Chapter 32

Lin Shu finally breathed a sigh of relief after handling Liu Xuhui’s matter.

Even though she had already done a great job of guiding Liu Xuhui’s career by helping him tap into the legal market for the deaf and mute, which was a solid career plan, Lin Shu wasn’t the type to let honest people suffer. She had experienced her own hardships, weathered many storms, and faced numerous setbacks on her journey to where she was today. That’s why she wanted to “hold an umbrella” for others when she could.

Fortunately, Liu Xuhui was someone who caught on quickly. As soon as the legal education livestream for the deaf and mute, which he co-hosted with his daughter, launched, it quickly gained traction. Even without Song Yucheng’s additional push, it had already accumulated a decent number of followers on its own and was well-received within the deaf community.

Wang Tie Niu continued, as always, to manage all the backend support work that didn’t require dealing with clients.

Xu Shijia had also become much more down-to-earth than before. He had always been smart, and with just a bit of guidance from Lin Shu, he quickly caught on to new ideas.

Lin Shu believed that after handling a few more legal aid cases, Xu Shijia would gain more experience in navigating interpersonal relationships.

Originally, Lin Shu had hoped the legal aid case would give Xu Shijia some good practice. But after Xu Shijia sent the client, Wei Xue, the engagement agreement, she unexpectedly came to the law firm before he even had a chance to have a proper conversation with her.

“Lawyer Lin, Lawyer Xu, I’m not going through with the lawsuit. I’m not getting a divorce. Here’s the agreement back. I don’t need it anymore.”

In just a few days, Wei Xue’s demeanor had completely changed. Her complexion was glowing, her eyes sparkled, and her voice carried a barely concealed joy.

Although Lin Shu had anticipated this outcome, Xu Shijia, still responsible, double-checked: “You’re not getting a divorce? Didn’t he hit you? Domestic violence can’t be tolerated. If it happens once, it’ll happen again. Are you sure about not getting divorced?”

At this, Wei Xue looked a bit embarrassed. “Well, he didn’t really hit me, he just pushed me. He’s not that tall, and he’s skinny, doesn’t have much strength. Honestly, if it came to a real fight, I might even win…”

“But while he didn’t actually hit me, he has been pretty mean lately—constantly picking fights, being sarcastic, calling me a useless hen who doesn’t lay eggs, saying I’m just a money spender who contributes nothing. He’s been really stingy, to the point where he’s reluctant to give me money for basic living expenses.”

Xu Shijia looked at Wei Xue. “So, you talked things out with him, and he realized his mistakes? He’s willing to change now?”

“I haven’t talked to him yet. He’s been on a business trip the past couple of days, but I plan to talk to him when he gets back.” Wei Xue brushed her hair aside. “I’ve thought about it, and he’s probably just stressed. He’s been traveling a lot for work since the start of the year. Men, you know, they have a lot of pressure to support the family. I should be more understanding and patient with him.”

One of the major issues between Wei Xue and her husband, Zhang Jianyi, was that Wei Xue hadn’t yet had children. It was clear her in-laws were hoping she would have one soon.

Even though Wei Xue hadn’t yet talked to Zhang Jianyi, she was already beaming, confident that the problem would be resolved. So…

Lin Shu glanced at Wei Xue’s belly. “Are you pregnant?”

Wei Xue froze for a moment, then smiled. “Yes.” She instinctively touched her stomach. “After I left the law firm, I started feeling nauseous, so I bought a pregnancy test. I thought, ‘Could I be pregnant?’ And when I tested, it turned out I was. I went to the hospital right away, and the blood test confirmed it.”

“My husband has been angry because he really wanted a child, and he was frustrated I hadn’t had one yet. But now that I’m pregnant, once he comes back from his trip, I’ll tell him, and then we’ll tell his parents. They’re going to be over the moon.”

Wei Xue’s face lit up with joy. “After the baby is born, we can have a celebration, combine the baby’s one-month party with our delayed wedding banquet. My mom and brother will be so happy. I hope I can have a big, healthy boy.”

Her happiness was genuine. She truly believed that having this baby would improve her life and social standing. And maybe, in some ways, it would. Zhang Jianyi would likely tone down his sarcastic remarks once he knew she was pregnant, and her in-laws would treat her better. If she had a son, she could even elevate her status in the family.

The pregnancy also meant they would finally hold the wedding banquet that Zhang Jianyi’s family had been postponing, and with the baby’s full-month party, they could receive the wedding gifts and the remaining 120,000 yuan dowry. Having a child would also give Wei Xue more leverage to demand that money, and her mother and brother would start treating her warmly again, thanks to this windfall.

It seemed like a happy ending for everyone.

The pregnancy appeared to solve all the problems.

But would Wei Xue’s life and position really improve?

Even if her husband treated her better, it would be because she was the mother of his child, not because she was Wei Xue.

Marriage would bring many more challenges, and having a child wasn’t a magic solution.

Lin Shu’s thoughts mirrored Xu Shijia’s, whose expression also reflected a mix of sadness and complexity. However, as lawyers, these personal marital dynamics were not something they could intervene in.

On the bright side, at least Wei Xue wasn’t truly experiencing domestic violence, and her pregnancy did seem to resolve the immediate issues.

Since Wei Xue no longer wanted a divorce, the lawyers had to respect her decision.

But just as Wei Xue was about to leave after thanking them, she suddenly crouched down, her face twisting in pain.

“My stomach hurts…”

In a matter of moments, the vibrant and joyful Wei Xue was sweating and visibly struggling to contain the pain in her voice.

As an early-term pregnant woman, Lin Shu and Xu Shijia exchanged worried glances. Fearing the worst, they helped her to the hospital as quickly as possible, as she was still able to walk.

Since it was more convenient, Lin Shu, also a woman, stayed with Wei Xue during the examination. Fortunately, once they arrived at the hospital, Wei Xue’s abdominal pain began to subside. Lin Shu, still concerned, stayed with her as she had blood tests and an ultrasound.

The hospital’s ultrasound department was, as usual, crowded. As Lin Shu and Wei Xue waited in line, Wei Xue couldn’t help but gaze longingly at the men carefully supporting their pregnant wives for their ultrasounds, clearly imagining her own future.

But soon, Wei Xue’s smile faded.

Noticing the change in her expression, Lin Shu followed her gaze and froze as well.

Coming out of one of the ultrasound houses, supporting a pregnant woman with a large belly, was none other than Zhang Jianyi—the very husband who was supposedly on a business trip.

“Be careful, baby. We can’t have anything happen to our son,” Zhang Jianyi said, completely oblivious to Wei Xue’s presence. His eyes were fixed on the pregnant woman’s belly, his face full of smiles.

Seeing him in person, Lin Shu realized that Wei Xue had applied a filter in her social media videos. Zhang Jianyi in real life was even more unimpressive than in the videos—shorter, thinner, and with thinning hair. In stark contrast, the woman he was holding was significantly taller than him, fashionably dressed, and wearing makeup, with fair skin and thick, lustrous hair.

At this moment, the woman sweetly said to Zhang Jianyi, “To celebrate that our son passed this checkup, shouldn’t you buy me a bag? That Chanel one from last time. After all, our son is due in just a month…”

Zhang Jianyi, who had been so stingy with Wei Xue that he wouldn’t even cover living expenses, didn’t hesitate for a second: “I’ll buy it! I’ll transfer the money to you right away, and you can go get it yourself. You need to stay in a good mood while you’re carrying our son. He’s the best!”

“And when are you going to divorce that barren hen at home? We can’t let our son be born without proper status.”

“Don’t worry, I’m getting things ready. I need to transfer the money first so it goes to our son. If I rush the divorce, I’ll have to split it with her…”

At this point, even Lin Shu understood what was going on.

Zhang Jianyi’s coldness, nitpicking, and stinginess all had an explanation now.

He wasn’t just having an affair—his mistress was already pregnant and due soon!

When a man’s heart strays, it’s no wonder he becomes displeased with everything about his wife.

Wei Xue’s lips turned pale, and her hands began to tremble. Lin Shu had to support her to keep her from fainting.

Such a shock would be devastating for anyone.

It was clear that Wei Xue’s hopes for a bright future were dashed. Even though she was pregnant, Zhang Jianyi had already moved on, and his mistress’ child would likely be born before hers…

“You filthy whore! You’re wrecking a family! Do you even know you’re a mistress? That’s not your husband! Do you have any decency? How could you be such a homewrecker?!”

Before Lin Shu could react, Wei Xue, who had been trembling just moments before, suddenly rushed toward Zhang Jianyi’s pregnant mistress, her face twisted with desperation and rage as if she were ready to fight to the end.

But Wei Xue didn’t even get the chance to touch a single hair on the mistress because, upon seeing her, Zhang Jianyi quickly stepped forward to shield his pregnant lover.

His protective stance only enraged Wei Xue further: “Zhang Jianyi, you scum! You’re a piece of trash! Are you even human? And now you’re defending this vixen?!”

Wei Xue tried to push past Zhang Jianyi to confront the mistress, but her first reaction was to blame the mistress for seducing her husband, rather than targeting Zhang Jianyi himself. This was likely due to her lack of formal education and the influence of her difficult upbringing, which led her to see the mistress as the main culprit.

But Zhang Jianyi didn’t appreciate her outburst. Instead, upon seeing Wei Xue attempt to approach his pregnant mistress, he unleashed his full strength and, before Lin Shu could intervene, slapped Wei Xue twice and shoved her hard to the ground.

This all happened near the ultrasound department of the hospital, and the commotion immediately attracted attention. Xu Shijia, who had been waiting outside, heard the noise and rushed over.

Lin Shu saw the serious and panicked look on his face, which only relaxed when he realized she was unharmed. He hurried over and stood protectively in front of Lin Shu and Wei Xue.

The crowd had already begun murmuring, and Xu Shijia quickly grasped the situation. Together with Lin Shu, he helped Wei Xue to her feet.

After all, the mistress may have been pregnant, but so was Wei Xue.

However, Zhang Jianyi didn’t even give Wei Xue the chance to tell him about her pregnancy. Instead, he stood protectively over the mistress, looking at Wei Xue with disgust. “I spent 180,000 yuan on our wedding, and your family took all of it to support your brother. You didn’t even bring a dowry! I let that go, but then after we got married, you didn’t give me a single child. Even a hen that doesn’t lay eggs gets slaughtered! And I didn’t even treat you that badly, but now you’re stalking me!”

He pointed at Wei Xue. “If you could have just kept your mouth shut and turned a blind eye, maybe I’d have shown you some mercy. But you followed me, tracked me to the hospital! That’s a violation of privacy, do you know that?! If you hurt the pregnant woman and my son gets harmed, I’ll have you thrown in jail!”

“Let me be clear with you, Wei Xue,” Zhang Jianyi said, pulling his pregnant mistress closer and introducing her brazenly. “From today on, Zhou Xin is the only woman I recognize as my true wife! The mother of the legitimate heir of the Zhang family! My official wife!”

The mistress, Zhou Xin, had been pregnant for several months, indicating that Zhang Jianyi had been having an affair for quite some time. His bold declaration, even after being caught, suggested that he had already transferred the marital assets and was confident there would be no consequences, allowing him to be so arrogant.

“There’s no greater sin than having no heir. You couldn’t bear a child, so it’s your fault! And guess what? The baby in her belly, I’ve had it checked with an ultrasound—it’s a boy! If you know what’s good for you, you’ll step aside. If not, don’t blame me for being ruthless.”

Zhang Jianyi’s already unattractive face became even more twisted and grotesque with his fury.

“Don’t let me catch you near Zhou Xin again! Or else you’ll regret it!”

With that, he swaggered out of the hospital, arm-in-arm with his pregnant mistress.

…

If it weren’t for Lin Shu and Xu Shijia supporting her, Wei Xue would have collapsed completely.

Her face was streaked with tears, swollen from Zhang Jianyi’s slaps, and her cheeks were flushed. The surrounding crowd watched with a mix of sympathy and curiosity, but Wei Xue couldn’t pay them any mind.

“What do I do, Lawyer Lin? What am I supposed to do?” she cried in panic and despair.

In a matter of moments, the joy of discovering her pregnancy had been snatched away, leaving her back in a nightmare.

“The mistress is so far along… What am I going to do?” Wei Xue sobbed. “My own baby isn’t even past the dangerous first trimester. I don’t even know if I can keep it…”

Tears welled up in Wei Xue’s eyes. “And her baby’s confirmed to be a boy. But we don’t even know the gender of mine yet. My in-laws don’t want a girl. They only want a son to carry on the family name…”

Actually, none of these details mattered as much as the fact that Zhang Jianyi’s emotional balance had long since fully tilted towards Zhou Xin.

He didn’t even give Wei Xue the chance to tell him she was pregnant, and instead, he completely misunderstood her presence at the ultrasound house, assuming she had followed and tracked Zhou Xin.

If Zhang Jianyi had even a shred of care left for Wei Xue, he might have been concerned about why she was at the hospital’s ultrasound area in the first place—whether she was feeling unwell. But instead, his emotions were filled with suspicion and hostility toward her, assuming her every action was premeditated to sabotage Zhou Xin.

Now, what lay before Wei Xue was a husband determined to cheat, a pregnant mistress about to give birth, marital assets that had likely already been transferred, a wedding banquet that would never happen, the 120,000 yuan in dowry she would never receive, and a family that would undoubtedly treat her with cold indifference once they found out.

The most difficult issue was the child she had just conceived.

“When I was coming over, I saw someone in the crowd filming with their phone. I’ll try to contact them to get the original footage, which could at least serve as proof of Zhang Jianyi’s affair,” Xu Shijia, who clearly sympathized with Wei Xue, tried to help. “If you want a divorce, this could be used as evidence. However, current laws won’t reduce his share of the assets in a divorce just because he cheated. Especially since he has likely already begun transferring marital property, it might be difficult to trace those assets. Even if a judge sympathizes with you and allocates more of the property to you as the innocent party, enforcing that ruling might be impossible.”

Lin Shu gently patted Wei Xue’s back, trying to calm her down. “Try to relax; your health is the most important thing right now. Take your time to think about how you want to proceed. We can handle your divorce through legal aid if that’s your decision. But if you choose not to divorce, we will respect your decision. Just make sure to think carefully, especially about the future of your child.”

Wei Xue, still in her twenties, was overwhelmed by the situation and felt utterly lost. Her first instinct was to call her mother: “I… I’ll call my mom…”

Lin Shu and Xu Shijia stayed close by, worried for her.

The phone was answered quickly, but before Wei Xue could even share her distress, a sharp, annoyed voice came through the line.

“What’s this? You finally remembered to call your family? You grew wings as soon as you got married! You forgot all about your promise to help your brother with his wedding! And now you can’t even keep your husband in check! The dowry is gone, just like that! How did I end up with such a useless daughter!”

Wei Xue’s mother had a booming voice and didn’t give her a chance to speak, launching into a tirade.

Lin Shu and Xu Shijia, standing nearby, could hear everything clearly.

But at this moment, Wei Xue didn’t care about her pride or the shame of it. Even though her mother was only berating her, in her utter helplessness, the only person she could think to turn to was her.

She had no one else to rely on.

After sobbing through her explanation of what had happened, instead of comforting her, her mother became even more energized.

“You’re pregnant? That’s great news!”

“Should you have the baby? Of course you should!”

“Have the baby! No matter what happens, you’re the mother of his child. If it’s a boy, I bet the Zhang family will pay up! You can make him pay child support. If he wants a divorce, fine! Make him cough up the dowry first, and after the divorce, you can still get money from him because of the child!”

However, despite her mother’s push for her to keep the baby, Wei Xue hesitated. “Mom, but would you help me raise the child? If I get divorced, can I come back home?”

When it came to specifics, her mother was quick to dismiss her: “That’s not possible.”

Her loud voice continued, “Your brother is about to get married, and he’ll have a baby soon. How can I ignore my son’s child to take care of my daughter’s? Once you’re married, you’re like spilled water—you don’t come back. And besides, you’re raising the Zhang family’s child, so they have to pay to support you! Your brother’s child is part of our family, and I’m the grandmother, so I’m obligated to take care of that one!”

“My advice? Have the baby and refuse to divorce. Let the mistress make all the noise she wants. As long as you don’t divorce, you’re the legitimate wife, and the mistress is just a concubine! If Zhang Jianyi wants to divorce, let him pay for it!”

…

After another round of scolding from her mother, Wei Xue hung up the phone, her face blank with confusion.

She looked up at Lin Shu and Xu Shijia, murmuring, “My mom says I should have the baby and not get divorced… But what if Zhang Jianyi insists on the divorce?”

“The law states that ‘during a woman’s pregnancy, within a year of childbirth, or within six months after a miscarriage, the husband cannot file for divorce.’ So during this period, Zhang Jianyi cannot initiate divorce,” Lin Shu explained.

But Lin Shu still looked concerned. “Are you really sure about this? Having a child is not like returning a package—you can’t just change your mind and send it back. Once the child is born, you’ll have to take full responsibility. And not all fathers are willing to pay child support easily. There are countless cases where mothers have to go to court just to get child support.”

After speaking, Lin Shu patted Wei Xue’s shoulder and noticed her dry lips. Thoughtfully, she said, “I’ll get you a glass of water,” and then turned to Xu Shijia. “You stay with her.”

The water cooler wasn’t far, and as Lin Shu walked back with the cup of water, she noticed Xu Shijia, who was usually aloof, being quite patient with the distraught Wei Xue. She was crying, and he was gently trying to console her.

“Lawyer Xu, you saw it yourself. I can’t rely on my family. Now that I’m pregnant with Zhang Jianyi’s child, I have no choice but to depend on the Zhang family…” Wei Xue said, her voice choked with tears.

“You can rely on yourself,” Xu Shijia responded firmly.

From afar, Lin Shu could see the seriousness in Xu Shijia’s expression as he spoke: “If you rely on a mountain, it will crumble; if you rely on people, they will leave. Only you will never betray or abandon yourself.”

“Take me for example. I used to think I could rely on my parents and brother. But instead, they hit me hard—they left me nothing. At first, I panicked too. But in life, you just have to stand strong. I refused to go back and beg. Now look at me—I work at the law firm and earn my own living. I got by on my own, didn’t I?”

This was, after all, Xu Shijia’s personal experience. Although he spoke calmly at the moment, it was clear that his insight had come from deep emotional pain. Lin Shu noticed the “determined to work hard” glow in his eyes and felt that he had grown somewhat from this period of adversity.

Lin Shu had taken on this case hoping that Xu Shijia would improve his ability to communicate with various clients. Seeing him doing well now, she didn’t immediately step in but stood nearby, observing him.

“You might think I’m handsome, but I was once abandoned by a woman. She played me, then dumped me! She even forgot about me! I was heartbroken for a long time—it was my first love, at least from my side. But I didn’t wallow in self-pity. During that time…”

This was great—using his own failed romantic experience to encourage Wei Xue, showing her that even after leaving someone, you can still live well, and eventually, time will help you move on. Everyone grows through such times.

However, just as Lin Shu was internally praising Xu Shijia’s approach, she heard him grit his teeth and continue:

“I came up with a hundred plans. I decided to swallow my pride and stay close to her every day, waiting for her to fall so deeply in love with me that she wouldn’t be able to let go. She’d regret her actions, and I’d even spend her money, making her willingly support me…”

Lin Shu: “…”

Can’t you show a little more ambition, Xu Shijia?

I thought you were going to give up on that one-sided first love with the person who didn’t appreciate you and walk your own path confidently!

But this?

I completely misjudged you!

Instead of working hard to earn money and prove yourself, you’re just thinking about getting someone to take care of you when you’re down!

Of course, technically, Xu Shijia’s personal feelings were not something Lin Shu should interfere with or pay attention to, but for some reason, his words left her feeling annoyed.

Lin Shu was a bit angry, and she felt her reasons were valid—

Here she was, guiding him step by step, only to find out that he was plotting to reinsert himself into his ex’s life to make her fall for him again.

Can’t he have a little ambition?

Why is he so obsessed with love?

And talking about being so deeply in love that she won’t be able to leave him?

Why not get through your workday first!

Seriously, what kind of person is this?