Chapter 33

Although the conversation drifted for a moment, Xu Shijia quickly returned to the main topic of comforting Wei Xue.

“You’re only 24, still so young. If you want, you can easily apply for free night classes in Rong City. They offer courses in cooking, childcare, and more. As long as you’re willing to work hard and stay diligent, it’s easy to find a job. You won’t need to rely on a man or your family. With your own hands, you can support yourself, and you’ll never have to live by someone else’s rules again. You’ll be able to spend your money however you like.”

“I’m not saying you should divorce. Whether to divorce or not is your decision. But even if you don’t, given Zhang Jianyi’s character—now that he’s had an affair and a child with another woman—he’ll only become more stingy toward you. You need to start planning for your own financial security. Having a job is the best foundation.”

Wei Xue was still hesitant. “But everyone says that men should work outside, and women should stay home. My mom says a girl should be a good wife and mother at home, or else no man will want you…”

“That’s such an outdated mindset!” Xu Shijia dismissed it casually. “Have you seen Lawyer Lin? She’s not only a woman, but she’s also my boss. She’s tough as nails on me, always working me to the bone while standing there with her hands on her hips, directing me. According to your mom’s standards, no man should want her, right? But guess what? There are plenty of guys chasing her, swarming around like flies!”

“Good thing I’m good at swatting flies, or it would be unbearable!” Xu Shijia said proudly. Lin Shu couldn’t stand it anymore. She couldn’t resist walking over to them.

As soon as Xu Shijia saw her, he immediately stopped talking about his personal life, cleared his throat, and put on a more serious demeanor.

As for Wei Xue, as the client, her final decision had to come from her. However, as a fellow woman, Lin Shu had a few words she wanted to say before parting.

“Wei Xue, you’re 24, very young, but you’re also an adult. If you decide to keep the baby, you’re about to become a mother, which means you have to take responsibility not just for yourself, but also for your child. Some decisions have to be made by you alone. Advice and suggestions from others should only be for reference, because whether it’s your husband, in-laws, parents, or siblings, their advice may come with personal agendas. Only you can truly think about what’s best for you.”

“Zhang Jianyi has cheated and even has an illegitimate child. That’s a fact, and you have to accept it. Whether you choose to divorce or not, there’s no longer a perfect life as you may have imagined. If you stay, Zhang Jianyi and Zhou Xin might push you even further, and your marriage could turn into a series of endless conflicts, though you might get some financial compensation. If you divorce, you free yourself from this marriage, but you’ll have to bear the financial burden alone.”

“So, think it over carefully—what can you tolerate, and what can’t you tolerate? Then make your decision.”

…

While Lin Shu was speaking with Wei Xue, Xu Shijia had gone to an ATM, withdrawn some cash, and handed it to Wei Xue. “If you don’t feel safe going home, you can stay somewhere else for a few days.”

Wei Xue tearfully thanked him and took the money.

After she left, Lin Shu turned to Xu Shijia. “That was quite generous.”

Even though he didn’t have much money himself, he still had the kindness to help others. His sympathy seemed boundless.

But Xu Shijia grinned. “What? Are you angry?”

Lin Shu glanced at him. “Angry? No. Why would I be angry?”

“I’m just reminding you as your boss—kindness is a good thing, but there’s a limit. It’s better to keep some distance with clients, especially female clients going through marital issues. Zhang Jianyi doesn’t seem like the type to let things go easily. If a divorce gets messy, people will dig for dirt and blow things out of proportion. Be careful not to get entangled and have Zhang Jianyi twist the truth and throw dirt on you.”

Lin Shu was speaking the truth, but Xu Shijia seemed unconvinced. He stared directly at Lin Shu and insisted, “You’re just angry. I can tell you’re upset.”

“I treat her like this, and I’m so excellent. You’re worried she’ll misunderstand that I’m interested in her, which is why you’re angry.”

?

This man really couldn’t get enough of society’s harsh lessons, still feeling so good about himself at this moment.

Lin Shu felt a headache starting to form. She glared at Xu Shijia, wanting to scold him.

However, Xu Shijia ignored the storm brewing on Lin Shu’s face and shifted his gaze. “I dare to treat her this way because of you.”

“If I don’t give her money, you will because you’re fundamentally a kind person. Your kindness has infected me, which is why I’m willing to be kind as well. Besides, the money I’m giving her was borrowed from you, so what’s the difference between my giving and your giving? Aren’t we a community now?”

“I may not have much cash left, but I’m still generous because I know you wouldn’t heartlessly watch me be broke. So even though I’m poor right now, I still feel secure inside, and I have to thank you for that…”

Poverty had truly changed Xu Shijia.

Watching him flatter and brown-nose so eloquently, Lin Shu couldn’t help but feel that Xu Shijia was a survivor in his own right.

Though a bit speechless, Lin Shu decided not to scold Xu Shijia after all.

Perhaps flattery really does have its power.

She couldn’t help but be affected by Xu Shijia’s compliments.

But just as her mood lifted for a moment, she remembered what Xu Shijia had said earlier, and her annoyance returned.

This guy was still daydreaming about getting his first love to support him financially.

What woman would want to spend money on him now, other than himself?

That one-sided first love had completely forgotten about him, and he was still thinking that she would suddenly love him to the point of being inseparable.

Men really have the audacity to think like that.

Why didn’t he consider that only he would be supporting himself in his time of need and that he should repay himself well in the future?

Can’t he just work hard and strive for success?

Lin Shu couldn’t help but roll her eyes at him. What a self-centered romantic!

—

Wei Xue was indecisive by nature. Lin Shu thought that she would take a long time to decide whether to divorce or not. However, unexpectedly, the next day, Wei Xue came back again.

This time, she was accompanied by her mother, Huang Meifeng.

Unlike Wei Xue, she was a fiery middle-aged woman who came across as strong and assertive—she was not someone to be trifled with.

“Lawyer, our Xiao Xue has decided to divorce.”

As soon as she sat down, Huang Meifeng made her position clear: “After thinking it over, it’s better to cut ties quickly. Let’s get this done fast.”

Just yesterday, she had been persuading Wei Xue to salvage her marriage and have the baby, using the child as leverage to ask Zhang Jianyi for money. But today, Huang Meifeng’s stance had completely flipped, firmly insisting on a divorce.

“Zhang Jianyi cheated during the marriage and has an illegitimate child. Even according to what you lawyers say, that won’t reduce his share of the assets, but isn’t there something called ‘bigamy’? If he has another family outside, doesn’t that count as bigamy?”

“I hear that bigamy can lead to imprisonment. You all help us negotiate with him. Tell him that if he doesn’t want to go to jail for bigamy, he should give Xiao Xue the agreed 120,000 dowry and also provide a one-time alimony payment. As for the child, I will take care of that. He won’t have to pay anything else.”

Huang Meifeng clearly had done her homework, but her understanding of the law was still somewhat flawed.

Lin Shu explained, “Auntie, while there are indeed laws regarding bigamy, infidelity and even having an illegitimate child don’t prove it. For it to be classified as bigamy, Zhang Jianyi would have to be living with Zhou Xin as a couple, which is very difficult to prove.”

“However, if Wei Xue is indeed decided on a divorce, we can still provide legal assistance and represent her for free. From now on, we will investigate Zhang Jianyi’s marital assets and see how much he has secretly transferred. We can pursue that part and protect Wei Xue’s interests as much as possible.”

Xu Shijia chimed in at the right moment, “We’ll also submit evidence of Zhang Jianyi’s infidelity to try and help Wei Xue get a larger share of the assets.”

Huang Meifeng rolled her eyes and quickly reached a conclusion: “Then let’s divorce! The sooner, the better!”

She glanced at Wei Xue. “Xiao Xue, you stay here and wait for the lawyer to print the contract, then we’ll sign it. I’ll step outside to call your brother.”

While Huang Meifeng was present, Wei Xue didn’t have the chance to speak a word. Once Huang Meifeng left, Lin Shu sat beside Wei Xue. “Wei Xue, is this decision to divorce and have the baby something you’ve thought through? Are you sure about it?”

This time, Wei Xue no longer showed signs of indecision or fear; compared to yesterday, she seemed more resolute.

She nodded at Lin Shu and Xu Shijia. “Yes, I’ve made up my mind.” Wei Xue’s eyes were a bit red, and her tone was full of emotion. “I didn’t expect my mom to support my divorce and even help me take care of the baby after it’s born. She said she would stay in our hometown with the child so I can work in the city without worries.”

Saying this, Wei Xue wiped away her tears. “I’m so grateful to have my mom…”

It seemed that the decision to divorce and have the child was indeed Wei Xue’s own wish. Lin Shu sighed in relief. “Once we sign the representation contract, we will begin the asset investigation. To expedite the divorce, we will first negotiate with Zhang Jianyi’s family to try to achieve a peaceful settlement.”

Before long, Huang Meifeng returned after finishing her call. She patted Wei Xue on the head and turned to Lin Shu and Xu Shijia. “You both saw that Xiao Xue is pregnant and shouldn’t be too emotionally unsettled. If there’s anything you need to contact, just reach out to me directly!”

As soon as Huang Meifeng finished speaking, Wei Xue nodded in agreement. In such a chaotic and unfortunate situation, regaining her mother’s support and finding a sense of home again was a blessing amidst the misfortune. Although Huang Meifeng had some traditional views, at least she still treated Wei Xue like a child.

After signing the representation agreement, Wei Xue finally seemed more spirited. “While Zhang Jianyi is at work, I secretly went back to take the three gold pieces he bought for me. My mom took me to the gold store to exchange them for cash. Now I’ve rented a short-term house nearby. My mom can’t stay here for long; she has to take care of things back home, and the hospital there isn’t suitable for prenatal checkups. So once we get divorced and I have the baby, I’ll return the rental house.”

It seemed that Huang Meifeng had other matters to attend to. After confirming that everything was fine, she left first.

Lin Shu and Xu Shijia were just about to head out to visit a client, so they offered to give Wei Xue a ride.

However, just as they arrived at the entrance of her rented place, Wei Xue hadn’t had the chance to thank them when Zhang Jianyi walked out of the house, followed by an elderly couple. The three of them were carrying large bags filled with fruits and vegetables, and the old lady even had several rolls of toilet paper in her hands.

The elderly couple looked very much like Zhang Jianyi, clearly his parents.

Did this family know that Wei Xue was pregnant, so they came to deliver food and daily necessities?

Unfortunately, Wei Xue’s reaction quickly shattered Lin Shu’s guess.

She stared at the things in Zhang Jianyi’s bags, wanting nothing more than to go up and tear him apart: “You scumbag! How dare you and your parents come here! Are you planning to take away the fruits and vegetables my mom brought for me?! Not even sparing the toilet paper?!”

It turned out that everything they were holding was brought by Huang Meifeng for Wei Xue.

So, instead of coming to deliver food to Wei Xue, they were here to take advantage of her.

Zhang Jianyi showed no shame at all; he even had the audacity to play the victim: “You have the nerve to say that? You stole gold from my family and rented this house! Isn’t that a blatant attempt to hide marital assets?”

Seeing the confrontation escalating, and knowing that Wei Xue was pregnant, Xu Shijia stepped in front of her: “I’m Wei Xue’s lawyer; if you have something to say, talk to me directly.”

The old man behind Zhang Jianyi stepped forward. He glanced at Xu Shijia’s face and scoffed: “What’s the use of a good-looking lawyer? They’re all pretty faces that are useless!”

After that, he confidently walked in front of Xu Shijia, looking down at him: “Listen well, lawyer. Since this woman married into our family, she’s been a bottomless pit. Not only did she swindle us out of 180,000 in bride price, but her mother also calls her every few days asking for money. My son used to give her a monthly allowance, but instead of using it at home, she secretly saves money to support her brother.”

“If she could have a child, we could tolerate it, but this woman can’t even manage that. What if she can’t bear children at all? We can’t keep putting up with this; we want to return her!”

“If my son is seeing someone else, can you blame him? Isn’t it because you, as his wife, are incompetent! You can’t give birth to our grandson. Zhang Tao also agrees that Jianyi can have someone else carry on the family line. What’s wrong with that? Do we have to keep a non-productive hen alive just to ensure our family line doesn’t end? How will I face my ancestors after I die?!”

At this point, it turned out that Wei Xue hadn’t even had the chance to tell Zhang Jianyi’s family that she was pregnant.

Finally unable to contain her emotions, she shouted, “I’m pregnant too! Zhang Jianyi! I’m carrying your child!”

Zhang Jianyi’s family clearly didn’t believe her: “Go ahead and make things up! You’ll say anything to extort money!”

“I have the hospital’s ultrasound report! I wasn’t following you and Zhou Xin that day; I went to check for early pregnancy myself! I didn’t expect to run into you two scoundrels!”

Furious, Wei Xue pulled out the ultrasound report and waved it in Zhang Jianyi’s face.

This action evidently enraged Zhang Jianyi’s mother, Wang Juan, who shouted, “Is there any woman who is this unrestrained? Do you know women should follow three submissive virtues? The man is the head of the household; you have to listen to my son! You have no right to act up!”

Like father, like son.

Zhang Tao was shameless and unreasonable, but Wei Xue’s mother-in-law, Wang Juan, was even worse—

“What if you’re pregnant? Who knows if it’s from your infidelity with another man?”

She sneered, “Besides, with your pathetic condition, even if you manage to conceive, who knows if it can grow to term!”

She tugged at the rolls of toilet paper in her hands: “Since you married into our family, you’ve never worked a day or earned a dime. The rent for this house and the daily necessities you bought are all from the Zhang family’s money. It’s only reasonable for us to take it back!”

Perhaps it was because Zhou Xin was already pregnant, and her pregnancy was stable with a confirmed son, Wang Juan was especially arrogant, showing no concern for Wei Xue’s baby: “Don’t think you can use your pregnancy to blackmail us; we’re not falling for that! Your baby is unviable; if you want to get rid of it, just go ahead; we’re not scared!”

With that, Wang Juan proudly led Zhang Tao and Zhang Jianyi away, carrying the stolen goods.

“Should we call the police?”

At Xu Shijia’s suggestion, Wei Xue tiredly waved her hand: “Forget it; they’re not wrong. I really haven’t earned any money since getting married. I was always thinking of taking the easy way out through marriage, and now I’m the one suffering. This is a lesson for me.”

“They can only annoy me at this moment; once the divorce is done, it won’t matter.”

After this commotion, Wei Xue no longer hesitated about getting a divorce.

The place she rented was in a city village in Rong City. The house was divided with thin walls, and it was a bit drafty and cold inside. The bathhouse and bathing facilities were even more rudimentary. Now, Zhang Jianyi’s family didn’t even know how they found this place, but after rummaging through it, everything was even more chaotic.

Wei Xue was worried that Zhang Jianyi’s family would return and pose a threat to her safety. She tried calling her mother, Huang Meifeng, but couldn’t get through. Fortunately, she found a fellow villager who was just about to head back home from Rong City.

Wei Xue decided to go back to her hometown tonight to avoid the trouble: “I’ll go back to my hometown for a while; after the divorce, I’ll find another place to stay.”

Once Wei Xue successfully met up with her fellow villager and got in the car, Lin Shu and Xu Shijia finally felt relieved and left.

However, as fate would have it, just as they were preparing to head toward the city center, it suddenly started to rain.

The weather forecast didn’t predict this rain, and neither Lin Shu nor Xu Shijia had brought any rain gear. This unexpected downpour also made it difficult to get a taxi.

Fortunately, there was a bus stop not far from where Wei Xue was renting, with a bus that went to the city center.

“Let’s wait for the bus here,” Lin Shu glanced at Xu Shijia and reminded him, “This bus might be even more crowded than the subway during rush hour. Do you want to take some antihistamines first?”

Xu Shijia shot her a glance and replied calmly, “No need. I didn’t bring any.”

“?” Lin Shu was surprised. “What should we do then? Do you want me to find a nearby pharmacy to get some for you?”

Xu Shijia cleared his throat. “I’m not taking them anymore.”

Lin Shu was puzzled. “Then how do you manage during your commute?”

“I’m no longer allergic,” Xu Shijia said, his gaze sorrowful, his voice melancholic. “My body has deteriorated, automatically adapting to poverty. Now, no matter how noisy or messy the environment is, I’ve gotten used to it and won’t be allergic anymore.”

Xu Shijia sighed. “Everything can’t go back to the way it was.”

Lin Shu: “…”

However, Lin Shu’s silence didn’t last long before she was interrupted by a familiar voice.

In the heavy rain, a long Lincoln slowly stopped in front of her and Xu Shijia. The back window rolled down to reveal Tao Lei’s face, which had an unexpected hint of surprise.

“From a distance, I thought it looked like you; I didn’t expect it to be you.”

He was quite enthusiastic. “It’s really inconvenient with such heavy rain. Are you heading to the city center? I can give you a ride.”

At this point, Tao Lei seemed to notice Xu Shijia behind Lin Shu. “I can take both of you back.”

The rain was getting heavier, and more people were gathering at the bus stop. After thinking for a moment, Lin Shu made a decisive decision, pulling the silent Xu Shijia into Tao Lei’s car.

“Thank you, Tao Lei.”

However, not long after getting into the car, Lin Shu began to regret this decision.

One lie requires countless other lies to back it up. She clearly forgot about the small lie she told in the wedding dress shop to collect evidence, but Tao Lei clearly hadn’t forgotten. So now, these lies came back to Lin Shu like a boomerang.

Tao Lei was very enthusiastic towards Xu Shijia. “I’m Tao Lei; I grew up with Lin Shu, so you could say we’re childhood friends. What’s your name?”

Xu Shijia was curled up in the passenger seat, speaking very little. “Xu Shijia.”

“Oh, Xiao Xu, with such heavy rain, why aren’t you driving?”

Though Tao Lei was older than Xu Shijia, the term “Xiao Xu” made Xu Shijia frown.

The young master was unhappy.

Sure enough, he started to speak sarcastically. “Why call me ‘Xiao Xu’? Just because I look younger than you, you can’t assume I’m younger! Of course, I do have a better bone structure, which resists aging. Plus, I have good habits and pay attention to fitness, so I might come off as quite young.”

Lin Shu forced herself to ease the tension. “Xu Shijia, Tao Lei is indeed a bit older.”

Seeing Lin Shu supporting him, Tao Lei smiled and explained, “I prefer calling you this; it feels closer. After all, if you and Lin Shu really get married in the future, we’ll be family. Calling you ‘Mr. Xu’ feels too distant. There was a small misunderstanding at the wedding dress shop last time, and I wanted to take this opportunity to befriend Xiao Xu.” He glanced at Lin Shu through the rearview mirror. “Right, Lin Shu?”

Yes, yes, yes.

Lin Shu glanced at her phone, trying to keep a smile on her face, just wanting this journey to end quickly.

She regretted forgetting about the incident at the wedding dress shop.

Had she realized it, she wouldn’t have gotten into this car.

Tao Lei cheerfully asked, “Xiao Xu, is it okay if I call you that?”

Internally, she prayed that Xu Shijia had finally realized that he should be more tactful in this situation. Lin Shu saw him nod.

“Yeah, I don’t mind. Thinking about it, calling each other ‘Mr. Xu’ and ‘Mr. Tao’ feels too distant; ‘Xiao Xu’ feels closer.”

Just as Lin Shu was about to breathe a sigh of relief, she heard Xu Shijia smile and continue, “Lao Tao is really considerate. No wonder you’re a few years older than me; age and life experience do make a difference. When you call me ‘Lao Tao’, I also feel particularly close.”

Lin Shu: “…”

Unfortunately, Xu Shijia’s sarcastic remarks didn’t diminish Tao Lei’s interest in continuing the conversation.

Tao Lei seemed even more enthusiastic. “It’s so far from the city center; public transport is slower than driving by about an hour. Lin Shu is a lawyer and should be quite busy. Xiao Xu, as her fiancé, why didn’t you drive her? Or don’t you know how to drive? Or haven’t you bought a car yet?”

Tao Lei said kindly, “I actually know a lot about cars. If you haven’t bought one yet, I can recommend some or be your advisor. If you haven’t gotten your driver’s license, I can also guide you.”

“My Porsche 918 Spyder is just in for regular maintenance, but I do want to change to a new car. After getting married and having kids, driving a sports car definitely won’t be suitable.”

“Do you have kids already? It’s not very responsible to get pregnant before marriage, especially considering that getting a marriage certificate in the future is uncertain…”

“Not yet, but I’m still a few years younger than you, Lao Tao. If I were to have kids, it would definitely happen faster than with you. By then, your kid would have to call mine ‘brother’ or ‘sister’; that would be a bit embarrassing. Society often promotes reproductive anxiety for women, but for men, the older they get, the more likely they are to suffer from infertility…”

…

Tao Lei and Xu Shijia spoke calmly and naturally, yet their words were laced with sharpness.

Lin Shu really wanted to jump out of the car.

The two men volleyed back and forth, discussing everything from lifestyle to spending habits, and Lin Shu found herself unable to interject even once.

In a daze, Lin Shu felt she shouldn’t be in the car; she should be under it.

She was the extra person in this car—

“My favorite restaurant is ‘Fang Fang,’ it’s a Michelin three-star, and the chef is directly hired from France. Xiao Xu, you haven’t eaten there, but once you do, you’ll see it’s truly different. Shi Yao loves it; I always take her there. Lin Shu, have you eaten there?”

Lin Shu shook her head. “No.”

“Well, you definitely have to try it; it’s really good,” Tao Lei said, looking at Xu Shijia. “Xiao Xu, why haven’t you taken Lin Shu there?”

Xu Shijia replied coldly, “Lao Tao, ‘Fang Fang’ is indeed noteworthy, but honestly, it’s just average. I feel like taking Lin Shu there would be a bit beneath her.”

“Have you eaten there, Xiao Xu? You must be mistaken; ‘Fang Fang’ is a members-only establishment that only sends invitations to high-end clients. Membership levels are based on spending, and there are many imitation places trying to copy ‘Fang Fang’ these days. The decor and names are all muddled. They market themselves as ‘Fang Fang’ branches, and many people think they’re eating at the authentic ‘Fang Fang’ but are actually being deceived. The owner of the real ‘Fang Fang’ is preparing to sue…”

“Today, I happen to be taking you and Lin Shu out, and it’s getting late. Since I have no other plans, how about we go out to eat? I’ll treat you to the real ‘Fang Fang’. Once you finish eating, you won’t say the food is just average anymore. Xiao Xu, you’re still young; you must have been fooled by those so-called branches! Since you and I get along so well, I insist on taking you to experience the authentic ‘Fang Fang’ today!”

“I’m going to the authentic ‘Fang Fang’!”

“Hey! You’ll only know once you go!”

“Then let’s go!”

…

Go where?

Lin Shu checked on her phone and saw that the average cost per person at this ‘Fang Fang’ was nearly five thousand.

She began to text Xu Shijia, reminding him to rein in his foolish and immature competitive spirit with men—

“Don’t forget you’re broke right now! Don’t try to compete with Tao Lei!”

However, Xu Shijia remained unfazed.

Moments later, Lin Shu received his reply—

“I, Xu Shijia, will never back down!”

“It’s fine if he attacks me, but he can’t imply that I’m not good to my own wife! That ‘Fang Fang’ is really just average! There’s no way I’d specifically take my future wife there!”

I’m just your fake wife! Don’t get too deep into character, Xu Shijia!

Unfortunately, if Xu Shijia could be persuaded, he wouldn’t be him. The WeChat message he sent Lin Shu was assertive—

“My wife may be fake, but Tao Lei’s disdain for me is real, and it also involves your sister. What does that mean? It’s just a matter of elevating one while stepping on another, right? He implies that Lin Shiyao, who’s marrying him, is happy and carefree, while losing him, you—who has ‘fallen’ to marrying me—are much worse off!”

The poor Xu Shijia remained openly self-assured: “Besides, I intentionally brought up the topic of eating out with him.”

“I knew this superficial man would definitely want to flaunt his wealth and generosity by claiming he’d treat us to a meal.”

“If I go home now, I’ll only be able to eat supermarket fast food, so I want to use my own intelligence and charm to earn myself a Michelin three-star dinner! To improve my living standards! To elevate my quality of life!”

“Anyway, he said he’d treat us! So why shouldn’t we go eat? Smart men like us will make foolish men pay for us!”

Lin Shu: “…”

You think you’re so clever; truly, you’re putting your knowledge to good use.