Chapter 61

Half an hour before work ended, Lin Shu received a text message from Xu Shijia, claiming credit for securing Lin Yiqing’s commission and then urging Lin Shu to deliver the promised reward by having dinner together.

Tonight, there were no urgent work arrangements, so Lin Shu thought for a moment and agreed to Xu Shijia’s dinner request. However, to avoid others noticing their improper relationship, she suggested that she leave first, followed by Xu Shijia after a short interval, and then the two of them would meet at the restaurant.

Lin Shu left first and naturally arrived at the restaurant ahead of Xu Shijia. She had chosen the place herself, specifically picking a restaurant far from both Xinhé and Tianhao to prevent any chance of running into acquaintances.

She expected to wait for Xu Shijia for a little while. However, barely after she had sat down, Xu Shijia pushed open the wooden sliding door and entered the private room.

To ensure privacy, Lin Shu had made a reservation at a Japanese restaurant, where each table had its own small private room separated by Japanese sliding doors. Lin Shu hadn’t even had the chance to order yet when Xu Shijia entered directly.

He looked a bit out of breath, as though he had rushed to get here.

Upon entering the room, Xu Shijia instinctively looked around, scanning the space, and only relaxed when he saw that there was no one else but Lin Shu.

He sat next to Lin Shu and, like someone completely weak and fragile, leaned into her: “Guess who I just saw?”

“Hmm?”

“I saw your cousin Tang Xiao!” Xu Shijia said with some hesitation, “I thought you might have invited her today. Fortunately, you didn’t.”

Tang Xiao?

Tang Xiao worked at Xinhé, and since the restaurant wasn’t close to the company, it was a surprise to see her nearby. However, Lin Shu hadn’t actually invited her, so it must have been a coincidence.

But what did Xu Shijia mean by “fortunately, you didn’t”?

Lin Shu felt a little displeased: “You don’t want to meet my relatives and friends?”

“No.” Xu Shijia moved closer and gave Lin Shu a kiss on the cheek. “It’s just that we’ve only just started dating, so we should focus on our time together, right? I don’t want a huge third wheel hanging around.”

Xu Shijia’s voice was quite sweet: “Maybe other guys would want to show off having a girlfriend like you, but not me. I just want to keep you to myself.”

“Moreover, I’m someone who values spiritual communication and connection. Normally, we can’t chat freely at the office, so I just want to spend more time with you, talk more, and keep you company,” Xu Shijia said with a sincere expression. “I haven’t thought about anything else. I’m actually quite simple, not like other men.”

Xu Shijia’s tone was very serious, and his expression was earnest. Lin Shu couldn’t find anything wrong with what he said. Feeling a little hungry, she quickly ordered.

Just as the server had left, Lin Shu heard the sound of the wooden sliding door of the next room being pushed open, followed by a voice she recognized—Tang Xiao’s voice.

“This restaurant is one I specifically picked out. It’s far from Xinhé, and every table has its own private room. It’s very private, no one will be able to run into us here.”

Tang Xiao’s voice was sweet, and then a familiar male voice followed, sounding indulgent and amused: “You’re so clever.”

“Of course! But no one’s as clever as President Pan. He spotted such a great girlfriend like me right away. A girl like me, if it weren’t for you being quick, someone else would have taken me away.”

“Yes, yes, you’re right, my girlfriend.”

…

Lin Shu didn’t intend to eavesdrop, but the Japanese-style private rooms, though they seemed private with doors, weren’t very soundproof. Tang Xiao spoke at a normal volume, and Lin Shu and Xu Shijia overheard the entire conversation.

Tang Xiao had a boyfriend?

This boyfriend… his voice sounded familiar, and Tang Xiao had called him “President Pan”…

Could it be… Lin Shu thought of a possibility—Tang Xiao was with Pan Yu?!

The couple chatted for a bit more after entering the private room, quickly confirming Lin Shu’s guess.

It was indeed Pan Yu.

At that moment, Tang Xiao was sweetly recalling their first meeting: “It was a coincidence that day. I heard my sister was at the Xinhé cocktail party, so I went to find her, and that’s when I bumped into you and Xu Shijia…”

Pan Yu’s voice was full of sentiment: “It really was a coincidence. So, strictly speaking, I should thank Lin Shu and Xu Shijia…”

This new couple was clearly in the honeymoon phase, exchanging loving words.

“So Pan Yu’s girlfriend is her?” Xu Shijia’s expression relaxed as he listened, and he lowered his voice to Lin Shu’s ear, “No wonder, if it’s Tang Xiao, it makes sense.”

They both knew Xu Shijia and attended the Xinhé cocktail party. It was love at first sight, and they were thanking Xu Shijia…

It really matched perfectly.

Upon learning that Pan Yu and Tang Xiao were dating, Xu Shijia’s attitude toward Pan Yu changed immediately: “This kid is teachable. Look at him, even thanking me and you. Actually, when I think about it, he’s not bad.”

However, Xu Shijia’s praise was cut short when Tang Xiao suddenly changed the subject.

“I can understand her thanking my sister, but why thank Xu Shijia? That guy isn’t a decent person.”

Tang Xiao’s voice carried a tone of exasperation: “It’s funny, I actually saw him not far from the entrance of the Japanese restaurant on a small path earlier. Do you know what he was doing? He was unwrapping a box of condoms, throwing the box away, and stuffing the individual packs into his pocket while humming a song.”

“There’s usually no one on that path, so he probably didn’t realize I saw him. I didn’t want to run into him in such an awkward situation, so I quickly turned and changed routes. But to my surprise, I ran into him again on the other path near the entrance of the restaurant. I don’t know if he saw me, but we didn’t greet each other. I pretended I didn’t see anything.”

Tang Xiao’s tone was full of disbelief: “It’s still early! We haven’t even eaten yet! And this guy’s already planning his nightlife! I just don’t think he’s a serious person.”

“Anyway, I can’t stand him. He’s so delicate and pretentious! Doesn’t even have the self-awareness to be a subordinate to my sister. Because of him, my sister still hasn’t had time to find a boyfriend! Meanwhile, he’s out here living it up! His nightlife looks pretty full.”

“I’ve already moved on, and my sister’s still single. Pan Yu, keep an eye out for any good guys around you. Next time, we should set up a gathering and introduce one to my sister…”

…

Tang Xiao and Pan Yu quickly changed the subject, laughing and chatting, the atmosphere lively.

On the other hand, the mood was much quieter.

Xu Shijia’s face alternated between blue and red. He muttered, “Don’t listen to her nonsense. She’s just on my brother’s side, so she’s slandering me. She has an unrealistic bias against me.”

Although he said this, Xu Shijia’s eyes were filled with guilt, and his voice was weak.

Lin Shu didn’t respond but extended her hand to Xu Shijia: “How many did you bring?”

Xu Shijia glared at Lin Shu, his neck stiff.

After a moment, he seemed to give up and pulled out a few small, thin packages from his pocket, throwing them onto the table.

Lin Shu counted them and was almost amused with anger. Five.

She glanced at the words “Ultra-thin particles” on the package and quickly turned her eyes away, staring at the tatami mat and quietly asking Xu Shijia—

“Weren’t you the one who said you’re different from other men, that you don’t want anything else, that you’re simple and just want to be with me and have a good chat?”

But now the truth had come out, and after a moment of awkward silence, Xu Shijia, instead of being embarrassed, decided to embrace it with confidence.

He leaned closer to Lin Shu’s ear: “You believe that kind of thing from a man?”

“Lin Shu, how can you be so naïve?”

Since Lin Shu realized the poor soundproofing of the room, she had kept her voice low to avoid being overheard by Tang Xiao and Pan Yu. Unfortunately, this subtle effort was immediately noticed by Xu Shijia, who turned it into a weapon of dominance.

With her façade shattered, Xu Shijia no longer pretended to be simple.

He moved closer, knelt on the tatami, and kissed Lin Shu.

After releasing Lin Shu, his breath, warm and heavy, brushed against her cheek. There was an almost teasing, provocative tone in his voice as he spoke in a low, husky voice full of determination—

Fortunately, the Japanese restaurant was not far from Lin Yiqing’s home. By the time Lin Shu and Xu Shijia arrived, Xu Mingmei had managed to calm Lin Yiqing down somewhat.

“Lawyer Lin! I hadn’t been home for long when Xu Nan came. He said he was there to apologize and make amends. Just then, Aunt Zhou had an accident at home and had to go back to her hometown urgently, so I asked Xu Nan to look after the child while I quickly took a bath. But when I finished, Xu Nan was gone, and so was the child!”

“I searched the whole house and found that, along with the child, the birth certificate, vaccination record, and even the child’s daily items like milk powder, diapers, and toys had been packed and taken. Xu Nan definitely had a plan and took everything with him before running off with the child.”

“Now I can’t reach him! I’m so worried about the child, so I reported it to the police!”

Upon hearing this, Lin Shu almost guessed the outcome.

As expected, Lin Yiqing choked up and said, “But the police said that since Xu Nan and I aren’t divorced, and he’s the biological father of the child, it’s a domestic issue, and they can’t intervene.”

Xu Mingmei, clearly not expecting things to turn out this way, added with some frustration, “Then I went with Yiqing to Xu Nan’s other residence to search.”

“You didn’t find Xu Nan?” Lin Shu asked.

“We did,” Xu Mingmei said, looking troubled. “But it was worse than not finding him at all. Xu Nan opened the door for us, and he was the only one in the apartment—there was no sign of the child. He clearly hid the child somewhere else and wasn’t worried at all that we’d search, but he told Yiqing that he wanted a divorce. As for the child, he said it was safe but refused to tell us where it was.”

“I went with Yiqing to search Xu Nan’s parents’ house, other properties, and even his office, but there was no sign of the child.”

“We even looked for Aunt Zhou, and she told us that right after she left for her hometown, Xu Nan immediately called her to cancel her work, paid her wages, and sent her off.”

It was clear now that this was premeditated.

“But my child is only a month old. For such a young child, who still needs to be breastfed, the court would surely give the child to me, right?” Lin Yiqing asked anxiously.

Xu Shijia took over the conversation, and without needing Lin Shu to explain further, he answered in detail, “According to the law, unless the mother has a chronic, infectious disease or another serious illness that makes it unsuitable for the child to live with her, or if the mother is unwilling or unable to care for the child, the child will be awarded to the mother if they are under two years old.”

“Additionally, since you are still in the breastfeeding period, unless you actively request a divorce or both parties agree to an amicable divorce, the father cannot unilaterally file for divorce during this time.”

Upon hearing this, Lin Yiqing’s eyes lit up. “That’s great! Lawyers, can you help me file for divorce right away? I need to get my child back!”

She had originally hoped to continue her life with Xu Nan, but now, with his actions, Lin Yiqing no longer understood him. As a new mother, she instinctively put her child first. Now that her son was missing, she no longer cared about saving face or preserving her marriage. The only thought in her mind was—divorce and get my child back!

Although that’s what was said, the actual operation…

“But in reality, before the final judgment, if the father takes or hides the child, even if the judgment grants custody to the mother, the ruling can’t be enforced,” Xu Shijia explained carefully, trying not to further distress Lin Yiqing. “Because children are not property or money; they can’t be forcibly taken by the court. It’s not like the court can send people to your house to take the child back. So the only option is to pursue the father’s responsibility for failing to fulfill his obligation to return the child, possibly placing him on the blacklist for dishonesty, restricting his spending, or fining and detaining him, hoping he will voluntarily return the child. But in practice, many cases of child abduction or concealment still see little effect, and most fathers don’t return the child.”

Xu Mingmei furrowed her brows. “So, even if Yiqing gets a judgment granting her custody, since Xu Nan took the child, not only would she not be able to reunite with the child, but she might not even be able to see the child?”

Although it was harsh, it was indeed the truth.

Xu Shijia nodded.

And to make matters worse—

“Xu Nan’s actions were clearly premeditated. We may not even know where the child is.”

Lin Yiqing was stunned. “But isn’t it illegal for Xu Nan to take the child?”

“Unless he illegally put the child up for adoption or sold the child, which could be considered child trafficking, if he’s just hiding the child and raising it on his own, there’s no specific criminal charge in current law targeting such behavior. At most, as Xu Shijia said, he’d be placed on a blacklist for dishonesty.”

Lin Shu tried to explain gently in a way Lin Yiqing could accept, “You both want custody of the child. With Xu Nan stealing the child and refusing to cooperate, it’s clear that a peaceful divorce agreement is now out of the question. If you want to fight for the child, it has to go through litigation, but divorce lawsuits are a long process. Even if you get a favorable judgment in the first and second trials, it may take two or three years.”

“And in those two or three years, the child will be living with Xu Nan, forming a new, stable life pattern. By the time the divorce is finalized, and the child turns two, the judge may not grant custody to the mother, because forcing the child to change their living situation could be harmful to their well-being. The child might then be awarded to Xu Nan, with whom they have lived for a long time.”

Lin Shu looked into Lin Yiqing’s dazed eyes, suppressing her sympathy, and calmly analyzed the situation. “I believe Xu Nan has already consulted a lawyer and knows these legal loopholes, which is why he’s taking such actions.”

Earlier, on their way to Lin Yiqing’s home, Xu Shijia had already briefed Lin Shu on the case’s background. Lin Shu had felt something was off, and now, seeing the whole picture, it seemed Xu Nan had orchestrated everything carefully.

“He asked you for a fake divorce agreement, right? And in that agreement, he claimed custody of the child?”

Lin Yiqing nodded, about to cry. “But at the time, we agreed on the fake divorce to clear the debts linked to me and the child. He was the one who cheated first. I only argued with him briefly and yelled about wanting a divorce. I never really wanted to go through with it. Yet, he’s so ruthless, completely heartless, taking my child away!”

Hearing this, Lin Shu and Xu Shijia exchanged glances.

As a newcomer, Xu Mingmei was less perceptive, but Lin Shu and Xu Shijia had already figured it out.

“Senior, I don’t think it was a fake divorce. I suspect Xu Nan had already planned everything. Legally, there’s no such thing as a ‘fake divorce.’ Once you get the divorce certificate, it’s a real divorce. The custody arrangements in the agreement must be followed. When he asked you to sign the fake divorce, he was probably just trying to get around the fact that he couldn’t ask for a divorce while you were still breastfeeding, and tricking you into it was the easiest way.”

Xu Shijia’s words made Lin Yiqing even more confused. “But before, he treated me so well. If it wasn’t for his business troubles…”

“Ms. Lin, if his business troubles were just his side of the story…” Lin Shu reminded, “From my experience, his business might not have been in trouble at all.”

As a postpartum mother, Lin Yiqing was frantic about her missing child, but as she calmed down and listened to the analysis from Lin Shu and the others, she slowly started to realize the truth.

“If his business wasn’t really in trouble, then he probably lied to me about the fake divorce agreement. What he really meant was…” Lin Yiqing thought harder, the pieces falling into place, and though the truth was difficult to digest, it was becoming clear to her.

“Xu Nan must have had an ulterior motive from the start. He wanted to divorce me and get rid of me, but he was determined to take my child!”

Though it was hard to accept, the truth seemed to point to that.

Lin Yiqing cried, covering her face. “But I’m already this old, and this child might be my only one. He could very well find another young woman to have a new child with. Why does he have to take my child? Isn’t he still with his mistress? Isn’t she pregnant too? Why does he still want to take my child? I’m willing to divorce him, just give me my child back. He can go off and live with his mistress, I won’t even ask for alimony.”

…

Unfortunately, crying wouldn’t solve anything, and Xu Nan’s logic remained a mystery.

The immediate priority was to deal with the problem at hand.

“Provide us with all the assets, property, cash transactions, or business dealings related to you and Xu Nan. Xu Shijia, you’ll be responsible for reviewing these, including investigating Xu Nan’s real business situation.”

Having developed a good working chemistry with Xu Shijia, Lin Shu didn’t need to say much, and Xu Shijia nodded. “Got it. I’ll focus on checking if Xu Nan has set any traps for Ms. Lin in terms of property.”

Although this was work-related, Xu Shijia’s gaze towards Lin Shu was more focused than a boss’s would be. Luckily, Xu Mingmei was preoccupied with comforting Lin Yiqing and didn’t notice.

Lin Shu brushed her hair back, ignoring Xu Shijia’s intense gaze, and turned to Xu Mingmei to assign her tasks.

“As for you, Xu Mingmei, you’re responsible for helping Lin Yiqing search for the child. Exhaust every possible location where the child could be; don’t overlook any clues.”

A very real concern was that the person with whom the child was currently living might heavily influence the court’s custody decision.

“The court can’t forcibly retrieve the child for you, but as the child’s mother, if you locate where the child is and bring them back yourself, it’s completely legal and justified. So instead of waiting for official intervention, it may be more effective to take proactive steps.”

Lin Shu patted Lin Yiqing’s shoulder, saying, “Don’t worry, every problem has a solution. We’ll help you. Just get a good night’s rest for now.”

After calming her down, Lin Shu finally left with Xu Shijia and Xu Mingmei.

**

When Xu Mingmei initially received Lin Yiqing’s call, she was slightly flustered—this was her first time handling a client alone. Luckily, Lin Shu had always been so reliable. Even after she’d left early for personal reasons, Lin Shu arrived immediately as soon as Xu Mingmei called.

Naturally, Lin Shu is dedicated to her clients, but Xu Mingmei felt it was more because Lin Shu genuinely cared about her as a subordinate.

Usually, it’s the subordinate who’s on call, but with Lin Shu, it was different. The moment Xu Mingmei called, Lin Shu arrived, even though she sounded slightly breathless, like she’d been in the middle of something. Nevertheless, as soon as Xu Mingmei needed her, Lin Shu showed up without delay.

Unexpectedly, Xiaobao had also come along.

Didn’t he just buy a bunch of condoms, clearly planning for a big night in?

How was he willing to interrupt his own plans for work?

Xu Mingmei had deliberately not called him so as not to interfere with his evening.

Even though his expression betrayed some frustration at the interruption, as soon as they started discussing the case, he took an eager, active role. He answered questions swiftly and presented himself calmly and confidently, as though determined to prove his abilities to Lin Shu and showcase his competence.

Amazed by his shift, Xu Mingmei was even more in awe of Lin Shu.

It’s definitely Lin Shu—she’s got Xiaobao so firmly in hand that it’s not just in bed; Xu Mingmei was convinced that even if Xiaobao were dead, Lin Shu could command him back to life to get to work.