Chapter 30

Xu Shijia was so angry that he couldn’t sleep well all night, but anger aside, he still had to go to work.

Although his luxury car was still there, he could no longer afford its high fuel consumption and gas prices, nor could he pay for parking in the law firm’s underground garage.

Early in the morning, Xu Shijia took an allergy medication, darkly scowling as he skillfully boarded the crowded subway for his early shift.

Being broke really made him feel powerless.

Poverty also taught him many lessons he didn’t need to know before.

Now, he was well-versed in the subway routes and transfer schedules in Rong City, knew where to buy the cheapest breakfast, and was even clear about where new budget restaurants had opened.

He used to wonder why Wang Yizhou, born with a silver spoon, worked so hard, but now he understood.

Ordinary people could afford to be lazy because they were used to and familiar with an average life, but those born into wealthy families who had never experienced hardship couldn’t afford to be lazy. An ordinary life could easily shatter their mental state, so they had to work harder than average people to avoid falling into a lower class.

Xu Shijia entered the law firm amidst his self-soothing and comforting thoughts. He encountered Lin Shu, who had just come up from the underground garage, in the elevator on the first floor.

Indeed, being the boss meant having thick skin.

Lin Shu acted as if nothing had happened. Not only did she fail to explain or reassure Xu Shijia, but she also seemed to have completely forgotten the events of last night. She greeted him casually, asked how he was doing, then glanced at her phone and remarked as if to herself, “The law association has assigned a legal aid case to us, and our team has been arranged to handle it.”

Legal aid?

Wasn’t that synonymous with being broke?

To be precise, such cases would receive a subsidy from the judicial bureau, but they generally didn’t earn money. Especially since those eligible for legal aid were usually economically disadvantaged and often had limited cultural education due to their financial situation, handling these cases was often much more challenging than larger commercial cases.

Xu Shijia didn’t discriminate against people based on their wealth.

But he was very broke right now and only wanted to take on cases that paid well.

Moreover, he was afraid of trouble, and legal aid cases were far more troublesome than ordinary ones.

So what was Lin Shu trying to say by bringing this up in front of him?

There was no such thing as an unprovoked topic; was she planning to assign this legal aid case to him?

Xu Shijia’s expression darkened.

Last night’s anger surged up from the bottom of his heart again.

Why should he have to do it?

She paved the way for Liu Xuhui and praised Wang Tie Niu—so why was she only thinking of him for this low-paying, troublesome legal aid case?

He just wanted a fair chance!

Xu Shijia made up his mind: he absolutely wouldn’t take on this legal aid case!

Sure enough, Xu Shijia was right; Lin Shu didn’t mention it casually. She continued from where she left off, saying, “This legal aid case is a domestic violence divorce case, and I want to assign it to…”

Heh.

She wanted to assign it to him?

Not a chance!

However, just as Xu Shijia had prepared to refuse, Lin Shu’s next words took him by surprise.

“I want to assign it to Tie Niu.”

Lin Shu smiled at him. “After thinking it over, I believe a legal aid case should be handled by someone who is kind-hearted, gentle, patient, responsible, and dedicated, especially since these cases don’t pay, so we need to find someone who isn’t strongly driven by money and is particularly willing to help others.”

What did Lin Shu mean? Was Wang Tie Niu kind-hearted, gentle, and patient, but he wasn’t?

Xu Shijia couldn’t accept this. He put on a stern face, just about to challenge her, when he heard Lin Shu’s gentle voice continue—

“Xu Shijia, if it were before, you would have been the only suitable candidate who met these requirements. But now…” She hesitated, “given your current financial situation, I wouldn’t want to waste your time on a case like this, so I plan to give it to Tie Niu.”

“You also know that my cousin Tang Xiao is an employee at Xinhe. She’s very straightforward and can’t keep things to herself. Initially, I thought Tie Niu was you, so when she asked me how the second son of Xinhe was, I, wanting to avoid trouble, praised Tie Niu.”

Lin Shu looked sincerely into Xu Shijia’s moist black eyes and said, “But the truth is, I didn’t have much contact with Tieniu at the beginning, and it was hard to praise him meaningfully. So when I did, I was actually thinking of you and projecting some of your qualities onto him.”

“This is my fault. When I think about it, this behavior is no different from stealing. I borrowed your excellent qualities to give to Tieniu. Although it was to appease my cousin, it’s still not right.”

Lin Shu always had this ability; her tone was always sincere, always tearful, always convincing.

Even though Xu Shijia knew that much of it was likely fake, he still fell for it every time.

His rational mind told him to stop, but his mouth had already taken action on its own—

“Since I am the most suitable candidate, you should just give it to me.”

Hearing his own voice, Xu Shijia calmly said, “Even though it doesn’t pay, as you said, I’m someone who enjoys helping others. If I weren’t unable to sign language, I would even want to help Brother Hui with cases involving the hearing and speech impaired. Those needing legal aid are usually vulnerable groups in society, so isn’t this precisely where I am needed?”

“And you know that the party involved has experienced domestic violence and wants a divorce. Given Tieniu’s appearance, I’m afraid it might add psychological pressure on her. It’s not that I think Tieniu is bad, but he looks a bit intimidating. Although he is fierce, he is very gentle, the party may not feel that immediately, so someone like me, who is cultured and has a gentle temperament, would definitely be more suitable.”

However, as soon as Xu Shijia finished speaking, he realized something was off and started to regret it, but it was already too late.

Due to a man’s foolish jealousy and competitive spirit, he jumped into the pit Lin Shu had already dug for him.

Lin Shu didn’t even bother to disguise her intentions and didn’t think for a second, as if she had been waiting for Xu Shijia to say those words. As soon as he finished speaking, her voice followed suit—

“You make a good point. Since you don’t mind the money issue, then this case will be handed over to you. I’ll send the follow-up materials to your email. Once you finish reading them, please give me a brief summary. In the afternoon, arrange to meet the party involved in the office to discuss and resolve it quickly.”

…

A minute later, Xu Shijia received a new email notification on his phone. Lin Shu had already sent over the materials for the legal aid case.

This was clearly a premeditated “crime” by Lin Shu.

In fact, if he had calmed down, Lin Shu’s words wouldn’t stand up to scrutiny.

Tieniu’s inability to meet clients hadn’t been resolved at all; he couldn’t even communicate face-to-face with the parties involved. How could he handle a case that required a lot of communication and coordination?

The most frustrating part was himself. Xu Shijia felt very annoyed; while others learned from their mistakes, he was just eating the pit without gaining any wisdom.

**

Good bosses are adept at reading people’s hearts and are skilled at applying the right remedy. Lin Shu had long mastered this when dealing with Xu Shijia.

However, seeing Xu Shijia accept the task with an expression of helplessness made Lin Shu feel somewhat amused.

Men really remain boys at heart, always comparing and stepping on others in strange ways. Before he knew it, he had stepped himself into a pit.

But fortunately, this legal aid case wasn’t complicated.

“The party involved is named Wei Xue, twenty-four years old, and has been married for two years. Although she married a local from Rong City who is quite wealthy, she herself is from outside the city and comes from a poor background. Her father passed away early, and besides her mother, she has a younger brother. Her family can’t provide any support. After getting married, she quit her job to be a full-time housewife, and since she has no economic source, her husband has been frequently abusing her recently due to difficulties with getting pregnant. Out of anger, she has filed for divorce, but her husband has become even more ruthless and cut off her financial support. That’s why she had to apply for legal aid.”

As Xu Shijia spoke, he showed a sense of shared indignation, “To cut off the economic support of one’s family! This kind of man is too awful! I will definitely help her get all the assets that can be divided in the divorce!”

Lin Shu also felt it was excessive. A man who could resort to violence against his wife certainly needed to be divorced.

Xu Shijia was naturally filled with righteous indignation. He had done his homework carefully, and when Wei Xue arrived, he began discussing evidence collection with her—

“Did you report the domestic violence to the police? Are there any witnesses? Or do you have any medical records from a hospital visit? Is there any surveillance at home that recorded the incidents?”

Unfortunately, Wei Xue could only shake her head in response to Xu Shijia’s questions.

She was a girl with a delicate appearance, and even though she had been married for two years, her facial expression still appeared youthful.

Wei Xue’s eyes were a bit red. Ever since she entered the conference room, she had begun to choke up. Lin Shu tried to comfort her several times, but it was difficult for her to calm down. She answered Xu Shijia’s questions with negative responses—

There were no police records, no videos, no witnesses, and no medical records.

Lin Shu and Xu Shijia exchanged glances, both knowing that with such evidence, it would be difficult to prove that domestic violence had occurred.

“Please calm down and tell us what exactly happened.”

Perhaps it was Lin Shu’s gentle and trustworthy voice; Wei Xue gradually stopped crying, wiped her tears, and began to recount the events.

“I met my husband Zhang Jianyi through an introduction. The introducer said he was quite reliable, plus he is twelve years older than me and knows more about life. My mom said he is a steady person, so I should follow him.”

“After our families met, we talked about the bride price, which was set at three hundred thousand. They readily agreed and seemed quite cheerful about it. Before we got our marriage certificate, they gave us one hundred eighty thousand, and they said the remaining one hundred twenty thousand would be given after we set a date for the wedding and received the gifts.”

Wei Xue’s eyes reddened, “At first, he treated me well, but when it came to planning the wedding, he said it wasn’t urgent. His elder relatives had just passed away, and they needed to hold a funeral first. He was worried that having a wedding right after would be inauspicious, so he suggested I start trying to get pregnant first. If I had a child, we could have both good news at the same time after the mourning period ended.”

“I thought that made sense, but I didn’t expect I would have difficulty getting pregnant. I went to the hospital several times and took traditional Chinese medicine to regulate my body, but he suddenly seemed to have changed his character. He started calling me a ‘barren hen,’ refused to give me any money, and would pick fights over anything. My mom advised me to bear with it, saying that men have their bad days, so I tolerated it.”

In a relationship, forbearance usually brings only grievance and does not yield anything else; it not only fails to inspire reflection and correction from the other party, but often only encourages them to escalate their behavior.

Indeed, Wei Xue was no exception.

She lowered her head and sobbed, “But he hasn’t restrained himself at all, and it’s getting worse. The last time I wanted to buy folic acid for pregnancy but had no money, I called him to ask for some, and not only did he refuse to give me any, but when he came home that night reeking of alcohol, he slapped me and pushed me hard.”

“After that, he has been hitting and scolding me at the slightest disagreement.”

It is utterly inhumane to lay hands on one’s wife, yet Wei Xue’s anger was clearly directed at another issue.

“Before, we had agreed that after the mourning period, we would hold the wedding banquet, but his family hasn’t mentioned it at all, and they mockingly call me a worthless money pit every day.”

“They even scolded me for having a small piece of land where I grow some organic vegetables, saying that I’m sick for being too picky and particular, proving once again that I’m a money pit.”

As she spoke, Wei Xue couldn’t help but start to cry again. “These things make it so I can’t hold my head up in front of my family. My mom was already communicating well with the village, but now with all this happening, my mom and brother won’t even talk to me…”

…

The story isn’t new, but it is very typical.

Lin Shu patiently asked for information regarding joint property, and had Wei Xue fill out a more comprehensive form regarding these matters.

While filling out the form, Wei Xue urgently said, “Lawyer Lin, Lawyer Xu, when can I sign the representation contract? Once I sign it, you’ll be my lawyers, and you can call my husband in to discuss the divorce, right?”

Xu Shijia stood up, “I can print the contract now…”

Lin Shu stopped Xu Shijia, saying, “The printer is broken.” She looked at Wei Xue, “We’ll print it in a couple of days and send it to you; is that okay?”

Xu Shijia felt a bit embarrassed and added, “If it’s inconvenient to send it to your home, you can provide an address for a delivery locker.”

“Can it be sent to my house? That would be great!” However, to Xu Shijia’s surprise, Wei Xue was incredibly excited to hear it could be sent home. “Just send it home!”

“Her husband has already been abusing her, and now the divorce representation contract will be sent home? What if that man opens it and sees it? How can her personal safety be guaranteed?”

Although he had already advised Wei Xue on how to seek help and avoid domestic violence, as soon as she left, Xu Shijia began to feel confused and worried.

After he went to the print room, he rushed back into Lin Shu’s office, looking puzzled. “The printer isn’t broken? Did you lie to her?”

Xu Shijia stared at Lin Shu. “Do you not want to take her case?”

“Not at all.” Lin Shu had anticipated Xu Shijia’s reaction. She pointed to a chair, indicating for him to sit down.

“Xu Shijia, first tell me your feelings about this case.”

Although Xu Shijia was a man, he held a very fair stance on gender issues, and his tone was unusually serious. “The wedding is one of the most important moments in a woman’s life. Wei Xue’s husband, Zhang Jianyi, not only went back on his word to hold the wedding banquet but also pushed his wife after drinking. This man is terrible, and given that their marriage was rushed, without the necessary adjustment period, this marriage is definitely not suitable for Wei Xue. I fully support her decision to divorce and will do my utmost to assist her.”

“You should know in your heart that this case was specifically assigned to you.”

Xu Shijia glanced at Lin Shu, somewhat surprised by her straightforwardness, and pursed his lips, “Okay.”

“Hui Ge has gone to develop the legal market for the deaf and mute, and Iron Bull can’t meet clients. The only one left who can work is me.”

“This legal aid case was assigned to our firm, but I really didn’t want to take it; it could easily be pushed to another team. I took this case because I felt you needed to handle a case like this.”

Xu Shijia furrowed his brow in suspicion, “You don’t need to say that; I’m willing to take this case, even if it pays nothing, since it’s important for Wei Xue to divorce as soon as possible for her safety.”

Xu Shijia was a man with a strong sense of justice, but many times, having a sense of justice is not enough to handle a case.

“I lied about the printer being broken because I know Wei Xue won’t actually sign that agreement.”

Lin Shu tapped the table with a pen. “She doesn’t want to get divorced.”

“But that man treats her like that!”

“You’ve never handled a divorce case before, so you lack experience. In such cases, it often happens that one party loudly demands a divorce, but when it actually goes to court, many reconcile and reminisce about the past, crying together.”

“I’ve observed Wei Xue, and there are no obvious injuries on her. Whether the domestic violence she claims exists is already questionable; but more importantly, what Wei Xue cares about is not Zhang Jianyi’s violence and poor attitude, but that banquet.”

Xu Shijia clearly had not grasped the implications of Lin Shu’s words. “Of course everyone values their wedding; it’s normal for her to care about it.”

“But is it really the wedding that Wei Xue cares about? What she truly values is the remaining 120,000 yuan in dowry that the other party promised after the wedding.”

Lin Shu looked at Xu Shijia and hinted, “She mentioned something very subtle: when she learned that the banquet couldn’t be held, ‘My mom and brother won’t even talk to me anymore.’”

“In a normal person’s logic, if a daughter is bullied by her in-laws, shouldn’t the parents sympathize with their child? How could they get angry at their child?”

“Zhang Jianyi’s family background far exceeds Wei Xue’s, but he’s twelve years older than her and was willing to go through matchmaking, yet only now are they getting married. This kind of picky behavior likely indicates some inherent shortcomings. If he’s picky, then the wife he eventually selects must be someone outstanding in terms of education and family background, and obviously, Wei Xue is not that type. Therefore, I tend to think Zhang Jianyi might have some inherent deficiencies.”

Xu Shijia was unconvinced. “That’s just your wild guess; what evidence do you have?”

“I just skimmed through Wei Xue’s moments on social media.” Lin Shu said, pushing her phone toward Xu Shijia. “Take a look at this video of a family banquet she posted a few months ago.”