a bit confused. “Isn’t that a good thing? Didn’t you complain before about how strict she was? Now that she’s being accommodating and caring toward you, isn’t that a good change?”

“Good thing? Doesn’t she have any principles? Just because my identity has changed, does that mean she can tolerate anything? What about having principles?” Xu Shijia bit out, her teeth clenched, “Why is she so superficial? She shouldn’t have found out who I am!”

Regarding this matter, Wang Yizhou disagreed. “You’re the one who misled her by hiding your identity; that’s where the fault lies. Even I helped you conceal it, and it wasn’t the most straightforward thing to do. Xu Shijia, you need to be more mature. In life, everyone abides by the same social rules. It’s completely normal for someone’s attitude to change when their understanding of your identity shifts; almost everyone can’t escape this reality.”

“When you were working at Tianhao, which partners or colleagues didn’t turn a blind eye to your tardiness and early departures because of your identity? I didn’t see you getting all worked up then. Why are you so harsh on Lin Shu?”

Speaking of Lin Shu, a vivid image of her beautiful yet strong personality flashed through Wang Yizhou’s mind. “When you asked me to help you conceal your identity, your reasoning was that you were afraid she’d throw herself at you once she knew. So now that she does know, has she done that? I don’t think so; she doesn’t seem like that type.”

“You were judging her with a narrow mind back then.” Wang Yizhou actually admired Lin Shu, but after a moment’s thought, he continued, “But it seems like you really dislike her. If you have such resistance toward her, working together won’t do either of you any good. Do you want me to find you a different partner for mentoring?”

As soon as he said this, Xu Shijia reacted strongly, “No! Don’t change!”

“I won’t change.” Wang Yizhou replied, his brother’s tone ominous. “You keep saying she’s good to me because she values me, that she favors me in the team, but isn’t it really just because she learned my identity? And she’s acting all holier-than-thou.”

“I won’t rest; I’m going to work tomorrow! I want to be in front of her every day.”

“I want to see just how much she can ‘favor’ me. Is it just because I’m the youngest son of the Xinhe CEO that she’ll tolerate anything?”

…

Wang Yizhou felt that his brother was somewhat obsessed.

Wasn’t it just a job?

His brother’s attitude seemed like he felt unloved, trying all sorts of ways to test if the other really cared for him, or was just attracted to his youthful, love-starved persona…

Xu Shijia was holding her boss to the standards of a romantic relationship.

Her mindset was somewhat twisted.

It was reminiscent of his own first love, who used to create scenes to force Wang Yizhou to prove his love for her, to be infinitely accommodating, and to comfort her.

Unintentionally, Wang Yizhou felt a chill for Lin Shu.

He wondered when this unhealthy workplace relationship would officially fall apart.

**

Lin Shu returned to the law firm, met with clients according to her schedule, and handled some work. Just before the end of the workday, she received an internal call from Tianhao’s partner, Chen:

“Are you free tonight? Wang Yanniang from Xinhe wanted to invite you to dinner today to get to know you better, but it so happened that you were not available. If you’re free in the evening, he would like to invite you to dinner.”

Wang Yanniang would actually invite her again?

Although Lin Shu felt apprehensive, she agreed to meet.

Chen received her affirmative response and laughed, “Alright, I’ll send you the time and place later.”

Chen was known at Tianhao as a charming figure, with high emotional intelligence, able to navigate social situations seamlessly. He had always handled Xinhe’s business and was familiar with Wang Yanniang. Therefore, with him present, the atmosphere wouldn’t be awkward, and Lin Shu felt somewhat relieved.

However, Lin Shu didn’t expect that when she arrived at the restaurant private room at the time and place Chen provided, she found that tonight’s dinner guest was just her and Wang Yanniang—he hadn’t even brought an assistant.

“Hello, Lawyer Lin. I’ve heard a lot about you.” Wang Yanniang was tall; although he showed signs of aging, he was well-maintained and appeared younger than his actual age, radiating the authoritative air of someone in a high position while speaking in a friendly tone.

To show respect, he arrived at the private room earlier. As soon as Lin Shu entered, he stood up to welcome her, extended his hand for a firm handshake, and handed her his business card.

In terms of social skills, Wang Yizhou had clearly inherited this trait.

Upon closer observation, it was also evident that Wang Yizhou resembled Wang Yanniang more, while Xu Shijia, whether by name, appearance, or personality, didn’t seem like she belonged to the same family.

“Lawyer Chen has another engagement with a client tonight, so he won’t be joining us.” Wang Yanniang’s expression was friendly as he looked at Lin Shu and directly stated, “Moreover, I actually prefer to communicate with Lawyer Lin alone.”

Communication…

That naturally meant discussing Xu Shijia.

Wang Yanniang didn’t beat around the bush: “My youngest son, Xu Shijia, is in Lawyer Lin’s team. I’ve heard a bit about your collaboration; I understand you often assign him business trips and overtime work, treating him quite specially. I think…”

What was meant to come had finally arrived…

Just as Lin Shu braced herself for Wang Yanniang’s reprimand, she heard him continue—

“I think it’s particularly good.”

Huh?

Lin Shu tried to read Wang Yanniang’s face for any signs of sarcasm, but there were none; he genuinely looked appreciative.

“Lawyer Lin, I’m very grateful for how you treat Xu Shijia,” Wang Yanniang said sincerely, “You are the first to do so in many years.”

“My youngest son…” Wang Yanniang sighed, looking somewhat pained. “Because he was weak and sickly as a child, we changed his last name to his mother’s. As the youngest, he’s been the center of attention, and the whole family spoils him. Since he has an older brother to shield him and take on the company’s burdens, he doesn’t feel any pressure to inherit. He never has to worry about food and clothing, which has left him without any dreams, beliefs, or goals; he just wants to live a leisurely life.”

How could he not have dreams? Isn’t living a carefree life a dream in itself?

Lin Shu wanted to say that, in the same world, sometimes there really is the same dream…

Unfortunately, Wang Yanniang clearly didn’t see it that way. He expressed his frustration, “Xu Shijia is well-known as a privileged kid at Tianhao. Over the years, despite my repeated instructions to several partners to discipline him and not give him any special treatment, they only agreed on the surface and were actually unwilling to offend him. They turn a blind eye to his lack of attendance.”

“Lawyer Lin, you are the only one who treats him strictly without fearing his background.”

That wasn’t entirely true; she just didn’t know his identity. Otherwise, it would be difficult to say…

Wang Yanniang’s eyes were filled with gratitude: “You’ve pushed him to the brink, forcing him to clock in on time every day; you’ve made him go on business trips to experience the ups and downs of life; you’ve made him work overtime without any extra pay; you’ve scolded him to the point where he couldn’t eat or sleep but still had to endure and come to work; you’ve squeezed him dry…”

That didn’t sound like praise; it actually sounded more like a list of Lin Shu’s faults…

But Wang Yanniang clearly wasn’t being sarcastic; he seemed sincere.

“Lawyer Lin, ever since you took over the team, Xu Shijia’s life has become very fulfilling and particularly positive.” Wang Yanniang looked at Lin Shu eagerly. “I hope you can continue to hold Xu Shijia to high standards.”

“Inviting you to dinner is just to express my stance; I fully support and appreciate your methods. I hope you won’t go easy on him and can be a bit harsher. After all, young people should face more pressure to grow and develop! I hope he can find a sense of achievement and purpose in his work!”

“If there’s anything I can assist you with, feel free to contact me.”

Wang Yanniang’s voice was loud and commanding, hammering down the theme of the dinner—

“I have just one request: I hope you will continue to keep my unworthy youngest son in line!”

He spoke earnestly, “After working for so many years, I must say that some of your tactics have truly surprised even me!”

“Handling people? Lawyer Lin is truly an expert! Training employees is something you young people excel at!”

…Are you complimenting me or mocking me?