Chapter 26

Since Lin Shu’s actions last night, she had not only transformed into Xu Shijia’s creditor but had also elevated herself to the status of his “benefactor.”

As a result, Xu Shijia was quite perceptive and finally developed a sense of reciprocation. The next day, he arrived early at the office, and by the time Lin Shu reached her office, he was already there, looking quite professional and seriously searching for information.

Since Lin Shu’s actions last night, Xu Shijia had not only transformed into her debtor but had also risen to the status of her “benefactor.”

As a result, Xu Shijia was quite perceptive and finally developed a sense of reciprocation. The next day, he arrived early at the office, and by the time Lin Shu reached her office, he was already there, looking quite professional and seriously searching for information.

Although he still wore expensive clothes, Xu Shijia’s demeanor had clearly become more grounded in the face of money—he actively engaged in conversations with team members, spoke more politely, and his gaze had shifted from the top of his head back to where it should be.

Seeing all three team members at work and the atmosphere being friendly and harmonious, Lin Shu breathed a sigh of relief after a long time.

This team wasn’t entirely beyond saving.

However, to bring these people to success, the most important thing was still revenue—finding new cases.

Perhaps heaven had finally heard Lin Shu’s prayers. Just as she finished a legal consultation with an old client, a new case source unexpectedly approached her.

But it wasn’t the kind Lin Shu had hoped for.

“Lawyer Lin? This is Bai Feng.”

After learning about Bai Feng’s past with Liu Xuhui, Lin Shu didn’t really believe that Bai Feng would actually come to her team for a case, but unexpectedly, not only did he reach out, he specifically requested Liu Xuhui.

“Here’s the thing: our child has gotten into some trouble, and I’d like to entrust your team to handle it. You know, my company has a contracted legal team, but for personal family matters, I’d prefer to keep them separate and work with someone I know.”

A child is in trouble? Yet Bai Feng sounded rather relaxed, so it must be…

Bai Feng quickly provided the answer: “It’s Bai Fan.” He sighed, appearing somewhat helpless, “This kid got caught for stealing and is currently at the police station. They said he might be detained…”

No wonder his tone didn’t seem genuinely anxious; Bai Fan was the deaf-mute child he had adopted, not his biological child.

If Lin Shu remembered correctly, Bai Fan was only eleven years old. Even if the theft reached the criminal standard, he wouldn’t be subject to criminal punishment. Moreover, given Bai Feng’s tone, it was likely that the amount stolen was minimal, so it would probably conclude with a detention and a fine—not a difficult case to handle. According to lawyer fee standards, taking such a case wouldn’t yield much profit.

It was clear that Bai Feng had approached Lin Shu for this case to humiliate Liu Xuhui, constantly reminding him that his daughter was also a disabled person.

Bai Feng didn’t even try to hide this intention—

“Lawyer Lin, I know this case is quite small, but I’ve heard that my old classmate Xuhui doesn’t have any major cases on his hands. I heard that if you lawyers don’t have cases, your income may not be great. Since I have this ability now, I also want to help my old classmate out.”

Bai Feng pretended to be kind: “Although this money isn’t much for me, it might be a real help for Xuhui. Life isn’t just about poetry and distant horizons; you have to fill your stomach first, right? We’re all old classmates, and while I’m eating meat here, I hope Xuhui can at least have some soup.”

The way he said this made it sound like he was showing kindness to an old friend, but it was clearly a condescending act of charity.

At this point, Bai Feng shifted his tone and attempted to win Lin Shu over: “Moreover, this case is a trial run. If it goes well, I can sign a contract with you to be my family’s private lawyer. That kind of annual revenue would be substantial, and the price would be easy to negotiate. You’d just need to handle our personal assets and insurance, which wouldn’t be too much work, but I definitely won’t shortchange you on the money…”

Lin Shu wasn’t naive; both Bai Feng and Liu Xuhui had a grudge over a wife. If Bai Feng truly felt guilty and knew of Liu Xuhui’s difficulties, he would have found a way to compensate him long ago.

Now, he just accidentally found out that Liu Xuhui was in Tianhao and happened to be in Lin Shu’s team, trying to find ways to disgust and humiliate him.

What was even more hateful was that Bai Feng intended to use Lin Shu as a pawn, dangling the carrot of becoming his private family business lawyer, treating Lin Shu like a mindless donkey.

Revenue generation was indeed the lifeblood of every law firm’s partners. Bai Feng’s scheme was quite underhanded; Lin Shu might not consider taking on a minor case like Bai Fan’s theft, so he presented the possibility of becoming a private family lawyer as bait, leveraging Lin Shu’s position as her superior to pressure Liu Xuhui into serving Bai Feng, thus bypassing direct contact with Liu Xuhui.

“Lawyer Lin, Bai Fan is a deaf-mute child. Perhaps you’re not aware, but my reason for reaching out to Xuhui isn’t just due to our friendship as classmates. More importantly, I believe Xuhui has rich experience in dealing with deaf-mute children since his daughter is also a deaf-mute.”

Bai Feng’s words sounded reasonable, yet the sarcasm and mocking tone were obvious.

Xu Shijia had mentioned that Liu Xuhui didn’t like to talk about his child being deaf-mute, yet Bai Feng deliberately brought it up, not only reopening wounds but also delivering a malicious jab.

“What do you think, Lawyer Lin? Can you take this case?”

Lin Shu smiled: “Sure. Thank you, Mr. Bai, for thinking of us and for considering Xuhui. Given the circumstances, this case with Bai Fan indeed seems best suited for Xuhui.”

…

** 

Bai Feng hung up the phone, satisfied.

Lin Shu’s reaction was clearly within his expectations.

As a lawyer, Bai Feng had seen many things; as the client, he saw lawyers merely as the service providers. The ones with money were the ones in control. He bet that Lin Shu would take this case; after all, even if she knew the backstory of him and Liu Xuhui, taking this case would humiliate Liu Xuhui and wouldn’t be uncomfortable for Lin Shu. It was only natural for a superior to generously support a subordinate, and for a superior to exploit a subordinate for their own benefit was simply to be expected.

What reason did she have not to take it?

A young and ambitious boss wouldn’t care how a much older, less productive employee felt.

Bai Feng glanced at the graduation photo on the desk, staring at Liu Xuhui’s once spirited face, unable to suppress a smile.

“Liu Xuhui, oh Liu Xuhui, you never expected to end up like this, did you? What a joke.”

After sighing, Bai Feng called his assistant, instructing them to send Lin Shu Bai Fan’s information and details.

He didn’t care about Bai Fan, but the necessary procedures had to be followed; otherwise, how could he humiliate Liu Xuhui?

With this thought, Bai Feng smiled to himself, feeling elated, eagerly anticipating the humiliation or anger Liu Xuhui would feel upon receiving this case.

** 

Bai Feng was quite pleased as he followed Lin Shu to the police station, only to discover that Lin Shu had asked him to take on such a case, while Liu Xuhui was equally resistant.

“Lawyer Lin, if you had told me that the case I was being asked to take was from Bai Feng’s family, I wouldn’t have come to the police station with you at all!”

Not long before, after hanging up the phone with Bai Feng, Lin Shu had called Liu Xuhui into her office.

She didn’t inform him of the real situation, only saying that there was an urgent case that needed immediate attention and wouldn’t take up too much time. However, she was willing to offer Liu Xuhui an additional 20% commission for the month for this case and hoped he would accompany her to handle it.

Given the generous bonus and Lin Shu’s repeated assurances that it wouldn’t take up too much of Liu Xuhui’s time, he didn’t think much and gladly followed her.

However, once they reached the police station and Lin Shu disclosed the specifics of the case, Liu Xuhui immediately wanted to leave.

It was evident that he was trying to control his emotions, but the suppressed humiliation was still apparent in his somewhat weathered eyes.

Angry to this extent, he still spoke with restraint: “Lawyer Lin, I really won’t take this case. I won’t take any case related to Bai Feng, no matter how much money it is or how easy it might be. This is my bottom line. If you ask me why, I won’t say. It’s my privacy.”

“You don’t need to say anything. I know all about your issues with Bai Feng,” Lin Shu replied calmly. However, Liu Xuhui couldn’t remain composed.

He raised his voice, finally filled with anger: “Since you know all this, calling me here and deliberately hiding the truth from me is meant to humiliate me, isn’t it?”

At this point, Liu Xuhui had decided to speak freely: “I know that as an employee like me, no boss would like me. I’m middle-aged, with family ties, and I can’t even guarantee that I can sit at my desk every day. If you find me displeasing and want me to leave, I can understand. But you don’t need to humiliate me like this and assert your authority. You could have just spoken to me directly and straightforwardly.”

“My irregular attendance isn’t a reflection of any opinions about you, and it’s not because you are a woman who is younger than me, so I’m deliberately being disrespectful. It’s simply because my child cannot be without me.”

When he spoke of his daughter, pain flashed across Liu Xuhui’s face: “My parents are in poor health and can’t take care of the child. I have no one else to rely on. I have tried to devote myself fully to work and even hired a live-in nanny to care for my daughter.”

“Because the child is deaf-mute, she is inherently introverted. I had hoped that having a female nanny would be somewhat more attentive, but unexpectedly, the child’s condition didn’t improve; instead, she began waking up crying and screaming all night. Later, I installed surveillance cameras, and when I checked the footage, I discovered that the nanny had not treated the child well when I was not home. Taking advantage of the child’s inability to communicate, combined with my busy work schedule that left little time for interaction, the nanny would scold and hit her. The worst part was when the child misbehaved, she would lock her alone in a small dark room as punishment and then go out shopping herself.”

“You normal people might not understand, but deaf-mute children often feel very insecure inside. After being bullied, they tend to choose avoidance, trying to avoid conflict, thinking that their silence will earn them sympathy from the perpetrator and spare them. But the reality is, this kind of tolerance only invites the perpetrator to escalate their behavior.”

As he spoke, tears welled up in Liu Xuhui’s eyes: “Lawyer Lin, you are still young and haven’t been a mother yet, so you might not understand the feelings of being a parent. But when I watch the surveillance footage and see my child’s pitiable state, my heart just breaks. Compared to my child, my work and career are insignificant.”

“After all, I work hard for a better life for my child, but in the end, I haven’t even managed to protect her mental and physical health. Isn’t that losing sight of the fundamental for the trivial?”

“My daughter, due to past psychological trauma, is very resistant to the outside world. She was admitted to a university that offers acupuncture courses for the deaf, but she didn’t even want to attend school and directly gave up enrollment, spending all day cooped up at home. I don’t feel at ease leaving her alone, which is why I must set aside a few days each week to tutor and accompany her.”

…

So this was the reason Liu Xuhui had adjusted his work schedule.

He had significantly reduced his workload, given up on advancing his career, and become a “slacker,” no longer enthusiastic about seeking new sources of cases and clients. Instead, he had settled into this lifestyle, taking several days off each week to stay home with his child.

“I’ve said everything I need to say. Not taking this case isn’t a reflection of any issues I have with you, and I, Liu Xuhui, have a clear conscience. Because if I take this case, it would mean bowing down to Bai Feng, living off him, and degrading myself.”

“I know the significance of revenue generation for the team. I won’t take this case, but I also can’t stop our team from taking it.”

“So just now, I contacted Xu Shijia and informed him of the general situation. He is on his way to connect with you. You can leave this case to him!”

Having thrown this out, Liu Xuhui turned to leave.

Lin Shu was not in a hurry. Watching Liu Xuhui’s back, she finally spoke: “The child inside is Bai Fan, whom Bai Feng adopted, and he is not his biological child. Like your daughter, he is a deaf-mute child.”

Lin Shu’s words indeed stopped Liu Xuhui in his tracks. However, he didn’t waver; instead, his expression grew even darker: “Bai Feng is really going all out to humiliate me! He deliberately adopted a deaf-mute child!”

“As for this child, Bai Feng isn’t short on money; he can hire any lawyer he wants! If you’re so reluctant to give up on Bai Feng as a client, Xu Shijia will arrive shortly and can take over. It’s not a difficult case; it’s just a matter of going through the motions, and Xu Shijia’s capabilities are more than enough to handle it.”

Lin Shu anticipated that Liu Xuhui wouldn’t change his mind just because of a few words. She continued, “Bai Fan is already eleven years old, yet he still can’t read lips and hasn’t undergone systematic learning. No one in Bai Feng’s family knows sign language. He adopted this child under the pretense of charity but clearly hasn’t treated him well. Your daughter and Bai Fan are in the same situation, and you surely know what it means to truly care for a deaf-mute child.”

Lin Shu had long anticipated facing Liu Xuhui’s anger by taking on this case; she had already considered all scenarios, which allowed her to remain calm and composed now.

She looked at Liu Xuhui and said, “After I agreed to take this case, Bai Feng’s assistant sent me Bai Fan’s information. This child is not a first-time offender; he has a criminal record for theft, having stolen from several imported supermarkets, which led the store owners to report him and check the surveillance footage.”

“This is already the seventh incident for him. And apart from this time, in the previous six cases, Bai Feng did not hire a lawyer for him. However, since he is a minor and the amounts involved are small, although he is a repeat offender, he does not meet the criminal standards and therefore is not held criminally responsible. The final penalties are relatively light, usually just detention plus a fine.”

Lin Shu’s tone was very calm: “Bai Feng asked you to take this case, indeed to humiliate and mock you, but my taking on this case is not meant to humiliate you or assert my authority over you, nor is it about revenue generation. After all, clients and lawyers choose each other; I am not so desperate for case sources that I would pick up any garbage.”

“I’m taking this case simply because you are the best lawyer to handle it. There is no one in Rong City, or even nationwide, who is more suitable than you.”

“Bai Fan is a deaf-mute child who knows some basic sign language, and you are one of the few lawyers who understands sign language.” Lin Shu looked into Liu Xuhui’s eyes, “You are the only one who can communicate with this child without barriers.”

“Of course, the public security bureau does provide sign language interpreters for legal cases, but these interpreters do not have the systematic legal knowledge you possess. Sometimes, they find it difficult to convey legal terms in simple and understandable sign language to the parties involved. Moreover, since Bai Feng did not send Bai Fan to a formal school for the deaf to learn sign language, many of his gestures are learned from a few nannies who have a basic understanding of sign language, which may not be formal. Coupled with the fact that the communication involves very specialized legal terminology, there is a significant possibility that the intended meaning could be misinterpreted.”

“When dealing with deaf-mute parties, both lawyers and sign language interpreters need to exercise more patience and attentiveness than usual.” Lin Shu pressed her lips together, “And you are not just a lawyer; you are a father to a deaf-mute child, willing to sacrifice your career for the sake of your imperfect child, not giving up on her just because she cannot express or communicate. You have enough empathy for deaf-mute clients, which is why I believe you are more suitable and professional than any other lawyer or sign language interpreter. You are more patient and meticulous.”

“Liu Xuhui, this is my reason for taking on this case.”

Lin Shu took out the documents and handed them to Liu Xuhui: “Before coming here, I briefly checked his previous criminal records. After Bai Fan was caught for the first time, he expressed in sign language that he did not steal and that it wasn’t him, with a very intense attitude. However, in the subsequent incidents, he remained silent and tacitly acknowledged his theft.”

“It’s difficult for deaf-mute individuals to participate in normal social life; they face numerous challenges. Most deaf-mute children do not have the same conditions as your daughter, with a father like you who is unwavering in his commitment to nurture and educate her. Many deaf-mute children lack a good education and, after entering society, become marginalized and economically disadvantaged, often unable to protect themselves. There are countless reports of deaf-mute children being exploited in scams or organized criminal activities.”

A look of wavering appeared on Liu Xuhui’s face.

Lin Shu seized the moment to press on: “Currently, Bai Fan is extremely resistant to the investigation and shows a severe lack of cooperation. He hardly trusts anyone and even refuses to communicate with the sign language interpreter assigned by the public security bureau.”

“Just as you said, deaf-mute children often feel insecure. When faced with harm, most choose to escape and remain silent. So, what really happened to Bai Fan? Has he suffered any harm? Is there anyone willing to patiently listen to him and be his voice and ears?”

Lin Shu’s tone was unusually serious: “If he truly did something wrong, as a deaf-mute child from a vulnerable group, is there someone willing to guide him back on track, to educate him about legal knowledge and concepts? Many deaf-mute children who have not received a good education are completely unaware of the seriousness of their actions, and you are the one who can convey the correct ideas to them.”

She looked into Liu Xuhui’s eyes: “Only you can help Bai Fan in this case.”

“You possess both the ability to assist him and the capacity to earn his trust.”

Lin Shu gazed toward the police station entrance not far away: “Right now, this child is inside, and the choice is yours.”

“I will respect any choice you make.”

“If you refuse to take this case because of Bai Feng, I understand. I will wait for Xu Shijia to arrive and let him handle it with the assistance of the assigned sign language interpreter.”

“If you are willing to take it, then this case is yours. If you encounter any difficulties during the process, I will do my utmost to provide support.”

Liu Xuhui bit his lip, and after a moment of silence, he let out a long breath.

“Since I’m already here.” He took the documents from Lin Shu’s hand. “I’ll go meet the child first, at least to ask what he needs and see if I can help in any way.”

** 

Lin Shu had won the gamble.

Liu Xuhui was a good person. Although he had experienced betrayal and hurt, he had not truly been blinded by hatred. Even for the child adopted by Bai Feng, because he shared the same condition as his daughter—being deaf-mute—he couldn’t bear to ignore him. Under Lin Shu’s persuasion, he was able to calm down, set aside his grievances with Bai Feng, ignore Bai Feng’s humiliation, and go meet Bai Fan.

Watching Liu Xuhui’s departing figure, Lin Shu finally breathed a sigh of relief.

Although she had appeared confident just now, she was actually somewhat uncertain whether things would work out.

After all, Liu Xuhui was significantly older than her, and discussing personal matters related to employees in a work context, especially those involving dignity and pain, made it difficult to strike the right balance. Guiding an employee to work without damaging workplace relationships was like walking a tightrope high above, maintaining balance.

Fortunately, the outcome was positive.

Lin Shu had achieved her goal.

Her heart also held a grander plan as a result.

During this time, Lin Shu had nothing to do, so she casually found a nearby café, sat down, and handled her emails.

When Liu Xuhui came out, she wanted to talk to him.

However, instead of Liu Xuhui, Xu Shijia arrived first.

Seeing him, Lin Shu was somewhat surprised: “Didn’t I just text you to say you didn’t need to come?”

Xu Shijia appeared to have hurried over, likely having run, as he was slightly out of breath. He looked serious and surveyed the surroundings: “Where’s Liu Xuhui? Did you force him inside?”

His gaze returned to Lin Shu: “Why are you doing this? Why take on this kind of client?”

Xu Shijia’s voice carried an accusatory tone, and his deep-set eyes were filled with obvious anger and disappointment.

“Lin Shu, I told you about Liu Xuhui not to have you use his scars and privacy as leverage against him.”

“Are you planning to keep this from me? To tell me not to come at such a critical moment? If it weren’t for the message from Liu Xuhui, I wouldn’t have known that you took on Bai Feng’s case and pushed him to serve this garbage! You clearly know about the past between Liu Xuhui and Bai Feng!”

Despite his anger, Xu Shijia still managed to control his tone, though it had become deeper than usual.

“How much can Bai Feng offer? Even if you successfully pleased Bai Feng by stepping on Liu Xuhui and made him your client, how much business and revenue can his lousy company provide you?”

It was evident that Xu Shijia held a deep disdain for Bai Feng, and his contempt was palpable every time he mentioned him.

Although he usually appeared carefree, Xu Shijia was surprisingly filled with a simple and straightforward sense of justice.

“Lin Shu, if you take on such clients, I really can’t work under you because I can’t agree with your values.”

Lin Shu looked at Xu Shijia, her expression calm: “Xu Shijia, I need you to understand your position. You are an employee; I am your superior. I don’t think your behavior right now is appropriate.”

Xu Shijia was clearly not willing to back down: “Employees do need to obey their superiors, but only when those demands are reasonable. If a boss can’t even respect the rights and dignity of their subordinates, treating them as mere tools for profit, then the subordinates don’t need to be blindly loyal!”

“Are you really that short on money? How much do you need? If you don’t want to take on clients like Bai Feng, I’ll cover the difference for you!”

Xu Shijia clearly had been in his “prince” position for too long, and he still hadn’t truly realized that he was no longer the person he once was. He spoke arrogantly, “I have plenty of money.”

Lin Shu decided it was time to remind Xu Shijia of his current situation.

Just as she was about to speak, the café door swung open, and Liu Xuhui walked in.

His face bore an unmistakable look of anger, and he walked briskly with a deep furrow in his brow, his lips pressed into a tight, suppressed line.

Although he had just burst in to confront Lin Shu, when Liu Xuhui strode angrily toward her, Xu Shijia quickly stepped in front of Lin Shu, blocking her.

He glanced back at Lin Shu: “Liu Xuhui must be furious. Don’t directly confront him; let me handle it.” Xu Shijia said, irritated, “Look, you don’t respect people, forcing him to take Bai Feng’s case and endure humiliation. Now he’s definitely here to seek revenge. Although you’re the boss, you’re not a man; I hope you learn a lesson! For men, dignity is the most important thing! Money is trivial compared to dignity!”

“…”

Xu Shijia ignored Lin Shu’s speechlessness and lowered his voice: “Liu Xuhui is about to start yelling…”

Before he could finish, Liu Xuhui spoke up—

“Bai Feng is truly despicable!”

Xu Shijia gave Lin Shu a “see, I guessed it” look. Although he didn’t speak again, his eyes communicated, “You’re next.”

He lifted his chin and cleared his throat: “You should be glad I’m here.”

Unfortunately, in the next second, Xu Shijia’s alertness was rendered unnecessary.

Liu Xuhui didn’t show any extreme behavior at all; he strode directly to Lin Shu’s table, sat down, poured himself a glass of lemon water, and drank it all in one go before looking at Xu Shijia: “You just got here? Why are you standing? Sit down.”

Xu Shijia exclaimed in surprise, clearly puzzled. He didn’t sit right away, instead eyeing Liu Xuhui cautiously: “Brother Hui, are you planning to drink some water before you explode?”

“Exactly! Bai Feng is truly despicable; he’s consistently awful.” Liu Xuhui seemed furious. He turned to Lin Shu, “Lawyer Lin, I just met with Bai Fan and communicated with him using sign language. This child hasn’t stolen anything!”

When it came to the matter at hand, Liu Xuhui wasted no time: “At first, the child was very guarded, but once I told him my child is also deaf-mute and showed him pictures and videos of my child, Bai Fan gradually became willing to communicate with me.”

“Only then did I understand why this child refused to communicate earlier. It’s because no one believed him.”

Liu Xuhui’s tone was low and filled with anger: “After Bai Feng adopted Bai Fan, he didn’t really take care of him properly. Not only did he fail to send him to a specialized school for the deaf, but he’s nowhere near as kind as he pretends to be.”

“It was his biological son, Bai Chen, who stole!”

“Bai Chen is about the same age and size as Bai Fan. To appear fair, Bai Feng would buy them matching coats. In fact, the surveillance footage from the stores shows the child who stole wearing a baseball cap, making it impossible to identify his face. After the store owners called the police, the street surveillance footage could only confirm that the child entered Bai Feng’s house, but they couldn’t determine who it was.”

“Bai Feng is well aware of the truth. His son likely has some psychological issues and a tendency to steal, which is why they took him to see a doctor. But to protect his son’s reputation, he refuses to admit it was his child and instead makes Bai Fan take the blame. So every time the police find Bai Feng’s family, he immediately claims the person in the video is Bai Fan, apologizing and paying compensation, cooperating so that several times, the store owners chose to let it go.”

Although Lin Shu suspected there was more to Bai Fan’s situation, she never imagined it was such a harsh truth.

The more Liu Xuhui spoke, the angrier he became: “When Bai Fan was first wronged, he tried to explain, but Bai Feng insisted he take the blame. Since Bai Fan was adopted and lived under someone else’s roof, he ultimately had to endure it. As these incidents happened more frequently, the child lost faith that anyone would help clear his name.”

“Though the amount involved isn’t significant and the child is young, he shouldn’t have to face severe penalties. Yet Bai Fan has been slandered by the family’s sign-language nanny, who called him a ‘dishonest, thieving mute,’ unfairly branding him. The moment I said I believed him, he started crying; he feels so wronged…”

Liu Xuhui appeared to have projected his own feelings onto the child, as his eyes reddened while he spoke: “Just think about what this child’s life has been like in Bai Feng’s home.”

“Lawyer Lin, you’re right; I am the only lawyer who can help this child.”

At this point, Liu Xuhui even seemed choked up. After a moment, he composed himself and looked back at Lin Shu: “I’ve had a good talk with the child. I will help him resolve this matter pro bono, and according to his wishes, I will assist him in the legal process to terminate his adoption by Bai Feng.”

As he spoke, there was no trace left of the previous criticism and emotion directed at Lin Shu. His gaze now reflected genuine trust: “I let my emotions cloud my judgment and made a wrong decision. I’m sorry. I now realize that you didn’t ask me to take this case to humiliate Bai Feng. You approached me purely because this child needs me, and he is a victim of Bai Feng as well. I’m willing to do my part; just hand this case to me, and I will handle it well.”

Liu Xuhui’s response was within Lin Shu’s expectations but surprised Xu Shijia, who looked bewildered as he glanced between Liu Xuhui and Lin Shu, clearly questioning what was happening.

Lin Shu didn’t rush to explain.

She had more important matters to address.

“We lawyers shouldn’t be picky about our clients, nor should we only take on clients we deem ‘good people’ because even the worst individuals have the right to hire lawyers. We are not judges; we are not responsible for determining right or wrong.”

“Ultimately, being a lawyer is about making a living, and as long as clients can pay the legal fees, there’s nothing wrong with taking their cases. However, regardless of how excellent a client is, I won’t sacrifice the dignity of my employees to maintain business.”

“When a lawyer joins a firm and becomes part of a team, it’s because no lawyer can succeed alone in the legal market. No matter how capable they are, it just doesn’t work. We are a team. Perhaps you don’t yet trust me or know me well enough, but I have never supported sacrificing individual dignity for the team’s sake. Because if a person’s happiness, self-respect, and success cannot be guaranteed, what’s the point of joining this team? When encountering a team that emphasizes personal sacrifice, one should stay away.”

Lin Shu smiled: “In the future, I will demonstrate this principle through my actions.”

“I would never disregard Xuhui’s dignity to pursue a client like Bai Feng. I chose this case because I see an opportunity within it.”

Lin Shu looked at Liu Xuhui and showed him the data she had just found on her computer: “In our country, there are nearly 30 million deaf-mute individuals. Though their voices are often hard to be heard in society for various reasons, they still need legal services. They encounter legal disputes even more frequently than ordinary people and require legal protection. But looking across the nation, how many experienced lawyers are fluent in sign language and familiar with the lives of deaf-mute individuals?”

“Xuhui, deaf-mute individuals represent a vast potential legal market. They urgently need legal services. You are not only an exceptionally capable lawyer but also empathetic and fluent in sign language. As the father of a deaf child, you naturally have an easier time gaining the trust of deaf individuals and their families, allowing you to connect and communicate with them more effectively.”

“When Bai Feng gave me this case, it struck me suddenly. Instead of competing in a crowded market, can we shift our mindset and explore new avenues in a blue ocean?”

Lin Shu took a sip of water, her gaze falling on the dappled light cast by the plants on the floor: “When I was young, my grandmother told me a story about an old donkey that could no longer work and was thrown into a dry well by a farmer, who decided to bury it alive as a sacrifice to the gods. The farmer continuously shoveled dirt into the well, but the donkey shook off the dirt that fell on it and stomped it down. As the dirt piled up, it eventually walked out of the dry well.”

She looked up and met Liu Xuhui’s eyes: “When Bai Feng found me, it was indeed meant to humiliate you. However, if we shift our perspective and see it as an opportunity, then Bai Feng merely sprinkled the dirt that will help you finally escape the depths of your predicament.”