Chapter 10

After Lin Wu finished speaking, the office fell into a sudden silence.

After a long moment, Li Xiang said, "Ten minutes, then meet in the conference room."

He paused, glanced at He Jiayun, and added, "Remember to put your phone on silent."

"..."

After Li Xiang left, He Jiayun turned to look at Lin Wu.

Lin Wu feigned indifference and met her gaze. "Why are you looking at me like that?"

"Not my type," He Jiayun repeated what Lin Wu had just said. She walked over slowly, a cunning glint in her eyes, and teased, "So, is he our Lawyer Lin's type?"

Lin Wu pushed her away, expressionless. "Stop it."

What she said earlier was a temporary brain freeze, and it was also to get Li Xiang to agree to let He Jiayun attend the meeting.

He Jiayun shot her a look, wanting to call her out on being dishonest.

Lin Wu preempted her: "If you ask again, I’ll call Li Xiang back."

He Jiayun: "..."

She swallowed her words with a slight sense of grievance and glared at Lin Wu, feeling very stifled.

Sensing the resentment in her gaze, Lin Wu laughed and coaxed her, "Go harass Li Xiang; I need to prepare the materials for the meeting."

He Jiayun glanced at her, then checked the time. "Why schedule a meeting right before lunch?"

Lin Wu replied, "Ask Li Xiang later and tell him to change the time next time."

"..." He Jiayun clicked her tongue. "So you're just using me as your weapon."

Lin Wu curved her eyes and said with an innocent expression, "I can't help it; you're the only one who can keep Li Xiang in check."

He Jiayun had nothing to say, so she could only take on the task Lin Wu had assigned and head toward Li Xiang's office with an air of haughty authority.

Lin Wu briefly organized the materials she might need for the meeting and took a trip to the restroom before entering the conference room.

The other lawyers arrived one by one, and before long, Li Xiang and the team from Fenxing Company arrived as well.

Hearing the commotion, Lin Wu and the rest of the law firm stood up to greet them.

Chen Zhuo was wearing a light gray casual suit today. The three-dimensional tailoring and flat lapel design, paired with a chain dangling from his pocket square, made him look both elegant and relaxed.

It was strange; they had only parted ways that morning, but seeing him now, Lin Wu suddenly felt a vague sense of unfamiliarity.

Noticing her gaze, Chen Zhuo restrained himself and did not look back.

He turned his head to greet others before sitting down.

Suddenly, the phone tucked inside Lin Wu's notebook lit up.

The meeting hadn't officially started yet, and the male lawyers sitting on either side of her were discreet enough not to peek at her phone. So, Lin Wu opened it without much hesitation.

Unsurprisingly, the message was from He Jiayun.

He Jiayun: "...Oh my god, why does Chen Zhuo look so much more handsome than when I saw him at the bar last time? Is my memory failing me? Or was the lighting in the bar bad?"

He Jiayun: "Good taste. The suit he's wearing today isn't bespoke, but it's from a high-end brand's runway collection. I saw a model wear it on the catwalk before. I thought no man in real life could wear it better or look more refined and dashing than the model, but I didn't expect Chen Zhuo could."

Reading this, Lin Wu couldn't help but look up at Chen Zhuo again.

It was true... Chen Zhuo didn't look as stern as he did in his impeccably tailored suits before. In this attire, every movement felt effortless and elegant. He didn't look like he was here for a meeting; he looked like a young master strolling through the company on a whim for an inspection.

As Lin Wu pondered this, He Jiayun's next message popped up: "What's going on? Why isn't he looking at you?"

He Jiayun: "You've been staring at him, so why isn't he looking at you? Is he a ninja turtle?"

...

Lin Wu was amused by He Jiayun and nearly laughed out loud.

She pressed down on her uncontrollable smirk and lowered her eyes to reply: "Miss, it's perfectly normal for him not to look at me."

He Jiayun: "How is that normal? A great beauty like you, and he doesn't even glance over? That is highly abnormal."

Lin Wu: "We're here for a meeting, and we're not close."

He Jiayun: "Tsk."

Lin Wu: "?"

He Jiayun: "You guys are quite thrilling."

Lin Wu: "What?"

He Jiayun: "Not close in public, but intimate in private. Tell me, isn't that thrilling?"

Knowing He Jiayun must be overthinking things, Lin Wu felt a mix of laughter and frustration. Just as she was about to reply, she caught a glimpse of Li Xiang looking toward He Jiayun, his brow furrowed.

She paused and typed intently: "Stop playing with your phone. Your childhood friend has noticed we're slacking off."

After sending the message, Lin Wu immediately put her phone away.

Following that, she saw He Jiayun sheepishly put her phone away as well.

-

Today's meeting was shorter than the last one.

The necessary points had already been discussed; Chen Zhuo was here this time to select the legal team.

Xianghe Law Firm had many excellent lawyers, and quite a few had handled cases that were the talk of the industry.

Fenxing was looking for a legal team, and Xianghe could recommend many suitable candidates. Ultimately, however, Li Xiang recommended Yu Xinzhi’s team and Lin Wu’s side to Chen Zhuo.

Li Xiang understood Chen Zhuo’s preference. He had asked Lin Wu about it, and presumably, he thought highly of her, but this case was too large and time-consuming. For Lin Wu and her familiar assistant lawyers to tackle it alone would be an immense strain.

Yu Xinzhi was more senior than Lin Wu and had handled similar lawsuits; having the two teams collaborate would be more appropriate.

They each had their own strengths and could maximize their advantages in the case.

Lin Wu had no objections to Li Xiang's arrangement.

She knew very well that if this case were left entirely to her, she wouldn't be able to sleep for the next few months, perhaps even half a year. With Yu Xinzhi’s team involved, the pressure on her would be significantly reduced.

Neither Lin Wu nor Yu Xinzhi had any objections to this arrangement, and the other lawyers had nothing to say either.

After Li Xiang finished speaking, he looked at Chen Zhuo. "What does Mr. Chen think?"

Chen Zhuo flipped through the materials Li Xiang had provided. He lowered his eyes, looking at the one-inch portrait on the top document. The photo had a blue background, and Lin Wu's hair was tied back low, revealing her delicate, palm-sized face.

The makeup was light, yet it could not hide her bright and captivating features.

"I have no objections. Lawyer Li, please make the arrangements," Chen Zhuo said after a moment of contemplation.

Li Xiang smiled. "If Mr. Chen needs anything, feel free to ask at any time."

Chen Zhuo nodded slightly, glancing at Lin Wu and the man beside her with an inscrutable expression.

With the matter settled, the meeting concluded.

As they saw Chen Zhuo out, Li Xiang asked, "Do you have any plans for lunch, Mr. Chen?"

Chen Zhuo raised an eyebrow. "Does Lawyer Li have something in mind?"

"I wanted to invite you and your team to lunch, and use the opportunity for you to get to know our legal team," Li Xiang said frankly. "What do you think, Mr. Chen?"

Chen Zhuo pondered for a few seconds and replied softly, "Let's do it in the evening. I have other arrangements for lunch."

Li Xiang replied, "No problem, then see you tonight."

Chen Zhuo glanced at the people chatting happily a few steps behind them, nodded, and kept his expression unchanged.

After sending Chen Zhuo off, Li Xiang called Lin Wu and Yu Xinzhi into his office to give them a few final instructions and mentioned the dinner, asking them to clear their schedules.

Coming out of Li Xiang's office, Yu Xinzhi called out to Lin Wu.

Lin Wu stopped. "Yes, Lawyer Yu?"

"Lunch together?" Yu Xinzhi invited her, his gaze landing directly on her with a warm smile. "Discuss the case?"

Lin Wu was startled, then smiled helplessly. "Not today at noon."

Yu Xinzhi looked surprised. "Why? Did your assistant already order for you?"

"No," before Lin Wu could speak, He Jiayun appeared out of nowhere. "I brought her lunch."

Yu Xinzhi turned his head, stunned when he saw He Jiayun. "I see."

He smiled apologetically. "Then after the lunch break, do you have any other plans for the afternoon?"

Lin Wu thought for a few seconds and agreed. "No. Two o'clock?"

Yu Xinzhi nodded. "Two o'clock, my office?"

Lin Wu nodded.

Having set the time with Yu Xinzhi, Lin Wu pulled He Jiayun back to her office to eat.

They opened the insulated lunch boxes. Lin Wu went to wash her hands, and when she returned, He Jiayun handed her the chopsticks. After taking them, she remembered something and asked, "Did you give Li Xiang your feedback?"

About not scheduling meetings right before meal times.

He Jiayun was drinking water, and hearing this, she gave her a speechless look. "I forgot. I'll find him after I eat."

Lin Wu curled her lips. "Fine."

The two ate in silence for a while. He Jiayun remembered something and kicked Lin Wu under the coffee table.

Lin Wu looked up. "Hmm?"

He Jiayun: "Are you sure you'll have any time to rest after taking on this Fenxing case?"

She admonished Lin Wu, "Don't earn money you don't live to spend."

Lin Wu laughed, knowing her concern. "I won't."

If she and her team were handling it alone, it was possible that she might end up with money she couldn't enjoy, but with Yu Xinzhi’s team involved, Lin Wu didn't think she would be overly exhausted.

He Jiayun hummed. "We're not young anymore; please be aware of your physical condition."

"I know," Lin Wu glanced at her sideways, protesting, "but I think we're still quite young."

Neither of them was thirty yet; how could they be old?

He Jiayun: "..."

Mentioning this, He Jiayun remembered something more important. "Next week is your birthday. What birthday gift do you want?"

Lin Wu gasped. "Is it next week?"

He Jiayun: "...Are you so busy that you don't even know what day of the week it is?"

"I know what day of the week it is, but I haven't really paid attention to the date," Lin Wu admitted honestly.

He Jiayun was speechless. "So, what do you want for a birthday gift?"

"I don't know," Lin Wu looked down at her food and thought for a while. "There's nothing I particularly want."

"Shouldn't you change your car?" He Jiayun asked.

Lin Wu: "..."

She swallowed the food in her mouth and asked warily, "You're not thinking of buying me a car, are you?"

He Jiayun looked at her and shrugged. "If you want one, I'll buy it. What's the problem?"

Lin Wu choked slightly and quickly refused. "I don't want one. I think my current car is fine; there's no need to change it."

He Jiayun: "A commuter car worth a hundred thousand yuan—what is so good about it?"

"...Isn't it good that I won't feel heartbroken if it gets scratched or bumped?" Lin Wu retorted.

Hearing this, He Jiayun didn't know what to say.

After a long silence, He Jiayun began to get a headache. "Then what do you want?"

"I really don't want anything," Lin Wu said sincerely. "There's nothing I particularly need right now."

He Jiayun: "..."

She was silent for a moment, then stared at Lin Wu. "If you don't say, I'll pick one myself."

Lin Wu mused, "How about you give it to me when I actually need something?"

"No, a birthday gift is a birthday gift," He Jiayun rejected her suggestion. "You can just tell me if you need anything else at other times."

Hearing this, Lin Wu wanted to laugh.

She knew He Jiayun's personality; she was a woman of her word.

After hesitating for a moment, Lin Wu could only nod. "Just don't send anything too expensive."

He Jiayun: "I have money."

Lin Wu had nothing to say.

After eating, He Jiayun told Lin Wu to clean up the mess and stood up. "I'm going to Li Xiang's office."

Lin Wu was suspicious. "What for?"

"To remind him that your birthday is next week, and to tell him, this capitalist, to prepare a generous birthday gift for you."

Lin Wu raised her eyebrows and said without any hesitation, "It's better if he gives me a bonus; I like money."

He Jiayun gave her an 'OK' gesture and blinked. "Leave it to me."

-

After He Jiayun left, Lin Wu rested for a while before continuing her work.

After processing two legal documents sent to her by Zhao Yuxin and providing several suggestions for revisions, she got up to go to Yu Xinzhi's office to discuss the Fenxing case.

She was busy all afternoon.

When a knock on the door sounded, Lin Wu realized it was time to get off work.

"Let's go eat first," Yu Xinzhi told her. "We'll ask about the specific details when we have dinner with Mr. Chen."

Lin Wu agreed softly and returned to her own office first.

The dinner arranged by Li Xiang was at seven in the evening. The restaurant was not far from the law firm; it was a high-end fusion restaurant with quite good privacy.

Lin Wu's car was still parked at the private kitchen restaurant from the night before, and she had taken a taxi to the firm in the morning.

When the group was heading downstairs, Li Xiang asked casually, "Everyone drove here this morning, right?"

Lin Wu: "...I didn't."

Yu Xinzhi turned his head and looked at her. "Then ride in my car later."

Lin Wu paused. Just as she was struggling with how to refuse, Li Xiang glanced at the two of them and said softly, "Lin Wu, ride in my car. I have some questions about He Jiayun to ask you."

"..." Lin Wu breathed a sigh of relief and quickly agreed. "Alright, Lawyer Li."

She smiled at Yu Xinzhi. "Maybe next time."

Yu Xinzhi understood. "No problem."

Arriving at the parking lot, Lin Wu quickly followed Li Xiang into the car.

Li Xiang's assistant and her own assistant occupied the driver and passenger seats, and Lin Wu bent down to get into the back seat.

"Thanks."

Li Xiang glanced at her, implying something. "Our junior sister still has her charm."

Hearing the teasing in his tone, Lin Wu wanted to laugh. "Still a bit behind He Jiayun, though."

Li Xiang: "..."

He looked at her, expressionless. "Are you trying to be kicked out halfway?"

"You wouldn't," Lin Wu said with certainty. "He Jiayun would come to settle the score with you."

Li Xiang choked and decided he didn't want to talk to her anymore.

The two assistants in the front heard this and couldn't help but look at each other, suppressing their smiles for fear that Li Xiang would make them get out of the car immediately.

The car fell silent for a moment before Li Xiang suddenly spoke up. "He Jiayun said your birthday is coming up. Should we throw you a birthday party?"

Lin Wu: "..."

She turned to look at Li Xiang and asked very seriously, "Are you trying to get revenge on me?"

She was an introvert who didn't like to talk much outside of work and wasn't good at socializing. A birthday party? Would everyone just sit there in silence, or should they close their eyes and pray?

Li Xiang raised an eyebrow.

Lin Wu: "...No need. If you want to throw me a birthday party, you might as well just give me some time off."

Li Xiang chuckled. "Given the number of cases you have on hand, don't expect any vacation time within the next two months."

Lin Wu couldn't refute this because it was the truth.

After a few seconds of silence, Lin Wu said, "Then give me a bigger bonus at the end of the year."

Li Xiang didn't hesitate. "I'll give you He Jiayun's share."

"..." Lin Wu heard this and couldn't help but laugh. "I'll thank you on her behalf."

Li Xiang: "You're welcome."

The two chatted nonsense for a bit, and they arrived at the restaurant.

Before getting out of the car, Li Xiang warned Lin Wu, "Don't drink too much. I'm afraid someone will come to settle the score with me."

Lin Wu: "Don't worry, I won't touch a drop of alcohol tonight."

Lin Wu had a few sips of vodka last night, and although it wasn't much, for some reason, her stomach had felt uncomfortable all day.

When the law firm group arrived, Chen Zhuo and his team hadn't yet.

They entered the private room and waited a few minutes before Chen Zhuo and the others appeared.

After a brief exchange of pleasantries, everyone took their seats in turn.

Lin Wu’s seat was next to Yu Xinzhi, Yu Xinzhi was next to Li Xiang, and Li Xiang was next to Chen Zhuo.

The dining table in the room was a large round one, and Lin Wu could see the person sitting diagonally across from her when she looked up.

Dishes were brought to the table one after another. As Lin Wu picked up her chopsticks, she suddenly realized that the number of times she had met Chen Zhuo for meals in this past week was comparable to the entire previous month.

Thinking of this, she couldn't help but wonder if it was a bit too frequent.

Suddenly, Lin Wu sensed a gaze falling upon her.

She looked up instinctively and met the man's eyes.

A moment later, Lin Wu was the first to look away. She reached out to turn the lazy Susan on the table; there was a dish of sweet and sour pork ribs she wanted, and it was currently in front of Chen Zhuo.

Noticing her movement, Chen Zhuo raised an eyebrow. Just as the plate was about to stop in front of Lin Wu and she pulled her hand back, he reached out his hand.

"..."

Watching the ribs rotate past her position, Lin Wu was stunned for three seconds. With a slight sense of helplessness, she picked up some greens in front of her and chewed.

Chen Zhuo caught the look of frustration on her face. He felt like laughing, but he also felt a bit stifled.

It rotated past her; didn't she know how to rotate it back? Chen Zhuo thought to himself, how could she be so prone to giving up on things outside of her work?

Intimately familiar with Lin Wu's personality, Chen Zhuo talked to Li Xiang on his side while leisurely rotating the sweet and sour ribs back in front of Lin Wu.

He only looked away and withdrew his hand after seeing her pick up a piece, picking up the wine on the table to take a sip.